Good morning,I'm at my security gig,and im reading about a career threatening injury,that Shawn Merriman has,now we know injuries are part of the game,but any injury labeled career threatening should be taken serious.Hey,Shawn 1 plus 1 equals 2 you shouldn't even consider playing this year.Hey Shawn your coach doesn't really care about you he cares about what you can do for him,and the Chargers on Sunday,  thats the reality of the situation,he's not paid to play dad with you,most coaches want to win at any cost,  im surprised your agent isn't up in arms convincing you to shut it down for the season.Hey Shawn ,read up on a former N.Y. Giant by the name of Mark Bavaro,he was a young warrior too some years back, he played injured for the good of the team and once he couldn't play anymore they cast him aside like horse manure.By him playing hurt he didn't last to long in the league.Shawn i know you want to play ,I know you love the game,but put the ego aside ,and listen to renown experts and have the surgery and play next year.Remember ,YOUR COACH CARES ABOUT WINNING,and his LEGACY,ownership cares about making money first,winning games second,the players third.IF your coach really cared about you he would say shut it down and come back healthy in 2009,  that leads me  to my next question,SHOULD STAR PLAYERS PLAY IN THE PRESEASON?

I think they should practice a little and wait for the regular season,like LT for the Chargers,just look at the players going down like Jason Taylor for the Skins,Jones Drew for the Jags,Umenyiora for the Giants, Chad Jonson for Cincy, I say, sit the stars down especially if there production from the previous season is off the charts.The players work out all year round anyway.By game 2 they should be ready to dominate.This formula doesn't guarantee a player will make it through the season injury free,but at least if he got hurt it would be in a game that counts.

If Brett takes the money over playing he's the biggest fraud to lace up a pair of cleats.Brett you cry and moan for a whole month claiming you want to continue playing,now the idea of  you

mulling over the 20 million or 25 million ,shows me you really don't want to play in the first place.If you want to play you turn down the money and insist to be reinstated pronto,if your intentions were to suck more money out of Green Bay for not playing your plan borders on genius.Shawn Andrews if your holding out for more cash ,I understand because humans are greedy by nature,but to sit home and say it's not about your contract,then somethings up,I read somewhere where you said it was personal well you had all off season to take care of personal business.Once again guys loose focus win they get too much money too early some of them anyway,if  he wasn't rich and worked as a truck driver he would take his personal problems with him on the road with him.Shawn remember if you live to be 70 years old your going to need money to live,for your sake you might want to stick it out a few more years so your pension is taking care of  and you put a way enough money to sit around for 40 years It's kind of hard going from 7 figures to 25k a year.

Javon Walker you want to retire go right ahead,and if you do decide to retire please go and get some help.it's evident mentally you are damaged goods,any man willing to give back 11 million in bonuses ,after a few bad practices something wrong.Javon practic e is for getting better you had a rough off season,give it time,maybe Al Davis can be a father figure to him,and help this guy out,but my guess he won't last more than a couple years the t in Oakland anyway.Young QB bad offensive line ,it may be a challenge to score points with consistency on offense anyway,and were aware of your diva ways ,so good luck.Steve Smith kicking your teammates butt isn't a good idea,especially a teammate that might help get you to the playoffs,and a player thats going to war for you ,not war but you guys know what i mean.You haven't met your match yet,but you keep punching guys in the eye eventually your going to catch a bad one.

Stephen Jackson smart for holding out one more injury and you will get a Kevin Jones contract .You might want to come to practice and go light,until the ink dries on a new deal can't fault you for hold out though.

