Tag Archives: NFL

Even After Deion Sanders Hall of Fame Induction, Prime Time Forever in NFL

Deion Sanders a.k.a. “Prime Time” was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame over the weekend.

The noun primetime is defined as the regularly occurring period for which a television or radio audience is expected to be it’s largest, generally regarded in the television industry as the hours between 8 and 11 p.m. When Deion Sanders stepped his foot on the football field he electrified audiences during any hour he was on television playing the game he loved. Deion Sanders, also known as Prime Time, inducted the big chains, do-rag and the high stepping into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

There are very few athletes who lived up to the hype; Prime Time did not live up to the hype, he blew up the hype.

Deion joined tight end Shannon Sharpe, Rams and Colts running back Marshall Faulk, Chicago Bears Richard Dent, Washington Redskins linebacker Chris Hanburger, the late Les Richter and NFL films founder Ed Sabol in being inducted in the hall. The history of professional football cannot be written without Deion Sanders, arguably the greatest shut down corner who ever played.

Deion created the persona of Prime Time in 1985 when he turned FSU into a national powerhouse. In his Hall of Fame speech he explained the persona was created in a Florida State University dorm room because he knew NFL cornerbacks didn’t make nearly the money quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers earned. The money was for his mother. The high stepping, the celebrations were for his mom, too. Everything he did was to gain attention and put dollars in his pocket, so he could take care of his mom, which is all he ever wanted to do.

When I played high school football, I did not want to play quarterback like Dan Marino or wide receiver like Jerry Rice. I wanted to play cornerback like Deion Sanders. Prime Time, maybe the most imitated football player in the history of the NFL.

“You would have to deal with me on first, second and third down then again on fourth down when returning punts and back on first when on offense” Sanders said. He was inducted in the hall as a corner and return specialist moreover his fulltime profession did not have an off-season. For nine years he juggled careers in the NFL and Major League Baseball.

Sanders is considered one of the most versatile athletes in sporting history because he played two sports at multiple positions. His most successful campaign on the diamond came in 1992 when he led the national league in triples and helped the Atlanta Braves to the post season. Sanders hit a home run and scored a touchdown in the same week. In true Prime Time fashion he topped that playing in an NFL game and major league playoff game in the same day. However Deion was dedicated to playing football.

He had revolutionary cover skills on the football field. The 1994 NFL season was arguably his finest. After five seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Prime Time signed on to play one season with the San Francisco 49ers. Recording six interceptions and returning them for an NFL best 303 yards and three touchdowns. “I would play this game for free as long as other players do it for free,” said Deion. He became only the fourth cornerback to receive defensive player of the year honors. In Super Bowl XXIX, Deion recorded an interception in the 49ers 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in Miami, Fl. He was the first man ever to play in a World Series and Super Bowl.

When you have a title “shut down corner,” covering the best receivers on a weekly basis is just what Deion did. He made a career out of it with his intention and goal to put the corner back position on the map. Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice stated, “ it was like Michael Jordan vs. Magic Johnson, that’s the rivalry we had. You wanted to go out and play your best and I know I had a challenge with Deion Sanders”.

Many of his critics claimed Prime Time did not tackle as a corner, “since 1989 I have tacked every bill my mother has given me. I have not missed one. Next time they say prime did not tackle say yes he did” Sanders said. He is tackling issues off the field these days coaching and being a mentor to the kids in his youth organization. He wants to open a charter school next year. He capped off the powerful evening in Canton, OH with a moving tribute to his mother and by tying his trademark do-rag around his bust. NFL fans witnessed it all in person and primetime television.

–West Lamy

What NFL Team is Most Improved for the 2011 NFL Season?

he NFL has seen a flurry of transactions in the past few weeks. After sifting through all the moves, which teams improved the most for the 2011 NFL Season.

