A Call For Fans To Lockout The NFL And NBA

This has got to be one of the most frustrating summers in sports.

With the NBA and NFL reaching heights never seen in their history, both are now going into the next season…

Wait, there is no next season.

Say what?

Repeat that again please, because after seeing two underdogs emerge to be victorious in both of their championship games, all fans want is an encore. Yet, football or basketball have yet to figure out when that will kick or tip-off because both of the league’s owners and players can’t find a common ground as to what is fair for both sides.

What fair really means, though, is that each party is trying to gain a bigger portion of the massive money pot the leagues bring in.

The solution to this issue is simple and doesn’t require assistance from either side: fans should ultimately lockout the leagues

A fan lockout would allow both sports’ biggest producers to take a stand that these actions are not acceptable. The last thing fans want to hear is how big of a crisis both leagues are currently in when the issues of the world are reaching nearly unprecedented heights. It’s hard enough to worry whether or not a person’s job will ever be lost or if they will be able to put food on their table to feed their families.

These leagues are supposed to be the saviors during these problematic times, not adding more sadness.

Fans not only have every right to boycott both leagues for these actions, but should deploy this option at this very moment. The NFL and NBA have no understanding that they are destroying the purity of the game and the reason that professional sports exist; they are here to inspire those that admire and fantasize about being their heroes in the sport.

This illustrates how significant the NFL and NBA are in American life, but they are not essential for living. If either league never existed, it wouldn’t destroy society or affect any average Joe in the most serious of ways. Sports are watched as a means of enjoyment, spawn hope, and escape from the treacheries of regular life.

While everyday people are dealing with a horrendous economy, taking out bigger loans to combat growing college tuition fees, searching tirelessly for jobs to feed their budding families, and hope they can obtain a three to four figure income; both leagues sit back and fight over millions and billions of dollars that come out of the fans’ pocket.
Why both sports would bicker over money is obvious, because the all mighty dollar is essential for living. If administrators realize their businesses are losing money, they downsize their company by shrinking their payroll or reducing wages. Occasionally, this causes employees to clash with their bosses if they feel they are treated unfairly or are getting underpaid, usually leading to a strike.

Yet, this is an everyday occurrence and is needed in order to survive.

The owners and players continue to protest that they want what is best for the league and to return back to work for their adoring fans. That discussion is hard to believe when money is more the focus of the discussions. Yet, that same issue they fight over is obviously a more vital issue for those who attend the sporting events than those who participate in it.

Multi-millionaires in the league are only a small percentage of the players and all of the lower end players don’t make nearly as much as their superstar cohorts. Yet, any person who doesn’t play professional sports would gladly trade their crummy, 9-to-5 job just to sit on a bench or just be a practice dummy.

Being a professional athlete was always thought of as a privilege and a great honor, not a job or an occupation. Of course, the NFL and NBA are businesses, but it’s an industry that is viewed as an enjoyment or a luxury for fans, not a necessity. Other sectors in commerce produce goods or services that are required for existence.

What’s more important in life? Seeing LeBron James dunk a basketball and seeing Adrian Peterson breaking six tackles, or, being able to see a doctor if you are sick or getting help by the police in a time of need?

The owners of both leagues complain about money and that they are deserving of a bigger cut of the pot. This concept would be logical if everyday people had the kind of cash to invest into a company that could net them millions of dollars. Most of these owners have various other businesses that can generate revenue or come from a wealthy family, which is why a stoppage of the league doesn’t dent their bank accounts. All these are benefits that each member of the public could only dream of having while they struggle just to make it through each day of their life.

Money was never meant to drive sports, and yet it has stepped behind the wheel and maneuvered its way to the peak of the mountain as the reasoning why people want to play it.

The hope will be that both situations will pan out and the leagues can come to an agreement of what is “fair” to both sides. In reality though, what should truly be reasonable is that the feelings of the fans should be at the forefront of this issue and how both sides can provide the best product for its followers. Sadly, the definition of sport will forever be changed from a recreational activity to a greedy business that generates billions of dollars from its fans.

In order to demonstrate our disgust with the new characterization of sports, fans should lockout the NFL and NBA and take a stand that their current status is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

New York Jets nominated for Professional Sports Team of the Year Award

On May 18, SportsBusiness Daily and SportsBusiness Journal will host the fourth annual Sports Business Awards in the Broadway Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis in New York City.

The 2011 Awards will recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports from January 1, 2010 through February 28, 2011.

Nominees from 15 different categories were carefully studied over the past several weeks by the selection committee and the winners will be announced at the live awards ceremony in a little less than two months.

Launched in 2008, the Sports Business Awards were established by SportsBusiness Daily and SportsBusiness Journal to celebrate and recognize the leaders, visionaries and day-to-day practitioners who personify excellence in the business of sports.

The inaugural event took place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City. This year marks the third consecutive year that the Marriott Marquis will be home to the Sports Business Awards.

For the second consecutive year, the Big Apple will have horses in the race for the Sports Facility of the Year Award as the New Meadowlands Stadium, home to the New York Giants and the New York Jets, and Red Bull Arena, home to Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls, have been nominated for the honor.

Last year, Citi Field and Yankee Stadium were nominated for the award, but were topped by the $1 billion Cowboys Stadium.

Speaking of the Jets, Gang Green, who went to their second consecutive AFC Championship Game this past season, have the opportunity to lay claim to the Professional Sports Team of the Year Award, which, if it hasn’t already, should give head coach Rex Ryan plenty to bark about during the lockout.

This year’s Sports Business Awards nominees include:

Professional Sports Team of the Year

Ganassi Racing

New York Jets

Orlando Magic

Pittsburgh Penguins

San Francisco Giants



Professional Sports League of the Year

Major League Soccer

National Basketball Association

National Football League

National Hockey League

Ultimate Fighting Championship



Sports Event of the Year

ING New York City Marathon – 2010

NBA All-Star Game – 2011

NCAA Final Four – 2010

Winter X Games – 2011



Sports Executive of the Year

George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN/ABC Sports

Chip Ganassi, Owner, Ganassi Racing

David Levy, President of Sales, Distribution and Sports, Turner Broadcasting System

Kevin Plank, Chair, CEO, Under Armour

Pat Riley, President, Miami Heat



Athletic Director of the Year

Bob Bowlsby, Stanford University

Tim Curley, Penn State University

Chris Del Conte, Texas Christian University

DeLoss Dodds, University of Texas

Chris Hill, University of Utah



Best in Sports Media

CBS Sports

ESPN

Fox Sports

National Football League

Turner Sports



Best in Sports Television

ESPN Networks

Fox Sports

HBO Sports

NBC Sports

Turner Sports



Best in Digital Sports Media

CBS Interactive Media

ESPN Digital Media

MLB Advanced Media

Turner Sports



Best in Talent Representation and Management

Boras Corporation

CAA Sports

IMG

Octagon

Wasserman Media Group



Best in Corporate Consulting, Marketing and Client Services

GMR Marketing

GroupM ESP

IMG

Octagon

Team Epic

Wasserman Media Group



Best in Property Consulting, Sales and Client Services

AEG Global Partnerships

CAA Sports

Home Team Marketing

IMG



Best in Sports Event and Experiential Marketing

BaAM Productions

BeCore Promotions

Intersport

The Marketing Arm

Momentum Worldwide

SportsMark



Sports Sponsor of the Year

Papa John’s

Phillips-Van Heusen

Subway

T-Mobile USA



Sports Facility of the Year

Amway Center

Arrowhead Stadium

Consol Energy Center

New Meadowlands Stadium

Red Bull Arena

Target Field



Best in Sports Technology

Daktronics

Fanvibe

IOMEDIA

MLB Advanced Media


Click here to read the original article at SportsHaze.com.

