I originally posted this on May 13th-tried to have some fun with the upcoming season. So far some of my predictions look good-others not so well. I was corrected on #8-Pittsburgh and Atlanta tied a couple of years ago. I think #3 was my biggest blunder, but the rest look pretty good. Check them out:

May 13, 2008

Edit | Delete

Here are 10 things that I predict will happen in the NFL this year:

1. A quarterback not named Manning will win the Super Bowl. Hey, this is only my first one-I need a gimme to get me going.

2. Ladainian Tomlinson will not lead the NFL in rushing. In fact, I predict a down season for LT and the Chargers. However, they have no competition from their division so they will still make the playoffs-maybe at 8-8 or 9-7.

3. Detroit will make the playoffs. Yes-I'm going out on a limb on this one, but if there was ever a year to win their division, it's this one. With the Bears still deciding on a QB, Green Bay still adjusting to LAF (Life after Favre), and the Vikings still without a QB, the Lions are ready to win the NFC Central. Remember where you heard it!

4. Dallas will win a playoff game for the first time since 1996. The NFL schedule makers made a horrible mistake by making the last regular season game in Texas Stadium a Saturday night game vs. the Ravens on NFL Network. So, Dallas will have to get home field advantage and say goodbye to their old digs in style.

5. Lane Kiffin will be out as coach of the Raiders. I don't know any Raider fans personally, but they must be beside themselves having your hopes ride on Jamarcus "I never met a buffet I didn't like" Russell. Trust me-I've seen this story before (i.e. Byron Leftwich in Jacksonville).

6. Vince Young will be replaced as starting QB in Tennessee. I think Titan fans are getting a little impatient with Vince. Look for a change around Halloween.

7. Buffalo will be back in the playoffs for the first time since 1999. This Bills team is very underrated and I think they will challenge the Patriots for the AFC East title.

8. There will be a tie this year. There hasn't been a tie in the NFL in many many years-I'm saying it's going to happen this year, and when it does people will be screaming for rules changes.

9. Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson tie the knot. I predict that they will marry on the Cowboys' bye week. Tony's best man will be T.O. (who will be crying as the ceremony is taking place), and Cowboys fans will forgive the blonde beauty as the Cowboys go deep in the playoffs.

10. Your 2008 NFL MVP is going to be .........

BEN ROETHLISBERGER!

OK, Bud Selig. It's time to step up to the plate and do the right thing. If fans are important to the success of Major League Baseball, then you should listen to what they are saying. The voices are loud and clear. It's time to let Pete Rose back into the game that he loves.

Let me start by saying that I started playing Little League baseball in 1981. I remember the first tryout-this one kid slid head first into second base during baserunning drills. That's all anyone could talk about-that he did a "Pete Rose slide". I went to a bunch of spring training games in Florida, and once had the opportunity to meet Pete. I wore my little league uniform because I had a game earlier that morning. He noticed that I had dirt on my uniform and that I had a first baseman's glove. The glove actually had Steve Garvey as the 'signature' inside. Pete said loudly, "Garvey? Garvey? Really? What has he ever done"? He then took the glove and scribbled out Garvey's name and signed his name there. He said-"There-now you have a REAL ballplayer's signature on your glove." At first, I thought he was being mean to Garvey until I turned around and standing right there was Steve Garvey. The two of them then hugged and asked how each one was doing-I think they even asked about wives and family.... I don't remember that part. I started to walk away and Pete says "Hey kid, what's your name"? I told him my name-he actually pulled out a notepad and wrote my name down. He said he would look for me in about 10-12 years in the majors. I just thought that was the most amazing thing-obviously my baseball career didn't exactly take off, but I was a Pete Rose fan for life.

That is the thing about Pete-he loved the game and loved to interact with those who loved the game. After his ban from baseball, he soured quite a bit. I can relate to how he feels though. This is something that he's done his whole life and now MLB is telling him he can't participate at all? That was devastating to Pete. It's now been 20 years that he's had to live with this pain. It's time to welcome Pete back-he's done his time. How many chances did Steve Howe get? If Bonds, Clemens, Palmeiro, McGwire, and Sosa can still be around-why not Rose? This isn't just about the Hall of Fame for him-for me, it is-he just wants to go to the ballpark and teach young players some of the stuff that he learned in his long career. He has been contrite about the gambling that he did. Sure, he could have come clean earlier, but would that have really mattered? In fact, there was talk that all he had to do was admit to gambling, and he would be re-instated. So, he admitted to it, and yet he is still paying the price.

There are a lot of ballplayers in the Major League that have never seen Pete play. You can look at his great stats all day and be impressed. That doesn't even tell half the story. When his team was down a run, he would do whatever it took to score. He threw his body around and was so savvy about everything. It was like the game was played in slow motion for him.

Now, I want to talk about the Hall of Fame. I will not go to Cooperstown until Pete is inducted. It has to be while he is alive, or I will never go. His stats are incredible. He played 3562 games, was a career .303 hitter (switch-hitter), had 4256 hits, 2165 runs, 746 doubles, 135 triples, 160 home runs, 1314 RBI's, and 198 stolen bases. I got these stats off the back of a baseball card. It is a 1987 Donruss#186, and it lists him as player/manager. He did not play in 1987, so these are his final numbers. On the card, it lists career highlights and the first thing it says is "Baseball's all-time hit leader and future Hall of Famer...." Did you hear that? It says FUTURE HALL OF FAMER. When it comes to Rose and the Hall of Fame, MLB needs to do like my favorite comedian says and "Git R Done!"

