I've been putting this post together in my mind for about a month now. We've seen a lot of changes over the last 5 years in the NFL. Some coaches were given pink slips, some players signed huge deals, some draft picks have turned to busts, the list goes on and on.  Here's the best and worst NFL moments over the last five years.

Best NFL Team- New England Patriots

The obvious choice, the Pats have been the face of the NFL with two Super Bowl championships in three appearances. QB Tom Brady will go down as one of the all time at not only his position, but just as an overall player. Bill Belichick has proved himself as a head coach and one of the best offensive mind to grace the sidelines. Ever since the NFL uncovered Spygate, many fans and critics pointed out that maybe the great dynasty was created out of rule-breaking, cutting corner techniques. But no one can deny what the Patriots have done on the field.

#2- Indianapolis Colts

Worst NFL Team- Detroit Lions

The Lions just refuse to do anything and everything to get better. GM Matt Millen is easily the worst GM in the NFL. His draft picks include Charles Rogers and Mike Williams, both receivers who made zero impact on the team and were gone within a few seasons. The Lions are 26-54 since 2003, with their best season coming last year at 7-9. While they're future looks a bit brighter, they have been the worst team of the last 5 years.

#2- Oakland Raiders

Best Head Coaching Hire- Tom Coughlin (New York Giants)

For this simple reason. His Super Bowl win last year over the undefeated Patriots silencened his critics. His first three teams were good, but his 2007 team, led by still unproven Eli Manning, quietly manuvered through the NFC and dominated in the playoffs, winning their first Super Bowl since 1990. Coughlin has been a saving grace for New York.

#2- Bill Parcells (Dallas Cowboys)

Worst Head Coaching Hire- Art Shell (Oakland Raiders)

Raiders owner Al Davis has stated his regret of firing Shell back in 1989. He should have kept it at the regret level and not the try-and-fix-the-regret level. Shell had good intentions, such as trying to bring the old school "tough guy" mentality to the Raiders that predecessor Norv Turner couldn't do. But Shell was obviously culture shocked on how different it is to be a head coach now, especially a head coach of a bad team. Shell stumbled to a 2-14 record, and was ousted a second time by Davis.

#2- Bobby Petrino- (Atlanta Falcons)

Best NFL Player- QB Tom Brady (New England Patriots)

This was a real tough call. I wanted to put Peyton Manning, but Brady simply has more rings. He's been everything a coach would ever want in a quarterback, minus the celebrity status.

#2- QB Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts)

Most Disappointing NFL Player- QB Byron Leftwich (former Jacksonville Jaguars)

There is simply no excuse why Leftwich did not succeed in Jacksonville. He was given every opportunity to be the team leader and showed flashes that he can be one of the NFL's best quarterbacks when fully healthy. But Leftwich never stood up to the pressure, and his relationship with coach Jack Del Rio was affecting the supporting cast. His one season stint with Atlanta is forgettable at best. It's Leftwich's own fault why he's jobless right now.

#2- RB Cedric Benson (Chicago Bears)

Best Draft Pick (Starting from 2004 NFL Draft)- LB Shawne Merriman (San Diego Chargers)

3 Pro Bowl selections is only the tip of this linebacker's short legacy. Merriman has become the face of the Chargers defense, and is a fan favorite. He has set the bar high for NFL linebackers.

#2- LB DeMarcus Ware (Dallas Cowboys)

Worst Draft Pick (Starting from 2004 NFL Draft)- WR Matt Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars)

This is a tough call, but Jones gets this label because of his lack of interest and discipline it takes to be a great NFL player. After a nice career signal-calling the Arkansas Razorbacks' offense, Jacksonville took him #21 in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft, hoping to use his intangibles as a go-to receiver. Jones could have been a great NFL receiver, but has shown his lack of interest being a pro and his work ethic is down right disgraceful. On top of it, he now faces felony drug charges. Jones could of had it all, but instead, may have a ball and chain this time next year.