The NFL Preseason begins next week, and teams are still scrambling to make deals to shore up their squads on both sides of the ball. Looking back at all the deals already made, multiple teams can be considered worthy of the “most improved” label. Leaders of this growing pack of skilled wheelers and dealers include: The New England Patriots, The New York Jets, The Philadelphia Eagles, The Chicago Bears, and The Miami Dolphins.

The Patriots added key veterans in Wide Receiver Chad Ochocinco, Defensive Tackle Albert Haynesworth, and Defensive End Shaun Ellis to an already formidable squad. Finishing 14-2 in the 2010 regular season, the Patriots wound up a touchdown short against the 11-5 New York Jets in the playoffs. The addition of Ochocinco gives Tom Brady one of the best deep threats in the business, and Deion Branch’s late season return to his former squad last year was already paying dividends before Ochocinco joined the team. All-purpose Wide Receiver Wes Welker will now have more opportunities to get open and make the clutch plays his supporting staff can’t. Though the Patriots seem to be lacking more at the linebacker position than on the defensive line, Haynesworth and Ellis make for imposing new bookends. Ellis comes to the team as the pick that was only made possible by the Patriots hiring Coach Bill Belichick. The team gave a 2000 draft pick as compensation for Belichick to the New York Jets, and they chose Ellis. The Patriots get a player with 72.5 sacks to his credit and over a decade of valuable NFL experience, not to mention a guy who has intimate knowledge of the operations of a key arch enemy of his new squad. New England was able to better the team without giving much up in return and gets their best new players in exchange for a few draft picks they really didn’t need in the first place.

The only downside to the Patriots making such targeted improvements is the fact that the New York Jets made some of their own impressive acquisitions. The Jets shed Jerricho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards, making room for two new major talents at their position. Plaxico Burress joined the team first, and Derrick Mason is the most recent addition to the team. Mark Sanchez is developing into a formidable force at quarterback, and having Mason and Burress at his disposal is a huge boost to the team’s hopes of getting back to the playoffs this year. The team’s losses might outweigh their gains, though.

The Philadelphia Eagles might be the real front runners for the most improved team award. Their management’s wheels began grinding soon after the lifting of the lockout. Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, widely considered to be the MVP of free agents, is sure to add significant talent and experience to the Eagles defense. Asomugha is joined at the cornerback position by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who is another awesome addition to the team. Defensive linemen Cullen Jenkins, Anthony Hargrove, Derek Landri and Jason Babin are the icing on the cake for the Eagles. Their early playoff loss to the Superbowl Champion Green Bay Packers last season gave the team plenty of incentive to tweak their defense, so they completed a top to bottom overhaul virtually overnight to start this year. All these new additions will allow more chances fo QB Michael Vick to make more amazing plays by kicking opposing offenses off the field quickly. They will also surely generate more defensive scoring opportunities as well.

The Chicago Bears raided the Dallas Cowboys for their best new players, and their offense is now better than ever. Ex-Cowboys Sam Hurd, Marion Barber, and Roy Williams could help make QB Jay Cutler look like Peyton Manning this season. The Bears also imported Amobi Okoye from Texas by signing the defensive end away from Houston. To round out their top-flight group of new recruits the Bears picked up Defensive End Vernon Gholston from the New York Jets. Obviously their failure to get past Green Bay in last season’s playoffs put the Bears in a position to make serious changes. Suddenly this squad is Superbowl material, but only if all these new faces mesh well with the existing players. Chicago will certainly be making opposing defenses work much harder this season if their new offensive superstars rise to the occasion.