1.PEYTON MANNING , durable,consistent,smart,wins 10 plus games every year,no questions here

2.TOM BRADY,durable consistent,smart,wins at least 11 games a year ,probably greatest clutch quaterback of all time remember when his carreer is over he may have 6 super bowl titles and 8 super bowl appearances

3.BRETT FARVE,besides flip flopping more than a politician,he is a gamer durable,mvp,and loves the game a older qb ,who hasn't slipped much in 16 years

4.TONY ROMO,good qb,but so far all stats and no big wins,as in playoff victories,he's labeled a choke artist,but i sure love wtatching him play

5.CARSON PALMER,substance,substance,great qb,with obvious weapons,TJ,and CJ ,

6.BEN ROETHLISBERGER,throwback qb,super bowl winner,great player

7.JOHN KITNA,don't laugh he can play,over 4000 yards passing,takes alot of hits and he gets up and competes,his team just stinks

8.DREW BREES,can flat out play,not a big guy but has a big arm,

9.DONOVAN MCNABB,check his resume he isn't pretty,but he does more with suspect talent on offense,than any other qb in the league,Kevin Curtis is there star reciever,enough said

10.MATT HASSELBACK      good ,smart,most of  us dont  know how good he is because ,he plays,in SEATTLE       

10a.Eli   Manning ,he had a great post season,and i know Brett Farve is out the league                                            
                                                  
                                                  
                     

 Matt ,Matt,what were you thinking your in public doing,cocaine,and in all places Ark,see Matt you have not got the memo,you want to do drugs do them in your home like the rest of the players who partake in drugs,and don't get busted.Your in the middle of the street,and you didn't even look around to see who was watching you,see Matt the police already ran your plates when you got in your truck,they new they had a big fish when they ran up on your truck to collar you.That 4.3 speed you got,wasn't fast enough to stash the drugs lying on the front seat.This is unfortunate because Sherrif Goodell is going to drop the hammer on you for at least 4 to 6 games ,then your going to have to kick your habit because your going to be tested once aweek for the rest of your career.They test TO on the regular and he never got busted for doing drugs ,he missed a function,and the league couldn't get in contact with him because of a phone snafu.Travis Henry,his career is over,and in a few years he will have all kinds of child support problems,then the bankruptcy will come,all this over some Weed,the power of drugs,these guys come from humble beginnings,but they forget how hard and how broke they were,they also act like this money is going to come to them for the rest of there life.THEY DO NOT RESPECT THERE JOBS,so good riddence to Travis, and Matt i hope you can kick this habit you have ,i would call it a habit,if you can't wait to get home to do your drugs like the rest of the players that partake in drug usuage.Don't get it twisted the NFL, the League will do whatever it takes to look good and keep that billion comming in,so Goodell has to come down hard on these violaters,there expendable anyway,Fox,Espn,Cbs,they won't tolerate too much foolishness,they also have a investment to protect.So MATT and TRAVIS good luck.

Im sure if it doesn't work out ,there are trucking jobs available ,just check the Sunday paper,the pay isn't that good but it's a job,and for the most part, you work by yourself,so there is a semblence of freedom,and the drug testing isn't as strenuous as the NFL.

Ladainian Tomlinson.a no brainer his body of work of over the last 5 years speaks volumes about the kind of player he is .He needs no preseason practice to be dominant,

Adrian Peterson,look for him to have a even bigger year,than last  if they get something out of Jackson ,and the passing game.

 Larry Johnson when healthy is a workforce back,who is just as effective in the 4th quarter,as he is in the 1st quarter.

Stephen Jackson,is a big back who can catch the ball,and for a big guy has break away speed,in 2006 when he was healthy,his numbers were off the charts.

Maurice Jones Drew,if he didn't split time with Fred Taylor he would be a 1500 yard back ,50 reception,a  threat on kick offs returns,he is one of the strongest runners to come along in a while.

Brian Westbrook,great runner,great reciever,a threat to take it to the house every time he touches it,and plays hurt most of the time.Theres no   question about his toughness,he would be better if the eagles had a big play threat to stretch field.

Frank Gore enjoy him now because his running style ,is more Earl CAMPBELL than Barry Sanders, he wont be around long with the terrible offense he plays in in San Fran,he's always has been injury prone.

