1. I believe that I will spend the rest of my natural life kicking myself for not drafting Adrian Peterson in the 2nd round like I considered. Me, the Super Genius, like Wile E. Coyote figured that Ned Flanders, uh I mean head coach Brad Childress would be married to the dreaded Chester Taylor/Peterson time-share, and I chose the legendary Tatum Bell instead.

(Insert the Florida Evans, "Damn! Damn! Damn!" right here.) Mind you, this was AFTER I told everyone that A-Pete had Canton potential.

2. While I’m on the subject, I also believe that A-Pete just moved into the Top 3for MVP consideration.

3. I believe that Randy Moss should be ranked higher in the MVP voting than Tom Brady. Yeah, I said it.

Two plays sum it up for me – those two ridiculous TDs against the Dolphins. Don't listen to Ron Jaworski's babble about Brady's placement of the ball - he threw it up into double coverage, and Moss hauls it in. No other human being can make that catch. Randy Moss did it twice. Then on Sunday Moss beats Indy's vaunted Cover Two (designed to stop the deep ball) for a momentum-changing 55 yard pass.

4. I believe I found common ground with Jason Whitlock. Randy Moss is the most physically gifted wideout - EVER. Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, and Fred Bilitenkoff had better hands. Bob Hayes may be faster. Steve Largent ran beautiful routes. But none of them combined 4.28 speed, the 6-4 height, the vertical and the  ability to adjust to the pass in midflight.

5. I believe that Jason Whitlock needs to end the Chad Johnson madness. Chad’s endzone celebrations have nothing to do with the Bengals inability to stop the run. Ocho Cinco’s Hall Of Fame jackets have nothing to do with Odell Thurman’s unwillingness to obey the law.

I had a huge problem with the silly gold teeth (since removed), to all but call Chad an Uncle Tom (“Mr. Bojangles”? Come on Jason…) is hitting low. Yeah, I know that being The Black Scold is good business – especially with an organization as conservative as Fox, and it is sometimes necessary. But I despise hypocricy, and Keyshawn Johnson attempting to condemn The Chad – well, Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle. It is NOT ok because Keyshawn is in the media. Shame on you Jason.

6. I believe that no good quarterback has every possesed the hideous body language that Peyton Manning displays in clutch siutations.

I’m sorry, but when the pressure is on, he looks like Rex Grossman on caffine overload looking for a fix. No one who is so allegedly cerebral as Manning should be as frenetic. When the Colts started that last drive, and Manning dropped back, his body language screamed “Gottathrowitfast gottathrowitfast”…and those two fumbles while being sacked? Grossman-esque.

7. I believe that we can expect more media heads to experience multiple Farvegams in the second half of the season. Brett Favre is experiencing a renaissance because he’s shown consistently better judgement than I have seen from him in a few years.

Simply put, for the first time in years, coach Mike McCarthy has gotten Brett to limit his boneheaded throws that are always ALWAYS glossed over by the media (i.e. “Favre-gasms”) with “Brett is a gunslinger”, “Brett sure is having fun…”

By the way, why wasn’t the game stopped when Brett threw his record-breaking 277th pick? 

8. I believe that the San Diego Chargers lost their first November game in four years on Sunday, and it won't be the last. Marty has got to chuckling.

9. I believe that Hines Ward is a man's man. He blew up Ed Reed and Tom Scott in the SAME GAME? Tell me the last time you saw a 190 pound receiver drop a couple of All-Pro head-hunters in the same CAREER, much less the same game?

10. I believe that Brian Billick has lived off his offensive genius rep for at least five years too long. Blame Randy Moss. Remember, Billick was the offensive coordinator for the record-setting Vikings with the rookie Randy Moss catching 17 TDs, and the team scoring a record 556 points, which may go down in flames to this year's Pats squad.

Since The Offensive Guru moved to B-more, the Ravens have ranked 26th, 21st, 31st, and 24th in yardage the last four seasons. They've never been higher than 14th in the Billick era in any offensive category except once.

Bonus belief: Sebastian Janikowski just missed a would be NFL record 64 yard FG, hitting the upright on a bomb that would have been good from at least 70 yards. And unlike Jason Elam's kick, the stadium in Oakland actually sits BELOW sea level. 

Yet, when or if  the record gets broken, I believe there is something about Tom Demsey’s record-setting kick in 1970 – perhaps it was the posts on the goal line (which meant that Dempsey launched it from his own 37 yard line), the old-school kicking style, or the NFL Films shot from the side…it will always be number one in my book.

Until the next time friends...

This is why I don’t waste my time screwing around with mock drafts.

The Houston Texans signed Mario Williams in advance of the NFL draft last night, setting themselves up to be the most savvy or stupid team of the modern draft era. In doing so, they passed up Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush, the most explosive player in college football in the last 20 years whose incredible speed and moves had scouts comparing him to Marshall Faulk and Gale Sayers. Heady company to be sure.

You have to give the Texans credit for testicular fortitude though. Either Super Mario had better be the second coming of Reggie White or Deacon Jones – or Reggie B. had better fall horribly flat on his face. That is almost the only way you can justify this pick, right?

The case for Williams: You had the 31^st ranked defense in the NFL. You’re switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4. There is a DE available whom scouts are comparing to Julius Peppers. Mario Williams fits the bill. He’s a wrecking crew that can almost immediately push your D into the Top half of the league. Moreover, he’ll play every down, you aren’t sure that Reggie Bush can. After all, you have David Carr, a solid QB who has played behind awful offensive lines. You signed a Pro Bowl wideout in Eric Moulds, who would go nicely with Andre Johnson, who seemed as affected by the general malaise as Carr. Do remember that Domanick Davis is a 1,100 yard back behind this sorry excuse for an O-line line. Give him a better offensive scheme, which coach Gary Kubiak should provide and what can he do then? Who needs to pay big bucks for a back that can't carry the ball 20 times a game, who isn't even on the field on short yardage?

