6magazineOnline | Football Season's Now.

The Original Gunslinger Ryan Mallett

2010-06-22T23:16:00.002-05:00

The quarterback class of 2010 in college football has the potential to be one of the best in ages it may even rival the great 1983 class. Jack Locker at Washington, Andrew Luck of Stanford, Blaine Gabbert of Missouri and Christian Ponder of Florida State are all studs at the quarterback position for their respective teams. The cream of the crop, however, is Ryan Mallett, the strong armed 6'7' starting quarterback for the University of Arkansas. Mallett who like the others has some aspects of his game to work on (footwork, decision making) is still in my opinion the most NFL ready QB in a great year for the position. Mallett made a very wise decision of returning to college for another year and is the leader of the SEC's highest scoring offense at 36 pts per game. 36 per outing for any team in the defensive minded SEC is an impressive accomplishment. Furthermore, any quarterback can succeed in a Bobby Petrino's system (see Brian Brohm ) much less one with the absurd physical tools that Mallet possesses. Keep in mind that Arkansas returns nearly every one of its key playmakers on the offense in 2010. Andrew Perloff of Sports Illustrated named Mallett A.K.A Big Tex the number one pick in the 2011 draft over Jake Locker, Andrew Luck and Blaine Gabbert. That is a pretty impressive vote of confidence for a guy who has only one year starting experience. Mallett's "swagger" is also a positive. Mallett carries himself with confidence; something that should work in his favor, though that has been a knock on quarterbacks before (see Jimmy Clausen). Mallett set or tied 16 school records in his first year as Arkansas’ starting quarterback last fall and turned heads along the way. He threw for 3,624 yards and 30 touchdowns with 7 interceptions in leading Arkansas to an 8-5 record and win in the Liberty Bowl. He was a second-team selection on the All-SEC teams picked by the media and league’s coaches, and has already prompted Heisman Trophy talk among the national media this pre-season. The Arkansas offense will showcase Mallett's immense talents and being surrounded by D.J. Williams, Ronnie Wingo, Greg Childs, Dennis Johnson, Broderick Green, and Jarius Wright does not hurt either. This will be a huge year for the Razorbacks on the whole but the opportunity for Mallett to gain post season accolades is high if he stays healthy. Playing in the Sec west which overall will be up in 2010 may not help Mallett as much if he played in the Big East, but I will leave conference talk outside of this article. If he wins the Heisman or not Mallet is the number one quarterback in the country according to 6magazine bar none.

Ciao, Claude Clayborne

LT Electric Slide

2010-01-11T12:48:00.001-06:00

LT shows off his dance moves

Nike Football Commercial

2009-09-16T09:46:00.003-05:00

Check out this Nike Football Commercial featuring the best running back in football.

JIMMY Awards: Week 2

2009-09-15T09:44:00.003-05:00

Here are this week JIMMY Award winners

College

Tate Forcier, QB Michigan - The Cali QB rose to fame in a huge game this past week 310 total yards, 3tds and most importantly one W.
Rahim Moore, FS UCLA - More was the first to make Lane Kiffin look stupid this season. He hit up the Vols for 6 tackles and 2 picks for a 19-15 in Knoxville.
Case Keenum, QB Houston - The ring leader of the OSU upset led his team with 366 passing yards on 32/46 pass attempts and 4 total TDs as the Cougars upset the #5 ranked OSU Cowboys in Stillwater.

NFL
Adrian Peterson, RB Vikings - The Deal ran for 180 yards on 25 attempts and hit up the Browns for 3 TDs.

Drew Brees, QB Saints - Brees was disgusting throwing for a 77% completion percentage. He was 26/34 throwing for 358 yards and 6 TDs. Someone tell Drew to slow down, it's only Week 1.

Sheldon Brown, CB Eagles - The oft disrespected DB let his organization his value once again with two passes broken up and two passes picked off. Eagles, please pay this man!

Monday Morning Cornerback: Week 2

2009-09-15T00:25:00.003-05:00

Yo what up! It's call full circle. Pop Warner, High School, College, and Professional football is under way. Shout out to the UFL starting up in October, but for now, my life is complete. This is the 2nd week of the Monday Morning Cornerback where we get you covered on all angles. Let's go in.

Best Games

Michigan defeats # 18 Notre Dame

Thank God. This is how a Michigan vs. Notre Dame game is supposed to look. Michigan won the game on the heels and poise of their Frosh QB, Tate Forcier, who played phenomenal. Jimmy Clausen of the Golden Domers played great as well. He is finally living up to his potential. They lost the game not because of their play but their defense started to wear down and get tired.

The main reason they wore down was Charlie Weiss' need to throw the football. I have no clue why, but Armando Allen, Jr. was totting the rock for the Irish very well all game long. The Irish's second to last offensive series, Weiss threw the ball way too much. Allen started the drive off with 13 yards for a 1st down, but turned an ankle. Nevertheless, Weiss bailed on his running game, and ran two straight pass plays which fell incomplete and took no time off the clock. The rest is history. Michigan marched down the field and won the game.

Bills vs. Patriots

The start of the game was very slow and sloppy. You expected that sort of thing from the Bills but not the Pats. Brady was off target most of the game and there were several times he was gun shy about throwing the ball to Randy Moss in tight spots. Instead he chose to toss the pill to Ben Watson, twice in the final minutes of the game for two touchdowns.

The Bills simply self-destructed. The played great defense all night long. They scored points. They also have several bullet wounds in their own feet. Trent Edwards looks like young Jedi Knight that has no control over his own brilliance. The second to last series he looks like a Pro Bowl QB and the last series he takes two sacks when his team only has one timeout. Now that I think about it, he looked like an Pro Bowl QB, because Bills were gashing them with great interior runs and Edwards used and abused the play action. I don't know T.O., I wouldn't stand for this sloppy QB play if I were you.

The 6Magazine brass was expecting a great wr duel between Randy and T.O. but we got nothing. Thanks Tom and Trent!

Biggest Surprise

Did Colorado get beat 38 - 54 by Toledo? Let's be honest Coach Hawkins, you can't recruit a better QB than your own son? I know Colorado isn't what it once was, but you have tons of talent in Cali, Texas and Colorado to pull from. This isn't intramural brother, it's D-1 football, get a real QB!

Eh, nothing really jumped out at me NFL wise to be honest.

Quick Cuts and Jukes

- Matt Barklely looked good. Terrelle Pryor looked....ugh. I love TP though and I'm pulling for him.

- The Georgia Tech offense is bringing sexy back, aka, the Option. Expect the Nebraska Cornhuskers of old to be back in two years.

- Greg Paulus is good and I don't care what anyone else says.

- Forget what you heard, the Heisman is Jahvid Best's to lose.

- I am Sooner born and Sooner bred, which means I don't care when OSU loses, I wish people would stop associating the OSU Cowboys with the entire state of Oklahoma's football.

- The 'Ol Ball Coach is an old ball coach.

- Did you say something Lane Kiffin, I couldn't hear you.

- Thank God for Onterrio McCalebb, because after Andre Debose went out, I didn't know which Freshman stud I'd develop my man crush for.

- The Eagles look really good, and Mike Vick didn't even play.

- Google Adrian Peterson + Eric Wright, as soon as possible.

- Why the hell didn't I take Drew Brees as my QB in my fantasy league.

- Mark Sanchez '09 = Matt Ryan '08?

- Damn...not B. Lach...not this soon! Why?

- No T.O., the offensive explosion of Tony Romo and late season meltdowns must go on!

Yo...that's all I got,

Ricky Writer

5 Tips to Help Women Survive Football Season by K. Masenda of ETSF

2009-09-15T00:14:00.004-05:00

What's up. We got the all world, Kenny Masenda, of Ed The Sports Fan which swept the 2009 Black Web Blog Awards for Sports blog of the year! Congrats to them cats. Here's Kenny.

At Ed the Sports Fan, we take immense pride in bringing you stories from a very unique and thought-provoking perspective. Some of them are good, while some are just plain out-there. There are others that are pure fantasy, and others that we feel will benefit you, the reader, as a whole. Today’s story will be just that: it will be something for all women to take in, and use as a tool to help you survive the next five months of your lives. Granted, there are some women who love football, so this is not written for them. This is for the women who may not understand a man’s fascination, love, affection, and bond with the game of football. One of my heroes, Dr. Cornel West, says “the benchmark of greatness is finding joy in loving and serving others.” With that said, it’s my honor and duty to present this to you. I’m doing this simply as a service to all women, and nothing more. I don’t want you to be mad once you realize that we’re gonna be unavailable for the next five months, unless there’s a crappy game on. Remember, it’s all out of love (and so we can watch the game in peace). Now...

#1. Adopt the “Cater to You” Philosophy - Once a woman finally realizes there’s no way she’s going to come between a man and football season, this approach becomes easier to embrace. I labeled this approach in honor of your girls, Destiny’s Child, so the words and the concept will sink in. There’s a part in the chorus that basically says, “I got your slippers/your dinner/your dessert, and so much more/anything you want, I want to cater to you.” Believe me, once football season is over (around early-February), a man will remember the times you catered to him, while we were in our sanctuary, and when you choose to have your Real Housewives of Atlanta Watch Party, or whatever show is “in” at that time, the favor will be returned, and we’ll be eager to do so.

#2. Learn to Respect the Communal Aspect of Football - Football is the one sport where all people can come together, and enjoy each other’s company, and be absolutely thrilled to do so. There can be a sanitation engineer, a waste collector, an office manager, CEO, bill collector, or whoever all in the same place, but when the game is on, it’s all good. For three hours, your occupation, past, present situation, or anything else means absolutely nothing. We’re all joined together for one reason: to enjoy the damn game. Baseball has too many lulls in a game for this to occur, and basketball’s too thugged-out for everyone to enjoy it. Other sports don’t compare either.

#3. Understand that People Alter Their Daily Schedules for Football Season - One of my boys altered his Friday work schedule, so he can participate in The Second-Annual Shock the World Tour this year. Me, the very writer of this piece, is abandoning my usual 11 AM church service, and will start going to 8 AM church service, beginning this Sunday, so I can be back home in time for Sunday NFL Countdown, at 10 AM. I’ve gone to, maybe, two early services my entire life, so the fact this is occurring serves as a reminder of how crucial football season is. DVR isn’t the same, so don’t dare ask me to do such a thing, because it will never happen. Once again, it goes back to respecting the sanctity of the gridiron.

#4. Check your Facebook/Twitter Profile - Ladies, do yourselves a favor, and log-in to your Facebook or Twitter account tomorrow evening, around 6 PM (or 7 EST). I guarantee you will see a substantial amount of status messages that will solely pertain to the NFL starting up. I would ask you to just look at last week’s statuses, but they’ve changed so damn much that it would be a pretty tough task.

#5. Find Something To Do - Go to the mall and shop til you drop; go hang out with “mama and nem.” Read a book, learn a trade, do something, BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, do not disturb a man when the game is on. As I said earlier, football season has started, and it’s more than just a game. To reduce it to that is to trivialize it and spit in the faces of all of us who have awaited months upon months for this to start back up. Please, don’t fight it. You will only lose; instead, respect it, learn it, and who knows, you may even learn to love it.

LADIES, THIS IS HONEST ADVICE. FELLAS ARE WE OFF BASE? WHAT DID WE FORGET? LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!

Be easy.

-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

JIMMY Awards: Week 1

2009-09-15T00:09:00.002-05:00

Here are the JIMMY Awards for the first week of the football season.

Michael Floyd, Notre Dame WR – The Golden Domer pulled in 4 catches, 3 of which were tds for 189 yards.

Joe Pawelek, Baylor LB – Pawelek had 7 tackles, a sack, and a pick.

Mark Ingram, Alabama RB – Ingram rushed for 150 yards on 26 attempts for a td and 3 catches for 35 yards and a td.

Max Hall, BYU QB – The nephew of Danny White threw for 329 yards on 26 of 38 pass attempts and two td strikes in an upset win of OU.

Ralph Bolden, Purdue RB – The Boilermaker had 234 yards on 21 rushes and two tds.

Blaine Gabbert, Missouri QB – The Mizzou QB passed for 319 yards on 25/33 passing and 3 td strikes with an extra td run for the road as they defeated Illinois.

Monday Morning Cornerback: Week 1

2009-09-15T00:01:00.002-05:00

Well, the good thing is that football nuts like me can crawl into our caves, homes, sports bars, arenas, etc and not run a muck causing chaos within society. NFL gets under way next week, but college football, which in my mind is way better got under way this week.

Biggest news/Biggest shocker: #3 Oklahoma loses to #20 BYU

Sam Bradford sprained his shoulder and was hurt at the end of the second quarter. The score was only 7-7 at the time of Bradford’s departure. The Sooners struggled all day long to move the ball. The offensive line with four new starters sucks right now, and hopefully they get better for Bradford’s sake. They had 7 holding and false start penalties. The Sooners’ defense was okay. They held BYU’s high powered offense to only 14 points, but allowed too many yards in the passing game especially late in the game.

The case can be made that if Bradford was in the game, the Sooners’ would have pulled it out, which is probably so, but line play needs to be fixed as soon as possible. I understand the coaching staff’s reservations with the o-line, but they never turned Bradford loose. They played as if he was a true freshman and not a Heisman trophy winner. It’s typical of Sooner coaches to nutt up, but we normally see it in big games and not this early in the season. The Sooners have got to get it together if they want to get back to a national championship game.

Best Game: Miami vs. #18 FSU

This game doesn’t have the same flair that it once had but the ghosts of Hurricanes and Seminoles past were exorcised for this game. The last game of a great football weekend was easily the best. Two young and uber athletic teams put up 72 points combined with five lead changes. The score seems like the defenses took the night off, but both defenses played well causing two turnovers a piece, it’s just that the offenses out performed everyone’s expectations.
Both young quarterbacks looked great. FSU’s Christian Ponder should have been the hero leading his team down the field at the end of the game. Ponder was one pass away from being a South Florida heartbreaker had it not been for a dropped pass in the endzone. Jacory Harris’ veins look like a snake’s belly that just swallowed a rat. There are huge chunks of crushed ice in Harris’ veins. He came up big at the end of the game, and threw for a Canes record 386 yards on 34 attempts for 21 completions and 2 td strikes.

The road does not get any easier for these two teams. Miami will not be able to breathe until they play Florida A & M on October 10th. Before then, they will play 14th Georgia Tech at home, travel to Blacksburg to play #13th VA Tech, and come back home to face #12 Oklahoma. I love the guts of Coach Shannon for scheduling such a tough schedule, but I also question his sanity. FSU has to worry about #7 BYU in two weeks.

Either way, we know Florida is putting work, and it looks like the old 90s will be back as the top three Florida schools rise to prominence once again.

Quick Cuts and Jukes

- I think several members of the Boise State football team are cowards for letting Byron Hout get knocked out and not doing anything about it.

- OU’s offensive line needs a lot of help and the coaches need to relax and let loose.

- The Bama/VA Tech games wasn’t as much of a defensive bore as I thought it would be. Did anyone notice Tay Cody’s pure dominance?

- OSU almost lost to Navy. Nope not Oregon State. No, Oklahoma State played Georgia this week. I mean the Ohio State Buckeyes almost lost to the Naval Academy, 27 – 31.

- I have no clue how Josh Cox can throw a ball too high for A.J. Green.

- The LSU vs. Washington game was a really good game. I wonder if Jake Locker played for Florida how good he’d be. Jordan Jefferson is going to be nice and LSU’s wideouts remind of Ike Hilliard an Riedel Anthony. Chris Polk looks icey in her jersey and even colder on the field.

- Jevan Snead didn’t look like the 1st team All-American QB I selected at the start of the season. I hope he gets it together for both of our sakes.

- I applaud teams with the guts to play top tier competition in week 1 given that college football has no preseason to work out kinks in their game.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

Boise State is Heartless

2009-09-14T23:53:00.002-05:00

You want game coverage let me know what ESPN has to say. That’s where I go. If you want a different angle and 6Magazine’s take, then keep reading homie.

First off, is it just me or does the Mountain West want respect? Last time I checked, Oregon was in a BCS conference and has some of the best athletes in the country because of that conference and of course the best jerseys in college football.

Boise State didn’t care one bit as they took it to Oregon all game long. Although the score was only 19-8, it seemed much bigger for Boise St. You can attribute the sloppy play from both teams from it being a first game, but you can’t use the sloppy play as an excuse for Oregon who just plain got whipped.

Either way, what everyone was talking about was the LaGarrette Blount punch on Boise State’s, Byron Hout, after the game. A lot of noise was being chopped back and forth before the game by both teams, and ironically so because this first week of the college football season this year was Sportsmanship week.

So the story goes like this, Hout walks up to Blount after the game, taps Blount’s shoulder and talks some noise. Blount didn’t like it too well. Hout had his helmet off, big no, no. Blount’s was on. Full protection. Hout wasn’t all the way man enough about it, because he didn’t look Blount in the face, and said whatever junk he was talking as he passed Blount. Hout’s coach stopped him and berated him. As Hout is getting lashed out at, Blount sees Hout’s open chin for the taking. And he took it, right to him, and good too. So good that you briefly see Hout black out for a milli-second and drop to his knees. Blount was attacked by a swarm of Bosie State players, sike, they all looked at him, let ‘em walk, and watched their teammate come back to consciousness.

Story over? Not hardly. Blount was being escorted off the field after his oversized Floyd Mayweather impersonation, and I guess a few Boise State fans said something about his mama, because he went irate. The situation turned bad to worst when he started lunging at fans and had to be held back by police and security. As you now know, Blount was suspended for the entire season.

My problem with the situation is the Boise State players. Yes, I know it was the smart thing not to get involved, but this dude just knocked out your teammate. You are just going to stand there? Now in their defense the hit was unexpected and their head coach was right there, but c’mon. You mean to tell me they couldn’t shove the guy or do something. Maybe Hout is not a well-liked player on the team and he had it coming to him? Bottom line, it was Blount and about five Boise State players watched their teammate get the infamous one-hitter quitter. I don’t know about you but I call that heartless.

That’s all I got,

Ricky Writer

Under Construction

2009-08-27T11:22:00.004-05:00

Yo, what's good people. We are taking a little hiatus to get ready for the new football season with a new website and our September issue launching in exactly one week. We will be writing articles still periodically until then. We just kind of wanted to send this lil' message out to you all so you wouldn't wonder where we were. We're here, we're just getting it in. To take a page out of Chris Johnson and Chad Ocho Cino's book, we're a little homeless right now.

Get ready! One week!

Hold 'ya head Plax

2009-08-20T11:09:00.003-05:00

Don't have much to say about this. You break the law, you'll be punished. No one disputes the facts of that uneventful night in Manhattan. He came strapped to the club, gun slipped down his waistband, went off and hit Plaxico in the right thigh. The gun was not registered in New York or New Jersey. This happened in November 2008, and the registration of the gun that didn't want to stay in the waist band which was licensed in Florida but it expired in May 2008.

Easier said than done, but if you break the law and get caught, expect to be punished, high-profile status or not. Prosecutors are cracking down on those with high-profile status to prove a point now a days. To everyone that's in it for the glitz and the glamour, yall still want to be famous?

All I can say, keep your head up Plax. He'll be 34 when he gets out, a lot different from Vick being 29. The naysayers will say he can't play ball at an elite level anymore, but I'm sure he'll be signed and disprove his doubters. I've never been in prison, so it might be crass for me to say this, but two years goes by faster than you think. Plax is a religious man, so all I can tell you is that God allows things to happen for a reason. This event was meant to happen, be a man tough it out, and you'll be just fine, matter of fact, probably an even better man.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

And in other news... Favre, Brett is back

2009-08-19T11:09:00.003-05:00

Oh shoot. I'm a day late on the Brett Favre scoop. Shoot me, sue me, then kill me. This guy gets more attention that what is needed. Why be on time, when the rest of the media is right on it?

My 6Mag followers don't come to me for the breaking news, they come to me for insight that they think about but no one else is reporting. So,with that said, I'ma go in.

Are we surprised that Brett is back, if you are then go to PETA headquarters with a Mike Vick jersey and ask them "What's the big deal?"

It doesn't surprise me one bit. This is what B-Favre does, he toys with our emotions, loves to hear his name in the media, and stills wants to throw burners in the league but knows that his age or his body isn't on his side. Brett Favre is addicted to football, you think he's really going to tell it no when it comes back in his face?

Brett Favre is going to play football until he can't play anymore or until no one entertains signing him to a contract. I mean Brett was cool, chilling in Mississippi, and Vikings head coach, Brad Childress hit Brett up on Monday night. Childress woke the sleeping giant. Childress making this call shows how much faith he has in his current quaterbacks, Sage Rosenfels, Tavaris Jackson, and John David Booty.

To all the naysayers, why should Brett stay at retired? If someone is offering you double digit millions to do something you'd do forever if they ever discovered a fountain of youth, but luckily your body is hanging on by a thread so you can still perform. Why not play? Also, for the record the demise of the Jets last year wasn't all Brett Favre's fault, I site Mangini for not rushing the ball more and the defense for not being able to get off the field in late games.

Legacy? Ya, he's Hall of Famer to be. Sounds like a good legacy to me? Are Brett Favre's last few seasons in NYC, Minnesota, and wherever else going to keep him out of the Hall of Fame? Now tarnishing his legacy would be admitting he bet on games, took performancing enhancing drugs, or that he was on the sidelines while his stunt double was throwing for all those record setting yards and touchdowns. Playing too long? Nah, his legacy is still good.

Playing past your prime is almost a pre-requisite of being an athlete. Sports is 90% mental, so the successful atheltes have believed and will always believe that they can play at top flight level until their body betrays them, someone disfigures their body in a career ending way, or until the general mangers of their respective league thinks they are washed up. Look at those who played past their prime, OJ, Johnny U, Emmitt Smith, Jordan to name a few. Does anyone know who they ended their careers with, no, unless you're a die hard fan. Any player that's been blessed to have played long and well enough to have attained a legacy is remembered by the teams that he/she spent their prime. When we all die in 50 years from now(hopefully), when Brett Favre's name is brought up, will we remember Brett the Jet or Viking, no. We will remember Brett the Packer.

Unless, Brett the Viking wins a Super Bowl, which is quite possible. The Vikes have a quarterback that knows the offense and division better than the head coach. Percy and Bernand Berriman on the outside. Vishante in the middle, and the best running back in the league toting the rock. Let us not forget one of the best defenses in the league as well. Favre actually has the chance to improve his legacy with a Super Bowl win and get Packer GM Ted Thompson fired at the same time.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

6Magazine Non-football All-Pros

2009-08-17T12:10:00.003-05:00

I watched Usain Bolt set an world record in the 100m which seemed impossible. He ran 9.58 at the World Track and Field Championships in Berlin yesterday. I know people have teased with what if Usain Bolt played football, but what if he really did? It got me to thinking and here is 6Magazine's non-football all-pros.