This is something that a lot of people do-but I have never seen a list that I totally liked, so here is mine. This is based on how I think they stack up right now-it is not a body of their work. It is comprised of projected starters (and Brett Favre):

1. Tom Brady, Patriots. He has it all and 3 rings so far.

2. Peyton Manning, Colts. I think Peyton might have just hit the downside of the career hill-still a lot of football left in him, but I think the end is closer than you might think.

3. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers. A lot of people think Ben is overrated and a game-manager, but he really showed me that he can sling it. He will again be at the top of most every statistical category again in 2008.

4. Tony Romo, Cowboys. Some people would say I have him high on this list-but I think he will prove them wrong.

5. Drew Brees, Saints. Brees put a couple of really good seasons together-I think he gets back to form in 08.

6. Brett Favre, Packers. Brett is an all-time great and still one of the best in the game-the Pack would be foolish not to let him back.

7. Eli Manning, Giants. Being the winner of the most recent Super Bowl may have you ranked a little high, but I don't think so. He became a success last year just when people were ready to tear him apart. Sound familiar? See Tom Coughlin!

8. Donovan McNabb, Eagles. He has been injury plagued recently, but is still a top notch quarterback. When he's healthy, he is one of the few quarterbacks that instills fear in defenses.

9. David Garrard, Jaguars. He had a great season last year and expectations are high for the Jags this season. He can really elevate himself to elite status if he carries this team to a title.

10. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks. This guy has never been brilliant and has never been terrible. He is consistently good-that puts him here on my list.

11. Derek Anderson, Browns. See David Garrard-except that Cleveland didn't make the playoffs last year and the Jags did. Like the Jags, expectations are high in Cleveland. 

12. Carson Palmer, Bengals. Most magazines/analysts rate Palmer 3rd or 4th in their rankings, but what has he ever done to deserve that? He has two dynamite receivers and he can't lead that team to the playoffs?

13. Jeff Garcia, Buccaneers. Garcia has always been a winner-he never has great stats and doesn't have a cannon for an arm, but this guy gets it done.

14. Marc Bulger, Rams. This guy was probably the most underrated QB in the league, and last year injuries just caught up to him. I think he will regain his old form in 2008 and make the Rams competitive again.

15. Jon Kitna, Lions. This poor guy has spent his career playing for bad teams. Maybe it says something about him-I don't think that is the case. I think the Lions are going to surprise some people this year and just might ....... on second thought, I'm not going there!

16. Philip Rivers, Chargers. I think he fits his team well. They need to get the ball in the hands of their two best players which happen to be a tight end and a running back. He does that well. He does not have the arm to throw the ball down the field to wide receivers though. This team only needs Rivers to get LT and Gates the ball to be successful-good thing for him.

17. Jason Campbell, Redskins. I'm going to admit, I may have him too low, but the fact is that Todd Collins came in when he got hurt and looked great. Todd FREAKING Collins! That made me think that the Skins' success didn't have as much to do with Campbell as I thought.

18. Matt Leinart, Cardinals. Matt, my man, you have to stay healthy. I have no clue if you're going to be a great NFL quarterback or if you're going to be a bust. Please stay healthy and give us a glimpse of what to expect from you.

19. Matt Ryan, Falcons. I don't usually rank rookies this high, but he has all the tools and seems like a very smart player. I hope the Vick backlash doesn't hurt this kid.

20. Matt Schaub, Texans. Last year, I bought the hype on this guy. I'm not making the same mistake this year. He's still an upgrade from David Carr, but I still think the Texans should be looking for their franchise QB.

21. Aaron Rodgers, Packers. I have one half of one game to go on-he looked pretty good, but if he starts this year instead of Favre-it could get ugly.

22. Alex Smith, 49ers. This guy has had so many different coaches and has never had a good receiving corps to throw the ball to. He will have to have the best year of his career to save his job.

23. Trent Edwards, Bills. I think in 2 years, this guy could be in the top 10 of this list, but not yet. He is raw and he still looks like he's got the deer in the headlights look. Buffalo is a tough place to play-let's see how he pans out.

24. Jay Cutler, Broncos. The lasting image I have of Cutler is Philip Rivers mocking him from the Charger sideline. I don't think he has the mental toughness to be an NFL quarterback.

25. Rex Grossman, Bears. I feel for you Bear fans. Grossman has a few good days, but when he's not on his game, OUCH! I think this will be the final year of the Rex as a Bear experiment.

26. Jake McCown, Dolphins. He's probably better than a few QB's ahead of him on this list, but playing for the Dolphins this year won't allow him to show it. He is the band-aid to give the Fins time to find a franchise quarterback. Get the ice packs ready.

27. Chad Pennington, Jets. Dead arm but he's still the best QB on the Jet roster. It should be another long season for the Jets.

28. Brodie Croyle, Chiefs. There is some potential here, but so far he hasn't shown a whole lot of it. He's got some good targets to work with and a workhorse for a running back. The time is now, Brodie!

29. Kyle Boller, Ravens. See Rex Grossman. I'm not sure why he's still hanging around in Baltimore. They already tried to get rid of him a la Steve McNair. Then they bring in the Heisman winner, Troy Smith, and now they draft Joe Flacco. Yet, Boller is the starter? Long season for the birds in purple.

30. Jake Delhomme, Panthers. I was never a big believer in Jake even though he led the Panthers to the Super Bowl. Watching him last year, I wondered if he will ever be able to throw a football again. They didn't exactly address the position as if it was a need for the team.

31. Vince Young, Titans. I must say that he fooled even me with that Rose Bowl performance. I actually thought that he could make it in the NFL after watching that game even though until that night, I said that he would never make it in the NFL. Now, I'm leaning back to thinking his playing days are numbered. He hasn't shown enough improvement and he hasn't posed as much of a problem as previously thought.