The case for Bush: Back in 1983, the Houston Rockets had the 1^st and 3^rd pick in the NBA draft. The first pick was a no-brainer, Ralph Sampson of Virginia. With the 3^rd, the Rockets felt the pressure – tons of it - to take a hometown boy from University of Houston, Clyde Drexler. Bill Fitch had other ideas. A defensive minded small forward from Louisville caught his eye nice fella named Rodney McCray. And the Rockets drafted Rodney Mac. And he was a solid, hardworking forward for over a decade in the NBA.

Alas, Rodney was no Clyde. Drexler finally wound up with Houston in 1995, just in time to help them win their second consecutive title. But imagine a Houston team with Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde, and a healthy Ralph in the second half of the 1980s. Bling bling baby. 

The Texans drafted Rodney McCray in cleats.They went safe. Why take Michael Jordan when you have Clyde already? Except that Domanick Davis isn't that good.

Hey, I know Reggie Bush carried the ball 20 times just twice in a game his career. I know he goes 200 pounds. I know he doesn’t move the pile.

No, what Reggie Bush does is that he moves the ball. In huge chunks at a pop. I’ve heard wonderful things about Mario Williams, but no one – I mean no-body has claimed that this guy reminded them of Bruce Smith. Or Deacon Jones. When is the last time that a college player was ranked this high and compared to ####le Sayers, and did not deliver? Exactly.

Overall, this works for both men. New Orleans with the second pick has the ability to trade out to a team that could use Bush (and the list is longer than one might think), and that team is likely to have a solid offensive line. The worst thing for Reggie is to play for a bad team and a bad line that will give him few creases. Bush in a Raider, Eagle, or Bronco uniform? Think Tony Dorsett with the Cowboys. Would he have had as much success had he started his career in Seattle or Tampa Bay? And remember, Dallas had their Domanick Davis, a nice solid running back named Robert Newhouse.

Of course, things get really interesting if New Orleans takes him, especially given that they have a gimpy Deuce McAllister and holes elsewhere. More than anything, Reggie needs to be with a coach who has offensive imagination. Is that present in Nawlins? Sean Payton does have experience with Tiki Barber (a similar style back) in New York. But if you buy the hype, Bush is a level beyond Tiki.

And if you think today is strange, what happens if the Saints pass on Reggie for D’Brickashaw Ferguson? Or take Matt Leinart? Even though the Jets have issues elsewhere, can they pass on Bush? If they do, will the Titans deviate from drafting Vince Young or Matt Leinart? Hard to believe, but possible. Expect one other player to free fall out of the Top 10.

All because the Texans went safe. Good luck.

I'll admit that I did not see much of Mario Williams. However, I saw a ton of Reggie Bush. If Pete Carroll played him at wide receiver, he'd been All-American. He has the fluid moves of Gale Sayers, and no one - NO ONE hit him flush. He takes kicks back to the house.

Every time Reggie carries the ball, it was like Gale himself said once, "18 inches - that's all I need". Get Reggie to the second level, and you might as well get the extra point team up. If Mario racks up 11-15 sacks a year, and Reggie winds up being Blair Thomas, then the Texans win big.

Now, who REALLY believes that?

A number one overall pick.

A tenth-round selection.

A guy who went to Canada to play quarterback for six years because one look at his skin made teams think “defensive back”.

Toss in a running back that had a chip on his shoulder because he was picked number 40 in the draft, an offensive lineman who was cut by two different teams before finding his All-Pro niche in Miami. A converted center who went on to be a dominating guard.

The roads to the Hall of Fame are many, and later today the NFL will announce their Hall Of Fame selections. 15 finalists. Anywhere from four to seven players and contributors will be selected. For some unknown reason, no one from the NFL called me and asked to submit a ballot. The nerve of some people.

So here is my look at the following finalists: Reggie White, Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Thurman Thomas, Derrick Thomas, Harry Carson, L.C. Greenwood, Claude Humphrey, Russ Grimm, Bob Kuechenberg, Michael Irvin, Art Monk, Gary Zimmerman, John Madden, and Rayfield Wright. The last two are special selections from the Veteran’s Committee.

The 15 finalists all make a great case for enshrinement. Some of this group is stone cold locks. Others make a very strong case, but perhaps not this year. Here are my picks:

The Locks

Reggie White – The late, great Minster of Defense might have been the best two-way lineman who ever played the game. An absolute beast against the run, also racked up 190 sacks in his career, as I pointed out in an earlier article. Had 21 sacks in 12 games in 1987, a record average of 1.75 sacks a game for the season. 124 of his sacks came in his 121 games with the Eagles. Had 10+ sacks in nine consecutive seasons, another NFL record. Whether lining up at tackle or defensive end, Reggie ruled. 13-time All-Pro, and 13 Pro Bowls as well. Added intangible: Reggie's signing with Green Bay was a huge turning point for that franchiese in the free agency era. The conventional wisdom held that premiere black players would never go to Green Bay, which previously had all of the appeal of Siberia in January.

Why he is a lock: You are kidding aren’t you? His bust was cast sometime during the early 1990s while he was still active. The only real regret is that this is a posthumous honor.

Troy Aikman – Won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys, which will get you in the Hall even if you ran the wishbone. As it happened Troy could throw pretty well too. Six Pro Bowls and 3 All-Pro selections attest to that. This was an offense that really centered on Emmitt Smith (in my opinion the true heart and soul of those Cowboy teams), but when the Cowboys put it up, Aikman was as accurate as they came. Career 61.7 percent passer. Try this stat: 41 times, Aikman completed 70 percent of his passes (minimum of 20 attempts) in a game.

