You know, if I hear one more report that starts with "Terrelle Pryor's lawyer says..." I just might be inclined to kick someone in the shins. Seriously, this Larry James guy needs to stop talking and unless Terrelle Pryor is planning on suing some damn body—and not just intimating at doing so—I am completely confused as to why he needs this lawyer representing him any further.
Pryor isn't going to the NFL, the CFL, or the AFL (is there still an AFL)? He's not returning to Ohio State, nor is he planning to transfer to a Division II school to finish out his eligibility. Soooooo, someone with more sense than myself—and I freely admit that said sense can be questionable at times—why on earth this kid, who is poor and struggling, needs a lawyer speaking on his behalf about the idiocy of his choices.
Is he going to sue Ohio State? The NCAA? The tattoo guy who sold his signature for extra cheese (that's money for those who don't know)? Jim Tressell? Seriously, why does Larry James need to be given any type of platform whatsoever for a kid who, to be quite honest, is about as relevant to the sport of football right now as Maurice Clarett is to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Of course some might say that Pryor has every right to retain a lawyer to act on his behalf if he so chooses. After all, he isn't harming anyone by letting this guy take the spotlight and voice his concerns in an intelligent manner—is he?
Good grief, what is it with these athletes and their handlers comparing their plights to slavery? Do any of them actually know anything about slavery? They can't possibly know much because for them to compare their particular issue to that of those who were whipped, hung, beaten, raped, and demoralized for the better part of their existence is asinine and repulsive.
I realize this came from Larry James' mouth and not Terrelle Pryor's, but you can see the danger in that being the case when you aren't speaking for yourself, can't you?
I truly hope Pryor has chosen his representation wisely because it seems to me that his lawyer is a bit of a ham and that's never a good thing—all talk, no action, and plenty of press will get you 15 minutes and a set of steak knives—quit while you're ahead Mr. James. The clock is definitely ticking.
Maurice Clarett, former Ohio State bad boy and NFL wanna-be, has shared his two cents on the Terrelle Pryor situation and he made it very clear that it's not all Ohio State's fault that it cannot keep an eye on it's athletes. Said Clarett, "Anything that any player goes and gets is all based on him and who he meets in the community. The coaches and the university have no control over what the young guy's doing[emphasis added]".
Okay, while it's easy to buy his point based on what has happened at Ohio State in the past year under former head coach Jim Tressel, I am not willing to concede that all coaches are knowingly recruiting and cultivating selfish, entitled, and misinformed athletes that have no understanding of the risks they are taking when they meet up with "community" folks who may want to give them free stuff.
No one forces these guys to play college football and, as much as it would be easy to feel sorry for the position they are placed in—making millions for a football program which grants them nothing but notoriety in return—at the end of the day, they still are more fortunate than most.
Here's the cut and dry of it: the college football athlete is idolized. If he's a superstar, there is no question his experience as a college student-athlete is better than that of his counterparts. Even more, if said athlete plays well, lives up to expectations, and becomes the guy everyone expects him to be, he reaps the benefits of his hard work when he's drafted into the pros—where he can potentially make millions of dollars and garner endless amounts of fame.
That said, it's difficult for the average Joe who watches these guys develop and become the heroes they worship on Saturday to look at their situation and say they feel sorry for them.
On the other hand, logic dictates that you understand the quandary that these same same athletes face when they see their jersey number in the stands or their likeness on a video game and come to the realization that the NCAA and university they have sworn to obey and respect the rules of are the same ones that profit off their name and likeness—in perpetuity.
That's a hard pill to swallow as well, I'm sure.
But, back to Clarett's statement about Ohio State not having any control, we cannot as college football fans accept that our athletes have the right to run amok and afoul of the law. Their actions hurt not only the programs we cheer for and love, but the reputations of all the athletes who continue to do the right thing each season—regardless of the hardship it may cause.
All of these guys aren't breaking laws and taking advantage of the benefits of being a college football player and it is because of them that it's hard to justify the actions of those who do as anything other than selfish.
Terrelle Pryor and others like him have to be the exception and not the rule in college football, otherwise the system is far more broken than any of us truly know. And, if it is broken, then it's high time the NCAA do a better job of fixing it or else they are as much an enabler to these acts of entitlement as those who do the enticing in the first place.
