In fact, Bulluck makes his transition to the middle sound natural. He said he played in the middle on third downs in some passing packages when he was with the Tennessee Titans, and played behind the line as an outside linebacker. He played some middle linebacker at Syracuse, as well, and has been the defensive signal-caller for most of his career.
"The last three years I have been playing both inside and outside," Bulluck said in a conference call with reporters. "I played right 'backer at Tennessee and I was always behind the ball, I was never up, stacked on the defensive end. I was always behind the ball.
"So the only difference to me that I see is more opportunity to make plays," he continued, "because if you just play on one side, and you are the dominant defensive player on your team, they usually try and do things to scheme you out or cut you off and run away. In the middle you can run at me but you can't run away from me. I take on guards, I take on centers."
Bulluck said he doesn't expect to be given the starting job and expects Osi Umenyiora a hard-fought training camp. He knows there will be stiff competition at middle linebacker, but the Giants likely would not have signed a 33-year-old linebacker seven months removed from ACL surgery unless they wanted him to be the man to replace Antonio Pierce.
After going through the entire offseason prepping Jonathan Goff, rookie Phillip Dillard and Gerris Wilkinson at middle linebacker, the team worked Bulluck out last Monday and offered him a contract after seeing how his surgically repaired knee held up the day after the vigorous workout. Bulluck signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal on Saturday after talking to former Giant Michael Strahan about playing in New York. While Strahan closed the deal, Bulluck said he had been thinking about playing for the Giants since last season, when the Titans didn't talk to him about a new contract.
Bulluck spent 10 seasons with Tennessee and brings a lot of the intangibles the Giants have been missing since Pierce was released in the offseason.
The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder is a proven playmaker with six seasons of 108 tackles or more and 19 career interceptions. He started 127 straight games prior to tearing the ACL last December. He still finished with 108 tackles in 14 games last season.
Bulluck estimates that his knee is at "90 percent" and that there shouldn't be any doubt or concern over whether he can rebound from the first significant injury of his career. He said he has been told the Giants "are not going to kill me in two-a-days" as he continues to get back to full strength and back into football shape.
"I met with two clubs and seen six, seven doctors and they have pulled and twisted and done everything there is to do to find something wrong with it," said Bulluck, who had his knee examined by Giants jerseys physician Dr. Russell Warren, among others. "With the medicine and how the rehabilitation process goes these days, it is kind of almost the equivalent to a high ankle sprain. The only people that seem to be worried with my knee are the reporters."
It's hard not to think about New York Giants rookie Chad Jones when mentioning Baltimore Ravens rookie Sergio Kindle.
Both players suffered life-altering injuries before ever playing their first down in the NFL.
It sounds like the prognosis for Kindle is better than Jones who Kevin Boss nearly lost his life and leg in a car crash in Louisiana.
This offseason we were all able to get healthy," he added. "We are going to have our starting five on opening day and, as long we are healthy, I think we are going to return to the form we were in a couple of years ago, taking over games."
The longtime starting five of O'Hara, Dave Diehl, Kareem McKenzie, Chris Snee and Seubert is motivated to rebound from last season's debacle. Following a season marred by injuries and failing to post a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2001, the proud unit is looking to regain its status as one of the best in the NFL starting on Sunday when the Giants open training camp in Albany.
The Giants offensive line used to be lauded for its longevity and durability. Now some think Eli Manning's protectors are old. The average age of the group will be 30.6 when Diehl turns 30 on Sept. 15.
"You hear people talk about it from both sides of their mouth because they say what makes a good offensive line is the continuity and being together for so long," O'Hara said. "And then in the same sentence they say, 'well these guys are getting up there in age.' Really in truth, the New York Jets offensive line was older than us last year. I don't really think any of us believe that anybody is aging ungracefully."
The Giants, though, are ready to give Beatty his shot. After the rookie started four games last season due to injury -- including the final three games -- the Giants want to see what their 2009 second-round pick is capable of now. General manager Jerry Reese spent most of his draft and offseason upgrading the defense. He used just one of his seven draft picks on an offensive player and that was spent on Arkansas guard Mitch Petrus. So offensive line is an area where the Giants football jerseys want to get younger.