QB - Joe Mauer - I mean you see the kid killing it for the Twins. I can only imagine he would have been as equally adept had he gone to FSU and played QB.

RB - Carl Crawford - At 6'2" 215 you know he has the size. He leads the majors in stolen bases so you know he has the speed. He's from Texas so football is in his blood. He was recruited by Nebraska to be an option qb, OU, UCLA, and more, so you know he can tote the rock as well. I'm sure he has shakes, and let that boy get in the open field....it's a wrap.

RB - Alex Ovechkin - Alex the great stands 6'2" 220 lbs. You seen how nice he is on the ice weaving in and out of defenders. You also seen him deliver a blow. I see Ovechkin similar to Adrian Peterson, being that there is no such thing as an out of bounds line.

FB - Prince Fielder - 5'11" 268 he's clearly got the size. He's nimble on his feet too. You see the passion with which he plays too! If you don't look up how gangsta he got when he went to the Dodgers locker room after getting hit by a pitch. This is someone I want to be on the field with no matter what the sport.

3rd down back - Bryan Clay - at 5'11" 185 the reigning Olympic decathalete champion does it all. So why not put him here. You need to run a draw on 3rd and 7, he's got your first down. Screen plays, he's the man. Gotta a blitzing lineback, Clay's cutting 'em pronto.

Split End - Lebron James - Did you expect someone else. I don't need to say much besides, 6'8" 250 lbs. runs like the wind and jumps like gas prices in the summer.

Flanker - Usain Bolt - 6'5" 190 lbs. Oh yah I forgot to mention he runs the 100m in 9.58 seconds. Imagine how deep your safeties are going to have to be to account for this guy. I've seen Randy Moss out run deep safties, so I know Bolt can. Also send this guy on a dig route over the middle with an accurate quarterback, and he's going to the end zone every time.

Slot Receiver - Allen Iverson - Quick as hell and tough as nails, thats what he has and exactly what it takes to play in the slot. High school A.I. was also a top D-1 football recruit. Ask about em.

Tight End - Matt Kemp - At 6'2" and 230 lbs, he is shorter and smaller than what you expect in most tight ends but something tells me at only 24 he's got room to gain weight and what he lacks in height in makes up for in leaping ability.

Left Tackle - Shaquille O'neal - 7'1" 340 the Big Aristotle has feet like Ichiro Suzuki. Not really, but you know what I mean. He's carried all the teams he's played for on his back. The Left tackle normally does the same in the passing game. Who's going to get around him? Plus he'd be an offensive lineman with a defensive lineman's mentality. Scary.

Left Guard - Big Show - 7'0" 485 lbs. Uhh, running lanes, big ones too. To quote Vince Lombardi, " I want a seal here! And a seal here! with Big Show, that's not two lineman that's his two arms with the DE and DT at his mercy.

Center - Adam Dunn - Dunn spent a season at Texas playing as a redshirt QB, but then ditched the gridiron for the diamond. He's 6'6" and 275 lbs. So he's a we bit big to be under center. Also, I'm not as impressed with this footing or fielding in the outfield, but he's perfectly athletic and big enough to run my offensive line.

Right Guard - Ryan Howard - He stands 6'4" and 256 pounds which is tiny for a offensive lineman, but hell, you try and find NFL sized lineman in other sports. I know Howard would get the job done, and that's why he's here.

Right Tackle - Glen Davis - Davis is going to wreck shop plain and simple. With Shaq on the blind side, Davis won't have too much pressure on him. Only thing he'll be asked to stop is run stopping DE's and blitzing linebackers, but that's something his nimble 6'9" 289 lbs body can handle.

KR - Dwayne Wade/Ichiro Suzuki - To run a kickoff back in the NFL it takes speed and balls. You have to be super fast and have the courage to go through the black hole also known as the wedge at full speed when you don't know what or who could be on the other side waiting. You seen the way D-Wade goes to the rack? Fearless. I know you see him slash through the lane as well. Ichiro has the speed and it wouldn't surprise me if the had he courage as well.

PR - Derrick Rose/Jimmy Rollins - Speed. Moves. Agility. Quickness. Ohh wee!

K - David Beckham - Strong leg? Check. Bend it through the uprights from the far hash? Check.

DEFENSE

Right Defensive End - Blake Griffin - Just as big as Lebron James. Maybe a hair or a half notch less athletic, but at DE he'd be a force to be recon with ala Julius Peppers.

Defensive Tackle - Jack Swagger - He is 6'6" 263 lbs. If you didn't know he actually played DT in college at OU, so you know is going to do his thing.

Nose Guard - Ben Wallace. His height might have him a bit out of place and susceptible to being cut, but he has the mean streak and will find a way to sack the quarterback and stuff the run.

Left Defensive End - The Rock - I mean he played DT for the U in the early 90's. What more do you want? He has left the wrestling arena thus having slimmed down, that's why we made him move to DE, but it should be a seamless transition.

Weakside Linebacker - Torii Hunter - He's bigger than you'd expect for as athletic of plays you see him make in the Summer. He's a deceptive 225 lbs in a 6'2" frame. Perfect for covering TEs, RBs, and FBs and blitzing Qbs.

Middle Linebacker - Ron Artest - Besides being 6'7" 260 lbs, he's freaking Ron Artest. Could you imagine anyone else? If you can, "reconsider, read some litta"

Strongside Linebacker - David Wright -Yes he's tiny for a MLB (6'0" 217lbs.) But with the right weight program you know he can add on some pounds, and he's one of the tougher smarter players in baseball today which would translate to MLB.

Left Cornerback - BJ Upton - At 6'3 185 have fun getting seperation or catching jumpballs on him.

Right Cornerback - Justin Upton - Can't have one brother at one corner and not have the other brother at the other side. He's bigger at 6'2 205 so have fun getting off the line on him. Also he's the more cockier of the two. If you run his way he's probably going to flip you and make you feel really stupid.

Free Safety - Derek Jeter - At 6'3" 200 lbs, Jeter has the perfect size for a safety. You seen his work in short and sometimes in the corner was well. Pick City!

Strong Safety - Jose Reyes - The NYC Metropolitan is 6'1" and 200 lbs even. He looks like he'd be great in the box, a fearless blitzer and a tight end's down comforter.

Nickel Back - Jozy Altidore - You see how much ground he covers on the soccer field. It's a wrap when the gets on the football field. Watch out for him on the blitz too.

Dime Back - Cristiano Ronaldo - Sure he is a skinny 165, but he's 6'1 and quick enough to cover any slot or #4 wideout and blitz from the edge as well.

Punter - Time Lincecum - He's small like a punter, but pitches like a wizard. I have no basis for this, but the way with which he places his pitches exactly where they need to be leads me to believe that his punts will be no different.

Special Team Specialist - Sean Avery - Most special teams studs are fan favorites, small sized, and scrappy. Avery at 5'10" 195 has all 3 bases covered.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

Michael Vick on 60 minutes

2009-08-17T09:13:00.003-05:00

Watch CBS Videos Online

Vickadelphia and the racial undertones

2009-08-14T11:32:00.009-05:00

Vick is in Philly. Duh! We all know by know Mike Vick is back in the league. I am probably the happiest person in the world being that I am one of his biggest fans.

You can go to other sites to get the status of when Vick will play, how he will help, how he will hurt them etc.

I'm going to chop it up about the racial undertones that are really, really bothering me. Vick is not the Wildcat quarterback ambassador. Why is now that any athletic black quarterback is immediately the wildcat specialist. I love what Donovan McNabb said yesterday in response to a reporters question regarding the Vick and the Wildcat formation.

He said, and I paraphrase, "I think people look at the Wildcat as a cop out. He's not a utility guy, he's not a wide receiver, he is a quarterback. He was brought in to be a quarterback. Yes, the Wildcat formation works in college, and a few times adopted it last year in the NFL, but it won't last long in the NFL. Michael Vick is first and foremost a quarterback. People focus too much on numbers instead of his (Vick) wins and losses."

To hear this being said from the starting quarterback shows how confident the organization is in McNabb, and how confident McNabb is in himself. I was amazed by McNabb's confidence and even more amazed that he lobbied for Vick to be an Eagle.

Jamie Dukes of the NFL network said something that no one else seems to be saying. He said that Michael Vick despite his numbers was a very good quarterback in NFL. His completion percentage is not great but his win loss record is 38-28-1. Most importantly when he was quarterback, he lead the Falcons to a road playoff win against Brett Favre and the Packers, and also took the Falcons to the NFC Championship game. He made it known that Vick really didn't have people around him. Imagine if Roddy White played the way he does know with Matt Ryan. Not saying White sabotaged Vick in anyway, only that he was a young reciever. Vick never had that stellar goto wide reciever. One thing he did have was a lot of dropped balls. In fact at one point the Falcons were 8th in the league in terms of dropped passes in 2006.

I find it funny how people are not open to change. Before this wildcat craze no one said it would work. But now everyone is a proponent of it? If Vick was winning, although not a high rate, what is the big deal with his style of winning? I mean Kerry Collins did not exactly win pretty in Tennessee last year as many people want to say he did. Vick was not the greatest quarterback in terms of passing, but what he lacked passing he made up for running. Why isn't Vick allowed the same growth pattern that was allowed to Steve Young?

Either way, he is back. I've always been a Vick fan, and I'll be rooting for him and Eagles harder than ever before. Welcome to Philadelphia, home of the black quarterback, Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb and now Mike Vick.

It's funny how Dan Marino and Jim Kelly are regarded as two of the greatest QBs of our time even though they didn't win a Super Bowl. Terry Bradshaw won 4 Super Bowls, while having a 212/210 TD/Int ratio and a 70.9 QB rating(Vick's 75.5). For Vick to even be considered in the same breath he has to not only play with what the "masses" deam the appropriate way to play quarterback, he also has to win. To understand my frustrations, listen to the last video of this post by Chris Rock. Thanks.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

Vick introduced as the newest Philadelphia Eagle

Donovan Embraces Vick

Chris Rock on HBO Black List Vol. #1

Ed The Sports Fan drops some knowledge

2009-08-11T13:37:00.004-05:00

Ed the Sports Fan does. And he does it well everyday on his website, Edthesportsfan.com. His site was the voted as the Best Black Sports blog in 2008. He's nominated again this year as well. Check him out at, http://vote.blackweblogawards.com/pick, he's number 24. Mr. Ed has blessed us with a very interesting article as well. Let me get out of his way and let the man do his thing.

The Five Greatest College QBs in the last 25 years.

by Ed the Sports Fan

This debate started on twitter, had some vile conversations with Cephas from WTFMoments.org, and had some Blackberry Messenger debates with Kenny.

So this list will be highly inconclusive, inspiring, inaccurate, mind-blowing, hateful, and truly awesome all at the same time. This "greatest" list will be qualified as the most dynamic, do-it-all, big-game winning QB in my generation. Please note that no professional success will be factored into this, so just like Christian Laettener was lame in the NBA, he was awesome in college. Same rules apply here.

With all that being said, here's the best of the rest. QB's that didn't make the top 5.

Eric Crouch, Nebraska - Probably was #6 on the list of QBs, was the dream-killer of Oklahoma in the early '00's. Crouch is the all-time record holder for total offense in the Big 12 with 7,915. He is the 13th player in NCAA Division 1-A history to run and throw for more than 1,000 yards in a season.

Josh Heupel, Oklahoma - QB of the 2000 National Champion Oklahoma Sooners. Made every big throw for the Sooners and got big time wins against Nebraska, Texas, and Florida State.

Tee Martin, Tennessee - Peyton Manning might've been the better overall QB, but Tee Martin made every big play to get Tennessee a national championship.

Carson Palmer, Southern California - Carson owns seven Pac-10 career records and such USC player records as: total offense (a Pac 10 record 11,621), plays (a Pac-10 record 1,824), passing yardage (a Pac-10 record 11, 818), passing touchdowns (72, third on the Pac-10 ladder), completions (a Pac-10 record 927), attempts (a Pac-10 record 1,569). Palmer finished his USC season with a win at the 2003 Orange Bowl where he was selected bowl MVP.

Troy Smith, Ohio State - During Smith's senior year campaign, he threw for a school-record thirty (30) touchdowns while securing a spot for his Buckeyes in the BCS National Championship Game. Following his senior season, he was also awarded the Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award, AP Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year, and Big Ten Offensive Player of the year.

NOW FOR THE TOP 5...

#5. Matt Leinart, Southern California - Matt is just the third quarterback in more than thirty years to lead his team to back-to-back national championships. In the process he led USC to three championship appearances and made every big throw the Trojans needed. The prototypical pocket passer to come out of the '05 draft, he was loaded with stars (Mike Williams, Dewayne Jarrett, LenDale White, Reggie Bush) however he was the lynchpin. Will go down as maybe the greatest USC QB of all-time.

#4. Vince Young, Texas - VY10 put together maybe the single-greatest game performance in the history of college football. The 38-35 Texas victory over USC in the Rose Bowl was truly magical. After the game, former USC and NFL safety Ronnie Lott said "Vince Young is the greatest quarterback to ever play college football." That gets you in the pantheon by itself. In his career he finished with a 30-2 record, and finished #7 on UT's rushing list with 3,127 yards. In his final year Young finished the season with 3,036 yards passing and 1,050 yards rushing earning him the Davey O'Brien Award.

#3. Charlie Ward, Florida State - Ward won the 1993 Heisman Trophy and Davey O'Brien Award as a quarterback for FSU, and subsequently led the Seminoles to their first-ever National Championship when FSU defeated Nebraska 18–16 in the 1993 Orange Bowl. Charlie was a phenomenal athlete, and was the anchor on a phenomenal Seminole team that was loaded with stars like Warrick Dunn and Derrick Brooks. The simple fact that Ward never played pro football almost adds to his mystique, and his senior year he finished with a 70% completion percentage while throwing for over 3,000 yards with 27 TDs and just 4 interceptions.

#2. Tim Tebow, Florida - God's 2nd favorite quarterback (behind Kurt Warner) is truly a talent from the heavens. Heisman trophy winner, 2-time Maxwell Award Winner, 2-time All-American, and more importantly 2-time national champion winner. #15 is the first Quarterback I've seen who was much more fullback/linebacker than the tall, lean or stiff, QBs that you usually see. Trust me, there is a huge chance that if I ever do this list again, he will be #1. If he wins another title this year, or wins a 2nd Heisman...I gotta put him #1.

#1. Tommie Frazier, Nebraska - Tommie Frazier is widely regarded as the greatest option quarterback in college football history. Frazier led the Cornhuskers to the Sunshine State Triumvirate aka 3 consecutive national championship games ('93-'95) against Florida, Miami, and Florida State. Frazier quarterbacked the Big Red Machine to back-to-back national championship in '94-95, the last team to do such a feat. Frazier was maybe the best big-game QB of our generation as he is the only player ever to win MVP of three national championship games. He finished with a career 33-3 record, and maybe pulled off one of the most back-breaking plays of all-time against the Gators...

The man had blood clots in his legs, and never got to showcase what he could do in pro football, and as much as I hate to crown a Cornhusker...he's #1 on this list.

WOW...AGAIN AS ALWAYS PLEASE LEAVE YOUR HATEFUL COMMENTS, LET THE DEBATE BEGIN!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

**Please show your support of ETSF by voting for us as the Best Sports Blog on the net! CLICK HERE to vote for Ed The Sports Fan (selection #24) today! The revolution will not be televised, but its sho' gon' be live**

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Posted By Ed The Sports Fan to Ed The Sports Fan at 8/11/2009 08:55:00 AM

My First Football Game in 5 Months

2009-08-10T08:46:00.004-05:00

I couldn't believe what I saw. Was it true? Was it 200+ lb. men flying around and hurling their bodies into one another and break neck speeds(literally)? It couldn't be could it? Yes, Jesus and the Football gods have ended their dispute of whether or not to make football a year round sport. As usual, Jesus won the argument, but he has allowed the Football gods to continue doing what they do best, orchestrating football matches from early August to early February. Oh ya, that's REAL football they are orchestrating by the way, and I'll go in a back alley with any soccer fan to prove my point of American football, being THE real football.

The Hall of Fame game was played this past weekend. It wasn't the greatest game in the world, but the game of football was on and my eyes were glued to the TV. I realized a few things that I am going to share with you. Terrell Owens has to have some fountain of youth and is not letting anyone else have any. How can this man continue you to play with the consistency he does at his age. He did start his career with the 49ers as did Jerry Rice who played 19 years in the league. Sidenote: Yo, Michael Crabtree, you might want to sign that contract with the 49ers if you know what's good for you homie. I'm not saying, I'm just saying. Chris Johnson is fas(not a typo he just ran across the computer screen and stole the "t" off the screen and you just didn't see him.)
The biggest Vince Young highlight wasn't his TD pass, but he threw an INT and bounced back from it just to throw a TD pass later in the game.

The actual Hall of Fame presentation the previous day was cool also. As I get older, I recognize more of the players that are inducted into the Hall. I remeber Randy McDaniel always having a high rating on Madden so I'd always trade for him and have a dynasty that would win five straight Super Bowls until the computer cheated in the 6th Super Bowl. Didn't know much about Ralph Wilson to be honest other than he owned the Bills and was one of the AFL founders, did I need to know more? I knew Bruce Smith was the 2nd best DE to ever live. I knew Derrick Thomas was either 1a or 1b when it came to outside linebackers to ever play this game. I know Bob Hayes might not ever be duplicated again, unless Usain Bolt wants to play football at a Hall of Fame level, if he's even capable. I also knew that Rod Woodson was one of the greatest cornerbacks of all-time, and know that I am in denial when I say Deion Sanders was a better cornerback than Woodson was.

Ralph Wilson's speech was cool and it was good to see him accept his recognition being that he is 90 years old even though he doesn't act his age. There were two posthumous recognitions recognized at the Hall of Fame this year, being Bob Hayes and Derrick Thomas who were presented/accepted by Roger Staubauch and Carl Peterson respectively.

Randy McDaniel had a good speech as it also was the deepest voice speech as well.

Bruce Smith had the funniest acceptance speech of anyone with one single quote, saying that he was responsible for stealing, former Bills RB, Thurman Thomas' helmet in the Super Bowl.

Rod Woodson's speech was the most inspirational as he spoke about the struggles of bi-racial individuals in the US.

No one's speech was "memorable" ala Michael Irvin or Darrell Green of recent years but their in the Hall of Fame and I'm not so take that, take that 6Magazine.

My one issue with this past weekend's festivites is this, why do those elected into the Hall need to be presented? To be honest, I don't want a hear a childhood friend, former coach, wife, son, etc anyone present a player. Let the player be presented by his play. A great video highlight reel from high school to professional is more than enough, then skip the "presenter" and let the player get up and accept his enshrinment.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

"Untitled" - Forde: New world order

2009-08-04T14:15:00.003-05:00

(the genius himself, ESPN.com's Pat Forde)

I have to name this post "Untitled" because it left me speechless when I read the article. It is quite possibly one of the most brilliant ideas I've ever heard of in my life! ESPN's Pat Forde and whoever else helped with the process have absolutely made my day. I will be starting a petition to get this proclamation in effect as soon as possible. Anyone and everyone is welcomed to sign, babies, kids, dogs, felons, immigrants, inanimate objects etc. Let it be known that anyone who stands in the way will be destroyed by the wrath of whatever high being that you choose to believe in, and if no higher being is believed in then, Big Worm from Friday will deal with you promptly.

Let me get out of the way. Read up on this article via ESPN.com's Pat Forde.

Forde: New world order

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Get ready for a new world order

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By Pat Forde
ESPN.com
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To Baylor, Godspeed. To Indiana, fare thee well. To Duke, may the road rise to meet you. And to the entirety of the Sun Belt and Mid-American Conferences, safe travels.

Now get out.

[+] Enlarge

Jeff Gross/Getty Images
Pete Carroll shouldn't have to worry about USC being selected in Tuesday's mock draft.

What we are doing here is performing a hangeronectomy -- a ruthless downsizing of the cumbersomely named and gruesomely bloated Football Bowl Subdivision. Just as in corporate America, 2009 is the time to get lean in college football. It's time to separate the wheat from the chaff, the men from the boys, the Trojans of USC from the Trojans of Troy.

Let's end the charade. The most powerful and least powerful of the 120 teams in the current FBS have very little in common. Sure, you all put on your football pants one leg at a time -- but they're faster legs and bigger pants on one side of this great divide.

Despite the occasional peasant uprising (2008 featured Toledo over Michigan, Arkansas State over Texas A&M, UNLV over Arizona State) the outcomes of Have vs. Have Not are predictable and persuasive. These two groups do not belong together. So what the NCAA has brought together, ESPN.com will now tear asunder.

We're going to remake big-time football. From now on, clueless Top 25 voters and arcane computer formulas are out; on-field competition is in. And membership in an elite conference is subject to annual renewal as opposed to being a birthright.

It starts with a live draft Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET. When colleagues Ivan Maisel, Mark Schlabach and I are finished with our cut list, we'll be down to a fast and furious 40 power programs in the newly renamed Gordon Gekko Subdivision. (Motto: "Greed is good.")

We'll be drafting the most successful programs in the nation, based on whatever criteria each of us chooses to bring to the situation room. There is no set formula for this. Wins and losses matter most -- and what you've done in the 21st century is more important than what happened in the 1930s -- but fan following and overall prestige count, too.

You elites will be formed into four 10-team conferences of our choosing. You will play all nine league opponents every season, with the full round-robin scheduling alleviating the need for an annoying conference championship game. Of your three nonconference games, two must be played against fellow Gordon Gekko Subdivision opponents. Only one game can be played against an opponent from outside the top 40.

When the regular season is over, the four conference champions will enter a playoff -- yes, a playoff! -- to determine the national champion. (We expect approval from the First Playoff Advocate in the Oval Office at any time.)

After our 40-program draft, there will be a post-draft champagne-and-caviar reception on the penthouse level. From there you elites can look down and wave goodbye to the Little People we're in the process of evicting.

Those of you on the 80 teams that didn't make the cut can take your small stadiums and tight budgets and step-slow players to the Greyhound buses parked outside. They're waiting to relocate you to a middle-class home of your own. You're headed to the Tom Joad Subdivision (motto: "They fix 'em so you can't win nothing"), where you huddled masses can battle each other in relative obscurity while the upper class counts its money.

