Last night, to many of your dismay, Javon Walker was beaten and injured in what appears to be a robbery. He was left beaten in an alley. But wait, what's this? Where was the alley. Hmmm, none other than the favorite place of Pacman Jones. Viva Las Vegas baby! The city that never sleeps. The city that "makes it rain!" But wait again. What was Walker wearing and carrying when he was attacked? Oh yes, that's right. He had 3,000 dollars and 7,500 worth of bling! 10 grand worth of goods! That just might temp a man in Sin City to maybe, just maybe, attack him. Now I may be naive here, so bear with me. I don't think it is the smartest thing to do to walk around a city full of creeps with a bunch of money flauting around your chains. That is just me and my old white boy values.
But this is nothing new! We see this all the time. Atheletes that get themselves in trouble because they can't possibly sit home and watch the latest episode of Desperate Housewives like the rest of us. They just have to go be a pimp in Las Vegas to prove their cool to their bros and hoes. Go big or go home they say. And we all remember what happened to former Redskins safety Sean Taylor(R.I.P) He made some bad friends because he had flaunted his newfound wealth around and then he went and got killed. And Javon Walker was close to the same fate.
Now why is this common in the NFL. I have several thoughts.
The black mentality. Oh man, did I just say that? I said black, and I generalized! Holy ####! Kill me now. I am a suppremist. Actully no. But as many can see, it seems to be common for many black atheletes to go around and try to be cooler than Jay-Z or 50 Cent. They got the chains, they got the cash. Let's see who can be the bigger man. Now get in the car and we'll get a guy in a drive-by. Many black stars in the NFL are overwelmed at the fame and fortune because many had grown up in poor conditions and now can't get used to this.
The No Fun League. Man, what is up with the league. No drugs, no fights, no nothing! This isn't fair. I wanna pop my booze at whoever I want and I want to make it rain like Katrina! That is the mindset of many of the players today, (cough) Ocho Cinco (cough). I think that these players are just so put off by the thought of behaving like adults that they have to release that energy somewhere. For elementary schoolkids, its recess. For these "adults", I guess it is strippers. To each his own I guess. But you can't go around picking fights because you thought that the stipper knew it was YOUR money, if after you put it in her garter belt. Morons.
We need to stop this epidemic of crime in the NFL before it becomes an worse. I like what Goodell is doing but just ban these guys for life. Not just year after year. Adam Jones, gone. Oddell Thurman, gone. Tank Johnson, gone! All gone! We need a league of role models.
As we come to a close in our NFL regular season games ,we look at the teams that jumped in and were popped out of the playoff bubble. There are teams that should have made it and in many opinions teams that shouldn't have. The latter happens alot in all sports, including baseball and basketball.I think we need to make some urgent changes to out playoff systems, to reasonablalize the format for getting in and how we should determine the winner. I will cover baseball today, and college football and basketball tomorow,along with pro football. Here we go.
Baseball- This past season in baseball we had many close races in all divisions. 4 out of the 6 divisons were decided by less than 5 games and all of them were decided by less than 10 games. In the NL West, what some call the best division, there had to be a playoff to determine who would get a spot in October ball, and they werent even fighting for the division title. There could have easily been three teams from the NL West that could have been championship contenders, while in the NL East or NL Central, there might as well been no team that made it, seeing as none of the teams won 90 games, what I consider to be a benchmark for success. So here is what we should do.
1) Abolish the division system in determining playoff rankings. Why should the Cubs make it even when the Padres, who had a better record by 5 games, didn't? Sure, you can keep the divisions to preserve rivalries, such as Red Sox-Yankees, but this would take out the problems we have every year of complaints that their division was to hard and someone elses was to easy. The Top 5 teams from each league would make the playoffs. The format would be, 1 has a bye, 2 plays 5, and 3 plays 4. Then the winners would play each other in a semi-final game to determine who would play the first seed, with that game finding the league champion.
OR
2) Another option would be keep the divisions and instead set a benchmark on wins-losses to determine playoff teams. With a 90 win benchmark, this would allow in the teams that deserved it and again, end the controversy of weaker divisions being easier. Luckily with this year, no team that had 90 wins was shut out of the playoffs. But teams like the Cubs and Phillies had less than 90 wins and still got in. With a benchmark win total, it would allow only the best clubs in.
This season, if college football and the pros alike, we have lost to starting QB's, Sam Bradford and Trent Green to injury, both concussions. And both because both players went out of their specified job tasks and got hurt. Trent Green laid a dirty and unnececary block and Bradford went out of his way to tackle a man that would have been tackled a yard later anyway. This, to me, is unneceptible.