32. Tarvaris Jackson, Vikings. The Vikings roster is loaded, but the weak link is at the quarterback position. He will leave Viking fans frustrated more times than not this season unless they can pry Favre from the Packers.

33. Jamarcus Russell, Raiders. Sorry Raider fans-this pick had BUST written all over it. I see a guy that can throw a ball 70 yards, but can't complete a 5 yard screen. He doesn't have "football instincts". Another long season in the bay area.

I was watching the Rangers play the Yankees last night when I started thinking of guys that were never really superstars that I will never forget for one reason or another. Let me give you a few examples:

1. Gregg Jefferies, Mets/Cardinals. In 1987, I began collecting baseball cards. When 1988 new sets rolled around, there was a buzz about this can't miss rookie prospect. I remember opening up those packs in 1988 hoping to score a Jefferies card. He didn't turn out to be much of a player-but my friend Dustin and I still laugh about "gettin' a Jefferies!".

2. Pete Incaviglia, Rangers/Phillies. This guy was just built funny-and I remember an announcer one time saying about him strolling around the bases after a home run that he was doing the "Inky Dinky Do". It's just something that I remember any time I see a baseball player with huge arms and chest getting in the box.

3. Bob Hamelin, Royals. This guy won AL rookie of the year and looked like my brother-in-law, also named Bob-who that same year married my sister. After his rookie season, Hamelin didn't do much and my sister's marriage wasn't working out either. I don't know if Hamelin retired before or after my sister's divorce, but it was close to the same time.

4. Ken Landreaux, Dodgers. As a kid, going to Dodgertown in Vero Beach for spring training, there was this tall guy that played center field named Ken Landreaux. One day, I went to a game, and after the game was walking with my family to the car when I hear the sound of cleats running. I turned around and it was Landreaux. He was running to the batting cages up ahead. We decided to follow him. When he was done, he saw me watching and he walked over and gave me the bat he was using and signed my glove. Later that spring, they had a promotion and let kids on the field. Landreaux saw me on the field and asked me if I was using his bat. He said that he hadn't gotten a hit since he gave it to me and asked if he could have it back. I was shocked and said OK-then he just started laughing and said he was just playing. He was one of my favorite players-even though very few people know who he is.

OK, here we go with the MLB mid-season awards. I'll put up who I gave the award to in my first quarter awards and see how they've changed.

Here is who I had for my first quarter awards:

AL MVP- Manny Ramirez, Red Sox

AL Cy Young- Cliff Lee, Indians

AL Manager of the Year- Ron Gardenhire, Twins

NL MVP- Chase Utley, Phillies

NL Cy Young- Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks

NL Manager of the Year- Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins

Now for the midseason awards:

AL MVP- Josh Hamilton, Rangers. He leads the AL in HR and RBI and has made the Rangers a team that nobody wants to play. 

AL Cy Young- Cliff Lee, Indians. Lee is still the pitcher that I have winning the Cy-but Francisco Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera have been lights out this season. This will get interesting.

AL Manager of the Year- Joe Maddon, Rays. Go ahead and engrave his name on the trophy-he has turned the Rays from a laughing stock into a team with the best record in baseball. Impressive!

AL Rookie of the Year- Evan Longoria, Rays. I didn't name ROY's in my quarterly awards because I didn't feel it was enough time to see the rookies. This kid is the real deal and he is a major reason the Rays have turned things around.

NL MVP- Chase Utley, Phillies. I almost put Dan Uggla here, but the Phillies have not gotten production from Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard is batting .211-yet the Phils are still in 1st place. Uggla has matched Utley in HR's and is clearly the man keeping the Marlins in the race. Imagine-2 second baseman in the same division with the last name starting with U leading the majors in home runs.

NL Cy Young- Edinson Volquez, Reds. Webb has struggled lately for the D-Backs, and this kid has really impressed me. Tim Lincecum is right in this mix as well. Imagine this-a trade before the season sends the AL MVP to Texas and the NL Cy Young winner to Cincinnati. Good deal for both teams.

NL Manager of the Year- Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins. Tony LaRussa deserves props as well as Lou Piniella, but nobody has done more with less and worked through injuries as much as Gonzalez. If the Fish stay in the race, he should win this award.

NL Rookie of the Year- Kosuke Fukudome, Cubs. I was giving this award to a Cub-it's just a matter whether Fukudome or Geovany Soto was going to get it. These two rookies are very fun to watch and they have helped the Cubs to the top of the NL Central.

I'm going to share a couple of my favorite sports memories today. If you witnessed and remember them, I'd love to hear your thoughts. If these are new to you-I hope you enjoy!

1. Favorite moment at a live sporting event-Dec. 22, 1996, Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars were in their second season. After starting 4-7, the Jags won 4 in a row to set themselves up for a 'win and you're in' situation. Their opponent was the Atlanta Falcons, who were 3-12 and thought to have mailed it in for the season. The Jags got out to an early lead, but the Falcons hung tough and eventually took the lead. Jacksonville recaptured the lead at 19-17 with about 2:00 to go. The Falcons moved the ball down the field almost at will against the Jag defense. They got deep into Jacksonville territory and stopped the clock with 3 or 4 seconds. They brought on one of the best kickers ever to play in the NFL, Morten Andersen to try a chip shot 30 yard FG to win the game. While all this was happening, I was cringing in the stands-knowing that we probably blew our shot at the playoffs. I was already ready to watch the Falcons celebrate on our field. Then there was the snap, the kick, and the biggest roar I've ever heard. He missed!! Wide left!! Later I saw that he slipped when he went to plant. In the stands, every person was jumping up and down and hugging anybody that they could find. I don't think anybody left until about a half hour after the game because everybody was mentally exhausted. When we did leave, the hugs didn't stop-down the tunnels, in the parking lot, at Ruby Tuesday's after the game-it was THE most incredible feeling.

