Week 2 Sobered by Death of Broncos WR Kenny McKinley

As much as I would like to talk about how the Bears managed to trump the Dallas Cowboys this week (I still had to get it in edgewise), the most important story this week is that of Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley, a second-year pro who was found dead in his Englewood, Colorado home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound according to espn.com. This has obviously come as a shock to all around the league, especially after McKinley's positive interviews this season concerning his hopes for a burgeoning role in the Denver offense. McKinley was placed on Injured Reserve, but hopes were still high that he could eventually become a regular contributor to the Broncos.

McKinley died yesterday on September 20. He was 23 years old.

Rest in peace, Kenny McKinley, 1987-2010.

Quarterbacks Get Clocked In Week 1, Defense Dominates

I would have doubts about the sanity of anyone who didn't cringe watching the hit that Bears defensive end Julius Peppers laid on Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford on Sunday. Peppers came around Stafford's blind side and delivered a crushing blow that separated the former first overall pick's shoulder, ruling him out for four to six weeks. Even without Stafford, the Lions were still only one bullshit rule away from defeating Chicago (I'm not complaining, but I can still admit that it was legitimately stupid).

But Stafford wasn't the only quarterback to get knocked out of the game for less-than disastrous results for his team. Eagles starter Kevin Kolb left Philly's game against the Green Bay Packers with a concussion after one dismal half, probably meeting a merciful end at the hands of Packers linebacker Clay Matthews. His replacement, three-time Pro Bowler Michael Vick, looked sharp, completing 16 of 24 passes and rushing for over 100 yards. This may be a blessing in disguise for Andy Reid's team; since Kolb is ruled out for presumably at least next week, Philly can start him and keep starting him when Kolb comes back. So long as he keeps winning.

QB Chaos Ensues in Arizona, New England

The Cardinals have (finally) cut ties with former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart. Now we can all release that breath we were holding, or we could shrug our shoulders and ask why we should care about Mr. Leinart. His release honestly shouldn't come as a surprise; the former first-round pick has only played in 29 games since being drafted in 2006, twelve of which came in the 2006-'07 season before current Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt was hired. Throughout that time, he has been bested in his quest for Arizona's starting spot by a resurgent Hall of Famer in Kurt Warner and now a one-season wonder in former Browns signal-caller Derek Anderson. In hindsight, losing a quarterback battle to Warner is understandable, but losing out to Mr. Anderson (despite his select merits) is less so. Especially for a quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy at a program known for producing successful NFL players. But when you assume a job is yours and don't work for it, as Mr. Leinart did, you can never expect to remain employed for long. With the current NFL emphasizing work ethic and character, those few who believe themselves entitled to a position are quickly being winnowed out, as seen with former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell and now Leinart. The USC man, however, has been significantly more fortunate than his LSU counterpart; while Leinart was signed by the Houston Texans to back up Matt Schaub a day after his release from Arizona, Mr. Russell has been arrested on charges of possession of codiene syrup (also known as "purple drink") and is still without a job.

Meanwhile, Tom Brady has caused heads to shake with a comical haircut that has been relentlessly compared to teenage pop singer Justin Bieber (who, according to , even personally voiced his appreciation for the new do). The Patriots star got into a car accident early this morning (maybe his overly long locks interfered with his vision), but was fortunately unharmed and attended practice later in the day. Fully taking Bieber's comments into account, I think New England's head coach Bill Belichick should force Brady to cut away his tresses. Long hair may work for Drew Brees of New Orleans, but this car accident should be enough of a red flag to prove that it does not do the same for Brady. I don't really have any grudge against long hair, but honestly, an endorsement from Justin Bieber is not positive press. If he doesn't cut it, perhaps an incident reminiscent of Troy Polamalu getting dragged down by his own mane (now insured for one million dollars) will convince Mr. Brady to return to his usual cleaner cut self.

