Excuse Me, Mario

Mario Lemieux made pretty significant news this weekend by issuing this statement in reaction to the brawls during the Penguins vs. Islanders game on Friday night:

"Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be...But what happened Friday night on Long Island wasn't hockey. It was a travesty. It was painful to watch the game I love turn into a sideshow like that..The NHL had a chance to send a clear and strong message that those kinds of actions are unacceptable and embarrassing to the sport. It failed...We, as a league, must do a better job of protecting the integrity of the game and the safety of our players...We must make it clear that those kinds of actions will not be tolerated and will be met with meaningful disciplinary action.If the events relating to Friday night reflect the state of the league, I need to rethink whether I want to be a part of it."

Personally, I thought the fights were extremely entertaining and its one of the most important reasons that I even tune in to watch the NHL. However, what happened Friday definitely did cross the line of a good old-fashioned Hockey fight and turned more in to a street brawl, particularly Gilles pounding on an already injured/defenseless player.

Fights aside, my effort here is to call out the person who is truly most wrong in this situation and that is Mario Lemieux himself. How can a guy who employs a player like Matt Cooke make such a ridiculously hypocritical statement to say that what went on was ugly and shouldn't be a part of the game. Matt Cooke is considered to be one of the dirtiest players in the NHL (ask Marc Savard - I still don't think he can tie his shoes without assistance) and has been disciplined numerous times.

My biggest probelm with what Lemieux said is that he suggests potentially walking away from the NHL. If that is what he wants personally then go right ahead and leave just because your team was finally on the wrong end of one these. But Lemieux is essentially cornering the NHL and putting an already un-popular league in a bad position by having one its most prominent figures make such rediculously negative statements.

Three things: AFC South

Houston Texans

1.       Pass Defense

-          The Texans finished dead last in the league in pass defense. Unless Kurt Warner is your quarterback (see: 2008 Arizona Cardinals), having a defense that ranks last in something will not get you very far. Kareem Jackson was a rookie last season, so it is too early to give up on him at cornerback. But Glover Quin and the two Texans safeties are not exactly prime time players – or even solid players. Draft, sign, find a new scheme, do something. If the Texans plan on getting over the hump and reaching the playoffs any time soon they need to find a secondary that can challenge Peyton Manning.

2.       3-4 personnel

-          Wade Phillips is the new defensive coordinator in Houston and his first order of business was switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4. This pushes Brian Cushing into the middle with DeMeco Ryans and leaves a pretty legitimate void of talent at OLB. Could Mario Williams thrive as a pass rushing linebacker? It’s worth a try. Regardless, the Texans are a true nose and either an outside backer or five technique away from making this thing work.

3.       Realize unnecessary mediocrity

-          The Texans are the NFL’s “Can’t get over the hump” team. They are like the chubby girl that works out at the gym every day. She works out hard every day but just can’t seem to drop the access weight. There is no reason for Houston to not be noticing change. They have one of the best five players in the league at wide receiver (Andre Johnson), defensive end (Super Mario), middle linebacker (Ryans), and potentially running back (first-team All-Pro Arian Foster). Not to mention Brian Cushing and Matt Schaub are pretty good at their jobs. The Texans just need to get over it. There is no way around it. Gary Kubiak has the talent, now he just needs to find a way to finally win.

Indianapolis Mannings

1.       Protect Peyton Manning

-          Peyton Manning was throwing to a practice squad and Reggie Wayne last year. And he still did a pretty darn good job. Just think how much better he would have done had his offensive line given him the time he is used to. When Manning is protected, he sets NFL records. Easy as 1, 2, 3 – which is how many lineman Indy may need to pick up this off-season.

2.       Help Peyton Manning

-          #18 is the whole team. He is the best quarterback of all-time in my opinion. The guy has one Super Bowl because Bill Polian only built him an offense and left him high and dry in shootouts. Help the guy out. Provide depth at receiver so Blair White isn’t his #2 target come playoff time. The Super Bowl is in Indianapolis in 2012 and how perfect would it be if Peyton Manning were quarterbacking the final game. If the Colts stay healthy and block for him, that is very realistic.

3.       Find out how many more years Manning has

-          Is it too soon to fine the Aaron Rodgers to Manning’s Brett Favre? If free agency goes well (or goes at all – cough cough CBA) and the Colts fill their needs on offensive line and maybe a few guys on defense, how about drafting Ryan Mallet at 22 overall? His skill-set is perfect for a dome.

Jacksonville Jaguars

1.       Pass rush

-          The Jags have tried a few guys at defensive end such as Aaron Kampman and Derrick Harvey, but nobody has really provided that pass rush they need. Tyson Alualu performed well for them as a rookie last season, now they need to find him a running mate at defensive end. This draft class is super pass rush heavy. Ryan Kerrigan, Adrian Clayborn, or Cameron Jordan may look good at pick 16.

