Numerous league birdies tell me the NFL is trying hard to schedule primetime games in October that won't interfere with the baseball playoffs.

Remember in Mike Martz's final year in St. Louis when the Rams played the same night as the Cardinals were in a Game 5 and the players just wanted a score?

With the exception of the Giants and Falcons MNF affair, the league and networks did a really good job here.

On Sunday Oct. 7, the Bears are at the Packers.  Yes, the Cubs and White Sox could make the playoffs, but that's hardly a lock.  And the game is in Green Bay.  Plus, it's Bears vs. Packers -- that overshadows everything.

On Monday Oct. 8, it's Dallas in Buffalo.  That's a home run (pun intended).

The Saints visit the Seahawks on Sunday night Oct. 14.  (Unless Felix Hernandez can start every game, you don't have to worry about baseball).

Pittsburgh is in Denver the next Sunday night, followed brilliantly on MNF by Indy at Jax.  I've been arguing for years that the Colts and Jags in Jacksonville is a perfect primetime game during baseball playoffs.  And the Jaguars fans did a great job last year when the Steelers came to town on primetime.

And that's followed up by the Packers in Denver on MNF on 10/29.

That's great work.

Titans safety Chris Hope was nice enough to join us right after the suspension.

Here are his raw emotions:

"When it hit the news today, it touched me.  He's my teammate and we've had a bond and a trust in a short period of time.  I've supported him and been behind him for the simple fact he's my teammate.  But I fully understand he's been doing things not allowed by the law, let alone the NFL.  But for him to get a full year away was shocking news.  But if this doesn't grab him and get his attention, God is going to have to do it himself.  He has been given a plethora of opportunities to get it right.  I will say from his rookie season to last year he has gotten a lot better." 

Hope added, "The great season he had, the great finish we had, it kind of makes you take at least two steps backwards.  He has to clean up his image on and off the field.  And this is going to hurt the team.  But I do know how much he cares about the game.  Hopefully that sparks him to change his ways -- for good!"

TJ Houshmanzadeh on Chris Henry: "You can never say he has learned his lesson because we have said that before and something else happens.  I am just hoping.  I am sure he is more mature now and he can change."

Eric Mangini has a policy that every player on the club has to earn a roster spot and eventual appointment in the starting lineup.

The semantics became a formality at the Combine in February when he announced that indeed Chad Pennington would once again be the starter for the Jets at quarterback.

On a different team, with a different coach or quarterback, this would hardly be news.

But Pennington had to earn everything one year ago after a second surgery and coaching staff took over that had no loyalty to him.

Pennington went on to play all 16 games in a regular season for the first time in his career while leading the Jets to the playoffs.

In talking with emerging star linebacker Victor Hobson, he relays tales of jubilation when the Jets found out that Pennington was their man.

The players, according to Hobson, started sending each other text messages to enjoy the good news with each other.  Mangini scored a lot of points in his own locker room by naming the well-respected Pennington the guy.

While Hobson stressed (and rightfully so) that the players truly believe that one day Kellen Clemens can become a big-time player in this league, Pennington's teammates are hitched to their leader for 2007.

Lord knows I beat up on Kevan Barlow enough when he was a Niner and a Jet.

But I think he can be a very suitable back-up for two supremely talented NFL teams; the Chargers and Colts.

If Michael Turner is a goner in San Diego, Barlow would be a great addition with a one-year deal to serve as insurance for LaDainian Tomlinson.  Barlow could score some touchdowns, stay fresh and get ready for a new team in 2008.

Likewise, a move to Indy would be a good fit.  Barlow could actually get a few more touches behind Joseph Addai with the Super Bowl champs.  And Barlow could learn a thing or two about professionalism from guys like Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison.  Today's Indianapolis Star reports that a Barlow signing could be in Bill Polian's plans.

Fact is, Barlow is a decent player.  He's just never been:

a. The player he thinks he is

b. The player worthy of a big-time extension in San Francisco

c.  A player worthy of the Jets trading a 4th round pick 

When you talk productive player, you can make the case that nobody in this draft was more decorated on the collegiate level than David Ball.

But the reason why he is a day 2 selection is because he starred at New Hampshire.

Ball shattered Jerry Rice's Division I-AA record for touchdown catches in a career.

In talking to Ball on Thursday, he couldn't say enough glowing things about his time in New Hampshire.  He has no regrets.  Ball loved his teammates and coaches and really loved winning.

Ball had 17 touchdowns in 2004, a whopping 24 in 2005, and battled through nagging injuries last year to record 13.

He told me he understands the skepticism.  Ball knows the knock is the level of competition he faced and his slow time in the 40.  But Ball thinks he has impressed with his soft hands and route running. 

The receiver hasn't been on personal visits yet, but plans on taking a few before the draft.