The NFL Is On!

What time is it?!?!

It's time for the NFL regular season! We've seen the defending Super Bowl champions New Orleans Saints begin their campaign by beating the Minnesota Vikings 14-9 in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game. While the game wasn't terribly exciting, There was the drama of Viking quarterback Brett Favre starting his 286th consecutive game and Drew Brees again attempting to assault the record books.

This is an important season for the NFL as there the threat of no competition for next season with the current contract expiring and differences between management and the players union seems to be as wide as the Grand Canyon.

But for now, do we care? I think, probably not.

As a full slate of Sunday games approach,there are some intriguing matchups including, Cincinnati at New England, Atlanta traveling to Pittsburgh as Dennis Dixon gets the call at quarterback for suspended Ben Roethlisberger and Philadelphia playing host to Green Bay with Kevin Kolb now calling signals for the Eagles.

The Sunday night game features NFC east rivals Dallas going to our nation's capital to face Washington and new quarterback Donovan McNabb, while on Monday night, New York Jets boss man Rex Ryan plays host the Baltimore Ravens, the team that “Sexy Rexy” was once defensive coordinator.

I think this a decent way to start the 2010 NFL regular season. As the season progresses, I will give opinions and occasionally some facts about teams and players alike. I am also not much of a prognosticator because...well frankly, I stink. Oh well.

Let's just enjoy every Sunday from now to February with a cold beverage of our choice and whatever we want to eat. We're ready for some football are we not?

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com

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Some Athlete Websites

I'm going to take a bit of a break from my normal blog posting and present some Websites from some sports figures. Some sites I have used as hyperlinks within posts and I will be adding a few new ones as well. In this post, I will include Websites from athletes in baseball and football. I am in hopes that you will enjoy them as much as I do

Here are the Websites I enjoy, and as the late great comedian and actor Jackie Gleason would say “ And away we go!”

Baseball

Albert Pujols – The National League MVP's site is named “Pujols Family Foundation” that honors God (and our lord Jesus Christ), and his helping kids affected by Down Syndrome both in the St. Louis area and in his native Dominican Republic. His Website is very professionally done and I feel is a must see and read … very inspirational.

Cal Ripken, Jr. and Bill Ripken – Ripken Baseball is not just about the Cal's little league but is an astute site of growing the game of baseball for youth. Both Cal and brother Bill are involved in coaching clinics, fund raisers, and some instruction all in the name of baseball and kids. You can check out the Orioles minor league teams, buy DVD's, browse Cal Ripken Little League tournaments, and other events on this site.

Mickey Mantle – The official website of the Yankee great, "mickeymantle.com" is basically run by the Mantle family. While not the most aesthetic site around, there is one section I enjoy in which you can hear of “The Mick's” great feats from tape measure home runs to his induction into The Baseball Hall of Fame. Along the way, check out the career stats, bio, and news of what Mantle speak of as motivational speakers.

Yogi Berra – How can any baseball fan not visit “yogiberra.com” and get a good laugh. There is The Yogi Store where you can purchase items such as books, memorabilia, and autographs to name some items, the baseball card gallery of all of Yogi's cards, and of course the Yogi-isms! That alone is a must look-see.

Ted Williams – The official sight of “Teddy Ballgame” "tedwilliams.com" not only has the life of Ted's career but there is a store to visit, a section of his hobbies and pastimes, and a section about his service as a United States Marine in both World War II and the Korean Conflict. Well worth a look.

Football

Brett Favre – Simply named "officialbrettfavre.com" has it all. Not only do you have Brett's career encapsulation, but you have all Brett's news, a fan store, and so on. The most important element is the “Fourward Foundation” for disadvantaged youths of Wisconsin and his native Mississippi. Definitely one to see.

Emmitt Smith – The NFL's all-time leading rusher site "emmittsmith.com" is simple but has much information. Asides from the career stats and store, there is a link Emmitt's charity Website “Smith Charities” that focuses on creating opportunities for disadvantaged youths in education, arts, health, and wellness. Check it out!

Johnny Unitas – To many, the greatest quarterback in NFL history, Johnny's site “johnnyunitas.com” is much a corporate site with his career thrown in. But I really enjoyed the link to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award section. The trophy is given to the best quarterbacks in college football as those on the board of the Golden Arm Award.

Warrick Dunn – Warrick Dunn Online starts with a intro page with music and stills of Warrick playing career. Once in the site, you can go through his playing career, store fan mail, and other goodies that most don't have. Of course he does charitable work through his acclaimed Warrick Dunn Foundation helping those who are economically distressed and their children who are trying to help themselves. This is one of the better websites I have seen.

Pat Tillman – As we know, the late Pat Tillman died for us in Afghanistan after putting his NFL career on hold. The Pat Tillman Foundation was started by his family in 2004 to service veterans to gain academic scholarships, as well as those who are still active along with their families. As you browse through, take note that pat's family and friends are selfless in their promotion of the foundation...it's all about others in need.

