INTERCEPTED: PRO FOOTBALL' HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2009

If you're lucky enough to be a football fan for 5 or more years, you know the excitement of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony every year. The immortalizing of a player into football's most distinguished society is a big deal. These players are hand selected by a team of experts, as having been the best during their time in the league and made such an impact on the league that they will be remembered in football history forever.

So with that HOF's Class of 2009

Wide Receiver Bob Hayes: Selected in 1964 by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round. Career stats include 7,414 receiving yards and 71 TDs. Born December 20, 1942 in Jacksonville, Florida. Died September 18, 2002, at age of 59.

Guard Randall McDaniel: Selected in 1988 by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round, 19th overall, 1988. Earned all-rookie honors. Started 202 consecutive games and 13 straight playoff games for Vikings. Blocked for six 1,000-yard rushers and five 3,000-yard passers during career. Named All-Pro nine consecutive times (1990-98) Selected to play in a record 12 consecutive AFC-NFC Pro Bowls (1990-2001) Born December 19, 1964 in Phoenix, Arizona. *Also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers"

Defensive End Bruce Smith: Selected in 1985 by the Buffalo Bills’ as the #1 draft pick overall. Considered one of the most dominant defensive players in NFL history with 200 career sacks is NFL all-time record. NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 1990 and 1996. Named to NFL’s All Decade Teams of the 1980s and 1990s . Selected to 11 Pro Bowls. Born June 18, 1963 in Norfolk, Virginia. *Also played for the Washington Redskins*

Linebacker Derrick Thomas: Selected in 1989 by the Kansas City Chiefs, 4th overall pick. Defensive Rookie of the Year. Led NFL with team record 20 sacks; including NFL record seven sacks in one game, 1990. Named to nine Pro Bowls. Accumulated most sacks in NFL during 1990s with a recorded 126.5 career sacks overall. Born January 1, 1967 in Miami, Florida. Died February 8, 2000, at age of 33.

Ralph Wilson, Jr: One of original founders of American Football League. During his tenure as the Buffalo Bills owner, they won two AFL Championships and an unprecedented 4 straight AFC championships. The Bills 103 regular season wins was the 2nd most in NFL during 1990s. Wilson helped lead the AFL through early years making tough decisions that were necessary for the league’s survival. In January 1965 he began talks with Carroll Rosenbloom, then owner of NFL’s Colts, that eventually resulted in AFL-NFL merger. Born October 17, 1918 in Columbus, Ohio.

AND finally my favorite of this years class, the man who's still a star among men...

Rod Woodson: Selected in 1987 by the Pittsburgh Steelers 10 overall first-round pick. 1993 NFL Defensive Player with a career 71 Intercepted passes. He is the NFL’s all-time leader in interception return yardage with 1,483. Earning All-Pro honors as cornerback, kick returner & safety he was named to 11 Pro Bowls. Born March 10, 1965, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. *He also played for the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49er's & won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens*

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THESE DISTINGUISHED MEN!

The 2009 Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is LIVE on NFL Network.

details about each player provided by ProFootballHOF.com

INTERCEPTED: What's a Franchise QB Worth EXACTLY?

So my inbox has been FLOODED with emails from people asking me to weigh-in on the Eli Manning contract. Most of course want to get under my skin about the entire situation as if I'm seeing any of that 106 million, but I do LOVE it because people respect my opinion and want to hear from me. I however, decided in the end to let the contract stand on it's own and refrain from jumping into the fray, because I'm a better defender than one who rationalizes, and most people want some sort of explanation as if Manning's career thus far doesn't speak for itself. So why bother? I can't change anyones mind who doesn't agree with it anyway...

No sooner than I made that decision though late last night while on twitter, I ran across this article (below) written by Mike Garafolo of NJ.com and NY Giants Beat Writer. Where it's clear he reached the end of his rationalization rope, as he sounded off in this piece of journalism genius.

The beauty of this article is that it explains the football intangibles (assets that come natural and can't be taught) Eli Manning possesses that separates the average QB's from the good/great QB's.

He's also quite annoyed and there's nothing more I love better in life, than a good ole fashion RANT...it confirms that I'm not the only one fed up with the BS!

It also lets me know I need to stop holding back and let my journalistic creativity for sports news flow...so consider this the last time I hold my tongue on an issue I'm passionate about.

So for those who still have questions, comments, or concerns...you know I love to hear them, ESPECIALLY the bad ones. A good 80% of sports journalism is about disagreement and healthy debate so don't hold back. This articles answers a lot but if you still disagree, as I'm sure 95% of you will in the end, I RESPECT THAT TOO and still LOVE YA!

"A more complete equation to calculate the value of NY Giants quarterback Eli Manning's new contract"

Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger Friday August 07, 2009, 11:05 AM

After seeing this and this, I can't take it anymore. I just can't. I have to add a few more questions to these equations in order to help everyone get a true picture of the value of Eli Manning's forthcoming contract.

But I'm going to need help calculating these questions, such as:

How much does Manning make per time he calms everyone else around him by being the "same old Eli" in a pressure situation?

How much for each time he's responsible for half of the greatest play in Super Bowl history?

How much for the big shiny ring - the generally accepted ultimate sign of a quarterback's worth? (That figure for the contracts for quarterbacks such as Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb and Drew Brees can't be calculated because you can't divide by zero.)

How much for every audible at the line that results in a long run?

How much for setting the proper protections, thus helping the offensive line prepare itself to pick up blitzes?

How much does he make per fourth-quarter comeback? (Actually, this one I can calculate. It's $5.7 million so far based on 17 comeback drives in the final period. An 18th comeback was courtesy of a defensive touchdown, so I'll leave that one out.)

How much for every dodged question from the media that could easily draw negative headlines if not answered with care?

How much for each receiver or tight end he's refused to show up after said players threw up their hands in disgust when he didn't throw their way?

How much per charitable appearance in the New York area during the off-season?