I’ll be honest, his career numbers pale compared to many of his contemporaries, and I feel that when the Cowboys were no longer able to dominate on the ground, Aikman wasn’t a player would could put the 'Boys on his back and carry them.

Nevertheless, he was the trigger man on the winningest team of the 1990s (Aikman had a record 90 wins in the decade).

Why he is a lock: Which part of “Three Time Super Bowl Champion” didn’t you get? The man is a lock. Just don’t ask me to rate him in the top-15 of all time quarterbacks.

Thurman Thomas – I have a soft spot for Houston football players, especially ones I saw play in high school. “Thermal” was the key to the Bills K-Gun offense along with QB Jim Kelly. Led the NFL in total offense a record four consecutive seasons. Ran for more yardage in the 1990s than anyone not named Emmitt Smith or Barry Sanders. Five consecutive All-Pro selections, and should have been named MVP of Super Bowl XXV. Who cares that he was on the losing team of the closest Super Bowl ever? With career totals of 12,074 yards rushing and over 400 receptions. Besides Thomas, only Marcus Allen and Walter Payton are members of the 10,000 yard/400 catch club. Played in four Super Bowls, and is the all-time playoff record holder for touchdowns and points. He was drafted in the second round after a stellar college career at Oklahoma State (Barry Sanders sat behind him for two years), and used that snub as fuel. Sometimes, he seemed to never get over it, but can you argue with performance?

Why he is a lock: Thomas was a rare talent as double-threat runner/receiver with a high level of production.

Got to put them in…

Harry Carson – In an earlier article, I noted that Harry Carson was one of the greatest players not to be in a Hall Of Fame in his sport. The heart and soul of those great Giant defenses, the signal-caller for the best linebacking corps of the decade, Carson made 9 Pro Bowls, and six times made the All-NFL first or second team. Respected football analyst Paul Zimmerman calls Carson, “The best short yardage and goal line linebacker who ever played.” As solid in pass coverage as he was against the run, Carson maintained a high level for his entire 13 year career. Stirred a controversy last year when he told the Hall Of Fame to take him off the ballot and leave him alone. I love his style.

Chances – I think he probably helped himself last year with his comments. Harry should have been in years ago, and is probably wondering, “What in the hell happened to that advantage I was supposed to get from playing in New York?” He’s on Dr. Midnight’s ballot, and I give him a 75-25 chance of being in this year.

Warren Moon – He didn’t throw his first NFL pass until he was almost 28 years old. Coming out of U-Dub, scouts saw the strong arm, the mobility, and thought, "There goes a safety...". So off Moon went to the Edmonton Eskimos, where he won five titles in six seasons. Moon reminds me of the great black baseball players of the 1930's and 40's who spent their best years in the Negro Leagues, then got a late start in the so-called majors and dominated.

Even now, some scouts from the late 1970s will say that he would have been drafted as a quarterback. Sure you did. Moon and Steve Young are the two most underrated quarterbacks in NFL history.

Consider that despite the late start, he finished his career third all-time in attempts, completions, and yardage, and fourth in touchdown passes. If he had had those six years in the NFL instead of Canada, Dan Marino (and everyone else) would be chasing Moon in the record books.

As it happens, over his 23 seasons in two leagues, Moon threw for 70,325 yards and 425 touchdowns. But let’s just stick to the NFL numbers no? His 527 yards in a 1990 game versus Kansas City is second in NFL history, and the most since the AFL-NFL merger. A record eight straight Pro Bowls, and nine total (the last appearance an MVP one at 40!). 49 300-yard games in his career, only behind Marino and Dan Fouts. Nearly 50,000 NFL passing yards and 292 touchdown passes. Strictly on an aesthetic level, Moon threw the prettiest, most effortless ball ever.

Chances – I say he is a lock. However some critics have tried to diminish his numbers as a product of his offense (overrated nonsense), and the fact that his teams never went to a Super Bowl (didn’t stop Dan Fouts and Sonny Jurgensen to name two) will hurt him in the eyes of some. Rate him as an 85% chance of induction this year.

Claude Humphrey – I’m always on the lookout for guys who were overlooked by the general public. Humphrey is already forgotten by many, but this was one of the great pass rushers of all-time. In an earlier blog on great pass rushers, I left him off my list as well. Shame on me.

Part of the problem is that most of his best years were on some bad – really bad – Atlanta Falcon teams. Yet he still had 122 career sacks in 14 seasons, and he missed all of one season due to an injury. In his second-to-last season, he had 14.5 sacks for the Eagles, helping them reach the Super Bowl. Seven times he was selected to the All-Pro team, all while with Atlanta. In the 13 seasons he played, he led his team in sacks nine of those seasons.

Chances – Playing on mostly mediocre teams, where opponents could scheme him out o####ame plan without penalty, he still averaged nearly 9.5 sacks a season. L.C. Greenwood played in the same era and did not approach his pass rushing numbers (although Atlanta was usually bad enough where Humphrey probably got considerably more snaps to sack a passer). Humphrey gets my vote, but I think his chances are 30% of getting in this year.

John Madden –  I have more on Big John in my earlier column on the Top 10 players/coaches not in the Hall Of Fame. Madden has the highest winning percentage (an incredible .739) in NFL history for coaches with 100+ wins. I can’t ignore a raw number that impressive, and let us not forget that the Raiders played in seven conference championship games during his tenure. Six times, the Raiders fell to the eventual Super Bowl champions, including twice each to the great Steeler and Dolphin dynasties.

Chances – Being a Senior’s selection is a great booster. Big John is in on my ballot. My regret is that I have to sacrifice a spot for a player, and an offensive lineman paid for that. Another factoid I heard driving yesterday:

Madden's record against 10 other Hall Of Fame coaches? 33-12-1. Not bad at all...

In case you haven’t noticed by now. I’ve got seven on my ballot: Aikman, T. Thomas, White, Moon, Madden, Humphries, and Carson. The dance card is full.

