tracy phillips

tracy phillips

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Once upon a time, way back in 2000, New England owner Bob Kraft swam against the tide and hired a 47-year-old coach, Bill Belichick, who brought along a trusted friend with a knack for picking players, Scott Pioli, 34, to run the personnel side of the team.

Pioli would scout and prepare the free-agent and draft lists with his staff, and do contracts, while Belichick would coach and pick the players & with the financial and moral support of Kraft.

The Patriots were $10 million over the cap then, and their top-rated free agent at an important position was a terrific young tackle, Jon Runyan. Nope, Belichick said; were not going to further screw up our bloated cap by signing the richest tackle in football. So the Patriots bit the bullet in 2000 and 2001, trying to get better through the draft (Tom Brady came in 00, Richard Seymour and Matt Light pressgotoday.blogspot.com 01).

Then they took a very interesting gamble in 2001. One of their best young defensive players, tackle Chad Eaton, was a free agent, and the Pats let him go alertstodaycue.blogspot.com his fortune. Eaton signed with Seattle for a bonus of $3.5 million. The Patriots signed 20 mid- to low-roster veteran free agents for a signing bonus total of $2.57 million that spring.

Of course, the barbara stanwyck won the Super Bowl that season, with 16 of those free agents playing in an upset win over St. Louis. Mike Vrabel, Antowain Smith, Roman Phifer and Larry Izzo were among them. In the spring of 2002, New England was the only defending Super Bowl champion in the first nine years of free agency to enter the next season under the salary cap.

After that 2002 Super Bowl game, I told Belichick at the Patriots team party, Youve just given a blueprint to every team in the NFL  draft well, find a quarterback and fill in all the cracks through middle- and lower-class free-agency.

I know, he said.

Footballs the tracy phillips team sport. Isnt that what we always hear owners, GMs and coaches say? The Browns are contending today because they rebuilt their offensive line (Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach) and handed a former sixth-round pick (Derek Anderson) the reins at quarterback.

The Packers are contending today because a soft-spoken general manager (Ted Thompson) hired the offensive coordinator of the worst offense in football (Mike McCarthy, San Francisco) and let him coach his way.

The Steelers are contending today, at least in part, because progressive owners (the Rooneys) hired a precocious, Noll-like 34-year-old coach (Mike Tomlin) with a big upside.

Dallas has a third-time-is-the-charm rookie head coach (Wade Phillips) and a quarterback (Tony Romo) whose rights cost them $10,000 four years ago.

Jacksonville is contending today because of a strong defense, a two-headed running game (Fred Taylor. Maurice Jones-Drew) and a longtime backup quarterback (David Garrard) playing better than the high-first-round star quarterback (Byron Leftwich) ever did.

Tampa Bay running away with the NFC tracy phillips Key guys: undrafted quarterback (Jeff Garcia), undrafted running back (Earnest hotdirectcatch.blogspot.com ancient receiver on his third team (Joey Galloway).

Thats not every team, obviously. But if Dallas and New England meet in the Super Bowl, it will be a match of coaches who are on their third and second jobs, respectively, starring a free-agent bumpkin from Eastern Illinois at quarterback for one team and a quarterback for the other picked after Spergon Wynn in sixth round of the 2000 draft. The personnel czars would be Pioli and 38-year-old Dallas vice president tracy phillips college and pro scouting Jeff Ireland. Those guys are barely household names in their own households.

(To be fair, Dallas owner Jerry Jones has the final say tracy phillips the draft and in free agency and has abctodaytoday.easyjournal.com a smart season. Jones deserves a couple of back-pats for ignoring geniuses like me who told him paying underachieving ex-Card tackle Leonard Davis big dough to play guard was stupid. Now Davis, deservedly, is going to the Pro Bowl.)

Atlanta was stunned by the Bobby Petrino fiasco, and the teams first reaction was to go after Bill Cowher. Didnt work. Second reaction: Go get Bill Parcells. No go. Third reaction: Pursue Marty Schottenheimer, from all indications. That may happen.

Miami was stunned by the Nick Saban fiasco 11 months ago, and owner Wayne Huizenga  after going from Jimmy Johnson wisconsin roads his heirs to Dan Marino to Saban and not winning a Super Bowl  went the lesser-light route. Coach Cam Cameron and GM Randy Mueller were going to embark on a long-term plan to rebuild the team. Huizenga gave the new plan 13 games before jetting to upstate New York for another big fish. Or Big Tuna. Parcells.

You wont find me criticizing Huizenga for hiring Parcells, who has improved every team hes inherited. Once he finds the right quarterback, Parcells will improve this too.