How much for every time he's bankrolled a dog-fighting ring?

How much for each time he earned his teammates' respect by telling Tiki Barber to zip it after criticizing him?

And finally, how many millions per million generated for the state of New Jersey through sold-out home games?

Let me know what you come up with.

Yeah...um this needs to be said twice:

How much for the big shiny ring - the generally accepted ultimate sign of a quarterback's worth? (That figure for the contracts for quarterbacks such as Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb and Drew Brees can't be calculated because you can't divide by zero.)

POW!

INTERCEPTED: NYG TRAINING CAMP PICTURES & UPDATES

What's going on in training camp around the league. Check it out here, LOL! Can't say I don't help point you in the right direction. For now I'll tell you what's going on at NYG camp.



















New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs(notes) (27) is covered by linebacker Bryan Kehl(notes) during NFL football training camp in Albany, N.Y., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.



















New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning(notes) (10) talks to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks(notes) during NFL football training camp in Albany, N.Y., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.



















New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning(notes) takes a break during NFL football training camp in Albany, N.Y., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.

















New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning(notes) signs autographs after practice during NFL football training camp in Albany, N.Y., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.



















New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree(notes) (85) blocks teammate DeAndre Wright(notes) during NFL football training camp in Albany, N.Y., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.


I am starting to feel the effects of true journalism...and I am exhausted.



DE Osi Umenyiora (knee) is beginning to show signs of just how hard this injury is to recover from. He didn't practice today.

DE Justin Tuck (foot) & DT Barry Cofield (knee) practiced today. G Rich Seubert (shoulder) was out as well.

WR Hakeem Nicks must have been waiting for autograph day and the biggest crowd of camp to make his biggest play of camp. He shined like the star he's destined to be today for the first time.

The 97.5 million dollar man QB Eli Manning has some good series today connecting long with both WR Steve Smith & WR Domenik Hixon on deep routes.

S Kenny Phillips continues to impress at camp. He picked off a pass from QB Rhett Bomar to TE Michael Matthews on a 15-yd out. I love this guy!

RB Brandon Jacobs still requires at least 3 or more people to take him down. Pierce, Tuck, Alford & of course Phillips combined to stop Jacobs at the goal line. Loves it!

S Michael Johnson & CB Aaron Ross played great coverage when they forced Manning to look away from a play to Steve Smith. And 2plays later Ross knocked away a pass intended to TE Kevin Boss.

Side note: Michael Johnson forgot that Eli was off limits as he made a sack on him during a play. Coughlin nearly ripped his head off.

The rest is from Mike Garafolo from NJ.com

THE BACK UPS

QB David Carr threw a deep post to Smith that hung up and was intercepted by S C.C. Brown. Carr's next deep ball was a beauty, though. And it was Nicks' first deep catch of camp. Gorgeous pass and a great catch past Brown. But BrowB David Carr had his first deep ball of team drills picked off. It was a dn came back later to knock away a pass from Carr to Nicks.


My crush on Nicks is ridiculous. Watching him play is unreal...so much natural football ability for a rookie. Can't wait for the season the begin.

Carr later had a pair of TDs in red-zone drills: one to WR Derek Hagan in the back of the end zone and one to Boss at the 5-yard line. Boss trotted in untouched.

LB Chase Blackburn dropped RB Ahmad Bradshaw in a wide run during goal-line drills.
Good job by LB Zak DeOssie to fight off a blocker and make a stop. He made another stop on a run off the edge later.

Alford penetrated and got to Jacobs on a shotgun draw sweep.
In 1-on-1s, CB Terrell Thomas had a nice pass defensed on a fade from Bomar to WR Ramses Barden. Barden is another favorite to watch...somebody get me to Albany STAT!

Bomar delivered a nice ball deep to WR David Tyree, who had it go right off his hands, leading a couple of fans to yell, "Use your helmet." Tyree did use his helmet -- sort of -- when he picked the ball up and slapped it against his head in frustration.

DT Jeremy Clark came flying through for a sack of Bomar.

THE YOUNG GUYS

Okay, it's pretty clear LB Clint Sintim can lay the wood. He sized up Matthews during 9-on-7 drills and got in there to whack him and plug the hole. I think Matthews did a good job of simply holding his ground because Sintim had a head of steam coming in there.

LB Kenny Ingram has some pop, too. He jumped down there and plugged the hole on a few plays.

LB Jonathan Goff picked off a poor pass by Bomar in 7-on-7s and returned it for what would have been a TD.

Great ball by QB Andre' Woodson to Hagan up the left sideline. Hagan got on top of CB Stoney Woodson, who got no deep help, and never broke stride. Woodson was shaky in the red zone, though, as he fired well wide of his receiver on one play and turned the wrong way for a handoff on the next. At least he bounced back to lob a TD to TE Darcy Johnson.

RB Allen Patrick has to know ball security is high on coach Tom Coughlin's list. Patrick was running through the pack and maybe thought the play was over when DE Tommie Hill stripped him. Gotta hold that ball.

WR Shaun Bodiford made a nice catch on a comeback with Ross all over him during 1-on-1s.

Play of the day: WR Mario Manningham gave a little shimmy at the line to scoot right around CB DeAndre Wright and then ran a sideline route. He juggled the ball once and twice before grabbing it while falling out of bounds.

* * *

One quick note: The Giants message board BBI handed out their 2008 MVP trophy to Jacobs after practice. Jacobs thanked the die-hards for the award. That's all I saw, as I had to cut out early to get to Coughlin's press conference. But if you head over to their site later, they'll have plenty of pics, vids and info, including shots of the gorgeous trophy.

* * *

And finally, here's my new favorite drill: the QBs drop back and hold the ball with both hands while QB coach Chris Palmer slaps at it. Something tells me Julius Peppers slaps harder. (Palmer's been known to read these reports, so this is a test to see if he's still checking in regularly.)

Tomorrow's practice starts at 8:35 and I'm getting up just to blog about it. Ow!