Lawrence Taylor makes no apologies for soliciting underage prostitute

Yet another sad chapter in the life of a National Football League legend came to a close Tuesday morning when Lawrence Taylor was sentenced to six years probation on misdemeanor charges of sexual misconduct and patronizing an underage prostitute.

In addition, Taylor was registered as a sex offender in the state of New York. A hearing has been scheduled for April 12 to determine what level will be assigned to him.

The 52-year-old Taylor avoided jail time by pleading guilty to the aforementioned charges in January. The charges stemmed from an incident in May 2010, wherein the former New York Giants linebacker solicited a 16-year-old prostitute.

After the court proceedings, Taylor went on to conduct an ill-advised interview on Studio B with Shepard Smith, in which he virtually pointed the finger of blame at everyone but himself.

"That's not my M.O. I've been around kids and people all my life," Taylor said. "I'm not the cause of prostitution. And sometimes I make mistakes and I may go out there. And I didn't go pick her up on no playground. She wasn't hiding behind the school bus or getting off a school bus. This is a working girl that came to my room."

Taylor, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, followed his opening statement by levying a startling accusation against the prostitution industry, blaming the illicit business for setting him up with a teenager.

"It's the world of prostitution," Taylor stated. "You never know what you're gonna get. Is it gonna be a pretty girl, an ugly girl or whatever it's gonna be."

"You can only ask," Taylor continued, when asked about the teenage girl. "I don't card them. I don't ask for a birth certificate."

Taylor’s unremorseful diatribe also included admissions of a prior history of soliciting prostitutes, especially between 1994 and 2001, when he wasn’t married, as well as the motivating factors that drove him to request their services, particularly last year.

"It happens sometimes," Taylor said. "I'd been on the road 10 or 11 days and I came into town. Actually, I made a phone call to a friend of mine, and he made a phone call."

"I'm not looking for a relationship. Hey, sometimes I look for some company," Taylor professed. "It's all clean. I don't have to worry about your feelings. It's all clean. I'm not saying it's right. It's the oldest profession in the world."

Unfortunately, it appears the only lesson Taylor, currently married to his third wife, has learned from his latest brush with the law is to be more vigilant about verifying the age of future women of ill repute he may proposition.

During his Hall of Fame induction speech in 1999, Taylor acknowledged his ex-wife, Linda, their three children and his parents by saying, “Thank you for putting up with me for all those years.” This was undoubtedly a personal tribute to all they had gone through with Taylor during his playing days, in which he abused alcohol, cocaine and crack.

Apparently though, Taylor still has some demons to exorcise in his life that continue to lead him down a dark and sordid path, ultimately leading to his destruction.

The encouraging part of Taylor’s story is that he still has an opportunity to become an inspiration to a generation of those who share his struggle, as opposed to another tragic figure in the sports landscape.

However, the road to redemption for Taylor must begin within before it can be manifested without, and the first step in the process is a hard look in the mirror at his life.

Taylor worked diligently, and passionately, to become one of the greatest players to ever step on a football field. Now he needs to apply that same diligence, and passion, in becoming the best man, husband and father he can possibly be.

Click here to read the original article on SportsHaze.com, which includes relevant links and Taylor's stunning interview with FOX News.

This Day in Black Sports History: February 26, 1973

Compared to Gale Sayers, Roger Craig and Thurman Thomas coming out of San Diego State University, Marshall William Faulk would live up to the hype by becoming the most versatile running back in National Football League history.

Born on Feb. 26, 1973 in New Orleans, La., Faulk, the youngest of six boys, was raised in the Desire Housing Projects, one of the most crime-ravaged, oppressed projects in the United States.

Nevertheless, while many of his childhood friends fell into crime and drugs, with some dying early violent deaths, Faulk turned to football at the age of seven while his mother worked odd jobs to support her sons.

"My mom didn't have a profession,” Faulk told Sports Illustrated. “Her profession was her kids."

Although he ran into some trouble as a youth, getting kicked out of three elementary schools, Faulk was increasingly drawn to football, which became a passion by the time he entered George Washington Carver High School.

After lettering in track and excelling on the football field, especially at the running back and defensive back positions, Faulk received a plethora of college scholarship offers, with most recruiters expressing a desire for him to play defensive back.

However, Faulk preferred to play on the offensive side of the ball. So when San Diego State emerged as the only school to offer him a running back position, Faulk couldn’t resist the opportunity.

In only the second game of his collegiate career, Faulk racked up 386 rushing yards on 37 carries and scored seven touchdowns, serving as the prelude to one of the most prolific freshman seasons in NCAA history.

Faulk would complete his freshman campaign with 1,429 yards rushing and 23 total touchdowns (21 rushing). His exploits would earn him a spot on the Associated Press All-American Team—just the third freshman to receive the honor—and the second highest finish for a freshman in Heisman Trophy voting annals.

His stellar sophomore and junior years, seasons in which he finished second and fourth in the Heisman Trophy vote respectively, were sufficient motivation for Faulk to forgo his final year of eligibility and declare for the 1994 NFL Draft, where he was selected with the second overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts.

Faulk’s impact on the Colts, and the NFL, was immediate, becoming the first player in league history to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and the Pro Bowl’s Most Valuable Player Award in the same season.

In his second season with Indianapolis, Faulk rushed for 1,078 yards and scored 14 total touchdowns on his way to helping the Colts come within one game of going to the Super Bowl and playing in his second consecutive Pro Bowl.

Although injuries would result in a sub-par 1996 season, Faulk would rush for over 1,000 yards in each of the next two seasons, including 1,319 rushing yards, 86 receptions for 906 yards, and 2,227 total yards from scrimmage in 1998, the first of a record four consecutive 2,000-plus total-yard seasons.

Strained relations with head coach Jim Mora would result in a trade to the St. Louis Rams in 1999, where Faulk’s talents would be fully showcased in a Rams’ spread offense formation that came to be known as “The Greatest Show on Turf.”

Similar to his rookie season in Indianapolis, Faulk’s addition paid instant dividends for the Rams as he became only the second player in NFL history (after Roger Craig) to have 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a season. In addition, Faulk set a league record with 2,429 total yards from scrimmage, which has since been broken by Chris Johnson.

The 1999 season would also see St. Louis defeat the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV after finishing last in the NFC West the previous season.

The following year would be Faulk’s best one as a professional, as he won the NFL MVP Award and the Offensive Player of the Year Award while becoming the first running back in league history to lead his team in receptions five separate seasons (three in Indianapolis and twice in St. Louis).

The Rams returned to the Super Bowl in the 2001 season, though they would lose to the New England Patriots in what would be the climax of Faulk’s career.

After rushing for a career-high 1,382 yards, catching 83 passes for 765 yards, totaling 2,147 yards from scrimmage and scoring 21 touchdowns, Faulk won the Offensive Player of the Year Award for the third consecutive season.