Let's keep it real here folks, Pryor was already suspended for the first five games of the season, Tressell (his ultimate enabler) was out, and it was looking like Pryor himself was heading for a Reggie Bush style ambush of his own. So, in short, he would have been a damned fool to stay in Columbus for another season.
Of course those who are in the "man-up and face the music camp" would say that he [Pryor] is a punk for leaving in the midst of such turmoil and he should stay and face the music—take his punishment from the NCAA like a man.
Well, considering this is the same kid who was cool trading sigs (signatures) for tats, I'm not sure why anyone would think he would do such a thing. I mean, be honest with yourself, would you sit around and wait for the hammer to drop on you and your team? Especially when it's looking more and more likely that the hammer that's dropping will look a lot more like a machete than a mallet?
Just saying.
Quite frankly, Ohio State has much bigger problems than losing it's head coach and it's star player. I mean that program is a mess—or as this Southerner might say—a hot mess. The situation at Ohio State won't end well, folks.
I suspect those fans and pundits who saw the punishment USC got handed after it was determined that Reggie Bush ran afoul of the law, will be looking for something close to or harsher than that for Ohio State given the obvious lack of institutional control.
That sweater-vest wearing snake, Jim Tressell, got off easy if you ask me. He'll be persona non grata for a while, but give him a couple years to shake the dirt off and you'll see some AD on a podium somewhere giving a speech about how Tressell knows how to win and will be a great asset to XYZ University—that's just the way the cookie crumbles.
As for the Buckeyes, they need to start figuring out how to save their football program—what's left of it—as I foresee some 2012 prospects jumping ship very soon and would be surprised if any reputable coach would be willing to walk into such chaos without being paid very, very, very well.
Furthermore, even if they do find a fool guy to coach this team beyond the 2011 season, what kid will want to play in Columbus?
Unfortunately, these days, it's all about exposure for the top prospects in the country. They want bowl swag and ESPN glory and if there's any sign that Ohio State will miss out on one, or both, expect those prospects to look elsewhere.
Again, that's the way it is. I simply can't imagine many top flight high school players who will want to sign up for a program that is obviously heading down the highway to hell.
Of course, the NCAA could continue to surprise us all by being completely incompetent in their dealings with Ohio State—let them off with nothing more than a seasonal bowl ban and a loss of scholarships over the next two seasons. Ya know, some BS like that. That, unfortunately, wouldn't surprise me either.
In the meantime, people will continue to speculate on what Pryor will do because, well, he was good enough to start at Ohio State and showed flashes of brilliance here and there. Truthfully, though, he's not ready to be an NFL prospect and if he were anywhere near worthy of a first or second round flyer this past season, he would have come out this year.
Either way, he's in trouble and won't come out of this debacle completely unscathed.
Man, what a year for college football scandals and it's not even July.
So, when the LAPD ran a routine license plate check on the Civic, and found that it was reported stolen, they pulled the car over, handcuffed the occupants, and began the process of sorting out this weird mess.
Luckily, nothing came of it, as the story of the young woman checked out just as she stated it (apparently she thought her car was stolen after she used the valet service somewhere in L.A.) and the affable Ward, as only he can, laughed it off as no big deal.
The real question is, what on earth was Ward doing riding around in a Honda Civic at 2 AM?
I'm sure it was nothing, but the story is definitely an odd one.
Okay, so now that it's May, can someone please elaborate on why anyone should care?
Let me make this clear, I don't advocate the use of marijuana. I have never used it, never cared to use it, and don't see it being used anytime in my foreseeable future—unless I develop severe cataracts and just need a hit (sorry, bad form there)—but what Houston did seems irrelevant now.
Maybe if we had not been privy to Ryan Mallett's admission of recreational drug use during his time at Arkansas, I might be more inclined to raise a little sand. But, in fact, the main issue (at least from my perspective) isn't the fact that Justin Houston was using sometime last winter, but whether or not he was using while he was still enrolled at Georgia—which given the party atmosphere that has been known to surround the UGA football team and Athens, GA, in general, would not surprise me one iota.
If he was in fact using when he suited up, then it's possible he wasn't the only one and, if that's the case, then a whole other can of 'what the hell' is about to be opened in the blogosphere.
But back to the question at hand: what will this news do to Houston's draft status? If I had to take a guess, I'd say nothing. He's not a bad character guy and it's clear that he could excel if placed in the right system at the next level.