#2- Tie- RB Cedric Benson (Former Chicago Bears)/ CB Jimmy Williams (Former Atlanta Falcons)

Best NFL Trade:

Denver Broncos get: CB Champ Bailey/ 2nd round pick (RB Tatum Bell)

Washington Redskins get: RB Clinton Portis

Denver got the better side of this deal, but ultimately both sides have benefited from the trade. Bailey has become one of the best defensive backs to play the game in recent NFL history, and even though Bell is no longer in Denver, Bailey's achievements have been worth the trade. Portis has had injury issues with the Redskins, but when healthy, has been a solid ball carrier.

Worst NFL Trade:

Oakland Raiders get: WR Randy Moss

Minnesota Vikings get: LB Napoleon Harris/ 1st round pick (WR Troy Williamson)/ 7th round pick

None of the players mentioned above are still with the teams they were traded to. Oakland gave up a huge chance to get a player like Shawn Merriman, DeMarcus Ware, or Antrel Rolle in exchange for a troubled receiver who produced nothing more than injuries and controversy. Moss has since thrived as the main go-to guy in New England. Williamson showed his speed with the Vikings, but dropped catches and touchdown passes like a bad rookie. He's since ended up in Jacksonville, and is reportedly looking very good in practice.

Best Uniform Change- San Diego Chargers

The Chargers took one of the greatest uniform looks in NFL history and made them even better. Some fans wanted the team to adopt white helmets and powder blue jerseys for every home game. Some fans loved the navy blue jerseys and wanted them to stay. San Diego combined the two. White helmets were brought back with navy and powder blue jerseys. Blue pants were also kept. The Chargers "lighting bolts" helmet logo were redesigned so powder blue and navy were combined. Great decision by the Chargers' front office.

Worst Uniform Change-Minnesota Vikings

This actually was not a completely bad change, but of all the teams to change uniforms, this is at the bottom. The side panels on the jerseys are confusing at times. The previous uniform, which was used for decades, was a NFL favorite. Gray facemasks should have been added to the new design. I do, however, like that purple pants were added. I'm a fan of monochromatic uniform looks (same jersey and pant color together), so when the Vikings used an all purple look last season, I loved it. But I can't speak for the rest of the Viking nation, who many trashed even the idea of it.

Two months away from the 2008 college football season, Texas A&M is ready to start a new era with new coach Mike Sherman, who replaced the not so fan-favorite Dennis Franchione. Franchione's 32-28 record in College Station was not near enough to save his job, and while he technically resigned, he knew AD Bill Byrne (dubbed Dollar Bill among Aggie fans) had the pink slip in his coat pocket ever since he found out about the VIP Connection. Here's an detailed analysis of the Mike Sherman hire.

The Good

Mike Sherman lead one of the country's greatest and most historic franchises when he was in charge of the Green Bay Packers from 2000-2005, also serving as general manager from 2001-2004. Earning a 57-39 record, he is the second winningest coach in Packer's history, only behind the great Vince Lombardi. He coached future Hall of Famer Brett Favre, which will appeal to any recruit in the country. His draft picks as GM include Nick Barnett and Aaron Kampman, who have turned out to be key ingredients in Green Bay's recent success, not to mention a trade for Al Harris. Sherman is considered a great offensive coach, which looks great considering the offensive weapons A&M has. Sherman twice coached at A&M in the late 80's through the mid 90's, not counting his one year stint at UCLA. He understands the tradition and the pressure that comes with the job. Many critics have compared this hiring to Nebraska's hring of Bill Callahan, but Sherman has a proven record and was very successful in the NFL; accomplishments Callahan never earned outside a Super Bowl performance under Jon Gruden's system and players.