Injuries and age would catch up with Faulk as 2001 was the last of his 1,000-yard rushing seasons, and though he remained the Rams' lead running back in successive years, Faulk was well past his prime, despite remaining a respected and effective player.

Faulk would announce his retirement from football on March 26, 2007, ranking 10th in rushing yards (12,279), first in receiving yards (6,875), third in yards from scrimmage (19,154), second in receptions (767) and second in receiving touchdowns (36) among running backs.

To further add credibility to his legacy, Faulk is also one of three players (Marcus Allen, Tiki Barber) to amass 10,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards in a career, as well as the only one to have 12,000 yards rushing and 6,000 yards receiving.

On Feb. 5, 2011, Faulk was elected into the NFL Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

"To talk about the great backs and not include him is a mistake," Dick Vermeil, former coach of the Rams, once told Sports Illustrated. "I've been around some great players, and he's better—he’s an elite player."

Click here to read the original article at Examiner.com.

This Day in Black Sports History: February 17, 1936

In the summer of 1966, James Nathaniel Brown stunned the sports world with the announcement of his retirement from the Cleveland Browns while still in the prime of his National Football League (NFL) career. But those short nine seasons, in which he terrorized opposing defenses, saw Brown firmly establish himself as one of the greatest players to ever step on the gridiron.

Born in 1936 on St. Simon’s Island, off the coast of Georgia, Brown was raised by his great-grandmother after his father, a former professional boxer, left the family when he was still an infant. When he turned seven, Brown would eventually join his mother in Long Island, NY, where she had found work as a housekeeper.

Life up north was initially a culture shock for Brown, who managed to get into a fight on his first morning at Manhasset Valley grade school.

"My mother had dressed me in new clothes," Brown recalled.

"That morning when they gave us recess, a black boy made a wisecrack, said I looked 'pretty,' and he shoved me. I reacted Georgia-style. I tackled him, pinned him with my knees, punched him. The closed circle of kids watching then started chanting, 'Dirty fighter, dirty fighter.' I stopped fighting. I was mystified. How did these boys fight up here?"

But Brown would find his niche in the sports arena, exhibiting he was a natural athlete at virtually every game, from baseball and football to lacrosse and track events.

By his freshman year of high school, Brown’s superior athleticism and determination to be the best at whatever he did already became the stuff of legends, prompting his high school football coach to declare that Brown, “probably had more drive to succeed of anybody I have ever coached. Whatever he did, he wanted to do better than anybody else.”

Brown would go on to earn 13 letters at Manhasset High School, playing baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse and running track, as well as membership on the honor society for scholastic achievement.

"I was a poor kid from a broken home," Brown once told Newsday, "but I was not insecure, because where there is love there cannot be insecurity."

After being recruited by 45 colleges and universities, Brown chose to attend Syracuse University, where, as a freshman, he was passed over for less talented white players in basketball and football. However, an injury to a teammate would open up a spot for Brown on the football team, and he never looked back.

Subsequent to becoming a starter, Brown would go on to earn 10 varsity letters—three each in football and lacrosse and two each in basketball and track. Brown also placed fifth nationally in the 1956 decathlon competition, qualifying for the Olympic Games in the process. Nevertheless, Brown bypassed the 1956 Olympics to concentrate on football.

In his senior season at Syracuse, Brown ran for 986 yards, third most in the country, scored 14 touchdowns and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. When he graduated in the spring of 1957, Brown had gained 2,091 yards and scored 187 points—including 25 touchdowns—for the Orangemen.

Therefore, it came as absolutely no surprise when the Cleveland Browns selected Brown in the first round of the 1956 NFL Draft, but what did come as a shock was how quickly Brown made his presence known in the league.

By his fifth game, Brown had surpassed the team record for most touchdowns scored in a single season, and played a vital role in Cleveland’s Eastern Division Championship of 1957. Brown would end the year as the NFL’s leading rusher, the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year and the league’s Most Valuable Player.

The scary proposition for the rest of the NFL was that Brown was only going to get better, and he did.

From 1958 to 1965, Brown rushed for an average of 1,421 yards per season, on 5.3 yards per carry, and scored an average of 15 touchdowns.

During this incredible span, Brown was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, a seven-time First-Team All-Pro Selection, a three-time Pro Bowl MVP and a two-time NFL MVP.

Brown’s bruising running style made him a nightmare to tackle, and a beloved figure in the sports-obsessed city of Cleveland.

“He told me, 'Make sure when anyone tackles you he remembers how much it hurts.' He lived by that philosophy and I always followed that advice.”—John Mackey, 1999

When he decided to hang up his cleats in 1966 at the age of 30, Brown just came off a season where rushed for 1,544 yards and scored 21 touchdowns (17 rushing, three receiving), which made his retirement all the more shocking.

Brown’s legacy in NFL history was completely secure though. His record for career rushing yards (12,312) stood for nearly 20 years, until former Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton broke it in 1984. More impressively, Brown's record for career touchdowns stood for nearly 30 years, until former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice broke it in 1994.

However, Brown’s records for career yards per carry (5.2) and average rushing yards per game (104.3) remain untouched and unrivaled.

In addition to being inducted into the Pro Football of Fame in 1971, Brown is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Lacrosse Hall of Fame, being one of the few athletes to be a Hall of Fame member in more than one sport.

More importantly though, Brown has made his impact felt off the field, establishing public service programs like Amer-I-Can, a life management skills organization that operates in inner cities and prisons to help kids caught up in the gang scene in Cleveland and Los Angeles.

"The young black male is the most powerful source of energy and change we have," Brown once told the Washington Post. "My hope is to start a direction where these young men will be given respect and taught how to utilize it."

And more than the sum of all his football accomplishments, this is how Brown would like to be remembered.

"I have no trophies in my home. When I lay down, I think of all the experiences I've had and the respect that I've gotten. That's my glory."

Happy 75th, Mr. Brown.

Click here to read the original article at Examiner.com.

The NFL Super Bowl Commercial, "Best Fans Ever"

For the non-football fan, the best part about the Super Bowl is the commercials and one of the best was done by the National Football League themselves.

Using computer technology, they super-imposed NFL apparel over famous scenes from sitcoms:



For those of you that would like to see the side by side of the original clips and the commercial, we have that as well:

This Day in Black Sports History: February 1, 2009

As the pages of calendars all across the nation turn to February, Black History Month 2011 will be ushered into the consciousness of America to remind its citizens of the invaluable contributions African-Americans have made toward making this country what it is today.

African-Americans have also placed their unique stamp on the sports world, overcoming the barriers of discrimination, racism and segregation to earn acceptance in a milieu where they are no longer judged by the color of their skin, but by their ability, character and work ethic.

During Black History Month 2010, Sports Haze New York City feature writer Ronald Monestime chronicled some of these triumphant stories in a series entitled
This Day in Black Sports History, devoting each day to the celebration of historic African-American achievements in sports.

Black History Month 2011 marks the beginning of an entirely new series and another 28-day journey through the annals of sports history to recognize, and honor, African-American pioneers past, present and future.

Appropriately enough, today’s honoree will be the subject of considerable discussion this week as he prepares to lead his team into Cowboys Stadium to play Super Bowl XLV.

That man is none other than Mike Tomlin, the first African-American head coach in Pittsburgh Steelers history and the 10th in the history of the National Football League.