INTERCEPTED: NFL News & Updates

Jason Campbell is on the cover of Sports Illustrated, for their August 10th issue. Ok am I the only one confused about this? No disrespect to Jason, but he's done as a player, and not because he isn't a good player. But the Redskins organization is the WORST!

BREAKING NEWS Donte Stallworth is SORRY! The end! I really can't say anything about this situation because I hate it, and how it has turned out, and I'm not changing my mind. He sucks and I feel sorry for the fans, players and Browns organization. Just disgusting!

The Tennessee Titans will honor former QB Steve McNair this season with No. 9 (his number) decal. I just want to cry for him again. Still so so sad!

If you haven't heard yesterday, Eli Manning was awarded a 97 million dollar contract (guaranteed money 97.5 million, however the total amount of the contract is for $106 million. POW! What's 15% of that Tom Condon? My agent senses are tingling...) with the New York Giants making him the current highest paid player in the NFL.

Have something to say about it please do so, I love a good verbal smackdown. So bring it!

Speaking of QB's being rewarded for their success in the league. Philip Rivers now wants a new deal...and I guess that's cool, but he shouldn't be looking for the same money as either Big Ben or Manning because...oops he has no SB rings and only 2 playoff wins. I'm not a Steelers fan nor a fan of Ben but the man is a great QB who deserved his deal as did Eli Manning. Rivers however, not so much...so good luck with that...

Don't you just love BS Power Rankings...based off of ZERO information by so-called "expert" opinions.

BREAKING: New England Patriots Acquire Derrick Burgess

INTERCEPTED: Michael Crabtree Threatens to Sit Out Entire 2009 Season

How can this face contain such a ridiculous mind?

Rookie WR Michael Crabtree has taken his hold out to a whole other level today. The USA Todat, ESPN and other news organization are reporting that Micheal Crabtree is prepared to sit out the entire 2009 season and re-enter the 2010 draft if the San Francisco 49er's are unable to fulfill is contractual requests.

Crabtree fell to #10 in the NFL draft when the Oakland Raiders surprised everyone by drafting University of Maryland WR Darrius Heyward-Bey at #7 over Crabtree.

As a result Crabtree is not commanding the money that he was expected to, and has up the ante in his demands.

From the USA Today:

A representative for 49ers draft pick Michael Crabtree told ESPN that the wide receiver is prepared to sit out the entire NFL season and re-enter the draft if he can't reach a contract with the team

"We are prepared to do it," David Wells, a cousin to Crabtree, told ESPN. "Michael just wants fair market value."

PFT reported earlier that a Crabtree insider said his agent, Eugene Parker, told the 49ers the 10th overall draft pick wanted more than the team is prepared to offer right now.

Wells told ESPN the 49ers' current position on signing Crabtree is "unacceptable."

"Michael is one of the best players in the draft," Wells told the network, "and he just wants to be paid like one of the best players."

Crabtree's slide to the 10th overall pick was a bit of a surprise. The Raiders have already signed the first receiver chosen, Darrius Heyward-Bey, to a five-year deal with $23.5 million guaranteed.

However in an update on the situation, Crabtree's agent is now distancing himself and his client from those statements in an effort to clear things up amist this bizarre and ridiculous situation.

Michael Crabtree's agent is distancing himself and his client from comments made by a Crabtree advisor to ESPN today.

Eugene Parker told AOL FanHouse that he has not told the 49ers that the 10th overall pick is prepared to sit out the season if he doesn't get a satisfactory contract.

"No comments have been made to ESPN or anyone else," Parker told FanHouse in a text message.

This young man needs to clean house and surround himself with people who have better self control than this. His reputation is on the line and will surely suffer if in faact he decides not to play after having been drafted in 2009.

Ask Jamarcus Russell what holding out does to a player...that dude still isn't right!

INTERCEPTED: NBA SUSPENDS RASHARD LEWIS FOR STEROID VIOLATION

From the NBA.com:

NEW YORK, Aug. 6, 2009 – Rashard Lewis of the Orlando Magic has been suspended without pay for ten games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program by testing positive for an elevated testosterone level, it was announced today by the NBA. Lewis’ suspension will begin with the first game of the 2009-10 NBA regular season for which he is eligible and physically able to play.

Rashard Lewis Statement:

“First and foremost I take full responsibility for the situation and accept the corresponding penalty.

Toward the end of the season I took an over-the-counter supplement which at the time I did not realize included a substance banned by the NBA.

I apologize to Magic fans, my teammates and this organization for not doing the research that should come with good judgment.

I hope this unintentional mistake will not reflect poorly on our team and its great character.

I hope every athlete can learn from my mistake that supplements, no matter how innocent they seem, should only be taken after consulting an expert in the field.”

When will these dudes learn? Cute smile though. Smh!

INTERCEPTED: How Robert Littal Said What I Haven't Been Able Too!

This article has been 8 months in the making so bear with me on this one.

On November 26, 2008, my world as a football fan changed forever. When I got up and turned on the NFL Network I read the "Breaking News alert" that crawled at the bottom of my screen ,which stated that NY Giants WR Plaxico Burress had been shot in what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound and was in the hospital. For almost one full hour I sat there in stunned silence as I read the words over and over again while hundreds of thoughts rushed through my mind. Weeks before the “shooting” incident Plaxico had been suspended for one game and was in and out of trouble with the Giants front office in what appeared to be his clear spiraling in the wrong direction. Months before that Plaxico stunned Patriots fans and the NFL world when he made the game-winning TD catch that would go on to lead the Giants to their SB victory. (“Manning lobs it…Burress alone…touch down New York!” will replay in my mind for as along as I live.) In the months that followed his stellar playoff and Super Bowl performance, Burress was awarded a contract extension from the Giants, guaranteeing his career would end with in NY and that I would be a happy Giants fan for years to come. However, in those moments as I sat in silence, I knew that all of that would never come true and that his future in football would never be the same.