The Bad

Sherman hasn't coached in college since the 90's, and college football has changed dramatically since then. He made a huge splash among A&M supporters such as former coaches R.C Slocum and Gene Stallings, but didn't generate the buzz other schools did like Georgia Tech when it hired Paul Johnson, Arkansas when it tapped Bobby Petrino, or Ole Miss when it grabbed Houston Nutt. Despite a great NFL record, he had a 2-4 post-season record, which can't be overlooked. Bill Byrne hired Sherman to win Big 12 and national championships, and a poor post-season record doesn't fair well among fans, especially since A&M has one of the worst bowl records in the country in the last 10 years. Sherman was not on anybody's wish list except A&M's, and his quick hiring has been very controversial, considering the bigger and more proven names Byrne could have gone after such as Jon Gruden, Chris Petersen, Rich Rodriguez, Kevin Sumlin, and Jim Leavitt. Since he's been away from college football for so long, many feel that he may struggle to compete against the Bob Stoops' and the Mack Browns' that have won championships.

Bottom Line

Even though Sherman's negatives appear to outweigh his positives, he has a huge upside with his experience and success that many coaches hired this off-season don't possess. This is a very risky hire by A&M and one of the more controversial since the formation of the Big 12. But because of his experience and success that other Big 12 coaches would love to have, Sherman can win championships and turn the Aggies into a consistent contender, as long as he follows these rules: He allows Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Joe Kines to completely run the defense, he doesn't start a secret newsletter, uses his knowledge of the pro game when grooming players for the NFL, and applies his general manager skills to build the football program into a franchise itself. If Sherman can continue to recruit top players, bring back as much of The Wrecking Crew as possible, and truly make this not only his team, but his franchise, Texas A&M is destined for great things, which include annual Big 12 contention and finally being talked in national championship discussion.

After all the hirings of new head coaches made after the 2007 college football season, I didn't post any thoughts right away. I wanted to wait a few months to think and analyze the hirings. For some, my thoughts didn't change at all. It was either good or bad. For others, I'm glad I waited to post this blog. This is one of the first years that there was not a hire that I completely panned in the end, and like something about each one. When I do my rankings, I go by the fit between the coach and the school, and not by program prestige like many other columnists do. From best to worst, here's my list of the head coaching hirings heading into the 2008 college football season.

1. Houston Nutt- Ole Miss     

As I've said since 2005, Ed Orgeron was not a good hire. That was proved after three years of poor performance. One thing Orgeron did bring to Oxford that was absent for many years was top recruiting classes that ranked among the best in the country. AD Pete Boone knew he had to make a splash after the Orgeron experiment, and he made a great one. Nutt comes in after 10 years at Arkansas. Nutt knows the SEC and even though he only had one really great year, he knows what it takes to win. With prized recruits and what seems to be a an answer at QB in Jevan Snead, Nutt is the perfect fit. The Rebels won't be winning big right away, but will soon be competative and SEC contenders again.

2. June Jones- SMU

What makes this hiring so great is SMU's desire to do anything to rebuild their football program, which has never really healed since the 1987 death penalty, and June Jones's desire to be a part of a football program who will spend any amount of money to win. Hawaii is the program it is because of Jones, and if Hawaii can break into the BCS, there's no reason SMU can't do the same. The Mustangs will be scoring points, which should translate into more wins.

3. Mike Sherman- Texas A&M

This hiring has Aggie fans much more excited now than when it was made. After Dennis Frachione resigned minutes after defeating Texas for the second straight year, Sherman was the only candidate for the job and was quickly hired. Many people were very suspect about it, but after spring practices, Sherman clearly has A&M pointed in the right direction. A brand new pro-style offense, Joe Kines coming in as Assistant Head Coach/ Defensive Coordinator (which probably deserves a space in this blog by itself), and a staff full of experience, A&M should be mentioned with Oklahoma and Texas in a few years.

4. Kevin Sumlin- Houston

I thought Sumlin should have been strongly considered for the A&M job. The Houston job almost went to former Houston Oilers coach Jack Pardee, but hiring Sumlin proves that Houston wanted someone long term who can carry the success Art Briles has established. Unfortunately for the Cougars, if Sumlin proves to be a winner, a BCS school will pick him up soon.