Research Guide

Need some help selecting the 40 teams you think belong in our new Division I-A? Check out the numbers from ESPN Research's Prestige Rankings. They should help you make your selections.

But wait. Before you rich and powerful teams get too comfortable, understand this: You can be kicked out of the club. Think Premier League soccer relegation, and apply it to the gridiron.

Every season, the bottom five teams in the Gordon Gekko Subdivision will be booted out and replaced by the top five teams in the Tom Joad Subdivision, which will feature eight 10-team conferences. The four teams that finish last in the Gekko conferences are automatically relegated, plus one underachiever will be chosen at large for demotion. They will be replaced by the four semifinalists from the playoff of Joad conference winners, plus a fifth team that must win an at-large game against another Joad conference winner.

Consider it a play-in game. And have it in Dayton, naturally.

So those are the rules of engagement. To the rich: Congratulations on getting richer. To the poor: Let them eat cake.

If you're a Joad team, it doesn't mean your brand of football is without value -- entertainment value and intrinsic value. It just means you should be playing your actual peers instead of having your brains beaten in by monolithic programs where the strength coach makes more than your head coach.

But not all the so-called little programs really are little, and not all the so-called big programs really are big. That's where we step in to redistrict the place.

We're not just sweeping out the lowest tier of the current BCS; we're also looking to whack the bottom feeders from the power conferences and most of the midlevel league members as well. We'll take down some academically oriented schools and a few basketball schools. And with the possible exception of fast learner South Florida, just about every school that jumped into what was formerly called Division I-A over the past 10 to 15 years now is on its way back out under our format.

Sorry about that, strivers. But in case you haven't heard, life is unfair.

Look, I'm ESPN.com's resident college populist and antiestablishment crank. There are few things I love more than seeing Boise State shock Oklahoma in football, or George Mason beat North Carolina, Michigan State and Connecticut in basketball.

But I'm also a realist. And no matter what the current NCAA divisional alignment tells us, it's unrealistic to believe that Louisiana-Monroe, with 2007-08 athletic revenues of less than $8 million, according to the Orlando Sentinel, is on equal terms with Texas, with more than $120 million in revenue.

The gulf is greater in football than it is in basketball. And it's now wider than Alabama's Terrence Cody.

Which is why it's time for a mass eviction. Don't let the marching band hit you on the way out, Have-Nots.

Pat Forde is a senior writer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at ESPN4D@aol.com.

Spats and shoe freedom

2009-08-03T08:57:00.005-05:00

The NFL uniforms compared to the college uniforms are ugly. Plain and simple, they just don't compare to how those college kids rock their jerseys. You would think that professional players would be granted a little more leeway in terms of dress code, but they aren't.

If your shirt tail hangs out, you're fined. Socks down around your ankles, fined. If you're not wearing the ugly socks, fined and the list goes on and on.

You know what NFL, you win. We understand that if you bend the rules on the NFL dress code, you'll have players sending messages through uniform modifications that may not reflect or convey the NFL properly. Cool, you don't want a player to write "Obama" on his wrist band, because that could turn off Republican or non-Obama supporters off the NFL. The players aren't the league, they are representatives of the league and they should be privileged to play in the NFL yadda yadda yadda, we know. I said you win didn't I?

I do make this request let us have the socks and shoes please. That's all we want is the socks and shoes! The godfather of 6Magazine, Deion Sanders, once said, "If you look good you feel good, If you feel good you play good, If you play good they pay good."

To the NFL player, their occupation is a great career, a very lucrative and enjoyable career, but still a career. There are tons of people who have careers that love/like/enjoy them. They enjoy them better when they have a cool CEO that allows the employees to be themselves a little bit and not be so buttoned up. Companies that allow casual work environments are great and often very successful. Employees are chipper, having fun, and this makes them want to work ten times harder for their CEO because they are giving them some room to be who they are.

Too often in the business world, an employee's main focus is blend in and represent the company. The NFL capitalizes of players all the time, I mean you know the real reason why although Chad Johnson's name was legally changed to Ocho Cinco, he still had to wear the Chad "Johnson" jersey last season right? Well if you don't, in short, the NFL did not have any printed "Ocho Cinco" jerseys and they would have lost money by not selling the "Chad Johnson" jerseys and by making new Ocho Cinco jerseys. Pure business move.

An even better business move, give the players more leeway with their socks and shoes. You could keep it uniformed and only allow players to wear socks and shoes of their team colors or designated shoe color. Let the players wear colored shoes, of their team colors of course. Allow the players to tape their shoes with tape of the same color. This would elimnate the ugliness that plagues NFL jerseys, those damn ugly ass socks. I admire players who find a way to make it look good, but the rule is stupid, there is no need for a white sock.

Why is this a better business move? The players will look good, they will feel good, they will play good, and if they play good, the NFL will get paid good. Fans will be into new look and feel of the NFL. High school and college kids will be more entranced by the game. Imagine a fresh tape job on a New Orleans Saints uniform or even the Miami Dolphins. Of course, the players will be playing at an all time high, feeling free to be who they truly are and look fresh at the same time. NFL records will be broken by the droves and the NFL will be caked up with more money that it ever imagined. Heck, the NFL could even brand the socks and the tape, much like the NBA does with their socks.

Mr. Goodell, you're a fine owner, leader, and a great business man. Make a fashion statment. Give the players their sock and shoe freedom back!

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

One Year Anniversary

2009-08-01T15:24:00.005-05:00

Yo, yo. We are one year old today. Lol, 6Magazine is a training camp baby. Thanks to everyone who has supported us and expect much more to come in the future. Football season is right around the corner. Get ready to go in. We're gonna celebrate tonight, so see you guys bright and early on Monday!

General Goodell reinstates Vick

2009-07-28T10:09:00.006-05:00

Michael Vick has been conditionally reinstated to the NFL. Duh. You know that already. Let me just tell you my reaction when I got the news last evening.

When I first heard the news, I was much like everyone else. He's suspended 5 more games. WTF! Why, that's not fair. But I didn't hear all of the loop holes laced(forgive me I had to lol) in Vick's conditional reinstatement.

Goodell was quoted in a conference call saying, "This is not a suspension, this a plan for Michael Vick. We want him to succeed, not fail."

So with all that said, I can live with Goodell's decision. I know Vick has suffered enough, and initially I was livid with his conditional resinstatement. But we have to listen to details behind the decision and be optimistic. If you speak it into existence it will happen.

Goodell said he would make a ruling by Week 6. This does not mean Vick is out 5 games. The decision could come sooner than Week 6. Word on the street is that the decision will be made anywhere from Week 2 to Week 6. I've also heard that Vick will petition the commissioner for full reinstatement after the preseason so that he will be available to play Week 1.

Also, stop being negative. If everyone keeps on saying Goodell is being unfair by suspending Vick for x amount of games, then Vick will sit out a few games. Speak positivity into the air people. One thing about Roger Goodell is that you cannot peg him. Everyone that Brandon Marshall was going to be in more trouble than a felon with 3 strikes in Cali, but Marshall kind of got a hand slap. You can make the argument that he is innocent until proven guilty, but Pacman was never convicted of anything and suspended for a full season. People also thought since law was so light in the Donte Stallworth case that Goodell would follow their suit, nope wrong homie. Stallworth was like that lil boy who got spanked by his mama and she warned him, "wait til yo daddy get home, it ain't over", and your pops come home from work in the middle of the night to wake you up to a nightmare of a an ass whipping for the ages. Goodell is as misunderstood as Adam Jones, you're never going to guess his next move, so stop.

The good thing is that Vick was reinstated period, which is the most important thing. The plan of success set in place for Vick has his best interest at heart. More often than not when people leave the prison system they are on some type of probation or parole, which is conditional on the premis they don't screw up again. I agree to gradually ease Vick back into the NFL is the best way to do so, but it couldn't come at a worse time because teams are already taking a gamble with Vick and its even more of a gamble if they don't know when he will play. Also, Goodell could wait until Week 6, and say Vick will stay suspended for the entire year as he did with Pacman in Week 10 of the 2007 season, but that is highly unlikely. Teams looking to sign Mike Vick want some type of certainty on his availability, and they don't have that with Goodell's up in the air date of Vick's full reinstatement.

Let's focus on the good and control what we can. Vick is back support him as much as possible if you're a true fan.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

23 months down, The rest of your life ahead

2009-07-20T01:53:00.005-05:00

Free at last, free at last. Michael Dwayne Vick is now free from prison. His 23 month sentence ends today. The man has paid his debt to society and there is nothing you nor I can do about it. So for those that feel his punishment was not long enough, I say to you what my mother told me as a young child, "tough titties".

I heard many people say they were going to move to another country once President Obama was elected, and I'm almost positive that 90 percent of those people are still here. Those who can't stand Michael Vick etc, blah blah blah, will still be football fans and still watch his games as well.

Moving on, with all that said. What is next for Mike Vick? He owes a lot of people money. He hasn't played the game he loves in over two years, that very game which brought him fame and millions of dollars. I'd be safe to assume he'd love to play some football again and pay back those debtors he owes. The NFL is his best bet, duh. There is one person standing in his way, Roger "Strict Ship" Goodell(gulp). Goodell is a fair man, for as tough as some of his penalties have been, looking back on it he has been correct every single time. Goodell will have a tremendous amount of pressure from those for and against Vick's reinstatement to the NFL. Goodell will make the right decision as he always does. If I had to put money on it, I'd say Vick is reinstated by the middle of next week.

The next hurdle for Vick is convincing a team to give him a workout and sign him to a contract. The team that decides to take that chance will face the PR pressure from those for and against Vick playing football again.

Once he is signed to a team which I have full confidence he will be, he has to prove to them that he can still play quarterback. People doubted Vick's quarterbacking skills while he was a starting quarterback in the NFL. Now that he has sat out two years and the Wildcat formation has come to fame it seems as if the only positions people think he can play is wildcat quarterback, running back, or wide receiver. I find it funny and typical of mainstream mostly white media to say Vick will not be a good quarterback anymore. I live for the day we see the next Doug Williams, but this is about Michael Vick and not what people think black quarterbacks can and cannot do.

The battle for Vick is uphill. Scratch it's more mountainesque, not so much Everest more like Rainer. Nevertheless, after dealing with different offensive coordinators, head coaches, and receivers allergic to the ball, Vick will succeed in the NFL. Will he be a pro bowl star, lead a team to Super bowl, or a 1st ballot Hall of Famer? I don't know.

I do know that Michael Vick is only 29 years old. He hasn't played football in two years which means, he is rusty, but once the rust is gone he will be fresher than any other quarterback right now. I also know that there will be 32 starting quarterbacks on opening day, and not all of those quarterbacks will be better than Michael Vick. And thanks to all those sentence filled detentions in high school, I know that patience is a virtue and the mountain of success that Michael Vick will eventually climb back too will take time.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

PS - for now, check out this great piece via NFL network

Brandon Banks: If you don't know, SMH.

2009-07-16T10:55:00.002-05:00

Brandon Banks ring a bell? Well it should. He is the best player in college football that no one is talking about outside of the state of Kansas and the Big 12 conference. The 5'7" 142 pound senior wide receiver out of Kansas State will be a household name this year, watch.

Have you heard of Percy Harvin and Jeff Demps, the two wideouts that left dead grass streaks all of the SEC last year? I'm sure you have, Harvin was a first round draft pick last year, and Demp is one of Florida's top returning players. Banks is considerably smaller than both, although they all three have the same playing style, but Banks is better than both of the Florida standouts. Yes, I said it. He is just as quick, a better route runner, has better hands, and for as small as he is he goes over the middle fearlessly. If he Banks was 5'10 175 and not 5'7 142 he would have been a 5 star recruit coming out of Bakersfield Junior College.

Look at last year's number for the KSU wideout. He posted 67 grabs for 1049 yards and 9 tds, added one more with a 93 yard touchdown run against Mizzou, and a 98 yard kick off return against Nebraska. I can't wait to see what he does in 2009. Whatever it is, it will be monumental and this kid will play in the NFL. Once he gets there, he needs to buy Roscoe Parrish, Santana Moss, and Sinorice Moss all nice watches for bringing the extremely small wideouts back into style. I can go on forever about this kid, but I'll let his highlight tape do the talking.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

Chris Houston sits down with 6Magazine

2009-07-13T10:45:00.003-05:00

Chris Houston, starting cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons, sat down with 6Magazine's Richard Boadu to talk football, life, etc. Enjoy.

Back From Vacation

2009-07-13T09:42:00.004-05:00

Hello football world,

How have you all been. 6Magazine took a vacation last week, before we dive head first into football season which is about 3 weeks away. Much has been going on since we've been gone so let's go in.

Steve McNair

The untimely death of Steve McNair occurred a little over a week ago. I was sickened to my stomach by some of the comments people were making. Yes, this man was wrong for cheating on his wife, no one said he was right. I find it funny that many of the people that had negative things to say about Steve McNair, act as if they were the most perfect thing to ever have been created. I heard most of his critics to his character in the Bible belts known as Oklahoma and Texas. On that note, give me a second to preach please, Matthew 7:1 - "Judge not, that ye not be judged." For all of those who want to blast and criticize McNair, please have caution before your dirty laundry be made public like McNair's. No one is perfect and I really wish people would stop acting like it.

Steve McNair, you were a great quarterback. Contrary to negative people, you were a great man. Especially during Hurricane Katrina, when much of the focus was on New Orleans, you helped keep those in need in Mississippi at the forefront. You were a great example of how a person should play the quarterback position by being tough, relentless, and fearless. Rest in peace, you will be missed.

Donte' Stallworth

Cleveland Browns WR, Donte' Stallworth, was released from jail after serving 24 days of a 30 day jail sentence. Commissioner, Roger Goodell, laid down the hammer suspending Stallworth indefinitely. Goodell is expected to make an announcement on the exact length of Stallworth's suspension this week.

This is a tough situation being that in some minds the law let Stallworth off easy. If the family of victim had made a push for Stallworth to suffer a longer jail sentence, I think he would have. I hope Goodell takes the family's understanding of the situation into consideration. I don't know all the answers, but the true question to be asked is, if Stallworth had only been speeding and not intoxicated or had marijuana in his system would he have still hit and killed the victim, Mario Reyes? It sounds silly, but the victim did not use the crosswalk when he rushed in front of Stallworth's vehicle to catch the bus home from work.

Stallworth should be punished because driving intoxicated is inexcusable and he was already a member of the NFL substance abuse program. Mr. Goodell has a reputation for stiff penalties and for that reason, I fear the worst for Stallworth. The best thing Stallworth did for himself was stop at the accident and own up to it like a man, because we remember what happened to Dwayne Goodrich of the Cowboys a few years back.

B-Favre

Brett Favre has been out of the news in the past few weeks, much to my shock, seriously. Well, he's back in it now. Word on the street is that Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell went down to Hattiesburg, Miss., this past week to watch Favre toss the ball around 100 times give or take. They wanted to see the future Hall of Fame quarterback's throwing capabilities since he is six weeks removed from arthroscopic bicep surgery.

Brett told told Bevell that he wants to be a Viking, but wants to be able to perform at full strength all season and doesn't want to commit to the team too early if his bicep doesn't let him. We all know the ending to this story. Favre is a warrior, and will be a Viking warrior when the season starts.

That's all I got and I'm happy to be back,

Ricky Writer

All-Decade Overrated and Underrated Top 25

2009-07-01T09:44:00.004-05:00

Great article via ESPN.com Insider. If you are not signed up for ESPN.com Insider do so with speed, because they have great articles. Let me not spoil this one. Dive in.

Football Outsiders analyzes the 25 most overrated players of the current decade, going back to 2000. Some of these comments will mention our advanced statistics, including DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) -- which takes every play during the season and compares it to the league average based on situation and opponent -- and DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement) -- which uses a similar method to measure a player's total value compared to a "replacement-level" player. These and other advanced stats are explained here.
OVERRATED All-Decade

1. DeShaun Foster: Foster is the platonic ideal of a boom-and-bust running back, who breaks one or two highlight runs a game and then spends the rest of the time leaving his unfortunate quarterback in second-and-9 after second-and-9. Once a year he had a huge game against the Atlanta Falcons, and convince everybody he was a good NFL starter for another 12 months. According to Football Outsiders numbers, he was below replacement level in four out of six seasons. He only managed 4.3 yards per carry (average for running backs) in two seasons, and had no year with more than three rushing touchdowns. In 2007, Foster (3.5 yards per carry) had 100 more carries than DeAngelo Williams (5.0 yards per carry). Good luck explaining that one.

All-Decade Content

2. Michael Vick: Even before Vick's sordid off-field activities came to light, he was a disappointing No. 1 overall pick. Vick was a great runner, sure, but when he dropped back to pass, he turned into Tyler Thigpen or Derek Anderson, quarterbacks who are close to Vick's career averages of 6.7 yards per pass attempt, 1.4 touchdowns for every interception and 52.8 completion percentage. His upside at this point is "Best Wildcat Quarterback," not best NFL quarterback.

3. Chris Chambers: Chambers' Pro Bowl selection in 2005 and his ability to make highlight-reel catches gave him the reputation of a star wideout, but like a baseball player who needs a lot of outs to get his 100 RBIs, Chambers struggles to consistently catch the ball and run the short and medium routes that No. 1 wideouts have to do. In 2006, Chambers caught only 59 of the 153 passes thrown to him; that's two full games of incomplete passes. Our numbers scored him with -300 DYAR in 2006, the lowest figure for a wide receiver since at least 1994. In fact, no other wide receiver has had a year below -200 DYAR.

4. Jamal Lewis: Lewis is remarkably inconsistent for a guy who is supposed to be a big, bruising back. When he rushed for more than 2,000 yards in 2003, he gained a lot of that yardage on a few long runs. The Ravens led the league in rushing yardage that year, but were tied for ninth in rushing first downs. (As an added non-bonus, Lewis fumbled nine times that season.) Lewis has never finished in the top 10 in running back DVOA. Compare that to Marshall Faulk and Priest Holmes (five times) or LaDainian Tomlinson (three times).

5. Adam Vinatieri: Yes, he hit two Super Bowl-winning field goals, but the main reason Vinatieri has the most clutch field goals of any kicker in recent history is that nobody else comes close in clutch field goal attempts. Since 1995, he's had 30 chances to tie or win a game in the final two minutes or overtime. Jason Elam is the only other kicker with more than 22 chances, and by the way, Elam hit a higher percentage (89 percent vs. Vinatieri's 80 percent) from a longer average distance (38.7 yards vs. Vinatieri's 34.3). Vinatieri is perfect on clutch kicks in the playoffs, but so is the only other kicker with at least three playoff attempts (David Akers). Research has shown that the field goal percentages of kickers are virtually random from year to year, and Vinatieri is no different, going from 74 percent to 94 percent to 80 percent to 89 percent to 79 percent in five seasons (2003-2007). Kickoff ability is markedly consistent, though, and Vinatieri has never been impressive there.

6. Reggie Bush: While Bush was able to cover up his mistakes in identifying holes and lanes in college, the superior athleticism of NFL defenders often leads to plays of minimal gain. The former USC star has made little progress as a runner since entering the league -- he has averaged less than four yards per carry for three straight seasons -- and while he's an effective return man and receiver out of the backfield, the Saints didn't make him the second overall pick so he could become Dave Meggett.

7. Ty Law:The Jets signing Law last year was a far bigger story than a player of Law's level should merit. At this point, Law's a fourth corner on a good team. Although he had 10 interceptions for the Jets in 2005, Law allowed a mediocre 7.2 yards per attempt and was 80th among corners in stopping players from gaining first downs. Law was certainly not overrated during the first few years of the decade, but as a physical corner, he has been a liability since the league re-emphasized the "Polian Rules" regarding bumping at the line.

8. Stephen Alexander: Alexander was a receiving-first tight end who couldn't catch the ball. From 2001 to 2006, Alexander caught only 52 percent of intended passes (the average for tight ends is 64 percent), but teams kept putting him in the starting lineup.

[+] Enlarge

Tim Umphrey/Getty ImagesDante Hall is an inconsistent kick returner, and is only an average slot receiver, at best.

9. Dante Hall: Remember when Dante Hall was "the X-Factor," and ESPN The Magazine had him on the cover as a possible MVP candidate? It turned out he was subject to the same inconsistencies as the rest of the kickoff returners in the league, and he's an average slot receiver at best. Then Devin Hester came along a few years later, and did everything 20 times better than Hall did.

10. DeAngelo Hall: There is a difference between an athlete and a football player, and Hall is a prime example. He looks amazing, thanks to his athletic skills (primarily speed), so you don't notice when guys catch 100 yards worth of hooks and slants on him. Washington gave him a huge contract based on half a season, apparently ignoring the miserable player he was for Oakland and the only slightly above-average player he was for Atlanta. (In his defense, our research has shown that there are only two players this decade whose success on turnover returns is more than just statistical noise: Hall and Ed Reed.)

11. Keith Brooking: A good outside linebacker whose skills don't fit well as a 4-3 middle linebacker, but year after year he was forced back into the middle by injuries to other Falcons linebackers. His biggest problems came in pass coverage, one reason why the Falcons ranked among the worst defenses against opposing tight ends for the entire decade.

12. Flozell Adams: The massive Cowboys left tackle is a good run-blocker, and has to go up against a steady stream of excellent pass-rushers in the NFC East, but his penalty totals are inexcusable. He's among the league leaders in false starts every year, finishing second to Kwame Harris in 2008. It's a problem you normally associate with younger tackles, who either shape up as they get older or get sent out to pasture, but Adams is still a referee's delight at 34 years old.

13. Simeon Rice: Playing defensive end requires you to be able to both rush the passer and stop the run. Rice was able to do the former, but he simply wasn't at the caliber of guys like Michael Strahan as a run defender. From 2001 to 2005, the Buccaneers were a great team stopping runs at left end (where Rice would be making wide pass moves as the right defensive end) but frequently below-average on runs at left tackle (the hole Rice would leave gaping to try and run around the opposing left tackle).

14. Terence Newman: Newman has been considered a franchise cornerback-in-waiting since he was selected fifth overall in the 2003 draft, but there's no evidence he has played at that level since then. Teams don't avoid him like they do Nnamdi Asomugha, nor does he pick up large totals of passes defended or intercepted to match players like Asante Samuel or Charles Woodson. He's a useful cornerback who's usually effective at keeping plays in front of him, sure, but he's paid like an elite guy, without having established a history of playing like one.

15. Ruben Brown: Certainly a good player but nine Pro Bowls? Playing for the Bills in the early part of the decade, Brown was basically making the Pro Bowl by default every year because the best guards were in the NFC.