A year before Plaxico was to become a Super Bowl champion, I had the pleasure of meeting him & Jeremy Shockey at the 40/40 club in NY on a random Wednesday night out with my then boyfriend. As a fan I was in awe...that I was able to talk to him like a regular person and that he was the epitome of cool. Plaxico was laid back, chill and lots of fun. I didn’t ask for his autograph nor did I care about what the score from the previous weeks game was;I had the unique opportunity to talk to my favorite player as a regular person and I loved every minute of it. In those moments I knew I wanted to represent players as both an agent and writer because I was shown the layers they possessed and it was infectious.

For the past 8 months since this entire ordeal has unfolded, I have remained in this same state of stunned silence, not being able to formulate a coherent sentence on the situation. For those who know me you know how difficult something must be for me to be unable to translate it into words. Writing and offering commentary is my gift and not many topics are exempt from my opinion. I give my opinion even when it's not requested, without much concern either way as long as it's out there. But for this I just couldn’t and I still really can’t because of how deep this one cut me. I’ve watched Burress' character being mutilated by Giants fans and football commentators, who a few short months before had nothing but praise for his performance. Stating the obvious that this was a stupid situation he allowed himself to get wrapped up in doesn’t begin to touch exactly what this loss means. The NFL has a lost a competitor, a superior athlete with impeccable skill and tremendous talent. A warrior who played the entire 2007 season with severe ligament damage in his ankle and barely practiced all season, but came out every week and fought through it and made sure he did all he could to win games for his teammates. The Giants lost the pulse of their offense and a veteran leader on April 4, 2009, and it still sends tears steaming down my face. I hate watching people fail...some people enjoy watching train wrecks, I'm not one of those people, especially when it happens to good people, whose hard work gets tossed aside once they make a mistake. Not a lot of people have truly considered what Plaxico has lost as a result of this mistake, he may never play football again and is it his fault of course it is...but there's so much more to it. And it's that, which keeps me up at night.

See I’m a different kind of sports writer and fan of the game. I stand up for players because it’s not the convenient thing to do. It’s unpopular to defend extremely rich and often reckless individuals. But someone has to do it so I figured why not be that person. I revel in being the loudest voice in the room arguing my point that’s a hard sell on the most basic of logic and reason. Being unpopular clears the path of exposure…I’ve built my writing career on supporting players and I will continue to do so.

Until this morning however, I decided to retire this entire situation from my mind and just let it play out while continuing to deal with my feelings on it in silence. This WAS the plan until I read this article (below) by Robert Littal, CEO of Black Sports Online and Sports Journalist for the Washington Post. Mr. Littal is a brilliant journalist with enough fire and grit to keep him well established in the sports world for years to come. His successful career has served as a blueprint for any current and all future sports writers. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Littal but I’m sure I will soon enough. I have however had conversations with him and appreciate his mind and depth according to the world of sports.

His article written on Burress for the Washington Post strikes the perfect balance and suited the entire situation well. No other journalist had yet to find the balance Littal found and I've read every article on the situation, trust me. He manages to address the legal ramifications and the complex personal ones being thrown onto Burress for his costly mistake, while addressing the impact on his football career and personal life.

So I'm sharing it with you here and I hope you enjoy it as I did.

Stupidity Not Criminal

Not surprisingly, a New York grand jury indicted Plaxico Burress on weapons charges Monday.

Mr. Burress will most certainly be sent to jail. It's just a matter of how long he'll have to stay. Clearly, there is no need to debate the New York State laws; they are what they are and Plaxico broke them. This is an open and shut case for the prosecution.

Looking ahead and considering his infraction, should he be able to play in the NFL again? I ask you, "How do you punish stupidity?"

Plaxico Burress is not a criminal, he was deficient in his decision-making. It was not smart to carry a loaded weapon without proper registration. It seems dumb to shoot yourself in the leg and even more so to attempt a cover up. In an ill-advised move, Plaxico turned down a plea agreement early on which might have served less time, instead he faces a possible two years in prison.

The fact that someone can be sent to jail for shooting themselves is asinine enough, but once he was in that situation he proved once again that athletes sometimes think they are above the law. He should ask Michael Vick how that thought process worked out for him.

Just as Michael Vick was conditionally reinstated after an offense far greater, in my opinion, than that of Plaxico Burress, I don't see any reason why Plax, after he is finished making license plates, should not be allowed to play.

Burress is being punished by our backward legal system for being stupid, arrogant and naïve; not for being a criminal.

Almost every team in the NFL has questionable characters on their team. Some are even convicted felons. No matter how badly Roger Goodell wishes it to be, this simply isn't a league of angels and saints.

Plaxico made a mistake. A mistake that he will no doubt be overly punished for and I think that should be punishment enough. There is no need for the NFL to shoot a man in his leg while he is down (pun intended.)

This was an extremely difficult article for me to write and I hope you were able to see the different perspective and the place it came from. I literally cried through the entire thing, which may sound silly to some but I really do take this stuff personal. The goal of every writer is to remain objective while staying true to who we are and I pray I accomplished that in some way. I learned a lot about myself writing this and I feel my purpose for writing is much clearer as a result.

INTERCEPTED: Antonio Pierce Will Not Be Indicted...Burress Will

In not so surprising news...Sal Paolantonio of ESPN is reporting that the grand jury has voted against formally indicting New York Giants LB Antonio Pierce.

My assumption is that they have nothing to go on but the decision has been dragged out to create more of a distraction for the Giants and everyone involved.

His attorney, Michael Bachner, spoke directly with ESPN regarding the outcome.

I'm going to refrain from offering my true feelings on this one. But I'm happy that this will no longer be an issue for any ACTIVE Giants players.

ProFootball.com however is reporting that Plaxico Burress has been indicated on felony gun charges.

ESPN reports that receiver Plaxico Burress will be indicted on felony weapons charges arising from the November 2008 incident in a Manhattan nightclub, during which Burress accidentally shot himself with a gun he was toting in the waistband of his sweatpants.
The move means that Burress will, absent a plea bargain, face a trial.