Plus, forgive my license here, but the NFL hasn't exactly been all that great about keeping it's players clean and sober—just saying. And, even if this latest revelation hurts his stock a bit, it's not likely to carry any more weight than the questions that were already being lobbed his way—the most important of which appears to be is he a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 linebacker?
Justin Houston tested positive for marijuana and that's unfortunate for him as that could tarnish his legacy for some Georgia Bulldog fans who came to respect him as a person and a player, but none of that will mean much come April 28th.
I've stayed away from any chatter regarding the NFL Lockout because a) it's hard to understand the issues between all the finger-pointing and whining, and b) no matter what anyone says, it all comes down to the money—the players want more, the owners want to give less.
From a fan standpoint, I can see where changes need to be made—starting with the NFL Draft. It's never made any sense to me that a rookie can come in and make millions as a top 10 pick, based solely on his potential and draft order. That seems monumentally unfair to those players who have actually proven their worth on the field of play and deserve better.
Second, the contract structures have always seemed shady—heavily back-loaded, with the signing bonus being the biggest talking point. Why not offer the bulk of the money in the first few years as opposed to the last few? Oh, that's right, that wouldn't be beneficial to the owners.
And lastly, speaking of those owners, not every franchise is blessed with a billion-dollar stadium, with a Lake Michigan sized big screen, yet many patrons are still subjected to ridiculously high ticket prices and sub-par stadium conditions.
How about the owners start offering a better fan experience for all the money they're given—after all, without the fans, there likely wouldn't be much revenue to speak of.
Which leads me to this point, this issue effects the fans as much, if not more, than it does the players or the owners. It pisses me off that, in all this chatter, both sides are looking for sympathy from the fans in a situation where neither would be relevant if said fans weren't there to support their sport in the first place!
Good grief, get over yourselves!
Here's a question, someone answer it for me if you can, how many Fortune 500 companies are willing to completely open their financial portfolios up to their employees—even the lowest earning ones—and say, 'hey, we're going to base your salary off of these earnings—if that's okay with you'? In a business as money-driven and cutthroat as the NFL, why would players expect owners to be willing to do as much?
And speaking of said owners, I wouldn't go as far as Adrian Peterson and call them slave drivers, but they definitely don't have a problem pimping players for a hefty profit and that needs to stop. One hand washes the other, and if you [the owners] continue to treat your players like rented mules, they will eventually kick you in the gonads—just saying.
The hearing today might reopen the negotiation table, but the damage has already been done as far as I'm concerned. The NFL has likely lost a lot of fans, disillusioned a ton more, and made their profit-earning lives more difficult where ticket sales are concerned because, let's face it, in an economy where recreational money is at a premium, who is going to be willing to support a bunch of free-spending, prima donnas, with a me-complex?
People will come back to the sport once the lockout is over—no doubt about that—but they won't be nearly as enamored of it as they were before because, to put it simply, all these dollars won't have amounted to much sense.
According to Jeff Schultz, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Falcons need to give away whatever they can to secure A.J. Green in the 2011 NFL Draft. Said Schultz, "...Thirty-two games, 166 catches, 2,619 yards, 23 touchdowns. He’ll be better than fine. The Falcons shouldn’t let him leave the state."
While it's true that Green could be the next star in the NFL, the Falcons need help on defense—not offense.
Sure, Green would be a welcome addition—if they could land him—but sitting at No. 27, the Falcons would have to give up a lot for the potential that Green brings to the table. And, for my money, I'm willing to bet that Thomas Dimitroff isn't interested in mortgaging the team's future on any one player—no matter how much "wow" he has to offer.
In truth, if the Falcons are looking to move up for any Georgia Bulldog, they may need to take a hard look at Justin Houston. Houston showed well at UGA's Pro Day as well, and he would make a nice compliment to John Abraham coming off the opposite edge. Furthermore, he's projected as a late-first, early second round pick—more than gettable for the Falcons—and has the kind of work ethic and attitude that Dimitroff covets.
As a Georgia fan, it would be great to see A.J. Green continuing his success in the state of Georgia but, to be honest, I'd much rather see the Falcons fill the needs that will immediately help the team—not just put more rear-ends in the seats.
Ya know, as much as I enjoyed watching A.J. Green play football for the University of Georgia, I have to say it was disappointing to see how poorly he scored on the Wonderlic. In case you haven't heard, he only answered 10 of the 50 questions correctly.