The Jaguars went on to the playoffs and upset Buffalo and Denver before losing to New England in the AFC Championship. The playoff wins were great too, but nothing was like that moment when Morten missed the kick.

2. Favorite baseball moment-October 1997, Game 7 of the World Series-Cleveland Indians at Florida Marlins. The Marlins were huge underdogs-they were the first Wild Card team to make it to the World Series. Let me start by saying that I was lucky enough to go to game 6, where I thought the Marlins would wrap it up. However, they were beat 4-1 to force Game 7. I couldn't get a ticket to game 7 so I had to watch on TV. I remember that the Indians went up 2-0 early and it seemed like the Marlins were just getting mowed down. Finally, in the seventh inning, Bobby Bonilla smacked a home run cutting the lead in half. But that was all the damage they could do. They held the Indians in the eighth, but didn't score in the 8th themselves. They again held the Indians in the 9th-with a great play at the plate from Charles Johnson-a gentleman that I went to high school and played Little League Baseball with. In the bottom of the ninth, Moises Alou singled to start off the inning. Then, after a flyout, Johnson hit a single to right field that advanced Alou to third base. Rookie second baseman Craig Counsell then came up and hit a sac fly scoring Alou to tie the game. The Marlins couldn't push the winning run across so they had to go extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th inning, Florida got the bases loaded with only one out. Devon White came to the plate. He was the Marlin leadoff hitter-and I was down on him for underachieving all year. But, now I was hoping he would throw it in my face. NOPE! He hit a ground ball and they got the out at home-so the bases were still loaded with 2 outs for Edgar Renteria-a young shortstop known more for his defense than his bat. Well, he smacked a line drive right up the middle scoring Counsell from 3rd base and I just remember running outside and yelling at the top of my lungs. It was after midnight but I didn't care. This was an awesome finish to an awesome season.

I went out last night and had a few brews at a local sports bar. On one of the screens, they had on a soccer game-from Euro 2008. It made me think about how soccer is so unpopular here but it is easily the most popular sport worldwide. Here are 2 reasons why Americans don't like soccer:

1. Little/no scoring. I say that, but yet when they do score, it's like the goalkeeper has no clue what he's doing. If they got rid of the offsides rule and narrowed the goal, I think there would be a little more scoring and the game would not have changed that much.

2. When someone gets bumped, they act like they've been shot-and they carry them off on a stretcher for a little shin bruise. Until soccer players man up, it will never be among the favorites in this country.

So then I thought, how come NASCAR is popular but IndyCar isn't? Personally I don't like either one.

How come golf is popular but bowling isn't? They both require a certain type of athletic ability to be good, but someone with no athletic talent could participate.

Here are my personal 10 favorite sports:

1. Football-love the NFL/college is fun but I hate the BCS.

2. Baseball-love going to the ballpark.

3. Basketball-this almost dropped below hockey for me.

4. Hockey-until I moved to Dallas, I wasn't a hockey fan.

5. Golf-love to play and appreciate the pros.

6. Bowling-great sport that has seen it's glory days come and go.

7. Volleyball-women in bikinis is never a bad thing.

8. Soccer-I actually played soccer in high school.

9. Softball-I enjoyed watching the college WS.

10. Tennis-I'd rather watch the ladies play but I mute them to get away from the grunts. 

I love sports. I always have and I'm sure I always will. There are just some things that I just can't stand about them and the advertisements that are played during them aimed at sports fans. Here are a few of mine-I'd be interested in knowing some of yours.

1. The "Get In The Hole" yell after every golf shot. This may have been funny the first time someone did it, but now it's just stupid. If you get caught saying it, they should throw you off the course.

2. Baseball hitters going through a dance after every pitch. I know that people have a routine, but this is just utterly ridiculous. Nomar Garciaparra was the worst-I haven't seen him play in a while, but I'm sure he still does it. Get in the box and stay there!

3. Sideline/courtside reporters. There are two that I like-Paul McGuire and Tony Siragusa, and the reason I think I like them is because they are constantly making fun of themselves for being on the field. They are actually watching what is going on in the game instead of trying to find a "scoop". The interviews are terrible and why do they always shake their heads up and down when the other person is talking?

4. NFL contracts. I hope when they do their new labor agreement that they get someone in there that knows something about how contracts work. The current NFL contracts may as well be written in crayon because other than the guaranteed signing bonus, it means NOTHING!

5. Stadiums and arenas playing the YMCA song. The dance is even more annoying than the song. If the government ever needs to torture someone, they should make someone sit with a headset on with this song on loop.

6. The wave. This is just so 1983. It's just not fun to do anymore.

7. Under Armour commercials. They are THE worst. First you had to protect your house. Now you're a prototype. That knucklehead yelling at the top of his lungs. It's just dumb.

8. The Coors Light "code blue" commercial. OK, big whoop-you have a cold beer. One guy jumps off  golf cart (where there should be beer anyway), one gets his right side of his head shaved because he jumps out of a barber's chair, one jumps off a boat (which should have beer anyway), others leave work, all for a cold beer? It's just not funny.

9. Planter's "Unibrow Beauty" commercial. I just don't like this commercial because she is so hideous and it reminds me of a blind date that my friends tried to set me up with. Some friends, huh?