No date has been set; his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, previously has indicated that his calendar prevents him from being available until March 2010.

The next question is whether Commissioner Roger Goodell will suspend Burress indefinitely until the case is resolved and any jail term is served.

Two years ago, Goodell did just that with quarterback Mike Vick.

Words cannot describe how many times over I am THROUGH with this entire ordeal. SMH

INTERCEPTED: NYG TRAINING CAMP MORNING PRACTICE

The New York Giant's have begun training camp and a wrap up of this mornings practice can be found below.

For the full article from NJ.com click here

Here's my summary:

First team

DE Osi Umenyiora fresh off of knee surgery and missing an entire season appears to be picking up right where he left off. Along with the entire defense.

This morning...it was all about defense. S Kenny Phillips came away with two INT's from the offense & QB Eli Manning. LB Antonio Pierce stopped RB Danny Ware behind a lead blocker. LB Brandon Kehl almost had an sack on Manning. And CB Aaron Ross made the defensive play of the game when he stepped in front of WR Steve Smith for another easy INT.

3 INT's for the defense in a 2 hour time period and while I'm happy for the defense I'm annoyed with the offensive performance.

Eli had a rough start to say the least. With WR's Hixon, Moss & Smith on first team he's going to have to figure out how to get these guys the ball. They're short WR's (average height) is 6'0" and he no longer has the luxury of the 6'5 guy out there to go up and grab the ball...so work it out please.

The back-ups

QB Rhett Bomar connected with WR David Tyree on a back should throw.

QB David Carr came through with some nice completions early.

WR Mario Manningham possesses a lot of natural football instinct, making a nice play after he and Ross slipped coming out of a break.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw showed his speed against Umenyiora who is also pretty quick on a flip play to the left side.

And it looks like C Adam Koets can't seem to shake his fumbled snaps problem. He tallied up 5 in the morning practice alone. SMH

The rookies

So far no mention of WR Hakeem Nicks. Which I'm a little confused about but oh well.

WR Ramses Barden won the test of wills when he held onto a ball between he and CB Aaron Ross.

CB Stoney Woodson broke up a pass intended for WR Shaun Bodiford.

LB Clint Sintim looked good in pass coverage as he broke up a quick out from QB Andre Woodson to TE Lee Vickers (whom I forgot the Giants signed, lol)

Afternoon practice begins at 3:15. Stay tuned....

INTERCEPTED: NYG Arrive at Training Camp!

CB Corey Webster (He's so cute!)

ALL 80 PLAYERS ON THE NEW YORK GIANTS HAVE ARRIVED IN ALBANY, NEW YORK!

And if I could I would post each and every one of them...but I don't have all of their pictures so I'm just going to post the ones that I do have.

FS C.C. Brown (I'm not feeling the moptop dude...not sexy)




Punter Jeff Feagles (I love this dude...so consistent & automatic)




WR Steve Smith aka the new Amani Toomer




My 2009 crush rookie WR Hakeem Nicks *bites my lip*




Rookie LB Clint Sintim



DT Fred Robbins (looking QUITE portly...just saying)



LB/DE Mathias Kiwanuka (which position will he play in '09)



QB Eli Manning (Heyyy Eli)



RB Brandon Jacobs (Whenever I see him I just get hyped!)





LB Danny Clark




WR Sinorice Moss (My sleeper this season...I'm expecting big things from this one!)



CB Kevin Dockery



WR Mario Manningham (Who's obviously camera shy)



LB Danny Clark and his Smart Car. How very green of you Mr. Clark.

Camp begins tomorrow! Let's go!

INTERCEPTED: NEW YORK GIANTS REPORT TO TRAINING CAMP AUGUST 3, 2009

The New York Giants announced yesterday that they signed rookie first round draft pick Hakeem Nicks.

From the Associated Press:

ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York Giants will be reporting to training camp Sunday with all their draft picks, including the one they hope fills the void left by the release of troubled Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress.

First-round pick Hakeem Nicks became the last of the Giants' nine picks to reach a deal when the North Carolina receiver signed a five-year contract on Saturday that will pay him a little less than $12.5 million.

"It was very important for Hakeem to be in training camp on time, so he can do his part to help the team win a championship," Peter Schaffer, Nicks' agent, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "He did not want to miss any practice time while his teammates were on the field and that was a strong impetus to get the deal done."

Schaffer and Giants assistant general manager Kevin Abrams hammered out the agreement early Saturday morning, after working out the details over the past three days, Schaffer said. Nicks signed the contract after arriving at the University at Albany.

"Our objective every year is to have these rookies in camp on time," general manager Jerry Reese said. "Training camp is the start of the long haul to get to where we want to be as a team. We all have a lot of hard work ahead of us, and this is the start. It's important for the rookies to be in sync with the rest of the team from the start, because we expect them to contribute to our success. Every year."

Defensive back Steve Cargile was waived to make room for Nicks on the roster.

Nicks was the 29th pick overall in the draft. He set 14 school receiving records in three seasons with the Tar Heels, leaving as their career leader in catches (181), yardage (2,840) and touchdown receptions (21).

Many Giants fans are hoping that Nicks can provide the deep threat that the Giants lost late last season when Burress shot himself in the thigh in a New York City nightclub. The team suspended him the final four games of the regular season and eventually released him in April.

"Everybody wants to make comparisons to Plax," Schaffer said. "Hakeem is going to do what Hakeem can do to help the Giants win a championship. The differences in personality and character between the two is so different, and I'm not taking a shot at Plax, either. This kid is a solid person in everything: character, personality, everything."

Nicks had 68 catches for 1,222 yards (an 18-yard average) and 12 touchdowns this past season as a junior.

He'll have to compete with veterans Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Sinorice Moss and Mario Manningham for playing time, but does offer the deep threat that they cannot provide on a consistent basis.