However, it seems to me that, unlike at quarterback, the position of wide receiver is not nearly as cerebral. Green has the ability to get open, catch the ball, and maintain body control in almost any situation. He's especially good at making the difficult catches near the sideline and in traffic—the Wonderlic doesn't test for those types of intangibles.
My guess is that Green will still be a very enticing pick for any team in need of a No. 1 receiver. Some may pass him by for reasons unspecified, but his Wonderlic score isn't likely to be one of those reasons.
As Green says, he's tall, he's big, and he's physical—he can get the job done.
Newton's score, along with other notable quarterbacks, was released today and—aside from Jake Locker's damning 20 (I hope that kid still has some baseball skills)—Newton's was the lowest. Even Ryan Mallett, the guy whom many thought was the biggest question mark as far as intelligence was concerned scored a 26. So, what does this mean for Newton?
Will his draft stock plummet? Not likely.
If the past has proven anything, it's that teams are willing to take chances on guys whose skill-sets are as special and potential-laden as Cam Newton's. Take Vince Young, for example, he scored a 16 on his Wonderlic in 2006, but still managed to be selected No. 3 overall and I'm willing to bet that the decision to select him had more to do with his body of work than anything—so Newton may still be sitting pretty despite his eye-brow raising score.
The highest score was achieved by former Alabama quarterback, Greg McElroy (43), but it's tough to see him being anything more than a career back-up, if anything, in the NFL. By contrast, Blaine Gabbert's 42 can only help his rising stock as he appears to be steadily climbing up draft boards everywhere.
If Gabbert can impress scouts at his pro day, he could easily leapfrog Newton as the most coveted quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft.
It will be interesting to see the spin the QB conversation takes now that this information has been leaked—I mean, honestly, the comparison to Vince Young can go either way, ya know?— then again, with the NFL big wigs and their "slaves" still not finding any common ground, it could be 2012 before any of this even matters and by then, perhaps, no one will care who scored what.
Tiki Barber is obviously desperate for dollars, but he might need to try getting paid another way—I hear reality television is a good racket for douchebags like Mr. Barber, but he may be too tawdry even for their ranks.
Barber, who reportedly filed his un-retirement papers on yesterday, is looking for a little NFL love at 35. Unfortunately for him, there isn't likely to be a huge market for an old (by NFL standards), down on his luck, running back who hasn't played in more than four-years.
Perhaps Barber saw how well the story seems to have ended for Michael Vick and decided to see if he could rehab his reputation, and public image as well, while making a few dollars for his emptied pockets. However, something tells me, he'd have a better shot at making pigs fly than making a memorable comeback.
His tendency towards flaming coaches and teammates as a broadcaster didn't endear him to many and, quite frankly, his arrogance isn't as interesting as Chad OchoCinco's—which really isn't saying much.
An NFL comeback, you say?...Yeah, best of luck with that.
It seems to me that every off-season, Georgia fans have to endure the "Will Rodney Garner stay or go" conversation. It's happened, ad nauseum, for the last five seasons—forgive me if I've lost count—and this off-season doesn't look like it will be any different. Once again, Garner's name is cropping up for consideration at another SEC school.
In case you didn't know, Garner is an Auburn alum and the prospect of him returning to coach at his alma mater seems like a scenario worth getting concerned about...that is, if you're inclined to care any more.
Why the big stink? Well, Garner is also Georgia's current recruiting coordinator and that, as much as anything, is the reason his name continues to be floated about for coaching positions. And, if you listen to rumors, it's also the reason why coach Richt has been so adamant about Garner remaining on his staff.
When Richt cleaned defensive house at the end of the 2009 season, Garner wasn't under any real threat of receiving his walking papers—despite the fact the the defensive line (the unit Garner is responsible for coaching) was every bit as underwhelming as the rest of the defense.
Smart money says that Garner stays at Georgia for the same reason Hurtt opted to stay at Louisville—he's already got a pretty good deal going—said Hurtt about why he opted against Auburn in favor of remaining at Louisville, "...I couldn’t say that Auburn had that much more to offer than what is already in place here."
We'll see what happens, but I simply don't see Garner going anywhere—yet.