Clinton Portis,good back with still enough of break away speed, to go 60 yards on any carry,he should be better with the emerging Jason Campbell at qb,and a inventive offensive mind as head coach.

Willie Parker,lights out speed when healthy,a threat to to go house to house every time he touches it and he looks that way when he carries it.

Fred Taylor still effective still good for thousand yard seasons at 33 years old,still has break away speed.Very underrated. 10B. Joseph Addai

ALMOST BUT MAYBE IN 2009

Yes NO Marion Barber,strong and tough,you,need more   than one great year to make the list.

Brandon Jacobs i need better endurnance less time on the did not play due to injury list

Ronnie Brown more work please,same goes for Lawerence Maroney,

Professional football players are the least paid professional athletes compared to basketball players and baseball players,they also have less job security,so its only right for them to get paid as much money as possible.Ther careers last on the average of 4 years, and they can be cut  at any time,most of the contracts of professional football players aren't worth the paper there printed on.Professional football players should make more money compared to what the league is making,pro football signs deals equaling 6 billion over a the course of  5 years with the networks ,this doesn't include merchandise, 10  dollar parking  for home games, food sales,and beer sales during the games, and other money that comes in ,and the commissioner  and a few vets complain,now the vets at the time at signing there contract they were happy, but things change and the money gets bigger every year.I f a team wants to pay a player a large sum of money then so be it,it's between the team and player,i pray Gene Upshaw and the union don't fall for this, the game is fine the way it is ,you perform you get paid if you dont perform you get cut and your money stops.Less not forget it is the most popular sport in America.

NOBODY  SAYS NOTHING about Roger making what 3 or 5 million to wear a suit and sit in on meetings,and when he makes a decision he mulls it over with his staff is that really worth  5 million  year. In one sense it is ,because of the money the league generates,and in another sense its not,BUT THE MONEY GETS BIGGER EVERY YEAR,thats the point im making,if they make any changes upgrade the pension plan,and medical insurance for retired players and lower the age  to 40 so players that play there 4 years and forced out the league a due to injury  at age 27 don't have  to wait until 45,to get medical attention and some cash they desperately  need. 

There was a time when a big stud lineman was considered to be a sure thing the year was 1989 and they called him the Incredible Bulk, I believe his real name is Tony Mandarich,well we know how that turned out he initially was bust for Green Bay but later on carved out a decent career. Fast forward to 2004 and another can't miss product considered to be the next great lineman his name is Robert Gallery from Iowa ,drafted by the Raiders with the second pick in the 2004 draft, well he hasn't dominated and you can't say he's anything actually he's average.

So now that Jake Long is signed and the obvious number 1 pick will he buckle from the high expectations like Gallery or will he prosper like the last lineman to go number 1 Orlando Pace.Thirty million guaranteed ,number 1 pick of the draft hey it's alot of money ,and pressure to perform and there not paying him all that money to sit on the bench.

SO what do you think the next Gallery or the next Pace?

I HAVE TO TAKE MY HAT, off the Cleveland Browns signed Crennel to a extention earlier and now there on the verge of signing Derek Anderson to a 3 year extention.Cleveland is obviously,thinking of challenging for a Super Bowl in 2008.Now you have to ask yourself  how long will Brady Quinn,sit still and play the nice soldier,he's a competitor how is he going to take it going into camp with no real chance of starting,unless a injury occurs to Derek,now Cleveland needs to draft a speedy running back in the draft, and they will be on there way ,signing Jamal Lewis is a no brainer.

Dallas gave up to much to get J Kidd,yes he is the second best point guard in the league,behind Steve Nash,but 2 number ones Devin Harris, a servicable big man in Diop,and a throw in in Keith Van Horn who came back for the 4 million ,and the Nets are also getting 3 million in cash.If the Mavs tank out early in the playoffs, the Nets got the better of the deal,now if Dallas wins the championship then Dallas came out ahead.Don't think they have enough to win it, though,its sad day when a player who hasn't won a title can pretty much say he wants out, and he gets traded to a team that he chooses like he has a right to a championship likes its owed to him.Plenty  of players are doing this today,and it stinks.