16. Olin Kreutz: Like Brown, Kreutz is a fine player, who made the Pro Bowl six straight years because the only other consistently good center in the NFC was Matt Birk. It isn't like the Bears are known as one of the league's best pound-up-the-gut running teams.

17. Willis McGahee: He thinks of himself as a superstar back, but so far he's nowhere close. In five seasons, McGahee has never ranked higher than eighth in the NFL in rushing yardage or 14th in DYAR. He's also had very poor receiving numbers. Last year, for example, McGahee's 24 receptions included four that actually lost yardage and two others on third-and-eight plays that each came up six yards short of the sticks.

18. Nate Clements: Is he an above-average cornerback? Yes. Is he worth the roughly $7.25 million per year the 49ers agreed to pay him during the 2007 offseason, the largest contract ever given to a defensive player up to that point? Um, no.

19. Eric Moulds: Moulds was the best receiver in the league in 1998 and one of the best in 1999 and 2000. He then spent most of this decade riding that reputation. FO metrics score him as below-average for five straight years from 2001 to 2005, but Moulds kept insisting he was a No. 1 receiver, and the Buffalo coaches kept treating him like one. He finally accepted himself as an older, slower possession receiver when he went to Houston in 2006, and then he had his best season in years, catching 74 percent of passes.

20. Freddie Jones: Jones is the jedi master of the three-catch, eight-yard stat line. From 2000 to 2004, the Football Outsiders DYAR ratings rank him 38th, 17th (his one good year with the 2001 Chargers), 43rd, 36th and 36th again, respectively.

21. Damien Woody: Woody was the starting center when the Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI. By 2003, he had moved to guard. He was going to go back to center when Detroit signed him to a big, free-agent contract, but he was mediocre and troubles snapping the ball forced him to go back to guard. Last year, he signed with the Jets and everyone acted like the Jets were signing a Pro Bowler instead of an average (and declining) veteran, who is playing out of position at right tackle.

22. Roy Williams (safety): Because conventional wisdom now says that Williams is overrated, he is no longer overrated, but you may be so used to thinking of him as overrated that you forget when he actually was overrated from 2003 to 2007, in which, despite his subpar pass coverage skills, he somehow made five straight Pro Bowls over players like Adrian Wilson and Mike Minter.

23. Jammal Brown: Every offensive lineman occasionally gets stuck and has to drag down a blitzer to save his quarterback's skin. It happens. But for a player who made it to the Pro Bowl, as Brown did last year, you expect better than seven holding penalties in 15 games. It could be a one-year aberration, Brown had eight holds over his first three seasons, but no way can you say an offensive lineman is superb at his craft when he's forced to employ his weapon of last resort once every other game.

24. Travis Henry: Henry had 4.1 yards per carry or less in five of his seven seasons (exceptions: 2002 and 2006), and his numbers would look even worse except that he had the advantage of playing a below-average schedule of run defenses in five of his seven seasons (exceptions: 2004 and 2005). He has never finished higher than 23rd among running backs in the Football Outsiders DVOA ratings.

(Honestly, we could have just forgotten the other positions and done a list of 25 boom-and-bust running backs whose impressive fantasy football totals were primarily the product of lots of carries instead of above-average performance. No other group of players comes close when it comes to being overrated.)

25. All Denver punters: Since 2000, Denver has finished 24th or lower in punting value seven of nine years. The other two years, they finished 14th and 16th, but Denver punters are never at the extreme bottom of the league rankings because of the effects of altitude. The average punter looks great when the thin air gives him extra yardage and extra hang time, which means that terrible punters look average. Can somebody tell the Denver front office?

UNDERRATED All-Decade

1. Derrick Mason: Mason has seven different seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards and ranks seventh overall in total wide receiver DYAR for the decade. He ranked among the top 20 wide receivers in DYAR (total value) for five straight years in Tennessee, then did it again last year in Baltimore. He also ranked among the top four wide receivers in DVOA (value per play) three times in four years (2000, 2001 and 2003), and he has put up an above average catch rate every single year this decade, including two years over 70 percent. Yet somehow, he's only made two Pro Bowls.

2. Matt Lepsis: Lepsis anchored the fabulous Denver offensive line for five years at starting right tackle, starting left tackle for another four, but never made a Pro Bowl. Honestly, that's a little mind blowing.

3. Adrian Wilson: For three straight years (2004-2006) Wilson made his average run tackle closer to the line of scrimmage than any other safety. In 2005, he was the only safety responsible for at least 15 percent of his team's total tackles. He also had eight sacks that year. He was the first safety since 2001 with more than five sacks in one season. For years, he was one of the top two or three safeties against the run and the pass. The only reason we didn't put him at No. 1 is that recently he has started winning the acclamation he deserves.

4. Aaron Smith: A consistent performer in one of the league's most consistently strong defenses. Twice, Smith had eight sacks in a season, despite being a 3-4 end whose job isn't to get to the quarterback. He's only made one Pro Bowl because apparently, Richard Seymour always fills the quota for 3-4 ends who soak up blockers without impressive statistics.

5. Shaun O'Hara: O'Hara was fine as a guard in Cleveland, even better as a center in New York, holding down the middle of one of the best offensive lines in the league, but he never made the Pro Bowl until 2008 at age 31.

6. Dan Koppen: This 2003 fifth-round pick went right into the starting lineup, and won two Super Bowls in his first two seasons. The New England line has seen inconsistency at the tackle positions, but never at center. Still, Koppen has only one Pro Bowl selection, 2007.

7. Bobby Engram: The Third Down Machine. For most of this decade, nobody was better at moving the chains. Engram put up a 67 percent or better catch rate for six straight years, 2002-2007. He ranks 31st among wide receivers in receptions this decade, despite having only three seasons in which he started at least eight games.

8. Keith Bulluck: Bulluck is one stable anchor in a Tennessee defense that has had up and down performances because of salary cap constraints. Year after year, Bulluck has led his team among outside linebackers in highest percentage of defensive plays, with numbers similar to inside linebackers on other teams. He might be underrated because he rarely rushes the passer. Aaron Curry, this is your future.

9. Shawn Springs: Springs came out of Ohio State as the good Lord's gift to pass defense, and looked like a Hall of Famer in 1998-99. He got hurt in 2001, came back a little slower and suddenly everyone forgot about him. Fans often think of Springs as a guy who "used to be good," but the fact is that when healthy, he's still very good, and he's always been very good. He's just not the Hall of Famer people originally expected, and he's much better at coverage than at making big plays (only 19 interceptions since 2000).

10. London Fletcher: Tackle totals can be awfully misleading. You have to consider how many plays a defense is on the field, and the middle linebacker will almost always lead the team in tackles. Still, you have to give Fletcher some serious credit for leading his team in tackles for 10 straight seasons. He hasn't missed a start since 1999, but he's never made the Pro Bowl, partly because during his best years he was stuck behind Ray Lewis and Zach Thomas in the AFC pecking order.

11. John Abraham: Abraham ranks second in total sacks since 2000, behind Jason Taylor. He's had five seasons with 10 or more sacks, plus a sixth season with 9½ in 12 games. He was a first-round pick and was later traded for a first-round pick, but he's oddly under the radar. He hasn't made the Pro Bowl since 2004, even with 16½ sacks last season.

12. Al Wilson: Yes, he was a Pro Bowl regular, but few fans knew who he was. Perhaps he needed to jazz up his name with more apostrophes (D'Al Wil'son?) or let NFL Films mic him up every other game as it does with Ray Lewis. The Denver defense has completely imploded since a neck injury ended Wilson's career in 2006.

13. Chad Pennington: The NFL's version of Bret Saberhagen, Pennington always has been one of the league's best quarterbacks when healthy. The problem is that he only seems to be healthy every other year. Pennington ranked among the most valuable quarterbacks, according to Football Outsiders' DYAR stats, four times: 2002 (second), 2004 (10th), 2006 (seventh) and 2008 (sixth). That sound you hear is the 2009 Dolphins saying "Uh-oh."

14. Torry Holt: Everybody knows he's good, and he has made seven Pro Bowls. But at no time this decade did conventional wisdom hold that Holt was the best wide receiver in football, and for some reason nobody includes him in the conversation, even though he leads all receivers in catches and yards this decade and is fourth in total receiving value (by DYAR).

15. Brian Westbrook: People finally have realized how good he is and how important he is to the Eagles' offense, but guess what: he has been this good the whole time. In fact, he's been better in the past than his recent statistics show. Last year, Westbrook had career lows in both yards per carry and yards per reception, but he ranked among the top three running backs in our DVOA stats (value per play) three times -- 2003, 2006 and 2007 -- and ranked among the top five running backs in receiving DYAR (total value) for five straight seasons.

16. Kelly Gregg: Nose tackle is an underrated position in general, but is extremely important to the success of strong 3-4 defenses. Guys like Casey Hampton, Vince Wilfork and Jamal Williams have received that all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii and the accolades that go with it, but in Baltimore, Gregg spent six years quietly holding down the middle for one of the league's best run defenses and never made a Pro Bowl, partly because, with the 3-4 primarily an AFC-only scheme for most of the decade, he had to stand in line behind those other equally deserving players.

17. David Akers: If we're making an all-decade team, Akers should be the kicker, not Adam Vinatieri. No kicker has been as consistent and as well-rounded when it comes to both field goals and kickoffs than Akers. Philadelphia ranked 11th or higher in both placekicking and kickoffs every year from 2000-2004. For the decade, we estimate that Philadelphia has gained 31.4 points on field goals, compared to the average team, second only to Baltimore, and 65.0 points on kickoffs, second only to Atlanta.

18. Antonio Pierce: For an undrafted free agents to make it in the league, they need to get an edge any way they can. In Pierce's case, it's maniacal film study that leads to superior preparation and the ability to overcome his athletic limitations. The Giants defense rose from 21st to 11th in our DVOA ratings after his arrival in 2005, and has remained in the upper half of the league ever since. His single-handed read and stop of a screen pass against three Green Bay blockers in the 2007 NFC Championship Game was one of the plays of the decade.

19. Brad Meester: This second-round draft pick went straight into the starting lineup in 2000, and has been a consistent lineman for some excellent Jacksonville running games. He has never made the Pro Bowl.

20. Moe Williams: Williams was an astonishingly-underrated situational player, who excelled both running and receiving. His best year was 2002, in which he ranked fifth among all running backs in rushing value (by DYAR) on only 84 carries. That year, he averaged 7.9 yards on first-and-10 plays and converted 18 of his 24 carries in power situations (third down, fourth down or goal line, with 1-2 yards to go). The next year, 2003, was the only season in which he started more than two games, and he had 644 receiving yards, second only to Priest Holmes.

21. Gary Brackett: This undrafted free agent from Rutgers turned out to be the perfect middle linebacker for the Tampa-2 defense. Indianapolis finished 13th or lower in defensive DVOA every single season from 1994 through 2004, but has been in the top 10 three times since Brackett entered the starting lineup in 2005. He's still waiting to make his first trip to Hawaii.

2004 Packers With Grady Jackson

Situation	Yd/Play	DVOA %	DVOA Rank
Vs. Pass	4.96	-21.6	5
Vs. Rush	3.96	-27.3	2

22. Grady Jackson: Halfway through the 2003 season, the New Orleans Saints suspended Jackson for "conduct detrimental to the team" and then released him. Green Bay picked him up off waivers, and we'll let the numbers tell the rest of the story:

2004 Packers Without Grady Jackson

Situation	Yd/Play	DVOA %	DVOA Rank
Vs. Pass	5.98	3.7	15
Vs. Rush	4.58	0.1	23

He hasn't been quite that important over the last couple years, but there's no doubt the guy makes an impact.

23. Tarik Glenn: Glenn held down left tackle for the best offense of the decade, but didn't make the Pro Bowl until 2004. Even though he made three Pro Bowls, nobody ever included him in the discussion of "best left tackle in football."

24. Brian Finneran: His stats aren't that impressive until you look at them compared to the rest of his team. Finneran was the best receiver in Atlanta until Roddy White finally developed. Year after year, the Falcons drafted or traded for younger guys, gave them the starting jobs and benched them when Finneran was clearly outplaying them. In 2005, Michael Vick completed 59 percent of his passes to Finneran, 46 percent to his other wideouts. That was nothing compared to 2004 as Vick completed 70 percent of his passes to Finneran and only 45 percent to his other wideouts.

25. Trent Green: According to Football Outsiders' DYAR stats, Trent Green is one of the five most valuable quarterbacks of the decade, behind Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Drew Brees. He ranked among the top three quarterbacks for three years, 2002 to 2004, and was fifth in 2005. Green was also an excellent scrambler, who rarely took off unless he could get a first down.

Aaron Schatz is an analyst for Football Outsiders.

Thank You ESPN. You're dear friend and faithful ESPN.com Insider customer,

6Magazine

Chris Houston loves the kids....

2009-06-29T08:24:00.004-05:00

Chris Houston of the Atlanta Falcons held his second annual celebrity weekend to support his foundation, Athletes Achieving Moral Excellence. This is how it is supposed to be done, helping out the kids and giving back to your community. Shout out to Chris and everyone that came out to support this great weekend.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

Football or Fu'tbol

2009-06-26T11:52:00.009-05:00

I read some shocking news via my friend EB_the Celeb's twitter page. (Check her out http://www.jonesin-eb-style.com/, she is dope) The information was startling, frightening, and near sickening. I have an extremely strong stomach, but I almost hurled. The NFL is going to use their practice jersey's to sell advertising? Are you kidding me is an understatement. WTF!

I haven't heard the term sellout in a very long while, but it's only fitting for this egregious offense. I mean the patches are cool and apart of the culture for NASCAR and for Soccer(fu'tbol) but this is American Football people, and yes it requires capital letters.

So far the only teams thinking about doing such a stupid thing are the Packers(dumb team that chose Aaron Rodgers over Brett Favre) and the Houston Texans (they've been torturing Andre Johnson for six seasons now with incompetent quarterbacks). The Packers decision surprises me, such a storied organization with such rich tradition, how could this happen. Now the Texans on the other hand are about as dependable as Ryan Leaf. I mean, ads don't belong on football jerseys even if it is just a practice jersey. To be honest, I always think to myself how cool some of those soccer jerseys would look if they lost the ads.

I'm not sure if the NFL realizes this, but people hate ads. Why do you think newspapers are going down the drain. Why are magazine's struggling. They all make their money off advertisments and ads aren't the hottest thing moving right now. DVR has also dealt the advertising industry a huge blow. I am a copywriter myself and I love advertising but for the most part many Americans don't, and I understand why they don't. The majority of ads are bad ideas that clutter up whatever medium of entertainmet a person was enjoying before the ad interrupted the moment.

To place a corporate sponsor logo on a jersey is just going to cheapen the jersey, the team, and the game.

Here is Santos Laguna, of the Mexican Soccer League, home jersey

I don't see any numbers on these jerseys(that's un-American, duh). They look like classified ads running around a soccer field. Roger Godell, please stop this madness. I am begging you. This is like the calm before the storm. They are keeping this as quiet and subtle as possible and then before you know it they will be on game jerseys.

For more info read this here dandy link I attached.

NFL to allow corporate patches on practice jerseys

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

The United Football League

2009-06-22T09:23:00.006-05:00

The UFL held it's inaugural draft last Wednesday. Several big names were selected for the four teams in New York, Orlando, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. I'm not really sure what to think about this UFL. I hope it does not fail. I don't think it will compete with the NFL and if it does it will soon fade as did the USFL did years ago. It would be good for the league to form a partnership with the NFL and be the official minor league of the NFL.

The first season starts this October and will have a 6 week schedule with games being played on Thursdays and Fridays.

They've got good support as well with by William Hambrecht, a big wig Wall Street investor, Tim Armstrong, a former senior executive a Google, now chairman and CEO of AOL, and Paul Pelosi, collegiate roommate of former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, having stepped forward heading a group of investors who invested $30 million to purchase four franchises to play in the league's 2009 initial season.From what I've read they want to pay at least ten people on each roster salaries of one million plus dollars.

I hope the league does well in it's first season. Although, it'd be nice if they were playing right now so I'd have something to save me from this dreadful Summer of nothing to watch on television.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

UFL Website

UFL Wikipedia info

2009 League Rosters

Las Vegas

DB | ARCHULETA, ADAM (ARIZONA STATE)
DE | AWASOM, ADRIAN (NORTH TEXAS)
P | BAUGHER, DANNY (ARIZONA)
OG | BOONE, JASON (UTAH)
NT | BRYANT, WENDELL (WISCONSIN-MADISON)
LB | BUTLER, EZRA (NEVADA)
DB | DADA, WALE (WASHINGTON STATE)
T | GAUSE, GEORGE (SOUTH CAROLINA)
DB | GAUSE, PAUL (SETON HALL)
K | JACAS, ANDREW (FORT VALLEY STATE)
TE | JACKSON, NATE (MENLO COLLEGE)
T | JOYCE, BRANDON (ILLINOIS STATE)
WR | KIRKUS, DAVID (GRAND VALLEY STATE)
TE | KUHN, SCOTT (LOUISVILLE)
NT | LONG, GABE (UTAH)
LB | MOORE, BRANDON (OKLAHOMA)
RB | PALMER, RONNIE (ARIZONA)
LB | STILLS, GARY (WEST VIRGINIA)
RB | THOMPSON, TYSON (SAN JOSE STATE)
WR | THURMAN, ANDRAE (SOUTHERN OREGON)
LB | TOAL, BRIAN (BOSTON COLLEGE)
DB | TURNBULL, NICK (FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL)
DB | WILLIAMS, CHAZ (OREGON)
RB | WHITEHEAD, TERRENCE (OREGON)

New York

QB | BACHER, CJ (NORTHWESTERN)
DB | BROWN, TREY (UCLA)
DB | CELESTIN, OLIVER (TEXAS SOUTHERN)
NT | CLEBERT, RICHARD (SOUTH FLORIDA)
DE | FOUNTAIN, MAURICE (CLEMSON)
TE | GHENT, RONNIE (LOUISVILLE)
RB | GROSS, TYRONNE (EASTERN OREGON)
T | GUTEKUNST, SAM (GERMANY)
C | HARVEY, JASPER (SAN DIEGO STATE)
QB | JOHNSON, BRIAN (UTAH)
WR | KINOSHITA, NORIAKI (JAPAN)
DB | LOFTON, DAVID (STANFORD)
LB | MAGRO, MARC (WEST VIRGINIA)
DB | MAZE, TERELL (SAN DIEGO STATE)
T | NORELL, RAY (BUFFALO)
T | PRUNEDA, RAMIRO (MONTEREY TECH)
RB | RUBIN, JOE (PORTLAND STATE)
WR | SANDERS, STEVE (BOWLING GREEN)
RB | SAPP, CECIL (COLORADO STATE)
NT | SAVE, BRYAN (COLORADO STATE)
DE | SPICER, MICHALE (WESTERN CAROLINA)
RB | TOEFIELD, LABRANDON (LSU)
LB | WILLIAMS, NATHAN (MURRAY STATE)
RB | WOODS, SHANNON (TEXAS TECH)

Orlando
NT | BLEDSOE, FRED (ARKANSAS)
QB | BOLLINGER, BROOKS (WISCONSIN)
FB | CRUZ, RONNIE (NORTHERN STATE-SD)
DB | DOSS, MIKE (OHIO STATE)
DB | FASSITT, GREG (GRAMBLING)
WR | GESSNER, CHAS (BROWN)
TE | HEINRICH, KEITH (SAM HOUSTON STATE)
NT | LONG, RIEN (WASHINGTON STATE)
DB | MASON, GRANT (MICHIGAN)
LB | MCGARIGLE, TIM (NORTHWESTERN)
RB | PERRY, CHRIS (MICHIGAN)
T | PETITTI, ROB (PITTSBURGH)
OG | PILLAR, ZACK (FLORIDA)
DE | POWELL, ERIC (FLORIDA STATE)
LB | SCHLEGEL, ANTHONY (OHIO STATE)
DE | SCHOBEL, BO (TCU)
WR | THOMPSON, DOMINIQUE (WILLIAM & MARY)
CB | TRIBBLE, DEJUAN (BOSTON COLLEGE)
NT | TRIPPLETT, LARRY (WASHINGTON)
DB | VINNETT, DARIUS (ARKANSAS)
T | WAND, SETH (NORTHWEST MISSOURI ST)
TE | WIGGINS, JERMAINE (GEORGIA)
RB | WILSON, QUINCY (WEST VIRGINIA)
DB | WRIGHT, TJ (OHIO UNIVERSITY)

San Francisco

FB | ARMSTRONG, ODIE (NW OKLAHOMA ST)
RB | AYANBADEJO, FEMI (SAN DIEGO STATE)
QB | BOYD, SHANE (KENTUCKY)
WR | BRACKINS, LARRY (PEARL RIVER CC)
LS | BROWN, KAI (BROWN)
QB | DIETZ, BRETT (HANOVER)
WR | FITZGERALD, MARCUS (MARSHALL)
DE | GUNN, MARQUIES (AUBURN)
RB | HUTSONA, DARRELL (WASHINGTON STATE)
LB | KWATENG, PRINCE (NORTHWESTERN)
TE | LEDBETTER, BRANDEN (WESTERN MICHIGAN)
T | LEKKERKERKER, CORY (CALIFORNIA-DAVIS)
LB | MARTIN, JOE (SAN DIEGO STATE)
QB | O’HAGAN, LIAM (HARVARD)
T | RIMPF, BRIAN (EAST CAROLINA)
WR | SAMS, BJ (MCNEESE STATE)
T | STAMPER, BRIAN (VANDERBILT)
NT | STEWART, JASON (FRESNO STATE)
DE | SUGGS, DAMON (GEORGIA SOUTHERN)
DB | TREAUDO, AHMAD (SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY)
DB | UNDERWOOD, MARVIEL (SAN DIEGO STATE)
DB | UNERTL, JEREMY (WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE)
RB | WASHINGTON, JOHN DAVID (MOREHOUSE)
WR | WEST, JOE (TEXAS EL-PASO)

2008-2009 High School Highlight Tape of the Year

2009-06-19T09:47:00.003-05:00

In this new YouTube generation that has essentially made players who would have been relatively unknown, extremely known and recruited. We'll this year's winner, probably didn't need the help as he was sought after by the likes of all 3 Florida powerhouses, Georgia, LSU, USF, and USC. He finally ended up choosing Florida. Here is the ESPNU top 150 #2 wide receiver and 6Magazine 2008-2009 Highlight Tape of the Year recepient, Andre "All of the Above" Debose.