5. Paul Johnson- Georgia Tech

Finally, a BCS school is bringing in Johnson, the option king of college football. Johnson's name has been mentioned for virtually every BCS job that has opened up for the last couple of  years. A guy that's pure football and not the charismatic type like a Pete Carroll or Rick Neuheisel, his counterpart, is exactly what Georgia Tech needs. It will take time to install an option offense, and then Johnson will have to win with it consistantly in a tough ACC. But if he can do it at Navy, why not Georgia Tech?

6. Rick Neuheisel- UCLA

I originally panned UCLA for bringing in Neuheisel, whose history includes a great deal of baggage. But after spring practices, Neheisel already has the program on the rise. If anyone can take on Pete Carroll and USC, it's Neuheisel, whose not at all intimidated by the fact that USC owns all of Los Angeles area except for the UCLA campus. Neuheisel has to prove that he has learned his lesson and can play by the rules.

7. David Cutcliffe- Duke

The Blue Devils have been the doormat of not just the ACC, but of college football for way to long. Cutcliffe is one of the top offensive minds in the game, and knows X's and O's better than anyone. This is one of the toughest jobs in the country, and Cutcliffe isn't known as a rebuilder. But performance on the field will greatly improve, which might be enough to make Duke a bowl contender.

8. Bo Pelini- Nebraska

I personally though new AD Tom Osborne should have hired Buffalo head coach and former Nebreska QB Turner Gill, but this is still a great hire. Nebraska is getting a quality coach who will greatly turn the defense around. Pelini must have QB Joe Ganz at the top of his game and keep the offense consistant for the Cornhuskers to have success.

9. Art Briles- Baylor

After rebuilding Houston and turning it into one of the more elite programs of all non-BCS schools, Briles moves a few hours north and takes over a struggling Baylor program. Like Duke, Baylor is a tough job, primarily due to it being right in the middle of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma recruiting. But Briles is a Texas guy, unlike his predecessor Guy Morris, and someone who knows the Texas recruiting landscape is a big plus for Baylor.

10. Bobby Petrino- Arkansas

My respect for Petrino went way down after he left the Falcons with still three games remaining in the NFL regular season. But there's no denying his record and his ability to create an offense better than any coach in college football. Petrino was always an SEC type of guy, and this is his chance to try a gain the respect he lost over the off-season. But it remains to be seen if he can bring championships, conference and national, to Fayetteville.

11. Larry Fedora- Southern Miss

Southern Miss shocked the college football world when it forced long time head coach Jeff Bower to resign. But the Golden Eagles were showing signs of slumping, so new blood was brought in when Larry Fedora, a well known offensive guru, was hired. This is a big job for Fedora, even though it's a non-BCS school. Fedora has to first get out of Bower's shadow, which may take one year (if he wins) or many years.

12. Ken Niumatalolo- Navy

There was no question who was going to get this job when Paul Johnson left. Niumatalolo will keep everything the same with the Midshipmen, even the option attack. But it remains to be seen if he can keep Navy winning, because one slump will be directly attributed toward him.

13. Steve Fairchild- Colorado State

The Sonny Lubick era has ended, and Fairchild, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator and a former assistant under Lubick, is brought in. Fairchild brings college and NFL experience to Fort Collins, and knows the program well. His first task is to try and topple Colorado, which would give the program a huge motivational boast.

14. Greg McMackin- Hawaii

A long time assistant in the college game, McMackin is finally getting his chance to run his own program. Hawaii tried to make this hiring as painless as possible after June Jones left. The only problem is that McMackin is not June Jones and will find it difficult to keep the Run and Shoot attack going strong. McMackin should keep things running smooth for at least one season, but will have to find his own way of continuing success once Jones' players are gone.

