Will Michael Vick ever play football again?
Eventually, Vick will return to the NFL, wiser, more humble, and much, much faster. If you think Vick was good at outrunning pursuers in the NFL before jail, just wait until you see how much better he is at that after jail. In the meantime, Vick will have plenty of time to ponder his future, plan the eventual revenge on those who agreed to testify against him, and work on his lines for the movie The Longest Yard III.
Eli Manning fired back to former teammate Tiki Barber's assertion that Manning lacks leadership skills. Does Barber have a point?
Does this remind you of another brand new NBC studio analyst who made a bold statement that turned out to be ... heaven help us ... true!? Last year, former Pittsburgh Steeler Jerome Bettis reported that Bill Cowher would retire at the end of the 2006 season. And that's what happened. So maybe Barber is on to something, besides a psychotic compulsion to criticize Giants coaches and players. Yeah, Barber looks great in a suit and his teeth occupy 80% of the studio, so people will listen to his opinions no matter how controversial they may be.
Is Manning a leader? Sure, he's the quarterback and possesses the leadership inherent to the position. But, beyond that, has he shown the gumption to assert himself and make his teammates listen? I don't think so. Otherwise, he would have long ago told Barber, Michael Strahan, Jeremy Shockey, Plaxico Burress, and Tom Coughlin to all stop their whining and act like teammates. And he would have told his brother, "Look, Peyton, damn it! Will you let me at least say one word when we star in commercials?!"
Conversely, the fact that Manning did take exception and speak out against Barber may be the catalyst for his ascension to outspoken leader of the Giants. The supposed "leaders" of the Giants in the past have been players who have been too outspoken. Manning, like his brother and his father Archie, has the demeanor to become the Giants leader while not necessarily calling himself their leader.
NBA official Tim Donaghy reportedly will name 20 other officials who he claims have ties to gambling? Are that many referees corrupt?
Donaghy is just trying to cover his tail. He's a rat. The NBA actually thought he was giving them names of NBA officials, when in fact all he did was give them a list of refs who have called Harlem Globetrotter/Washington Generals games, and the occasional Pete Rose Charity Benefit Basketball Tournament game. Of course these guys are corrupt. They get paid to be, just like Donaghy was, before he was caught. Donaghy adamantly denied to having any connection to dogfighting, but added that he would gladly implicate Michael Vick if it meant knocking some time off of Donaghy's sentence.
In Chicago's 27-24 preseason win over the Colts, Rex Grossman fumbled three times, twice on snaps, threw an interception, and was sacked once. Should Bears fans be worried?
Absolutely not! Did you see the game Brian Griese had? 10-of-13 for 131 yards and one touchdown! It just adds fuel to the argument that many have made over the last year: the Bears look better with Grossman in a baseball cap than a football helmet.
Does Grossman have an excuse for his performance? Was it the pressure? Heaven knows the pressure of a Week 3 preseason game, indoors, at Indianapolis, packs a wallop. In Grossman's defense, there was a light drizzle falling outside.
Brady Quinn looked awesome in his preseason debut for Cleveland last Saturday against Detroit, throwing for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns. How soon will the former Notre Dame quarterback start for the Browns?
Sure, it was an impressive start for Quinn, especially considering the amount of training camp time he missed holding out. No one was more impressed that incumbent quarterbacks Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson, who marveled at Quinn's accuracy as well as his daunting biceps, which Quinn kissed after every completion. Quinn also showed some good scrambling skills, which he'll need on the field, to escape defenders, and off the field, to escape the teeny-boppers he's sure to attract.
It's inevitable that Quinn will start at some point this year. It's unlikely that Romeo Crenel will throw Quinn out there in Week 1 against the Steelers, or the Bengals in Week 2. Division rivalries don't make good first starts for quarterbacks. Week 3 at Oakland seems like a possibility, but the Raiders have a pretty good defense, and the Black Hole is no place for a rookie quarterback. Forget Quinn starting at home against the scary Ravens defense in Week 4, or at New England in Week 5 (a first start against three-time Super Bowl champ Tom Brady would not make a good confidence-builder for a rookie). Week 6 at home against the Dolphins could work, especially if the Browns are 0-6, and/or Charlies Frye and Derek Anderson have been benched more than once. If that doesn't work, Week 8 at St. Louis (following a bye week) could be Quinn's coming-out party.
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