In addition, at the age of 38, Tomlin is the third-youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues, but there can be little argument that his youth belies his vast gridiron acumen.

After only four seasons at Pittsburgh’s helm, Tomlin has guided the Steelers to a winning percentage of 67 percent during the regular season (43-21) and victories in five out of six playoff games.

Along the way, Tomlin has won a Coach of the Year Award (2008), two conference championships and a Super Bowl trophy, which is the precise moment the native of Newport News, Virginia started making headlines.

A little over two years ago, the Steelers captured the AFC North Division by posting a 12-4 record, their second division title in as many seasons under Tomlin, and culminated the 2008 campaign with an AFC Championship Game victory over the Baltimore Ravens, followed by a Super Bowl XLIII triumph against the upstart Arizona Cardinals.

When Pittsburgh defeated the Ravens, Tomlin became the youngest NFL head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl and the third African-American coach to do so, joining Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts) and Lovie Smith (Chicago Bears).

So on February 1, 2009, when the Steelers brought home the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy with a heart-stopping 27-23 victory over the Cardinals, Tomlin became the youngest head coach in NFL history to win the Super Bowl.

Now, Tomlin has the opportunity to become the youngest head coach to win two Super Bowls—all in a day’s work for the husband and father of three, who is well on his way to not only becoming the most successful African-American head coach in the game’s history, but the most successful of all head coaches who have come down the pike.

Click here to read the original article at SportsHaze.com.

Top Five Lessons New York Jets Should Have Learned This Season

As the sting from a loss in their second consecutive AFC Championship Game gradually subsides, the New York Jets can look back on the 2010-11 season with a mixture of hope, pride and shame.

Thus, similarly to the proverbial game of life, Gang Green, individually and collectively, can glean a myriad of lessons from the occasions where they failed and succeeded, both as players and as men.

So, the offseason presents a prime opportunity for the Jets to reflect and mature, to become better, not bitter, for the euphoric highs and wretched lows that are part and parcel of a grueling 16-game National Football League schedule.

Therefore, it is imperative that the Jets carefully and introspectively look back on a season that could have easily been lost due to self-inflicted wounds, and move forward with renewed perspective on what it truly means to be a winner.

5. Talk is cheap

From their appearance on HBO’s reality documentary series Hard Knocks to cornerback Antonio Cromartie questioning the manhood of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward prior to the AFC Championship Game, the Jets weren’t bashful about speaking their minds.

And with the addition of established stars in Cromartie, LaDainian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes and Jason Taylor via free agency and trades last year, it was clear the Jets were assembling a team built to win the Super Bowl this season, an observation made known by the team to any and all who would listen.

“Honestly, we’re here for our Super Bowl. If we don’t get there, nothing else matters.” – Kris Jenkins

“Don’t be timid about saying it. That’s your goal. Write it down. Say it. Read it. Talk about it. It’s fine. It’s not false bravado. It’s real, and that’s what we want. I think we have the players to do it.” – Mark Sanchez

“Anything short of the obvious is a disappointment. At the end of the day, to beat the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship or to beat the Saints or Vikings, we have to put it all together. It’s not enough just to have the manpower on paper.” – Braylon Edwards

“This is definitely different than any other year I’ve been in. It’s a true sense of Super Bowl or bust. This team is built for that. It’s been talked about over and over again. Guys understand that.” – Brandon Moore

Ultimately though, for all their braggadocio, the Jets would fall short of punching a ticket to Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium, proving once again that Gang Green’s bark was worse than their bite.

4. Cheaters never win

While in the throes of a two-game losing streak, the Jets became the subject of an NFL investigation for the third time in a three-month span, including the notorious Brett Favre-Jenn Sterger inquest.

During a Week 14 game against the Miami Dolphins, Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi deliberately tripped Dolphins rookie cornerback Nolan Carroll as he was running near the sideline to cover a punt.

In the aftermath of this incident, Alosi issued an immediate apology before being fined $25,000 and indefinitely suspended from the team.

The Jets maintain Alosi acted alone despite player testimony and visual evidence suggesting head coach Rex Ryan and special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff were fully aware Alosi engineered the formation of a wall along the sidelines, leading to the tripping fiasco.

To add insult to injury, the Jets lost the game to their division foes, 10-6, dashing all hopes of winning the AFC East crown.

3. Women should be treated with respect

Prior to the start of the season, the Jets embroiled themselves in controversy when Inés Sainz, a reporter for Mexico’s TV Azteca, became victim to a hostile and unprofessional working environment as she attempted to interview quarterback Mark Sanchez.

In accounts provided by the New York Post, Jets defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman purposely overthrew footballs to players during a drill for defensive backs so that the passes would land near Sainz on the sideline.

This was followed by defensive lineman Jason Taylor, a husband and father of three children, volunteering to take part in the drills even though he isn't part of Thurman’s unit.

Rex Ryan, a husband and father of two sons himself, also got involved when he had Thurman run a pattern near the sideline and intentionally overthrew him in Sainz's direction.

If this wasn’t enough, Sainz was greeted by catcalls and hooting in the Jets locker room at the conclusion of practice to which defensive tackle Kris Jenkins declared, “This is our locker room!” when Sainz was asked if she was OK.

"I die of embarrassment!" Sainz wrote in Spanish on her Twitter account. "I am in the locker room of the Jets waiting for Mark Sanchez while trying not to look to anywhere!"

As a result, the NFL launched an investigation in the wake of a complaint made by the Association of Women in Sports Media against the Jets.

Needless to say, this was inexcusable and egregious behavior from grown men, many of whom are husbands and fathers, including the head coach.

2. Friends don’t let friends drink and drive

Less than two weeks after the Inés Sainz scandal, enigmatic wide receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI).

Police officers initially stopped Edwards for excessive tinting on his white Land Rover but Edwards’ bloodshot, watery eyes and the strong smell of alcohol in the vehicle prompted further investigation.


Subsequently, Edwards consented to and failed a breathalyzer examination, where it was determined his blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit, leading to his arrest.

Among the four passengers in Edwards’ vehicle at the time of the arrest were teammates D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Vernon Gholston.

Fortunately, this error in judgment on the part of all three Jets players did not result in anyone getting hurt, but the potential alone should have been reason for pause on the evening in question.

1. The future looks bright

In the past 31 years, the Jets have not enjoyed a more successful two-year run than they have experienced under Rex Ryan, whose résumé now consists of 20 regular season victories, two consecutive playoff appearances, four road playoff victories in six games and two consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances.

And with an aggressive front office committed to making the moves necessary to keep them in title contention, the Jets will be a force to be reckoned with for several years to come.

So, Gang Green does have reason to hold their heads high, especially after they clawed back from a 24-0 deficit against the Steelers to pull to within one touchdown of completing an improbable comeback.

The Jets can learn from this experience, as well as the mistakes they made throughout the season to sabotage themselves.

If they do grow from these trials and tribulations, Rex Ryan will have pulled off his most masterful coaching job yet.

Click here to read the original article at SportsHaze.com.

New York Yankees Turn Brett Favre Into a Dirty Word

With pitchers and catchers scheduled to report in less than a month, free agent Andy Pettitte remains undecided on whether he will pitch another season for the New York Yankees, which has crippled the team’s efforts to round out the starting rotation for 2011.

