Picking Tony Dungy's Brain

via media4.msnbc.com

As I mentioned at the end of last week, Coach Dungy appeared on set with Mike and Mike on ESPN Radio on Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  He stayed on for two segments (which is about 20 minutes of on air time), and Coach had a myriad of questions thrown his way.  Here were his thoughts (and I'm paraphrasing throughout, as I couldn't write full quotes down fast enough):

• He is very much in favor of a Rookie Salary Cap, which makes sense since Polian is leading the charge to get this in the next CBA.  It makes a whole lot of sense when GMs, Coaches, and Players are all in agreement.
• He was asked what the one thing was that separated Peyton Manning from everyone else:  Preparation, and again, he's obviously right.  He recalled a story from the two weeks preceding Super Bowl XLI, where Peyton watched all 16 regular season games, plus the playoffs of the Bears in the 2 weeks before the game.  He also delegated the task of watching the Bear's 4 Preseason games to Sorgi, who had to report anything different they might have done then. 
  
• He is not in favor of adding a 17th game to the schedule, as this has been thrown around lately.  He said with a longer season, there will be even more non-meaningful games.  I'm not sure I totally agree with that, but that was his reasoning.  I'm undecided on the 17th game, so I'll think about it some more, and write a full article in the near future, as I think it is an important topic to discuss.
• He said that while the Patriots were/are a great team and a great organization, those 3 Super Bowl titles are tarnished.  He didn't understand why they needed to do those things, as they would have won anyway.  Now, however, there will always be that cloud of uncertainty.
• He was asked the best thing he learned from being around Chuck Noll:  Fundamentals.  He said you need to know the basics before you can compete on the highest level.  Without it, you won't win games.  See Notre Dame Football, 2007 as Exhibit A of this theory.  He also said it is a shame Noll is always looked over when the great coaches of the NFL are talked about, as he learned a lot from him.
• By far the biggest surprise of the interview, and I'm definitely not in agreement with him, is that he is against Instant Replay.  They asked him about using it in baseball (as that is topical now), and he said he was against it wholeheartedly in both sports.  He fears it will become unbounded, and soon everything will be up for review.  Personally, I think it is very easy to bound, and should not grow wildly out of control.  The goal is to get the call correct, no matter the team.  That is the reason for Instant Replay.

All in all a great interview with Coach Dungy.  They also plugged his book quite a bit, as it was just released in paperback.

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Couple of Quick Vikings Notes

I promise to get back into the 53-man roster breakdown tomorrow. . .it's been a pretty hectic day over on this end when it comes to "real world" stuff.  Just thought I'd hit a couple of tidbits here.

First off, as Robert Rence pointed out over in the FanPosts yesterday, the Vikings were able to recind their waiving of Erasmus James and, instead, trade him to the Washington Redskins for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2009.  The "condition," apparently, is that he makes the team.  Well, it's better than nothing. . .I don't see how he's going to pass another team's physical if he couldn't pass Minnesota's (you would think they'd be similar), but that's not for me to decide.

Also, Pete Prisco from CBS Sportsline has given us his annual list of the most overrated and underrated players on each NFL team.  His nominees for the Vikings?

Overrated: LT Bryant McKinnie. You look at his physical skills and you should see an elite tackle. You just don't. He's OK, but has never lived up to the hype.

Underrated: LB E.J Henderson. He moved back to the middle last season and showed he's there to stay. He is a big reason the Vikings played the run so well in 2007.

Hard to argue with the "overrated" choice.  McKinnie has always been an outstanding run blocker (even before the addition of Steve Hutchinson), but an "elite" left tackle shouldn't get constantly abused by speed rushers the way that he does.  He should be able to handle those sorts of players. . .hell, he gets paid a great deal of money to handle those sorts of players.  It would be nice if he would start doing it eventually.

The underrated choice, however, might be a bone of some contention.  Not because E.J. Henderson isn't a great player, because he most certainly is.  He showed that last season.  I say that because that people now KNOW that E.J. Henderson is a great player, and for that reason he sort of ceases being underrated.  It's sort of like when Hines Ward was the "most underrated receiver in football" for roughly ten straight years.  I don't know if someone's underratedness can become overrated, but that was a case where it certainly could have.

(And, honestly, I'm not sure who was underrating Hines Ward all that time.  I've always thought he was a heck of a receiver.)