10. Text messaging. OK, it has nothing to do with sports, but why do people go through the trouble-either make a call or send an email-I just don't get it.

 

It's way to early to do this, but I'm bored. Here are my picks for the 2008 season.

AFC EAST            W    L

New England        12    4

Buffalo                  9    7

N.Y. Jets               7    9

Miami                    5   11

AFC NORTH          W    L

Pittsburgh              9    7

Cleveland               7    9

Baltimore               6   10

Cincinnati               5   11

AFC SOUTH           W    L

Jacksonville            12    4

Indianapolis            11    5

Tennessee             10   6

Houston                 5   11

AFC WEST              W    L

San Diego               10    6

Oakland                   7    9

Kansas City               6   10

Denver                    5   11

NFC EAST               W    L

Dallas                      13    3

N.Y. Giants              11    5

Philadelphia               8    8

Washington              7    9

NFC NORTH             W    L

Detroit                    10    6

Chicago                    8    8

Green Bay                 7    9

Minnesota                 6   10

NFC SOUTH              W    L

Tampa Bay               10    6

Carolina                     9    7

New Orleans              8    8

Atlanta                     3   13

NFC WEST                W    L

Seattle                     10    6

Arizona                       9    7

San Francisco              6   10

St. Louis                     5   11

AFC CHAMP-JACKSONVILLE

NFC CHAMP-DALLAS

SUPER BOWL- DALLAS 31, JACKSONVILLE 21

This is part 2 of a two part series. Yesterday I graded the AFC, today I'm grading the NFC. Let me recap what and how I'm grading.

Based on 5 things, I'm going to grade each franchise. If they are strong in one area, they will get a point. If they are so-so, they will get a half point, and if they are weak, they get no points. The categories are:

1) History

2) Winning % last 10 years

3) Championships (includes division, conference, and Super Bowl)

4) Stadium/Deal with stadium/Ownership

5) Attendance/Fan Base

Here is my grading scale:

F     0-1 points

D    1.5-2 points

C    2.5-3 points

B    3.5-4 points

A    4.5-5 points

Here we go:

NFC EAST

Dallas-A. One of the model franchises in the NFL. The only negative they have going for them is not winning a playoff game in 12 years.

Philadelphia-A. This franchise is on solid ground. Their biggest negative is lack of a Super Bowl win.

Washington-A. Another model franchise with a solid fan base and an owner willing to throw money around to win.

N.Y. Giants-A. Another of the model franchises. The NFC East is a division full of history and with these 4 teams, the future is bright.

NFC NORTH

Green Bay-B. Lambeau Field is a great place to visit-but the fact is that the stadium is old and it puts the Packers behind the rest of the league in that category. With the retirement of Favre, it will be interesting to see if the Pack will remain competitive for years to come.

Minnesota-C. I'm going to start off by saying that if they are getting a new stadium and I just don't know about it, then change this grade to a B. The Metrodome is awful-I went there for a week a few years ago and saw a Twins and a Vikings game. That building is falling apart and the lighting for games is terrible.

Chicago-A. The Bears didn't need to get a new stadium-they renovated old Soldier Field and it's now one of the best venues to watch a game. They are solid in every category on this list. Now if they could just find a quarterback....

Detroit-C. They get killed in the last ten years and the championships category. I just hope Detroit fans hang in there with this underachieving team.

NFC SOUTH

Tampa Bay-B. The history is more of a losing history than of winning. Also, Tampa fans can be fickle.

Carolina-B. They haven't developed a great history yet, but this franchise is solid.

New Orleans-D. I know people in The Big Easy don't want to hear this, but you were about 30 seconds away from being the San Antonio Saints. Now L.A. is on the horizon, scoping out to see if they can come in and pull the team out to the west coast. This story is to be continued....

Atlanta-D. Atlanta never has been a football hotbed. When I think of the history of the Falcons, I think of Steve Bartkowski and Deion Sanders-yet when I think of Deion, I think of the Cowboys. The whole Michael Vick thing has brought this franchise down to this level-but they are headed in the right direction.

NFC WEST

Seattle-B. Their history isn't as glorious as many teams, but this franchise is one of the premier franchises in the NFL today. They have been winning and made an appearance in the Super Bowl. Their fans are the loudest in the league and that strange looking stadium is a hit in the Pacific Northwest.

San Francisco-C. This is another team that needs a stadium-if one is coming and I just don't know about it, than change this grade to a B. This once proud franchise has been hurting for the last decade and the ownership hasn't exactly won over the fans. It will be interesting to see how the next 10 years go in the bay area.

St. Louis-B. This grade was hard to make. They went from awful to great to awful in about 10 years. Their history is mostly in L.A., but they have won a Super Bowl in St. Louis. They sell out every game, and their stadium seems adequate. I'll be interested to see what people say about this one.

Arizona-C. Before the Cards got their new stadium, they would have gotten an F. However, they have a shiny palace that the world got to see last year during the Super Bowl and they sold out every game last year-I think that's the first time in Arizona. If they could only start winning, this franchise would be in great shape.

This topic is an interesting one when it comes to the NFL. How strong are the 32 franchises that make up the league? If there was one that was going to L.A., who would it be? I have those answers. Today I will look at the AFC. The NFC will be tomorrow.

Based on 5 things, I'm going to grade each franchise. If they are strong in one area, they will get a point. If they are so-so, they will get a half point, and if they are weak, they get no points. The categories are:

1) History

2) Winning % last 10 years

3) Championships (includes division, conference, and Super Bowl)

4) Stadium/Deal with stadium/Ownership

5) Attendance/Fan Base

Here is my grading scale:

F     0-1 points

D    1.5-2 points

C    2.5-3 points

B    3.5-4 points

A    4.5-5 points

AFC EAST

New England-A. Despite Spygate, they are solid in all categories.