Of all the most improved candidates the Miam Dolphins needed the most help in turning the franchise around. Though they’ve made some superb new pickups, the team has been so intent on getting better that there’s rumors circulating that they want to inspire Brett Favre to make yet another improbable comeback. The Dolphins ranked 30th in the league in the points scored category last season, so adding Running Back Reggie Bush from the New Orleans Saints will be crucial to upping the offensive ante. The offensive line blocking for Bush will also include new recruits Marc Colombo from the Dallas Cowboys and Ray Willis from the Seahawks at the tackle position. Linebacker Jason Taylor also returns to the team this year after a brief stint with the Jets. He’ll be joined by fellow linebacker Kevin Burnett from the San Diego Chargers. Defensive Tackle Ronald Fields from the Denver Broncos is another key addition for the Dolphins. Former Carolina Panther Matt Moore will be the new backup quarterback for Chad Henne on the other side of the ball. Despite a potential deal for Kyle Orton not panning out, the Doplhins still have a solid team that could still be made even better before the season begins. Considering this team finished third in the division at 7-9 last season, their deals make them the hands down on-paper candidate for most improved team.

The landscape of the NFL changed more significantly this year than most due to multiple factors, and many teams look much better now. Of course, looks can be deceiving. Though there are more roster changes this year, there is much less time for teams to adjust. Before the first snap of the preseason, it’s easy to imagine so many new players translating to tremendous success for their new teams. Imaginations don’t win championships, though. Teamwork does. Whatever team is able to best absorb their new talent and thrive in real-time competition will be the one to claim the honor of being the most improved NFL squad. The clear winner in this category will only be determined once this season-that-almost-never-was finally ends. Stay tuned.

Bill Belichick, Chad Ochocinco Talk About Twitter and More

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the media this morning to discuss the recent additions of WR Chad Ochocinco and DL Albert Haynesworth. He also talked about the veteran cuts they had to make. There was some snarkiness by Belichick when asked about how the two additions will fit into how he does things.

Many are questioning how the colorful personalities will mesh with the Draconian program that Belichick runs.

Ochocinco also spoke with reporters this morning and said he’s willing to change to fit in in Foxboro.

“I’ll always be me. But there’s a certain way the Patriots do it, and I’ve always been a chameleon, and I’m going to do it the Patriot way, which is win,” he said.

He also knows Belichick doesn’t want him to be quite as outspoken and attention-seeking as he was with the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Bill, we had our talk and without him having to say anything, I’ll say, there’s no need for some of the things that have been before,” Ochocinco said.

On the additions of Haynesworth and Ochocinco:

Both of them came down pretty quickly. With the rules, obviously, we couldn’t enter into any conversations about those. But Mike Shanahan and I had some conversations there late one night and it all kind of came together pretty quickly. And so we had to get a few things worked out and so we did that and consummated the trade with Washington. And I spoke with Marvin [Lewis] and Mike Brown and eventually we got things worked out with Cincinnati as they were reporting to camp, before Chad reported there, so he was able to come here and we were able to get that finished. Those players are here, they obviously have a lot of catching up to do. We’re excited to have them.

Q: On Chad, he’s got a personality that interacts with the public, interacts with the media and he’s been very out there.

Bill Belichick: Any other news breaking stories?

Q: I’m on top of that. I’m wondering since it generally isn’t a way your players have acted.

Bill Belichick: I think every player on this team, every person on this team, has their own individual personality. None us are the same, so that’s probably a good thing.

Q: Have you asked him at all to relax with the Twitter and etcetera? We haven’t had a lot of tweets from him the past couple days.

Bill Belichick: That’s not something I follow, as you know. I don’t Twitter, I don’t MyFace, I don’t do any of those things, so I’d probably be the last to know.

Q: In your discussions with Albert Haynesworth, have you gotten a sense of whether football is important to him? Do you think it’s important to him?

Bill Belichick: Of course, otherwise I don’t think he would be playing football. But those are questions you can ask him. I don’t want to speak for him.

Q: How do you reconcile that the guy obviously has a long rap sheet off the field, with his ability to perform on the field, the way he played in ’07 and ’08? How do you reconcile those two things?

Bill Belichick: We did what we felt was best for the team.

Here’s Belichick’s complete transcript.