With deep regrets, here are the guys who have to "Wait ‘til Next Year:

Michael Irvin – Ironic that his nickname “The Playmaker”, while being accurate, also eerily recalls the short-lived and controversial TV show on that Other Sports Network. Irvin certainly was a magnet for off the field drama, but on the field, he was a beast. Specialized in pushing off and shielding defenders from the ball. Worked the deep routes, short routes and everything in between. Averaged an outstanding 15.9 yards a catch in his career.

There is a temptation to compare Irvin to Art Monk because of their size, but Irvin was faster and more explosive, and an equally tenacious blocker. Despite playing in a run-oriented offense, and having his career end early due to a neck injury, Irvin still put up impressive numbers with 750 catches in 12 seasons, despite losing most of two seasons to injury. Five Pro Bowls, three Super Bowl rings as part of the “The Trinity” (Irvin, Aikman, and Smith), and 47 100 yard receiving games.

Chances – Most years, an absolute lock. But given his occasional off-field issues, including the incident that got him in hot water a month ago, he may get bumped for a year especially given the depth of the candidates this year. He gets in next year on my ballot, but only because I have no room for him this year. I think Da Hall selects him this year at the expense of Moon and Grimm.

Derrick Thomas – I suggest you read my Great Pass Rushers blog for more stats on Derrick. Another nominee that will sadly be a posthumous one, Derrick was a devastating edge rusher who still had some good football left in him when an auto accident paralyzed him and eventually ended his life far too early. Based on his body of work, while impressive, I can’t put him in ahead of someone as deserving (and long-suffering) as Harry Carson, who was a steadier player who was a shutdown defender against the run, an area while DT was sometimes indifferent to.

Bob Kuechenberg – It pains me to say nice things about anyone who went to Notre Dame. But how can I not sing the praises about a player who got cut twice, played semipro ball for seven games (and only got paid for two of them) before getting signed by the team where he found fame? Miami signed a free agent salesman. They got a six-time Pro Bowler who was durable, tough, and versatile enough to be named an All-Pro at two different positions in the same season. In 1978 he spilt the season between guard and tackle. He made the Pro Bowl at guard and was named All-AFC at tackle. Was a key part of the Dolphins’ offensive line that set an NFL record for rushing yardage in 1972, and made three straight Super Bowl appearances.

Chances – Great story, great player. Not enough offensive linemen get in as far as I’m concerned. But, the competition is a bit too stiff this year. I count three locks (White, Aikman, and T. Thomas), and at least one of the senior’s selections will make it. The Hall Of Fame almost never takes more than four to five selections, and even with me maxing out my seven slots, I can’t fit him in. This year.

Art Monk – Like Chris Noth on “Sex in the City”, “Big” is usually the adjective that is used to describe Art Monk. And in his case, no Hollywood embellishment is needed. 6-3 and a solid 210 pounds, Monk was the prototype of a trend away from small, quick receivers to the type of player who could muscle through jam coverage and go across the middle and operate between the hashmarks. Caught an NFL record 940 passes at the time of his retirement. Set a single season record of 106 catches, both marks have been surpassed since. As tough blocking as he was going over the middle. As devoid of ego as they come. Twice made All-Pro, and selected to three Pro Bowls.

Chances – Not all that good. I know, I rated him as highly deserving previously, but when going into the “Upon Further Review” mode, Art Monk has some flaws that put him behind some of his peers. While he has three Super Bowl rings, which should count for something, his lack of a downfield game and only three Pro Bowls in a long career will hurt him. Career average of just 13.5 yards a catch (Irvin averaged 15.9 by comparison), and never scored in double figures in touchdowns. My feeling is that Art will need some help from the Senior's Committee down the road if he doesn’t get voted in within the next 3-5 years.

Russ Grimm – Oink oink baby. The last thing a hapless defender often saw in the 1980’s was number 66 pulling on the famed Washington “Counter Gap”. Russ Grimm and Joe Jacoby were the Gene Upshaw and Art Shell of the 1980’s – in other words, a utterly devastating left side on offense. Grimm was a charter member of “The Hogs”, the premiere offensive line of the 1980’s. When the Hogs ran left it was behind Grimm and Jacoby. In the clutch, Washington went left, and usually they got the job done. Grimm‘s excellence was rewarded with four straight Pro Bowls and All-Pro selections. He topped it off by being voted to the All-Decade Team of the 1980s.

Chances – Grimm is worthy. But more worthy than Gary Zimmerman, who was first or second team All-NFL eight times? You can’t beat the marketing edge that being A Hog gives you. But fairness says that Russ waits another year or two.

Rayfield Wright - My earlier version of this post did not have my views on Rayfield. My apologies, because the "Big Cat" was hard to miss. An anchor of the Cowboys offensive line for fourteen years, he was the only Cowboy to have played in the Ice Bowl and also play on all five Super Bowl teams of the 1970s. Six straight All-Pro selections, six Pro Bowls, and he made the All-Decade Team of the 1970s.

Chances - In my mind, if you make an All-Decade team, you should be in the Hall. That denotes a high level of play for an extended period of time. The Senior's tag certainly helps. And he clearly has been overlooked. I do NOT believe in this silly "anti-Cowboy bias" talk that has been going around - and note that Wright just entered the Cowboys Ring Of Honor two years ago. Clearly, he hadn't been getting the love for a while. Having said all of that, Wright should get in. The question is, will there been enough room in this year's very impressive class?

L.C. Greenwood – I don’t what it is, but “L.C.” just sounds like a bad-#### football name. I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I'm running FAR away from a 6’6” man named L.C. you know? And for 13 seasons, many NFL offenses tried. Most of them didn’t make out too well. Ask Fran Tarkenton!