N.Y. Jets-B. Their winning percentage lately and lack of championships hurt them. New stadium opening up takes care of their other weakness.

Miami-C. They have the history going for them and titles came early, but they haven't won a Super Bowl in 36 years. They haven't been to the Super Bowl in 24. They are on the decline.

Buffalo-D. This franchise may be the one to move to L.A. Buffalo fans are awesome, but their love of the team may not make up for the lack of a money making stadium.

AFC NORTH

Pittsburgh-A. They have it all. One of the model franchises in the league.

Cleveland-B. They have the history, nice new stadium, loyal fan base, but they haven't put up a championship since the 60's and their winning % lately brought them down.

Baltimore-C. The Ravens have the stadium, attendance, and titles taken care of-they just don't have a history and their recent lack of winning dragged them from a B to a C.

Cincinnati-D. It's a good thing that the Bengals have a new stadium or else they would already be the Los Angeles Bengals. Other than the stadium, what have the Bengals had to be happy about? Now their uniforms are even the ugliest in the league. Someone needs to go in there and clean house.

AFC SOUTH

Indianapolis-A. Thanks to Peyton Manning. Before Peyton, they probably would have a C or D. Now they are about to open a new park, they've won a Super Bowl, and people don't seem to slip up and call them the Baltimore Colts much anymore.

Jacksonville-C. Let me say as a Jaguar fan that I think I may be a little rough on the Jaguars. They don't have a history yet, and the attendance at the games scares me. They have a great stadium, and have put a winning product on the field-but no championships.

Tennessee-B. Their history includes that of the Houston Oilers, so they saved some points there. They always seem to be competitive even if they haven't won a championship.

Houston-D. Houston has a beautiful stadium. Not much else.

AFC WEST

San Diego-B. The lack of a championship and their stadium issues are the only things you can say negatively affect the Bolts.

Denver-A. Another one of the league's model franchises. They can't afford this team to not stay competitive.

Kansas City-B. The Chiefs haven't won a title since Super Bowl IV, and their recent history are the only things you can say bad about this franchise.

Oakland-C. They definitely have history and titles. They need a new stadium, their record lately stinks. Through all this, they have a solid fan base.

I'm writing this post in Laker purple since they were the beneficiaries of the recent game-changing no call. As a Spurs fan, I was upset at first, then was irritated even more when the league admitted it was a foul. Of course it was a foul-the league didn't need to come out and say it! Having said all that, the Spurs were outplayed and didn't deserve to win Game 4, so I'm not going to harp anymore on this non-call. The reason is because this isn't even the worst thing that the NBA did this postseason.

The NBA reinstated Joey Crawford as an official. I have nothing against Joey, other than the fact that he looked like a chump for throwing out Duncan last year. Now, with all that being said, the NBA should not have put Crawford in a playoff situation with the Spurs. Game 4 against the Lakers was not the first Spurs game this postseason that Joey worked. I said it then, and I'm saying it now-no matter what he does, it will be scrutinized by everyone. If the Spurs get a call, fans will say he's doing it to prove that he's being fair (and maybe making up to Duncan). If the Spurs don't get a call-like in Game 4, then people start thinking he's still got a bone to pick with Duncan and it makes fans bring up Tim Donaghy again. This could have all been avoided-just assign Crawford to the Eastern Conference games!

NBA Commissioner David Stern has done so much for the game. He's made it a worldwide hit. A few things have happened in the last couple of seasons now that could endanger that status-this latest catastrophe should have been avoided.

 

NFL fans have seen a lot of changes in uniforms lately. Some changes were better, others were not. Here are the grades I give to each NFL team.

Patriots-B. The Patriots got it right on their second uniform change. The first change (the 2 tone blue/vertical striped jerseys were hideous. I'm glad to see they got rid of those.

Jets-C. Most people would disagree with my view on this, but the Jets' look in the 80's was much better looking than these. There was a reason they got rid of these uniforms before-can we put them to rest again? Also, don't wear those Titan uniforms again-they are horrible.

Dolphins-B. They've slightly changed their uniforms over the years, but haven't made any major changes. That is a good thing-they have a classic style-my only complaint are the numbers-the 3-D look is not a good one.

Bills-D. I'm not sure why they changed from their Super Bowl years, but these are hideous. Their throwback uniforms that they've worn lately are even worse. At least they haven't changed the helmet.

Steelers-B. They would have an A, except for those awful uniforms they brought out last year with the yellow helmets. Please scrap those for the traditional Steeler look.

Browns-C. They would be lower, except that they are the traditional uniform and I respect the fact that they haven't changed. They are ugly, but at least we know who that ugly team is.

Bengals-F. Worst uniforms in football. They had nice looking uniforms in the 90's. They were sharp-now they look like clowns out there with orange coming out of everything. At least their uniforms match their wide receiver.

Ravens-B. The Ravens haven't changed much-I'm glad they changed their helmet. They almost get an A.

Colts-A. The Colts are going with the classic look and it's a good look. There is no reason to change.

Jaguars-B. If the Jaguars would lose their black pants, they would get an A. Their colors go well together and they look sharp with their traditional white pants.

Titans-D. A few years ago, these were the ugliest uniforms in football. If you looked at their helmet, you thought that they were the "Flaming Thumbtacks". The shape of the numbers is awful and the 2-tone style jersey is very XFLish.

Texans-B. They have a good look and a good design. They almost got an A.