Adrian Peterson Not Happy With Sidney Rice Departure

Reception has been split amongst Vikings in the aftermath of Sidney Rice’s departure from Minnesota to join Tarvaris Jackson with the Seattle Seahawks.

The five-year deal worth over 40 million dollars–18 million of that guaranteed– was too much for the Vikings to match.

One person who is furious with the Sidney Rice departure is his now former teammate, superstar runningback Adrian Peterson.

Via his Twitter account, Peterson voiced his displeasure with the Vikings letting Rice slip out West to Seattle.

I CAN’T Believe the Vikings let my boy Sidney Rice get away! I didn’t think we wouldn’t be playing together this year! WOW!

Seeing teammates that also grow to be great friends leave town is part of the business. But Peterson seems more than just “business” related upset.

The capitalization and exclamation marks show a substantial level of hostility towards the Vikings franchise.

The loss of Rice will definitely hurt the Vikings. Names like Malcom Floyd, Braylon Edwards, and James Jones are all being tossed around to replace the void left by Rice. But will they be enough?

As it stands Percy Harvin–who excels as a slot receiver– is now atop the Vikings depth chart at Wide Receiver. And while the acquisition of one of the above names would help, it’s definitely not the ideal receiving core that new Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb or rookie Christian Ponder would dream of.

Much more will be known about the Vikings receiving core over the next 24 hours. But right now it appears that Peterson seems very upset with the Vikings front office. Placing a potential hurdle in front of future contract negotiations with the superstar running back.

Brett Cloutier is a contributor to The Sports Bank by covering all things Minnesota sports, but mainly the Minnesota Timberwolves. You can follow him on Twitter @brettcloutier.

Do NFL Fans Deserve An Apology From the NFL About the NFL Lockout?

Finally on Monday, the NFL Lockout ended after 132 days. In the end no football was lost except for the Hall of Fame Game. The owners didn’t lose any revenue and the players didn’t lose any game checks. So no harm, no foul right?

If you listen to Peter King then yes. This is what the Sports Illustrated writer had to say on the matter:

Many fans were angered by this. The NFL has built itself as a 365 day sport and they just took it away from fans (their consumers) for 4.5 months at a time when the game was as popular as its ever been.

The NFLPA apparently thought it was important enough to apologize to the fans, so they released a video on YouTube thanking fans for their support and patience during the lockout.

So what do you think, the fan? Do you want an apology from Roger Goodell and the NFL Owners? Or do you agree with King? Let us know in the comments section.

Also be sure check out our tumblr site, 2 Minute Drill, for quick updates during this crazy time for the NFL.

NFL Lockout Is Over: Everything You Need to Know

After 132 excruciating days, the NFL Lockout is over. Today, the NFLPA agreed to a the CBA that was voted on by the owners last week, effectively ending the NFL Lockout.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith held a joint press conference in Washington earlier today, announcing the new 10-year agreement. “It’s been a long time coming,” Goodell said. “Football is back and that’s the good news.”

I have to apologize for the lack of activity over the past few months, but I didn’t want to write posts about the lawsuits, the 8th Circuit Courts, mediators, and DeMaurice Smith’s hats. I could go on about the absurdness of the NFL Lockout, but I’ll save that for another time.

The NFL Is back and it’s time to celebrate. I assembled a bunch of links to get you educated on the new NFL CBA and what is going to happen in the coming days, plus celebrate the return of the NFL. (Come back everyday for new and fresh material. I’ll keep you up to date on the frenzy that is about to take place starting tomorrow.)

This is a good article that sums up the new NFL CBA in a nutshell.

This is a handy calendar outlining the key dates and events for the abridged NFL offseason.

The Evolution of the Touchdown Dance:

Find out when your favorite team kicks off training camp.

Great gesture by Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday, individually thanking New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

In case you wanted to relive the NFL Lockout, a timeline of how we got here.

Don’t forget that Madden NFL 12 is coming out soon:

And finally … ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL??????????

