First let me apologize for posting this in the NFL section. For whatever reason it wouldn't post in the NBA section. Now on to what this post is about.

The Hornets are a team of now says coach Byron Scott. Which was evident when they traded their first round pick (27th overall) Darrell Authur to the Portland Trail Blazers for $3 million in cash.

Posey is one of the top free-agents this off season and is being looked at from a few teams including the Lakers and Pistons. Whether Hornets GM Jeff Bower can pull of this deal is uncertain. It will take a full mid-level exception worth 5.8 million for him to even consider coming to New Orleans.

It isn't until Wed. that free agents can begin signing contracts but Hornets GM and Posey's Agent Mark Bartelstein have been in constant talks. Bartalstein also represents Janero Pargo who the Hornets are trying to re-sign. Pargo has drawn interests from a few teams like New Jersey and Denver.

The Hornets also have expressed interest in Pistons free
agent Jarvis Hayes. Whatever happens it's important that the Hornets find a legitimate #2 guard and Posey can be just that man. With Julian Wright showing signs of promise at the small forward position and Chris Paul now locked up for 3 more years, the Hornets will look to recapture the same type of success and move even further in the post season in '08-'09.

New Orleans is a very unique city in America. We love to eat and drink probably more than what's healthy for us. It's home to two of the largest music festivals within the united states, Jazz fest and Essence fest of which the former just passed a few months ago and the later is this weekend. New Orleans is also home to what us locals call "Carnival" officially beginning on the Feast of epiphany, which locals sometimes refer to as "Twelfth Night". The Carnival season is often known (especially by out-of-towners) by the name of its last day, Mardi Gras (Frenchfor "Fat Tuesday"), which is held the Tuesday before the beginning of the Catholic liturgical season of Lent, which commences on Ash Wednesday.

One other thing we love and take much pride in is our sports teams. New Orleans is home to a wide variety of sporting events. Most notable are the home games of the New Orleans Saints(NFL) and the New Orleans Hornets (NBA), New Orleans Voodoo (AFL),The New Orleans Blaze are a women's football team in the National womans football association.

The annual Sugar Bowl, the annual Zurich classic (PGA Tour) and horse racing at the Fair grounds race course, the nations third oldest thoroughbred track. Also, New Orleans regularly hosts the Super Bowl, the college football BCS National Championship game, and the NCAA college basketball Final Four.

Special Football Games:

 Special Basketball Games:

All the offseason talk about who will be the top teams in the NFC this season doesn't include any team from the South division. Most people want to already crown the Dallas Cowboys the conference champs. Seattle gets talked about as one team who should make as much noise as it's fans.  Greenbay is still for whatever reason a playoff team in most peoples minds even without the future HOF QB Brett Favre. Nobody is giving a team from the NFC South much respect.

Not last years division winner Tampa. Nope not the New Orleans Saints and it's High Powerd offense. Neither is Carolina whose QB is back in the saddle after off-season elbow Surgery and a new feature back rookie Jonathan Stewart, not to mention one of the best WR in the game Steve Smith. As for the Falcons it's obvious why nobody is giving them a snowballs chance in hell to be much of anything.

So this has got me to thinking why is this so? Is it because each team from the South division was subpar last season? Surely that can't be what it is. It's a new year and new players to fill in the holes that plagued each last season. Is it because of all four teams the Saints are the only to not make a Superbowl and only Tampa has won one?  Nobody can be naive enough to believe that'll happen for as long as the NFL exist.

So I'll break down the teams how I see it and try to come up with something that seems to have flown past me but most can see clearly.

   The Panthers have always been a tough team with the exception of last season. With Delhomme injured and a QB like David Carr running the show it wasn't surprising. This off-season though Jake will be back but his affectivness after having Tommy John sugery is questionable. Can he be affective enough to get the ball into the best player they have hands enough to be succesful? I think he can and with Muhsin Muhammad back that'll give him another option that the team lacked big last season.

The Panthers also added D.J. Hackett who can be a good third option as well. Also with a backfield consisting of DeAngelo Williams and rookie first round pick Jonathan Stewart handling the rushing attack it'll take some pressure off of Delhomme. The offense needs to make it happen and score as often as possible. Last season they only avg. 16.7 points a game. I can't see that happening all over again.

The defense is where they are sorely lacking in my opinion. Julius Peppers has to find himself and play with more intensity. He's the leader of that side of the ball, although I just don't think he has the fire anymore to produce like he once did. With Dan Morgan and Ruckers hanging up the pads, this defense is a shell of what it once was.