Former offensive lineman, Clint Boling, was recently interviewed during a media session at the NFL combine—taking place this week in Indianapolis—and when he was asked to explain how a team that came into the 2010 season so talented ends up 6-7, he had the following to say,
So, basically, Clint had no more of an idea what went wrong than the rest of us.
He mentioned A.J.'s absence and pointed to their inability to meet their "potential", but it didn't look to me like he really had much of a clue what happened in 2010—honestly, he didn't look comfortable answering the question at all. To me that screams loss of control.
The offensive line was by far the most heralded unit on the 2010 squad and, if nothing else, they were expected to remain as effective last season as they appeared to be at the end of 2009. The fact that they were as wildly inconsistent as they were says, to me at least, that there was a definite problem with the message coming from the coaching staff. None of these guys were on the same page and the play on the field suffered as a result.
Hopefully that "disconnect" won't be an issue in 2011.
Imagine what Herschel Walker might have done if he had been fully aware during his 1982 season at Georgia. Check this excerpt taken from an article written by Sam Friedman of newsminer.com,
Herschel Walker has said he doesn’t remember winning college football’s highest individual honor because of mental illness.
Walker, who went on to play in the NFL and compete in the Olympic in two-man bobsled, suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder — formerly known as multiple personality disorder. As a result, he has said he does not remember the entire 1982 football season when he won the Heisman Trophy for the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
1982 was Walkers last season with the Georgia Bulldogs, and he tallied 1,752 yards and 6 touchdowns that year—he won the Heisman that season and then made the jump to the USFL—and he essentially admits to doing so on auto-pilot.
The late Lewis Grizzard was known not only for his phenomenal coverage of the Georgia Bulldogs—via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (he has to be turning in his grave at what they do over there now)—but for his great sense of humor, and catchy one-liners, as well.
In this video (circa 1981) his quest is to find and interview the mother of Herschel Walker but, I have to tell you, the commentary he lays on the camera prior to meeting her is the money-grabber here—said Grizzard, when referencing the size of his hometown, "it's so small a truck stop is a nail in the highway"—priceless.
While some are predicting that Newton could go be a Top 5 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, it is much more likely that his name in the public arena already dwarfs whatever his actual draft position turns out to be.
As for Nike, they tried to get in on the Newton sweepstakes, but they obviously felt comfortable that they had enough in their coiffures to remain atop the sports apparel, and shoe mountain, if he didn't jump on board. Under-Armour, however, needed a name to push their brand forward and there isn't a hotter name out there right now than Cam Newton currently. The high degree of public interest in him will only trend higher between now and the NFL Draft (April 28-30) and that can only help Under-Armour.
Cam Newton won't be the No. 1 pick in this years NFL Draft—that's a certainty—however, that hasn't kept him or his father from pulling out all the stops to make him as attractive a prospect as possible.
Currently, depending on what mock draft you use, Newton could go as high as No. 13, or as low as No. 28. That said, the Newton's are banking on driving the former Auburn quarterback's stock a bit higher between now and draft day.
Whitfield is the owner of Whitfield Athletix, a private quarterback training facility, which boasts such clientele as Akili Smith, Hunter Cantwell, and Chase Clement—among others. Whitfield is a former Arena Football quarterback who never seemed to find much success at the pro level as a player. At 32, he's dedicated himself to building the Whitfield Athletix brand and, so far, he's proven to be a better businessman than ball player.
Will all the publicity and media cow-towing pay off for the Newton's? Right now it's hard to say, but Cam is certainly turning a few NFL heads already just a week shy of the Combine and that has to be a reason to feel optimistic.
You certainly can't blame Warren Belin for making the decision to accept a job at the NFL level. There aren't many position coaches, with his kind of talent, who aren't looking to challenge themselves there—at some point.
While some might feel Belin's decision was shocking, he did give a small hint towards his ultimate goal a few months back when he was interviewed by Fletcher Page of DawgPost Magazine.
The article Page wrote, titled "Intense, Indeed", was meant to be a feature on defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, but the quote that caught my attention—especially after hearing the Belin announcement—was the following, "...From a system standpoint, I'm learning an NFL system and the way coach Grantham goes about the game plan, installing the game plan, calling the game on game day. That experience I'm gaining from being a part of this defensive staff is going to carry me a long time as a coach".