Prior to succumbing to the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series, the Yankees’ top offseason priorities were to lure Cliff Lee to the Bronx and re-sign Pettitte, shortstop Derek Jeter and closer Mariano Rivera.

But plans to hit for the cycle went painfully awry when Cliff Lee signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and the 38-year-old Pettitte balked at returning for a 17th season in the majors, including number 14 with the Yankees.

In the first half of the 2010 season, Pettitte, Major League Baseball’s all-time postseason wins leader (19), went 11-2 with a 2.70 ERA to earn the third All-Star selection of his career.

However, a groin injury limited Pettitte to only four starts after the All-Star break, where he posted a record of 0-1 with an ERA of 7.47.

Nevertheless, after such a strong overall season (11-3, 3.28 ERA), the Yankees were fully prepared to welcome Pettitte back into the fold this year, to the tune of approximately $12-13 million.

Apparently though, the grizzled left-hander, who’s been with the Yankees for five World Series Championships, seems more inclined to quietly ride off into the sunset than to take the mound to pitch another game in pinstripes.

The quandary for New York is that Pettitte has neither committed to pitching at any point during the upcoming season nor filed his retirement papers with MLB, drawing comparisons from Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to another professional athlete notorious for being a central figure in this type of melodrama.

“Being from Texas and having to be in New York for six months out of the year can be hard because he has kids and he’s missing important time with them,” Cashman said at Tuesday’s Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting.

“He’s opting not to play right now but that might change it might not. I told him don’t ‘Brett Favre’ us. You got to be all in and fully dedicated to play. Do I need him? I need him, but I don’t want him to play if his heart’s not in it.”

"Brett Favre" us.

It does sound like a dirty phrase when context is taken into consideration, doesn’t it?

Arguably, Pettitte is already "Brett Favre-ing" the most valuable franchise in baseball today, a position, no innuendo intended, the Yankees have not found themselves in often, if ever, in their storied history.

Click here to read the original article at SportsHaze.com.

Now It's Personal: Jets' Antonio Cromartie Calls Tom Brady "An Ass---."

For those who scoffed at Rex Ryan’s claims that the upcoming AFC Divisional Playoff game between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets is “personal,” an immediate change of heart is in full order after Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie openly expressed his feelings for Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady.

When asked what he thought of Brady in an interview with the Daily News, Cromartie took the road less traveled by calling New England’s field general “An ass----" and added, “F--- him” to punctuate his in-depth analysis.

This latest salvo in an increasingly intense Jets-Patriots rivalry found inspiration from Brady’s alleged celebratory finger-pointing taunts during New England’s 45-3 annihilation of the Jets back in December.

Inadvertently, Cromartie's head coach tossed him an alley-oop by referring to these antics as simply “Brady being Brady,” and Cromartie proceeded to slam dunk the no-look pass with the authority and force of NBA power forward Blake Griffin.

"That's what I think about him. I don't really give a damn about him," Cromartie said. "I don't have to play against him. I play against the receivers."

At this point in the season and his career, it would serve no purpose for Brady to respond in kind to Cromartie’s comments, as his play on the field has spoken volumes about how far he has separated himself from his contemporaries.

Just as Brady humbled the Jets by dissecting them with surgical precision last month, if the Jets are truly offended by Brady’s on-field verbal and non-verbal jabs, then all they have to do is minimize his success on the field.

There were absolutely no references made to Brady taunting them when the Jets defeated the Patriots 28-14 in their first meeting of the season.

This is because the Jets allowed Brady to complete only 55.6 percent of his passes (20-of-36) for 248 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Brady’s quarterback rating was a pedestrian 72.5.

During that game, it would come as a surprise to discover the Jets didn’t give Brady "the business" while they were in the midst of stifling his efforts to put points on the boards.

So when he redeemed himself in Foxborough with a vengeance, the Jets had to expect Brady to jump on the chance to return the favor.

After all, it’s only fitting when the swagger with which the Jets entered this season and postseason is taken into consideration.

In any case, this latest development in the Jets’ media assault on the Patriots only serves to add intrigue, intensity and significance to the game, the “game within the game” and the intercity rivalry between Boston and New York.

Click here to read the original article on SportsHaze.com.

New York Jets Have Demons to Exorcise in Foxborough

After the New York Jets’ heart-stopping victory over the Indianapolis Colts during Wild Card weekend, head coach Rex Ryan breathed a huge sigh of relief because he finally vanquished his personal “white whale,” Peyton Manning.

And true to his character, Ryan, still in the afterglow of his most satisfying victory, proceeded to resume a one-sided war of words with head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, who the Jets will face this weekend in Gillette Stadium.

In a span of less than a week, Ryan went from pontificating that Brady only thinks he’s as studious as Peyton Manning to boldly declaring the upcoming AFC divisional playoff game is about “Bill Belichick versus Rex Ryan.”

Now several analysts have given Ryan a pass for employing this seemingly brilliant stratagem of deflecting attention away from his team, but the fact remains the Patriots have owned the Jets in New England the past two years.

New York is 0-2 at Gillette Stadium in the Rex Ryan era and the games weren’t close to being competitive in any way, shape or form.

At Foxborough, Gang Green was outscored 76-17, out-gained 815-627 and turned the ball over a grand total of eight times. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots have only one turnover in their last two home games against the Jets.

However, the most salient difference between the Jets and the Patriots was at the quarterback position, where Tom Brady thoroughly outplayed and out-shined second-year signal caller Mark Sanchez.

Against the Patriots on the road, Sanchez is an abysmal 25 for 54 (46.3 percent) for 300 yards with one touchdown and eight interceptions. Furthermore, Sanchez’s quarterback rating in the two contests were 37.1 and 27.8 respectively.

Meanwhile, Brady, the leading candidate for this season’s MVP award, has been absolutely sterling against the Jets within the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium. In fact, Brady toyed with the vaunted Jets’ defense like no other quarterback has done in the league.

Brady completed an astonishing 70.0 percent of his passes (49 for 70) for 636 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, which all added up to quarterback ratings of 98.6 and 148.9, respectively, in the aforementioned games.

All this from a quarterback who Ryan believes doesn't study as diligently as Peyton Manning. If this is the case then what does Ryan’s subtle dig say about his team’s ability to stop Brady?

Instead, what Ryan truly needs to comprehend is empty rhetoric doesn’t pay the bills in the National Football League.

What wins football games are a turnover-free offense, an opportunistic defense and a quarterback up to the task of playing at his best when the stakes are the highest.

Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots trounced the Jets in all three of these phases the last two times they faced each other up north.

In addition, the Patriots have gone 16-0 in the regular season at home the last two years, including the 31-14 beating and 45-3 shellacking they laid on their heated division rivals.

These are the demons Gang Green must exorcise to go to their second consecutive AFC Championship Game.

And if Rex Ryan manages to pull off this exorcism, it may propel the New York Jets to their first Super Bowl in over 40 years.

Then he can talk all he wants.

Click here to read the original article on SportsHaze.com.

New York Giants Become Victims of Miracle at New Meadowlands

As Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson crossed the goal line with the game-winning touchdown against the New York Giants, visions of Herman Edwards must have been dancing through the heads of those in attendance at the new Meadowlands Stadium.

A little over 32 years ago, the former Eagles cornerback recovered a fumbled handoff between Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik and fullback Larry Csonka and ran it back 26 yards for a game-winning touchdown in the old Meadowlands Stadium.

