I totally understand the desire to want to go for it all, put it all on the line and go for the win. I also fully understand that sometimes that desire can blow up in your face.

Jeff Gordon said before the Talladega race that he didn't want to be leading the race when the white flag came out .. rather he wanted to be in 2nd. The theory is, he wanted to be the guy to make the move to win the race on the last lap, not be the chump who loses the race on the last lap. And things were shaping up just a Jeff wanted as the laps clicked away.

However, Jeff made his move one lap too early. With roughly two laps to go, Jeff jumped out from behind Kyle Busch trying to make his move on the outside. Unfortunately, he had little to no help. Then JP Montoya closed the door before Jeff could get back into line. Then he got freight trained back into the pack where was caught up in the white-flag-lap wreck, finishing 19th.

Maybe if he would have stuck to his plan, he would have pulled off the win. But when you look at "Big Picture" racing, which is the new catch phrase in NASCAR, Gordon would have been better served to stay in line and finish second.

Now he's dropped to 14th, 11 points out of 12th place, and the clock is ticking. We're nearing the midway mark of the regular race season and dropping much further could prove fatal for the #24 crew.

- Mr Pressbox

Despite what the Marvin Lewis says, what the Bengals say, and what we all really want; Chad Johnson will get his wish (and be traded).

Why? The NFL Players Union has castrated the NFL franchises, preventing them from backing up their threats and ultimatums.

Chad Johnson has a signed contract through 2011. Period. That's it. He belongs to the Bengals until 2011.

Why do these players think they are above the TEAM and above the league to demand a trade when they aren't happy with the playing time or money they are getting?

The Bengals are a breath away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender. They have the offense, and with a few defenseive fixes can be a solid AFC contender.

Johnson needs to sit. The Bengals need to send him home. And the NFL needs to support the decision in order to send the message that the players a part of the league - they don't run the league.

They want teams to pay them big money when it comes time to renegotiate their contracts. They say it is a matter of RESPECT. And they complain about not getting guaranteed contracts, which allow the NFL franchises to cut them whenever they chose with minimal impact on their salary cap. They say that is unfair.

Yet, when it comes time for them to show the NFL franchises who gave them their start in the league the RESPECT they deserve, or to honor the contract they have set in place, they suddenly have a different opinion.

Unfortunately, the NFL Players Union will pressure the league to force the Bengals to trade Johnson (somehow).  Proving again that the teams have no control and the Union has all the control - and again the fans will suffer.

See you next year Chad! I'll make sure to take you off my fantasy draft board.

- Mr Pressbox

Jared Allen (recently traded from the Kansas Chiefs to the Minnesota Vikings) is a good defensive end, but we will never confuse him for a good businessman.

Here is what Jared Allen thinks are good ideas:

1. Wearing #69 (for the exact inuendo reasons your dirty mind is drawn to)

2. Racking up two DUIs (which resulted in a suspension for two games last season)

3. Building an expensive sports bar and grill in Kansas City during his contract year (2007) Follow the train of thought: I have two DUIs, so let's go open a BAR!! [as the Guiness brothers say: Brilliant!]

4. 15.5 sacks, 64 tackles in 14 games (what, he couldn't manage 5 more tackles?)

5. After his typical contract year performance (most players have their best year in the last year of thier contract - hmm), he cops an attitude demanding a ridiculously large guaranteed contract (basically because he really wanted out of Kansas City)

6. He shows up at an awards banquet for 10 mins only to pick up his award dressed in boots, jeans and a tuxedo t-shirt.

7. Makes it OBVIOUS he wants out of Kansas City up until his trade is finalized

I keep hearing the old Seasame Street song "One of These Things is Not Like the Other" in my head. Other than the solid stats, his actions have not been all that bright.

Jared Allen is NOT Junior Seau. Anyone who thinks you can compare the two either a desperate Vikings fan or an uneducated football novice.

Seau opened up a great restaurant in San Diego which still thrives today. Why? Because Seau was a pillar in the San Diego community for many years. Allen has been in Kansas City for 4 years - and not a stellar citizen during most of that time.

