Hey Tom Brady, We Want Our Soul Back

Those lucky New Englanders are certainly enjoying a golden era for their sports franchises right now.

The Patriots look re-loaded to make another Super Bowl run for 2009, the Red Sox are always in the hunt for the World Series, and the Celtics won the NBA Title just last year.

Not long ago, the Bay Area had the same winning aura as the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders won Super Bowls in the 1980 and 1981 season.

Then we had the Giants and A’s playing each other in the 1989 Earthquake World Series, and consistent playoff runs by Chris Mullin and the Golden State Warriors.

As of today, it looks like the Bay Area sports scene resides in the lowest depths of Dante’s Inferno.

How in the world did the New Englanders get such good vibes?

Well, Tom Brady brought it with him, straight from the Bay Area.

Brady grew up in the Bay Area and attended Serra High School in San Mateo, the same school that produced Barry Bonds and Lynn Swann.

Stories date back to Brady as a child being in the Candlestick Park stands on that fateful day when Joe Montana threw a pass to Dwight Clark that would forever be known as “The Catch.”

In an era of Madden curses and superstitious coaches, maybe it’s time to think even more out of the box as our Bay Area sports teams continue to get punched in the mouth year after year.

The day Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe, the Patriots have never looked back winning three out of four Super Bowls in an era where parity and the salary cap destroy dynasties, not create them.

Doesn’t this sound all too familiar?

I remember a fellow named Joe Montana taking over for Steve DeBerg and never looking back.

The 1981 49ers and the 2001 Patriots tell a similar story of teams that came out of nowhere to become champions.

History sometimes has a tendency to repeat itself and all that good karma we had for two decades grew up, packed up, went to Michigan, got drafted in the sixth round, and is now ready to lead one of the most loaded offenses in the NFL after being injured for the season on opening day.

Brady’s roots have forever linked the Patriots dynasty with our own.

Their rise to power was eerily similar and having a Bay Area son lead the charge makes the agony worse.

With all that fortune in New England, the once spoiled Bay Area fans are left scratching their heads.

This past decade has not been kind for the 49ers, Raiders, Giants, Athletics and Warriors.

There were a few playoff appearances, but we haven’t seen a good team in this area since the Oakland Raiders’ Super Bowl run in 2002, and the “We Believe” Golden State Warriors of 2007.

For almost two decades, all the Bay Area saw was New England type of success because back then, it was re-tool and re-load.

Now, the mighty have fallen so far. It’s just time to face that fact that this is an era of Bay Area sports that is frustrating and heartbreaking.

Hey Tom, can you send some of that New England fortune back over to us in the Bay Area?

We owned it first, SO GIVE IT BACK!

The Schottey Six: Top NFL Offenses for 2009

Welcome to the Schottey Six.

Top 10s are yesterday’s news. The Schottey Six is the new and improved way of counting down the top everything in the NFL. This offseason we’re going to start by looking at the top offenses, defenses and special teams units next season.

Any ideas for future Schottey Sixes? Let me know!

John Kasay Was Inspired to Inspire Others

Please read Panthers’ PK John Kasay, Man of Inspiration at The Charlotte Observer‘s website.  This story grasped my heart as well as my intellect.

Too often, I view athletes primarily through a lens of statistics and accomplishments.  Frequently, we tend to stereotype placekickers in the NFL as eccentric oddballs or nerds who can help their team win a game with a needed field goal as the time runs out.

Therefore, I enjoy reading, reflecting, and responding to a human interest story about an athlete, even a placekicker who has kicked in the NFL seemingly forever—19 seasons.

I see that Kasay wants to lead a conference to inspire NFL coaches and their wives to inspire others.  Kasay, his wife, and his outreach ministry are all inspirational.

But guess who in this story inspires me the most?  Kasay’s high school coach: Billy Henderson of Clarke Central High School in Athens, Ga. 

Henderson is 80-years-old and retired now.  I used to live in Georgia and I recall a few of Henderson’s Clarke Central teams losing in the AAAA or AAAAA State Championship game two or three times to Valdosta High School. His teams annually competed into the state of Georgia playoffs.

Between his high school and NFL career, John Kasay kicked for my Georgia Bulldogs, also in Athens, GA.

Please read the article again.  Think about the person or people who inspired you and your life.

Behind almost every athlete, not matter how successful or not they end up performing on the professional level, was a coach, a parent, a teacher, or a community leader who inspired them in middle school or in high school, if not both.

Behind almost every writer here at Bleacher Report who inspires us, there was probably one or more people in their lives who inspired them to be the best that they can be.

Isn’t that a significant part of what life is really all about?