So I see them finishing third in the division. Until they can add some more peices to the defense I'll not change my opinion on this one.

Prediction: 8-8 and no playoffs for this group.

  Tampa is the defending division winner from last season. Now I do believe they were a product of a horrible division of which they were a little better than the rest. However this season they are better than last. Earnest Graham was  surprising to say the least and should be a good RB again this season. He has good speed to go along with power.

Jeff Garcia is and always has been a good QB who knows how to win games. His pocket presence is very good and knows how to get the ball into the ageless wonder and speedster Joey Galloways hands. WR Ike Hilliard had a very good season as well as the #2 man. They could however use more production from Michael Clayton who was virtualy a no show last year.

On the defensive side of the ball Tampa is still Tampa. They've always played with good intensity and seem to be in the right place at the right time. With Gains Adams coming along at DE, and LB Derrick Brooks still giving teams fits, I stll think this is the strength of this team. Ronde Barber is a very good vet. and with a draft pick like Aquib Talib the DB's who ranked 1st in the league in passing yards allowed should be just about as good.

They'll push for another division title but I see them falling short. Although if they do win it I'll not be surprised one bit.

Prediction: 9-7 possible wildcard, who knows depends on the rest of the conference records.

 New Orleans was probably the biggest disappointment of any team last season. I know it was for me atleast. For the first four games I thought I was watching the same Saints Jim Haslett coached his last season. They had spurts of looking like the 2006 Saints here and there but without Deuce McAlister on the field, I'm not sure the could have beaten the Raiders. Deuce is coming off his second knee Surgery in 3 seasons. Although it isn't the same knee as the first, can he really shake back and be the powerful runner he was in '06? That's a question that remains to be answerd.

Drew Brees in my opinion has been the best QB the past two seasons. He's done almost as much as Peyton Manning or Tom Brady with less talented wideouts. I fully expect him to continue producing in the passing game again this season. With the gem they found in Marquis Colston, who seems to catch everything thrown his way, why shouldn't I? Word is from the Saints personel that second year WR and last years first round pick Robert Meachem has taken big strides after sitting out all of last season with a nagging injury.

Throw in rookie Adrian Arrington who is also getting rave reviews from coaches, hell push Devery Henderson for the #3 reciever position. Bush ramains a mystery to me still. I'm not ready to say he can carry the load if Deuce isn't able to produce. Although I like Pierre Thomas and what he has shown so far.

The defense of the Saints was sicking and that's putting it lightly. Although they were 13th in the league against the run, teams were able to mix it up and make huge plays over the top in the passing game. That'll not happen again this season as and First round pick Sedrick Ellis will be a force to be reckon with. He'll apply pressure up the middle on QB's and not allowing them to sit back and burn the DB's. Also he is a monster at stuffing the run. Ellis has the speed to move lateral and long arms to reach out and tackle RB's trying to bounce outside. That'll force offenses to double up on him freeing up the Saints very good DE's.

Free agent pickup Jonathan Vilma was a huge acquisition for them. The former DROY will pay big dividends for the Saints this season. Mike McKenzies injury is a concern but 2nd year CB Usama Young has looked good and coach Payton is impressed with rookie Tracy Porter so far.

I think the Saints have the right players and attitude to win the division. With the only real competition comeing from Tampa.

Prediction:10-6 maybe better if Duece can bust loose once again. I do however see them getting to the second round of the playoffs atleast.

    The Atlanta Falcons have more issues than playboy magazine. Sure they have gotten a pretty good QB in Matt Ryan who someday may have their fans forgeting the whole Mike Vick thing. However this team has some character issues all over the place. I'm not to sure a first year coach with a rookie QB can change that in one season. As a tam they ranked almost dead last in well everything.

Former Saints WR  Joe Horn(we still love you here Joe) is looking for a window to fly out of after just one very unproductive season. After that the only recievers with a name is Michael Jenkins who is very incosistant and Brian Finneran who'll never be much of anything more than he already is.

Jerious Norwood showed he can run at times but it'll take more than just a descent run game to get these falcons flying. Although they did pickup a nice free-agent in Michael Turner but will he be able to do the same in Atlanta as he did filling in for L.T in San Diego? I highly doubt it, but one never truely knows.

On the otherside it get's no better a sfar as big names go. Sure there is John Abraham,Keith Brooking and Lawyer Milloy but both Milloy and Brookings are old vets and probably in the decline of their careers. Gone is CB DeAngelo Hall who although had attitude problems he was a top 3 CB in this league.