The play came to be known as the 'Miracle at the Meadowlands' because it occurred at a juncture when the Giants were in complete command of the game.

With Philadelphia trailing 17-12 and out of timeouts, New York faced a third-and-2 with 31 seconds left. Inexplicably though, Giants offensive coordinator Bob Gibson called for Pisarcik to hand it off to Csonka for a standard run up the middle.

However, vehement dissension in the huddle over the play call resulted in a rushed snap, a bobbled handoff and the eventual fumble that Edwards was only too happy to run back for a touchdown, giving the Eagles an improbable 19-17 victory.

Since that fateful afternoon of November 19, 1978, it certainly appeared that the Giants buried the skeletons of that inexcusable collapse with three Super Bowl trophies and the grand opening of a $1.6 billion new stadium.

But in Sunday’s afternoon tilt with the Eagles for NFC East supremacy, the Giants conjured up the spirits of collapses past by losing a game that will surely come to be known as the Miracle at the new Meadowlands.

After outgaining Philadelphia 222-74 to take a 24-3 lead into halftime, the G-Men were well on their way to debunking the widespread notion that Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is unstoppable.

And with a 24-10 lead after the third quarter and a 31-10 advantage with 7:58 remaining in the game, the Giants had the most satisfying victory of the season within their clutches.

This is when the catalyst of the NFL’s top-ranked offense started to dissect the league’s second-ranked defensive unit with his left arm and his nimble feet.

In the final eight minutes of the contest alone, Vick threw two touchdown passes (65, 18), ran one in for a score (4) and rushed for nearly 100 yards, while turning a 21-point deficit into a tie game with 14 seconds left. The Giants’ offensive inefficiency and a successful Eagles’ onside kick didn’t hurt either.

So, after a one-minute three-and-out that netted -7 yards, all the Giants had to do was kick away from the dangerous DeSean Jackson and regroup for overtime.

Punter Matt Dodge did the exact opposite though, and channeled his inner Joe Pisarcik in the process.

Dodge drove a line drive right down the middle of the field, which Jackson initially bobbled before returning 65 yards for the game-winning score in the penultimate play of the game.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin wasted no time in berating his rookie punter for the gaffe, but let there be no doubt that the monumental collapse was a collective effort.

And, as a result, a new legend was born in this heated rivalry that the Eagles will always remember and the Giants would like to forget as soon as humanly possible.

Joe Pisarcik, you’re not alone.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a recap of the 'Miracle at the new Meadowlands'.

New York Jets Have Become NFL's New Age Outlaws

In a season best described as ‘Super Bowl or Bust’, the New York Jets have made a habit of generating more headlines for antics unrelated to their play on the field.

Prior to the start of the season, controversy arose when Inés Sainz, a reporter for Mexico’s TV Azteca, was subjected to footballs being thrown in her direction during a team practice and players' catcalls inside the locker room afterwards.

As a result, the NFL launched an investigation in the wake of a complaint made by the Association of Women in Sports Media against Gang Green.

This embarassing incident came on the heels of the Jets’ highly publicized appearance on HBO: Hard Knocks, which served to highlight the arrogance, boldness and confidence of the front office, the coaches and the players.

But although the aforementioned complaint had the potential to rock the team's foundation to its core, the Jets emerged from the ensuing melodrama virtually unscathed.

However, less than two weeks later, enigmatic wide receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Police officers initially stopped Edwards for excessive tinting on his white Land Rover but Edwards’ bloodshot, watery eyes and the strong smell of alcohol in the vehicle prompted further investigation.

Subsequently, Edwards consented to and failed a breathalyzer examination, where it was determined his blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit, leading to his arrest. Among the four passengers in Edwards’ vehicle at the time of the arrest were teammates D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Vernon Gholston.

The Jets disciplined Edwards with a token first quarter suspension against the Miami Dolphins and his case has been adjourned until January 11, which also happens to be the week of the AFC Divisional Playoffs.

So in a span of ten days, the Jets organization found itself ensconced in two scandals that could have sent their season into an unrecoverable tailspin. But undaunted, Gang Green regained their swagger by winning 8 of its next 9 games as the aforementioned cases gradually dissipated from the public consciousness.

Unfortunately, while in the throes of a two-game losing streak, the Jets have become the subject of an NFL investigation for the third time in three months, including the ongoing Brett Favre-Jenn Sterger inquest.

During last Sunday’s game against Miami, Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi deliberately tripped Dolphins rookie cornerback Nolan Carroll as he was running near the sideline on a punt return. In response, Alosi issued an immediate apology before being fined $25,000 and indefinitely suspended from the team.

The Jets maintain Alosi acted alone despite player testimony and visual evidence suggesting head coach Rex Ryan and special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff were fully aware Alosi engineered the formation of a wall along the sidelines, leading to the tripping fiasco.

Thus, while Alosi seriously contemplates a name change to Lee Harvey Oswald, the Jets have once again stained the NFL’s image with behavior that reflects the personality of their head coach.

In the 1970’s and the 1980’s, Oakland Raiders general managing partner Al Davis transformed the ‘Silver and Black’ into a cast of mavericks and outlaws with trademarked slogans such as “Commitment to Excellence”, “Just Win, Baby” and “Pride and Poise”.

Now it appears the Jets have become the league’s new age outlaws which, for professional wrestling fans in the know, happened to be the name of a popular WWE tag team in the late 1990’s that ran with a stable appropriately dubbed Degeneration X.

Degenerates? Outlaws? Is this how owner Woody Johnson wants the New York Jets to be remembered in this decade?

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a recap of the notorious 'Tripping Incident'.

Are the New York Jets for Real or Beneficiaries of an Easy Schedule?

Through twelve weeks of action in the National Football League, the New York Jets are sitting atop the AFC East at 9-2 and, with three more victories, will equal the mark for most regular season wins in the franchise’s 50-year history.

If these distinctions aren’t enough to whet the appetites of their Super Bowl-starved fans, the fact that the Jets have the inside track to home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs should send the Gang Green faithful into a virtual feeding frenzy.

But although the Jets are tied with the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots for the league’s best record entering Week 13, they are widely considered contenders when the mythical title of the NFL’s top team is passed around from week to week.

This lack of consideration can largely be attributed to the Jets racking up their nine wins against teams with a combined record of 39-68 (.364), including the Buffalo Bills (2-10), the Minnesota Vikings (5-7), the Denver Broncos (3-9), the Detroit Lions (2-10), the Cleveland Browns (5-7), the Houston Texans (5-7) and the Cincinnati Bengals (2-10).

In fact, New York’s margin of victory against these seven sub-.500 teams is 9.3 points per game, with five of those wins (Vikings, Broncos, Lions, Browns, Texans) coming by an average margin of only five points per game.

So this speaks to the notion that the Jets have been playing down to the level of their competition for the majority of the season only to eke out late, and oftentimes come-from-behind, victories against the cellar dwellers in the NFL.

The only team with a winning record the Jets have defeated this season is the Patriots (9-2) in Week 2, while their two losses came against two of the league’s better teams in the Baltimore Ravens (8-3) and the Green Bay Packers (8-4).

However, whether Gang Green is considered more lucky than good, the undeniable truth is they are one of three teams in the NFL with nine wins, which leaves them poised to take a stranglehold of the AFC East at the conclusion of Week 13 action.