The Red and Gold Empire: A San Francisco 49er Poem

Once upon a time…

The Empire of Red and Gold once existed in these parts, an empire to be remembered for all time. This Empire emerged from the ashes of a kingdom that only knew defeat.

On that fateful day in 1982, the kingdom by the Bay exclaimed “Montana to Clark, Montana to Clark” as the Blue and Silver Boys from Texas watched “The Catch” in disbelief.       

Something special was born that day and the kingdom would live in prosperity as the Empire claimed victory after victory until they stood and reigned supreme on the summit five times.

The members of the Empire were many and all were treated like family as the king Eddie D. showered his men with respect.

Eddie D’s right hand man and second in command called Walsh drew up battle plans that would eventually be studied by all of the kingdoms.

Montana was the field general who commanded the troops into battle with a calm and cool that made him legendary throughout all kingdoms.

A man named Collinsworth believed Montana was not even human as the Empire vanquished their foes from the kingdom of Cincinnati.

Craig, Watters, and Hearst battled through the trenches and laid their bodies on the line without abandon as Clark, Solomon, Rice, Taylor and Owens streaked down the battlefields leaving destruction in their wake.

In the trenches, Jones, Sapolu, Cross, Paris, Barton, Wallace, McIntyre, and many other behemoths paved the way for the troops.

Lott was the enforcer left in charge of defending the Empire as Romanowski, Turner, Haley, Reynolds, Dean, Carter, Wright, Hicks, BY, Stubblefield, McDonald, Sanders, Hanks, Norton, Woodall, and many more defenders laid waste to those that dared to challenge the Empire.

Montana and Walsh would eventually leave, but a new field general named Young emerged as Walsh’s former pupil Seifert would take over the battle plans.

The Empire continued to reign as faces changed and a new generation came to power.

Then a Nation of Raiders returned in 1995 to challenge the Empire in the kingdom by the Bay, but the Empire continued to thrive and win battle after battle.

Another pupil of Walsh, Mariucci, took the battle plans over from Seifert and success still continued for the Empire.

Then on another fateful day in 1998, the king Eddie D. was gone and the Empire was left in confusion.

A year later, Young laid lifeless on the battlefield and a kid named Garcia who grew up in the kingdom watching the Empire grow in stature became the new field general, only to live in the shadows of Montana and Young.

After two tumultuous years in 1999 and 2000, the legendary Rice was banished from the Empire and re-emerged with the Nation of Raiders.

The Empire would reload with young men and enjoyed more success, but the reign of the Empire would last until 2002.

Mariucci was also banished and many more decided to flee the crumbling Empire. Owens, Hearst, Garcia, and many more are no longer here.

The Empire now lay in ruins with only memories left for those old enough that still live in the kingdom by the Bay.

A new empire of Patriots from the East has emerged led by Brady, a former citizen of the kingdom by the Bay.

Brady had loved the Empire as a child and now has created one of his own.

The San Francisco 49ers were once the Red and Gold Empire that brought much joy to our Bay Area kingdom.

The citizens of the kingdom wait once again for the Empire to be reborn…..but the memories remain to torment us in a future that holds so many questions.

However, these same memories are our source of hope that brighter days will shine upon our shattered Empire.

We can only wish for our new savior to emerge and rebuild the Empire that we loved so much.

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Five Steelers That Need To Step Up in 2009

Since free agency came to the NFL, teams must have young or new players step up and take over important roles. The Steelers are a prime example of teams that excel at this.

The Steelers develop their own and teach them to be Steelers.

If the Steelers want to repeat as Super Bowl Champions, these five players will have to step up.

The two men in this picture will make sure that they do.

Hot Java! 49ers Hope That Coffee Can Perk Up Running Game.

When the San Francisco 49ers drafted Alabama Crimson Tide running back Glen Coffee in the middle of the third round of this past April’s NFL Draft, they envisioned a player that would complement All-Pro running back Frank Gore (who coincidentally was drafted in the third round as well).

At Alabama, Coffee was very productive for the Crimson Tide. In 35 games (17 starts) for the Crimson Tide, Coffee rushed for 2,107 yards on 410 carries while scoring 14 touchdowns. In his final season at Alabama, Coffee rushed for 1,383 yards and scored 10 touchdowns and was a semi-finalist for the Doak Walker Award which is awarded to college football’s top running back.

In a heated Southeastern Conference game against the rival Kentucky Wildcats last year, Coffee turned in one of his best performances, rushing for 218 yards on 25 carries. Coffee’s 78-yard touchdown run proved to be the difference maker as the Crimson Tide held on for the 17-14 victory. The 2008 All-SEC selection was a force to be reckoned with.