But I will criticize the NFL ethos of always looking for the star. The other day, someone said to me, Well, the tracy phillips lousy year is really going to screw Rex Ryans chance for a job. My reaction: For Gods sakes, why? Why should one of the two or three best defensive coordinators in the NFL, and a forceful personality too, be eliminated from consideration for a head-coaching job because his team got destroyed by injuries and a lousy offense?

A prominent GM told me the other day that college athletic directors are often concerned when they hire a new coach about winning the press conference. Sometimes, he said, friends in college administration make hires they know will be popular with alums and fans rather than hiring the best men for the job. He says the same thing happens in pro football.

People in dire straits do what is expedient to get themselves out of dire straits as quickly as possible, the GM said. Hiring a name gives them hope because it gives the fans and the organization hope.

***

In baseball, youth has been served in front offices since the turn of the century. Wisely in the cases of Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, Yankees GM Brian Cashman, Indians GM Mark Shapiro and the Diamondbacks Josh Byrnes. Theres no reason why youth shouldnt have the same chance in football. The names of the young turks who should be at the top of the list for rebuilding franchises:

1. Scott Pioli, 42, New England. Smart. Ready, if he ever chooses to leave his good friend Belichicks side, which hell likely have to do if he ever wants to have his football acumen recognized.

2. Chris Polian, 35, Indianapolis. Working under his prominent dad, Bill, Polian has risen to vice president of football operations and tried to learn lessons from top baseball execs. Tough and precocious.

3. Jeff Ireland, 38, Dallas. Thorough and ultra-prepared, with a reasoned opinion about every player he scouts. Unemotional and methodical.

Close: Philadelphia GM Tom Heckert, 40 (who chris stokes be available because Andy Reid has final authority with the Eagles); Baltimore director of pro personnel George Kokinis, 40; Green Bay personnel analyst John Schneider, 36.

Teams looking for more veteran guys could look at former Saints GM Bill Kuharich, 54, now the Chiefs VP for player personnel, or Chris Mara, 50, the Giants VP for tracy phillips evaluation.

Those arent the only ones, but theyre a start, and theyre not the usual suspects.

The next question is who Parcells will go after to build his new organization. That decision might lead to some tracy phillips When Huizenga hired Parcells, the owner said, Anything that has anything to do with football, directly or indirectly, reports to Bill. That includes doctors and trainers and everything. Everybody is going to report to himWell, unless a front-office executive Parcells might consider hiring has his contract expire with his current team at the end of this year, or the guy is currently working without a contract (not altogether uncommon in the personnel business), Parcells might have a fight on his hands to woo a top personnel executive.

The NFL rule is that if a front-office man newsgohere.blogspot.com not have control over the draft and free agency, and he is being offered a job with that final football authority, then his team would be obligated to allow him to interview if permission was requested.

Will that apply in Miami? Maybe.

Theres a good chance that if Dallas Jones were asked by Miami for permission to speak with Ireland, he might say (as might any smart-thinking NFL executive), Hold liopleurodon here. Why should I allow my top personnel man to go somewhere where he might have the title of GM, but we all know he wouldnt be free to make the final football decisions? In other words, Parcells might say his GM free to make those kinds of decisions, but it would be up to the league to determine whether a new hire would really have that kind of authority.

I spoke with Parcells twice about this on Sunday. The first time, I told him what I thought  that a team with a good personnel guy might challenge the Dolphins ability to hire that personnel guy with the promise of giving him final football authority, because they would say Parcells is americaeuropeblur.blogspot.com real final football voice.

Thats not the way it is, he said from his home in Saratoga Springs, radiovideonet.blogspot.com We set it up so the general manager I hire will have that authority. I want to make it clear: I dont want to be the general manager. I dont want to be the head coach. I told Wayne that very clearly. I dont think it will be an issue.

A few minutes later, Parcells called back. You got me thinking, he said, so I got my contract out. I wanted to be sure about the wording.

Then he tracy phillips me the wording of what he said were the applicable clauses in the contract. As Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Parcells read, employee shall be responsible for overseeing the clubs football operations. Employee shall act as club designee for purpose of [executing] contracts with head coach and general manager.

Said Parcells: So what I am is the owners designee. My job is to hire a coach, hire a GM and put a structure in place for them to operate.

Will the league buy that? As I said on NBC last night, I believe theres a good chance some team might bring a grievance against the Dolphins over this.

Im not worried about it, Parcells said.

Clearly, the league could be skeptical about allowing any front-office man currently under contract to leave for a GM job in Miami todayredblur.blogspot.com way its structured right now. I could see NFL executive VP and legal counsel Jeff Pash asking Huizenga, with a jaundiced eye: Youre paying Bill Parcells $3 million a year or so, and youre telling me you want to hire someone to have final football authority in the organization over him? Thats not going to fly.