The rough and tough game of football has taken it's toll on many a man, and I accept that. We all know that you pay a price to be in the prestigous NFL. But there must be precautions taken, and as there are a lot of measures to ensure players health, we need more. Specificly, we need more about quarterbacks. The QB is the only position where it doesn't change during the game, barring injury. They can make or break a game. Think what would happen if the Patriots or Colts lost Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, respectively. Those teams would be in very sad shape. Also, if you want to think in an owner's mind, look at how much renevue is lost when the star player is out. Kobe isn't playing tonight? Let's not go. So with all of this, owners and coaches alike, with the commisioners office, need to step up and lay down restrictions of QB play.
Why do we let these game-changers to endanger their health in avoidible situations. Shouldn't the commisioner and others in high offices who are so concerned with concussions be concerned with why they get them? They were avoidible! The dolphins might have won a game or two had not Mr. Incredible gone and tried to be a tough guy. By the way, why did Green make the block? It wasn't like the guy was going to make the play. I think they should implement rules to limit the quarterback's involvment in plays that normally shouldn't involve themselves.
Get the quarterback off the field after an interception/fumble that is being ran back. Have an official tell him to leave the field. Also, if he interferes with the play, make it a 10 yard penalty. Show these guys that they don't have to do everything.
All in all, we could save these men from missing seasons, and most importantly, missing part of their lives due to post-concussion illnesses.
In light of the Michael Vick debacle, I have heard numerous opinions on the values of a dogs life over a humans, how killing a dear is different than killing a dog, and many more. I have come up with some questions for you all to see where your sould lies.
Is a dogs life worth less than a humans? What if the human is blind, deaf, and a quadrapaligic who is also mentally retarded?
Is hunting a deer the same as killing a dog? What if you also eat the dog and use the parts, Native American style?
Like in the first question, if you murder the disabled person should you get 20 more years in prison than you would get for killing dogs?
Since so many of you say people hunt deer to control the population, if there was a spike in the dog population, is it humane to let them run wild and hunt them with guns or bows?
Here are some that don't have to do with sports.
Which is worse? Driving while talking on a cell phone or smoking crack? They're both illegal.
Which should get the longer sentence? Child abuse or abuse on an adult?
Now I for one am not an any side int his argument except that what Vick did was inhumane and cruel. I would just like your insight on these scenarious. Thanks.
In todays edition of Current Hall of Famers, I'll take a look at which destined greats are headed for Canton on the defensive side of the field. Let me say what I said last week, this is not who will make it (though I hope they will), this is who should make it.
DEFENSIVE LINE- Dwight Freeney: This monster has been kill quarterbacks since his entry into the league 5 years ago. Check the numbers. Over 10 sacks 4 out of 5 of his seasons, followed by over 160 tackles and 27 forced fumbles! This guy is a great who, if continues this, get's himself a solid chance for Canton.
LINEBACKER- Brian Urlacher: The bear has been let out of the cage and for 6 years he attacked anything that moved. Over 800 tackles and 30 sacks make him Public Enemy #1 for opposing offensive units. Give this guy a plaque in Ohio!
CORNERBACK- Champ Bailey: Since coming on in '99 with the Redskins, Bailey has picked off 40 passes, along with an 85 yard return. Add on 500 tackles for a cornerback and you get a sure-fire HOF.
CORNERBACK- Walt Harris: Who's this? Where'd he come from? That's probably what all of you think. But my boy Walt has been on the scene, or in it's shadows for 10 years. He has somehow silently ammased almost 30 interceptions and 16 ofrced fumbles, almost unheard of from a cornerback. (Walt's 16 Forced Fumbles rank 2nd among all other cornerbacks) Add to the mix 650 tackles, shake well, and you get a candidate for the Hall of Fame.
SAFETY- Roy Williams: Though he has only been here for 5 seasons, Roy has made a serious impact. He has gotten 17 interceptions, including an amazing rookie year in which he had 5 interceptions and 92 tackles. Almost 400 lifetime tackles and doing all this while holding up some shaky Dallas D-backs.
News from around the League
Dallas offensive cordinator Jason Garrett is all the rage at camp, with players saying great things. "He molds to your offensive talents and needs as a player", say Juilus Jones.
Dallas wide reciever Terrell Owens has been defeated by A-Rod in ESPN's "Who's Now" competition.