More and more teams in the NFL are relying heavily on running back tandems.

For example, Carolina Panthers electrifying runner DeAngelo Williams had 273 carries for 1,515 rushing yards with 18 touchdowns. His backup, sledgehammer Jonathan Stewart rushed for 836 yards on 184 carries and 10 touchdowns. Williams and Stewart were major reasons in the Panthers finishing third in the NFL in rushing (152.3) a game and a (12-4) season.

Coffee’s addition should help improve a 49ers rushing attack that ranked 27th in yards a game (99.9) in 2008 and give Gore more rest throughout the season. Gore runs so hard that he’s susceptible to big hits and missed games.

Since his breakout 2006 season when he rushed for a franchise record 1,695 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 starts, Gore’s starts have decreased since. In 2007, he started 15 games, and 14 games last year. Gore still managed to rush for 1,036 yards and six touchdowns on 240 carries in 2008.

The 6’0″, 209 lbs. Coffee is built a bit unusual. With thin hips, Coffee lacks the bulk in the core and lower body to be a tremendous power runner. With a running style that’s reminiscent of former Crimson Tide, Shaun Alexander, Coffee likes to run over defenders but has been know to go down easy at times. But, the 49ers do believe that the combination of Gore and Coffee will translate into a stronger running game.

Even though Coffee was known more for his running skills at Alabama, he was an underrated receiver out of the back field.

Along with his 1,383 rushing yards in his final season, Coffee also added 42 catches for 351 yards receiving and two touchdowns. When the 49ers have both Gore and Coffee lined up in the back field, opposing defenses are going to have to take notice.

Legendary Indianapolis Colts Coaches Retire, While the NFL Machine Rolls On

Two more coaching legends have officially departed the Indianapolis Colts.  Offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd, a pair of the NFL’s finest, have been forced into early retirement.

Both coaches chose early retirement rather than lose valuable pension benefits.  The story has been swirling around for weeks before recently becoming official.

I hoped that both men would be on the sidelines this fall but I was officially served the cold dish while tuning in for a nightly dose of SportsCenter.

It seems as if the whole world as we know it has gone mad in the midst of our nation’s economic crisis.  Companies are slashing workers, benefits and products like a bad 70’s horror movie, and the knife cuts right through the heart of America, from our cars to our beloved sports figures.

Their jobs were not eliminated like so many other Americans today, both men left on their own free will.  They are professional coaches and they will not be receiving foreclosure notices in the mail or sleeping in cardboard boxes under a bridge.

I will also admit that I have not done the proper research to fully understand their reasons for leaving or the NFL’s change in the pension program, but it still seems to be a sign of the times, another job related headline in a world full of depressing news.

The issue is burning in our American minds. 

Is my pension safe?  Can I afford to retire? Will I ever retire or am I going to work until my bones crack, my brain shrivels up and I drop dead?

It’s a shocking sight to wake up and see that even the mighty NFL is downsizing and the economic crisis has no boundaries.  Former coach Tony Dungy’s personal secretary was even dismissed from the team recently.

Like everything else, the NFL machine will continue to roll on; even if it’s most unique and invaluable parts are caught in the gears and spit out.

Clyde Christensen will take over as the new offensive coordinator—after already being named assistant head coach—and Pete Metzelaars will be the offensive line coach.  Both men have previous coaching experience in the NFL and with the Colts.

Metzelaars was in charge of the O-line at times last year when Mudd was recovering from knee replacement surgery.  Christensen has been involved with the Colts offense for eight seasons and was offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay for the 2001 season. 

The latter make me cringe just thinking about the anemic Bucs offense of those days.

The new coaches don’t come with the same pedigrees as the men they replaced, but few coaches will ever enjoy such lengthy and stellar careers. Moore spent 32 seasons in the NFL and owns three super bowl rings.  Mudd has coached 36 consecutive seasons in the league and has a ring of his own now.

Many will argue that Howard Mudd was more important to the offense. The Colts lead the league in fewest sacks in all 12 of Mudd’s seasons with the team.

Tom Moore is no slouch himself, and his influence on the offense extends beyond just sending in three plays and allowing Peyton Manning to decide at the line of scrimmage. 

He bought a wealth of experience and ingenuity to Peyton’s career.

Manning has known no other line coach or offensive coordinator during his eleven year playing career, and you would assume that he would eventually have to forgo this luxury at some point.

This also makes the re-signing of center Jeff Saturday more significant.  It gives the Colts another coach on the field and continuity along the line.