Will Barry ever play baseball again I don't think so, and Roger will probably have to wait to he's 70 to get elected to the Hall of Fame,Barry probably 75 but they cheated when they didnt has too.Then again these 2 wanted to play until they were 50 years old and keep raking in the money,and pad there stats.

With the scouting combines a little more than a week away,there will be a back that I haven't heard about who will run a 4.25 forty, bench press 225 30 times,and the NFL scouts will go crazy over ,but with a running backs you have to look at the tapes, most players look good in shorts and t shirts .Game tapes tell it all,you look at durability factor,the vision, the toughness between the tackles ,the burst, the ability to catch the ball,those are what I'm judging my  top 5 on.

1. Darren McFadden, has all the tools, he is durable,fast,great vision and he can catch the ball out of the back field,he will fumble from time to time and that can be fixed,the thing about Mcfadden is he hits the hole so fast ,and is a threat to go all the way on any play ,and he'll lower his shoulders and run you over.Let's not forget he can throw the football to.

2.Rashard Mendenhall is another back who can catch the football, runs hard and has homerun potential,if you watch the end to his runs he usually falls forward ,not backward so that says he is a very strong back,he carried Illinois on his back during the 2007 season.If he runs a 4.36 forty he may be a top ten pick.

3.Felix Jones,he has 1st round value because he can return kicks and punts,he can catch the ball,he may be the fastest back in the draft the only problem i have is his size 5''11 200 pounds i dont think he will be a every down back, in the NFL.He hasn't showed that he could be a every down back ,because he split time in college with McFadden.

4.Ray Rice,he's my  number 4 pick because if you watch his 1st carry of the game and then his 40th carry in that same game there is no drop off.He will run you over all day ,and scat outside for longer gaines he never gets tired ,he is the most durable running back I have seen in awhile,he played for Rutgers ,where he was the whole show on offense for them in 2007,yeah they had decent recievers,but he ran for 2000 yards carried the ball over 300 times against 9 man fronts.He just lacks the speed to take it to the house.

5.Mike Hart ,yeah he had a great offensive line,and you say  any back could gain a 1000 yards,at Michigan but Hart has good vision,he runs like every play is his last one and he his pain threshold is high ,he is good between the tackles and he is fast enough,one drawback is he is injury prone .He was very productive at MU

HONORABLE MENTION

Jonathan Stewart

Are people still holding it against Winslow for his " Im a soldier rant" at  Miami,or is it motorcycle accident,yes the youngan is arrogant and confident,but the young man is a talented football player,he has put up huge numbers for a emerging Cleveland Browns team,this is the second great year he has had and he isnt getting any love from his peers and fans except for the fans in Cleveland.There are great tight ends in the AFC Antonio Gates is one of them and Tony Gonzales is a another one but Winslow if he can stay healthy for ten years and keep this pace he may catch 1000 passes before he retires.He is that good.

Bill Parcells great coach in his day but he has had more jobs than Larry Brown,by the way Larry Brown use to be a basketball coach for lets see about 9 teams counting college.If Bill Parcells isnt a carpet bagger I dont know who is ,then again I can't blame him for taking Art Blanks money,he over pays for everyone from Vick to Petrino,now Parcells is going to get a christmas gift thats worth millions.

cOLLEGE COACHES not all of you but some, try not to promise recruits your going to be there for 4 years ,if you don't promise you can look at  them same recruits in the face when you exit  for more money at a new school,makes since to me thats the least you can do the players are the ones who help you get that fat contract in the first place.,MICHIGAN,ARKANSAS,NEBRASKA

When Vick went down ,Petrino was left with Harrington,and Redman an a injury prone Byron Leftwich,at qb.