So who's the most underrated Viking?  My nominee would probably have to be one of Henderson's fellow linebackers, Mr. Ben "Ach Du" Leber.  On a defense that's loaded with talent at all three levels, Leber doesn't get a heck of a lot of hype. . .he just goes out every week and does a hell of a job.  He tied for the Vikings' lead in sacks in 2007 (including the one on Eli Manning at Giants Stadium that should have had the theme music from The Benny Hill Show playing in the background), threw in an incredibly athletic interception in the game at Chicago, defended passes, and was rarely out of position.

Leber might not get the ink that Henderson does. . .shoot, he probably doesn't even get the ink that Chad Greenway does. . .but, in my opinion, he's just as big a part of the Vikings' defense as either of those other two starting linebackers, and would definitely be my pick for most underrated Viking.  My runner-up in that category would probably have to go to Chris Kluwe.

What do you think?  Who are your selections for the most overrated and underrated members of the Beloved Purple?  Discuss in yonder comments section, and we'll be back tomorrow with our continued breakdown of this season's 53-man roster.

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Final Browns OTA Media Session a Success

With OTAs nearing the end of their run and today being a Wednesday, that means it was the final day for the media to set their sights on a practice until minicamps begin in a couple of weeks.

Here's a rundown on what sources are reporting from the session:

• Cousin's Debut: It was a "debut" of sorts for veteran cornerback Terry Cousin, who was at the center of attention during interviews. Cousin seemed to bring a positive attitude, saying that the Browns reminded him of how far along the Jacksonville Jaguars were last season.
• On The Field: As far as what he did on the field, Cousin lined up on the outside with the second unit. As he gets more acclimated with the defense, he'll be a lock for covering opposing teams' slot receivers.
• Rogers a Monster: Much like running back Jamal Lewis drew praise last season after having a "chip" on his shoulder, Shaun Rogers is drawing similar praises from coaches and fellow teammates this season. He has lined up at nose tackle exclusively during OTAs, but it is expected that he'll get some reps at defensive end as time progresses.
• Injury Updates: Linebacker Shantee Orr had back spasms during the practice, and safety Sean Jones missed some drills due to an ankle injury.
• Personal Days: The following players missed practice due to "personal" reasons: Linebacker Willie McGinest, wide receiver Braylon Edwards, defensive end Corey Williams, and running back Jamal Lewis. However, of those four players, I'd have to believe that Edwards was really out due to his hip pointer still.
• Seizing the Advantage: Reportedly, Travis Wilson has been getting a lot of positive attention for his work at the receiver position. With Edwards and Joe Jurevicius sidelined, Wilson and newcomer Donte Stallworth have been the go-to-guys at receiver. Still, by time the regular season starts, you have to believe Wilson will be stuck fifth on the depth chart (including Kellen Winslow as a receiver).
• Grossi Props: A few days after I indirectly ripped some local beat writers for not delivering more specific notes on players' performances around Berea, Plain Dealer writer Tony Grossi seems to have gotten the message. In particular, he commented on two receiving plays, which are cited below:
  

  GROSSI ON EFREM HILL:
  Efrem Hill, the receiver who caught Quinn's first touchdown pass in preseason last year before going down with an injury, made a good grab of a Quinn whistler and then did well to get both feet down just inside the end line.
  
  GROSSI ON MARTIN RUCKER:
  After a Ken Dorsey pass whistled through the hands of rookie tight end Martin Rucker in the end zone, offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski admonished, "C'mon, Ruck, you've gotta catch that ball."

• BTW, Rucker?: By the way...where have all of the reports on tight end Martin Rucker been? With Winslow and Heiden both out, we expected to hear all about what Rucker was doing on the field. We've heard a little about Beau Bell, but beyond Grossi's brief mention above, I don't recall anything about the receiving tight end.
• Double Duty: In a wise move considering our lack of depth at cornerback, safety Mike Adams saw work as both a nickel back and a safety. Adams reportedly looked sharp too, including a break-up of a long pass by Derek Anderson intended for Stallworth.
• Young Corners Stepping Up: From Grossi's piece:
  

  It was a good practice for young cornerbacks. In red-zone drills, Damon Jenkins, a rookie from Fresno State, intercepted a Brady Quinn lob intended for Paul Hubbard in the right corner.
  