Those are just a few sites I have discovered and enjoy. If you have any other baseball or football sites you like, feel free to comment about them. I am interested in taking a look at them.

I will do other Websites in other sports in the future.

Have Fun!

Dick

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com

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Dear Brett, Please Retire --- Revisited

On August 19th, I wrote that Brett Favre should have retired from the NFL instead of signing with the Minnesota Vikings. I had deduced that Brett was for all intents and purposes finished as an NFL quarterback. He had a bum shoulder and a terrible December with the New York Jets last season ... totally finished.

Yet in 8 games this season, Favre has looked rejuvenated as he has led the Vikings to a 7 win 1 loss start. In the process, he has gone from game manager to gunslinger, as the game against the Green Bay Packers shows.

It looks like that I am wrong about #4, but didn't he have a similar start to the season in 2008? Let's do a comparison, shall we?

Through 8 games last season, Brett's Jets were sporting a 5 and 3 record and Brett was okay with 15 TD throws, including 6 versus Arizona in week 4, to 12 interceptions.

This season, Favre has thrown an amazing 16 TD's to being intercepted a mere 3 times. Included in those 16 touchdowns are two 3 TD games and last Sunday's 4 touchdown passes against Green Bay at Lambeau Field.

So far, Brett has made a fool of me, but I am waiting to see what the final 8 games will bring.

Now the last 8 games for the 2008 Jets started well but ended in disaster. Here are the facts:

Favre was tremendous from 9 through 11 as he threw 5 touchdowns to 1 interception as New York won all three games, including an overtime victory over the New England Patriots. During that stretch, Favre's QB rating was 117.7, 119.4 {Pats game), and 103.6. The Jets were 8 and 3 and looked like they would walk away with the AFC East title.

Then the mighty Brett collapsed in the final 5 games of 2008 as he threw only 2 TD passes against a whopping and incredible 9 interceptions as the Jets lost all 5 games to close at 9 and 7 and Head Coach Eric Mangini losing his job. A sore shouldered Brett Favre couldn't throw deep and the defensive backs could cheat on short passes knowing this.

I just wonder if Brett can hold up for the second half of the 2009 NFL season ... only time will tell. He looks like the Brett Favre of old at this moment but with the facts I have presented within this post, it's still a gamble he can continue this type of play.

Let me know what you think.

Dick

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com

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The NFL's Quarter Pole

Now that the National Football League has reached the quarter pole in the regular season, it's time to see who are the best teams, biggest positive surprise team, and the team that is the biggest disappointment. Notice I didn't include the worst team --- the Oakland Raiders (St. Louis Rams close behind) --- just not worth the waste of effort.

Without further adieu, here are my opinions in no particular order:

Best Teams:

*Denver Broncos --- The Broncos were supposed to be “Team Turmoil” when Head Coach Josh McDaniels revealed he was looking at quarterback Matt Cassel to run the offense, henceforth upsetting incumbent Jay Cutler so much that the Broncos traded him to Chicago for Kyle Orton. As we have seen, Orton has played very well, and Denver is off to a 5-0 start. But the big surprise is the defense allowing a mere 43 points. A major reason is that the Broncos get to the passer, lead by Elvis Dumervil who is tied for the league lead in sacks with eight. An even more surprising statistic is that the supposed maligned run defense has allowed only 81 rush yards per game. Of course, Champ Bailey is still considered the best lock down corner back in the NFL. The defense will be severely tested as Denver travels to San Diego to face the Chargers on Monday night October 19th.

*Minnesota Vikings --- The undefeated Vikings have the most explosive running back in the league with Adrian Peterson, a rejuvenated QB in Brett Favre, and a tremendous rookie receiver/kick returner in 1st round draftee Percy Harvin. Defensively, Minnesota has Jared Allen who pressures the passer as well as anyone in football, Pat and Kevin Williams at defensive tackles, in my opinion the best pair of run stuffers in the league, a swift linebacking corps led by E.J. Henderson, and a decent secondary with veteran Antoine Winfield leading the way. Minnesota has two crucial tests in the next 2 weeks as Baltimore invades the Metrodome Sunday the 18th, then travel to Heinz Field to play the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

*New Orleans Saints --- The Saints have the most explosive offense in football led by All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees, a solid running game, a surprising 2nd in the league 166.2 yards per game, with Mike Bell beginning the season and starter Pierre Thomas returning from injury, and a fantastic receiving corps with Marques Colston and deep threat Devery Henderson as the leaders. Also, the addition of tight end Jeremy Shockey has bolstered Brees's threats. It's no wonder why the Saints are averaging a league's best 36 points a game. The defense has been stout allowing 16.5 points per game and stingy in all around defense allowing under 300 yards a game, ranking sixth. The leaders of the defense are linebacker Jonathan Vilma and big play making safety, the seemingly ageless Darren Sharper. The Saints schedule gets a little tougher over the next 2 weeks as they face Miami in 2 weeks at Miami. But the Saints next game will be the litmus test to see how legitimate they are. New Orleans will be at home in the Superdome to face the...