Word from San Diego is that Norv Turner is letting Shaun Merriman call a good amount of the defensive plays. Can't wait to see how that works out in the lockerroom.
A person close to the Lance Briggs vs. Chicago contact session says Briggs has refused to communicate with Chicago's people. Says the source, "He has refuse to talk to us about the contract until we remove the franchise tag, which we have no plans to do."
I, bubbB, would like to issue a formal appology for my posts saying that marijuana smoking was harmful to the human body. I had not done my research and I was confused by the propaganda issued by anti-marijuana groups. I would also like to thank UltraMega, for being the one to link me to some research being done by professionals. For that I thank you. Sorry to all of you who I have confused or angered in my blatant ignorance of the subject on which I was speaking.
If any of you are interested in writing a petiton to the goverment demanding regulations on painkiller sales and usage just comment on the page with your name. I will be sending a letter with the names to Capitol Hill and try to get some regulations on these dangerous drugs.
All the time people go down to the pharmacy, you know, pick up some painkillers. It'll be just one bottle to relieve the pain. That's fine. Then you get some more. Then after your third time your wife asks you where the hell you were. You lie and get some more. All over the country men and women are being addicted by the masses to painkillers. They seem like candy, just going to get a candy bar. Then like a drug (which they are) you get more and more until you are hooked on the line of death and despair. So I asked myself, why do we continue to allow these killers in our society? Why do we damage not only ourselves but our children, the people who live after us and will have to live on this earth the way we left it; full of drugs. Listen to this story about a little boy and his father that was on the New York Post........
"A local boy has died from painkiller abuse. Thomas Miken,10, apparently had some pain in his back. His father had had the same kind of pain only two weeks before and brought home some painkillers. He used them in front of Thomas so Thomas got the idea that they were okay. He started to use the painkillers every day. He was hooked on the drugs and couldn't stop. Before he told his parents it was too late. A day after he confessed to his parents little Thomas had a stroke and died."
That is just one of the horrors that arise in our communities today. All this happened on my street. I saw Thomas a couple days before he died. He looked fine. This is why we must join together and ban all sales of these child-killers. These life-ruiners. These drugs. The are just as bad as smoking. They make you feel good but then your hooked. They damage your body so much that once you realize what's wrong, it's too late. If any of you haven't heard about the WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and his tragety he used steroids and painkillers before killing his wife and son. This is what happens. It ruins lives, families and whole communities.
There are so many great players in the NFL, yet so few will get to the golden promised land of Canton, Ohio, to the NFL Hall of Fame. In this edition of My BLEEPing Opinions i'll name one person fronm each offensive position who currenly plays that should, not will, get into the Hall of Fame.
PEYTON MANNING- Peyton has shown so much gusto, so much knowledge of the game in his 9 seasons with the Colts. Among his records are most touchdowns thrown in the season(49) and being of only 3 people to throw at least 300 completions in their first 9 seasons. For an added bonus he was in some pretty funny comercials.
LaDainian Tomlinson- Though he has only been front line news for a couple of years, he just set the record for most rushing touchdowns in a season, with 29. If he keeps this pace their will be nobody to challenge him.
Rod Smith- A veteran of 11 seasons, Rod has shown dedication and loyalty towards the Broncos. Over 11,000 career receiving yards and 8 seasons with over 1,000 yards gets him in.
Marvin Harrison- One of the best receivers of our time, Harrison has all the stats to back it up. 13,000 career yards, the most touchdowns with a single quarterback (Peyton Manning) and 11 seasons averaging more then 10 yards a catch.
Tony Gonzalez- This was a really hard choice. It was between Tony and Antonio Gates, but I felt Tony had done more in his career to back up his cause. He played with a broken hand in 2001 and still had over 900 yards and 6 TDs. He has the 3rd most career yards for a touchdown.
I know I missed the offensive line but I am sort of a novice when it comes to the O-line. Feel free to leave comments on who you think should be their. I will continue with defense tomorow and special teams in 2 days.
I'm just another guy with other opinions. If you like my style, go for it and read. If not, yell at me and I will yell louder. I'll throw the race card into your face. I take a hard look at sports and try to find the real meaning for NASCAR, which is just an advertisment for beer.
This season, if college football and the pros alike, we have lost to starting QB's, Sam Bradford and Trent Green to injury, both concussions. And both because both players went out of their specified job tasks and got hurt. Trent Green laid a dirty and unnececary block and Bradford went out of his way to tackle a man that would have been tackled a yard later anyway. This, to me, is unneceptible. 