Coach Tom Coughlin said Nicks has outstanding hands, long arms and goes over the middle well. Coughlin was impressed with his performance in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against West Virginia in his final collegiate game. He had eight catches for 217 yards and three touchdowns.

The Giants earlier this week signed linebacker Clint Sintim and offensive tackle William Beatty, their two second round draft picks.

Jerry Reese is quickly lamenting his legacy in the league as a GM that knows how to get things done. In his 2 years as the Giants GM Jerry has avoided the all too familiar trend in the NFL of "rookie holdouts". This season the Raiders, 49er's & Eagles have made headlines with rookies unable to reach contract terms with their new teams. Darrius Heyward held out with the Raiders for one day, Michael Crabtree failed to report to 49er's camp, and there's no word on when a deal will be reached. And over in Philly Jeremy Maclin is rumored to be 72 hours away from striking a deal with the front office but camp has already begun.

*Sigh* there's something very revealing about a rookie that decides not to show up for training camp. It's your first real opportunity to be formally introduced to your fellow teammates who are at this level better and more experience than they are and you don't want to take full advantage of that by soaking in everyday of it. You on;y get one rookie training camp. Just overall not a good look for any rookie entering the league. There is plenty of time to sign these players between the draft and the start of camp. Work it out!



In other NY Giants news. Three defensive players have been placed on the PUP (Physicially Unable to Perform) list before camp has even began. *DEAD*

From NFL.com:

LBANY, N.Y. -- The New York Giants placed linebacker Michael Boley and defensive tackles Fred Robbins and Rocky Bernard on the active physically unable to perform list Sunday.

The moves with Boley (hip) and Robbins (knee) were expected because the two had undergone surgery.

Bernard, who like Boley signed with the Giants as a free agent in the offseason, was a surprise. He was bothered by shoulder and hamstring injuries in a minicamp in June, coach Tom Coughlin said.

The shoulder has healed, but the hamstring injury still bothers Bernard, who signed a four-year, $16 million contract.

Boley, who signed a five-year, $25 million contract, had a torn labrum repaired in June. The former Atlanta Falcon hurt his hip during the Giants' offseason program.

Boley was expected to miss 8 to 10 weeks while rehabilitating. Since the surgery, the NFL suspended him for the first game of the regular season for violating its personal conduct policy. The suspension related to a May 2008 incident in which he was charged with battery on his wife after she accused him of becoming "too physical" after an argument.

Robbins had major knee surgery in February. He has started running straight ahead, but Coughlin said he is unable to make cuts.

All three players are eligible to start training once they are healthy.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

I have the biggest screw face right now. Why do we have all of these used cars on the lot. Ok that's harsh but...I'm just saying. Injuries before one snap has taken place in '09 has me a little bent.

ESPN Pisses in Starbury Marbury's Cornflakes!

Stephon Marbury has been a walking talking lump of crazy for the past few weeks. Recently, HipHollywood.com caught up with the disgruntled NBA player for an exclusive & interesting interview, that quickly turned into a full on rant by Marbury, who took direct shots at ESPN.

All I know is...ESPN had better keep his name outta their mouth or he might have to check that chin. Just sayin...

From HipHollywood.com:

HipHollywood.com managed to track down on the most popular athletes in the world right now: Stephon Marbury. The former NBA star has made quite the name for himself in the past week by broadcasting his somewhat crazy life 24-hours a day, 7-days a week on UStream.TV Here's what he said:

“The next time you say my name out of your mouth at ESPN, you better be careful what you ask for. I already let my skeletons out. Yeah, I had sex with another woman, and I was wrong. I asked God for forgiveness and now I’m moving on with my life. They said I couldn’t play no more. They don’t know where I’m going to play – China, Italy, Greece…they (ESPN) said that they didn’t want me because someone from an organization said that I have a bad attitude.

…This is the last thing I’m going to say. ESPN, show an hour highlight. Show all of the good things that I’ve done, because there is more good in me than there is bad. And then it’s over with. But, if not…365 days, 24/7 you will see me.”

Now we're not going to give you the entire interview today, but here's a sample. Check back tomorrow for the entire thing!

Right on...right on!

INTERCEPTED: Lamar Odom Will Remain a Los Angeles Laker

*Wondering if there's anyone else out there who is secretly in love with Lamar Odom like I am hmmmm....* Did I just say that out loud? Ooops...LOL!

YES! "Mr. Brown" dressing Lamar Odom...mmm hmmm...that guy!

And YUP this one too! I like my men slightly wacky...LOL!


Well he and the LA Lakers have agreed to contract terms and he will be with the team for what looks like the rest of his career.

From ESPN.com:

Free agent forward Lamar Odom will return to the Los Angeles Lakers, an NBA source said Thursday.

One source close to the process told ESPN.com that Odom will come away with a guaranteed $27 million from the new contract, matching the original value of the three-year, $27 million deal Lakers owner Jerry Buss pulled off the table earlier this month.

It's believed that the structure of the new deal calls for Odom to earn $25 million over the first three seasons, with the Lakers owing him $2 million in the fourth year if they elect not to pick up their team option.

Odom's signing was the most significant free agent move left to play out this summer, as it restores a pivotal piece to the Lakers' championship team. The versatile, 6-foot-9 Odom averaged 11.3 points and 8.2 rebounds during the regular season and 12.3 points and 9.1 rebounds during the playoffs, despite injuring his back in a fall during the Western Conference semifinals against Houston.

And with that...MY dream team is complete! Let's see...Kobe, Gasol, Odom, ummm... Ron Artest & Andrew Bynum coming into his own. Championship!

MEET THE NFL’S NEWEST “DIVA” BRANDON MARSHALL

Today as I read Pat Kirwan’s article on NFL.com entitled: “Teams interested in Marshall should proceed with caution”, I couldn’t help but think…here we go.