*New York Giants --- The G-Men are hitting on all cylinders offensively, defensively, and on special teams. The offense is lead by unquestioned leader Eli Manning at quarterback and a terrific tandem of running backs in the large Brandon Jacobs and the elusive but powerful Ahmad Bradshaw. The receiving group, a huge question mark in training camp, has developed into one of the leagues best with possession receiver Steve Smith, the NFL leader with 481 receiving yards, deep threat Mario Manningham, and exciting rookie, top draft choice Hakeem Nicks. The Giants are 4th in rushing, 9th in passing, adding up to the NFL's #2 total offense. To go along with those numbers, the Giants are averaging 30,2 points a game ranking 4th in the league. In my opinion, these statistics reflect that the Giants have the best offensive line in football led by center Shaun O'Hara and Pro Bowl guard Chris Snee. The defense led by defensive ends Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora is ranked #1 by allowing a mere 210.6 yards a game due in part to giving up and average of 104.8 yards of passing a game. The Giants defense also allows the 3rd fewest points per game at 14.2 a contest. While the numbers on both sides of the ball are gaudy, the G-men will be severely tested as they play New Orleans in their next game on Oct 18th at the Louisiana Superdome. Should the Giants prevail, I feel they will be considered the best team in football.

*Indianapolis Colts --- Right now I feel this is the best team in football. Peyton Manning is the top quarterback in the NFL once again, the receivers led by Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark are second to none and the defense has been brilliant thus far. Offensively, Indy has averaged 27.4 points per game and has passed for the most yardage at 326.0 a game. Peyton Manning already has 12 touchdown tosses, has thrown for at least 300 yards in every game, and is threatening to rewrite the record books. The running game has yet to get going but in time Joseph Addai and rookie Donald Brown will find openings. On the defensive side, defensive ends Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney have recorded 10 sacks --- the healthy and rejuvenated Freeney has six. The Colts schedule for the next 3 weeks feature a road game at woeful St. Louis, then 2 home games at the new Lucas Oil Stadium versus San Francisco and Houston. This could be an 8-0 team heading into the November 15th showdown at home against their arch-rivals New England Patriots. Let's not forget that new Head Coach Jim Caldwell is a direct disciple of his mentor Tony Dungy. Nothing has changed much as the Colts continue to roll.


Most Pleasantly Surprising Team:

*Cincinnati Bengals --- Aptly named “The Cardiac Cats” for their last second victories, the Bengals are no longer the NFL's laughing stock. At 4-1, the AFC North Division leaders don't wow people, but have shown grit and togetherness. The Bengals are a team in every sense of the word. Quarterback Carson Palmer is healthy and fairly productive, Chad Ochocinco is happy and playing well, and running back Cedric Benson has revived his career behind a much improved offensive line. The defense has played well enough to keep them in every game and have recorded 14 sacks, led by NFL co-leader Antwan Odom with eight. The Bengals have 2 home games before their bye week, both at home against Houston and Chicago. It will be interesting to see if Cincy can keep the momentum going.

Most Disappointing Team:

*Tennessee Titans --- Who would have thought that a Jeff Fisher led Titans team would lose all 5 games to begin the season? Tennessee has a good ground game with Chris Johnson and LenDale White, a decent if not spectacular quarterback in Kerry Collins and a very good defense. None of it has come together at all and Titans fans have been clamoring to see Vince Young take over the signal calling. The numbers across the board, except for rushing, are horrible and it appears the loss of All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth has devastated the team defense. Tennessee's next game is at Gillette Stadium against the Patriots. Can anybody say 6 consecutive losses?

There you have it...if you have any other or different opinions, feel free to comment or email me.

Happy Reading!

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com

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Dear Brett, Please Retire

It has been reported that future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre has signed and reported to the Minnesota Vikings for the 2009 AND 2010 seasons. Yup, he's back with his rotator cuff hanging by a thread and a big wad of cash to boot. I realize the Vikes need a QB with the likes of Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels (see article) on their roster, but this is truly a desperate measure. My problem isn't with Minnesota but again Favre has claimed he is retired once and for all and “bingo” he's back in uniform.

What is it with Brett? I can't believe it's for the money. Could it be his friendship with Head Coach Brad Childress? Perhaps, but I think there's is one underlying reason why he's returned to the NFL. He just has to compete. As Favre stated when called by Childress yesterday, it was “... now or never.” In my view, this may tarnish a brilliant career, if the experience with the Jets hasn't begun to do that.

Gee Brett, why don't you just call it a career? I understand the competitive spirit inside of you, but now is the time to hang it up. You hold most of the NFL's passing records and are a Super Bowl champion. You repeatedly said that you are retired and I feel most football fans believed you this time because you chose not to go to Vikings camp 3 weeks ago. You risk injury and embarrassment not only to yourself but to the Vikings, who are gambling that you can bring them a long awaited Super Bowl championship.

I don't think I need say more... do yourself a “Favre”, just walk away and be satisfied with your accomplishments. Being a gamer is not either physically or mentally healthy for you any longer.

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com