Now they'll rely heavily on young CB's and who knows rookie Chevis Jackson from LSU just might be the best one they have. It will be quite some years befor this team is ready to compete with the rest of the division much more the league itself. Sucks to be a Falcons fan right now because I'm pretty sure a Miami like '07 season is in store for this team.

Yeah as you guessed it they'll finish dead last in the division if not the whole conference or league. Whew! glad that's over with I was getting depressed just typing about them.

Prediction: 5-11 maybe worse depends on if the team implodes or not. This is giving them the benifit of the doubt.

So there it is ladies and gentleman my breakdown of the NFC South teams and possible likely finishes. Feel free to add your opinion or just tell me I took one to many blows to the head. I look forward to your comments.

Now that the NBA is behind us, it's time to get ready for some football, NFL style. I could find no better place to start than with my "Bayou boys" the New Orleans Saints. After a surprise 2006-2007 season the Saints struggled to find that same intensity in the 2007-2008 season. Looking around the web I find that not many people think the Saints will do better than 10-6 and be shot out the first round of the playoffs. Ofcourse that all comes from fans of other teams who probably know as much about them as I do about quantum physics.

With a trade down from 10 to 7 to pick up an impact player like Sedrick Eliss the Saints have filled a gap they have lacked since drafting a bust like Johnathen Sullivan a few years ago. Just like then New Orleans was in desperate need of both a DT and a CB. Also like then they did the same by passing up on the big name CB and going after a DT instead. Unlike then the Saints have more than likely found a gem. There is no question in my mind that Eliss will be every bit of what he was at USC and more this NFL season.

He's very explosive, with great technique and good using his hands to get around O-lineman. The Saints who play the traditional 4-3 defense will line him up over center and with his great strength and quickness will keep teams from doubling up on DE Will Smith. He's also is quick enough and has long reach to run down RB's and scrambling QB's in the back field. He'll keep QB's from having all day to pick apart the Saints very shady defensive backs.

One could arguably say he was better than home state hero Glenn Dorsey but for whatever reason didn't get the hype. All signs so far point to he is and was worth that trade down to select him.

Now granted we'll need to see what he is able to do against any teams starters but I'm going to go out on a limb and say he'll be the defensive ROY in 2008. As much as I love and respect Glenn Dorsey and wish him the best in his career, Eliss is a Saint now and I think he will have a bigger impact on this team than Dorsey will with the Chiefs.

What I truely like about Eliss is this young man has lots of class and is a very smart guy both on and off the field. He brings no baggage with him, which is something coach Sean Payton likes. Great players with good character. So I expect no trouble from this young guy down hear on the Bayou and we all know how influential 'Nawlins can be to some, I am a living witness to that.

In other Saints news which is sort of old now but DE Will Smith signed a multi year contract that makes him the third Highest paid DE in the league. This was a must for New Orleans to do and well deserved by Smith. Since becoming a Saint, after being selected with the #18 overall pick in 2004 out of the Ohio State University, Smith has started 43 of 62 games and has collected 265 career tackles, 33.5 sacks for minus 221.5 yards,12 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries and 12 passes defensed.

Smiths sack total through his first four years in the NFL is ranked third in franchise history. That's saying a whole lot when you consider some of the great defensive players such as Ricky Jackson, Pat Swilling and Sam Mills who have had the privelage to wear the Black and Gold for New Orleans.

This should be a a great season for the Saints and I fully expect a return to not only the top of the division but also the NFC playoffs. So to all those 10-6 predictions by the non-experts such as myself. I say sit back and begin to prepare yourself for a nice plate of Cajun injected deep fried crow,mmmmmmmm! very tasty!

Hello everyone I hope this post finds you all in the best of spirits. It has come to my attention from the countless emails I have recieved and finaly had a chance to read from one special friend Kristen Valus that more than just a few of you were worried about me. It has been a long and very trying month for me. So hear is the latest on my condition and what has transpired the last few weeks.

When I last posted here it may have seemed I was doing just fine, heck I was even thinking the same myself. However such was not the case at all. About a month ago during my last post I was having terrible headaches that were almost crippling. I had my brain scanned once again to find out that I had some minor bleeding still going on. None of which was the medical staff that did the surgery on me was at fault. I am the one t blame. I pushed myself to hard to soon, which resulted in my brain having a sort of aneurysm. So needless to say I had to have more work done on my fragile brain.