That's All I Got,

Ricky Writer

Faster Players in College Football '09

2009-06-18T10:24:00.009-05:00

As I've said before speed kills. Will you listen to me now if the Heisman Pundit says it? I hope so.

Fastest College Football Players '09

Courtesy of the Heisman Pundit. Check em out yall, he's dope. Heisman Pundit website

That's all I got,

Riverboat Ricky

Holding Out....

2009-06-17T10:18:00.003-05:00

Ah yes, basketball is over, baseball is nearing its All-Star game, NFL OTA's are nearing an end, that means it's the beginning of holdout season. Yes!

Brandon Marshall has asked to be traded because the wideout wants a new contract. Understandably so, he is underpaid in terms of his production which has been two back to back 100 catch plus and 1200 plus yard seasons. He also made his first Pro Bowl last year. Marshall is in the final year of his rookie contract. His former base salary for 2009 was 535,000 but he made his roster bonus and that salary has been up'd to 2.2 million.

As inept as I think the Denver Broncos are, I actually agree with them on this one of not wanting to re-up Marshall's contract. I also would like to slap Marshall's agent in the back of the head as well. I am a big Brandon Marshall fan too by the way. I was convinced after he did my boy Antonio Cromartie very dirty last year in Week 2. But he's in the final year of his contract, which means he is going to be an UNRESTRICTED free agent after this year. B-Marshall, go ahead make you 2.2 million base salary plus any bonuses and dip next season. I mean worst case scenario, you don't produce like you have in the past two years. You can fall back on the fact that Kyle Orton is your quarterback and you were in a new offense. I mean do you really want to be a Bronco that bad? It's cold in Denver and got colder once Coach Shan left, and became dangerously cold once Jay Cutler bolted. I hope you know what happens to receivers when their Ace QB departs, just look at Chad Ocho Cinco last year or Terrell Owens when Romo got hurt. Plus, to be honest, you've put yourself in this position. You were a first round talent with off the field problems which is why you fell to the 3rd round of the '06 draft. You've had 13 incidents with the cops, most organizations aren't going to risk money on you when they feel that chances of you getting in trouble again are high.

B-Marsh. Stick it out and ball like you have been for the past two years and you're pay day will come. Patience is a virtue.

Now that leads me into Julius Peppers for which I am also a huge fan. He has expressed his desire to get out of Carolina and go play for a 3-4 defense even though he's the perfect 4-3 DE. I'm not sure if he wants to get a chance to drop back in coverage more with zone blitzes or get less sacks because a 3-4 defense is a blitzing linebackers paradise, but not ideal for a DE. Either way he wants out. The chances of that happening are extra slim, because the Panthers have placed the franchise tag on Peppers, which means he'll get the average of the top 10 highest paid DE's for 2009 which will be a little over 16 million, damn! Let me get a loan homie.

In recent weeks, Mr. Peppers has said he will be in camp. Smart move dogg. The classic Charles Woodson move.(he got the franchise tag two years in a row before he dipped to the Packers). A team can only place the franchise tag on a player two years in a row. The chances they do it next year are low, because another marquee player may get the tag instead.

Peppers situation is different, it's not about money, so I can't just say get paid a big bank roll for two years and dip. I just know that many players have left teams and that same year that team make the Super Bowl. I think Peppers is making the right decision, and if he gets the tag two years in a row, I strongly feel that the Panthers will be in the Super Bowl one of those years.

Last thing on holding out, I don't understand why rookies do it. I mean, you're a rookie. You already have a bulls eye on your back because you are making more money than the veterans and Pro Bowlers on the team. Yes, I understand getting the most money, because the NFL is dirty in how it does business with the lack of guaranteed contracts. But how does you not being in practice help you? It puts you behind. Problem is they are listening to their agents who have never played a down of football most likely, and don't know how hard it is to work your way into shape and up the depth chart when you didn't start at the same time as the rest of the team. If you come to camp on time, but your deal is not quite worked out, you have leverage on the team actually. You are doing all the right things, working hard, and in all honesty that is going to make the owner more apt to pay you or at least meet you halfway.

That's my take at least,

Ricky Writer

The Deadline

2009-06-09T10:57:00.004-05:00

Brad Childress, head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, has imposed a deadline of this week on future Hall of Fame QB, Brett Favre to decide if he will play for the team this upcoming season. Tell you something you don't know right? Thanks, ESPN.

I'm sure he did this to get Favre in camp so he could get in and learn the offense faster, work with his teammates, and most importantly avoid the chaotic situation that happened last year in Green Bay and New York. Fire back, sorry I like to talk backwards sometimes, I mean backfire is exactly what happened.

Childress should have known that nothing good would come of this. You don't give an ultimatum to one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time first off. Second thing, you know he just had surgery on his bicep, so if he rushes back and re-injures the elbow what is that going to help? You have a good relationship with Brett, and you pull this stunt. What is next, you're going to bench him if he does is usual 3 interception game at least once in the season? Let's not ignore the media, well just ESPN, uproar that has occurred and all the attention it has brought to the the team.

Way to go Brad Childress. You've made great decisions over the past year. Flip flopping your quarterbacks during the season, Letting AD punk you into going for it on 4th and 1, etc. This is another great decision you've made. Keep up the good work.

Peace,

Ricky Writer

Spike TV's "4th and Long" star: Moses Washington

2009-06-08T11:03:00.003-05:00

I sat down with Moses Washington, OU track & field star, who is giving it his all for a free agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys. The show is hosted by Hall of Famer, Michael Irvin, and comes on Monday nights on Spike TV at 9/10pm EST. Click on the link below to visit the website. Check out the interview. Have a great Monday.

http://www.spike.com/show/31809

Who has the Pee-Wee prowess?

2009-06-04T11:48:00.004-05:00

I told you all last year about the 13 year old internet football phenom Cody Paul. Cody was doing his thing in that highlight film that is all over YouTube. Haven't heard much from young Cody of late. I think he should be entering the 8th grade or 9th grade next year. If he lives up to his highlight tape he will be one of the dopest high school running backs to come out of Cali in a long while.

I know bring to your attention, Cameron Burnette. This kid is only 4'9" 85 lbs and 10 years old. He was recently featured in Sports Illustrated Kids Top 20 athletes under 20. He's the only kid 10 years of age or younger on the list and only one of two football players.

Everything comes to pass and the times of high school athletes not being NFL ready are slowly winding down. The closest I've seen was Adrian Peterson. Darren McFadden was probably NFL ready as well.

For now, I'll let you all check out Young Cody and Cool Cam get busy on the field. Tell me who you think is better.

Peace,

Riverboat Ricky

Young Cody

Cool Cam

How to cure your offseason football ailments

2009-06-03T11:34:00.004-05:00

It is the eve of the 2009 NBA finals. I hope it is a seven game thriller. To be honest, I'd rather see Melo and Bron Bron go at it. You know, start a true east-west rivalry like Bird and Magic in the '80s. Instead, Kobe and D.Howard had to wreck my hopes and dreams. Either way, basketball, my second favorite sport is being played. After the finals are over, what do I have to do? Of course, I have football to look forward too, but what do I do from mid-June until late August?

I don't own a PS3, Xbox 360, or Wii to play Madden or NCAA football on. I can't stand watching baseball. Track meets come on tv once in every blue moon. What can I do that will entertain me?

Buy a high priced gaming system and play video games that will quickly bore me? Get a girlfriend for the summer time and ditch her once football season starts? Na, that will have serious repercussions and I don't anyone interfering with my football time with the " you sorry piece of manure" line that most women like to tell men after they've been dealt a harsh reality that we don't want them anymore. I can cut one dreadlock off my head one day at a time until they are all gone by August. I can learn Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver, etc. I can download the Wale and B.O.B. mixtapes and hear those young cats out. I can watch NFL network until I can't stand Rich Eisen's voice any longer. I can watch NFL live and College Football Live everyday on ESPN.

I honestly don't know what I am going to do. I am faced with this traumatic experience every single year and I make it through. How? I can't remember. Maybe that's how, I drink myself into a two and a half month coma. I could sell my tv and give up the internet so I am totally oblivious to all things until late August and force myself to play catch up on what little news I did miss.

I have no clue what hell I am going to do. So if you all have any suggestions on things I can do for the next two and a half months while I have no meaningful sports to watch please let me know.

Thanks,

Ricky Writer

What about the good things?

2009-06-01T11:22:00.005-05:00

I got home late last night from being back home in the great state of Oklahoma. It was very nice to get out of Longhorn country and actually see the Longhorn sign turned the right way, upside down that is. The sight of crimson and cream everywhere was pleasant as well as opposed to the burnt orange I am forced to deal with in Austin. As I ate my P.Terry's burger you already know what channel I turned to, ESPN, my love for the channel is endless.

My football withdrawals will begin to increase once the NBA playoffs are over in about 7-10 days. The burger tasted so good, but what I saw on television disturbed me. Sportscenter ran an entire Outside The Lines story on Denver Broncos wideout, Brandon Marshall, and his domestic abuse history with his ex-girlfriend.

The story featured his ex-girlfriend, Rasheeda Watley's accounts of the domestic abuse from Marshall, and interviews with her parents. The story also featured 911 calls by Watley and her friend while being involved in incidents with Marshall. There's always two sides to a story and Marshall declined to share his side for the Outside The Lines piece, but talked with Bob Ley about the incidents after the piece. He denied that he ever physically abused his former girlfriend.

My opinion on whether or not he is lying doesn't matter. The truth will come out sooner or later and I hope for his sake he is telling the truth. If he is lying, I hope he gets counseling and is able to put this behind him.

My concern is the purpose of the story. Who approached who? Did ESPN contact Rasheeda Watley or did she contact them? What was the true purpose of this story? To make Brandon Marshall look bad? Highlight domestic abuse in the NFL? Show that according to the Watley's, the NFL condones domestic abuse?

I have a huge problem with ESPN especially with stories like this. It's a love hate thing. I love the channel, but to be honest do I have an alternative, Fox Sports? Nope, I'm right, I don't have an alternative. I love ESPN for all that they do, but why do I hear about the negative sports news 51 weeks out of the year and they only feature the "Make a Wish" foundation segment one week out of the year?

The only time they talk about the good things an athlete does is during their "Make A Wish" segment or when they are glorifying Tim Tebow.

I just want the station to even it out a little bit. For every bad story about Pac-Man, Plax, Mike Vick, and now B-Marshall, I want a story about an athlete who has done some exceptional for his/her community. I mean there are 1,696 NFL players in the league. One of them has to be doing something great for his community that is worth reporting.

ESPN do better please,

Riverboat Ricky

OMG....give your degrees back

2009-05-28T13:59:00.003-05:00

Media! Please, do something with yourselves. I know you all have better things to do than to report or make news of Tony Romo not calling T.O. by his name.

This is the Associated Press' excerpt,

" Though Romo didn't say anything negative, the quarterback referred to Owens with nothing more personal than "he."

If I read the transcripts correctly, Romo was asked a question then proceeded to compliment Owens, by saying " he was a great player....etc". God forbid he not call him by name, when a direct question about T.O. was just asked. The media and everyone there knew who he was talking about.

Does the media not have anything better to do. I thought the media's job was to report news not make it. Of course, they knew once they brought it up to T.O. that he was going to make some obnoxious but heart felt statement.

I am disgusted and annoyed. I really am. There are players in the league doing great things. Players are going on missions, doing great things for the community, and all you have to report is Tony Romo not calling Terrell Owens by his name when clearly, Romo was asked about Owens, so it made no sense for Romo to say Terrell Owens was.....all he needed to say was "he".

Get a life or give me your jobs,

Ricky Writer

Why does Big-10 Football suck?

2009-05-26T17:08:00.004-05:00

The Big-10 used to have so much prestige when it came to the gridiron. The last national championship came in 2003. I'm not much of a Miami Hurricanes fan, but that pass interference call against DB Glenn Sharpe that all Canes and Buckeyes fans remember was certainly not pass interference, not in my opinion at least. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes won.

Five years has passed and the only the Buckeyes have been back to defend for national titles in 2006 and 2007. They were embarrassed both years. Michigan has looked bad every time they have been to the Rose Bowl. Illinois and Penn State looked equally as bad in their past Rose Bowl trips as well.

Last year, the Big 10 went 1-6 in bowl games, losing both of their BCS games. Yes, Ohio State and Michigan were in rebuilding years last year, but what is to be said about the entire conference? Where was Wisconsin, MSU, and Penn State?

Big surprise here, the entire conference recruiting efforts suck. I delegate Florida, Texas and California as the speed states to recruit from in you want to win in college football. The Big-10 team with the most players from these states in 2008 was Northwestern with 19 players. Yes, they lost their bowl game. Much of their recruiting is because of their high academic standards so they are not going to get the cream of the crop from those states.

The Big-10 has only 20 ESPN top 150 recruits attending their schools compared to 52 kids going to SEC schools. It's not hard to see why the SEC all ways takes care of business and is the best conference in football. They also take care of all their Big-10 opponents in bowl games also.

If the Big-10 wants to get back to their roots and tradition of being winning and respectable football, they need to ambush Texas, Cali, and Florida high school football players as soon as possible. If they don't want to do that then they could get used to losing consistently and slowly watch the MAC or the WAC conference surpass them as one of the top conferences and watch their automatic BCS bid fall into another conference's lap.

That's all I got,

Riverboat Ricky

"If"

2009-05-25T20:35:00.003-05:00

Since Michael Vick's release from federal prison, I've heard the word "if" a lot. "If" Mike Vick can still play at a high level. "If" he can still run and change direction. "If" he still has the 4.3 speed.

Now, I understand why the reporters and commentators are asking "if". I mean two years away from doing something that you've done all your life is a very long time.

I am not sure if I'm being optimistic or outrageous, but why the "if"? Seriously, Michael Vick was not the most fundamentally sound quarterback. He thrived off of his natural God-given abilities. You know those things that God gives you that so many play-by-play announcers and commentators often describe as "things you can't teach".

Do you mean to tell me of the 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL that all of them are better than Michael Vick? Give me a break. Now you can say, what few fundamentals Vick had may now be eroded, which may not be a bad thing because he can re-learn how to play quarterback. But please believe, those physical skills that wowed fans and increased the popularity of sleep aids among NFL defensive coordinators are still there. Muscle memory is a hell of a thing, and as cliche' as it may sound, running around and making athletic plays is as easy for him as riding a bike.

If anything a two year absence from the NFL means Vick will have the freshest body in all the league. Think of all the pounding that he would have taken had he played the past two years. We all know trying to get Vick to stay in the pocket was about as successful as getting kids with attention deficit disorder to pay attention in class without their medicine.

As the season nears, Vick's home confinement ends, he is reinstated, and eventually signed the "if's" will grow even louder. Don't be the drone that listens to everything you hear from sportswriters who probably never played the game. Be wise and think about it, a two year layoff, is not all that bad, in fact it could be a good thing.

I'll see you in two years and be as potent as ever,

Riverboat Ricky

Welcome home Mike

2009-05-20T12:29:00.006-05:00

Michael Vick was released from federal prison today. Duh, you already know that with ESPN and everyone else and their mother covering it.

6magainze just wants to say welcome home Mr. Vick. You have paid your debt to society, and anyone else that doesn't think so can stand on their soap box complain for as long as they want, but it doesn't matter because you are free homie.

Home confinement for two months will probably suck, but compared to washing dishes for 12 cents an hour, it's probably Heaven.

As a fan of football and yours especially, I'd like to offer a few words of advice. Stay out of strip clubs please. Make nice with PETA, as we all know they are more powerful than the government. Work hard and remember the famous Paul Arden quote, "It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be." Challenges in life come to us all, and you can surely overcome this. God allows everything to happen for a reason. So keep your head up and work hard, because you will definitely reap what you sow.

Stay away from certain teams: The Oakland Raiders, although they are my favorite team, Al Davis is psycho. The Bengals, birds of a feather flock together, but you my friend are a reformed man. Also, you see how they do Mr. Johnson. The Browns, management does not run the team, the fans "boo decibel" meter does, and when they boo you enough you'll get yanked from the game. And yes, that's right, fans know everything about football and always make the right decisions. If the Detroit Lions come calling just run. There is no explanation I can give you, but to just listen to me and run away as fast as possible.

Every other team is fair game. In fact, I suggest these teams: The Denver Broncos, I have a strange feeling that Kyle Orton or Chris Simms will not cut it. Houston Texans, Matt Schaub has under-performed since signing a big money free agent deal two seasons ago. You beat him out in Atlanta, why can't you do it again? Jaguars, David Garrad is looking like a one year wonder so far. Titans, you are a lot better and right now cheaper than Vince Young and Kerry Collins. Pathers, Jake is not going to play forever. Vikings, please go the Vikings they need you bad. 49ers, Shaun Hill, Damon Huard, Alex Smith, if you can't beat either of these guys out you don't deserve to be in the league. Lastly, the Seahawks, Jim Mora was your head coach in your glory days in Atlanta, Hassleback is not going to play forever and his performance has slipped.

All in all. We are glad to have you back Mike. Hope to see you on a football field soon. Give 6magazine your first interview. We deserve it!

I love some Mike Vick,

Ricky Writer

He's back.......

Jammal Brown interview

2009-05-07T13:54:00.006-05:00

Jammal Brown, starting Pro Bowl LT, for the New Orleans Saints sat down over the Mac Ichat to chop it up with 6Magazine ,Editor-in-Chief, Richard Boadu. We are happy to say Jammal and Richard are Mac's. Not PC's. Thank you Apple for IChat!

Pre-draft Interview: Rams CB Eric Bassey

2009-04-26T22:12:00.003-05:00

49er WR Brandon Jones visits with Richard Boadu

2009-04-23T00:21:00.006-05:00

Richard Boadu of 6Magazine stopped on the internet superhighway to have a conversation with San Francisco 49er WR, Brandon Jones. Take a look and enjoy.

Chop Ups Vol. 3

2009-04-17T15:59:00.004-05:00

Richard and CJ chop ups Vol. #2

2009-04-02T12:32:00.002-05:00

Ricky Writer and the Lina Know It All talk all things football and some Mexican eatery as well

Better CB: Deion Sanders or Rod Woodson?

2009-03-31T16:40:00.002-05:00

Point blank who is better defensive back. Both started as corners in their careers and ended as free safeties. Here is the tale of the tape on both athletes.
Deion Sanders

via Wikipedia

During his 14-year NFL career, Sanders was a perennial All-Pro and one of the most feared pass defenders to ever play the game. He allegedly ran a 4.16 in the 40 yard dash making him the second fastest in the NFL to Darrell Green, who ran a 4.12. At the height of his career, his reputation was so great that opposing offensive coordinators almost always specifically accounted for him in their game-plan.He was widely known to shut down “his” half of the field, causing most quarterbacks to essentially ignore the receiver he was covering. Although criticsargued that his tackling was poor and he was not much of a factor in run support, they could not deny his unparalleled closing speed. Sanders' speed and athleticism enabled him to blanket the best receivers while playing one of football's toughest positions.

Sanders also occasionally lined up with his team's offense. During the 1996 season, Sanders skipped the baseball season by concentrating strictly on football and attended the first NFL training camp of his career to better familiarize himself with the nuances of the wide receiver position. He became the first two-way starter in the NFL since Chuck Bednarik for the first half of the season due to Michael Irvin serving a five game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

During his career, Sanders intercepted 52 passes for 1,331 yards (a 25.1 yards per return average), recovered four fumbles for 15 yards, returned 155 kickoffs for 3,523 yards, gained 2,199 yards on 212 punt returns, and caught 60 passes for 784 yards. Sanders amassed 7,838 all-purpose yards and scored 22 touchdowns: nine interception returns, six punt returns, three kickoff returns, three receiving, and one fumble recovery. His 19 defensive and return touchdowns are an NFL record. He was selected to eight Pro Bowls in 1991--1994, 1996–1999. He was also awarded the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1994.

College Football News named Sanders #8 in its list of 100 Greatest College Football Players of All-Time.
The Sporting News named Sanders #37 in their Top 100 Football Players of the Century released in 1999.
ESPN named Sanders #74 in its list of the 100 Great Athletes of the Century released in 1999.

Sanders also had a rushing TD in the playoffs (against the Philadelphia Eagles in January 1996). This makes him (including post season) one of only two players in NFL history (Bill Dudley) to score a touchdown six different ways (interception return, punt return, kickoff return, receiving, rushing, and a fumble recovery).

Career stats
Tackles	513
Interceptions	53
Sacks	1
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards
9× Pro Bowl selection (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) 2× Super Bowl champion (XXIX, XXX) 6× Associated Press First-team All-Pro selection (1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998) 2× Associated Press Second-team All-pro selection (1991, 1999) NFL 1990s All-Decade Team 1994 NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1988 Jim Thorpe Award

Rod Woodson

via Wikipedia

In 1987, Woodson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 10th overall draft pick. He returned punts and played defensive cornerback for Pittsburgh through the 1996 season. He was a fan favorite and a banner that hung for years in Three Rivers Stadium stated: "Rod Is God". A highlight came in 1995 when Woodson became the first player to return from reconstructive knee surgery in the same season. That year he tore his ACL against the Detroit Lions in the first game and returned to play in the Super Bowl XXX between the Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys just 19 weeks later. In that game, he broke up a pass intended for Michael Irvin, hopped up and pointed at his reconstructed knee.

Woodson's career took a somewhat nomadic turn after free agency from Pittsburgh, after the Rooney family elected not to renew his contract over a pay dispute as well as the salary cap. (The team had a similar dispute with Franco Harris in 1984 and later with Alan Faneca in 2008.) Although he remained to raise his family in Pittsburgh and later made amends with the Rooneys, he hopped between three additional franchises, becoming one of the few modern cornerbacks to successfully make a transition to the safety position, following in the footsteps of Ronnie Lott. Woodson signed with the San Francisco 49ers for the 1997 season, the Baltimore Ravens for the years 1998 to 2001 (where he won Super Bowl XXXV), and the Oakland Raiders for 2002 and 2003 (where he appeared in his third Super Bowl). In the Raiders 2002 Super Bowl season, 37-year old Woodson led the NFL in interceptions (8) for the first time in his career. Unfortunately his father died in May 1992 after brain surgery, when the emotional decision to withdraw life support led to a physical confrontation between Rod and his brother Jamie (formal charges for battery and resisting arrest were filed as cited by AP May 22, 1992 [1] .)