2.       Find a playmaker

-          Maurice Jones-Drew does it all for the Jags. How about finding somebody to take the load off of his shoulders? Plus, MJD isn't really a gamebreaker because he is always pounding the ball 20 times a game. The Jags need a playmaker, a guy that scares other teams. They don’t need to throw a boatload of money on someone, but just look for that Devin Hester or Desean Jackson. Boise State’s Titus Young should be around in round 2 or 3.

3.       Find some real estate in Los Angeles

-          LA is dying for a football franchise. The Jaguars can’t seem to sell out games. How does the Los Angeles Jaguars sound? Do you think MJD would like the change of scenery? Speculations are that if any team packs up and heads to Hollywood that it will be the Chargers, Vikings, or the Jags. San Diego is already beautiful and Minnesota loves their team. I vote the Jags.

Tennessee Titans

1.       Quarterback

-          I think letting Vince Young go was a mistake. Maybe he was a head case and maybe Jeff Fisher didn’t like him, but he was a perfect fit in Tennessee. But now that he is gone, the Titans need to fill that void fast. Sorry Rusty Smith, but the Titans need to look into Carson Palmer, Kevin Kolb, or spending the eighth pick of the draft on Blain Gabbert. They have a running back and a great young receiver. Now they just need to find a third party.

2.       Look at your division

-          The Colts only have a few more good years left with Peyton Manning, the Texans love being average, and the Jaguars can barely field a team. If there is ever a time for a team to emerge it is now for the Titans in the AFC South. They have players on this team who went 13-3 in 2008. They know how to win. Now just do it.

3.       Just play – your team is really good

-          Piggybacking on #2, the Titans can win football games. They have a 2,000 yard rusher and the best bookend tackles in the AFC. This franchise is a dream scenario for a rookie quarterback – not so good where expectations are too high but good enough where you could win right away. They started out 5-2 last year before (for no reason) becoming the most apathetic team I’ve ever seen and finishing 6-10. If they play hard and make minimal adjustments, they will win. And win often.

CBA talks not going well for NFL

NFL players' union and owners called off Thursday meetings. Sources say the sides are too far apart in reaching an agreement.


I hope everybody likes arena football...

Three things the NFC South should do...

Now that the Super Bowl has been played and each NFL organization is gearing up for another off-season, I am going to give my own take on what needs to happen from March 3^rd until kickoff of the 2011 season. I am going to post – division by division – the three things that I feel each team in the league needs to do this off-season in order to succeed in 2011 and in the future. This all of course comes with the idea that the owners and players will settle on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and NFL will resume in the fall.

You know I tend to be a little wordy at times (or all the time), which is why I’ll go four teams at a time. Today I’ll look at my first division:

NFC SOUTH:

Atlanta Falcons

1.       Safety Blanket (aka get a tight end)

-          Tony Gonzalez is on his way out and may actually just hang up his pads and announce his retirement. The Falcons have a solid running game and one of the most mistake-free quarterbacks in the business. Matt Ryan has Roddy White at wide receiver and 2010 proved that those two are a potent duo. But a quarterback who likes to control the game and hit intermediate routes to set up the home run ball needs a tight end. Find Matt Ryan a new tight end either in free agency or in the draft (most notable prospect: Notre Dame’s Kyle Rudolph) and Atlanta’s offense should click for years to come.

2.       Make that defense GREAT

-          I know that’s easier said than done. But Atlanta plays indoors and has a quarterback, running back, wide receiver combination that ranks up there with the best in the league. John Abraham showed that age isn’t a problem for him posting an All-Pro year. Coach Mike Smith needs to focus on piecing together a defense that can thrive in the Georgia Dome. Their defense was solid in 2010, but with a few big signings this off-season they can be great.

3.       Sell the city of Atlanta to free agents

-          The NBA is selling “glamour cities” to all of their free agents in recent years. Miami isn’t much of a football luxury town, Los Angeles has no team, and Chicago has tradition but the cold weather and poor playing surface won’t appeal to too many players (unless they offer money like they did Julius Peppers). Atlanta has potential to join New York as one of the NFL’s “luxury cities.” It has warm weather, southern hospitality, and a great stadium. If Arthur Blank sells the city of Atlanta and the Falcon’s potential, he could land his organization some prime free agents.

Carolina Panthers

1.       Find defensive tackles to free up Jon Beason

-           Beason is one of the five best middle linebackers in the game. But not too many people know how good Beason is because, not only the Panthers’ lack of success, but because he is very limited by guards and centers. Beason takes on an awful lot of blocks despite being the middle guy in a 4-3 scheme. Carolina needs to invest in some big boys that can take on blocks in front of Beason. I’m not saying to spend the first pick on Nick Fairley, but if no one bites in free agency, they may have to.