Few defensive lines in NFL history could approach the tandem of Greenwood and Joe Greene. Only 74.5 sacks in his career, but he had to share with teammates on probably the greatest defense in NFL history. Tremendous big game performer with two sacks, three batted down passes and a safety in SB IX, and three sacks in SB X. Twice an All-Pro, five times an All-AFC performer.

Chances - Strong performer, but not quite in a class with some of his peers. We’ve also seen darn near every teammate and ballboy of his on the Steelers teams of the 70's inducted already. That tends to work against you after a while. 

Oh and the gold shoes? “#### Eye for the All-Pro” can’t be far away...

Gary Zimmerman – Eight Pro Bowl selections for an outstanding offensive guard who made All-Pro with Minnesota and Denver. Even by offensive line standards, he flew under the radar. This is one reason why he will not make it in this year. I rate him as a lock within five years. It should be sooner, but Russ Grimm and Bruce Matthews (when eligible) will get press ahead of Gary.

Tuesday, the baseball Hall Of Fame finally voted in closer extraordinaire Bruce Sutter. In the opinion of this fan, it was way overdue.

300 saves. Career ERA of 2.83, and that included three seasons at the end of his career when an injured Sutter had an ERA of well over 4. Most of all, he had the Unhittable Pitch.

Sutter pioneered the split-fingered fastball that was so good, you wondered if it would be outlawed. Sutter is the first pure closer to be voted into the Hall - finally. Now the The Pro Football Hall Of Fame has annouced its finalists. I had to start looking at all of the players on the outside looking in. So across football, basketball, and baseball, here are my Top 10 Players who should be in the Hall Of Fame:

1. Jim Rice – Jim Ed was simply the most dominating hitter in the AL from 1975-1985. His 1977 season of .315 average, league leading 46 bombs and 139 RBI (did we mention 213 hits and a league-leading 15 triples?) is one for the ages, even by today's heightened standards. 406 total bases one season, perennial Top 5 MVP selection. Not a media-friendly guy; and that certainly hurt his chances for a while, although many of his former detractors have rallied to his cause. Rice also was hurt in the voting because he did not age as gracefully as some of his peers. He had his last good season at 33, and by the time he was 36 he was done, resulting in him finishing just shy of 400 homers, and having his career batting average drop under .300. He clearly belongs in the Hall, although I suspect he might be hurt by some stars such as Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, and Mark McGwire becoming eligible soon.

2. Rich “Goose” Gossage – As far as I’m concerned, The Goose was the most intimidating closer who ever lived. Goose pitched back in a time where real men threw two, three, even four innings for a save. Three times in his career he pitched over 130 innings in relief. Three times had an ERA of under 2.00 In 1981, had an ERA of 0.77 He clearly hung around way past his prime (his last ‘big’ season as a closer was 1986, but he pitched until 1994) but why should that hurt his Hall of Fame stock? Gossage was still effective late in his career in any case. If we really believe that a strong bullpen is an essential component to a championship club, then honoring the best closer over a ten year period (1975-85) is a no-brainer.

3. Albert Belle – Man I love stirring the pot… heh heh heh  But bear with me:

Albert played 10 full seasons, 1991-2000. He averaged nearly 38 homers and 120 RBI during that period with a 297 average. Finished in the Top 10 of the MVP 4 times, five Silver Sluggers. His OPS (on-base plus slugging pct.) was in the top seven 5 times in six years. Six times did he finish in the top five in homers. You get the idea. Even if you consider this an era of inflated numbers, he was still among the very best hitters of his era.

Now for the reality check – Albert was and is considered far too miserable a human being to get in the Hall any time soon. It will probably take the Veteran's Committee (and a Presidental pardon) to get Belle in.

4. Dominique Wilkins – Forget the nine All-Star selections. Forget the five appearances on the All-NBA First or Second Team (in an era where his peers were Larry Bird, Bernard King, Marques Johnson, Alex English, and James Worthy).

The man retired number seven on the all-time NBA scoring list. The seventh best home run hitter all-time at the time of Nique’s retirement was Reggie Jackson. Currently it’s Mark McGwire, sandwiched between Frank Robinson and Harmon Killebrew. Can you imagine any of those players not making the Hall? Yes, even McGwire. The NFL's 7^th all-time leader in touchdowns? Walter Payton. Every inactive player within screaming distance of Payton is in the Hall, except for the recently retired Tim Brown. So what excuse do we have for not having Jacques Dominique Wilkins in the Hall?  Buzzard's Luck may be part of the problem: Nique's best ball came when the Celtics and Sixers were the road blocks (Exhibit A: 1988 Conference Semis: Nique goes 19-23 from the floor for 47 points in Game 7 - at the Boston Garden. But Bird goes for 20 in the fourth, and Boston escapes with a two point win.). Once Boston faded, the Pistons and Bulls were there. Why penalize the man for that?

The Human Highlight Film not only carried his team for over a decade, he did something that hasn’t been done since – he made Atlanta care about hoops.

6. Dennis Johnson – Dennis Johnson couldn’t shoot straight, wasn’t a pure point guard or shooting guard. All he did was ball like a champion. Nine times a member of the All-Defensive first or second team. Not that you needed that to know how good he was on D. Despite giving up five inches to Magic Johnson, DJ was the only guard strong enough and smart enough to make Magic work to bring the ball up the court on a regular basis. No one else could make Magic bring the ball up with his back to the defender. Let us not forget two All-NBA selections, five All-Star games, and a Finals MVP.

And for all of his shakiness with the J, DJ was deadly with the game on the line. And Larry Bird called Johnson, “The best teammate I ever played with.”

Induct him already please! (And I'm a Lakers fan!)

