You can Buy a Piece of Superdome Turf from the 2009 New Orleans Saints Championship Season - Check it out! posted by Wendy Hall

The Brees Dream Foundation will offer Saints fans the ability to own a piece of the field where Drew and his teammates played the 2009 season and won the NFC Championship on their way to winning Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, FL.   These first ever Game-Used Saints Turf collectibles are all from the same field the New Orleans Saints played their Championship season at the Superdome in New Orleans.  The turf was removed after the 2009 season and preserved and is now exclusively available at www.turfofchampions.com.  Each piece includes a Certificate of Authenticity and comes with a uniquely numbered NFL hologram as a licensed product from the National Football League.  The Brees Dream Foundation Collection products include the Lineman Case ($89.99), the Quarterback Case ($49.99) and the Brees Frame ($39.99), and all include a section of Game-Used Saints Turf from the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, LA.  Detailed information about the products along with how to order is available at www.turfofchampions.com.Continue reading "You can Buy a Piece of Superdome ..."

Starting 11 posted by Randolph Charlotin

The freshmen are on campus (at least the ones who have all their admission papers completed and signed) and the upperclassmen are due to arrive on Thursday. Training camp is under way.

 

There is no shortage of storylines we’ll discover during camp. Everyday there will be a new perspective on a competition or a personal story of achievement to learn about.

 

I have a handful of things I’m anxious to see or hear about. Instead of a shallow top five you’ll see in a lot of places of the biggest question marks, I’m going in a slightly different direction by listing my top eleven, in no specific order. Sorry Zoltan Mesko. You didn’t make my Starting 11:

 

Torry Holt: I have high expectations for the 11-year veteran. I said back in February I wanted the Pats to sign Holt when he was a free agent. Because New England did, I want him to succeed because a bit of my reputation as a couch scout is on the line.

 

I doubt Holt will be the complete failure that Joey Galloway was last year. With 10 years with the St. Louis Rams and their Greatest Show on Turf offense, I have complete confidence that Holt will know how to run the routes the right way, make the correct adjustments, get open, and make the catch. But watching Holt do it will be so much more enjoyable to watch.

 

Backfield Breakdown: This could be the last chance for Laurence Maroney. The Pats didn’t draft a running back to challenge the disappointing Maroney, but this is the final year of his rookie contract. For a player given quick hooks when his back-ups out-play him during the game, the Patriots continue to show confidence in Maroney by not finding a challenger to his starting spot.

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Training Camp Preview posted by Randolph Charlotin

Most of the rookies might already be in attendance, but training camp doesn't officially begin until the veterans show up on Thursday. In anticipation, I spoke with FootballOutsiders.com creator Aaron Schatz and got his take on what to look for during camp:

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Bears Ready to Rumble? posted by richard Kagan

The Chicago Bears are about to come out of hibernation and start pre-season practice.  In recent years, the opening of camp has almost as much anticipation as the first game of the year.  This year, the expectations may be heightened more when Mike Martz, the offensive "gurui" takes over the Bears play book.  He will be in charge in getting the most out of Jay Cutler, the QB who wilted for much of the season, then showed how good he was in the Bears' last two games.

Cutler not only has to cut down on a league high 26 intercpetions, but he has to get used to new formations, and a whole new apprach to the game.  It will be learning on the fly, but can he learn his lessons well?  If he does, the Bears may have  a decent to good year.  If he doesn't, then the Bears wion't make the playoffs and exit head coach Lovie Smith. 

One thing is clear. The Bears need good production out its offensive line.  Cutler needs pass protection and good blocking up front.  If he has time to throw, chances are he will complete the pass.  In then end, this may decide the season, can he have time to make a good throw.  Orlando Pace is in his final years, he has to play 8 years younger.

Chris Williams, a top draft pick, has to play well.  This is a do or die season for the Bears.  They can be right in the mix or right out the door.  I also vote for a 3 game pre-season.  The pre-season is too long.  Playing these games increases the chance of injury to a player.  Coaches and players will be better off if the games are cut to three.

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In the Running for Unga? posted by Randolph Charlotin

After the dust settled and all the trades were counted, the Patriots came away from the draft with a dozen selections. But not one of them was a running back. They could have a chance to select one July 15th.

 

Harvey Unga might be the prize of next week’s supplemental draft. The 6-foot 237-pound power back is leaving BYU because Mormon living is cramping his and his wife’s style.

 

His numbers are very good. In three years as a starter, Unga averaged 1,151 yards, five yards per carry, and 12 touchdowns. He’s projected to go as high as the second round.