Then he couldn't deal with the veteran players ,and he took to long to change his coaching style what works in the college ranks doesn't work in the NFL.So he decided to pack it it in ,and take the Arkansas job,sure the timing  was bad, but he is another of example of a successful college coach who failed with the big boys.

So, lets not sugar coat this he couldnt handle the NFL, and he realized early on he was way in over head ,GOOD RIDDENCE

Ricky Williams gets another shot, and we know how its probably going to end for him,he is a habitual user and I don't care if the youngans say it's just weed ,it's still a drug and illegal what kind of precedent does this set, for young football players and society as a hold.This tells me if you get on dope you can be suspended for a lil bit of time then they will let you back  in the Nfl. No matter how many times you violate the rules

This guy doesnt respectful the NFL ,if he did respect it he wouldn't keep getting suspended.Now my man Pac Man since his suspension was imposed hasn't done nothing wrong except play around with the wrestling racket,he has kept his nose clean and he was denied reinstatement.I know Pac Man pleaded no contest to one charge,but he making more of a effort than STICKY Williams, most people who follow football  believe Ricky WILL FAIL ANOTHER TEST once the season is over.Now  that he's back I 'm anxious to see what NFL team he winds up with I don't think Miami.

P.S. Roger Goodell your making up the rules as you go along and your not a Judge

Believe or not Peyton Manning  is the reason for the bad fortunes of the Colts,he has stunk up the joint the last 2 weeks.You can blame the injuries for the Colts  recent slide ,but Peyton Manning has to play better,he is the one who has to rally the troops and hold the fort down until the players get healthy.Six interceptions is unacceptable,I don't care if your playing with pop warner kids,your not going to when many football games fumbling and throwing picks.See Peyton is taking too many  risks ,he sees the players dropping  like flies and instead of  playing cautious he is playing like Rex Grossman,I'm not saying Peyton isn't great but he needs to stops  taking so many  chances.

Does anyone  really believe those lame jokes although funny,should cost JK  his job, ESPN, is really sensitive,what do you want from a comedian,you want him to sit there and act stiff like Dan Rather, he's a comedian he tells jokes, and on the other hand a station like Fox still employs the ultra insensitive Bill O' Reilly.

Koren Robinson is reinstated as of thursday,but how long will his reinstatement  last, a week, i hope it's longer  than that but I don't know.This reinstatement gives Ricky Williams  hope,

Is everyone cheating, my man  Belichick finally got caught,now he was rumored to be cheating for years but with the ex comissioner he would let these things slide ,now under Goodell such things wont be  tolerated,now the Patriots were fined a pittance and the draft picks that will be taking away will hurt a little bit but Belichick and the Pats will be fine

Even in nascar the Mclaren team was fined 100 million for there rolling in a spying scandal, and in baseball take your pick, Ankiel,Mathews Jr,Dukes,there so much cheating going on in baseball they have what 2 or three commisions investigating,in wrestling every other week someone is drying before the age of 45 ,even in the world of mixed marshall arts,they joined the party and you have big names flunking drug test.

Tim Couch who really cares, you stunk from day one so,whatever,now the wayward Ricky Williams is attempting to be reinstated,if he's reinstated who is gonna take a chance on a addict.Even with the glowing remarks from his agent ,Ricky Williams doesnt belong in the NFL, he belongs in the woods teaching a class of 5 Yoga smoking trees,and when some team signs Tank Johnson and stands at the podium and he said he found jesusa better person,those chuckles you hear will be rightfully deserved.You have ole geezers like the juice acting like he's a cop ,plannng memoribilia stings like hes some king of  Fbi agent.Todd Marinivich ,in the news for violating is probation,he was picked up while riding his skateboard ,someone tell him he is a little old to be riding a skateboard at 37 in the daytime ,hey Todd maybe if you get a job you wont have so much time in your hands to smoke dope.

The modern day athlete is a reflection of a society  that has gone terribly  mad,the thing is we teach our kids that winning is the greatest thing in the world,so our kids are growing up to do whatever to win.Some parents are the problem.