Speaking of good, except for the final week of the season when they play host to Buffalo, the Jets’ championship mettle will be put to the ultimate test, as their schedule consists of games against teams with a combined record of 32-14 (.696), which includes three road contests at New England, at Pittsburgh (8-3) and at Chicago (9-3).

Therefore, it could easily be argued that the next four weeks will reveal more about the Jets than the first 12 because they won’t be playing any more playoff pretenders.

The first examination is a Monday Night Football showdown with the New England Patriots in a battle for division supremacy. And the tests will only get more difficult with each passing week.

Will the real New York Jets please stand up?

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a breakdown of the Monday Night Football showdown between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots.

Top Five Reasons New York Giants Should Be Thankful for Week 12

After consecutive losses to the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants entered Week 12 in dire need of a victory to end their recent slide and keep pace in the NFC playoff picture.

So with the Jacksonville Jaguars paying a visit to the new Meadowlands Stadium, and games against the Washington Redskins (2), the Minnesota Vikings, the Eagles and the Green Bay Packers remaining on their schedule, it goes without saying the Giants’ margin for error decreases significantly with each passing week.

That said, as Week 12 action draws to a close, the G-Men should be extremely thankful for several results that placed them in prime position to control their playoff destiny.

5. Minnesota Vikings – 17, Washington Redskins – 13

Prior to their home tilt with Minnesota, the Redskins stood only one game behind the Giants in the NFC East and the race for the last NFC wild-card spot.

However, despite Leslie Frazier making his debut on the head coaching circuit and Adrian Peterson, the NFC’s leading rusher, sidelined since the second quarter with an ankle injury, Minnesota handed the Redskins a crushing defeat at FedEx Field.

The loss opened the door for the Giants to double their lead over Washington with only five games left to play in the regular season.

4. Baltimore Ravens – 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 10

With an enthusiastic, young second-year head coach and a 22-year-old quarterback who’s taken giant leaps in his maturation process this season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have gone from preseason outcasts to viable playoff contenders.

And with a dominating 21-0 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11, Tampa Bay moved one game ahead of the Giants for the final wild-card spot in the NFC.

But a tough road loss to the Baltimore Ravens, one of the top teams in the AFC, left the Buccaneers on the outside looking in coming down the home stretch and in a chase with the Green Bay Packers to catch the New York Giants for the aforementioned wild-card spot.

3. Atlanta Falcons – 20, Green Bay Packers – 17

Unlike Tampa Bay, several NFL analysts tabbed the Packers to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLV.

Nevertheless, following Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Packers, who have made due in spite of season-ending injuries to running back Ryan Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley, wouldn’t even make the playoffs if the season ended today.

In fact, as it currently stands, Green Bay has to leap-frog the Buccaneers and the Giants to qualify for the postseason. So their game against New York at Lambeau Field the day after Christmas looms extremely large.

2. Chicago Bears – 31, Philadelphia Eagles – 26

Although the Chicago Bears have their fair share of doubters, all they do is keep on winning to maintain their lead over Green Bay in the NFC Central.

Their fourth consecutive victory, and their most convincing one of the season, came at the expense of Michael Vick and the red-hot Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field.

So although the Eagles remain perched atop the NFC East by virtue of their win over New York in Week 11, they have a quick turn-around this week as they face the Houston Texans Thursday evening before hitting the road to take on the Dallas Cowboys and the Giants in Week 14 and Week 15 respectively.

In addition, what the Eagles’ loss did is give the Giants an edge over Philadelphia in a conference tie-breaker scenario if that were ever to come into play as far as postseason positioning is concerned.

1. New York Giants – 24, Jacksonville Jaguars – 20

If the Giants can consistently play turnover-free football and combine it with a swarming defense that pounds opposing quarterbacks into submission, like they did in the second half of their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they should win their five remaining games to qualify for the postseason.

And for New York, controlling their own destiny is exactly the position they want to be in at this stage of the season.

Therefore, the G-Men can look to Week 12 as a time when the football bounced in their favor in Washington, Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago and, most importantly, in the friendly confines of the new Meadowlands Stadium.

Now it’s all on their shoulders to capitalize on this good fortune.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and highlights from Week 12 action in the NFL.

The Case for Michael Vick to Spend More Time in Prison

This holiday season should be especially humbling for Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Michael Vick, as well as a time for conscientious reflection.

A little over three years ago, Vick pleaded guilty to federal charges in the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation, resulting in an indefinite suspension from the National Football League, without pay, for conduct Commissioner Roger Goodell described as “cruel and reprehensible”.

During his 19-month incarceration, Vick’s financial condition deteriorated rapidly due to having virtually no income and substantial ongoing expenses for attorneys, the maintenance of several luxury homes in multiple states and living expenses for friends and relatives.

So with debts in excess of assets by millions of dollars, and collection efforts and judgments from creditors staring him in the face, Vick empowered his attorneys to file for Chapter 11 federal bankruptcy protection in July 2008.

By the three-time Pro Bowler's own admission, these were the darkest hours in his life. The inability to simply go home and, excluding being the financier of an illegal dog fighting ring, lead the life he had been accustomed to living over the course of nearly a decade.

But when former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy paid him a visit at Leavenworth Penitentiary, he offered Vick a ray of hope within an emotional, mental and spiritual pit of despair.

His words of advice and encouragement would be the impetus to Dungy becoming Vick’s mentor after his release from prison in an effort to help Vick get reacclimated to life as a civilian, a father and a football player.

Prior to Vick’s conditional reinstatement to the NFL, Dungy inspired him to carefully examine how he could get involved in the community to honor his personal commitments, including youth outreach and partnering with the Humane Society to educate people about the ills of dog fighting.

Dungy would also counsel Vick on selecting the franchise that would provide the best support in helping him get back into the routine of being a football player.

And it wouldn’t be long before Vick made the decision to sign a one-year contract with the Eagles last August, with an option that was picked up by the team for this season.

Since then, the trade of Donovan McNabb this past offseason and a concussion suffered by Kevin Kolb in the first game of this season opened the door for Vick to display his evolution as a quarterback and most importantly, as a man.

Now Vick is widely considered a leading candidate for the Most Valuable Player Award and drawing praise for his humility, patience and work ethic in addition to his commitment to community service.

Thus, while Vick thrives, another former NFL star continues to languish in a prison cell on Rikers Island. His name: Plaxico Burress, the former standout wide receiver for the New York Giants.

In August 2009, Burress accepted a plea deal that would imprison him for two years with an additional two years of supervised release, for attempted criminal possession of a weapon. The charges stemmed from Burress suffering an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to his right thigh at a New York City nightclub less than a year earlier.

As a result, Burress not only derailed the Giants’ hopes of repeating as Super Bowl Champions, he lost his primary source of income and the privilege of witnessing the birth of his daughter, Giovanna--the latter of which brought a stream of tears to his eyes during a televised interview.

Arguably, nothing humbles a man more than when his freedom is taken away from him. Michael Vick knows this feeling all too well.

And who better to give Burress the same ray of hope that was given to him than the NFL’s current poster boy for redemption.

In Burress, Vick has a unique opportunity to demonstrate what he should have truly learned from his own experience. An appreciation for the simple things in life and the empathy to lift someone up in the midst of his own personal pit of despair.