Brandon Marshall is making his way into the media spotlight and it’s not because of his success on the field. To summarize Mr. Kirwan’s article, he attempts to draw parallels between many of the famous “diva-esque” wide receivers of the past. You know the names, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, Chad Ochocinco, Keyshawn Johnson etc. He describes Chad as “always looking for attention”, T.O.’s “bouncing around the league” and despite Moss’ success in New England, it’s noted that he is on his “third team.” While it doesn’t appear that the article is geared at making any of the referenced players look bad nor am I implying this. The article does seem to highlight to less appealing aspects of their careers while attempting to make the case that Marshall could potentially be headed down the same path, thus advising future teams interested in Marshall the “buyer beware” caution.

It should be noted that Pat Kirwan isn’t the only journalist with Marshall on his radar, as I’ve read several articles in the past few weeks aimed at him which is more than I can remember reading in his entire career. Writers across the sports industry have been gearing up to slap the “diva” label on Marshall, and with teams like the Baltimore Ravens in desperate need of a #1 wide receiver, this comes at an inconvenient time for him but seemingly less for the media.

So with all of the rumors swirling, the question on everyone’s mind is exactly what Marshall has been up to that would cause so much attention from sports journalist. After doing a little research I found out that Brandon Marshall is entering the 2009 season fresh off of a hip operation he believed was initially misdiagnosed by the Denver Broncos’ team medical staff. Apparently, he’s also unhappy with his contract in Denver and is not happy with things as they stand with his career there. Despite all of this, he has however decided to forgo the $15,888 a day fine for holding out of training camp and reported on Monday for team activities. To be fair he has yet to participate in any of the required practice sessions with the team because he’s listed as injured according to the report, which could be true considering his past injury, but if you know anything about disgruntled players with contract issues, injuries seem to disappear when they get paid. So other than the “injury” issue, this all seems pretty normal to most people.

Unfortunately for Marshall now, unless he accepts an inferior amount of money from the Broncos, sucks it up and doesn’t speak one word of indifference towards the Broncos organization all season, all eyes will be on him. Everything he does from here on out will be picked apart and parsed for additional meaning. Using Pat Kirwan’s own words: “Sooner or later…he is going to be the topic of trade talks in Denver. The new head coach is already in the process of getting Marshall to understand who the boss is and how things are going to work. Marshall had to report to camp with the rookies, four days earlier than the rest of the veterans. That should not sit well with the young man.”

As with his statement above, the same can be said about some of the articles on Marshall that have been written. They don’t sit well with observers who see him as a regular WR being labeled for unnecessary reasons. Yes wide receivers are high maintenance and some do act out but it seems a bit presumptuous of the sporting world to have already dubbed him something that he has yet to become because of the track record of others before him. Only time will tell but I don’t like the direction any of this is going.

Khai

INTERCEPTED: NFL TRAINING CAMP UPDATES

From NFL.com/Training Camp Blog:

Minnesota Vikings:

The Minnesota Vikings wanted Brett Favre to be their quarterback, but the future Hall of Famer decided to stay retired.

Now, Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels will compete for the starting job. Coach Brad Childress is focused on moving on from the Favre talk and said the team is “more than content” with Jackson and Rosenfels competing for the right to lead the offense.

New England Patriots:

The Patriots open training camp Thursday, and that means one thing: Tom Brady is officially back.

Nearly one year after he had surgery to repair his damaged left knee, the quarterback will receive a dose of full-speed practices as he and the Patriots prepare for their Sept. 14 season opener against the Bills.

Oakland Raiders:

Defensive end Derrick Burgess and rookie wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey were absent as the Raiders opened training camp in Napa, Calif. Wednesday.

Burgess, a two-time Pro Bowler, has not taken part in any offseason activities and he reportedly continues to lobby for a trade. Heyward-Bey, the seventh-overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, has yet to sign a contract, though, head coach Tom Cable expressed optimism that a deal would be reached soon.

There's nothing more annoying than rookies who have NEVER played one NFL game and chose not to report to work when scheduled. I mean seriously...Darrius!

San Francisco 49er's:

Rookie WR Michael Crabtree (pictured above) did not report to 49ers training camp along with the rest of the team’s rookies Tuesday.

Crabtree’s agent, Eugene Parker, and the 49ers are said to be far from a deal. Despite the fact that Crabtree slid to the 10th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, Parker reportedly is seeking a contract that would pay the receiver more than the usual salary for that slot.

Same thing goes for you too Mr. Crabtree.

Cleveland Browns:

The Browns have placed WR Braylon Edwards on the non-football injury list. Edwards missed most of the team’s three-day minicamp in June — spending most of his time on a stationary bike — with an undisclosed injury that coach Eric Mangini described as non-serious.

Denver Broncos':

Broncos WR Brandon Marshall missed Tuesday’s morning practice with “soreness,” which was a precautionary measure, according to coach Josh McDaniels. Marshall missed the club’s organized team activities following hip surgery, though it wasn’t confirmed if it was his hip that was giving him problems this week.

Marshall is still upset about his contract situation in Denver, but he made good on his promise to report to the team’s training camp in time.

It should be noted that the Baltimore Ravens have expressed interest in taking disgruntled WR Brandon Marshall off of Denver's hands. Good luck with that!

Philadelphia Eagles:

The Eagles will have a lot of new faces surrounding QB Donovan McNabb this season.

With RB Brian Westbrook on the mend following ankle surgery, RB LeSean McCoy will receive a bulk of the carries. The team also drafted WR Jeremy Maclin, but he has yet to sign a contract.

McNabb is excited about the new talent, but he realizes that the young guns have a lot to prove.

Baltimore Ravens:

The Ravens started training camp Monday without their star wide receiver and their first-round draft pick.

Two-time Pro Bowl WR Derrick Mason is still contemplating whether to follow through on his plans to retire, and rookie OT Michael Oher has yet to agree to terms on his first NFL contract. WR Drew Bennett also abruptly retired Sunday because of recurring knee trouble. (MORE)

San Diego Chargers:

Chargers LB Shawne Merriman reported to training camp Monday, along with quarterbacks, rookies and other players coming off injuries. The Chargers officially open camp Thursday, with a full-team workout Friday. The team’s medical staff kept Merriman out of team drills.