Hall of Fame Overshadowed by Training Camp Flu

After a pretty miserable Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class, I was interested to see who the NFL would bring into the Hall this year. Thankfully, they did not disappoint, with a 2010 draft class sporting multiple NFL record holders (perhaps the greatest wide receiver and running back of all all time in Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, respectively) and one of the great innovators of the game in former Lions defensive back and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau. In case you didn't watch, rounding off the class were Floyd Little (nicknamed "The Franchise" and the first of Denver's many 1000 yard rushers), Rickey Jackson (who anchored one of the best albeit least winningest linebacker corps of all time in New Orleans before winning a Super Bowl with the 49'ers), John Randle (an undersized defensive end who record 137.5 sacks in his career, mostly with the Minnesota Vikings), and Russ Grimm (a member of the famous Hogs offensive line known for paving the way for multiple championship squads during Joe Gibbs' first stint as head coach). I wish I could say more, but most of these guys played before I was even born, so that somewhat feeble testament will have to stand for their much grander achievements.

In the meantime, the typical off-season affliction has settled in to the NFL. We are tuning out the antics of the Bengal's latest celebrity couple in T.O. and Chad "Johnson", which could possibly even contest the Miami Heat's triumvirate of Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade as the year's biggest meeting of the egos. While there is little doubt that all players in either case are determined to win, the price of failure will be exponential for both of them. The NFL faithful (and the Bengals in particular) will simply havee to hope that Terrell Owens realizes he is actually on his last legs as a player. Unless he stays on in Cincy, I find it extremely difficult to believe anyone would take a flyer on T.O. with all the mileage and baggage that he's carrying.

The 'Skins $100 million dollar man Albert Haynesworth also passed his fitness test (finally) after skipping/failing it multiple times due to a nagging swelling in his knee. This strangely comes after Haynesworth skipped all of the optional and mandatory OTA's due to his unhappiness with being forced to conform to head coach Mike Shanahan's 3-4 defensive scheme. Despite the fact that it would be indicative of his change of direction speed and the ability of his knee to resist stress, I personally find it difficult to discern what possible benefit the Redskins could get from making Haynesworth run a 300 yard wind sprint. Practically, when is he ever going to run for than 20 yards on any one play. I think this is Shanahan's way of exerting his influence over the biggest (and I mean that both literally and figuratively) headache that he has inherited from Washington owner Dan Snyder.

Of course, the most commonly recognized symptom of Offseason influenza is Favre-watching. The 40 year-old quarterback recently announced that there is persistent pain in his ankle despite surgery following the completion of last season. In what has already been established as one of the league's most popular running gags, news spread last week that Favre allegedly texted teammate Visanthe Shiancoe that he had decided to retire. He, of course, denied sending any such message, citing that if his ankle was the only obstacle between him and playing for another season. In my opinion, Brett Favre has earned more right than anyone to waffle during the off-season, but we're honestly growing tired of this charade. So I have a suggestion for Brett: stay on the team until you decide to not return for good. No one will care how long it takes, really, as long as you don't keep the media in a frenzy every time someone suspects you're calling it quits.

World Cup Fever Spreads Across the Globe, Strangles Europe

There is a pandemic going through the world. For most, it is a euphoric sensation, but for some it is an affliction. But for some, WOrld Cup fever is a scourge. A second plague has swept through the continent of western Europe, the symptoms of which include a lack of creativity, uninspired athletic performance, and spasms of choking.

The World Cup has been upon us for almost ten days now, and reactions to the goings-on in South Africa have been mixed to say the least. South America has greatly impressed with solid performances from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay; to date, a South American team has yet to lose in this competition. After two slow starts, the United States rallied to draw both of their first group games against England and group leader Slovenia, and were only robbed of a victory in the second game by the as of yet unseen decision of Malian referee Koman Coulibaly to disallow the USA's third goal. So that he will be unable to committ another Great Goal Robbey, Mr. Coulibaly will likely no longer be the center referee in a match in this tournament thanks in part to his phantom call.

Asia has generally shown what was expected of them: organized and disciplined teams that sometimes lack the offensive spark to accompany their defensive solidarity, but can sometimes pull off dramatic winners from the likes of Japan's Keisuke Honda, who scored brilliantly in their opening match against Cameroon with a cool finish across goal. Africa, hosting its first ever World Cup, have at times shone (the tournament's opening goal scored by South Africa's Siphiwe Tshabalala) while also sinking (the aforementioned Cameroon squad were officially made the first team eliminated following their losses to Japan and Denmark).