Perhaps with new personalities to work with, Manning and Christenson can tinker with the offense a little, add some new wrinkles and make it even more prolific.  Christenson has been with the team for eight years, so he and Manning should be very familiar with one another. There should be a level of trust between them and there has to be because a rift between player and coach can ruin a great offense.  Thankfully there is nothing that suggests such an event will ever occur.

Manning is no loose cannon. In fact, he is the consummate professional and on-the-field coach.  If any quarterback is more equipped to deal with the sudden loss of continuity, it’s Manning.  The Colts offense normally behaves like a well rehearsed and coordinated fighting machine, the envy of offenses at every level of football from Pop Warner to the NFL.

It takes an amazing amount of time and practice to maintain this level of success and it can bog down with any idiosyncrasy or flaw, making it vulnerable to its enemies.  Last year the unthinkable happened when Manning underwent two knee operations, missed pre-season time and inexperienced players were shuffled along the line.

When the Colts do bog down it can be painful and unsettling to watch.  It was only a few years ago Manning was criticized for complicating things by taking too long at the line of scrimmage while pointing and flapping his wings like a prized fighting rooster.  (Forgive me for the comparison Peyton; I know you played in the SEC.)

The effects of the coaching losses will be clear by the end of the season, but at least the new coaches will have a well-tested battleship to work with.  They won’t be going to war with a rusty schooner, and even though the Colts appear to be leaking Hall of Fame caliber coaches, Peyton Manning and crew won’t be acting like a gang of drunken sailors on shore leave.

Washington Redskins Win In Court To Keep Name

In court, the Washington Redskins have won a legal case stemming from the name “Redskins” which has been said to offend some Native Americans. Too them, it is deemed as a racially offensive.

According to my source the “Redskins win new legal fight with Indian Group.”

The Redskins won in both the court of appeals and the lower court ruling that determined on a technicality that the seven Native Americans waited too long to challenge the name Redskins.

So, on a technicality the Redskins were able to keep their name the way it is as well as it should be. It is true that it shouldn’t have taken 17 years for the cases too proceed through the court system.

I get the fact that in today’s world people want the American culture to be politically correct, and there are things that will offend certain people, but may not offend others.

For example, Barack Obama speaking at Notre Dame for the graduating class at the University of Notre Dame has offended many Catholics.

A few people were offended he was asked to speak at Notre Dame based on his views of abortion. Yet, even though there was a minority who didn’t want him there as well as protestors, Obama still gave his speech.

There is another article on Bleacher Report as well titled “Washington Redskins win Legal Battle to be Racist.” It was written by Jarrett Carter.

While I respect his opinion, I disagree with the fact that the court is stating that the Washington Redskins won the right to be racist. In fact I have the exact opposite view.

There’s other teams out there that could be also considered offensive too people although some of the names may not be racist, but they can be controversial too some as well.

Plenty of teams have names that could be considered offensive too some like the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Golden State Warriors, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves, etc….

I believe that the Redskins should be able to keep their name and it has nothing to do with how much money is spent on the team, whether it’s for apparel, billboards, etc.

The reason why the Redskins should be able to keep their name is because the National Football League and the Washington Redskins players can assist with educating their fans and others about Native Americans.

Also, the Redskins organization could donate time, money, and services too assist Native Americans as retribution.

Instead of looking at the team name in a negative light the organization can help too create a more positive light on the situation and the name Redskins, instead of a negative one.

Lastly, if you were ask people name some famous Redskins, you are more likely to get an answer about “the hogs”, Joe Gibbs as coach, Doug Williams, etc….So, the meaning of name isn’t held to what it once was.

The “N” word doesn’t hold what it used to; it still is considered a racist term if a Caucasian person used the word. I don’t mean to stereotype, but there’s plenty of African Americans using the word too address each other these days.

Words can change meanings, some in negative ways and others in a positive way. Maybe the term “Redskin” can be the one that is seen more in a positive light then negative light.

Either way, whether you agree that the Redskins should keep their name or not, it’s time for people to come together and understand others cultures and that there’s much bigger things in life then fighting over a football’s team name and if it should be changed.

Patriots’ Maroney had a Broken Bone in his Shoulder

It should come as no surprise at this stage in the game that it has taken months for the truth about an injury to come out in New England. The Boston Globe is reporting the long awaited truth about Laurence Maroney’s shoulder injury. 

Maroney was injured in the second game of the season last year and was forced to sit out of Week Three because of the injury. He returned two weeks later, after the Patriot’s Week Four bye, against the 49ers.

He rushed for 26 yards on 10 attempts (2.6 average) in that game and received a lot of flack from the media for it. Some called him soft, tenative, and a dancer. Maroney was indeed all of those things because he had a broken bone in his shoulder and was unable to lower it while running.