 

New England is reportedly interested in Unga, which is understandable. Laurence Maroney is in the final year of his contract and is yet to play to his potential. But more of a concern is the durability of Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor.

 

In three years with the Patriots, Morris missed 17 of 48 games. Taylor was out for 10 games in his first season with the Pats last year. The lack of durability for a pair of between the tackle runners age 34 (Taylor) and 33 (Morris) doesn’t bode well for the upcoming season.

 

If the coaching staff showed any faith in BenJarvus Green-Ellis, speculation for Unga would be greatly reduced, if not tamped down completely. But the combined factors create the need for reliable depth behind Maroney, Morris, and Taylor.

 

If the interest in Unga is true, then the Patriots will have to win the game of chicken against the rest of the league during the supplemental draft. Teams have a chance to make a selection or pass until the next round. Knowing head coach Bill Belichick, he will want Unga’s talents at a good value for the selection. But a selection in the supplemental draft costs a team a selection in the 2011 NFL Draft.

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No Audience for Mankins' Moans posted by Randolph Charlotin

I thought Logan Mankins was going to be different. I believed he could conduct his contract negotiations privately. Because he kept a low profile after the season and through the draft, I figured Mankins would continue to keep his distance from the Patriots and let his agent and New England hammer out a new deal.

 

Boy, was I wrong. On Monday, loose-lipped Logan demanded a trade and took a few swipes at the organization at the same time.

 "Right now, this is about principle with me and keeping your word and how you treat people,” Mankins told ESPN Boston on Monday. This is what I thought the foundation of the Patriots was built on. Apparently, I was wrong. Growing up, I was taught a man's word is his bond. Obviously this isn't the case with the Patriots." 

"At this point, I'm pretty frustrated, from everything that's happened and the way negotiations have gone. I want to be traded. I don't need to be here any more."

 

A player crying foul over contract negotiations is nothing new. But this year there seems to be a spike in angst as franchises face an uncertain future with an uncapped year and labor negotiations coming up. With teams being very reluctant to hand over big deals without the legislation for how contracts will be structured for the next labor deal, the players are being left without the financial security of a long term contract.

 

Mankins is in limbo with several other restricted free agents in search of new deals, including Dallas’ Miles Austin, Indianapolis’ Raheem Brock, and San Diego’s Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill. Like the pair from the Chargers, Mankins opted not to sign his tender and will continue to hold out.

Continue reading "No Audience for Mankins' Moans"

Projecting Cunningham posted by Randolph Charlotin

I have a lot of expectations for this year’s rookie class. First round pick Devin McCourty will get a lot of run, maybe as high as the third corner. The two tight ends will contribute almost immediately. Brandon Spikes will become a two-down run-stuffing ILB. Zoltan Mesko will win the punting job.

 

Of the early picks, the only guy I don’t know what to expect from is Jermaine Cunningham. Even though the former University of Florida defensive end is practicing with the first team defense during OTAs, it’s not a guarantee that he will stay there when the season starts. Making the switch from 4-3 DE to a 3-4 OLB doesn’t happen overnight.

 

I don’t know what to make of Cunningham the college player. He started opposite DE Carlos Dunlap, an otherworldly talent. Does that mean Cunningham should had been more productive? Or did the defense make Cunningham look good?

 

In athletics, history doesn’t accurately predict how the next generation performs. Even if a school has a great history of producing players at certain positions (Penn State a.k.a Linebacker U, for example), it’s not a guarantee they all pan out.

 

Florida is better known for cornerbacks and slow developing wide receivers. Their history at defensive end isn’t flattering. In the previous eleven drafts, the only DE/OLB that became an All-Pro was Jevon Kearse, drafted in the first round in 1999. No other Gator came close to matching Kearse’s career:

 

2000, Round 7: LB Eugene McCaslin, Green Bay

In two years, he totaled zero tackles and zero sacks.

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Patriots Wednesday OTA Observation Huddle Up posted by Mike Dussault

PatsPropaganda.com: You had to be excited for media access day at OTAs today, but no one could’ve predicted that Wes Welker would be on the field. Of course Michael Silver had plans of his own today, deciding to turn “talks between Pats and Brady are going slowly” into “this might possibly lead to something but it probably won’t” article that of course every member of the Boston media had to hop on.

We stick to the positive propaganda here, we’ve read the recaps, and here are the non-Welker tidbits that we’ve found most interesting:

From PFW Blog:

The linebackers split up during one segment that included seven-on-seven work. Crable, Mayo, Guyton, Eric Alexander, Pierre Woods, Williams, Banta-Cain and Spikes remained on the field with the defensive backs and worked on coverage. Burgess, Cunningham and Ninkovich went to work with the defensive linemen.