But western Europe is in the stranglehold of their own expectations. Defending champions Italy are always known as slow starters, but their renowned defense is failing them. They have already given up two goals in two games against Paraguay and New Zealand, and were lucky to escape both contests with draws. New Zealand, a team that everyone expected the Italians to roll over and one that really only made the World Cup by the grace of Australia's charity (since the Socceroos flocked to the Asia qualifying group seeking better competition), managed to score first to take their only lead in their World Cup history. It was only erased by a soft penalty call in favor of Italy's Daniele de Rossi, which was then converted by Vincenzo Iaquinta. That gift of a goal kept Italy's hopes alive, unfortunately for anyone watching the tournament who is not a fan of the Azzuri (I, for one, am looking forward to a Round of 16 that does not include the cagey Italian style known as calciopolli).

The much-hyped England squad has fallen flat on their faces with two less-than-convincing performances. They are a group of individuals wearing the same jersey; I think they have yet to prove to anyone that they are a real team. Assembling of superstars has historically only worked for Brazil, and despite all their efforts the English have not enjoyed anything close to that success. Yes, their players are great for their clubs, but that's because their teams make a habit of building around them. When Mssrs. Rooney, Gerrard, and Lampard are not the focal point of their team's attack but rather one of many parts, they are nowhere near as effective. It is understandable that they would not perform as well for England as they would at club level. But that still doesn't excuse the inept way in which they stumbled through the first two games. Let's face it, the only reason Emile Heskey is even on this team is because England boss Fabio Capello likes his contribution on defense. Yes, defense. His goalscoring record for England is abysmal (seven goals, and his aerial abilities and assets as a target man are not ideal. The striking partnership of Mr. Heskey and Wayne Rooney has done nothing, and the only thing stopping the English from starting 6'7" forward Peter Crouch is their own refusal to admit that they have become that one-dimensional. Trust me, England, you have. Forsake whatever little dignity you have left and start the Grouch with Rooney. It will improve your chances against Slovenia.

Spain have yet to play their second game (tomorrow against Honduras) and their group (which also include Switzerland and Chile) would have appeared to be one of the easiest they could ask for. But after a shocking loss to the Swiss, the reigning champions of Europe have yet to display any killer intent in front of goal. While they have had chances aplenty, they failed to score in their opener. It's not to late to give up on Spain just yet, but anything less than back-to-back wins against Honduras and Chile will likely be a disappointment even if they do manage to advance. Spain have too much depth to not win out of their group.

Despite a strong start in which they crushed the Aussies 4-0, Germany's momentum did not carry over as they fell 1-0 to Serbia. Klose was sent off in the 35th minute for a pair of harshly given yellow cards, and the seemingly ferocious German side were left toothless, unable to recover from a lone goal that would likely have been scored even if Klose had been on the field.

If anyone thought those coutries were having problems, France tops the list. After two group games, the entire team is a disaster. After cussing and criticizing coach Raymond Domenech, forward Nicolas Anelka was sent home. Then, in a more recent incident, a fight between defender Patrice Evra and fitness coach Robert Duverne(which can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTjEQrge98g&feature=youtu.be) led to the resignation of French team director Jean-Louis Valentin and the boycotting of practice by the French team, who sent a letter explaining their actions and protesting the treatment of Mr. Anelka. Even though Anelka has a history of being a locker room cancer and acted unprofessionally in criticizing Domenech, it is clear where the loyalties of the French players lie. If anyone is keeping track, it's not with their coach. This team is a shadow what their talent would suggest, and Zinedine Zidane isn't around to save them this time.

As for the United States, it is easy to blame the referee for ruining the Slovenia game. I will never ever believe that there was anything illegitimate about that goal or the play leading up to it, except for perhaps the mauling administered to every American player except goalscorer Maurice Edu. But the fact remains that the team is at fault for putting themselves in a hole to begin with. Right now, the USA is a second-half soccer team. That's not a good thing. They will have to put together a whole game before they can prove their readiness for the knockout stages.

Sources:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5isPNP4bqOGXuKi6aaOat9InZGzSAD9GF38PO0

Big Trade For Big Ben?

Tonight will be the the first ever primetime NFL draft. Unlike previous years, tonight's show will only feature the first round. And with no first overall pick (held by the St. Louis Rams) yet to be determined, the anticipation is as high as ever.