2.       Find a direction and go

-          The last two seasons have been somewhat confusing for the Panthers. They had no first round draft pick last April and pretty much wasted the entire 2010 season. No good came out of it. Not even any progress from Jimmy Clausen. New head coach Ron Rivera needs to find an identity in Carolina and role with it. Be a defensive team like Pittsburgh, find a quarterback to ride like Green Bay, Indianapolis, and San Diego, or be uber-conservative until you win like Atlanta and Kansas City. Just do something and build the franchise into that type of team.

3.       Make the 1^st pick a franchise move

-          This draft is really the first draft in some time without a clear-cut top guy. That stinks for Carolina because they sit at the number one spot and chances are no teams will be willing to bargain for that top pick for Nick Fairley or DaQuan Bowers. The Panthers need to think about who could be a franchise changer. Is Fairley good enough? Is a quarterback to much of a reach at #1 – especially with Clausen? Do they reach for cornerback Patrick Peterson hoping that he is the Deion Sanders-like cover guy that people are deeming him? Whatever it is – make it count. A cornerstone guy could turn this thing around. Just ask Ndamukong Suh.

New Orleans Saints

1.       Re-sign Reggie

-          Too many people have christened Reggie Bush “a bust.” No, he hasn’t exactly run for the millions of yards and returned the hundreds of kicks that he was expected to after being drafted second overall in 2006. But Reggie Bush was the player that put the Saints over the top in the playoffs of their Super Bowl year. And he is a walking mismatch. What linebacker is going to cover a player that explosive? I don’t even know too many nickels that can cover him. Reggie Bush is probably the most versatile back in the league. As much as the Saints offense helps Reggie, he helps the Saints offense.

2.       Sure up the running game

-          The fun and gun was cute for a season or two, but now the Saints need to settle down. Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush are both free agents and Chris Ivory did a good job stepping in but he is not the answer. The Saints offense line is one of the best in the business so a running game should be easy to implement. Now they just need to make an effort. How would Mark Ingram look in a Saints jersey?

3.       Malcolm Jenkins

-          Jenkins is on his way to being one of the top corners in the game – now why not make him the focal point of the defense. Sort of like Ed Reed and Charles Woodson are as defensive backs. Let Jenkins roam around and make plays. Big play safeties are coming in handy more than sideline -to-sideline linebackers and the Saints are headed in the right direction with Jenkins.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1.       Hit puberty

-          The Bucs were the youngest team in the league in 2010 (coach included). Their quarterback with Sam Bradford may be the most promising young arm in the league and they have two A-potential receivers for him as targets that graduated high school in 2006 and 2007. Not to mention the steal of the 2010 draft at running back in Lagarrette Blount.The two veteran leaders on the offense are Kellen Winslow II and Davin Joseph – both are 27 years old. When the Bucs grow into the team that they will be, look out. But for a team like this, time is the only thing that will allow it.

2.        Raheem Morris swag

-          I’m convinced that the Steelers and Jets are so successful  because they follow the lead of their coach. Raheem Morris has that same ability. The self-proclaimed “best coach in the league” needs to have his young team follow suit. Morris has a great mind and a good head on his shoulders. His head may be a little big at times, but that’s really never been a bad thing in the NFL.

3.       Find Simeon Rice 

   

-          When Tampa Bay won Super Bowl XXXVII, their defense was as complete as they come. But the driving force of it all was the pass rush that didn’t require any more than the front four. Simeon Rice and Greg Spires were the defensive ends who manhandled tackles. Simeon Rice especially took the league by storm in the 4-3 defense. His constant pressure forced MVP Rich Gannon into throwing five interceptions in the final game. Since Rice left St. Pete, the Bucs have not found a defensive end like Rice since Rice. The current team has all of the pieces in place at defensive tackle, linebacker, and in the secondary. If a big strong d-end that can rush the passer ends up in Tampa Bay, Raheem Morris will have something more to talk about.

A Note from JimQuarterly Vincent Blundo

With the Super Bowl in the books and the NFL now in virtual hibernation for the next two years, you can expect JimQuarterly specifically to start contributing more to this blog.

One thing that I’ve learned about myself is that when I lose a horse in the race, my thoughts about sports begin to run wild. You will see numerous articles on my beloved Pittsburgh Pirates, why I don’t believe the NHL is necessarily trotting out their best product (and the effect economics plays on it), what has gone wrong in the NBA, and why Sportscenter may be responsible. And is ESPN the sports equivalent to the political war machine that runs the major television networks? These among other things that are sure to be debated.