So, the fact that he decided to take an NFL job, in his home state of North Carolina, with his old friend, Sean McDermott, is not so much a shocking surprise as it is an unfortunate inconvenience. Belin's impact at Georgia was immediate, particularly in the area of special teams where the team improved from a dismal 85th and 117th in the nation, respectively, in punt and kick return coverage to 17th and 15th in 2010.
Belin's philosophy was simple, use the best players available and ditch the directional kicks. Hopefully, Georgia can continue that approach in 2011 as it worked more often than not.
As for the linebackers, Belin's influence cannot be downplayed, but the 3-4 scheme was new to him and coach Grantham played as much a role in the overall development of the inside linebackers as Belin. Belin was a student of the 4-3, a defense he spent 8-years coaching at Vanderbilt and, coincidentally, will return to as an assistant for Carolina.
So, what's next for Mark Richt and Greg McGarity? Well, they will be searching for two new assistants over the next two weeks, but you can be certain that Grantham will want a guy with some experience in his scheme—less of a learning curve to be worried about in that aspect—and it wouldn't surprise to see that guy come from the next level (just a personal opinion as no candidates have surfaced of yet).
The Super Bowl is undoubtedly America's most hyped sporting and television event. Last season's big game, in which the once moribund New Orleans Saints defeated the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts, drew an audience of more than 106 million people, surpassingM-A-S-Has the most-watched program in US television history.
Because there is so much at stake, whether it's the Lombardi Trophy, or money for FOX, NBC or CBS, every element of the event is magnified. Mass attention is bestowed upon both the players, and non-football performers, for their actions on and off the big stage. In the past, some reveled in it while others found it bothersome, but all of it contributed to a few memorable fiascos that added drama, horror or humor to an already exciting week.
The Bengals entered Super Bowl XXIII as heavy underdogs to the San Francisco 49ers, so the addition of an unnecessary distraction was the last thing they needed. Prior to their last team meeting, before the game, running back Stanley Wilson, who had been suspended for the 1985 and 1987 seasons for cocaine use, told teammates he'd forgotten his playbook and was going to retrieve it. Minutes later he was found on the bathroom floor of his hotel room, debilitated by a spontaneous cocaine binge. Consequently, he was left off the roster by coach Sam Wyche and because it was his third strike with the NFL, he was later banned for life. The Bengals narrowly lost the game, which culminated with the famous Montana-to-Taylor game-winning touchdown.
Barret Robbins is another would-be Super Bowl participant who fell victim to his own demons before the game. The Raiders' Pro Bowl center went missing two days before kickoff and resurfaced Saturday evening, disheveled and disoriented, incapable of playing in the game. His teammates claimed that Robbins went on a drunken binge in Tijuana—located just across the border from Super Bowl XXXVII's host city of San Diego. As a result, coach Bill Callahan left him off the roster and the Raiders offensive line suffered. The Bucs defense sacked 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon five times, pressuring him into five interceptions, and stifled the Raiders run game—then finished with a total of 19 yards rushing. Robbins subsequently entered the Betty Ford Center and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. His personal freefall continued during the following years as he was linked to BALCO, tested positive for steroids, and was involved in an incident in which he was shot three times, resulting in an attempted murder charge.
Today, Ray Lewis is recognized as a Super Bowl champ and one of the most accomplished and intimidating linebackers in NFL history. In January of 2000, however, he was viewed by many NFL observers as just another professional athlete turned criminal. After a post-Super Bowl party, he was involved in a bloody fight that resulted in the stabbing deaths of two men, and the accusation that he had a role in their murders. Lewis avoided murder charges and jail time by testifying against his two co-defendants and pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. The episode delivered yet another hit to the NFL's reputation, coming just two months after Ray Carruth was accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend.
The elaborate Super Bowl XXXIII festivities apparently weren't enough for Falcons Pro Bowl safety Eugene Robinson—he just wanted to engage in the XXX activities. Not a day after he was given the Bart Starr Award for exemplifying "outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community," he was arrested for soliciting an undercover police officer for sex. He was bailed out by a team official and played a prominent role in the game, but in a bad way. He surrendered an 80-yard touchdown to Broncos receiver Rod Smith—which placed the Falcons in a two-touchdown hole—from which the Falcons never recovered. They lost the game 34-19.