The 'Skins have essentially eliminated the speculation that they would take a quarterback by mercifully ending Donovan McNabb's up-and-down decade in Philly, a city he will curiously revisit next year in a watered down rendition of Brett Favre's return to Green Bay as a Viking. That has cast Jimmy Clausen's draft position into serious doubt since Sam Bradford still holds the #1 spot in the eyes of most analysts. But given the interest shown by the Rams and Raiders in troubled Steelers passer Ben Roethlisberger (who just got handed a six game suspension by commissioner Roger Goodell for repeated violations of the league's misconduct policy), I have more than once entertained the idea of a blockbuster trade: the #1 overall pick and perhaps some extra picks for Mr. Roethlisberger.

Given the huge investment in guaranteed funds awarded to whoever has the increasingly dubious distinction of being the first overall pick, it may even be beneficial to the Rams to sign a proven veteran in Roethlisberger who is already tied to a longer deal. Sure, they might not get to play him or even have him in practice for several weeks, by St. Louis is in full-scale rebuilding mode. Getting a 2-time Super Bowl winner in Roethlisberger is more certain to me than committing their future to, say, Sam Bradford.

In return, Pittsburgh could draft Bradford, or they could trade down and possibly get Jimmy Clausen later in the draft. It is difficult for me to imagine anyone in the top five picks choosing a quarterback, since they all have high-priced signal-callers already. So I could see the Steelers maneuvering down to the sixth or seventh overall selection so that either Seattle or Cleveland could nab Bradford with the first pick. Then Pittburgh could go with Jimmy Clausen (the last famous Notre Dame quarterback to play for them was Super Bowl MVP Terry Bradshaw, after all) and still have the bargaining power of their later first round pick. There are few better places for a young quarterback than Pittsburgh, who have a dominant defense and usually a dependable running attack.

As for Roethlisberger, I am of the opinion that a six game suspension for his misconduct was harsh, although in keeping with the history of Commissioner Goodell. I understand that it is important for Mr. Goodell to be consistent in his punishments in order to show that no player is above the misconduct policy and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment, but given that no charges were levied against Mr. Roethlisberger I believe that a one or two game suspension would have been sufficient. His former teammate Santonio Holmes (who was traded from the Steel City to the New York Jets for a paltry fifth-round draft pick) was only suspended four games by the league for repeated substance abuse violations. Suspending a player who has not been found guilty of any crime goes beyond the sensibilities of just punishment, especially in a 16 game NFL season where the first six games can make or break a team's season.

Philly's Quarterback Quandry

One of the most dramatic stories of this young off-season has been the rumors surrounding Eagles signal-caller Donovan McNabb. News has circulated the NFL community that Philly is allegedly willing to deal the 10-year quarterback (selected with the second overall pick in the 1999 Draft), with the most likely potential suitors being the Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills and St. Louis Rams.

It is beyond this blogger's imagination as to why Mr. McNabb would even want to stay in Philidelphia, given the decade of mistreatment and disrespect shown to him by the organization and, to a much greater degree, the notoriously fickle Philidelphia fanbase. McNabb was famously booed by Philly fans when he was drafted (what a vote of confidence), and despite taking the Eagles to a Super Bowl and numerous NFC Championship games, the man still gets abused by the Philly faithful (a misnomer if there ever was one) who clamor for his release annually to the point that I expect some noise to come from Philly every off-season. It has become almost as routine as Brett Favre's flip-flopping on retirement, but much less amusing given that the Philly fans are hardly McNabb fans at all. Until he wins, at least. Even then, their loyalty isn't won for long; after they lose a couple games, the entire city goes back to sulking about a new quarterback.

Mr. McNabb's stats throughout his career are even more impressive considering that his only quality target in the passing game until the drafting of DeSean Jackson (only two years ago) was Terrell Owens, who was only there for a year before the relationship between him and McNabb disintegrated. Even now, I would be willing to bet that there are still some people in Philly who wish that T.O. had stayed with the Eagles and not McNabb.

As for his value in a trade, I would feel that despite McNabb's quality as a franchise quarterback, his injury concerns and age leave questions concerning his longevity. As such, he should merit a second or third round pick in this year's draft. I would suggest that Buffalo, who have struggled to find a playmaking quarterback for years, line up with the 41st overall selection. Who knows, maybe Andy Reid could nab Tim Tebow at that spot. Then Philly could have another quarterback to poke fun at for a decade.