He was placed on the injured reserve on Oct, 20th because of the “shoulder injury” that we now know was a bit more serious than previously stated. He’s excited about the upcoming season and sees it as his chance to finally prove his critics wrong.

“I’ve been gone too long,” Maroney said. “The legs are feeling fresher than ever. Going back out there I know that I’m going to have a lot of critics. It’s just going out there and proving everybody wrong. I think there are a lot of people that are counting me out and doubting me, but it’s just going out there and having fun again.”

With a chip on his shoulder rather than in his shoulder, it will be mighty interesting to see what the still young Maroney can do is a now crowded backfield.

New Orleans Saints 2009 Starting Defensive Line Prediction

This is the third part of my predictions for the 2009 starting New Orleans Saints defense. This article will be about the front four also known as the defensive line.

The New Orleans Saints use the 4-3 defense. This defense relies on the front four to get pressure on the quarterback and to keep the offensive line off of the linebackers.

The Saints have used this offseason to address depth on the defensive line. This was a necessary task due to many of the injuries that occurred last year in 2008 along the defensive line.The depth added will give the New Orleans Saints a great rotation along the defensive line to keep them fresh.

This article will be a bit different than all my other ones. This one lists the starting defensive lineman and who will be rotated in (as well as who will be rotated on passing downs).

Left End: Charles Grant
Charles Grant is one of the highest paid defensive ends, but has not put up the numbers since getting paid that huge contract. In 2008, Grant got injured halfway through the season, but only recorded 33 tackles 3 sacks and a safety in 2008. Grant could be one of the most dominating defensive ends and could get 10 sacks as he did in both 2003 and 2004.

Behind Grant is defensive end Bobby McCray, who played with us in 2008 and recorded 29 tackles and six sacks in all 16 games of the 2008 season, starting in eight of them. McCray would be used on passing downs and in to rotate with Charles Grant. McCarty has a reputation for being a sack specialist and recorded a career high 10 sacks in 2006 and could beat out Grant for his starting position.

Defensive Tackles: Sedrick Ellis, Kendrick Clancy

Sedrick Ellis was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Ellis has started 13 games recording 30 tackles and four sacks in his rookie campaign, but missed three due to injury. Sedrick showed a lot of promise in ’08 and if he can stay healthy, he can be a dominant defensive tackle and put up better numbers in his sophomore year.

The second defensive tackle position was probably one of the hardest to select. I have to go with Kendrick Clancy to start on my predictions simply because we don’t know what the other defensive tackles bring to the table yet. In 14 starts in 2008, Kendrick Clancy recorded 34 tackles and two sacks.

Other Defensive Tackles to watch:

Rod Coleman is another comeback defensive player the Saints have signed along with Dan Morgan, who is coming out of retirement. Coleman spent most of the 2007 season injured but recorded seven tackles and two sacks in just five games. Coleman did not play in 2008 but hopefully he can return to his Pro Bowl-caliber performances. Coleman will be reunited with the New Orleans Saints’ new defensive line coach. Coleman’s best season in the NFL was with division rival Atlanta Falcons, where he recorded 11.5  sacks with 40 tackles.

Demario Presley is coming off of a injury that did not allow him to play at all in the 2008 season. If Payton did not cut him, he saw something from Presley in training camp, so look for him to make contributions to the Saints defense in 2009.

Right End: Will Smith

Will Smith is one of the most dominant players we have on defense. Many people want to criticize Smith for the season he had last year after receiving a new, expensive contract.  Will Smith played through a injury last year, which shows his toughness. In 2009, Will Smith recorded 61 tackles and three sacks. Smith is very well a dominating defensive end in this league and I expect him to deliver in 2009. Smith’s best season came in 2006, when he recorded 49 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 2006 in only 14 games.

Paul Spicer will be lining up behind Smith to let him rest. Spicer is a veteran coming out of Jacksonville, coming along with defensive coordinator Greg Williams. Spicer brings great depth to the defensive line and can line up at any position on the defensive line. Spicer recorded 3.5 sacks and 34 tackles in 2008. His best season came in 2005, where he recorded 7.5 sacks and 37 tackles.

In 2009, defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant are facing possible four-game suspensions, so the depth the Saints have added will help the Saints a lot if the suspension goes through. Overall, we have three defensive ends who have recorded 10 sacks or more in their careers, so they have the potential. The defensive tackle position with Sedrick Ellis will be a big question but we have plenty of depth. Expect a lot more pressure on the quarterback from the front four.

 

 

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