Chiefs-A. One of the best looking uniforms in the league. I hope they never change.

Raiders-A. Another one of the best looking uniforms. When they play the Chiefs, just seeing the jerseys and helmets meshing together-it looks like a natural rivalry.

Broncos-C. Their current uniforms are a step up from their Orange Crush days, but they still look like a circus team out there.

Chargers-F. These new uniforms look like they were designed by a kindergarten class. Their uniforms were great until last year-they need to go back-FAST!!

Cowboys-A. The Cowboys fiddled around with a couple new looks in the 90's-luckily the fans spoke up and didn't allow this great uniform design to be ruined.

Redskins-A. I'm giving them an A-but they need to stop wearing those hideous throwbacks. Just like the Raiders/Chiefs, when the Skins and Cowboys play, it just looks like a natural rivalry.

Eagles-A. I was hesitant when they changed from green to more of a hunter green. But, looking back-their old uniforms were pretty ugly. I think they should lose the black jersey though.

Giants-D. The Giants had cool uniforms when LT and Phil Simms were playing, but they went back to their past and shouldn't have. Their pants look like they've been playing in the mud and their shirts are just too plain. The white jerseys with red lettering? I thought the Giants were "Big Blue". When they wear their white, the only blue is on their helmet.

Packers-A. Classic style. There is no way they can change their jerseys now.

Lions-C. Lately, the Lions have made some subtle changes to their uniform that they shouldn't make. Go back to the Barry Sanders style.

Vikings-C. Their recent changes were bad. Also, they have to lose the purple pants.

Bears-A. Once again, I'm giving credit for the classic look. They can't change-ever!

Falcons-D. When Michael Vick was first drafted, they had one of the best looking uniforms-but they changed, and went to the different color sleeve look and the weird shaped numbers-they are just awful.

Buccaneers-B. I understand the change, but I was one of the few that liked the Bucs' old look.

Panthers-A. They haven't changed their look since coming into the league. They need to keep it that way.

Saints-B. I like the Saints uniforms a lot now-they've been tweaking them for years-if they keep this design for a while, they will be bumped to an A.

49ers-B. The 49ers uniforms have never been pretty-they went back to their classic style which I like, but I can't give uniforms this ugly an A.

Rams-C. They didn't change design-only their colors. I like the old colors much better. They stood out. Now it looks like they are trying to blend in.

Seahawks-F. I'm not sure what that blue/grey color is called, but that with neon green? Plus when you wear those pants with the matching shirt, it's just a train wreck.

Cardinals-D. See the Falcons-they did exactly what the Falcons did and they went from a sharp dressed team to a team that looks like their grandmother sewed their jerseys for them.

Here is my pre-season look at the job security of NFL coaches.

ON SOLID GROUND-SOLID AS A ROCK

1. Tom Coughlin, Giants. He just won a Super Bowl and signed a new extension. Why would anyone want to get rid of him?

2. Jack Del Rio, Jaguars. The Jags got their first playoff win in 8 years, and are one of the teams favored to win it all in 2008. Jack's move making Garrard the starting QB and releasing Byron Leftwich was a gamble and it paid off. Del Rio also signed an extension in the offseason.

3. Tony Dungy, Colts. Dungy will be the head coach on this team as long as he wants to be. The only question is, will he decide to leave after the 08 season?

4. Romeo Crennel, Browns. Crennel is the toast of the town now. He will need to get this team to the playoffs. If he doesn't, his status will quickly change.

5. Jeff Fisher, Titans. Fisher has earned his way onto this list-having the longest tenure as a head coach in the NFL. The question here is how well does he get along with the Titans' front office?

6. Mike McCarthy, Packers. McCarthy got the team to the NFC Championship last year. Now, without Favre, expectations have been lowered and McCarthy will look good again if the Pack can make a title run.

COMFORTABLE-YET COULD SLIP

1. D. Jauron, Bills. Jauron has done a fabulous job of getting the most out of his young team in Buffalo. However, Bills fans haven't seen the playoffs since the Music City Disaster (as it's known in western NY)-and they could be losing patience.

2. Bill Belichick, Patriots. Belichick should be in the top list, but Spygate just won't go away. Owner Robert Kraft does not like the fact that many fans look at the Patriots championships as tainted. It will be interesting to see what happens if the Pats don't perform up to their recent standards.

3. John Harbaugh, Ravens. Harbaugh is a young, new head coach. Expectations for his first season are not that high. He will be given some time if the team shows improvement.

4. Herm Edwards, Chiefs. Herm was highly touted as the savior to a Chiefs' team that was starting to see dwindling numbers in the win column. He hasn't had a QB since Trent Green got knocked silly a couple of years ago so he's gotten a pass for the last 2 years. Chief fans will want to see signs of improvement this year after a solid draft class.

5. Norv Turner, Chargers. Turner was brought in to win in the playoffs and he has. His team is the overwhelming favorite to win the AFC West. Norv has had a bit of bad luck in his coaching past-let's hope he can avoid it here in southern California.

6. Jim Zorn, Redskins. See John Harbaugh-except for one thing. The Redskins were a playoff team in 2007, an owner Daniel Snyder desperately wants to win. Zorn has a bright football mind that should lead to success in D.C.

7. Brad Childress, Vikings. Adrian Peterson is the key to Childress being on this list. If he has a sophomore season anything near his rookie campaign, then he will have success. However, he's one injury away from being in the bottom category.

8. Lovie Smith, Bears. Lovie took the Bears to the Super Bowl, so the fans aren't calling for his head yet. If he doesn't find a quarterback, they soon will be.