6. Chet "The Jet” Walker – Wilt Chamberlain called him the greatest one on one player he ever played with. He scored over 18,000 points in an NBA career that still had mileage on it when he quit at 33 (having averaged 19 points a game for the Bulls that season). Was he a winner? The Bulls made the playoffs every year he was there, and crashed in the seasons before and after he left. He attempted to sue the Bulls for anti-trust violations (as they wouldn’t release or trade him, nor would they renegotiate his contract), and lost. You wonder if that has had an impact on his Hall chances. Seven All-Star selections, career averages of 18 points and 7 boards a game at the small forward spot certainly doesn’t hurt. And did I mention that he was the starting “3” on the greatest squad in NBA history, the 1968 Sixers?

7. Harry Carson – Harry’s biggest problem is that he played alongside possibly the best linebacker (and clearly the best outside linebacker) who ever lived in Lawrence Taylor, yet it was Harry who was the heart and soul of those Giants’ defenses of the late 70’s and through the 1980’s. Tough, smart, and nasty, but always under control, and classy off the field, Harry has been shafted repeatedly by the Hall. Last year, he had a justified “Shawshank Moment” (I call it that because it reminded me of Morgan Freeman’s heartfelt blast at the parole board after 40 years) - Carson publically told the Hall, in effect, "Don’t even bother me anymore".

Like Morgan, expect Harry to finally get his ticket punched to the Hall.

8. Art Monk – At the time of his retirement, he had a record 940 receptions. Yes, I know there were a lot of 10 yard hitch routes. Big deal. He moved the chains by using his size over the middle and on the “dirty work” patterns, which enabled Gary Clark, Charlie Brown, Ricky Sanders, et al to get open deep. Always a reliable target for Joe Theisman, Doug Williams, or Mark Rypien. Monk was no prima donna, as he also was one of the best blocking wideouts of his time, and if he had an ego, it was checked at the door.

Just the type of player that the media loves, but then doesn't want to reward. What are we waiting for?

9. Bert Blyleven – Besides being the owner of one of Chris Berman’s best nicknames, Bert won 287 games, many of those with some really bad teams, which somewhat explains his so-so winning percentage of .534 (Nolan Ryan’s was .524 by comparison).

While only winning 20 games once, his career ERA was a very good 3.30 (the league average during his career was 3.91). Eight times, he struck out 200 or more batters, many with a curve considered one of the very best in the game. Ten times he finished in the Top 10 in ERA, and was a regular among the league leaders in K’s and SO/BB ratio. Baseball-reference.com lists the most similar pitchers as Hall Of Famers Don Sutton, Steve Carlton, and ####lord Perry.

I admit, it took some time to think of him as being in the class, but the numbers make a good case for him.

10. John Madden – Boom! I throw a coach in. But Big John’s numbers made you say WHAP! Long before he became an announcer, years before he became The Man behind Madden 2006 (or 1994 if you still held on to your Sega Genesis like I have), all Madden did was win games. 112 of them in 10 seasons.

In fact his 112-39-7 record is the best in Raider history. His winning percentage of .739 in all games trails only Vince Lombardi’s .750 among coaches with 100+ wins. His regular season percentage is .750, and that is the best ever for any coach. Madden also has an NFL title, winning Super Bowl IX in 1976. What may be lost in this is that Madden’s teams played in five consecutive AFC Title games from 1973-77. Overall, the Madden years had the Raiders in seven conference/league title games. That’s a lot of knocking on the door when you consider that they played in the same era as the Steeler and Dolphin juggernauts.

The NFL Senior's committee has him as nominee. It should have never come to that.

Perusing the news on the NFL coaching firings (which felt a bit like a coaching obituary) gave me flashbacks to the climatic scene in “The Godfather” where Michael Corleone decides to handle his business and liquidate the competition.

Oh come on, dig if you will the picture... of Paul Tagliabue and the owners of the Texans, Vikings, Rams, Chiefs, Raiders, etc at a christening ceremony while Tice, Capers, Sherman, et al get whacked.

“Al Davis, do you renounce Satan?”

(Tice gets Donald Trump-ed on a cruise boat, Super Bowl tickets falling from his hand…)

(Mike Sherman on a rubbing table, redeeming a spa coupon from his friend Brett Favre – BLAM! In the eye!)

“I do.”

(Norv Turner gets it between some revolving doors, while Al Davis smiles grimly from across the street)

(Jim Haslett is ambushed in San Antonio, wandering lost as he forgot for the 923^rd time that he wasn’t in 'Nawlins anymore.)

(Dom Capers gets it while getting a parking ticket from a uniformed cop who looks a lot like Charlie Casserly…)

The only thing missing from this sequence is much-beloved (heh heh heh) Brian Billick as the treacherous Carlo Rizzi. Imagine…

Ozzie Newsome and Steve Biscotti strolls into Billick’s office, while Billick is frantically dialing on the phone, getting "Your number has been disconnected or is no longer in service" when calling Norv Turner

Ozzie: ”Brian, you still have Santino, uh I mean Kyle Boller to answer for…”

BB: (pale, sweating, whispering) “Noooo…I’m Brian Billick…”

Ozzie: You think you could fool a real football mind with that farce from Cal? Come on now…

BB: “I swear to you Ozzie, I thought he’d be the next Randall Cunningham…”

Ozzie: “Please Brian. Don’t tell me you’re innocent. It just insults my intelligence, and makes me very angry. I played with Bernie Kosar, remember?” Now tell me the truth, who pushed you to take Boller? Was it Barzini?

BB: Huh?

Biscotti: Who was it? Modell or Fassell?

Billick: Actually sir, you OK'ed it.

Ozzie: Don’t remind me. That will be fixed…now, get out of my sight…”

Billick rushes gratefully into the car.

Lurking in the back of the Ravens-purple Escalade…Rick Neuheisel.

Just then, Rick gets text messaged from Ozzie. “Nevermind. He’s gets another year. Why I have no idea.”

Rick: "Are you sure this is the guy anyway?"