NFL records and accomplishments

Woodson is among the NFL's all time leaders in games played as a defensive back and interceptions. In his 17 NFL seasons, Woodson recorded 71 interceptions, 1,483 interception return yards, 32 fumble recoveries (15 offensive and 17 defensive), 137 fumble return yards, 4,894 kickoff return yards, 2,362 punt return yards, and 17 touchdowns (12 interception returns, 1 fumble return, 2 kickoff returns, 2 punt returns). He holds the league record for interceptions returned for touchdowns with 12, and is tied with 11 other players for the record for most fumble recoveries in a single game (3). His 1,483 interception return yards are also an NFL record. His 71 interceptions rank 3rd all time.

Woodson was named to the Pro Bowl eleven times, a record for a defensive back. He was also the first player to earn trips to the Pro Bowl at cornerback, safety and kick returner.^[2] He was named 1993's NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He was also a 9 time All-Pro selection. Woodson finished second to Darrell Green in the 1988 NFL Fastest Man Contest.^[3]

In 1994, he was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team. What made it notable was that Woodson was one of only five active players to be named to the team. The others were Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Reggie White and Ronnie Lott. In 1999, he was ranked number 87 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. The College Football News has also honored him as one of the 100 greatest players of the 20th century.

In 2007, he was ranked number 22 on USA Today list of the 25 best NFL players of the past 25 years.

It is unlikely that the Steelers will remove Woodson's number 26 from circulation, however, since the number is currently being worn by longtime cornerback Deshea Townsend, who as of the 2008 season has now played longer with the Steelers than Woodson did. (The team drafted Townsend in 1998 around the same time that Woodson signed with the archrival Ravens, and still had an acrimonious relationship with the Rooneys at the time.) Mel Blount's number 47 has also conspicuously remained in circulation since his retirement after the 1983 season.

On January 31, 2009, Woodson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility becoming the 18th Steelers related person to be enshrined.

Career stats
Tackles	1,163
Interceptions	71
Sacks	13.5
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards
11x Pro Bowl selection (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) 6x First-team All-Pro selection (1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2002) 2x Second-team All-Pro selection (1991, 2000) 7x First-team All-Conference selection (1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2002) 2x Second-team All-Conference selection (1991, 1996) NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team NFL 1990s All-Decade Team 1993 NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1993 UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year Super Bowl champion (XXXV) NFL Records 1,483 career interception yards 12 interceptions returned for touchdowns

Okay, so that is Wikipedia's take on the two athletes. Before I go offering up my two cents watch these two highlight reels of these two great players and comment and I'll follow up with my thoughts.

Can't wait to hear what the people have to say,

Ricky Writer

The Tebow Trance

2009-03-30T08:05:00.004-05:00

Tim Tebow is the greatest college quarterback of all time if you let his head coach Urban Meyer tell it.

Last week, Coach Meyer turned Tebow's famed speech after the Gators loss to Ole Miss at home into a plaque outside of Ben Hill Griffin stadium. Meyer essentially said he doesn't like to wait and wanted to honor Tebow as soon as possible even though he is still playing. Now, that is quite the honor to recieve while you are still in school.

Now, before I sound like a hater, let me make it clear. I am a Tebow fan. I like the dude, he is a fierce competitor and a proven winner. In his career, he's thrown 67 TDs and only 11 picks. You can't call him Dan Marino because he isn't in league yet, but we can't call him Alex Smith just yet for the very same reasons. You must give Tebow his props for his numbers and wins, but you have to ask yourself is he merely a system quarterback.

Does he garner all the ESPN attention that he gets? He doesn't throw a pretty ball, he plays in a great system, and has more weapons than the ATF. Is he that good, how would he fare in Texas' offense? Would Pat White outshine Tebow if he were to play same system with that quality of players?

What ever the case maybe, does Tebow have us in a trance or is he legitamatley that good? If he is that good why are people already converting him to running back, tight end, or h-back. Yes, the NFL and its executives can be quite stupid at times. Numbers don't lie and Tebow certainly has them to back it up. Alex Smith played in the same system and was taken #1 overall. Tebow, being bigger than Smith probably has a stronger arm, and has prototypical NFL size. So why does everyone want to change his posistion if he is so great?

I'm lost. Given the firepower he has coming back this season Tebow's folklore will continue worldwide. Come this time next year he will have particpated in the combine and his pro day fielding numerous questions on what postion he'd like to play at the next level.

I think Tebow should be given a fair shot to play QB and should not penalized for his style of play or the system he plays in.

I also think that the nation has gone on a tad bit over the top with this Tebow mania. I wonder if Tebow were a black QB if he would get as much attention as he does now.

Either or, keep balling Tim.

Peace,

Richie Wordsmith

The Bronco Bicker

2009-03-25T08:09:00.006-05:00

What's up. I had to share my two pennies on the whole Denver Bronco situation that is going on right now. Enjoy.

Peace,

Ricky Writer

Out with the Old and In With the New: Oregon’s Chip Kelley

2009-03-23T18:30:00.003-05:00

Oregon announced last week that Mike Belloti would step down as head football coach to take the athletic director position, and highly regarded offensive coordinator Chip Kelley would be his replacement. . While Kelly was offensive coordinator at New Hampshire (1999-2006), the Wildcats' offenses averaged better than 400 yards of total offense in seven of his eight seasons and more than 30 points per game in his final four seasons. Kelly, the mastermind behind I-AA power New Hampshire, employs a spread-based system he put together after consulting with, among others, Rich Rodriguez and the Wake Forest staff. Kelley is the Bobby Fischer of offensive coordinators in college football posting ridiculous numbers with two different quarterbacks in his time at UO. In Kelley’s first year2, he directed a potent attack led by the now Pittsburg Steelers QB, Dennis Dixon. The Ducks more than likely would have challenged for the national title if Dixon had not suffered a severe knee injury late in the year against Arizona State that essentially cost Dixon the Heisman trophy. In 2008, the Duck offensive attack caught fire again under the direction of juco transfer QB Jeremiah. Masoli came to Eugene with an impressive resume playing for St. Louis School of Honolulu in the prep ranks and perennial power CC of San Francisco at the Juco level. Under the tutelage of Kelley, Masoli posted 1744 yards in the air with 13 td’s and 5 int's while posting a 56.9 completion percentage. Masoli was also a serious threat on the ground rushing for 718 yards for the year. A review of the Holiday Bowl versus Oklahoma State will tell you that Masoli will be one to watch as he buried the Cowboys with a physical running style in the second half that will have defensive coordinators working long nights during next season. What is more impressive about these accomplishments is the seasons initial starter for the FLOCK was Nic Costa who injured a knee and missed the rest of the season. Kelley while molding a first year juco quarterback also found time to produce two thousand yard rushers, Jeremiah Johnson and the bruiser LeGarrette Blount. Once more Kelley is the real deal Holyfield and if you cant see that you will once Oregon gets rolling in the next few years.

This move by Oregon is the first of many coach-in-waiting scenarios that become popular amongst the powers of college football. Texas has announced that Will Muschamp will succeed Mack Brown whenever he steps down for the Horns. Florida State has also put such a plan in place to with Jimbo Fisher set to succeed legend Bobby Bowden whenever he steps down in the near future. There are also some “unofficial” hierarchal succession plans at Virginia Tech, Penn State and Kentucky.
Bud Foster is the popular choice to replace Frank Beamer at Tech. The Pope (Joe Paterno) is said to have christened Tom Bradley as the next coach at Penn State. Lastly, Rich Brooks at Kentucky as tabbed Joker Phillips as the next coach down on the Blue Grass.

Contrary to what seems to be popular opinion I think these types of succession plans bring continuity to college football programs that implement them. It provides stability to the program, especially when a longtime coach has been rumored to retire in the near future. This brings peace of mind to possible recruits and current players within the program. The only downside is that there will not be an extensive and “appropriate” search for a new candidate to fill the vacancy. I must admit I am more for this type of strategy even though it has one main negative point.

Oregon has made the right move in hiring Kelley, expect the Ducks to challenge Troy’s stronghold of the Pac-10 immediately. The offensive will post staggering numbers and Ducks will finally make a move into tip tier royalty in college football after so many years of knocking on the door. Congratulations to Oregon and Chip Kelley let the fireworks begin

Sincerely, Claudius Minimums

Football turning Pansy

2009-03-23T12:30:00.004-05:00

The game I love is becoming more and more pansi-fied by the season. I understand the safety precautions that need to take place. But there is a huge difference between a precaution and just plain pansy.

Here is synopsis of the proposed rule changes to be evaluated this week by the owners, via NFL Network. Thanks.

Peace,

Willie Cool

Where Have You Gone Peter Warrick??

2009-03-12T09:02:00.003-05:00

I remember watching #9(Peter Warrick) make defenses look like they were standing still in his four seasons at Florida State. He was a two time All-American and the front runner for the Heisman Trophy when Dillards Gate shook the Seminole Nation to the core.

Peter Warrick and teammate (current NFL standout) Laveranues Coles were caught in a shoplifting scam at a Tallahassee Dillard’s. Warrick was suspended for two games and Coles was kicked off the team. The suspension and subsequent negative publicity cost Warrick the Heisman Trophy in his senior season when he was the proverbial “Man Amongst Boys”. To this day I remember Warrick running crazy in the 2000 Sugar Bowl with 163 yards receiving (including 2 touchdowns), a 59 yard punt return for a TD, and also a 2 point conversion. He was the type of player that could literally take it to the house any time he touched the ball from anywhere on the field. Who would have thought that it would be his former teammate and fellow Dillard’s conspirator, Laveranues Coles who would go on to have the productive NFL career.

Warrick was drafted 4th overall in the 2001 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and it seemed that his NFL career was off to a good start when he led the team in receptions his first two seasons. In his third season he was replaced as the team’s leading receiver by some guy named Chad Johnson. Warrick still had a respectable showing with 53 catches, 606 yards receiving, and 6 TDs. It seemed that this would be a duo that would frustrate and confound defensive coordinators for many years to come. In 2003, Warrick again had a solid season and seemed well on his way to achieving all the promise that he displayed while shredding Defenses at FSU. Then it happened…..he was injured and missed the bulk of the ’04 season allowing little known seventh round draft pick TJ Houshmandzadeh (championship!) to take over as the teams #2 receiver, and the rest as they say is history. Warrick was released before the start of the 2005 season and signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle was not the redemption that PW was looking for. He did not make an impact as a WR but he did serve as the teams punt returner in their run to the Super Bowl. Warrick was released before the start of the 2006 season and has not played significant football since. He has worked out for numerous teams and has also had stints in the Arena and Canadian Leagues. His most recent transaction was being signed by the Bloomington Extreme of the Indoor Football League in 2009. It seems like it was so long ago when he was in the garnet and gold and seemed to be almost as sure of a thing as death and taxes that he would be a star in the NFL. Did he peak as an elite college player? Did his skills/size not translate to the NFL? Was he just not able to comeback from the injury that allowed TJ Houshmazilly to ascend to super stardom? I hate to think that when football fans hear the name “Peter Warrick” that they automatically associate it with “Peter Wardrobe”. Maybe I’m just a delusional fan, but I think Warrick still has some gas in the tank and I believe he will surface in an NFL city once again.

Peace,

Jonathan " I was never shot" JR Reynolds

Trendsetter

2009-03-11T08:25:00.004-05:00

There is a difference between LaDainian Tomlinson and Marvin Harrison. Beside position, height, weight, favorite color, favorite food etc. Those are besides the point, the difference I want to point out is their pride.

Marvin Harrison was asked to take a pay cut by the Indianapolis Colts a few weeks back, which he did not want to do. He asked for his release and the team gave it to him. Understandable. No, I take that back, not understandable. Before I get into my rant, I feel that the Colts should have done everything in their power to keep Marvin. I know that Marvin was not 100% last season, and I know his skills have not diminished and that he is still a #1 receiver. But Marvin could have given in a little as well. Why not restructure your deal to help your team bring in a few more pieces to the puzzle to win another championship, why not end your career as a Colt, and you have to realize that although your skills have not eroded just yet that they soon will and you will not be worth the money you signed for several years ago.

LT on the other hand by all accounts is aware of these facts. Set to make 24 milli over the next three years, the Chargers felt LT wasn't worth it. They can say cap space, smap space, but in the end that is what it comes down to. They feel he isn't worth it. Are they correct? I'm not sure. I mean LT was injured last year and his offensive line didn't help him all that much. For those so quick to jump on the Darren Sproles band wagon and annoint him the starter, he only had one rushing td all last year. Whether LT was worth the 24 million or not, he knew he wasn't getting any younger, he wants to help his team win a championship, and he wants to stay loyal to his team and fans. Now, I commend that.

I feel Marvin's stance, and like I said, he is still a #1 receiver in this league in my eyes as LT is a #1 back. The sooner big salary aging veterans realize their skills are deteriorating the better. If you are over the age of 32 you need to be playing at a Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner, Terrell Owens, and Donovan McNabb level to be making A+ money. If not, swallow your pride, take the paycut, stay on your winning team, and bow out gracefully especially if the only team you've ever known still wants as a member of their team.

That's all I've got to type,

Ricky Writer

Good Morning Buffalo, New York

2009-03-09T08:36:00.005-05:00

Terrell Owens is now playing for the Buffalo Bills, duh. I'm sure you know this fact by now. My take is why and how did he get there.

T.O. releasing by the Cowboys was about as unexpected as birthday cake on Thanksgiving. No one saw it coming. The murmurs were being rumored around various sports networks, but no one believed it. Why would you, Jerry Jones just signed the receiver to a 4 year $34 million dollar deal last year. Releasing T.O. cost the Boys a $9 million dollar salary cap hit.

Jones said the release had nothing to do with T.O.'s perceived locker room perception. More so that he was slowly starting to deteriorate as a player. Jerry Jones was getting rid of T.O. so he wouldn't have to pay him over the last three years of his contract. Also, there was a thinking as the more T.O. started to deteriorate, the more volatile he'd become in the locker room and the more friction would build between him and quarterback, Tony Romo.

Jerry Jones is sleazier than the serpent who tricked Eve in the Garden of Eden. He did it to Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells(twice, the first being going behind his back to sign T.O. and then firing him) and now with Owens. Romo, your day in the sun will come too. He claimed in the offseason that T.O. would be around. I don't even know why it would even be questioned. Jones is a highly skilled business man and bs'er. He could have given the media a better excuse than T.O.'s skills deteriorated.

The great Shawn Carter once said, "Men lie, women lie, but numbers don't". Take a look at T.O.'s numbers over the past three years with the Boys.

2008	Dallas Cowboys	16	16	69	1,052	15.2	75T	10
2007	Dallas Cowboys	15	15	81	1,355	16.7	52T	15
2006	Dallas Cowboys	16	15	85	1,180	13.9	56T	13

As you can see T.O.'s skills clearly diminished in one year. He had a 12 catches less than a year ago, 300 yards less, and 5 TD grabs less. It doesn't matter than Tony Romo missed three games with an injury, and backup QB Brad Johnson stunk it up over those three games. Johnson completed only 52% of his passes, and only threw for 2TDs and 5 picks. Don't also forget to mention that Romo didn't have his greatest season either. Yes, he was sixth in the 8th in the league in QB rating at 91.4, sixth in the league with 26 td strikes, but was tops in the league with 14 picks thrown. We are not going to bring up offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett's, play-calling inconsistency.

Ultimately, T.O. was let go because they no longer wanted the distraction in the locker room, which in my opinnion there wasn't much of. No I'm not a T.O. lover, I tend to lead more towards the side of T.O. hater, but he got a raw deal in Big D.

Onward soldiers to Buffalo. T.O. is going to keep his same consistency as he has over the 3 years and help vault the Bills into the playoffs finally. After his one year deal is done, so will T.O. be done in Buffalo. His career will not end, nor will his traveling circus following of the media either, but his short-lived tenure in Buffalo will be done.

Either way you shake it, Jerry Jones has a lot of bad karma on his way(When was the last time the Boys got out of the first round?), T.O.'s still getting paid, Lee Evans is the happiest man in New York, and the real Romo will finally stand up.

Holla for a Dolla,

Risky Richie

2009 Free Agency: The QB Carousel

2009-02-27T12:03:00.002-06:00

The arms race for free agent quarterbacks will be an interesting story this off-season. There are many teams that need a starting QB and it is yet to be seen if they will seek players in free agency or take a chance on an unproven commodity in the upcoming 2009 draft.

It is fairly certain that Detroit will fulfill its needs at QB with either Matthew Stafford (Georgia) or Mark Sanchez (USC) and after that the decisions are up in the air. Kansas City, Minnesota, New York Jets, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and possibly Carolina and Arizona could be in need of a quarterback. There are talks of Sage Rosenfels (Houston Texans) being traded to Minnesota in order to be a “caretaker” for that offense, in other words “hand the ball to AD and don’t throw it to the other team and don’t jump up in the air and fumble it like you did against Indy last season!”.

Minnesota is one team that would reap HUGE benefits from having steady QB play. They have an All-Timer in Adrian Peterson and they also posses one of the most feared defenses in the league. So if they can bring someone in to just basically not lose the game (see Trent Dilfer in Baltimore '01) then they could push for the NFC Championship game in 09.

The Philadelphia Eagles are also in an interesting situation. There is a chance that Donovan McNabb will not come back to the Eagles if they are not able to bolster the WR corps during free agency. McNabb is already going to lose L.J. Smith, his starting TE, and has not had a legitimate #1 WR since Terrell Owens gripped and complained his way out of Philly. It will be interesting to watch the Marvin Harrison situation in Indianapolis and if he is released do not be surprised if Philly tries very hard to convince Marvin to join forces with the Eagles in order to keep McNabb somewhat happy. That being said, if Philly doesn’t make a move with a top wide out then I wouldn’t be surprised to see Donovan bolt to another contender.

Kurt Warner just led the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl……yes I said the Arizona Cardinals! And it looks like he will not be playing for the same team next season. Warner is a proven winner and leader who can still air it out with the best of them. He has probably two good seasons left in him and he would be a great mentor for a young QB to learn under. Does Warner go back to St. Louis?? I see this as a pretty good fit but I also see a fit with the NY Jets. The Jets just went through “As the Favre Turns” and all they have waiting in the wings is unproven: Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff. Ok, Ok, Brett Ratliff did tear it up in the preseason but let’s be honest, it’s the preseason. I think Warner would be a good fit here to bridge the gap between Favre and the future, whoever that may be.

Then you have Derek Anderson, the same Derek Anderson who looked to be the future of the Cleveland Browns two seasons ago was quickly benched in favor of hometown kid, Brady Quinn. It seems that Anderson’s ’07 season will indeed get him paid but it is tough to tell where. Tampa Bay could be a fit for Anderson, with Garcia leaving that QB race wide open. If I were the Kansas City Chiefs, I would make a push to get Anderson and try to take a great weapon at the #3 pick in the ’09 NFL Draft, instead of Stafford or Sanchez. Michael Crabtree, Dwayne Bowe, and Larry Johnson(if he stays) would be a pretty good start to turning things around in KC.

History shows that taking a QB in the top ten picks of the NFL Draft is anything but a sure thing. Ryan Leaf, Akili Smith, Heath Shuler, Joey Harrington, and David Carr just to name a few. I would like to sit down with some of these GMs who are drooling over Stafford and Sanchez and let them know. ”Hey!, if you take one of the QBs in the top few picks of the draft just expect to wallow in mediocrity for another 3 years or so, is that what you want?” Go with the proven commodity: Warner, Anderson, or maybe even Donovan McNabb and you won’t be working on your resume after next season.

Peace,

Young Reynolds

Farewell Marv

2009-02-27T12:01:00.003-06:00

As a native of Indianapolis, I would have to say that the departure of Marvin Harrison from the Colts organization is pretty bittersweet. As a fan of the Colts it’s hard to see anyone leave, especially someone such as Harrison, who after being drafted in ’96 has been a key contributor to bringing the organization out of its embarrassing funk of the early ‘90’s, and turning into a perennial contender.

Marv (as he’s known locally) had the ability to reel in anything within a ten foot radius (think back to the ball he tipped to himself falling out of bounds against the Patriots in the ’06 playoffs). But that’s not the only thing that made him special. I could venture to say that as a receiver of such high stature, put on the same level as guys like T.O. and Randy Moss, Marv consistently did it the right way. Name one time you saw Marv really talking trash. Name one time you ever saw him celebrate a TD. That’s right; you can’t, because that was never his game. In fact, other than when he was being thrown to, you may have had a hard time finding him. He always had a way of blending in, not letting his status as an elite superstar receiver separate him from the concept of team.

You could throw around stats all day, like his 1,102 receptions for 14,580 yards and 128 TDs (all among the top stats for a receiver in league history), but it would never fully encapsulate what Marvin Harrison has meant to his team, the city of Indianapolis, and the NFL.

Because the league is a business first, all of us as fans get to experience these bittersweet moments. Knowing that he wasn’t going to get the money he felt he deserved, and seeing his role as number one receiver starting to fade, Marv decided to ask for a release from the colts. To fans that may be upset with Harrison for appearing to be about the money, I ask you this: If you were on the back end of your career, still sacrificing your body, and possibly your post-football health, wouldn’t you want the most you could get? That brings me to the flip part of the bittersweet sentiment I issued earlier. As a fan of Marvin Harrison the person, it’s nice to know that Marv will be able to catch on somewhere and get the money he deserves, while continuing to do things the right way on behalf of the league and as an example for a new batch a teammates to follow.

On behalf of the city of Indianapolis, I would like to say thank you Marvin, and good luck! You will be missed.

Indeed,

Mr. Dixson

Defensive Front Seven: 2009 NFL Combine

2009-02-25T22:52:00.003-06:00

The NFL Combine is the proverbial meat market of the National Football League. While athletic prowess is not a sure fire indicator for success in the league it does provide an opportunity for overlooked players to raise their stock and overrated players to lose some of their status if not all of it (Andre Smith ). Here is a look at the front seven defensive class of 2009, as I am very disappointed with the defensive backs.

Who Impressed:

Texas DE Brian Orakpo

Orakpo, like Maualunga tweaked his hamstring during the 40-yard dash, but still posted ridiculous numbers including a 4.70 40yd dash and posting 31 reps in the bench press, besting all ends in the camp. Orakpo, posting numbers like this with the athleticism he displays on the field will possibly play LB in the NFL in a 3-4 scheme and would still be a man-whore at DE in a 4-3.

Cincinnati DE Connor Barwin

In the Orange Bowl, I kept an eye on this kid and he showed a massive motor continually finding himself in the Virginia Tech backfield. Barwin looked a little raw, but who can deny his size and stats he posted this week at the combine. The former tight end finished first among defensive linemen in vertical jump (40.5 inches), broad jump (10 feet 8 inches), three-cone drill time (6.87 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle time (4.18). His 4.66 40-yard dash was second best among ends.  

Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry

The Butkus Award winner showed why he is so highly rated. One scout said he clearly looked like the best linebacker in the draft, outclassing the competition in almost everything he did. Curry ran a 4.56 40, broad jumped 10-4 and high jumped 37 inches, all best among linebackers, and showed excellent athleticism in positional drills. 

Florida State DE Everette Brown  

Brown was one of the standouts. He not only ran well in the 40-yard dash, timing in the 4.6s, but looked very good in just about everything he did. He did not blow any doors off in terms of explosiveness, but showed good all-around athleticism. While no one came to the Combine questioning his ability to be an end in a 4-3 scheme, his athletic display proved to 3-4 teams that he has the foot speed, agility, balance and flexibility to move smoothly and easily off the ball. He should have no trouble in pass coverage at the next level.  Brown is just a hair behind Orakpo in my opinion.

USC OLB Clay Matthews  

Even though this kid didn’t start until the 4th game of his senior season, he is one of the hottest names in this years draft. The former walk-on is one of the most natural pass rushers I've seen in years. He started off by running in the 40 in the high 4.5s/low 4.6s and kept going from there. He looked smooth, fluid and athletic in drills, and showed the hips, foot quickness and agility to change directions and move well in space.  Needs to pick up some weight while maintaining these type of numbers.

Who Depressed:

LSU DT Ricky Jean-Francois 

Jean-Francois probably caused his stock to drop from a 4th round prospect to a 7th round/free agent prospect. He looked out of shape, soft-bodied and did not impress in workouts or drills. Jean-Francois did not run the 40, which probably kept him from completely killing his draft stock.  Ricky needed to look more like Jean-Claude than Jean-Francois for this combine.

Ohio State  MLB James Laurinaitis

With all due respect I've never been impressed by this kid as he is representative of the entire OSU program: over-hyped and never delivers in the clutch. For example, an average 40 time did not wow anyone running in the 4.8 range. Laurinaitis looked like an average athlete and did not show the flexibility and agility that would have solidified him as a first-rounder in going through other drills. I think he was a very solid LB in college but to receive the hoopla he did was undeserved and the combine is the first step of the NFL exposing this young man.

Michigan DT Terrance Taylor

Taylor was one of the few bright lights in a very dismal year for Michigan. Taylor did lead all DT in the bench press hoisting 225 37 times. His stock had been on the decline lately, but Taylor reversed the trend, showing his quickness in positional along with a great showing on the bench. You could make an argument that he deserved to be in the who impressed category but we will leave him here for now could end up being one of the steals of this draft.
 
USC LB Rey Maualuga

He pulled a hamstring after running an unimpressive 4.89 40. However, unlike Laurinaitis, Maualuga will be a star in the NFL. Anybody checked out Ray Lewis' 40 time lately? Rey is a manimal at LB and that face will be proven as long as he stays healthy. Go ahead and roll with that "p.s. I hope I never run into James Laurinaitis in a dark alley anywhere." Maualuga is the guy you need to be looking out for.

Penn State DE Aaron Maybin

He bulked up to 249 pounds but apparently lost speed, running the 40 in 4.88—not very fast for a speed rusher. This may be the most disappointing, because during the year this kid looked like a missile coming off the edge. Time will only tell if this is an indicator of this kid's true skill set.

Sincerely,

5.1 Forty Clayborne

NFL Combine: If you scared go to church, um...I mean Pro Day

2009-02-25T21:35:00.002-06:00

The NFL Combine has been around since 1982. It started out as a small event that not even all teams participated in to begin with. In 1985, all teams began participation in the combine making it an annual event. It started out as the end all be all for evaluations of draft eligible college players.

Soon, individual workouts became the "in" thing to do with teams flying in players for personal workouts and universities holding pro days where NFL scouts would visit campuses to evaluate universities' draft eligible players.

The individual workouts and pro days were the demise of the mystique and stigma of the NFL combine. Star players would elect to not workout at the combine and defer to workout at their pro day. Star players cited to be more comfortable on their home turf and that they would perform better. I agree with the star players decision to not compete to a degree, but what a farce. I mean, what is going to happen when you are on the road against a hostile crowd and the player you are going up against is a bona-fide Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer. Instead, star players were at the combine just to be measured and interviewed, but not do what they were eventually going to be paid millions of dollars to do which is compete, and that was left to the below the radar guys fighting to get drafted.

The trend was as popular as steroids in baseball. The great Peyton Manning even skipped the workouts at the combine as did several NFL Pro Bowlers, which is another reason why I didn't blame star players for not working out. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Of course the fans want to see the players participate in all drills and show what they got, but as a GM you want to see players compete as well.

Football one of the most physical sports is also one of the most mental sports in terms of pure mental toughness. I hope to one day have kids and tell them this saying so that it will seem more stoic than it is about to right now, but "you can learn a lot from a man by how he plays football." No, working out at the combine is not playing football, but if a "football player" backs away from a workout there is no telling what they are going to do in sticky situations when the pads are on.

In recent years, players have been more aggressive and compted at the combine. Star players who in years past wouldn't have run the 40 yard dash are now running. Case in point, two years ago, Calvin Johnson, the clear cut number one wideout going into the draft, decided at the last minute to run the 40 yard dash. To be frank, he manned up and not only took the challenge, but made everyone else who didn't take the challenge to particpate in all drills at the combine look like a female body part as he ran a 4.35 40 yard dash and solidified his selection as the first recevier off the board.

I say all that to say this. Matthew Stafford is/maybe was the number one QB coming into this draft. He particpated in some drills but not the most important for QBs which is the throwing session. Mark Sanchez who now may be the number one QB coming into this draft elected to throw at the combine. I feel that Sanchez had more to lose because he is only a one-year wonder(starter), and was throwing away from home. His best bet would have been to wait until the USC pro day and perform on his own territory where he would have been more comfortable. Instead, he manned up and competed. He didn't have a great workout, but he had a solid workout. The intangible and most beneficial thing to Sanchez's cause was that he competed and many scouts and GMs came away from Indy apprecitive of Sanchez's fearlessness to workout. They deemed him to have the "it" factor over Stafford.

Stafford will work out of course at the UGA pro day as will Sanchez at USC's pro day. But clearly now the pressure is on Stafford to prove himself. You can't fully blame Stafford, because GMs make moves like that all the time on draft day, selecting a player off of measureables and how much of a safe sure fire pick a player seems to be and not game film. I live for the day when all athletes workout at the combine, and GMs have enough moxy to select a cornerback in the first round who ran a 4.6 40 yard dash, but interviewed well, performed well in all other drills, his game tape speaks for itself and rewards that GMs gamble to the world but smart decision to himself with a great career.

Peace,

Ricky Writer

Defensive Backs, its 40 time!

2009-02-24T12:01:00.003-06:00

The combine has been going on since the 18th and 6Magazine will have an extensive wrap up and overview of the combine tomorrow. Right now, the defensive backs are working out live on NFL Network, so tune into that. 40 time is important but overrated for most positions as it cannot measure instincts and awareness.

The one position where a 40 time truly matters is for a defensive back. Other positions can hide behind schemes and techniques, but for a defensive back, he needs to have pure physical speed on the football field or he will not be in the NFL very long.

Here is a quick excerpt from the University of Florida's head track and field coach, Mike Holloway, courtesy of NFL Network.

Peace,

Riverboat Ricky

Black History Lesson

2009-02-16T17:51:00.002-06:00

February is Black History Month. We all know that or at least I hope we do. You ask why 6Magazine is so late to the game to acknowledge Black History Month. Great question, as it often happens the first two weeks of Black History Month is full throttle from the media, businesses, etc and the last two weeks dies down without a peep. We'll we want to keep the fire burning and end the last two weeks of this great month with the same intensity that is began with.

Without further a due, let the lessons and homage paying begin. I present to you Mr. Marlin Briscoe. The first Black NFL Quarterback. Courtesy of NFL Network.

Peace,

Ricky Writer

Football Is Over.....Boo Who

2009-02-10T10:05:00.000-06:00

Richard and CJ chop it all things football. Enjoy.

Comments Concerns Questions

2009-02-09T16:25:00.004-06:00

6Magazine is new and understands that our whole existence is based on the satisfaction of those who will or have already utilized our online publication and coming shortly our physical magazine. To that end, 6Magazine would like your opinion, questions, concerns, tweaks or for that matter anything on YOUR mind as far as the website and magazine is concerned. We are doing this in order gain the opportunity to learn new ways we can improve our services, web site, and operations. Thank you for taking the time to tell us your questions, concerns, and comments about 6 Magazine. Please leave a comment or email us directly at 6Magazineonline@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support,

RICHARD and CLAUDE

2009 National Signing Day

2009-02-05T12:45:00.003-06:00

Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. It is great for any program to have a top 20 signing day class, but much like the NFL draft you will have plenty of bust. In fact, I feel that they're are more "bust" in college than the pros.

The leap from high school to college is tough, because you may have a kid who was given the world in high school, allowed to skip class, break rules, etc. as long as he performed. Which is the harder leap? High school to college football or college football to the NFL? The leap to college involves tougher academics, boosters, agents, balancing being away from home, new coaches, a rigorous weightlifting schedule, study hall when you are beat up and tired after practice, and girls. Yes, girls, most of fthe time they're more women on campus than they are men, so yes, its a distraction.

The leap from college to pro is tough because you've got money, hype/expectations, family, tickets, life, sponsors, growing up, adjusting to a new city all over again, and even more girls.

To be honest, I think the leap from high school football to college football is much more difficult than college ball to pro ball. There are more distractions, you have to stay eligible, you make one mistake you may get kicked off the team, not to mention the politics that are at every level of football.

Well, with all that said, the hard part is not getting at top ballyhooed recruiting class, its getting them to live up to that ballyhooed hype.

ESPN Rise 2009 Football Signing Class

1. LSU Tigers

The Tigers nabbed 25 recruits and 10 in the ESPN 150. The big name of this class was H-town QB Russell Sheppard who was the #1 athlete in the country. Look for the Tigers rebuilding process to speed up rather quickly.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide

The Tide signed 29 players, 9 of whom were in the ESPN 150. The star of this class is Trent Richardson, #1 RB in the land out of Escambia HS in Pensacola, FL. Look for the loss of Glen Coffee to not sting so hard with this fella coming to town.

3. Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns reloaded well signing 20 recruits, 9 of which are ranked in the ESPN 150. The star of this class is local Lake Travis star QB, Garrett Gilbert, who will wait in the wings while Colt McCoy ends a fabulous career next year and then Gilbert hopes to contend for a starting role.

4. USC Trojans

The Men of Troy only nabbed 17 recruits, but 9 of them are ranked in the ESPN 150. That's a great ratio and part of the reason why they contend for a national title every year. Pure quality. Every Trojan is good and depth is never a problem for them. Sometimes when a lame football game comes on, I'd rather watch the USC spring game, because its loaded with more action and better football. The cream of this class' crop is Cali QB Matt Barkley out of Mater Dei High school, who just happened to be ESPN's #1 overall player.

5. Florida Gators

The defending national champions signed 18 recruits and 9 of them are ranked in the ESPN 150. Andre Debose out of Seminole HS in Samford, FL is the star of this class at WR. He has great timing too, as Percy Harvin departs to the NFL.

That is this year's top 5 class. The real ranking comes in 4 years when you find out what these fellas did to help their programs and how many of them went to the league.

Check out Scout.com's Director, Scott Kennedy, as he breaks down the top 5 signing classes.

Peace,

Ricky Writer

Santonio Saves The Day

2009-02-02T14:57:00.003-06:00

Santonio Holmes balled out plain and simple. Hines Ward is the possession receiver, but he had a bad wheel for the most part, but showed his guts by perfoming last night. So Holmes was called on to be both big play wideout and possession receiver. All he did was nab the Super Bowl MVP award, so I guess we can say he performed well having dual duties.

Some have been so pessimistic to say that this wasn't a good game until the 4th Quarter, but I disagree. There was tension all game long, because even though the Steelers controlled much of the game, you knew and saw first hand the Cardinals ability to strike back quickly. The game started off with a bang as Pittsburgh marched down the field and almost scored a TD but replay review overturned the TD and the Steelers had to settle for a field goal.

The Cards started off slow, and Pittsburgh's next possession was a preview for the rest of the night as Ben Roethlisberger launched a bomb to Nate Washington, and Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie made up 5 yards before our eyes to mis-time his jump and drop an interception but still break up the play. A few plays later on 3rd and 10 Roethlisberger scrambles out of trouble and finds Heath Miller for 11 yards and a first down. It's a mute point now, but if Rodgers-Cromartie intercepts the pass or if they stop Miller from getting a first down, they don't score a field goal.

Let's play shoulda, woulda, coulda shall we, no field goal puts the game 14 -7 Steelers at the half. When the Cardinals came on for thier late rally, with their final touchdown that had the score at 22-20 before their extra point try. You would assume the Cards would have gone for 2 and made it with another jump ball to Larry Fitzgerald, putting the score at 24-20 Cards. Let's say the Steelers still score. There was 35 seconds left on the clock. That is an eternity for the the Cards to get down field into Neil Rackers field goal range. They Cards would not have been pressing so much and Warner would have got the ball out of his hands before he fumbled on the last play.

Hats off to Ben Roethlisberger. He doesn't get his just due because he does not play the convential quarterback style, but for him to freestyle the entire last drive and make the necessary throws for his team to win was outstanding.

What more can you say about Santonio Holmes, 9 grabs for 131 yards and the game winning td. I love Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and his cousin Antoino, but he "got done up" all game long. He was in position several times, but didn't make the big plays that he has in earlier games this postseason. No one stopped Santonio Holmes on the last drive as he grabbed 4 balls for 73 yards as the game winning td.

We must give props to Darnell Dockett who single handedly willed his team back into the game. If two Cardinals defenders played on the same level as Dockett you can all but guarantee a Cardinals win.

Point blank the Steelers were the better team. They controlled the game all game long. But the best team does not always win. The Cardinals made a late game push and had ample chance to win the game if their defense stepped up and made one play. But very times in sports, the best team won. See Super Bowl XLII to see the better team lose.

Last thing to think about, why did it take so long for Todd Haley to get Larry Fitzgerald the ball?

Peace,

Riverboat Ricky

Super Bowl Halftime Analysis

2009-02-02T08:05:00.001-06:00

Richard and CJ chop it up at halftime of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl Preview

2009-02-01T18:00:00.000-06:00

Rich and CJ chop it up Super Bowl style.

2009 NFL Draft Top QBs

2009-01-28T00:43:00.003-06:00

Honorable Mention Nate Davis, Ball State University
5. Rhett Bomar, Sam Houston State University
4. Willie Tuitama, University of Arizona
3. Mark Sanchez, University of Southern California
2. Josh Freeman, Kansas State University
1.Matthew Stafford, University of Georgia

Year after year the public is made to believe that there are sure-fire quarterbacks that flop time and time again. Ryan Leaf or Akili Smith right a bell? This is 6Magazine's ranking of who we think will shine regardless of what the others may lead you to believe. Truth be told it will be at least three or four years before you can truly rank any draft class. Here is why we ranked them the way we did.

Nate Davis is yet another great quarterback produced by the MAC just like Byron Leftwich, Chad Pennington, and Ben Roethlisberger. Davis is of the shorter variety and that will hurt him in the NFL. Davis however remains one of the hotter topics among this years quarterback class, we rank him where we did because of lack of size and mid-level competition, but he will be a good quarterback in the NFL.

Bomar however controversial you think he is has a great arm, above average mobility and the swagger to lead an NFL team. It does not hurt being a true 6'2" either. Bomar has a checkered past, but in the right system he has the potential to be the best of bunch.

Willie Tuitama is the name that has you scratching your head right now, but the kid led the Pac-10 with 28 touchdowns his Junior year. I like Tuitama for one reason he is tough nosed and was a started for Mike Stoops and the Wildcats for three and a half years. Tuitama is often downed for locking on to receivers and not being the most accurate on throws deeper than 15 yards. However if you look at the last 2 games of his career (ASU and BYU) he has that "it" factor. Tuitama may be the Tom Brady of this year's class (hell no I'm not saying he is anywhere near as good) but he will be a damn good deal to whomever picks him up in the later rounds.

Mark Sanchez is the hottest commodity since cheese this year. I really feel he is an awesome talent but should really have come back to hone his game another year at USC. However, Sanchez looked at the awesome depth of 2010's quarterback class and left when he should have unlike Matt Leinart a few years back. Sanchez has good arm strength, mechanics, mobility, and quick release, which is why some argue he is the most NFL ready QB in this years class. I rank him third and that is that.

Josh Freeman is big, has an excellent arm, and is more mobile than his size would lead you to believe. Perhaps his best assets are his experience and three years of being the best player on his team. Freeman is no Poor-Man's JaMarcus Russell as he has been tabbed. He is a talent that will shine when he gets his opportunity in the NFL. Freeman shined against best competition KSU faced the OU Sooners and Texas Longhorns of the world. Being 6'6" does not hurt either. Like Tuitama he may not be high on everybody's draft board, but is the sleeper to me among all of the quarterbacks. Keep an eye on Freeman as he has all the tools to be an elite quarterbacks in the NFL.

Matthew Stafford, the Georgia Junior, is an extremely talented QB coming from a pro-style offense. He has amazing arm strength with great mechanics and pocket presence. He still needs to work on decision-making and intermediate accuracy. I've been following Stafford A.K.A. "The Howitzer" since his high school days at Highland Park in Dallas. "Tremendous Arm" is all I can say. He makes all the throws and has great vision. Furthermore, he does not get credit for being as mobile as he is, and can move around the pocket against the ferocious pass rush he will face in the coming years. Stafford had an amazing season at Georgia even though their offensive line was suspect most of the season. I give the edge to Stafford because he played in a pro style offense against the best defenses in the country (SEC) for three years and did a damn good job. Stafford will be the first quarterback off the board and probably the first player taken as well, and much deservedly so.

Sincerely,

DON'T JUDGE ME CLAYBORNE

2009 NFL DRAFT top RBs

2009-01-27T20:40:00.004-06:00

Tis I Riverboat Ricky,

Remember I said I hated when football season ended several blogs ago because I have been MIA lately. Well yes, I do hate it when football season ends, but the NFL draft tithes me over until May, and then my life, esteem, and weight take a nose dive. The Super Bowl is Sunday so let's get a head start on all this draft mess.

Top 5 RBs

5. Donald Brown UCONN
4. Shonn Greene Iowa
3. Beanie Wells The Ohio State University
2. Knowshon Moreno Georgia
1. LeSean McCoy Pitt

I can hear all of the Georgia fans now telling me how stupid I must be. Knowshon Moreno is a great running back, but LeSean McCoy will be the better pro. Who will be taken first off the board, Moreno of course. Any true football fan should know that "draft experts" and GM's never make the proper decisions. These are the same guys that thought Ryan Leaf would be a better pro than Peyton Manning, the same guys that selected former Cardinals WR Bryant Johnson in the 1st round of the 2003 draft ahead of current Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin who was selected in the 2nd round. LeSean is a quicker, faster, and a better runner and all around back compared to Moreno. Don't get me wrong Moreno is a stud and will succeed in the NFL. This race for the best rb will be as close as Ricky Williams and Edgerrin James in 1999 draft.

Be sure to visit 6Magazine for in depth profiles on each of these soon to be NFL running backs. For now watch Mr. McCoy do his thing.

Peace,

Riverboat Ricky

Reynolds Wrap Rant

2009-01-26T13:36:00.002-06:00

Ok, with football season winding down, I just wanted to write down some things that annoyed me this, and every other year about football. Some things I had noticed before and some things I hadn’t.

Let me preface this by saying that football (college or pro) is the greatest game that there is. The ultimate team game and the only one of our major sports that encourages outright violence and gives one opponent the ability to impose its will on the other (except for boxing I guess, but hey I said major sports).

If I hear one more commentator say “Chase Daniels” instead of Daniel; I might jump head first into a dumpster fire. Hey, I don’t like Mizzou and don’t pull for Daniel, but good Lord the kid’s name is Daniel….no "s" on the end. You guys are supposed to be professionals, come on!! Oh, and just so we can get this straight commentator guys, there is no such thing as a forward latera. It does not exist. Look it up in Webster’s and you will see that you cannot have a “forward” lateral. It would be called an illegal forward pass. And for that matter, anything passed backwards is just that: a backwards pass, not a lateral!

The thing that really drives me crazy is the next one. I am in fact trying to calm myself down now as I type so that I am not too enraged by simply writing it down. It is called a "shovel pass". Not shuttle and not shuffle. A shuttle is what you ride to the airport and shuffle is what a senior citizen does on the sidewalk on the way to Luby’s. Shovel pass!

With respect to the game itself, I have a few rants there too. The next player that fields a punt inside the 10 yard line should be fined (NFL) or benched by the special teams coach. There is nothing good that can happen from fielding a punt inside the 10 yard line. As a special teams coach, I would completely accept it if a punter could make a punt bite and sit down inside the 10 yard line like Tiger Woods with a sand wedge. I’ll take my chances. I mean as the punt returner put your heels on the ten and don’t you dare move a step backwards. I pretty much go hoarse from screaming at the TV about this next one. As a quarterback when you are scrambling out of the pocket and trying to avoid being sacked if you run out of bounds and take the loss of yards without throwing the ball away you should never be allowed to play the position again, ever! It’s pretty much the most routine and obvious thing you can do which is throw the ball away. I’m not even complaining about trying to make a play down field or running for the first down that’s fine, I understand you have to run out of bounds, but throw the ball away.

I’m sure that I could think of a few more but believe me my blood is starting to boil and the bad thing is I’ve got a little over seven months before I have regular football to watch, dissect, and scream about. I guess that is the beauty of this game. I am so in love with it that I can sit and scream at the TV and pull for my favorite team and come back for more the next week with a smile on my face.

Peace Out,

The Reynolds Rap

6Magazine Chop Ups Vol. 1

2009-01-23T15:29:00.000-06:00

Wacky World of Recruiting

2009-01-23T13:27:00.003-06:00

As national signing day for college football approaches the world of recruiting again proves to be a fickle mistress that is as easy to predict as Texas weather. Several recruits who remain open in their commitments seem to flirt with any and every school who will listen. Still others, who have already committed, seem to change their minds concerning the school they wish to play for about as often as Brittany Spears changes her image. Eric Ward (5-10, 190lb WR; Wichita Falls, Tx) was committed to Oklahoma since his junior season but has just recently switched his commitment to Texas Tech and to top it off enrolled for classes a week ago so he could go through spring practice with the Red Raiders. Darius Jones (6-0, 185lb ATH; Marshall, Tx), another defection for the Sooners, recently changed his commitment from OU to Baylor. Electing to play a little closer to home and was also enticed by a chance for early playing time.