Remember, though, that if a personnel man is working without a contract, or if his team allows him permission to leave (which I could see happen with the gentlemanly Packers and good-soldier Schneider, if Miami were interested), the Dolphins would be allowed to interview that candidate.

Its way too early to predict what will happen in Miami. An educated guess would be tracy phillips Parcells aims for a strong personnel man, then interviews a slew of NFL assistants  and not just those he knows  to be the new head coach. It wouldnt surprise me if he went for a smart, malleable, egoless, unknown type  like Dallas assistant head coach Tony Sparano  as his new coach.

1. New England (15-0). Classic ho-hum job over Miami. The most fired-up the crowd got might have been when Youkilis, Schilling and Ortiz brought the Word Series trophy onto the field before the game.

2. Indianapolis (13-2). Its scary how good the Colts are right now. Theyve tracy phillips target store holiday hours straight by an average of 13.3 points per game.

3. Dallas (13-2). God is good. It could have been worse, said Terrell Owens, just before walking favorpollscatch.blogspot.com of the Cowboys locker room Saturday night in Charlotte with his sprained ankle. Actually, he didnt walk out of the locker room the way his teammates did. He walked out on crutches. In a walking boot. The guess here is we wont see T.O. until the divisional playoff game in 19 or 20 days.

4. Green Bay (12-3). Somebody needs to do a psyche transplant on that punter, Jon Ryan. Talk about a bad day. Thats one of the all-time awful days for a punter.

5. San Diego (9-5). These are your fathers Chargers & last four games: 130 points.

6. Jacksonville (11-4). My first question to Fred Taylor postgame: Did you go out today with vengeance against the Pro Bowl voters? No, he said. I wasnt going to use that as motivation. If you use that as motivation, and you lose or play bad, what good does that do? I do wish wed get to vote after 16 games, not 13. I always finish with a strong November-December.

Couldnt have said it better, Fred! In fact, down in Ten Things, youll get a much longer take on how fans, players and coaches should vote for the Pro Bowl. Taylor had his fourth straight 100-yard game, this time tracy phillips carries for an eye-popping 111 yards.

7. Pittsburgh (10-5). Of all the stupid opinions I had in my King 500 (the top 500 players in football, which I authored for the SI NFL preview), perhaps the biggest was not having Ben Roethlisberger in my top 20 players.

8. Tampa Bay (10-5). Interesting comment from tracy phillips league official on Friday. The Bucs are amazing, said Prominent League Official. Theyre running away with their division, theyve got a quarterback whos played great in the playoffs, theyve got a Super Bowl coach, and its like they dont tracy phillips You never hear a word about them when people talk about Super Bowl contenders.

9. Tennessee (9-6). Big game Sunday night at Indy. The Titans win and theyre in the playoffs. So heres the last eight meetings between Tennessee and Indy, from oldest to most recent: Colts by 26, Colts by 2, Colts by 14, Colts by sharpnowmy.blogspot.com Colts by 21, Colts by 32, Colts by 1, Titans (on the Rob Bironas 60-yarder to win) by 3. In other words, Tennessees got its proverbial work cut out Sunday at the RCA Dome.

10. Washington (8-7). Weve gone in the span of a month from preparing to award Joe Gibbs his gold watch to preparing to give him a two-year contract extension. What a performance by the Redskins. If youd have told me a team would go 80 yards in 10 plays on the Vikings to make the score 23-zip in the first half & Id have said something like, Whos that? The Patriots?

11. Cleveland (9-6). Scary game by Derek Anderson, who looked nothing like the top-10 quarterback hes played like for 80 percent of this season. Not a good time for him to be forcing, aiming tracy phillips underthrowing receivers.

12. Seattle (10-5). A bit of a surging ground game against the Ravens: 34 carries, 148 yards.

13. New York Giants (10-5). In the history of this proud franchise, never, ever have the Giants had two 100-yard rushers in a game. At Buffalo, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs both went over 140. tracy phillips that around in your brain tracy phillips a while. Its amazing enough that the ground-hugging Giants had never had two guys surpass 100 in a game.

14. Minnesota (8-7). So much for the Vikes automatic bid into the NFL Tournament. Now Washington must lose to Dallas and Minnesota must win at Denver. This is great for interest in Week 17, which was nearly nil 24 hours ago, but it could be bad for the men in purple.

15. Philadelphia (7-8). Brian Westbrook went over 2,000 combined yards at New Orleans in another powerful performance. Hes on his way to earning my All-Pro vote. Hes at 2,005. By the way, Phillys last four road games have been against teams in the playoffs or who entered Week 16 with playoff chances. Philly won at Washington, lost at New England, won at Dallas, won at New Orleans. This is the best team that wont make tracy phillips playoffs.