If Vick can relay these poignant messages to Burress, who is scheduled for release in the latter half of 2011, it will transcend anything he does on the football field; especially if it’s done with as little fanfare and publicity as possible.

Vick doesn’t owe this to Burress, he owes it to himself. Burress needs to intently look into the eyes of a man who is, for all intents and purposes, his mirror image and realize that redemption is merely a change of heart away.

Not toward being a better and improved football player, but a better man, a better husband and a better father.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special ESPN E:60 interview with Plaxico Burress.

New York Giants Seek Redemption in The City Of Brotherly Love

As the National Football League community continues to gush over Michael Vick’s riveting comeback from a self-inflicted two-year exile, the New York Giants will attempt to write the first chapter of their own redemption story at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday evening.

After a 41-7 rout of the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9, the Giants appeared to be among the viable candidates for the mythical title of best team in the league. Clearly, a distinction that no squad has a legitimate claim to this season.

However, New York’s candidacy and five-game winning streak became a distant memory in the wake of an inexcusable 13-point home loss to the 2-7 Dallas Cowboys. And, to add insult to injury, the G-Men fell to the same team whose interim head coach was making his debut and featured Jon Kitna as its starting quarterback.

So instead of maintaining a one-game lead in the NFC East, the Giants, along with the rest of the country, watched the NFL’s poster boy for redemption turn FedEx Field into his own personal playground. And with the record-breaking triumph, the Philadelphia Eagles pulled into a dead heat with Big Blue for division supremacy.

Interestingly enough, the last time New York strung together five consecutive victories was a little over one year ago, when they jumped out to a 5-0 start to kick off the 2009-10 season. But this was followed by losses in eight of their last eleven games to finish 8-8 and as a playoff non-participant.

In light of this disappointment, this season has been about redemption for the Giants. Redemption for the unfulfilled promise of last year.

Similarly, New York will be seeking redemption this weekend, in particular, after a deafening hiccup in what has otherwise been a solid season.

It won’t be easy though.

In Michael Vick, who’s rapidly filling the pages of his own redemption story, the Giants’ defensive unit will be attempting to neutralize the most dynamic player in the league who, by the way, deserves serious consideration for the Comeback Player of the Year Award and the Most Valuable Player Award.

This season, Vick has eleven touchdown passes, no interceptions and a league-leading quarterback rating of 115.1, as well as 341 rushing yards and a robust rushing average of 7.8 yards per attempt.

But in striking contrast to last season, the Giants are tops in the NFL in total defense, second in the NFC in pass defense (fourth in the NFL) and second in the conference (third in the NFL) in rush defense.

When all these factors are taken into consideration, one could argue that this is a classic case of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.

Ironically, another way to view the Eagles/Giants match-up is as the intersection of the redemption road for Michael Vick with that of the New York Giants in a town commonly known as the “City of Brotherly Love”.

The winner takes a stranglehold of the NFC East while the loser falls into a four-team battle royal (Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) for the two conference wild-card spots.

The stakes couldn’t be any higher for the Philadelphia Eagles and, especially, the New York Giants, who can ill afford to stir up the ghosts of collapses past with a second consecutive loss.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special highlight reel of Michael Vick's record-breaking performance against the Washington Redskins.

The NFL's Greatest Missed Tackles DVD On Sale Now!

During last night's edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live, JK brought up the recent change in the NFL rulebook to devastating hits and helmet to helmet collisions.

So obviously with these new rule changes, the NFL marketing team will have to adapt to it as well and I will be waiting by my phone to pick up the DVD shown here:

Rappin About The 2010 NFL Season, "RhymeReel" With Nick Javas

Recently, I have this strange urge to listen to someone rap about each week of the 2010 NFL season and finally, that urge has come to fruition.

Writer and recording artist Nick Javas does a weekly recap called, "RhymeReel" and here are the first four weeks he has done for the 2010 NFL season:









(Courtesy of Nick Javas YouTube Page)

NFL, NY Jets must punish Braylon Edwards swiftly and severely

Less than two weeks after the New York Jets made headlines for their questionable treatment of TV Azteca reporter Inés Sainz, the spotlight has been shone brightly on Gang Green again for an incident completely unrelated to their play on the field.

According to ESPN.com, Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested early Tuesday morning on Manhattan’s West Side for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Police officers initially stopped Edwards for excessive tinting on his white Land Rover but Edwards’ bloodshot, watery eyes and the strong smell of alcohol in the vehicle prompted further investigation.

Subsequently, Edwards consented to and failed a breathalyzer examination where it was determined that his blood alcohol content was 0.16, twice the national legal limit of 0.08, leading to his arrest. Among the four passengers in Edwards’ vehicle at the time of the arrest were teammates D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Vernon Gholston.

General manager Mike Tannenbaum said in a statement released by the team:

"We are very disappointed in Braylon’s actions this morning. The Player Protect program is in place for our organization to prevent this situation. Braylon is aware of this program and showed poor judgment.

We are reviewing the information with the league and will impose the appropriate disciplinary measures."

PlayerProtect is a 24-hour full-service security and security driving company that works exclusively with professional athletes. PlayerProtect agents are current or former law enforcement officers. Services include security driving for trips to New York City, dinners, clubs and media and social events.

Ironically, in March 2009, Edwards was drinking with former Cleveland Browns teammate Donté Stallworth, the morning Stallworth struck and killed 59-year-old Mario Reyes in Miami, Florida. Stallworth was legally drunk at the time of the accident as his blood alcohol content was measured at 0.12.

Stallworth was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and second degree manslaughter in April 2009 and, after pleading guilty to the charges, received a sentence of thirty days in jail, 1,000 hours of community service, two years under house arrest, and eight years probation. In addition, Stallworth received a lifetime suspension of his Florida state driver's license.

Prior to his release from prison in July 2009, Stallworth and the Reyes family reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount to circumvent a civil lawsuit.

On August 13, 2009, National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Stallworth for the entire 2009 season without pay. However, since his reinstatement after Super Bowl XLIV, Stallworth has found a home again in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens.

Although his punishment should not be as severe, the NFL and the New York Jets must act swiftly to discipline Edwards for behavior that could have easily led to the same tragedy that befell the Reyes family when Stallworth got behind the wheel of his car with a lower blood alcohol content than Edwards had at the time of his arrest.

Select Jets’ coaches and players may have gotten off with a slap on the wrist when it came to their behavior toward Inés Sainz, but Goodell and the Jets organization must be unified in their commitment to establish a zero tolerance policy when it comes to DUI/DWI; especially in light of what happened to Donté Stallworth less than two years ago.

As it stands, if he’s convicted or pleads no contest, Edwards’ arrest for DWI could be viewed as a second violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy, leading to a possible suspension.

In October 2009, Edwards was accused of punching a man outside of a Cleveland nightclub. The victim was an acquaintance of LeBron James. Edwards pleaded not guilty at the time, but he ended up pleading no contest to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct. He received probation and a $1,000 fine.

Currently, Edwards can only face discipline under the NFL’s substance abuse policy, in which he faces a maximum fine of $50,000.

Therefore, all eyes will focus intently on the Jets organization and how they deal with Edwards as an important divisional game against the Miami Dolphins looms on the horizon; and the team as well as the NFL can ill afford unmerited leniency when several of those eyes belong to the family of Mario Reyes.

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