  A few moments later, Mil'Von James, the rookie from UNLV, broke up a Ken Dorsey pass for Lance Leggett in the left corner. For what it's worth, James is built a lot like Eric Wright, his former college teammate -- very strong legs.

• Rosevelt Colvin: A day after Colvin told Sirius NFL Radio that he'd been in contact with several teams, including the Browns, head coach Romeo Crennel side-stepped the comment by stating that the team's primary focus right now is addressing the cornerback dilemma.

Sources for Wednesday's OTA

OTA Report: Rogers has Big Role (Orange and Brown Report)

Cleveland Browns OTAs winding down (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Notebook: Updates on Holly, Tucker (Official Site)

Cousin hear to lend a hand (Official Site)

The OTA sources above basically double as today's link collection. Tomorrow is the a day that will perhaps be as exciting as opening day, by the way. Not sure what it is? Then, I'm afraid you are a little...

If you, too, are a fan of the best show on television, post here for kicks sake. Also, if you love the show, check out LOSTpedia, a fantastic website outlining everything that's happened in the series thus far.

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49ers Year-by-Year: 1946 - The Season

The stadium was ready, the staff was in place, the roster was set, and the fans were hungry. At this point in time, the West Coast was still an untapped market for any of the major sports, and the two California based AAFC teams were to be an important experiment for the immediate future of major league sports in the region. This made it all the more important for the 49ers to start their existence on a strong note. If the team couldn't draw the crowds, then there wouldn't be as much incentive for investors to put up the cash to get teams from any of the other major sports anytime soon.

While the 49ers played their first regular season game on September 8, 1946, they had actually played their first official game at Kezar Stadium 8 days earlier against the Chicago Rockets to the tune of 40,000 clamoring fans. Drawing 40,000 to a preseason game was a good sign of things to come, but regular attendance could still be swayed by a poor product on the field. Good thing for the 49ers and their fans that they won this preseason game 34-14, and that with that polished effort they appeared ready to take the fledgling league by storm.

The Season

Things didn’t start so well in the regular season, though, as the New York Yankees came to town and knocked the 49ers around to the tune of 21-7. It was an unfortunate break for the team, but San Francisco’s lone touchdown was a potent sign of things to come. In the first quarter, with the score still ties 0-0, Johnny Strzykalski took a pass from Frankie Albert and sent a lateral Len Eshmont’s way that turned into a thrilling 40 yard score. This play showed that the 49ers had serious playmaking ability, and it was a fitting beginning for future stars Albert and Eshmont to be involved, together, in the team’s first ever scoring play.

Over the next two weeks, things really got going for the 49ers who played host first to the Miami Seahawks and then to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Exploding for over 300 total yards and at least 140 rushing yards in each of these games, the 49ers were finally establishing the dangerous offense that they hoped would carry them to a Championship. Backup FB Dick Renfro scored the only three TDs of his career in the Niners’ 21-14 victory over Miami, while in their 32-13 victory over Brooklyn, Eshmont notched two more touchdowns on the ground and Albert had what would become recognized as one of his trademark TD scrambles to put the game away.

Having won the three week homestand, the 49ers went on the road for a five week marathon against Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Buffalo, and Cleveland. The team’s first experience away from Kezar was not a pretty one, as they lost 7-24 in Chicago with only a lone Eshmont TD to show for it. Things quickly started going right again, though, as it seemed the team only had to get its feet wet on the road before feeling comfortable away from home. They easily rallied off two victories in Miami (a dominating 34-7 performance) and Los Angeles (a solid 23-14 win) before stumbling 14-17 to the putrid 0-6-1 Buffalo Bisons.

The 49ers had reached the halfway point of their first season with an underwhelming 4-3 record, but the power structure of the league was beginning to take shape, and they were still one of about five teams – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Cleveland the other four – with a reasonable shot at the league title. The eighth game of the year had the potential to be a crucial game for the direction of the rest of the season, and it was an away game against the then undefeated Cleveland Browns.