Merriman sat out nearly the entire 2008 season, except for the opener against the Oakland Raiders, after injuring his left knee.

Chargers QB Philip Rivers and coach Norv Turner had glowing reports about Merriman’s return. (MORE)

The Washington Redskins & New England Patriots report today...so for fans of those teams. I will have updates for you. Especially you Skins fans! :)

If you want more information about your favorite team or they're not being featured in my updates. Send me an email at khai@balleralert.com or message me on balleralert.com username XIKhai.

INTERCEPTED: Braylon Edwards Placed on Injury List?

This is certainly curious...

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns have placed wide receiver Braylon Edwards on the non-football injury list with an unspecified injury.

The team didn't give any details in making the announcement about its top offensive playmaker Tuesday. A message seeking comment was left with Browns spokesman Neal Gulkis.

Edwards is the only established receiver on Cleveland's roster, and he was mostly a spectator during the team's three-day camp in June because of an undisclosed injury. At the time, Edwards and first-year Browns coach Eric Mangini said the injury wasn't serious, and Mangini added that the receiver was expected to fully participate in the team's training camp, which begins Saturday.

Edwards had 55 receptions and three touchdowns last season, a dramatic drop from the 80 catches and 16 TDs he had as a Pro Bowler in 2007. The former No. 3 overall draft pick was plagued by dropped passes in 2008, and his season got off to a rocky start when he suffered a serious injury to his heel during training camp when he was stepped on while running post-practice sprints in his socks.

The Browns announced Edwards' status in a press release on the signing of second-round pick Mohamed Massaquoi. With Massaquoi, the 50th overall selection in the NFL draft in camp, Cleveland's only unsigned draft choice is wide receiver Brian Robiskie.

The team was hoping that Edwards could serve as a mentor to Robiskie, who played at Ohio State and once served as a Browns ballboy. Robiskie and Massaquoi will compete for the No. 2 receiver job behind Edwards.

Cleveland's depth at wide receiver has been thinned with the retirement of Joe Jurevicius because of injury and Donte Stallworth's indefinite suspension for DUI manslaughter.

Hope all is well with him...might have to...(lemme shut up!)

INTERCEPTED: The Ben Roethlisberger Sexual Assault Situation

So it's now been two days since news broke that Ben Roethlisberger was named in a sexual assault civil lawsuit. For some reason, I'm wondering where's the 24 hour scandal cycle that commences anytime any "other" athlete is accused of anything big or small?

According to the suit Roethlisberger was named along with 9 other defendant's for sexually assaulting an employee at Harrah's hotel in Lake Tahoe back in July of 2008.

According to the New York Times:

Roethlisberger was in Lake Tahoe last July for a celebrity golf tournament. The woman said she was working on the penthouse floor at Harrah’s where Roethlisberger was staying when he assaulted her in his hotel room. She also asserts that she was hospitalized and suffered from depression.

Now I'm not saying that this woman isn't capable of lying or that her story isn't completely true, because I have no idea. My beef is what has happened in the interim while the facts play out and the proverbial "HUSH" that has fallen over networks who in the past have made their careers on stories like this one. In 2003 Kobe Bryant was arrested and charged with raping a woman who worked at a hotel in Eagle, Colorado where Bryant was staying. At the time the charges were in fact criminal and Bryant was facing jail time based on those charges. However, from the very beginning it was clear that this woman's story barely passed the smell test and her case along with her credibility quickly went down the drain. On the way down though her lawyers advised her on filing a CIVIL suit, which eventually settled for an undisclosed amount of money and went away. Not surprisingly, throughout the entire ordeal ESPN and other networks took what facts they deemed credible and worked to tarnish the reputation of a man guilty of infidelity NOT rape.

Just recently ESPN again placed on it's front page the story of Shannon Brown's sexual assault charge filed against him which was again criminal but they were quick to make headlines from it.

ProFootball.com has dug deep into the policies and positions that ESPN has regarding lawsuits that not accompanied by criminal charges. Apparently, unless there is a "crime" behind the suit they more or less steer clear of the reporting on it, which I'm sure is true but it's also very interesting. While speaking with the Wall Street Journal ESPN vice president and director of news Vince Doria, said:

Those are the things (civil lawsuits) that I think are damaging to reputations, and I think you need to know more about them before you report them," Doria said. "As it stands right now, today, we don't think it meets our standard of reporting."

Fascinating! ESPN believes that reporting on civil lawsuits causes damage to athletes reputations and require further analysis before they report on them. Who can argue with that level of journalistic integrity? Yet, I can't seem to pick my mouth up off the floor...because while I fully understand that protecting players should be a number priority, when facts aren't clear, ESPN doesn't always adhere to their own policies regarding reports on "civil suits."

ProFootball.com notes:

Did ESPN feel the same way when Mike Fish recently reported the dismissal of a civil lawsuit alleging that Roberto Alomar gave his girlfriend AIDS? Speaking of Fish, did ESPN consider whether it was "damaging . . . reputations" when Bristol went bonkos for the unsubstantiated (and ultimately retracted) allegation that the Patriots had cheated the Rams out of a Super Bowl win?

I mean for people who follow sports this claim of following "policy" doesn't pass the laugh test. Sadly, this is NO laughing matter. And while, I'm not in the business of trashing any ones character or reputation for ESPN to skirt a serious issue and hide behind some BS policy rarely exercised is both embarrassing and wreaks of "special treatment."

Thoughts?

INTERCEPTED: The T.O. Show!

The highly anticipated T.O. Show is finally here and is set to premier tonight on VH1 at 10:00 p.m. EST

Here's a preview from VH1.com of what to expect.


You bes get ya Orville Redenbacher READY! Pow!

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip