InClement Weather: Frogurt!!!

Buyer beware in any free agent market. With a potentially uncapped 2010 and threats like, "If the players don't have a salary cap, they'll never give it (i.e. accept one) back again", it doesn't take a genius to realize a labor crisis is coming.

Seriously people. We may not have the NFL for an entire season in 2011. It might get that bad. Does Roger Goodell seem like somebody who will "back off" or submit to "peer pressure".

Not so much.

Nevertheless, I want to take an e-e-e-early look at some of the key free agents of the upcoming offseason.

Instead of savvy analysis, I want a hilariously memorable Simpsons clip, a picture of the player, and a simple statement. Okay, truth be told: I want YOU to react. Somebody!?!? Anybody!?!?

Brandon Marshall [WR, Denver]

Any chance the nickname "BM" sticks for #15?
Credit: NFLBlitzNews.com

One Liner: BM is more dangerous than a cup of frogurt, there is far more value and a lot less volatile-for-the-buck out there. (See: Vincent Jackson, Steve Breaston, & Kevin Walter)

Why Expanding the NFL Season = Fuzzy Math

We all remember that moment in the 2000 Presidential Debates. George W. Bush slammed Al Gore's economic proposals as using "fuzzy math" and "fuzzy numbers." That may have been one of the first times we saw that patented Dubya smirk (y'know ... the one where he looks like he's just said the most clever thing in the course of human history).

Well, now I'm taking on the Dubya role, and am calling out Roger Goodell for using fuzzy math in his proposal to expand the NFL Regular season. Yes, as a fan of professional football, I would LOVE an extra week or two of meaningful football. But I am also a fan of quality football, not games where the star players are missing due to injuries. Unfortunately, Goodell's proposal would drastically increase the chance of injury for the players who consistently grind it out on the gridiron.

"Raj ... Re-Run and I think you're usin some fuzzy numbers"

The Commish wants to expand the regular season to either 17 or 18 games, while dropping the pre-season to 2-3 games, thereby keeping the total number of games at 20. The problem comes to play when we look at actual playing time of starters. Starters generally play anywhere from 0-5 quarters of football during the preaseason, and never more than two quarters per game. And starters, of course, play every down of a regular season game. So, by replacing even just one preseason game with one meaningful contest, the starters will be playing more downs in 20 games. And let's not forget that the players will also be playing harder in that one game than in the two quarters which it's replacing.

I may be in the minority, but if you want to increase the regular season by a game or two, you can't keep the total number of weeks at 20. Not if you want quality football to continue throughout all 17-18 regular season games. 18 + 2 does not equal 16 + 4. That's just fuzzy math.

Goodell Grows Some ... Allegedly

Last week, when news outlets reported that Adam "Pacman" Jones was in an altercation with a member of his four-person security team, I waited for our true football guys at PHSports to tackle the story. However, one was busy with his future in-laws, another had relatives in town and the other was at a law conference. We all have lives, and I do too sometimes. When I found the time on Saturday, I wrote this scathing piece which questioned whether NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's ability to make decisions based on what is right.

That said, I also waited for Goodell to arrive at a decision. When I first saw the report, I was upset. When I read about Cowboys Owner/GM Jerry Jones deeming any punishment "ridiculous", I was infuriated by his pomposity and arrogance. When I read the never-before-seen version of the English language manifested in a police report which had Jerry Jones's inconspicuous imprints all over it, I had exceeded the previous levels of infuriation. However, when word struck about alcohol being involved in the incident, it was an absolute no-brainer that Goodell that a decision was imminent and that it would be punitive. In the end, I give Goodell a small measure of credit for his decision to indefinitely suspend Jones; however, like I said, it was a no-brainer and I think it's imprudent to praise a leader for making the obvious decision one week later than he should have.

Roger Goodell Has No Spine

There are a few truths that we hold to be self-evident.

• The Detroit Lions is the worst franchise in the NFL
• Unless handed a no-brainer pick, the Sonics/Thunder will draft a project power forward/center
• The Cubs will always disappoint
• Tom Brady is one good looking dude
• The voice of DJ Khaled should be added to the Geneva Conventions' interpretation of what consistutes torture

Here's another one: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has no spine.

Yeah, I went there. Many feel strongly that Adam "Pacman" Jones should not have been reinstated for his repeated indiscretions and would not have been reinstated unless he played for the NFL's most marketable franchise, the Dallas Cowboys. Meanwhile, not only has Jones been reinstated since becoming a member of the Dallas Cowboys, he is back in the news this week for getting into a fight with the team-issued bodyguard. Not surprisingly, Mr. Win At All Costs himself, Jerry Jones, has come out already and stated that the other Jones will not be suspended by the team. Ironically enough, or not so much at all, #1 cornerback Terrence Newman had surgery to repair a tear in his groin muscle and will be out for approximately a month. To date, there has been no suspension from the Commissioner's office for a player who was granted reinstatement on the assumption that no funny business would be tolerated. I wonder what Odell Thurman thinks about that.

While I understand that the Commissioner's office has to do its due diligence in any investigation of wrongdoing, it has acted swiftly in other matters that involved franchises of lesser stature (see the Cincinnati Bengals). Need I mention Spygate and which franchise was involved? Some have argued that the stripping of New England's first-round pick was an enormous penalty and that Goodell could not have taken away the 7th pick New England held which they acquired via trade from San Francisco for the rights to Joe Staley. My response ... he's the Commissioner and he can take away whatever he wishes. If he wishes.

At the end of the day, it's easy to come down hard on franchises that have more arrests than wins. It's a low risk, high reward situation for Goodell. When he came down hard on recidivists like Odell Thurman or Chris Henry, he was applauded by many for rooting out the bad behavior that his predecessor addressed with less purported ferocity.

In the case of the Commissioner addressing indiscretions coming from "America's Team" or the only team to win three Super Bowls this decade, it has to be considered high risk and medium (at best) reward. By coming down hard on the league's most valuable franchises, Goodell would be biting the proverbial hand that feeds him. Unfortunately, in the case of Roger Goodell, biting the hand that feeds him precedes doing what is right and what is consistent with his mission of improving player conduct in the NFL.

For those reasons, Roger Goodell is spineless and fits in pretty well with his political equivalents in Washington. What Goodell needs to do is to shape up and make decisions based on what is right for the league rather than making inconsistent judgments based on the ideals of self preservation.

PatriotGate: Cheating in the NFL

Dateline: Foxboro

"At this point, we have not been notified of the league's ruling. Although it remains a league matter, I want to apologize to everyone who has been affected, most of all ownership, staff and players. Following the league's decision, I will have further comment."

Who did that statement emanate from this morning?

TNA Tag Team Champion Adam “Pacman” Jones? Nope.
Free Agent Tank Johnson? Nope.
Bengals wideout Chris Henry? Nope.
Recently suspended Patriots safety Rodney Harrison? Closer.

It was none other than the Patriots’ three-time Super Bowl champion head coach, Bill Belichick.

Source: Wordpress.com

Yeah, that guy.

His statement followed ESPN's Chris Mortensen's report that the NFL is considering punishing the Patriots for spying. This was first alerted, via the media, by a website Jets Confidential

In case you didn’t know the facts, here’s a quick rundown:

NFL security officials confiscated a camera and videotape from Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella on the New England sidelines when it was suspected he was recording the Jets' defensive signals. Sources say the visual evidence confirmed the suspicion.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is considering severe sanctions, including the possibility of docking the Patriots "multiple draft picks" because it is the competitive violation in the wake of a stern warning to all teams since he became commissioner, the sources said. The Patriots have been suspected in previous incidents. [Last season, similar accusations were made while playing the Green Bay Packers.]

In addition to punishment in the form of draft pick forfeitures, fines and suspensions for coaches (including Belichick) have been rumored. As for anyone who thinks Goodell would strip a victory away from the Patriots; that’s about as likely as letting a half-dozen rabid Jets fans take tackling drills with Belichick during the next time the teams meet up.

So what should be the punishment? In reality, we have to try and find something that may possible happen. Right?

I’m not going to worry about the assistant coach. He should have to fall on the sword in every way possible and receive a lifetime ban from the NFL sidelines. However, he was following orders. It’s time to punish those who are ultimately accountable.

Additionally, I’m also going to ignore the real media justifying the Patriots indiscretions by stating that everyone cheats. We’re dealing with this situation and with these accusations of cheating. We don’t diagnose murder as an entire subject during each and individual trial.

Here are some suggested penalization scenarios based on the body of facts.

Suspension for Belichick:
One game is the most realistic approach, and even that is not likely. The Patriots are the NFL’s darling and it would be surprising to see the Commissioner lay down that hammer and sit the head coach for a week. However, he should.
Multiple game suspension. Even less likely, it would be tough for Goodell to sell this to just about everyone (except Pats haters and Jets fans). Since these accusations have surfaced – and Belichick seems less than sincere with his apology – maybe it isn’t that irrational.
Season-long suspension. As likely as sending him to the moon. No way, no how.

Fine:
There’s no use even guessing random numbers. Although Brian Urlacher did get fined six figures for wearing a Vitamin Water hat during Super Bowl media week. Is there a number that can actually hurt the Patriots? Bob Kraft spent crazy bank on Donte Stallworth and Kelly Washington, so why would a fine hurt him? If it’s less than one million, then it’s an absolute joke. Let’s say it has to be at least $1 million. Does Kraft even flinch? $5 million? Does Goodell have the cahones?

Stripping Draft Picks:
If you’re going to take picks, you make a real statement reminiscent to the NBA stripping the Minnesota Timberwolves of multiple 1^st round picks for tampering with Joe Smith. Commissioner Goodell can make that real statement by stripping a year’s worth of picks. You strip multiple high-round picks, in multiple years if need-be. What’s likely? A blend of something seemingly tough and something unreasonably light-handed (e.g. a 3^rd and 5^th-round pick).

So what would I do? Stepping aside for a moment from being a die-hard Jets fan, here are the punitive measures I would employ:

1) Suspend Belichick for 1-game. He got caught cheating for at least one game, so suspend him from one.
2) Fine the Patriots $5 million. You have to make sure this never happens again.
3) Strip the Patriots of their 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd-round picks. Unfortunately, that’s just more money for free agents; unless you can try your best to tinker with their salary cap. You cannot ignore the fact that the Patriots were already once accused less than a season ago and trim their penalty.)
4) Sit Belichick down in a room with Commissioner Goodell and have the two go over the entire rule book. This way, Belichick has no room to misinterpret the rules. (This statement alone makes him a complete black-hearted fraud, by the way.)

Cheap shots aside, do you think Belichick peeks at his opponent’s screen during a game of Madden?

Until next time…

Goodell Suspends Jones for season, Henry for 8 games

On Tuesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the stiff suspension imposed upon Adam “Pacman” Jones (entire 2007 season) and Chris Henry (eight games). In his statement, Goodell emphasized, “It is a privilege to represent the NFL, not a right. These players and all members of our league have to make the right choices and decisions in their conduct on a consistent basis."

The PHSports contributors sound off on topics such as professional athletes serving as [unintended] role models, the image ramifications of poor behavior by NFL players, as well as comments on the disciplinary measures taken by the league office.

Pacman: Forbidden to "Make It Rain" for 2007 season

Photo courtesy: www.cantstopbleeding.com

Armin
As a youngster, I was the biggest Charles Barkley fan I knew. I loved his hustle on the court, and his humor off it. I was a homer in the truest sense. Nothing Barkley could do was wrong. Then came his, "I am not a role model" commercial, and as much as I struggled with my homerism, I knew deep in my heart that something wasn't right with that statement. I concluded that Charles was only half-right in the commercial. Parents should be role models, like he said. However, professional athletes don't have a choice. They are role models whether they like it or not.

The NFL is slowly becoming a haven for criminals. Of course, this is unfair to the majority of the NFL players who lead decent, non-criminal lives. However, one can see how the image of the league can be tainted by the few. These are the people that young athletes look up to. What kind of lesson are we teaching them if we continuously let these thugs get away without punishment, and let them continue to play a game that, at the professional level, is a privilege and not a right. This is why I stand and applaud Roger Goodell for handing down hefty suspensions to Adam "Pacman" Jones (full season) and Chris Henry (8 games). Goodell has thrown down the gauntlet. While Pete Rozelle fostered the success of the NFL and Paul Tagliabue cultivated it into a powerhouse among professional sports, Roger Goodell could very well be known as the man that cleaned the image of the league, making it the envy of professional sports.


Clement
In regard to the suspensions handed out by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, eight games for Bengals wideout Chris Henry and an entire season for Adam "Pacman" Jones of the Titans, for their ridiculous barrage of off-field incidents (and relative carelessness at the actual crimes they committed, and not being caught) … good riddance, for now.

Ironically enough, Pacman's suspension (who many claim is being punished before being proven guilty of the 'rain-man' incident - not that he didn't have any priors either) from the NFL may be the least of his problems these days.

In reference to the commissioner’s official statement from earlier today, I couldn't agree more. In fact, I think this is exactly what professional sports should be looking to undertake in all facets. I called for Chris Simon to miss an entire year. I didn't complain when Melo got 15 games, even though the instigators should've received similar lengths in their suspensions.

Interestingly, ESPN's Chris Mortensen dropped some rather surprising information on the Dan Patrick radio show today. He told Patrick that nearly 80% of the NFL Player Representatives (2-3 per team typically) discussed at their annual meetings that Pacman and Henry should receive potential 'lifetime bans'. This wasn't just talk on the golf course or by the swimming pool either.

NFL Players are clearly fed up with the reputation. Goodell's advisory committee most likely agreed with this ruling and probably wanted a stiffer penalty for Henry. They are tired of being labeled as thugs, gangsters, adulterers, and overall bad guys. I, for one, can't blame them. One bad apple can't spoil it for everyone. However, only when the Players, and specifically their Union, speak out publicly against situations and players acting like this will true progress be made.

My gut reaction hasn't changed since the talk of major suspensions, or potential bans, came out: strike them down swiftly and quickly. Great work, Roger. Mr. Upshaw, don't fight this too rigorously, or it will bite you and the players much more than you think.

Paymon
Accountability. That is the single word which can be applied to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s decisions to suspend Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones for the entire 2007 season and suspend Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry for eight games. It is that same degree of accountability which should strike fear into current NFL players who would think of putting themselves in a position of danger.

No one can blame Goodell for these suspensions. Some have said that Goodell stripped the men of their livelihoods, but let’s be honest. They were stripping themselves eons before the commissioner’s office stepped in to resolve an issue. Both players have had it coming with poor conduct taking place long before they stepped on the professional gridiron, or even when both starred at West Virginia. Jones and Henry have a combined 4 years of NFL service, are in their early 20s and on a fast-track to either life in prison or an untimely death. In my eyes, Goodell’s decision did them both a favor.

The next few months are all about growing up for the two young men. Neither have done so yet and neither have shown any indication that they were on the verge of doing so until an intervention came via the one man who can cut them off permanently from their only legal way of making a half-decent living. This is the chance to make things right internally, as both men, especially Jones, have unresolved legal problems lying in wait.

As for the league, they must take responsibility for its players actions – and we realize that they are by the perception hit that the league takes – by improving its programs for new players. In fact, league offices from the major sports should make it their job to convene with another and develop a set of best practices in terms of maximizing player conduct. While this is no panacea, it’s a way of doing more to attack the root cause of the problem rather than simply suspending repeat offenders.

Sum
After all the time wasted by the NFL by handing out fines and suspensions for celebrations, it's nice to see some legitimate action by the league's front office. Adam "Pacman" Jones and Chris Henry have wasted the incredible opportunity afforded to them by life. Their conduct has eclipsed the whining of T.O., the cell-phone incident of Joe Horn, and the on-again, off-again relationship between Ricky Williams and pot ... combined.

Jones has been interviewed by police in relation to 10 different incidents since being drafted by the Titans 2 years ago. The man has more "heart-to-hearts" with the police than I have had with women. Henry, on the other hand, had 4 arrests over the course of 14 months. It's rumored that he was just logging visiting hours with inmates as part of the NFL's latest United Way campaign.

Ultimately, these two athletes earned what the NFL dished out to them. In a world where the days of professional athletes as positive role models has seemingly gone out the window, we need to combat any chance of them becoming destructive influences on children. Roger Goodell has already made himself a force to be reckoned with when it comes to disciplining players. The suspension of Albert Haynesworth took care of that. The new action against Jones and Henry was necessary. The NFL has a system in place for substance abuse, which calls for at least a year-long suspension after the third infraction. These two young athletes, while not officially breaking the substance abuse policy, acted as menaces to society apart from drug and alcohol abuse. Ten infractions in 2 years for Jones and 4 in 14 months for Henry. The suspensions doled out by Goodell were more than justified, and frankly, I think he could've given Henry a full year as well.

Let the iron-rule of Goodell continue as long as it's necessary to get the NFL back on track.