In front of over 70,000 devoted Cleveland fans, the 49ers exploded out of the gate with two field goals and two touchdowns in the first half to stake themselves to a 14 point lead at halftime. Once again, it was emerging stars Frankie Albert and Len Eshmont who led the way, Albert throwing for a first half score and Eshmont running for one. The 49ers had set the tone in the first half of this game, and they were not prepared to let Cleveland back in. Despite giving the Browns two garbage time scores in the fourth quarter, Albert effectively put the game away with two second half touchdown throws of his own. This was a huge game for the 49ers. Not only did they stay on the right side of .500, but they beat the best team in the league while amassing what was then a season high 357 total yards.

Headed back home for two games, the Niners were looking to get first a little payback against Buffalo, and then to defend their stunning road victory with Cleveland coming to town. Things went half-right with this homestand when the team walloped the Bisons 27-14, breaking their total yards mark from a week before by one yard. Things turned sour when Cleveland showed up, though, a hard-nosed team looking for a little payback of their own. The Niners kept the game close, but there was no part of this 7-14 loss that wasn’t dominated by Cleveland.

Thoroughly deflated, the team took their 6-4 record into New York to face a very strong Yankees team. The Niners again kept the score close in this 9-10 loss, but couldn’t seem to muster enough of the momentum they’d had only two weeks before to pull it out. With this loss, the 49ers fell another game behind the Browns in the standings, who were looking more and more unstoppable every week, and were hanging onto their title hopes by a thread.

Needing not only to sweep their final three games, but also to see Cleveland stumble in all of theirs, the team went into Brooklyn with one thing on its mind: total domination. Though the Niners scored more of their points through the air, they won this 30-14 romp because of 265 yards on the ground. Unfortunately, the Browns also won this week, securing first place in the division and rendering the 49ers’ final two weeks meaningless.

For a couple of meaningless games, though, the 49ers weren’t willing to lay down and die. Coming home to end the season, the least they could do was give their fans a show, and after a lackluster 14-0 victory over the Rockets, the team ended the season on a high note, setting season highs for total points, point differential, and total yards in a 48-7, 388 yard laugher over the respectable 7-4-2 Los Angeles Dons. Three TD passes and one mighty two yard TD scramble from Frankie Albert let the 49ers leave the 1946 season on a high note and with high expectations for 1947.

Conclusion

If not for the sheer, overpowering dominance of the Cleveland Browns during the regular season, the 49ers could have easily found themselves in the title game of the 1946 season. With a 9-5 record and a slew of gaudy offensive stats, the 49ers were looking forward to to 1947. Frankie Albert was proving to be the star that everybody thought he would become, and was quickly establishing himself as the face of the franchise and as one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Buck Shaw's coaching was translating at a pro level without a hitch, and with one extra year under everybody's belts, the only place to go was up.

See you in 1947, everyone.

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Stroud Still Not 100%... i.e. Jags Front-Office
Scored Big!

Ok, let me start by saying that I loved Marcus; he was a beast and gave us his best years. However, this is a young man's game and Stroud is on the wrong side of thirty and had to have micro fracture surgery two years ago (for a detailed explanation of micro fracture surgery click here).

The article is basically a fluff piece by the Buffalo Daily News, but, as you well know, we read between the lines here at BCC so you get the real story. In response to a question, Stroud must've forgotten that his new fan base thinks his ankle is healed... It's apparently not.

“It’s not a question for me,” he said. “I feel pretty good. The ankle is not quite 100 percent but it’s darn close. I feel pretty good moving around. I’m running to the ball. I’m excited. I’m optimistic.”

Wow... I think I just had Deja Vu. In fact, I googled that exact quote and look what came up...

Defensive tackle Marcus Stroud revealed that his off-season ankle surgery was a bit more intensive than what was previously disclosed. Stroud said he underwent micro fracture surgery because there was a hole in the cartilage in his right ankle. "It's structurally sound. It's just a matter of getting it back strong," he said. "I'm not quite back [to] 100 percent. I'm getting there." Stroud missed five games last season because of an ankle injury.

That's out of a Two-Minute Drill article from last August.

Our front office scored big with this deal guys. It enabled us to basically secure Derrick Harvey, because without those picks, we didn't have the ammo to move up.

I really hope that Stroud finally does reach 100% and single handedly beats the Patriots, but I don't think it's going to happen.

This deal is looking more and more favorable for our beloved Jags. I don't know how many years the same injury can be almost 100%... He's been hurt a lot more than he's let on, or than the Jags let on. I believe that's partially the reason we were able to complete such a great trade.