Should the 6-foot-6 Beatty play well enough in camp, he could start at tackle opposite McKenzie while Diehl is moved to guard with Seubert relegated to becoming a reserve.
2010年7月26日星期一
2010年7月22日星期四
The Green Bay Packers are the 22nd-most valuable sports team in the world
Today housekeeping's making beds and getting their towels in and making sure their rooms are ready and clean," Matthew Doyle of St. Norbert College Dining Services said.
But it's something they look forward to doing.
"It's always a really exciting time of the year to have the Packers back," Doyle said.
It's a relationship that's been around longer than any of the players have been alive, or even some of the coaches. For more than 50 years, the Packers have called this their home base during training camp.
"The history, the fact that it's been 53 years makes it pretty unique," Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy said.
"For a lot of NFL teams, they have training camps at colleges but they Clay Matthews are two hours, three hours away. You know, here, this is our community this is where we live. And we're community-owned, so I think that strengthens it as well," Murphy said.
It's a relationship both sides cherish.
As the chaplain for the Packers and the pastor of St. Norbert College, Father James Baraniack says the team -- and the history -- means a lot to the school community.
"So many of our men have been around since City Stadium and would sneak under the fence for the games, and so those men are still alive. Us Norbertines kind of last forever, so they can tell the stories of Scooter McLean, they can tell Vince Lombardi stories," Father Baraniack said.
The new Green Bay Packers jerseys are the 22nd-most valuable sports team in the world, according to a new report by Forbes Magazine.
Forbes values the Pack at $1.02 billion with revenue of $232 million. Forbes noted: "Rock-solid waiting list of 70,000 for season tickets is most devoted market in the NFL."
National Football League teams dominated Forbes' list of the top 50, with all 32 NFL Ryan Grant teams making the list. Nine pro soccer teams also made the list with three making the top 10. Only five Major League Baseball teams were in the top 50 (not including the Milwaukee Brewers) and two National Basketball Association teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, took the 49th and 50th spots, respectively.
Read more: Forbes: Packers are 22nd-most valuable sports team - The Business Donald Driver Journal of Milwaukee
The Packers should have the luxury of dealing with a relatively drama-free camp, as the team had very few personnel changes in the offseason and there simply aren't many jobs up for grabs. Perhaps the biggest question mark is who will take over in the defensive line rotation for recently-suspended end Johnny Jolly, with second-round pick Mike Neal (Purdue) the leading candidate to step into the NFL's No. 1-rated run defense of a year ago. Another rookie, strong safety Morgan Burnett (Georgia Tech), could get a look if Atari Bigby fails to sign his restricted free agent tender some time soon.
But it's something they look forward to doing.
"It's always a really exciting time of the year to have the Packers back," Doyle said.
It's a relationship that's been around longer than any of the players have been alive, or even some of the coaches. For more than 50 years, the Packers have called this their home base during training camp.
"The history, the fact that it's been 53 years makes it pretty unique," Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy said.
"For a lot of NFL teams, they have training camps at colleges but they Clay Matthews are two hours, three hours away. You know, here, this is our community this is where we live. And we're community-owned, so I think that strengthens it as well," Murphy said.
It's a relationship both sides cherish.
As the chaplain for the Packers and the pastor of St. Norbert College, Father James Baraniack says the team -- and the history -- means a lot to the school community.
"So many of our men have been around since City Stadium and would sneak under the fence for the games, and so those men are still alive. Us Norbertines kind of last forever, so they can tell the stories of Scooter McLean, they can tell Vince Lombardi stories," Father Baraniack said.
The new Green Bay Packers jerseys are the 22nd-most valuable sports team in the world, according to a new report by Forbes Magazine.
Forbes values the Pack at $1.02 billion with revenue of $232 million. Forbes noted: "Rock-solid waiting list of 70,000 for season tickets is most devoted market in the NFL."
National Football League teams dominated Forbes' list of the top 50, with all 32 NFL Ryan Grant teams making the list. Nine pro soccer teams also made the list with three making the top 10. Only five Major League Baseball teams were in the top 50 (not including the Milwaukee Brewers) and two National Basketball Association teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, took the 49th and 50th spots, respectively.