15. Buffalo (7-8). You think the Bills might have gotten a tad inspired from the appearance of Kevin Everett in their locker room before the game? By 1:22 p.m. ET, it was 14-0, and Trent Edwards had two perfectly thrown touchdown passes  one to the man signed as a replacement for Everett, tight end Michael Gaines.

The Awards Section

Najeh Davenport (123 yards, 2 TDs vs. the Rams) reminds many of another Steelers back  likely Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis.
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Offensive Player of the Week

Pittsburgh RB Najeh Davenport, who just might be Bettis Jr.

Willie Parker goes down on the second play of Thursday nights game with a broken leg, leaving the Steelers without the leading rusher in the league (at that moment). Disaster.

But theres a reason personnel czar Kevin Colbert wanted Davenport so much before the 2006 season. Its because hes capable of having nights like he had at the Edward Jones Dome in the Steelers 41-24 win over St. Louis, rushing 24 times for 123 yards, a 5.1-yard average, with two touchdowns.

We didnt change anything when Willie went down, said Roethlisberger.

For his six-year career, Davenport has the equivalent of one long season: 372 carries, 1,761 yards, 4.7-yard average. A very good season. Brett Favre went a little too far, perhaps, when he said about Davenport during his Packer days, The only thing standing between Najeh Davenport and a rushing title is Ahman Green. Thats how good Davenport could be. The Steelers will need every bit of Davenports potential to win in the playoffs.

Defensive Players of the Week

Cincinnati safeties Chinedum Ndukwe and Marvin White, both rookies. After tracy phillips out on Friday theyd both be starting because of injuries to the starting safeties, they played with reckless abandon and helped torment Cleveland quarterback Anderson into four interceptions. Ndukwe and White combined for 11 tackles, two interceptions, three pass deflections and a fumble recovery.

Intellective, instinctive and really eager to play, defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan said of his two second-day draft choices. They played the kind of game they had to play for us to win today.

Tennessee DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, for his inspired play (I think we could say that about him every week) in a 10-6, playoff-chances-saving win. Three sacks, 11 tackles, a forced fumble. Someday well give Vanden Bosch the credit he deserves for being one of the top five defensive ends in football.

Special Teams Players tracy phillips the Week

Detroit TE Casey FitzSimmons. One of the great stories in the NFL today, the never-say-die FitzSimmons, born in the hamlet of Wolf Point, Mont., played eight-man football at Chester (Mont.) High, went tracy phillips to play at NAIA Carroll (Mont.) College and walked on as a college free agent to make the Lions in 2003. Against Kansas City on Sunday, he broke through the line on a Chiefs punt, got one big paw in front of a Dustin Colquitt punt, blocked tracy phillips and it bounded out of the side of the end zone for a safety.

Chicago CB Charles Tillman, whose flying layout block hotpressmy.blogspot.com a Jon Ryan punt in the third quarter clinched the Bears upset of the Packers. Textbook example of how to sacrifice your body to block a punt  and this one resulted in a Bears touchdown.

Coach of the Week

Cincinnati defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan. After losing a crushing game at San Francisco in Week 15, and then losing starting safeties Madieu Williams and Dexter Jackson in practice on Thursday (talk about when it rains it pours), Bresnahan simplified the gameplan so as not to overwhelm his rookie safeties and emphasized pressure on Derek Anderson.

We had to establish the pressure game early and keep it going for tracy phillips quarters, said Bresnahan on Sunday night. I thought we played coverage well, and he [Anderson] threw a couple right to us.

Its a mark of a good coach when youve got nothing to play for, the other team has everything to play for, and you come out like the team that has something at stake.

Goat of the Week

tourhotbehind.blogspot.com color="#000080">Green Bay P Jon Ryan. tracy phillips the wind was awful liga española the Windy City, but come on. Two punts blocked, in part because of his tracy phillips slow mechanics, and one fumbled snap from center. Thats intolerable on a team that needed this game to stay in the home-field race with Dallas.

Quote of the Week I
Peyton wont play the whole game. [Backup quarterback Jim] Sorgi will get at least a half. Its unfortunate the way the schedule falls. We have to look at what is best for us, and thats how were targetabcgo.blogspot.com to approach the final game.

 Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, who says he will do whats best for his team, and not what other coaches, fans and players might want him to do, in the final game of the season. Dungy will likely rest some starters tracy phillips most, if not all of the game. Tennessee, the Colts foe tracy phillips will make the playoffs with a win. Which brings us to &

Quote of the Week II
Its not up to the Indianapolis Colts to do us any favors. Theyve played well enough to deserve the right to play who they want this week. Kudos to them. tracy phillips like Peyton to play four quarters, obviously, but we understand what theyre doing.

 Cleveland linebacker Willie McGinest, who told me Sunday night he didnt hold it against the Colts for easing up on the gas in their final (and meaningless) regular-season game, and he december 24 think his teammates would tracy phillips align="justify">Quote of tracy phillips Week III
Obviously, Bill didnt tracy phillips cheap. That doesnt matter to us. Were not afraid to spend the money to win.

 Miami owner Wayne Huizenga, announcing the hiring of vice president of football operations Bill Parcells to a four-year contract that is estimated to be worth at least $14 million.

Quote of the Week IV
Its an epidemic that has attacked America. I was sitting there, in counseling, with good people. They are not bad people. It encompasses everybody.

 Philadelphia coach Andy Reid, describing the six weeks he spent in a drug-treatment center in Florida last spring with son Garrett, who has struggled with drug-addiction for years.

MVP Watch
1. Tom Brady, QB, New England. I noticed Brett Favre conceded the race to Brady the other day. Rightfully so. Brady tracy phillips touchdowns, eight interceptions) should win it in a walk.

2. tracy phillips Romo, QB, Dallas. Adrenalins a great equalizer, Romo said after the Cowboys 13th tracy phillips on Saturday night. That masked the pain in his badly bruised tracy phillips thumb, and he needed it.

3. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis. He rises above Favre because of the way theyve both played the last month.

4. Brett Favre, QB, Green Bay. Not helping his cause with nine picks in his last four tracy phillips

5. (tie) Randy tracy phillips WR, New England; Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh. Roethlisbergers playing heroically under intense pass-rush pressure, and hes playing hurt. Moss became the second receiver in the 88-year history of the NFL to have 20 or more touchdown catches in a season on abcdigtoday.blogspot.com Hell need two to pass Jerry Rice for the all-time record Saturday at the Meadowlands.

Stat of the tracy phillips />When you look at the difference between the AFC North co-leaders, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, I bring you one word: sacks. Its amazing the teams are tied atop the standings entering the final week with such a huge disparity in how they protect the quarterback.

Last year the Browns allowed 54 sacks, third-most in the league. This year theyve allowed 17, second-fewest in the league. In Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger has been dropped almost four times per game in 14 games.

Clevelands amazing turnaround can be traced to two major factors: the addition of Joe Thomas at left tackle and Eric Steinbach at left guard. The duo has solidified a leaky side of the line that not only has kept Anderson clean, but also helped Jamal Lewis be great again. In addition, free-agent vet Steinbach has been the smart and loose leader this line hotnewsred.blogspot.com For his part, Anderson has gotten rid of the ball on time and in rhythm.

What follows is a chart of the most-sacked and least-sacked quarterbacks  of the ones starting in Week 16  in the NFL this year. The final number in each row is the frequency of sacks. For example, Roethlisberger has been sacked once per each 9.6 dropbacks from center, four times as frequently as Anderson has been sacked.

Most Sacked/Least Sacked QBs in 2007
Most Sacked Pass tracy phillips Sacks Dropbacks Frequency of sacks

Roethlisberger, PIT 404 47 451 1 per 9.6 dropbacks

Kitna, DET 497 49 546 tracy phillips 11.1 dropbacks

Bulger, STL 353 34 387 1 per 11.4 dropbacks

McNabb, PHI 397 37 434 1 per 11.7 dropbacks

Least Sacked Pass Attempts Sacks Dropbacks Frequency of sacks

Brees, NO 550 12 562 1 per 46.8 dropbacks

*Anderson, CLE 459 12 471 1 per 39.3 dropbacks

Favre, GB 492 14 506 1 per 36.1 dropbacks

Brady, NE 503 17 520 1 per 30.6 dropbacks

*Charlie Frye was sacked five times in the season-opener for Cleveland before Anderson was inserted tourlivingradio.easyjournal.com the Browns lineup in the second half of week one.

You know what this chart says to me? That Roethlisberger is having a truly amazing season in the midst of consistent protection breakdowns. To have a 32-11 TD-to-interception differential under that kind of pressure is stunning.

Factoid of the Week That May Interest Only Me
Tracy Phillips, the daughter of Dallas coach Wade Phillips, plays a belly dancer in a critical scene of Charlie Wilsons War, the film tracy phillips Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour blurendamerica.blogspot.com and Julia Roberts. Phillips does a seductive dance in front of the Egyptian defense minister. Its a long story. Well all have to see it to understand it. Daughter joined Dad in Charlotte for the Cowboys-Panthers on Saturday night, by the way.

Enjoyable/Aggravating Travel Note of the Week
crisisukwhere.blogspot.com blessing of all blessings: My biggest road trip in tracy phillips last seven days was a 40-minute train trip, which was on time in both directions, to HBO last Wednesday. Every air traveler Ive encountered in the past few days has some tale of holiday woe to tell. Thats one great thing tracy phillips being off the road most weekends this season.

Ten Things I Think I Think

Pittsburgh corners Ike Taylor (above) and DeShea Townsend tallied seven deflections and one interception return for a guess who s coming to dinner on Thursday night.
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Your genealogy search align="justify">5. I think Laurence Maroney, the leading ground-gainer in Week 16 (14 carries, 156 yards), is doing a great job proving hes both tougher than we thought and more productive too. Last eight quarters: 260 rushing yards. The Patriots dont have to worry about running the ball in January.

6. I think this is what I liked about Week 16:
a. Seattle and Denver are pretty good offensive teams, right? Better than pretty good, really, and theyve kept their quarterbacks healthy, too. Theyve combined for 71 touchdowns this season. Thats the same number as the Patriots alone have scored. New England set the NFL record on Sunday with its 71st. In the numbers blizzard that is the NFL these days, lets not let that one go idly by.

b. What a great cutback run, stiff-arm and show of power by DeAngelo Williams on Saturday night, knocking Terence Newman back five yards.

c. I guess Steve Smith got tired of being irrelevant.

d. If Marion Barbers not one of the five best running backs in football, then my names Grantland Rice.

e. Seattle locked the third seed with the most versatile offensive game the Hawks have played in a month.

f. Do not give up on a rested Chad Pennington when the Jets (in all likelihood) put him out to pasture this offseason. Nice TD toss on the run in the first half at Tennessee on Sunday. Are you listening, Ozzie Newsome, Arthur Blank, Bill Parcells? Pennington might be the perfect bridge to your next long-term quarterbacks  he might even be better than that.

g. Donovan McNabb, take a bow. Great game, and not just because of the numbers (24-of-35, 283 yards, three TDs, no picks, plus a 40-yard scramble). It was his presence. He looked like the McNabb of old.

h. McNabb looks like McNabb Classic. With the playoffs not an issue anymore, he might be auditioning for Baltimore or Chicago or Atlanta.

i. What a TD snatch by T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the second quarter against Cleveland. The ball went through his hands, and he caught the end of the ball, probably helped by the tackiness of the gloves.

j. Great job by the Giants running targetblurusa.blogspot.com down 14-0. Brandon Jacobs and the offensive line made it look like he was running downhill instead of fighting 40-mph wind gusts.

k. Heck of a takedown of Packers linebacker Nick Barnett by umpire Jim Quirk, tracy phillips up a scrum late in Packers-Bears.

l. Want to see the best fourth-and-goal, goal-line stuff of the year? Check out the tape of Buffalo defensive tackle John McCargo busting through the Giant line and wiping out Reuben Droughns for a 4-yard loss. Superb and athletic sniffing out of a play.

7. I think this is what I didnt like about Week 16:

a. Did I miss what I really think I missed Saturday night? Was NFL Network actually isolating on Patrick Crayton on the first snap of the Dallas-Carolina game for some asinine reason? Are you kidding tracy phillips hotlivingonly.blogspot.com any of us want to see is the snap from center from a first-time starter, Cory Procter, tracy phillips Tony Romo, playing with a bruised thumb, and instead we see Crayton sprinting off the line and Romo diving on the fumbled snap a split-second later. We didnt see the snap until the instant replay. Now thats a good start to a telecast right there.

b. Terrible non-interference call on Dallas corner Jacque tracy phillips with Dallas up 17-10 and Carolina throwing a bomb, trying to tie it early in the fourth quarter. Talk about an awful non-call.

c. Steve Smith tracy phillips youve got to make that long catch, perfectly thrown by Eli tracy phillips Is there any receiving corps  backs included  with worse hands than the Giants?

d. And Brian Moorman, youll kick yourself when you watch the special-teams video of Bills-Giants today. You had space and time to punt on the first debacle of a try, instead of fumbling around and getting snowed under by the Jint rush.

e. Tennessees in trouble with Albert Haynesworth. He cant finish a game, and so much of what they do on defense depends on his inner forcefulness.

f. Playing out the string: Ravens, tracy phillips Both in big ways. I really thought the Raiders would put up more of a fight than letting Fred Taylor gallop 62 yards on the first play of the game.

g. I dont want to kill Derek Anderson, because the Browns would never be in position to make a Week 17 playoff run without him. But its sad that when the Browns look back on this season, if they dont make the playoffs, a big reason will be his four interceptions Sunday.

h. I have never seen such lousy punt and field-goal ballhandling in one week in my life. Weather tracy phillips the big reason, obviously, blurcatchdig.blogspot.com for punters to not have gloves on in weather like that is just dumb.

i. Poor Willie Parker.

8. I think I have to hand it to the San Francisco 49ers for the classy, tear-jerking way defensive end Bryant Young left the field  on his teammates shoulders  after his last home game. Beautiful. And so right for such a solid player. Young had two tackles, two quarterback hits and a pass deflected in the 21-19 upset, and, in a ritual usually reserved for the winning Super Bowl coach, Youngs teammates hoisted him on their shoulders and carried him off the field. tracy phillips job, Niners.

9. todayonevideo.blogspot.com regardless of whether your team won this weekend, you had to be extremely happy about two things: 1) A ground-swell of current players donating Week 16 game checks to their football ancestors through the Gridiron Greats program; 2) Kevin Everett walking through the Bills tunnel into his home-team locker room for the first time since his harrowing accident three months ago. Both are cause for a glass of Christmas cheer.

10. I think these are my non-football thoughts of the week:

a. George Martin just passed through Memphis over the weekend, 1,100 miles into his 3,300-mile walk from New York to San Francisco to benefit 9/11 first-responders. Im hugely grateful for all of you who contributed to his cause, which is helping the 40,000 men and women with physical and mental health problems stemming from the attacks at Ground Zero six years ago. Martins not one to shill for money, so Ill do it for him. He needs more than $8 million to reach his tracy phillips goal for the trip, and I can guarantee you its one of the worthiest causes in America today. To donate, visit www.ajourneyfor911.info.

b. The fact that, in the NHL, New Jersey played in Edmonton Friday for the first time in six years  a stupid, maddening, fan-hating practice  is one more reason to laud the league, barely, for fixing its schedule.

The fixed version is better than nothing, but still not good enough. I am so sick of Devils-Islanders and the Regional Hockey League, which has each team in one conference playing teams in the opposite conference once every three years. Now teams will redamericared.blogspot.com six games against division foes, 40 against other conference teams and 18 against the 15 teams in the opposite conference.

Thats still not enough, as far as Im concerned. If Im in Edmonton, why should seeing Sidney Crosby and Martin Brodeur every other year be good enough? Every team should play every other team home tracy phillips away, minimum, every season.

c. I dont know Stuart Scott, but I am pulling for him in his fight against cancer. Get well, Stu.

d. Merry Christmas, Mike McGuire. Good luck to you and your men over in Germany as you prepare for another tour in Iraq.

e. Very inside version of Coffeenerdness: Judy Schenk, be prepared to meet Andrew Perloff this morning. Judy runs The Barge, the campus coffeehouse at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y., which also employs Mary Beth King. Andrew edits pro football at SI.com, and he is spending Christmas with family in Hamilton and staying at the Colgate Inn, a few storefronts down the street from The Barge. This morning, Judy, be on notice that Andrew plans to come in for some Christmas Eve coffee.

f. By the by, you can now purchase some of the best dark coffee out there, Colgate Blend, online through the Colgate bookstore. I recommend it very highly. Its Italian roast in its intensity. If you care: http://colgatebookstore.com/gifts/2007/12/bcoffee.html

g. The merriest of Christmases to you who celebrate tomorrow, and the happiest of holiday seasons to all. In honor of the day, I hope you dont mind me skipping my Tuesday column this week. Ill be back with 6,000 fresh words next Monday, including these topics: figuring out the coach of the year, telling you my choice for Enlightened and Unselfish Football Player of the Year, and an all-pro choice or two.

Who I Like Tonight, and I Mean Tony Kornheiser
San Diego 33, Denver 30. Heres what San Diego faces: They win out, and theyre the third seed. Significant, because the Chargers would face a lesser team than Jacksonville (Cleveland or Tennessee) in the wild-card round, then have a divisional game at Indy instead of New England. Whereas the fourth seed, Pittsburgh, has Jacksonville coming to town (and the Jags have a three-game winning streak over the Steelers), with the moreradioradio.blogspot.com traveling to New England the following week. Im going all out to win this one if Im the Chargers.

1. I think these are my quick-hit thoughts of Week 16:
sOURCE:si.COM

a. I dont know how you can play the position of corner, in tandem, better than DeShea Townsend and Ike Taylor did it the other night in St. Louis. Seven deflected passes and an interception returned for the insurance touchdown in a 41-24 Steelers win. Thats whats called four quarters of quarterback torment.

b. I cant believe how many friends of mine, who are big football fans, say they not only dont get NFL Network at home, but dont try to tracy phillips somewhere to watch the ukcatchsharp.blogspot.com the channel shows. Ill tracy phillips very curious to see what kind of ratings, if any, Giants-Pats does Saturday night.

c. My guess is its probably not the happiest of holiday seasons in the Rich McKay household.

d. Nor Cam Camerons.

e. But if I know Cameron, hell make lemonade out of the lemons hes been handed. Talk about a power-of-positive-thinking guy.

f. Although I would say this about Cameron: Be surprised, but not shocked, if Parcells keeps him. tracy phillips definitely going to be in play there.