Ozzie: Why do you ask?

Rick: He looks like our Brian, but I dunno... he looks weird... sort of ...humble...

Ozzie: "It's a start..."

---------------

OK, that was fun. But that is the thing about mass layoffs in any line of work, and I've been through a couple; You knew it would happen. It still doesn’t prepare you for the impact.

Monday, five coaches were fired, and #### Vermeil retired. Today, Norv Turner went down in flames. The bloodletting hasn’t ended either, as #### Jauron is an interim coach facing the likely axe.

Fact is, the NFL usually tends to be the most brutal of meritocracies. Turner couldn’t develop a consistent offense with Randy Moss, Lamont Jordan, and Jerry Porter.

See ya.

Jim Haslett might have gotten the rawest deal of all, given Hurricane Katrina, a wacky owner and the non-support of the NFL. However, the (S)aints have been chronic underachievers for the past few years.

Bye Jim.

Given four years to run the show in Houston, Dom Capers couldn’t keep David Carr from looking like a Crip crashing a Bloods picnic.

In the immortal words of the late commedian Robin Harris, “gotta go gotta go”!

For all of the offensive brilliance of Mike Martz, he constantly forgot that Steven Jackson and future Hall Of Famer Marshall Faulk were allowed to run the ball on consecutive plays - and we won’t even get into the political drama. The Rams may want to hire #### Cheney or Karl Rove for the front office if it gets any worse.

Mike Sherman had the backing of Brett Favre, but I’m not sure that is an endorsement you want. I mean, Brett led the NFL in interceptions, and is good for at least three really silly throws in a game. Clearly new leadership is needed on the frozen tundra.

Now we move to the next phase. The wooing and hiring.

Make 'em an offer they can't refuse.

Last night, ABC called it a wrap for Monday Night Football, a TV institution on a par with I Love Lucy, Seinfeld, and The Cosby Show. In fact, it outlasted the lot of them combined. It moves to ESPN, and let's face it, even if you have cable and hang at sports bars (for the women or men I'm sure), free football moving to cable is never a warm moment.

I mean really, image Cheers or Living Single moving to the Wifetime, uh Lifetime Network. Yeah, I thought so.

Of course MNF was two entitles. The Game and The Show. The first 15 years, the game was secondary to The Show. And if you are under 35 or so, I pity you, because you'll truly never get it. Dandy Don Meredith, Frank Gifford, and the legendary Humble Howard Cosell created a dynamic that will never, EVER be duplicated. Don't think that ABC didn't keep trying to do so either. When MNF-The Show jumped the shark, MNF-The Game lived on.

But when the show was about The Show, Lord help us. It was Don deflating Howard, Howard pontificating, Frank (or Keith Jackson) marching forward through the flak, not quite oblivious, but knowing that SOMEBODY had to keep the show grounded in this reality. At its best, it was by a thread.

It was the impromptu moments that made even a dog game worth watching, because you just didn't know what would happen next.

And since it was on free TV, you knew you could talk about it with a co-worker, and even a female one. My mom would have paid good money to throw a brick through the TV set at Howard, just like a bar in Denver famously did. Mom didn't hate Howie either - it was the toupee that irritated her. The Voice just closed the deal.

You wonder about the future of The Game though. Monday Night was a sign of Respect. I'm talking La Costa Nostra respect. When your team played on Monday Night, it was like having 45 instant Made Men. Instant national recognition. The entire nation would be watching, and in the pre-cable, pre-Direct TV-NFL package era, that meant EVERYTHING.

Teams that weren't MNF regulars like Dallas, Oakland, and Miami knew the deal - don't screw that #$%# up. Win! At least be competitive! The Oilers got smoked bad on Monday Night in the early 70’s and didn't show up again for years. Somehow, the Chargers made Monday Night in the mid-1970's when they stunk, and it was big news. The city didn't want the stigma of a blacked-out Monday Night game, and bought up the extra tickets.

Back in the day people. Back In The Day...

Alas, you will never have a Howard Cosell again. We're far too PC a society. Bill Walton probably comes closest in sheer obnoxiousness, and the TNT NBA crew has amazingly funny chemistry with Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith. But they're on cable.

With that in mind, here are my favorite memories of MNF, in no special order:

1. Earl Campbell's Coming Out Party - The Perfect Storm of The Show and The Game. Houston and Miami. Don Shula and Bum Phillips. The Tyler Rose already was a sensation his rookie year, with a package of power and speed not seen in the NFL since that Brown guy was blowing up linebackers in Cleveland. The Fish featured Delvin Williams (out of Kashmere High in Houston), who was the number two rusher in the league behind Campbell. Houston hadn't been that amped since Santa Ana rolled The Alamo. That night over 53,000 lunatics packed the Astrodome and actually silenced Cosell for a minute with a 60 minute roar that seldom let up. Powder blue pom-poms. Love Ya Blue signs. A corny but infectious fight song.

If  you ever wonder why the NFL wanted football back in Houston, just pull out a tape of that game.

Oh, and Earl rolled for 199 yards and 4 TDs, including a clinching 83 yard run that still sucks the breath out of the room. Houston 35, Miami 30. Some still say it was the greatest game in Monday Night History. You will get no argument from me.

2. Halftime Highlights - For those of you born in the ESPN era, you don't understand how it was to see maybe 2-3 games a week. And that was IT. No ESPN, very little footage of other games. Except for when Howard would do his halftime highlights from around the NFL. Years later, we all find out that he was watching a monitor and recording what he saw, just as we would do it. And we didn't care.

"Joe ...Willie...Namath throwing to THAT MAN - RICH-ARD CASTER, down the middle, touchdown JETS!"

Don't act like you didn't do a "Cosell". We all did. I knew a girl in junior high who did.