I'll have a new Better Know a Jaguars Coach article up for tomorrow. The subject:  Donnie Henderson, and let me tell you guys, you don't want to miss it... Donnie's a genius when it comes to the secondary and y'all will like what I've put together on him.

-Collin

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Tank Williams Q&A, 5/28

Read The Full Article:
http://www.patsfans.com/price/blog/?p=409

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NFL.com's Jason Feller is seemingly a BIG Cowboys
fan

NFL.com has an article up celebrating 15 years of free agency. I have a vague memory of the NFL prior to free agency, and I remember when it happened (allowing players like Keith Jackson to leave the team they were drafted to and sign with another). NFL.com's Jason Feeler pays tribute to free agency by picking the top 15 best free agent moves in the last 15 years, with one selection per year. Feller's selection seem a bit inconsistent because the selections by year don't necessarily reflect that the free agent in question had an immediate impact that specific year. Some selections did, and many of them are obvious: Reggie White to the Packers in 1993, Deion Sanders to the 49ers in 1994, and Rich Gannon to the Raiders in 1999.

And some of the others are just down right dumb. Take Feller's pick for best free agent signing of 2007:

2007: Leonard Davis, Cowboys

Former team: Cardinals
Position: Guard
Reported terms: Seven years, $50 million

The second overall pick of the 2001 draft was once considered a disappointment as he started out at the tackle position. Upon moving to guard his career began to take a turn for the better and he enjoyed a career year for the Cowboys last season. He earned his first Pro Bowl invitation and was a key cog for the NFC's best offense last year, manhandling defensive tackles with his impressive strength. Honorable mention: RB Jamal Lewis

Um, I'm sorry Jason, but either you don't watch the football product that your website helps promote, or you are a raging Cowboys homer. There's just no other reason I can think of to explain why you would pick Leonard Davis as the best free agent pick-up of 2007. Players like QB Jeff Garcia took a lowly Tampa Bay team into the playoffs in 2007. Others, like Seattle DE Patrick Kerney, resurrected the Seahawks pass rush, generating 14.5 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. And unlike Davis, Kerney's team actually won a playoff game.

Maybe Feller is using Davis' Pro Bowl nod as justification, but that doesn't hold up because we all know the Pro Bowl is bunk. Roy Williams has been to 5 of them, and everyone and their grandmother knows he STINKS. Even his own teammates are finally saying it.

So, I literally have no logical answer for why Feller thinks Davis is such a free agent stud; unless, of course, Fellers comes from the Ed Werder School of Journalism and simply laps up everything the Dallas Cowboys dump on him. Guys like Garcia and Kerney made more of an impact on their teams as free agents than Davis did. It's obvious.

Feller also screwed up his 2006 free agent selection. I agree that Drew Brees is, without question, the best free agent pickup of 2006. However, the Honorable Mentions do not list Adam Vinatieri. They list Terrell Owens (another Cowboys who can't help his team win a playoff game), and Charles Woodson (who was injured most of 2006 and couldn't get the Packers in the playoffs). All Vinatieri did was help the Colts win a Super Bowl by making numerous big kicks both during the regular season and the playoffs, in particular at Baltimore.

I guess Feller doesn't think kickers are sexy enough to list as great free agents, but underachieving, overpaid offensive guards are.

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Could Travis Henry return to the Titans

Denver?s decision to sign veteran free agent RB Michael Pittman yesterday could usher in the release of former Titan Travis Henry. Henry, who is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, may be expendable as a result of the acquisition of Pittman and the development of young RB?s Selvin Young and Ryan Torain.If last week is [...]

Read The Full Article:
http://mvn.com/nfl-titans/2008/05/28/could-travis-henry-return-to-the-titans/

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Steelers' Spaeth gains strength, confidence

Matt Spaeth is a lot more confident, and not just because the second-year tight end has a better grasp of the Steelers' playbook. At this time last year, Spaeth was not only learning a new offense, he also was trying...

Read The Full Article:
http://www.steelersfootballblog.com/2008/05/steelers-spaeth.html

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Jets sign Musa Smith

The Jets continued their concerted effort to load up on the running game yesterday when they signed yet another running back - former Ravens back Musa Smith, a player they've had an eye on all offseason. The 25-year-old Smith, a...

Read The Full Article:
http://www.jetsfootballblog.com/2008/05/jets-sign-musa.html

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