Video: The League PSA – Demands

As we approach Day 100 of the NFL Lockout, the cast of FX’s The League is getting fed up. All we hear about is the owners demands and the players demands, but they have their own demands as well.

Plaxico Burress: 5 Teams That Might Sign the WR

Plaxico Burress: 5 Teams That Might Sign the WR

Plaxico Burress, fresh out of jail after serving a two-year prison sentence is the talk of the NFL this week in the midst of the NFL Lockout. Burress, 33, last played in the NFL in 2008 with the New York Giants. After being out of the league for so long, does Burress have anything left in the tank? That will be up to 32 NFL teams vying for his services. Here are 5 teams that look like the early frontrunners for the services of Burress.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

He was wearing a Phillies hat as he walked out of prison; of course he is going to sign with the Eagles! Probably not. Not with a team that already has DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, not to mention Jason Avant and Riley Cooper. At best, he would the third option and you don’t want an unhappy Plax on your team. So much for the Con Air connection (Vick to Burress).

2. Washington Redskins

We all know the Redskins love their free agents. And could you imagine the John Beck to Burress connection. The new Theisman to Monk! Also don’t count out the chance to play and piss off his old mates (the Giants) twice.

3. San Diego Chargers

Plax looks like he could be fit with the ‘Bolts. Malcolm Floyd is a free agent and Vincent Jackson might not be there as well. Plax is a similar type of player and could bridge the gap for a year or so. They have shown interest in Steve Smith, so they’re looking for a wide receiver.

4. New York Jets

Because you can’t mention a veteran, big name free agent wide receiver without throwing the Jets in the conversation. But actually, the Jets could be a good fit. The question is does Plax want the Jets? Would he really want to stay and play in the state that just made an example out of him and put him in prison for two years? Unfortunately, he might not have his choice of teams.

5. St. Louis Rams

The connection between Burress and the Rams is that Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo was the Giants defensive coordinator where Burress was on the team. I’m not sold on the connection though. How much, if any, interaction did Buress really have with Spags back in their Giant days? Plax doesn’t seem like the most coachable player so why would he befriend a defensive coach? However, there is a need and Plax would give them the tall, playmaker they lack.

So there you have it. Which team will sign Burress? If I had a gun to my head, at this point I would say the Rams. They can give Plax the most playing time and he gets to play with a young and up and coming quarterback. Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @cippinonsports for more news and insights.  Also, I’m sorry about the lack of posting recently. That’s what a combination of finals and NFL Lockout blues will do to you.

2011 NFL Draft Resources

As many of you are aware, the 2011 NFL Draft is less than a week away! Can you believe it?

With the lockout in full effect, the lack of NFL news has made it harder than usual to get into the NFL Draft. With that in mind, I created a list of great NFL Draft resources to help you get caught up to speed on everything about the draft.

I have divided the list into three sections for convenience. One is for general websites where you can get player rankings, scouting reports, mock drafts and more. Another is for websites that have mock draft databases for all you mock draft lovers out there. The last is for NFL Draft exprts that are on twitter.

Websites:

Draft Countdown- Scott Wright’s Draft Countdown is one of the best draft sites around. I have been visiting the site for years and they always produce great content. There are great in-depth scouting reports and Wright is always one of the most accurate experts with his Mock Drafts. Be sure to swing by the forums for even more draft discussion.

ESPN’s Scouts Inc.- While everyone might not be the biggest fan of Todd McShay, Scouts Inc. is more than just McShay. Being affiliated with ESPN means they have a bevy of information available. They have great player evaluations grading every player on 10 different traits.

Pro Football Weekly- Home to one of the best draft analysts out there, Nolan Nawrocki, Pro Football Weekly is a must visit. They have scouting reports for over 400 draft eligible prospects and have over 900 players graded and ranked. Nawrocki continually produces accurate Mock Drafts and has been called the “King of the Mock Draft.”