Read more: Forbes: Packers are 22nd-most valuable sports team - The Business Donald Driver Journal of Milwaukee
The Packers should have the luxury of dealing with a relatively drama-free camp, as the team had very few personnel changes in the offseason and there simply aren't many jobs up for grabs. Perhaps the biggest question mark is who will take over in the defensive line rotation for recently-suspended end Johnny Jolly, with second-round pick Mike Neal (Purdue) the leading candidate to step into the NFL's No. 1-rated run defense of a year ago. Another rookie, strong safety Morgan Burnett (Georgia Tech), could get a look if Atari Bigby fails to sign his restricted free agent tender some time soon.
2010年7月20日星期二
2011 Green Bay Packers and the 2010 Green Bay Packers in Madden ratings
Jennings and Habitat for Humanity held a celebration during the mid-day to give Jennings and his wife a chance to hand over one of those over-sized checks for 85-thousand dollars. Greg Jennings says his wife calls most of the shots with the foundation, but he also plays a key role, he just makes the money that funds it, and he is glad to give some of it back.
Single Mom Ericka Brenner says she would have never been able to afford a home without Habitat. Its not a gift, it's a loan that she will have to pay back, but this will make it affordable
There was no change from the 2011 new Green Bay Packers jerseys and the 2010 Green Bay Packers in Madden ratings, which seems about right. I would have upped our rating because of the fact that the Packers are getting more experienced, our defense came out of no where and was extremely successful (despite some blips on the radar against elite QBs), we led the league in turnover ratio, and our offensive line came together to only let up 9 more sacks from week 7 on, after giving up 41 in the first 6 games.
After finishing the 2008 season with just six wins, the Green Bay Packers jerseys came out firing in 2009 on their way to an 11-5 finish in the regular season. While it wasn't good enough to catch the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC North title, the Packers were able to grab a wild card spot in the postseason. The magic didn't last long, as the Packers were out scored by the Arizona Cardinals in a 51-45 overtime thriller. Very few changers were made this offseason, and the Packers are not only thinking about winning the North this season, but they believe they have enough talent to win it all. Here is a look at what the Packers will send to the field on both sides of the ball, plus my prediction on where they finish the season in the NFC North.
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Offense: The Packers are led by one of the promising young quarterbacks in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers, who was everything the Packers hoped for when they decided to let Brett Favre go a couple seasons ago. In his second full season as a starter Rodgers threw for 4,434 yards with 30 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, and posted the fourth best passer rating in the NFL at 103.2. The only knock on Rodger is he struggles to get rid of the ball at times, and can't afford to get sacked 50 times again in 2010, though some of the blame goes on the poor play of the offensive line.
Ryan Grant is back as the primary back in 2010, after rushing for a 1,253 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, and does a pretty solid job considering how much the Packers throw the ball. Green Bay did draft James Starks in the seventh round to compete with Brandon Jackson as the primary backup.
At wide receiver the Packers bring back veteran Donald Driver and the emerging Greg Jennings. Both surpassed 1,000 yards receiving last year, and figure to do the same again in 2010. The Packers also bring back tight end Jermichael Finley, who had a fine second season in the NFL, catching 55 passes for 676 yards and five touchdowns.
Single Mom Ericka Brenner says she would have never been able to afford a home without Habitat. Its not a gift, it's a loan that she will have to pay back, but this will make it affordable
There was no change from the 2011 new Green Bay Packers jerseys and the 2010 Green Bay Packers in Madden ratings, which seems about right. I would have upped our rating because of the fact that the Packers are getting more experienced, our defense came out of no where and was extremely successful (despite some blips on the radar against elite QBs), we led the league in turnover ratio, and our offensive line came together to only let up 9 more sacks from week 7 on, after giving up 41 in the first 6 games.