The good news is I spent the last 3 weeks resting and doing all the doctors told me to do and things are looking real good at this point. I feel fine and both the doctors and I expect an easy recovery from here on out. As for the rest of my body, my bones are all healed with the exception of light soreness in my ribs still but that's to be expected. I feel stronger than I ever did and am looking forward to discussing our varied opinions on the wonderful world of sports.

Thanks to everyone for your concern and to Kristen,volfan,mooondog and anyone else who has inquired about my status and why I was M.I.A. for the past month. I can never come up with the words to say just how much I appreciate everyones concern for me. I can say though I haven't forgotten about any of you and that I also haven't found as great of people as you all amongst any of my local friends. Once again thank you so very much for being so kind and concerned.  I'm not afraid to say that it made even a tough man like me shed a few tears. I love you all and will forever keep you in my prayers.

Kristen, Lisa, Dwindy, Moondog, Reverend Rhythem, Mike Greenspire,Volfan and anyone else I forgot to mention thx again for all you well wishes and concern. You are the greatest group of friends a poor old Nawlins boy like myself could ever hope for. Now I'm ready for some football!

First let me apologize to everyone who was waiting for this post on Friday. I had a doctors appointment and didn't feel well after.  Now that's out of the way let's get to what we all are here for. The 2008 New Orleans Saints defense and what impact they may have this season.

There is no doubt in anyones mind that the Saints defense last season was less than impressive. This season however the Saints have gone about trying to plug up any holes that were exposed by teams in '07. Lets start with the defensive line, which is where I believe games are truely one and lost.

The biggest question here is what impact will 1st round pick Sedrick Ellis have. This is a guy who was rated as the second best defensive lineman in the draft. Just a shade under LSU'S Glenn Dorsey. Ellis has a good combonation of speed and strength that he'll help put pressure on QB's and should have an imediate impact. QB pressure was a sore spot for this defense last season. Having Ellis will force offenses to pick their poison. Do you use an extra blocker to stop the very good DE'S of the Saints or the monster that's busting through the middle? No doubt he'll be a nightmare for every offensive coordinator trhis season.

With Charles Grant more than likely getting suspended for his involvement in a shooting death of a pregnant lady in Feb. the Saints will need to get a deal done quickly to sign it's best defensive player Will Smith. A pro-bowl DE in '06 he had a very frustrating '07 season. Teams were able to put an extra blocker on him because there was no pressure from anywhere else. That'll change this season. I see him getting back to pro-bowl form with no less than 10 sacks on the season.

Bobby McCray will need to step up and I think he can. in '06 while playing for Jacksonville he recorded 10 sacks. In the '07 season he was once again thrown back to second string and didn't see much playing time. He's similar to that of Will Smith. Not quite as strong but has tremendous speed around the end. I'm very excited to see he play this season. If he does well enough the Saints just may need to think about moving Grant.

When you think of the New Orleans LB's first name that'll come to any Saints fans mind is Scott Fujita. Since coming over the same year as coach Sean Payton he has been a favorite amongst us fans. However there is a new name on this roster who'll have a huge impact if his rehab continues to progress as well as it is. Jonathen Vilma is just what the Saints have been missing in the MLB spot for a long time now.

Former defensive rookie of the year struggled under mangini's 3-4 defense (which in my opinion is a overated scheme) and injuries didn't help either. However he's showed in his first season that he is well suited for the 4-3 defense and is a high impact player. Good days are instore for Vilma if he stays healthy all season long. With him and Fujita patroling the middle of the field RB'S and anyone else coming across best be prepaired.

Which leaves us with the weakest point of last years team the DB's who were totaly thrashed on a number of occasions. Part of that was due to lack of QB pressure. The Saints made quite a few moves to shore up the CB position in the off-season. Signing free-agent CB Randall #### was an upgrade from Jason David. Playing for the Patriots he knows what it takes to win. Mike Mckenzies injury at the end of the season makes this an even more of a noteable move for the Saints. Word is also that Rookie CB Tracy Porter has looked real good in OTA's and I'll be at the Sants practice this Saturday to see more of him first hand. CB Usama Young has also looked pretty good in OTA's, after having a year under his belt I think he's ready to come in on nickel and dime situations and contribute.