9. Jon Gruden, Buccaneers. When you win a Super Bowl, then survive your team not making the playoffs the next 4 years-you should be safe the year after making a return to the playoffs.

10. Sean Payton, Saints. Payton is still getting love for the Saints 2006 season that saw them advance to the NFC Championship. He has a team that could get back there-if they miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year, things could get dicey.

11. Mike Holmgren, Seahawks. Holmgren has said that this is probably his last year as head coach of the Seahawks. I hope not. There isn't a more competitive and fiery guy on the field nor a more compassionate and caring guy off of it. He has meant a great deal to both the Packers' and Seahawks' franchises.

12. Mike Smith, Falcons. This is truly a rebuild job in Atlanta. They just signed their hopeful long term franchise quarterback, got the best free agent signing in running back Michael Turner, and are ready to turn the page on the Michael Vick era. He will have time to get this done and I look for Smith to have success.

STARTING TO SLIDE-LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDER

1. Tony Sparano, Dolphins. Sparano is a Bill Parcells guy. But what happens when Parcells wants to coach again, i.e. Pat Riley (same city)? Will Parcells be patient if Sparano doesn't turn the team around right away? These are interesting questions that will be answered soon enough.

2. Mike Tomlin, Steelers. The only thing that Tomlin has done wrong is that he's not Bill Cowher. Steeler fans are still upset with some of Tomlin's decisions in the Steelers' playoff loss to Jacksonville. They are ready to pile on, and with Pittsburgh's tough schedule, Tomlin may start feeling the heat.

3. Gary Kubiak, Texans. The Texans are coming off their best season in the team's history. However, they did nothing in the offseason to make themselves better. Their drafting has been widely criticized and their division foes have all made improvements. If the Texans revert back to another 4-12 type season, Kubiak could be to blame.

4. Wade Phillips, Cowboys. There are a couple of factors here-no playoff wins and Jason Garrett waiting in the wings. The Cowboys want a championship-Jerry Jones is throwing around his bank book to show that he's willing to do whatever it takes. It may take Phillips' job in the long run.

5. Eric Mangini, Jets. The New York media will not allow Mangini to survive another season like 2007. Especially after opening up their own bank book this offseason to several high priced free agents. Their number one concern is still at quarterback-this could be the downfall of the "Man-genius".

6. Mike Shanahan, Broncos. Bronco fans are calling for a change. Shanahan has made several questionable moves in recent years, and his idea that any running back can succeed in his system just shows how arrogant he really is. Another losing season, and his seat will be nice and toasty.

7. Andy Reid, Eagles. Kudos to Reed. Anybody that can be in charge of a pro team in Philly for this long takes a lot of guts, thick skin, and a belief in yourself like no other. Throw in the problems of his sons, and it's amazing that he is still here. There are some that think Reid will pull the Eagles out of the cellar in the NFC East and bring them back to the top. I think he's walking on a tightrope and they're taking away the nets.

8. Rod Marinelli, Lions. It's not your fault Rod. It's Matt Millen's. Period. Don't worry, you will get a second chance when people realize that you coached the Lions-the Bad News Bears of the NFL.

ON THIN ICE-ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE-NOT LOOKING GOOD

1. Marvin Lewis, Bengals. The Bengals, despite all of the media attention, have only made it to the playoffs once in the Marvin Lewis era-and they lost that game. Their last playoff win was in 1990. Now with the whole Chad Johnson fiasco and all of the 'criminals' being released from the team, there is no way they are getting back in 2008. It may be time for another direction in Cincinnati.

2. Lane Kiffin, Raiders. It's not your fault Lane. It's Al Davis's. Period. Don't worry, you are young and recent former Raider coaches have won Super Bowls elsewhere (Shanahan, Gruden).

3. John Fox, Panthers. Fox got the Panthers to the Super Bowl, but they have done little since. They seem to be the preseason favorite every year only to let us down. People are questioning Fox' coaching style and ability-this could get ugly if the Panthers don't make a playoff run.

4. Mike Nolan, 49ers. He almost got fired last year. He and the 'franchise QB', Alex Smith, are not getting along. The only thing that you can say about the Mike Nolan era for the 49ers is that their coach was a sharp dressed man.

5. Scott Linehan, Rams. The team is for sale, Isaac Bruce is a 49er, what else can go wrong for this franchise? At least they signed Josh Brown out of Seattle so he can't beat them twice a year.

6. Ken Whisenhunt, Cardinals. The Cardinal fans need a championship in the worst way. They would settle for a winning season. This team is not going to provide that, and Whisenhunt will be made the scape goat.

Give me some names of some gutsy players-any sport. These are guys that made themselves a good career by hustle and want-to. I'll start the list with a few of my favorites:

1. Bill Bates, Dallas Cowboys: This guy was my hero. I can still see him running down on punt coverage ready to blow somebody up. He was never the fastest or strongest guy on the field, but he was always the hardest working and most willing to do whatever it took to get the job done. Football needs more guys like Bill Bates.

2. Lenny Dykstra, Mets/Phillies: When your nickname is "Nails", you know you're tough. This guy was a thrill to watch, even though I often rooted against him. This guy never left the field with a clean uniform.

3. Darrell Armstrong, Orlando Magic/other NBA teams: I didn't follow Darrell's career after he left Orlando, but when this team had Shaq and Penny Hardaway, this was the one guy who came in off the bench and disrupted everything that the other team tried to do. Charles Barkley once said that Armstrong reminded him of "a little peter gnat-you want to crush him but you can't see him, much less catch him".

These are my 3 favorites-there are many more who should be mentioned. Give me a story or two.