After finishing the 2008 season with just six wins, the Green Bay Packers jerseys came out firing in 2009 on their way to an 11-5 finish in the regular season. While it wasn't good enough to catch the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC North title, the Packers were able to grab a wild card spot in the postseason. The magic didn't last long, as the Packers were out scored by the Arizona Cardinals in a 51-45 overtime thriller. Very few changers were made this offseason, and the Packers are not only thinking about winning the North this season, but they believe they have enough talent to win it all. Here is a look at what the Packers will send to the field on both sides of the ball, plus my prediction on where they finish the season in the NFC North.
Want some free cash to beat the NFL odds this season? BetUS is offering our readers a big time promotion. Sign up and deposit $500 and BetUS will give you an additional $500 for free!
Offense: The Packers are led by one of the promising young quarterbacks in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers, who was everything the Packers hoped for when they decided to let Brett Favre go a couple seasons ago. In his second full season as a starter Rodgers threw for 4,434 yards with 30 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, and posted the fourth best passer rating in the NFL at 103.2. The only knock on Rodger is he struggles to get rid of the ball at times, and can't afford to get sacked 50 times again in 2010, though some of the blame goes on the poor play of the offensive line.
Ryan Grant is back as the primary back in 2010, after rushing for a 1,253 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, and does a pretty solid job considering how much the Packers throw the ball. Green Bay did draft James Starks in the seventh round to compete with Brandon Jackson as the primary backup.
At wide receiver the Packers bring back veteran Donald Driver and the emerging Greg Jennings. Both surpassed 1,000 yards receiving last year, and figure to do the same again in 2010. The Packers also bring back tight end Jermichael Finley, who had a fine second season in the NFL, catching 55 passes for 676 yards and five touchdowns.
2010年7月18日星期日
The Green Bay Packers franchise's
Green Bay — Football players usually worry about wrecked knees, torn hamstrings and concussions. Not staph infections.
"I never think about it," said new Green Bay Packers jerseys cornerback Tramon Williams. "I don't even know anything about that."
Red Batty would like to keep it that way.
The Packers equipment manager has the never-ending job of cleaning and maintaining the team gear. A few years ago he added something new to his already manic daily routine: the Sani Sport machine.
It is a machine that according to its manufacturer kills dangerous and contagious staph and e-coli bacteria and the H1N1 virus, all of which could sideline a player like any injury.
And the Packers have avoided these nuisances A.J. Hawk all because their equipment guy is a hockey fanatic.
Batty grew up five minutes from the Forum in Montreal, where he followed the NHL's Canadiens devotedly. Even while working in Green Bay, he kept up with the NHL and had heard of guys like Joe Thornton, who needed surgery to correct a staph infection.
"It shuts you down for a while," said Batty. "And there's many other cases of it."
Aware of the bacteria's scary consequences, Batty heard about Sani Sport and met its inventor, another Montreal native, Steve Silver, who owned a company that manufactures skate sharpening machines. Silver explained to Batty how the machine works.
"Red Batty was the first NFL equipment manager to embrace our technology," said Silver, president of Sani Sport. "He is tremendously well respected and is admired by his peers."
Batty went to his bosses at the Packers, who signed off on the $10,000 purchase immediately. Batty has been using it for the last four years.
"After that, I got Steve invited to the NFL equipment manager meetings, and from there it skyrocketed," said Batty.
Thirteen NFL and 27 NHL teams have a Sani Sport.
Batty uses the machine year round. He can clean 10 helmets in one cycle, five or six shoulder pads in another and then 20 pairs of shoes. It looks like a giant oven, but Sani Sport actually uses ozone to kill the bacteria.
"Ozone is very effective at eliminating bacteria," said Silver. "Sani Sport generates ozone and filters it into a cabinet where the gear sits."
The machine then applies a protective coating to the gear.
"In training camp we'll pull it out and we'll do certain positions per day," said Batty. "We focus strictly on the helmets and the pads; that's where the target area is at."
There's a pretty good reason that some teams won't. While the owners are trying to B.J. Raji cry poverty in an era when their sport is a literal license to print money, player costs are tied to revenue. So while the Packers or Buffalo Bills or Jacksonville Jaguars may be able to say that their net profits are going down, that isn't necessarily tied to player costs. The most recent CBA, ratified before the 2006 season, called for the salary cap to reflect specific per-year percentages of overall revenue. And it's not the players' fault that the Packers have a lower profit than major-market teams; in fact, the players are just as responsible for recent jumps in revenue in the first place. That's why tying player costs to revenue is fair.
And this is the constant tug-of-war between the NFL and the NFLPA - the league wants people to believe that player costs are spiraling out of control at the same time that the owners are trying to expand the regular-season schedule and take an 18 percent chunk out of the players' profit percentage. If the Packers are facing declining operating profits from year to year, it's just as likely that bad investments, or fuel costs, or training camp costs, or stadium renovations, or the difference in sales between Brett Favre(notes) jerseys and Aaron Rodgers(notes) jerseys, could be at fault.
What the NFL does not want to do is to open the books of the Washington Redskins, or the Dallas Cowboys, or either of the major New York teams. The league knows that a cry of declining profits would not have the same effect from Jerry Jones or Dan Snyder ("Wah! We used to make $300 million per year, and now we're only making $250 million!) as it would from a Packers franchise that still has a perceived mom-and-pop feel due to its small-town location and public ownership. Jones, who has tried to bend the league to his wishes whenever possible, and Snyder, who tries to make a buck on anything that isn't nailed down, make far less sympathetic figures.
The players are well within their rights to ask for full financial disclosure when the league is demanding enormous givebacks to offset dings in profit. The 1/32 response was fairly transparent, and not terribly effective. Especially when Packers president Mark Murphy was the one who first tried to pull the wool over America's eyes on the revenue model 18-game schedule. And it isn't as if the NFL is doing anyone any favors here -- as the league's only publicly held corporation, the Packers are required to release annual financial statements.
"I never think about it," said new Green Bay Packers jerseys cornerback Tramon Williams. "I don't even know anything about that."
Red Batty would like to keep it that way.
The Packers equipment manager has the never-ending job of cleaning and maintaining the team gear. A few years ago he added something new to his already manic daily routine: the Sani Sport machine.
It is a machine that according to its manufacturer kills dangerous and contagious staph and e-coli bacteria and the H1N1 virus, all of which could sideline a player like any injury.
And the Packers have avoided these nuisances A.J. Hawk all because their equipment guy is a hockey fanatic.
Batty grew up five minutes from the Forum in Montreal, where he followed the NHL's Canadiens devotedly. Even while working in Green Bay, he kept up with the NHL and had heard of guys like Joe Thornton, who needed surgery to correct a staph infection.
"It shuts you down for a while," said Batty. "And there's many other cases of it."
Aware of the bacteria's scary consequences, Batty heard about Sani Sport and met its inventor, another Montreal native, Steve Silver, who owned a company that manufactures skate sharpening machines. Silver explained to Batty how the machine works.
"Red Batty was the first NFL equipment manager to embrace our technology," said Silver, president of Sani Sport. "He is tremendously well respected and is admired by his peers."
Batty went to his bosses at the Packers, who signed off on the $10,000 purchase immediately. Batty has been using it for the last four years.
"After that, I got Steve invited to the NFL equipment manager meetings, and from there it skyrocketed," said Batty.
Thirteen NFL and 27 NHL teams have a Sani Sport.
Batty uses the machine year round. He can clean 10 helmets in one cycle, five or six shoulder pads in another and then 20 pairs of shoes. It looks like a giant oven, but Sani Sport actually uses ozone to kill the bacteria.
"Ozone is very effective at eliminating bacteria," said Silver. "Sani Sport generates ozone and filters it into a cabinet where the gear sits."
The machine then applies a protective coating to the gear.
"In training camp we'll pull it out and we'll do certain positions per day," said Batty. "We focus strictly on the helmets and the pads; that's where the target area is at."
There's a pretty good reason that some teams won't. While the owners are trying to B.J. Raji cry poverty in an era when their sport is a literal license to print money, player costs are tied to revenue. So while the Packers or Buffalo Bills or Jacksonville Jaguars may be able to say that their net profits are going down, that isn't necessarily tied to player costs. The most recent CBA, ratified before the 2006 season, called for the salary cap to reflect specific per-year percentages of overall revenue. And it's not the players' fault that the Packers have a lower profit than major-market teams; in fact, the players are just as responsible for recent jumps in revenue in the first place. That's why tying player costs to revenue is fair.
And this is the constant tug-of-war between the NFL and the NFLPA - the league wants people to believe that player costs are spiraling out of control at the same time that the owners are trying to expand the regular-season schedule and take an 18 percent chunk out of the players' profit percentage. If the Packers are facing declining operating profits from year to year, it's just as likely that bad investments, or fuel costs, or training camp costs, or stadium renovations, or the difference in sales between Brett Favre(notes) jerseys and Aaron Rodgers(notes) jerseys, could be at fault.
What the NFL does not want to do is to open the books of the Washington Redskins, or the Dallas Cowboys, or either of the major New York teams. The league knows that a cry of declining profits would not have the same effect from Jerry Jones or Dan Snyder ("Wah! We used to make $300 million per year, and now we're only making $250 million!) as it would from a Packers franchise that still has a perceived mom-and-pop feel due to its small-town location and public ownership. Jones, who has tried to bend the league to his wishes whenever possible, and Snyder, who tries to make a buck on anything that isn't nailed down, make far less sympathetic figures.
The players are well within their rights to ask for full financial disclosure when the league is demanding enormous givebacks to offset dings in profit. The 1/32 response was fairly transparent, and not terribly effective. Especially when Packers president Mark Murphy was the one who first tried to pull the wool over America's eyes on the revenue model 18-game schedule. And it isn't as if the NFL is doing anyone any favors here -- as the league's only publicly held corporation, the Packers are required to release annual financial statements.
2010年7月14日星期三
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame on Saturday
After a wrenching 51-45 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals in his first playoff start last January, Rodgers took solace watching Brees lead the Saints' championship march.
"It was exciting, being a buddy of Drew's, to be able to watch him have that kind of success," Rodgers says.
"It was a very special moment for him and his family to win that Super Bowl trophy and play at such a high level. I couldn't be happier for a guy who does it the right way — a team-first, standup guy."
Rodgers prides himself on being wired the same way. The mentally tough, fast-ascending leader of coach Mike McCarthy's team is a key reason many analysts believe Green Bay could supplant New Orleans as NFL champion.
Entering his third season as a starter after taking over for Packers legend Brett Favre in 2008, Rodgers B.J. Raji is coming off a 103.2 passer rating, a lofty figure Favre never equaled during his 16 years with the club.
"I want to be a great player in this league for a long time," Rodgers says. "I know it's not going to come easy. It's not something I can just wake up and do. I need to put in the time and work, mentally and physically."
His titanium-tough resilience — while throwing for 4,434 yards, 30 touchdowns A.J. Hawk and just seven interceptions despite enduring a 50-sack pummeling — earned Rodgers the ultimate compliment from a former quarterback-crunching linebacker.
"You have to have a gun-toting, accurate quarterback in order to go win it all. Aaron Rodgers is a freaking linebacker in quarterback's clothing," says Green Bay linebackers coach Kevin Greene, whose 160 career sacks rank third all time. "He knows he's going to get rocked, and he gets back up when he does.
Koch, who played at Spring Woods High School before accepting a scholarship to Arkansas, is being inducted into the new Green Bay Packers jerseys Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Koch, 55, was a second-round pick in 1977. He played right tackle for nine years at Green Bay. He played his last two seasons at Miami and Minnesota before returning to Houston to start a career in law.
"It was exciting, being a buddy of Drew's, to be able to watch him have that kind of success," Rodgers says.
"It was a very special moment for him and his family to win that Super Bowl trophy and play at such a high level. I couldn't be happier for a guy who does it the right way — a team-first, standup guy."
Rodgers prides himself on being wired the same way. The mentally tough, fast-ascending leader of coach Mike McCarthy's team is a key reason many analysts believe Green Bay could supplant New Orleans as NFL champion.