Trash-talking has long been a tradition of Super Bowl week. It adds to the anticipation of the game, especially if it involves two of the league's most prestigious teams, the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. During the lead-up to Super Bowl XIII, colorful Cowboys linebacker, "Hollywood" Henderson, told reporters that Bradshaw was "so dumb he couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted him the 'C' and the 'A'." The Steelers quarterback had never been viewed as the sharpest tool in the shed, nor the most emotionally composed person, but he didn't let the zinger get under his skin. In fact, he responded by putting forth the best Super Bowl performance of his career. He posted 318 yards and four touchdown passes, winning the game's MVP honors after the Steelers' victory.
The two weeks that led up to Super Bowl XX were far more entertaining than the Bears' 46-10 thrashing of the Patriots. Bears quarterback Jim McMahon was the center of attention, most notably referring to the women of New Orleans as "sluts" and mooning a camera during a practice before the game. When the camera wasn't fixed on McMahon's mug, it was focused on Patriots Pro Bowl receiver Irving Fryar's two bandaged fingers, which he cut prior to the AFC Championship Game. The injury was initially explained as a freak accident with a kitchen knife, but it was later reported by the Boston Globe that it occurred during a fight between him and his wife. Fryar, a key component of the Patriots' offense and special teams, played anyway, catching the team's lone touchdown.
One of the most dramatic games in Super Bowl history was overshadowed by the halftime show performance of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. The two suggestively performed Timberlake's hit "Rock Your Body"—culminating with Timberlake's tearing off a piece of Jackson's clothing and revealing her partially-covered breast for a split second. Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction" created a flurry of controversy and elicited heated debates about indecency in broadcasting and the supposedly corrupted morality of America. The incident resulted in a record $550,000 fine levied by the FCC against CBS. The video above features the moment as it occurred on live television.
Although it didn't garner as much attention as Janet Jackson's performance three-years earlier, Prince's halftime performance angered the slightly more conservative crowd. During his guitar solo for "Purple Rain," his shadow was projected onto a large sheet, forming a silhouette that combined the figure of his body and guitar. Some viewers claimed the instrument appeared phallic and complained to the FCC and CBS. Late night talk show hosts poked fun at the incident, but the minor controversy subsided rather quickly. Now, most people remember Prince's performance as the highlight of an otherwise anticlimactic night. (Note: advance to 9:45 in the above video to see what all the fuss was about).
Garo Yepremian may be one of the most proficient kickers in NFL history, but he's best remembered for his fool-hardy pass attempt during Super Bowl VII. Up 14-0 with just more than two minutes remaining in the game, the Dolphins field goal unit took the field with the intension of sealing the victory. Instead, the attempt was blocked and the ball was immediately retrieved by Yepremian. He then attempted a pass, causing the ball to flutter just above his head, bounce into the air and end up in the hands of Redskins cornerback Mike Bass, who returned it for a touchdown. The Dolphins lead was cut in half in just a matter of seconds. Fortunately for Yepremian, the Dolphins won the game, accomplishing the goal of becoming the first undefeated team in NFL history, and the play became nothing more than a comic relief highlight for NFL Films.
Former Cowboys defensive tackle Leon Lett, like Yepremian, enjoyed a very productive NFL career. And Lett, like Yepremian, will always be remembered for what he did wrong. Lett was responsible for two high profile blunders, the first of which occurred late in Super Bowl XXVII. With the game already in hand in the fourth quarter, Lett scooped up a fumble and ran it back 45 yards. As he neared the goal line, he slowed and held the ball with his arm outstretched in order to showboat, but karma bit him in the butt when Bills receiver Don Beebe ran Lett down and knocked the ball out of his hand before he reached the endzone, causing a touchback. Lett was noticeably embarrassed after the game, admitting that he was looking at the Jumbotron as the play unfolded. But, some people never learn and, at the end of the next season, he cost the Cowboys their Thanksgiving game versus the Dolphins when he attempted to recover a blocked kick in the waning seconds, enabling the Dolphins to regain possession and kick the game winner.
I found this great video with Herschel Walker talking about the mentality that he, and the whole 1980 National Championship team, kept during their undefeated season. He makes the point that if everyone is on "one page", then you will have a team that is tough to beat.
Considering the various disappointments from last season, it seems safe to say that the 2010 team was definitely not on one accord.
If nothing else, coach Richt has to get his team back to feeling like it can win on Saturday—against any opponent. They need to get their confidence back, on defense and offense because, otherwise it will be tough to best the poor 6-7 record of last year.