15. Jerry Kill- Northern Illinois

Kill comes from the FCS, and playing in the MAC should help his transition into FBS. Kill is a low profile guy who could make a big splash at Northern Illinois. Joe Novak proved that winning games is a possibility at NIU, and Jerry Kill has proved he's a winner. Plus, he stays in state. This should be a good marriage between the two.

16. Paul Wulff- Washington State

Bill Doba did some nice things with the Cougars, but it was time for a change. Wulff has not coached anywhere else but the state of Washington, and now he is taking one of the toughest jobs in the PAC-10. Washington State is in need of a makeover, and hiring a guy like Wulff is a gamble. But the young coach will definitely bring some emotion to the sidelines and get the players hopes up. But recruiting and consistancy will be tough, especially when the PAC-10 is a recruiting kingdom and Wazzu hasn't been on the best side of it.

17. Rich Rodriguez- Michigan

I did not like this hiring at first, and I still don't like it. Coach Rod brings a lot of baggage after a messy departure from West Virginia, his alma mater. He will have to completely change the offense to his spread option, and must win right away, no exceptions. After Lloyd Carr's retirement, the Wolverines should have opted for Brady Hoke, a former Michigan assistant who is doing a great job at Ball State, rather than a West Virginia alum who just blew a shot at playing in the national championship. Rodriguez has proved he can win and took West Virginia to great heights, but Michigan had better options. Had Rodriguez gotten the UCLA or Arkansas job, he would be in the top 3 on my list. But I don't see Rodriguez and Michigan being a good fit together.

18. Bill Stewart- West Virginia

Despite whatever AD Ed Pastilong says, this hiring was spur of the moment. Bill Stewart had an 8-25 record at VMI, which doesn't look good on any resume. Stewart is a lucky guy for getting this job, and has to prove he can carry the success of Rich Rodriguez and go further. Winning the Fiesta Bowl was a great start, but that was one game which all Stewart pretty much had to do was make sure the players show up and keep the Rich Rodriguez system going. Hhas 100% support from his players, but needs 100% from fans, which many are still very much on the limb with the hire.

Last year, I had Tommy Bowden and Dennis Franchione heading my list of college football coaches on the hot seat. Bowden rebounded and had a very decent year, and Franchione resigned after his secret newsletter was discovered, and another mediocre season. This year, new faces appear on the list, and if they don't win this season, they could be filling out applications by December.

1. Dave Wannstedt (Pitt)

I loved this hire at first, and still believe Wannstedt can win. But if the former Miami Dolphins head coach cannot make it to at least 7 wins, he'll probably be heading back to the NFL. Only this time, as a position coach. Love the gold jerseys, though!

2. Greg Robinson (Syracuse)

Robinson needs to win, and win now. The Orange have been overly patient, but that will certainly run out if he coaches another 2 or 3 win season. Mike Stoops at least gets Arizona fans excited about the future. Robinson can't keep fans in the Carrier Dome.

3. Mike Stoops (Arizona)

His name is on the list every year since he was hired. His team gets better and better every season, but he hasn't gotten the Wildcats over the hump yet. He always seems to get one or two major upsets every year, such as the win over then #2 Oregon last year. QB Willie Tuitama is lion that is still locked in the cage, and if Stoops is going to have his breakout year, he will have to get the team to a bowl game and Tuitama playing to his potential.

4. Charlie Weis (Notre Dame)

I thought Weis got a little to much heat last season, but an offensive guru like him should not have an offense that bad, period. QB Jimmy Clausen was praised before the season, and now is fighting for the starting role. No question Weis is rebuilding again, but he cannot afford to have another losing season. He may get by with 6 wins, but he will have to get fans excited for the future.

5. Tyrone Willingham (Washington)

When the Huskies hired him, they were hoping he could bring them the same success he had at Stanford. He blew his chance to shine when Ohio State smothered them at home, and needs a big season.