I have to admit, making a potentially life altering decision when you are 17 or 18 isn’t something that many are equipped to do. In this world of text messaging, email, Wi-Fi, and DVR (by the way the best invention of all time) we want results now and don’t want to wait for opportunities down the road. I can’t say that I blame an athlete for wanting to go to a school where he would have the opportunity to succeed right away. I also see the point in going to a program that is a national power and contends for a national title year in and year out. Recruiting is a strange beast and it is always hard to know what will swing a young person’s opinion from one moment to the next.

Don’t feel too bad for the Sooners; however, they did get commitments from four very highly touted prospects just last week. They are some names that maybe most are familiar with: Trent Williams, Jermaine Gresham, Gerald McCoy, and oh yeah some guy named Sam Bradford. That’s right, recruiting isn’t always about the next blue chip high school recruit, sometimes it’s as much about keeping great players from jumping for millions of dollars in the NFL. What can I say? It’s a very nice problem to have for the top 10-12 teams in the country. They have their pick of the litter from top high school seniors and they have really good talent that coaches have to somehow talk into staying around to win another title……the rich get richer.

The Reynolds Rap

More Weak Hearts Pushed To The Brink of Quitting

2009-01-22T01:45:00.003-06:00

Too add to my friend and business partner's previous article, I too have almost given up on sports several times. A few examples of my sports related trauma incidents are:

Colorado losing to Notre Dame in 1989
Chris Webber and the Time Out
Alabama Beating Miami in the Sugar Bowl
Arkansas losing to UCLA for the National Championship...damn O'Bannon's(basketball)
OU losing to LSU, USC, and Florida all for National Titles (pathetic)
Miami losing to Ohio State in 2002
Memphis losing to Kansas on my birthday for the National Championship
Losing the 4A Oklahoma State Football Championship twice in high school
KSU losing to Texas A&M in the 1998 BIG 12 title game
Any OU loss to Texas
Any Colorado Loss to Nebraska

I have grieved alone for many days and pondered the real meaning of life after every excruciating loss I have endured on my 26 years on this earth. I feel my man, Rich'ard Bod'wah, as we feel the same pain we got through the constant "what ifs" for weeks and weeks after the loss that you were hanging your hat on.

The loss that you needed to be a win, losing is more than a score . It's the amount of shit you talk to "haters" who think that your team could possibly lose, and being the die-hard fan, the idea that "your team" could lose does not cross your mind. Conversely, after fighting tooth and fucking nail as an armchair quarterback for four quarters, you realize that defeat is imminent, you turn off your phone first, then your tv, and begrudgingly admit defeat.

As a real fan you cant hide from the pain mentally, and physically your drained. Skip Bayless continues to rub salt in the wound the next day as ESPN continually makes you relive the agony of yet another crucial loss with countless episodes of the same highlights from last night that they claim to be a "live" show. Text messages that let you know you're a loser and not a winner continually make their mark on a phone you wish didn't exist. Facebook statuses are updated, to further the mental agony that is the risk of being a real fan.

How do I live? How do I breathe after a loss that has taken everything from me? Who knows? Time heals all wounds I was told, so I keep fighting and make amends with the sports skeletons in my closet. There will be another season, there will be bigger games, life will move on. "I can't stop wont stop" in the words of Diddy. I have lost many battles, but I will never lose the War! Boadu my friend, hang in there your win will come and your gratification will make itself known. Every sports fan has a manifest destiny. My time will come and so will yours Mr. Ricky Writer, keep the faith dear friend as will I.

The Emotional One,

CLAUDE JR.

I'm Done With Football

2009-01-20T15:52:00.004-06:00

The sun has set on my football fanhood. I just cannot do it anymore. You can only touch a hot stove once before you know it's hot and will burn you. To continue to touch that stove is plain stupid. Well, I am very stupid then. I continue you to root for teams that lose when I NEED them to win. No, I don't have money riding on these games. It is for pure emotional fanhood that I cheer, stress, agonize over games in hopes that the team I am rooting for wins.

Case in point, I watched in agony as the Sooners lost to the Gators a few weeks back. I don't want to go into detail about the pain that was in my heart.

Last weekend, I watched the Cardinals and Eagles go down to the wire. I wanted the Cards to win because I want Edgerrin James to get a ring. No, not every African-American wanted Donovan McNabb to get his first Super Bowl ring this past Sunday. The game was going great for my nerves until the second half. Then Arizona decided to play like shit on a stick. I found myself extremely nervous and agitated with every single play. I wasn't relaxed until the game was actually over. I was enraged when Darnell Dockett recovered the Eagles lateral attempt and tried to take it back to the house. Thankfully no miracles took place and the Cards won.

Onto the next game, the Ravens were the clear underdog and had very little chance of winning this game. But little chance is still better than no chance. The play that changed the game was not Troy Polamalu's interception return for a touchdown. It was Ravens backup CB Frank Walker's lack of a interception that allowed Pittsburgh to keep the ball on 4th down and kick a field goal to go up 9 points. The ball hit Walker between the 4 and the 1 on his jersey and he dropped it. No, Limas Sweed didn't break it up. It was a ball that a man who earned 1.9 million dollars this year with a 1.25 million dollar signing bonus should have caught! If he intercepts that pass, and the Ravens still score on the next drive as they did in the game, the score is 14-13 Ravens up. (Don't let me get started on Asante Samuel's dropped interception in the Super Bowl last year. He picks it off, Pats win, I'm a happy guy. Instead he drops it, bolts for the Eagles, and I'm not so happy guy. I'm still bitter about Asante dippin' to the Eagles also. I understand you have to get that money, but it was a happy team. I'm an Asante fan by the way, die-hard too, but damn he didn't have to jump ship, did he?)

Anyways, Pittsburgh is a good team, but they only rushed for 52 yards in the entire game, and QB Ben Roethlisberger had a 48% completion percentage. I have a funny feeling that if Walker picks off that pass, the Ravens win the game. Rex Ryan, Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and Terrell Suggs vs. Ben Roethlisberger's 48% completion percentage with 3:43 left in the 3rd Quarter and without his goto guy Hines Ward who was injured in the 2nd Qtr. I'll take the Ravens all day long.

I was crushed that the Ravens lost, and driven to near death by the Sooners defeat. I will admit I am pulling for Edgerrin James and the Cardinals to win this Super Bowl. If they don't? I don't know if my heart can take it. I am seriously considering giving up sports. The loses are not good on my young heart. I can only imagine how Bob Stoops or Marv Levy must feel. These loses have made me understand what it is like to be a coach and the toll it takes. I think I'll steer my kids away from sports or else I'll be a crazy father much like Jeff Xavier's brother Jonathan.

I know good and well I'll go off the deep end at least once in my lifetime when I have children and they are playing sports. Nevertheless, I do not celebrate Lent, but my church always commits to a fast for 40 days. Maybe I'll give up sports all together.

Peace out,

Ricky Writer

Overlooked

2009-01-16T13:46:00.005-06:00

The quarterback on defense is normally the middle linebacker, but in these two NFL Conference Championship games this weekend the defensive quarterbacks will be the safeties. You've heard about Brian Dawkins, Troy Polamalu, and Ed Reed, but Antrel Rolle or Adrian Wilson of the Cardinals have been left out of the conversation this week.

Although left out of the conversation, both of these safeties are playing out of their minds.

Wilson, who is an 8 year veteran out of NC State has played solid over the past two playoff games with 9 tackles and 1 forced fumble. In the regular season, he had 75 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 picks.

Rolle, who is a 4 year veteran out of "The U" has been playing out of his mind these last two games. Rolle has 9 tackles and 1 pick and has made countless other plays that are not shown in the stat columns. Rolle is in his first season as a full-time free safety, making the move from cornerback with the drafting of rookie CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Yes, the big name safeties in these two games deserve the attention they have garnered, but the Cardinals hands down have the best secondary and safety tandem in these two games. You have to be a die hard fan or look at the depth chart to name Polamalu, Dawkins, or Reed's sidekick at safety, while you know the names Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle of the top of your head.

These two safeties will give Donovan McNabb a hard time this weekend and will be the key to victory for the Cardinals. Jim Johnson's Eagle defense is great, but Kurt Warner who was snubbed for the MVP award this year will manage to put points on the board. The Cardinals overcame the hump last week by winning in the Eastern time zone in cold weather. They also toughened up and held the great Panthers rushing attack to only 75 yards. Look for the Eagles offense to struggle against the Cardinals defense, and the Cardinals to put up just enough points to go on to the Super Bowl.

Peace,

Ricky Writer

Defensive Trio Return to USC

2009-01-14T01:08:00.002-06:00

The USC Trojans received a huge boost for 2009, when head coach Pete Carroll announced Monday, that All-American safety Taylor Mays, cornerback Josh Pinkard and tailback C.J. Gable would return next season.

Mays' return bolsters a defense that lost its entire starting linebacker corps, two defensive linemen and safety Kevin Ellison. Mays, an All-American and Thorpe Award finalist, was projected as a first-round draft pick in the NFL draft. Juniors and third-year sophomores, including quarterback Mark Sanchez, have until Thursday to declare for the April draft. Josh Pinkard, who plays cornerback and safety, is awaiting word from the NCAA regarding his petition for a sixth year of eligibility.

Pinkard was honorable mention All Pacific-10 Conference selection last season after missing two seasons with knee injuries. Mays and Pinkard return means USC's defense suddenly does not look as weak as it was expected when their departures were prematurely assumed. The Trojans expected to lose 10 starters but will return starting corner Shareece Wright, who redshirted in 2008 following a neck injury along with the afore mentioned Mays and Pinkard.

The big question now for USC is the future of quarterback Mark Sanchez. He is expected to return for his senior season, but that decision could be altered if Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford announces he is turning pro before Thursday's deadline. NFL analysts project Sanchez could be the No. 2 quarterback taken in the draft behind Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford if Bradford stays in college.

Mays announcement that he will return will definitely help USC remain the dominant team it has been in the last decade. Mays return eases the blow of losing the stars of the linebacking core Rey Maluanga and Brian Cushing. Look for USC to dominate even if Sanchez does not return for the 2009 season. Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain are more than adequate replacements for Sanchez should he enter the NFL Draft. Corp and Mustain were top tier recruits coming out of high school.

USC will again be dominant with the return of these three key players back to TROY. We all know the Trojans have a reload system every year like no other team has had in the last two decades. Don’t be surprised if the Trojans bring it home in 2009. Best of luck to Gable, Mays, and Pinkard in 09’.

Sincerely,

C for Victors

What Did We Learn From the 2008-2009 Bowl Season

2009-01-13T19:59:00.002-06:00

College Football is over. The NFL season will soon be over and I'll be in tears having to watch meaningless basketball and endless baseball. Can't cry over spilt milk so lets give a quick run down of the bowls.

Eagle Bank Bowl

Wake Forest 29 vs. Navy 19

The Midshipmen are going to back to form when Paul Johnson left to Georgia Tech, which means a lot of losses. If Wake Forest basketball keeps going down hill, this will no longer be a basketball school.

New Mexico Bowl

Colorado State 40 vs. Fresno State 35

It was the Bulldogs' game to win, but they didn't take the Rams serious. I still respect Pat Hill's play you anytime anywhere approach.

Magic Jack St. Petersburg Bowl

Memphis 14 vs. South Florida 41

Matt Grothe went out on a win. I doubt if he'll star in the league. But USF, UCF, and FAU will all start making noise in the near future. There is too much talent in Florida for these teams not to excel.

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl

Arizona 31 vs. BYU 21

BYU started off so hot. If people show you who they are believe them. Say the same thing about Mike Stoops. Mike is a fighter, on the cusp of being fired this season to not only take the Wildcat to their first bowl in several seasons but to win it over a good BYU team. About time a Stoops won a bowl.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Southern Miss 30 vs. Troy 27

I didn't even watch this game. I'm not going to lie about it. But when is Southern Miss going to make the leap to powerhouse, they've played the "respectable spoiler role" for way to long.

San Diego Credit Union Poinsetta Bowl

Boise State 16 vs. TCU 17

The Non-BCS championship was a good game. TCU fought, scratched and willed their way to a one point win. Can we get a Non-BCS team ranked in the Top 12 for next season please. Come on dogg, they deserve it.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

Notre Dame 49 vs. Hawaii 21

Notre Dame finally wins a bowl game in 9 years. They are lucky they didn't play last year's Hawaii team. Weis is still on the hot seat, and Jimmy C is still overrated.

Motor City Bowl

Florida Atlantic 24 vs. Central Michigan 21

As I stated earlier. FAU, USF, and UCF will soon make national noise, USF and UCF have done so in previous seasons, but I'm talking with consistency.

Meineke Car Care Bowl

West Virginia 31 UNC 30

It was UNC's game to win, and they gave it away to WVU. Pat White went out on a win. Butch Davis is a poor man's Pete Carroll. Look for the Tar Heels to get back to those Mack Brown days.

Champs Sports Bowl

Wisconsin 13 vs. FSU 42

Bobby Bowden still has his mojo, but Wisconsin fell off big time. They still had P.J. Hill and did more than underacheive this season.

Emerald Bowl

Miami 17 vs. California 24

It was the Jacory Harris and Jahvid Best show. The Best man won.

Independence Bowl

Northen Illinois 10 vs. LA Tech 17

The most boring game of the entire bowl season.

NC State 23 vs. Rutgers 29

Russell Wilson was the best true freshman quarterback no one talked about all year long. I hope he didn't get hurt too bad, because baseball season is coming. Oh yah, he is a two sport stud for the Wolfpack. It was nice to see Tiquan Underwood and Mike Teel go out on a win.

Valero Alamo Bowl

Mizzou 30 vs. Northwestern 23

What happened to Chase Daniel? They won, but it is not the same Chase. Also say goodbye to J-Mac as he dips to the league next season.

Humanitarian Bowl

Maryland 42 vs. Nevada 35

Maryland RB Da'Rel Scott was benched 2.5 quarters for missing curfew. You'd think he'd be a tad bit rusty when he got in the game. Nope, 174 yards on 14 carries and 2 touchdowns. Hell of a way to get out of the dog house.

Texas Bowl

Western Michigan 14 vs. Rice 38

Chase Clement to Jarrett Dillard vs. Western Michigan, nuff said.

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl

Oregon 42 vs. Oklahoma State 31

The beginning of the demise of the Big 12 in the 2008-2009 bowl season. The Pokes were up 17-7 after the first half. They flat out got out muscled.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

Houston 34 vs. Air Force 28

Kevin Sumlin ended Houston's bowl win drought since 1980. Black head coach ladies and gentleman. Take notice please.

Sun Bowl

Oregon St. 3 vs. Pittsburgh 0

The most boring game of the bowl season. I felt like I was watching a soccer game. It was probably because Jacquizz or James Rodgers played in the game because both were out with shoulder industries.

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl

Boston College 14 vs. Vanderbilt 16

Vanderbilt wins it's first bowl game in 53 years.

Insight Bowl

Kansas 42 vs. Minnesota 21

KU wideout Desmond Briscoe is the next big thing. 14 grabs 201 yards and 3tds.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl

LSU 38 vs. GA Tech 3

I'm 26 and my little brother is 12. No matter how hard he tries he'll never beat me in a game of one on one basketball. I'm bigger, stronger, and faster. LSU has better athletes point blank.

Outback Bowl

South Carolina 10 vs. Iowa 31

When the Ol' Ball coach first arrived at USC it was said once he got the recruits, he'd be back. We'll he has had the recruits for a while now and is still losing.

Capital One Bowl

Georgia 24 vs. MSU 12

Another story of the Big 10 being defeated by the SEC in a bowl game. Adios to Knoshown and Mr. Stafford.

Gator Bowl

Nebraska 26 vs. Clemson 21

Aside from the Sooners, Clemson has been one of the most disappointing teams this season. Roy Helu was injured much of the game, but look out for him next season, he's the best RB you've never heard of.

Rose Bowl

Penn St. 24 vs. USC 38

I mean, did anyone really think Penn St. would win. Is USC tailback U or quarterback U, Palmer, Leinhart, Booty, and Sanchez. Sanchez threw for 413 yards and 4 tds.

FedEx Orange Bowl

Cincinnati 7 vs. VA Tech 20

Good old fashioned Beamer ball. VA Tech's vitals: 258 rushing yards, 39 minutes time of possession, and 4 takeaways. Having Macho Harris on your team doesn't hurt either.

Cotton Bowl

Ole Miss 47 vs. Texas Tech 34

Ole Miss always had the athletes, now they have the coach in Houston Nutt and the QB in Jevan Snead. You saw them beat LSU 31-13 this year.

Autozone Liberty Zone

Kentucky 25 vs. East Carolina 19

ECUs 2008 season should be a ride at Six Flags.

Sugar Bowl

Utah 31 vs. Alabama 17

The only undefeated team in the FBS.

International Bowl

Uconn 38 vs. Buffalo 20

I was rooting for Buffalo or maybe their coach Turner Gill, either way, I didn't get what I wanted, but Uconn deserved to win.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State 21 vs. Texas 24

Ohio State lost this game. Texas didn't win it. My question is why wait until the end of the season to run a two man quarterback system. Todd Boeckman proved he couldn't cut it in last year's bowl game and the beginning of this season. Terrelle Pryor outplayed him so why was Boeckman rewarded. Also, why in the world would you run a zero coverage blitz at the end of the game on your own 26 yard line?

GMAC Bowl

Ball State 13 vs. Tulsa 45

Total domination from the coaches to the players. Ball State QB Nate Davis might want to stay in college.

BCS National Championship Game

OU 14 vs. Florida 24

Why doesn't Bob Stoops eat cereal, because he always loses the bowls. He was out-coached for the third season in a row in a BCS bowl game. Coming into the game OU was 76/80 in the red zone. The Sooners went 2/4 in the red zone, and that proved to be the difference in the game.

Chokelahoma

2009-01-09T21:32:00.002-06:00

The Oklahoma Sooners squandered an opportunity for an eighth national title last night in the national championship game. Give all the credit to Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin and Brandon Spikes for leading a determined Florida effort.

The truth of the matter is that as much as the aforementioned Gator trio helped the Gator nation, the Oklahoma Sooners lost this game more than Florida won it. Oklahoma finished 5th in the country in Red Zone scoring percentage at a 93% clip. Oklahoma failed twice to score in the Red Zone against the Gators. Furthermore, crucial turnovers also limited the formerly potent Oklahoma offense to only 14 points. Previous to entering the Pro Player Stadium, the Sooners scored the most points in the history of college football in a single season.

I blame coaching. Oklahoma was not “out-athleted”, they simply played very conservative and their attack was very vanilla. So vanilla that it was the attack of Braum's, Blue Bell, and Ben and Jerry's. Charlie Strong blitzed early and often and also added a new wrinkle putting Janoris Jenkins on Ryan Broyles in the slot more similar to an NFL defensive scheme than a college one and it really stifled the Sooners all night. Another big reason that the Sooners were limited offensively was the absence of Demarco Murray, whose jitterbug style and break away speed was sorely missed as Chris brown’s straight ahead style was not as effective as Murray’s would have been if he was healthy. The Oklahoma defense was stellar holding the Gators to 24 points and really giving the Sooners ample opportunity to win the game on the offensive end.

You really have to hang this loss on Bob Stoops and the Sooner offensive game plan, which stunk even though there was still opportunity to win. A birdie has sent me a message saying that as of last night David Boren confirmed that Stoops was leaving to take the head-coaching job for the Denver Broncos. I don’t know how true this is but it may be the motivation OU needs to take their game to the next level.

Oklahoma reigns dominant over college football besides games that matter, which is basically an oxymoron. To lose half of the last 6 national championships is unacceptable. Furthermore, the only title that Stoops won was with what was on of his least talented teams at OU with John Blake's players. Superman(Tebow) and Spikes should garner praise as great leaders for Florida, but is was Oklahoma’s lack of an on field leader that was the impetus downfall for the Sooners throwing a national title in the trash once again.

Sincerely,

Big Game Clayborne

What Florida Needs to Do to Win

2009-01-07T15:24:00.003-06:00

The Gators need to be who they are to win the game. Who are the Gators? The fastest team in America that's who. Jeff Demps, Brandon James, Chris Rainey, Percy Harvin, Joe Haden, etc. Speed kills and the Gators will need it to defeat the Sooners.

Offense

The Gators do not need to worry much about the Sooners defense. It sucks bottom line. The way Florida went blow for blow with the vaunted Alabama defense shows me that they will have no problem with the Sooners defense. Stay balanced with Tebow, Demps, and Rainey in the run game. Harvin should be back to full speed, and if not a 3/4 speed Percy Harvin is still a threat at anytime to break a big play. Wideouts David Nelson and Riley Cooper showed they can step up and perform well if called on. The Gators' 3rd ranked scoring offense versus the Sooners 58th ranked scoring defense has the clear advantage.

Defense

The Gators defense will be the key to the game. The Sooners have yet to face a defense this fast this season. The defensive line doesn't have big name stars that are known to the world, but all four of these guys are emerging. The linebacking core is solid, and Brandon Spikes, a first team All-American is the heart and sould of the defense, and the best player. He is able to defend the pass and the run, leading the Gators in tackles with 87 and second on the team with 4 picks.

The Gators have to get substitutes in and out the game fast dealing with the Sooners no huddle offense. Sam Bradford must be rattled for the Gators to win. He cannot stand comfortable in the pocket and pick apart the secondary. The Gators can get pressure on Bradford with their front four, but Bradford is athletic enough to dodge the one defender that will get through, and still be able to make the pass down field. This is why the Gators must blitz the Sooners with a vengeance. The Florida linebackers have enough speed to get to the Bradford before he can make the hot-read and get the throw off accurately.

Sooners RB Chris Brown is very efficient and backup Mossis Madu will provide some of the explosion lost with RB Demarco Muarry out of the game. Florida needs to be weary of quick hit running plays, draws and screens.

Special Teams

Mardy Gilyard and Jordan Shipley ring a bell. Both wideouts ran back kickoffs against the Sooners this season. Many other KR have gotten huge chunks of yards against the Sooners kickoff coverage. If Brandon James is able to break one for a score it could be the difference in the game. Also, the Sooners will score against the Gators, so James will have beaucoups of opportunities to return kicks, so even if he doesn't break the long one, his 23.6 KO return average will take a huge boost against the Sooners shotty coverage placing the Gators in great field position all game long.

If the Gators listen to me, they will win.

Peace,

Ricky Writer