Thirteen things I learned from Super Bowl XLV

I chose the number thirteen because it matches the Packers total number of championships. I figured it was appropriate...

1. The National Anthem needs to have limits

Christina Aguilera butchered it. Not because she messed up the words, stuff like that happens. What upset me is that she sang it as if she were trying to impress Simon Cowell instead of honoring the United States with the respect and reverence that our country deserves (see: Dixie Chicks, Jennifer Hudson, or the greatest rendition ever - Whitney Houston).

2. Big defensive plays are the end all be all of big games

James Harrison two years ago, Tracy Porter last year, and Nick Collins on Sunday. Big defensive plays have proved to be the difference in the Big Game. And the numbers don’t lie: Losing teams have had 30 turnovers since Super Bowl XXXV.

3. Ben Roethlisberger is a supporting actor

Ben at his finest

I’ve be arguing against Roethlisbergian supremacy since his 13-0 rookie year. Ben rides the tide that his defense creates. In three games this past season against blatantly better quarterbacks (Brady, Brees, Rodgers), the Steelers’ defense was unable to make big plays and Ben was unable to outduel. The defense is Mickey Mouse and Ben is just Goofy.

4. Aaron Rodgers is the star of the show

The championship belt that ARod throws on after running for a touchdown is well-deserved. I’d take the Green Bay signal-caller over anybody right now. If you need me to back this up just read the archives of this blog. I’ve been all about Rodgers since day one.

5. It is impossible to hate the Packers

They are classy – well, besides Tramon Williams. They smile and help the opposition up. They respect and revere their veterans, especially Chuck Woodson and Donald Driver, and treat their non-stars like gold – even after dropping mad passes. The best part is that they are owned by the fans.

6. Goodbye A.J. Hawk and hello Desmond Bishop

A.J. Hawk was the fifth pick of the ’06 draft and has a hot wife. But he has not fulfilled that top-pick potential. His contract is up as of March 3^rd and Desmond Bishop was all over the field as soon as he stepped on the field to replace Nick Barnett and he hits like a ton of bricks. Bishop played his way into a contract extension and played Hawk out of one.

Grown man stuff...

7. The Steelers’ offensive line deserves a lot of respect

The Pittsburgh offensive line came to play throughout the playoffs. People said Flozell Adams was too old but somehow that old head kept the NFL’s should-have-been Defensive MVP in check in Fort Worth. And when Maurkice Pouncey went down the world was supposed to end. But the Big Legursk took care of B.J. Raji too the ring of zero sacks and zero tackles. I’m sure Rashard Mendenhall’s playoff numbers would back up the o-line’s play as well.

8. Super Bowls are won in the front office

Teams win the Super Bowl, not star players. These two teams especially have done it right.

9. The New York Super Bowl will be won by a cold weather team

I’m so used to seeing warm weather or domes for the Super Bowl. Teams on these fast tracks running wild. East Rutherford is going to be a little different. It will be a game set up for smash-mouth offense and physical defense. Not too many of those on the West Coast or down south. Looks like the cold weather boys will enjoy February 2014.

10. Social networks are a whole new monster on Super Bowl Sunday

Facebook and Twitter were exploding. I’m curious if that’s the most action that the sites get all year including Christmas. Status overload.

How is this conniving nerd a billionaire? Nonetheless,
he loves Super Bowl Sunday.

11. As Troy goes, the Steelers go

I don’t even know if the league’s Defensive MVP played in the playoffs. When he’s playing the Bengals he’s a pick-six waiting to happen – but against big-game quarterbacks, not so much. When he’s quiet the Steelers are silenced.

12. The “We get no respect” complex needs to go

All I’ve heard since Rodgers took a knee is how “disrespected” the Steelers were and how nobody cares about them. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman hate Pittsburgh according to Steeler fans. No, there just wasn’t much to say about them Sunday.

The best part was on my ride back to school Sunday night. I was in the car listening to Pittsburgh sports-talk radio and people were calling in left and right claiming that Pittsburgh “got no respect.” Finally the radio host said something like “If you are going to cry about being disrespected, don’t bother us. Get over it. It’s not disrespect – it’s called a loss.”

13. A dynasty could be born

The Packers are the second-youngest team in the NFL and have one of the top five quarterbacks. They played this season without the league’s most athletic tight end in Jermichael Finley and will only get younger via the draft. If they can keep Chuck Woodson to lead that defense for a few more years and keep Aaron Rodgers healthy, the sky is the limit for Green Bay. The NFC is up and coming and (what I think) already better than the AFC. But the Packers should sit at the top and keep rising. They really have no ceilings.

- DQ

*Damn this Droid* Steelers 26 Packers 20