On the outside I saw many different guys get reps on both sides with a variety of groupings in different drills. I saw some with Tully Banta-Cain on the left and Derrick Burgess on the right. I saw Jermaine Cunningham on the left with Burgess on the right. I saw Burgess on the left. I saw guys like Shawn Crable, Rob Ninkovich and everyone else on the depth chart rotate through.

Maybe it’s reading into it, but I think this is very significant. Why? Because it says to me that Burgess, Cunningham, and Ninkovich are considered primarily pass rushers, while Crable, Woods, Williams, and Banta-Cain are those we could be seeing on early downs as run stoppers (i.e. “starting”).

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The Replace Richard Seymour Beauty Pageant posted by Mike Dussault

As we all know the Patriots still have a huge void in the defensive line left by Richard Seymour. Ray Rice is still running from holes created in the right part of the Patriots defense (see Gary Guyton Jr. and Jarvis Green fka Pass Rush Specialist) . Brandon Spikes or Tyrone McKenzie should be the run stopping fix for Guyton. But who will be lining up are our run stopping right defensive end?

Let's meet the candidates, from lightest to heaviest. 

Brandon Deadrick  6'4" 287 

Brandon is rookie from Alabama who likes all you can eat bbq, and playing in games a week after he's been shot. He played the same system the Patriots play in college, that could give him an advantage but he's still light. We call him The Practice Squadder.

Mike Wright 6'4" 295

You all know Mike, he's our resident white defensive lineman. Better known as a sub-rusher Mike has played all spots on the line. His experience and versatility will ensure he's involved even if he is not starting at RDE. He's The Favorite.

Damione Lewis 6'2" 301

Continue reading "The Replace Richard Seymour Beauty Pageant"

Shawn's Gone posted by Randolph Charlotin

You would think with the lack of leadership in the Patriots locker room expressed from all angles that the more veteran presences the better. No so in the secondary. Surprisingly, CB Shawn Springs was released on Tuesday.

 

Springs was signed for three years last year, but the Pats decided to clear the path for the young corners to compete for playing time.

 

Springs had an intermittent season, as he started the first four games, was demoted, was a healthy scratch for four games, before returning to the starting lineup for the final four games of the season.

 

It was during the last four games that Springs played his best, as he broke up two passes and came away with his lone interception against Jacksonville. But the flip side was Springs turned into toast by Brandon Marshall in the week four loss to Denver. That’s the performance few will forget, knowing that New England must deal with Marshall twice a year after being traded to Miami.

 

With 13-year veteran Springs gone, the average age of the secondary on opening day will be 24, eleven years younger than Springs. Leadership will have to come from eight-year veteran CB Leigh Bodden and safetys James Sanders (six years) and Brandon Merriweather (four years). No one is even 30 years old.

 

It’s a trend also reflected at linebacker, as the average age will be 25 on opening day after the release of 10-year veteran, 32-year old Adalius Thomas (this average also includes Jermaine Cunningham, Marques Murrell, Rob Ninkovich, and Derrick Burgess, though they are listed as defensive ends).

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Raiders sign first-round pick Rolando McClain (The Canadian Press)

NAPA, Calif. - The Oakland Raiders signed first-round pick Rolando McClain to a contract late Wednesday, hours before the start of their first training camp practice. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Tebow, Broncos keep working on contract (AP)

Tim Tebow is missing his second workout while his agent and the Denver Broncos continue hammering out a contract. Tebow, the 25th pick in the NFL draft, can't participate in the Broncos' practices for rookies and players coming off injuries until he signs his deal. Although his absence means he could be falling farther behind fellow quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn, who shared the... [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Big Ben not only issue at Steelers camp (AP)

Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have Ben Roethlisberger back, at least for training camp, they've got yet another problem with the quarterback whose offseason missteps repeatedly overshadow all that he accomplishes as a player. What do they do with him? Once the Steelers report to training camp Friday, does Roethlisberger run with the starters, despite his suspension that will last at least... [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Owens misses flight to Bengals camp (AP)

Terrell Owens missed his flight but got his number. When he finally makes it to town -- a little late -- he'll be wearing his familiar 81. The Cincinnati Bengals' latest addition missed his overnight flight from the West Coast and had to take a later one on Thursday, delaying his debut at training camp. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports

Titans QB Young will not face suspension (AP)

Titans quarterback Vince Young has been told the NFL will not suspend him over his tussle at a Dallas strip club in Dallas, The Associated Press has learned. A person with knowledge of the situation says that Young has been informed that he won't be suspended. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the NFL has not announced the decision by commissioner Roger Goodell. [read full article]

From Yahoo! Sports