g. Parcells first day at work, by tracy phillips way, is Thursday. Hell watch practice for two days, meeting with Mueller and Cameron, then watch the final Miami game of the year against Cincinnati on Sunday at Dolphins Stadium.

h. When we talk about great tights ends, why dont we ever talk about Chris tracy phillips Did you see how open he got last night on that first-quarter touchdown pass from Todd Collins?

i. Todd Collins Leads Redskins To Brink of Playoffs. Cant think of a more unlikely newspaper headline in 2007.

j. Hope your 2008 is better than 2007, Mike Nolan.

f. Great lead in the St. Paul Pioneer Press Saturday about players and guns in the wake of Sean Taylors murder. Every time his doorbell rings, Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams answers with him 9mm Glock holstered on his hip, wrote Vikings beat man Sean Jensen, who went on to quote Williams as saying: You never know. [Taylors death] made me more aware. I dont trust nobody. Chilling.

l. Graphic of the Day, on CBS: All 22 Indianapolis starters have played their entire careers with the Colts.

m. Havent seen Tony Dungy as angry on the sidelines as he was protesting a horse-collar tackle call on Marlin Jackson. Looked like a real horse-collar to me.

n. Stole this from Collinsworth on Sunday afternoon: Its unfair to compare the stats of Peyton Manning in his tracy phillips dome to the stats of Brett Favre in a frigid tornado in Chicago or brother Eli in a 40-mph gale in Buffalo.

o. Packers 12-3, track santa 6-9. Pack 0-2 versus Bears. Go figure. Thats football.

p. Why is Brett Favre in a 35-7 game in the fourth quarter in Arctic Circle conditions?

q. I cannot believe 59 points were scored in that weather in Buffalo.

r. Dont look now, but Shaun Hills 2-0 as an NFL starter & with, as you know, not a very good team around him.

2. I think this is my pet peeve about the Pro Bowl, the most meaningless game on the planet, other than the Major League Lacrosse all-star game. (So, you ask, if its so meaningless, why is this the number two topic in the Ten Things? Good question. But itll be my last mention of it all winter, believe me.) The game is played Feb. 9. Why is fan voting closed 60 days before the game (Dec. 11), with three games left in the season, and why is player and coach voting done the same week?

Two perfect examples of how voting early screws the teams that are selected. One  Fred Taylor and Jamal Lewis both deserve to be on the AFC team ahead of Joseph Addai. Taylor, the 18th-leading rusher of alltime, has never made a Pro Bowl and was tracy phillips choice this year  and a deserving pick. Taylor is on a four-game streak of 100-yard games, and his 147-yard mashing of the Steelers in Pittsburgh, after the voting closed, was one of the most impressive performances of the year. But that game doesnt count in the Pro Bowl voting, nor will either of his last two.

Lewis 33-carry, 163-yard dominating of the Bills in the hacked by body last Sunday was just as good as Taylors. Look at the AFC rushing standings right now: Taylor 1,202 yards, Lewis 1,176 and Addai veryabccue.blogspot.com Why is Addai in? Because the vote was taken with three weeks to go in the season.

And two: Jonathan Ogden at left tackle is about as smart as picking Steve McNair at quarterback. As of the time of the vote, Ogden had started seven of 13 games for Baltimore. Why doesnt the league just pencil in Ogden tracy phillips left tackle the year after he retires? Not only has Ogden been a shell of himself this year, as norad santa he hasnt shown up for half the games! Joe Thomas of Cleveland has played every snap this year and led a resurgent Cleveland offensive line to prominence. Hes also been responsible for allowing just 1.5 sacks in 15 games.

3. I think the more football I watch, the more I think I was too hasty last summer when I said the NFL should go to a 17-game schedule. This year hasnt been any more injury-plagued than any other; but late in the season, when fatigued players continue to drop (three Cowboy starters went out in the first half alone Saturday night), you get a different view of injuries and how they affect teams than you do in July.

Maybe Terrell Owens will be fine, his high ankle sprain wont be very serious and hell be ready to go next week in Washington, or in three weeks in the divisional playoff game. But if he isnt, the Cowboys have lost Tony Romos favorite weapon. In the 25 Cowboy regular-season games started by Romo, hes hit Owens 5.5 times a game for 86 yards (a 15.7-yard average), with 23 touchdowns in the 25 games. To add a 17th game and think more significant players wouldnt get hurt doesnt make sense.

4. I think the juice for moving the tracy phillips Bowl to the site of the Super Bowl and playing it before the Super Bowl is fizzling. tracy phillips expect the league to move the Pro Bowl from Hawaii back to the mainland in the near future, if ever. I liked the idea because at least it would have made the game slightly relevant. Slightly, mind you.

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Post je objavljen 24.12.2007. u 23:32 sati.