All in all this years New Orleans Saints defense will be much better than the last two. With a few additions in much needed spots I'm expecting some great things. With one of the leagues best offenses and one that is capable of putting up high scores the defense will not find itself having to win to many games for the team. No all they need to do is be consistant and play hard all season long. Many people are predicting the Seahawks and Dallas to be the top NFC teams. Though the Saints will be no surprise with the talent they have all over. I'm predicting this team will finaly bring the city of New Orleans a long awaited and much deserved championship. The Who Dat nation will be dancing and partying in the French Quarter until the start of the '09 season.

It has come to my attention that there are a few sniveling bloggers here. They either can't understand why a few bloggers and myself have music players on our blogs and then some others think we shouldn't.

I can't speak for anyone else who has music on there blog, however I can for myself. I Have music here because when I am writing I like to hear my music, it's as simple as that. One such person felt so compelled to write a blog asking why and complaining about it that he had to tag it three seperate times. Now that's just plain retarded in my opinion.

So one of the complainers commented on the blog that while they were on the phone with their other half, that the music came on and it was very loud. The call was a business call they said. Hmmmmm this seems like a very simple thing to fix. It's called a volume button and it goes up and down according to your preferences. Besides with all the other various sounds that come from surfing the web why would one have their speakers loud if it's such a problem?

Then another complained that music doesn't belong here and should solely be heard only on someones myspace page. Oh really, since when did anyone who is just a #### on around here start making the rules? If the site allowed me to put it, then I have every right to do so. It's my blog, so therefor it's my choice both whether I want music and what choice of music is played.

In fact when I first put the music player I got more compliments than anything. Come to think of it I haven't had one complaint as of yet, atleast not on my page. So to these people I say go complain to fox and have them do something about it. Until then you have a few choices.

1. Stay away from my blog and don't read it. I could care less if you do or don't. I hate to feel that way but you have brought that side of me out. Anyone who knows me here also knows I am one of the nicest people you'll find in this community, However I can be provoked just like anyone else.

2. You can follow my simple explanation as to how to solve these problems you have. Turn down your speakers or pause the music player. Doesn't seem like it's all that difficult but I guess for some people it may be.

Remember this is my blog so I can do as I feel I want to do as long as it's within the basic rules fox has set for each and everyone of us. I do not remember ever reading that I can't have music on it because a few bloggers may cry like little school girls. So until those rules are set get over it and get over yourself already.

Many Americans will be doing their annual family gathering to BBQ and all other sorts of activities this Memorial day. The one thing that to many Americans will not be doing is stopping for atleast a minute or two to honor those who died serving this country so that you and I may have the freedom afforded us.

 To my heart that is saddening. My Father served this country in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam war. I've heard the countless horror stories of what war is like. I feel very blessed and fourtunate that my father was able to return home from such a horrible circumstance. Though he wasn't well recieved from the masses when he did. I know in my heart that what he and those that he served with all had one purpose. That is America though not perfect is the greatest country for any one individual and even more a family can live. Live with the most freedom one can have because they lost limbs and even their lives to be sure that it remained that way.

 So please all my friends here if for even one minute stop and give thanks and prayers to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for all us Americans. Freedom isn't free at all.

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of TAPS one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That TAPS had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.

As long as there's been athletic competition involving money, there has been cheating. As early as 388 b.c. a boxer named Eupolus of Thessaly bribed three other boxers to take bribes in the Olympic games. Athletes have been cheating ever since.

It's important to keep this in mind when you hear people yearn for the good old days. "Steroids are ruining our hollowed records they'll say." How can my kid  root for criminals?" And don't for get this one, "These guys are so overpaid they don't care if we win or lose." Ultimately it's all nonsense.

These problems have been with sports as long as people have been receiving money to perform them. The truth is we alway idealize the way sports were when we was kids for exactly that same reason: we were kids.

The other stuff was there as Reggie Jackson was overpaid, ####lord Perry was a cheater, and Denny McLain was a crook. But how did our team do today Dad is all that matterd, so should it be now. Why should we realy care if the N.E. Patriots cheated? It isn't the first time and certainly will not be the last time a team or athlete will cheat to win.

Maybe I'm a rediculous optimist, but I truly believe that at the end of the day, when an athlete steps onto the field of play, he doesn't care if he's awaiting a trial date for a handgun possesion. He just wants to win...badly. More so than our saturated world of internet,radio and T.V. coverage will give him credit for. As fans that's what we should care about most and that's winning.

Can the sports world be a better place? sure it can. The ball however is in our court. We need to stop allowing the leagues to take advantage of us with start times later than our bed times. We need to stand up for our rights as fans. If owners will take our money to hear us scream in their arenas and stadiums, they can listen to us scream outside of them as well.