Draft Breakdown- This site has everything you would want to know about the draft. From rankings, to scouting reports, to mock drafts, to forums, to a blog, to player interviews, this site has it all.

Mock Draft Databases:

Walter Football- Updated daily, this database has 390 Mock Drafts in it. They also list the Top 5 picks of each draft before you have to click on it.

DC Pro Sports Report- Believed to be the original NFL Mock Draft Database. It contains over 300 Mock Drafts. It also shows the Top 7 picks of each draft before you have to click on it.

FF Toolbox- While their database is smaller than the rest, you should still check it out. They have it divided into three sections: FFToolbox writers, partners and user created.

Hail Redskins- This database have over 200 mocks listed. This is especially helpful for Redskins fans as they list whom each mock gives the Redskins without having to click on it. They also tell what type of site produced the Mock Draft.

Twitter:

Mel Kiper (@MelKiperESPN)- The Godfather of the NFL Draft. Although he might not be everybody’s favorite, he is one of the most knowledgeable experts around.

Greg Cosell (@GregCosell)- The NFL Films guru consistently dishes out informed opinions on the draft prospects. He is great at breaking down film and you won’t his observations anywhere else.

Wesley Bunting (@WesBunting)- Bunting is the director of college scouting for the National Football Post. He tweets a lot, with a good mix of observations and links.

Evan Silva (@evansilva)- Silva writes for Rotoworld, PFT and NBC Sports. He provides some great tidbits of information and answers a lot of questions from fans.

Predicting the 2011 Starting QBs

The QB carousel. It keeps going and going. It never stops.

Looking forward to next year (you know, if there even is a next year), at least 11 teams have serious questions at the most important position on the field, QB.

Since were only a few weeks away from the 2011 NFL Draft I though now would be a great time to predict who will be under center come September for QB needy teams.

Now remember, these are all guesses. I’ll probably hit a few and be completely wrong on some others. Regardless, it will be fun to look back at this in September to see how good (probably bad) I did.

Arizona Cardinals

Likely 2011 Starter: Donovan McNabb

McNabb lives in Arizona in the offseason and Larry Fitzgerald does not want to wait for a rookie QB to develop.

Buffalo Bills

Likely 2011 Starter: Ryan Fitzpatrick

They will draft a QB and have him sit and learn behind Fitzpatrick until he’s ready. I have them taking Blaine Gabbert in my latest Mock Draft.

Carolina Panthers

Likely 2011 Starter: Cam Newton

All signs point to them selecting Newton with the first overall pick. They won’t pay him to sit on the bench.

Cincinnati Bengals

Likely 2011 Starter: Ryan Mallet

The Bengals have a history of taking chances on players with character issues. Mallet should fit right in.

Denver Broncos

Likely 2011 Starter: Kyle Orton

It appears that John Elway is not a  Tim Tebow supporter. That should open the door for Orton to reclaim the job.

Miami Dolphins

Likely 2011 Starter: Chad Henne

Odds are they will probably draft a QB in the second round. And odds are they will probably be a bust.

Minnesota Vikings

Likely 2011 Starter: Carson Palmer

They’re in a win now mode. Plus, they get to replace one old interception throwing quarterback with another old, interception throwing quarterback.

San Francisco 49ers

Likely 2011 Starter: Kevin Kolb

I suspect John Harbaugh will want a building block at QB. My sleeper pick is Josh Johnson, who he coached in college.

Seattle Seahawks

Likely 2011 Starter: Jake Locker

Peter Carroll was the only head coach at his Pro Day.

Tennessee Titans

Likely 2011 Starter: Matt Hasselbeck

They will look to draft a quarterback and Hasselbeck would provide a nice bridge.

Washington Redskins

Likely 2011 Starter: Alex Smith

Mike Shanahan loves project QBs. Smith has the potential, maybe Shanahan can get the best out of him.