3. Bo Knows The Boz - Some called it the Irresistible Force and the Immovable Object. Bull. It was the Phenomenally Talented meeting the Phenomenally Hyped. Since Earl, only Bo Jackson could come with the power (6-1 225), and the speed (allegedly 4.25) like that. His rookie year, he met the Other Rookie. Brian Bosworth. A tackling machine in college, his talent was only exceeded by his mouth. I never saw a white guy channel Ali like that, so I can't be too mad at him.

Then came the game. Bo smoked Boz on a short TD run, I mean blew him up, and it was showed repeatedly for the next....hell, I think I saw it this morning. Jim Brown grumped, "You'd think that Bo was the first man to run somebody over..." Jim, it wasn't his fault (or yours) that MNF didn't catch up drilling Sam Huff my brother.

Then the exclamation point, Bo turns left on a pitch, and goes 91 yards, posterized the Boz again, and ran away from half the Seahawks as he took it to the house. It was capped with the greatest Non-Celebration Celebration, as Bo ran through the end zone and into the tunnel. Rumor has it he made it to the Bay Area before coming back. A perfect ending, demanding a curtain call. In a road game.

4. Sky Fan - Bears-Packers game. Pretty ordinary game...can't remember the year (it was the early 90's) but an extra point is attempted. And this was the tunnel end of Soldier’s Field. The net hadn't gone up, and it was all this guy needed to leap from the stands and catch the ball as it passed through the uprights - at least 15 feet off the ground before gravity took over and he crashed to earth. That is an American hero!

5. Tony Dorsett Takes It To The House - My Vikings and the hated Cowboys. Danny White hands off to T.D. from his own 1. Dorsett, who might have been the fastest great back in NFL history got a seam, blasted through hit, veered right to the sidelines, and it was over. 99 yards. A record that can be equaled, but not surpassed.

And the Cowboys only had 10 men on field. Damn.

Well, at least the Vikes won the game.

6. Howard Cosell and The Little #### - It was the Cowboys and Redskins 1983, and Washington wideout Alvin Garrett, one of the famed Smurfs, was undressing the Cowboys secondary with his running after the catch. At 5-8 and weighing slightly more than Sarah Jessica Parker, he basically skittered all over the field. Howard could nothing but exclaim in admiration, "Look at that little #### run!" I guess waterbug, squirrel, and jackrabbit were taken. Worse, Alvin Garrett was black. Oops.

But the funny part was, Howard got embarrassed, and took a LOT of heat. But but no one black I knew thought he meant any harm. And well they shouldn't, after all black athletes from Ali, to Carlos and Smith to Ray Leonard never had a better friend in the media. It was just a bad - and hysterically funny - choice of words. Humble Howie survived. But the incident did hurt him. A pity. Howard was no Al Campanis.

7. The Juice Was On The Loose - Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, we all liked O.J. Simpson. It didn't matter if he ran through an airport or the Steelers - we wanted The Juice On The Loose. It was a game in Cincinnati and when Riverfront Stadium got wet, everything on the field started to hydroplane. People, footballs, refs...you'd better have an anchor. O.J. gets the ball makes two or three of his patented sick moves, breaks into the broken field - and then it gets fun.

He goes right, puts on the brakes - and slips on his butt. Slides a good five yards, gets up in one smooth motion, cuts back completely across the field and outraces at least four Bengals into the endzone.  At least four others still have groin issues from his cutback.

8. Obi-Wan Montana Strikes Back - Denver and Kansas City met in a 90's Monday Night game with a high level of hype. One of the rare times John Elway and Joe Montana faced each other. And the game matched the hype. Less than two minutes to go, and Mr. Ed led one of his patented drives to put the Donkeys up by four. One small problem. He left about a minute on the clock. And just like Obi-Wan, Joe cut off Anakin Elway and the Broncos off at the knees with a 70 yard drive in about 50 seconds, capped by a TD to Willie Davis (?) with 5 seconds on the clock.

I tell ya, Joe left Mile High Stadium with nothing but smoldering stumps.

Legend has it that Montana whispered to Elway during their post-game hug, "I am the master..."

9. Randall Cunningham Goes Straight "Matrix" - Giants and Eagles. Randall always had a little something special for the Giants. This 1992 game was no different. From around the 10 yard line, Rocket Randal rolled right. Carl Banks zeros in on him and drills him square in the midsection. Knocks Cunningham into a three point stance, but his knees never touched the ground. Uses his off hand to stabilize himself, and straightens up, backs up and fires a TD to Keith Jackson.

The only thing better than the play was the look of utter and absolute disbelief on the face of Carl Banks.

10. John Lennon Visits The Booth - I don't even remember the game. I can't tell you who played. But it was John Lennon, less than year before his death hanging out with Cosell and Meredith. It sounds really trite to say "you had to be there", but you really and truly did. Kayne West might get a similar reaction today, maybe Diddy. But who would play Cosell? Who COULD?

10a. The Lonesome Oiler Fan - It was the early 70's and the Oilers were getting killed (yet again), and in the 4th period, the cameras caught a solitary fan. He caught them too. With a middle finger. Meredith, in a superb moment of adlibbing, said, "He's saying the Oilers are Number One."

11. George Blanda's Last Stand - It must have been 1974. The United States was 198 years old. The NFL was 55 years old. Blanda was 46.

It was late in a game against the Dallas Cowboys, and Blanda comes in to play quarterback. The guys in the booth had a field day with The Old Man. Humor with more than a little love for a guy who inspires me when I play ball in my late 30's.

My mom, ever the voice of sanity and common sense, was in disbelief more than anyone, "That old goat? They're going kill that man, why won't sit down before he gets hurt?" Dad and I were dying laughing. And we all were rooting for The Old Goat to throw one more TD.

And he did, I think he drilled a strike to Cliff Branch. It was the last TD pass (number 242 I think), of an incredible career.

Ok, gang. Now it's your turn!