Seau left San Diego after more than a dozen years of faithful service and was simply a cap move. He wanted to continue to try to get a Super Bowl ring (which is the only thing he has not accomplished in his career) and the people of San Diego still love him.

Allen's departure is only considered a loss to the Kansas CIty are simply because of his on-field talent. Otherwise, it is not a big loss. And having two first round picks Saturday makes the wound a lot easier to take.

Unless Allen decides to have all of his waitresses skimp down to nothing but a string bikini, his bar venture will soon circle the drain, as will his Vikings who desperately needed that first-round pick (and the two third rounders they gave up) to rebuild their franchise. And Allen's career won't be far behind.

Now his agent is a genius! But that's a different piece altogether.

I apologize for everyone who predicted a Jeff Gordon Texas victrory. Not only was th jinx not broken, it grew wings and an extra set of razor sharp teeth.

Gordon finished DEAD LAST for only the second time in his career (both at Texas). How does that happen? How does the greatest driver on the track finish dead last?

After suffering through a painful beginning to the race, the car was loose and pit stop adjustments did little to fix the problem, Gordon's car finally threw up the white flag and quit on lap 110 (exact one-third of the way into the 334-lap race), spinning itself out and slamming into the wall.

Gordon looked like a rookie or worse out there Sunday. It is obviously not his fault - a four-time Cup Champion with 81 wins - so whose fault is it? Steve Letarte (you don't know how hard it is for me not to call him Steve LeTard), the builders at the shop? Maybe it is Gordon's fault for not staying on his crew prior to Texas' race.

Complacency has killed the 24 team, and apparently most of the Hendrick Motorsports family. The feel of "the best team in racing" has seeped into the psyche of the team, leading to a winless start after the first seven races.

After finally breaking the top 12 - Chase eligible - Gordon dropped five spots, currently 14th and 91 points behind the 12th spot.

It is clearly unacceptable for a professional team of Gordon's reputation to fail so miserably in setting up its race car. For that, someone needs to pay the price. I understand racing is a family sport where the whole crew is like one big family, but sometimes you even have to fire a family member if they are hurting your business. And that is exactly what is happening here. Gordon was embarrased by someone's incompetence, and someone needs to be the sacrificial lamb. This sacrifice could be just what the #24 team to turn the season around.

I don't care if it is the catch-can holder or the guy who glues the lugnuts on the tires or the shop manager - someone needs to go at least for a symbolic gesture.

I find it hard to believe other great racers in history would be so pasive after such an embarrassing performance.

C'mon, David Ragan is gaining ground and threatening to pass Jeff Gordon in the season standings, and the unsponsored car of David Gilliland looked more like a championship team than the #24 crew.

Guess it just goes to show that it takes a lot more than just a top driver for a top team with TONS of money to win races and championships. You need people who actually know what they're doing, and the #24 crew is currently questionable in that department. This team looked so bad, it may occupy all five NOT slots in Southern Cindi's HOT or NOT list.

As they say "There's always next week."

- Mr Pressbox

According to several reports, the Iowa Hawkeyes will be without top running (which is a stretch to say considering they lost their entire running game with the loss of Albert Young and Damien Sims) with the questionable situation regarding Jevon Pugh.

Despite still being listed on the Hawkeyes roster, Pugh does not seem to be a current student at the University.

This comes at a time when the actions of top receiver Dominique Douglas and Anthony Bowman struck a blow to the Hawkeyes' 2007 season, opening the door for lots of young receivers to get plenty of playing time. And then, one of the young bright stars to emerge out of that young group of receivers, James Cleveland, is dismissed from the team for drug issues - along with top backup QB Arvell Nelson.

The struggling offense will receive a small boost with the return of TE monster Tony Moeaki and the return of Shonn Greene who was temporarily dismissed from the team. But losing Pugh leaves the Hawkeyes with freshman running backs looking to get a lot of carries.

Are they trying to pin the future of the Iowa program on the (inadequate) arm of Jake Christensen? I think it is time to usher in the Ricky Stanzi era, or atleast remove the crown from Christensen's head and force him to earn the starting QB job.

- Mr Pressbox