Coach of the year Byron Scott has an option to way since his Hornets have been bounced from the NBA playoffs by the S.A. Spurs. Does he want to stick around a few more years or sell himself to the highest bidder? Ofcourse there's a team named the Chicago Bulls who not only have some great young talent already on it's roster but also just so happen to own the rights to the #1 pick in the upcoming draft. That's something to really think about. At this time that seems to be the furthest thing from his mind.

"I expect to be here," Scott said. "In my mind right now I hope to be hear unless something crazy happens."

Scott earns about 3.5 million a season right now. The Hornets majority owner George Shinn says he plans to make Scott a fair extension offer which would make Scott one of the highest paid coaches in the league.

"Byron has done an outstanding job for us," Shinn said. "I'm tired of flip-flopping and firing coaches. I want somebody to stay that I like. ... I'm not going to be stupid. I'll be as fair as I can to get him to stay with us."

Scott just so happens to be the Hornets third coach in three seasons. Which makes it easy to understand where Shinn is coming from. Scott has turned this franchise completely around since coming over. Ofcourse having the oportunity to land PG Chris Paul had something to do with it as well.

He also had to deal with the teams relocation to Oklahoma city after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Something few coaches might have been able to handle. After returning this season back to New Orleans he helped lead his young team to a franchise record 56 wins and a Southwest division title.

Shinn said that the teams top priority right now is a long term extension for Chris Paul who would be a restricted free agent after next season. GM Jeff Bower said they are well prepared to offer that extension because they have been preparing for it for several seasons.

Shinn says that Scott's extension is the next  priority on his list.

"It's a great scenario for him. He's worked hard to develop the players he has," Shinn said of Scott. "If we can pay the same as somebody else why would he leave."

Scott said he wouldn't if what Shinn said on wednesday comes thru.

Pheonix is also searching for a coach to take over after D'Antoni left for...browner pastures in N.Y. but both Chicago and Pheonix aren't exactly easy jobs to walk into. No if Shinns offer is fair as he says he'll make it, then the right thing to do would be for Scott to stay with his team. A team that knows what he expects from them and has already shown they will work hard for him. The sky's the limit with these young Hornets. Scott is just the man to continue with them on that journey to the NBA's version of the promised land.

Should there be a cap on how much rookies make when entering the NFL? If you ask most (if not all) veteran players they believe so. I am inclined to agree with them. Kevin Mawae president of the NFL players association was on the ESPN radio show "The Heard" Wednesday commenting on Atlanta rookie QB Matt Ryans recently signed contract. This is what he had to say.

"As a guy who has been in the league for 14 now going on 15 years and being around other veteran guys, for a young guy to get paid that kind of money and never steps foot on an NFL football field, it's a little disheartening to think of," Mawae said. "It makes it tough for a guy who's proven himself to say 'I want that kind of money' when the owners, all they're going to say is, 'Well, you weren't a first-round pick.'

These rookies are getting paid with the sole belief that someday they'll produce. That's not nowhere near as guaranteed as the  money Matt Ryan recieved which was reported to be 72 million and 34.75 million in guarantees. That's a lot of money for someone who hasn't proven he can play in the NFL. What he did in college has no bearing on what he'll accomplish in the pro game.

Miami Dolphins kicker Jay Feely says he believes that more than 90% of the players are unhappy with the salary system and rightfully so. He said veterans believe rookies like Ryan should not get paid more than Tom Brady or even Payton Manning on their first contract.

"After three or four years if they come in and prove something, then they get that big contract," Feely said. "The reality is it does a couple of different things. If you get the wrong kind of guy, it can skew the dynamics in the locker room. You get a guy who doesn't work hard, that doesn't have an internal desire to be great, and he gets that kind of money and he doesn't care what anybody says. He's not going to listen to the veterans' leadership in the locker room. He can be and say whatever he wants to do, and he can come into that locker room and not listen to anybody because he got paid $30 million guaranteed. It takes away some guys' motivation

In my opinion the system the NBA has for rookie pay is about as perfect as it gets. If a player like Adam Pac-man Jones had not been making such enormous amounts of money, it just might have kept him out the gentlemans clubs where most of his off the field issues have occured.

Feely says it's a system that needs to be fixed. Question is will it be fixed and can it as well? I'm not so sure it can or will but one thing is for sure in needs to be. If not as time goes on expect two things. More over payed hyped up rookies who do not produce anything. Lots of pissed of veterans holding out more than what's the usual every season.