Entering his third season as a starter after taking over for Packers legend Brett Favre in 2008, Rodgers B.J. Raji is coming off a 103.2 passer rating, a lofty figure Favre never equaled during his 16 years with the club.
"I want to be a great player in this league for a long time," Rodgers says. "I know it's not going to come easy. It's not something I can just wake up and do. I need to put in the time and work, mentally and physically."
His titanium-tough resilience — while throwing for 4,434 yards, 30 touchdowns A.J. Hawk and just seven interceptions despite enduring a 50-sack pummeling — earned Rodgers the ultimate compliment from a former quarterback-crunching linebacker.
"You have to have a gun-toting, accurate quarterback in order to go win it all. Aaron Rodgers is a freaking linebacker in quarterback's clothing," says Green Bay linebackers coach Kevin Greene, whose 160 career sacks rank third all time. "He knows he's going to get rocked, and he gets back up when he does.
Koch, who played at Spring Woods High School before accepting a scholarship to Arkansas, is being inducted into the new Green Bay Packers jerseys Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Koch, 55, was a second-round pick in 1977. He played right tackle for nine years at Green Bay. He played his last two seasons at Miami and Minnesota before returning to Houston to start a career in law.
2010年7月12日星期一
Peterson's decision to skip the Vikings' mandatory minicamp
Minnesota coach Brad Childress publicly scolded Peterson for his absence, but Peterson said he has no regrets and that he's smoothed the issue over with the team's front office.
"It's over with," said Peterson, who has rushed for almost 4,500 yards in three NFL seasons.
Is Peterson upset that Favre can miss weeks of camps while he gets in trouble for a trip home?
"No, not at all," Peterson said. "It had nothing to do with Brett Favre. If anyone deserves any kind of leeway, it's definitely Chad Greenway Brett Favre. He's been there 20 years, a Hall of Fame quarterback. I'm not on the same level as him."
Favre, who holds virtually every major NFL Antoine Winfield passing record, told the Biloxi Sun Herald this week that he hasn't decided on his future. But he acknowledged the Vikings need to know soon.
Peterson said Favre can take his time and that the uncertainty surrounding Minnesota's starting quarterback isn't a distraction.
"We'll be waiting for him to come back if he decides," Peterson said. "If not, it will be very unfortunate for us, but we've still got a goal to accomplish, and we'll have to move forward.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune has a breakdown of Peterson's deal. He should make around $7 million this season, then between $11 million and $13 million -- depending on escalator clauses -- in 2011.
Peterson's decision to skip the Vikings' mandatory minicamp -- which was held the same weekend as the annual Adrian Peterson Day in his hometown -- may have irked a few people in the organization. If he raises a stink over his deal, he isn't likely to win a lot of fans in team headquarters. After all, he and agent Ben Dogra have had the entire offseason to bark about the deal and try to get changes made, yet there has been nothing leaked that would indicate conversations have taken place.
"It's over with," said Peterson, who has rushed for almost 4,500 yards in three NFL seasons.
Is Peterson upset that Favre can miss weeks of camps while he gets in trouble for a trip home?
"No, not at all," Peterson said. "It had nothing to do with Brett Favre. If anyone deserves any kind of leeway, it's definitely Chad Greenway Brett Favre. He's been there 20 years, a Hall of Fame quarterback. I'm not on the same level as him."
Favre, who holds virtually every major NFL Antoine Winfield passing record, told the Biloxi Sun Herald this week that he hasn't decided on his future. But he acknowledged the Vikings need to know soon.
Peterson said Favre can take his time and that the uncertainty surrounding Minnesota's starting quarterback isn't a distraction.
"We'll be waiting for him to come back if he decides," Peterson said. "If not, it will be very unfortunate for us, but we've still got a goal to accomplish, and we'll have to move forward.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune has a breakdown of Peterson's deal. He should make around $7 million this season, then between $11 million and $13 million -- depending on escalator clauses -- in 2011.
Peterson's decision to skip the Vikings' mandatory minicamp -- which was held the same weekend as the annual Adrian Peterson Day in his hometown -- may have irked a few people in the organization. If he raises a stink over his deal, he isn't likely to win a lot of fans in team headquarters. After all, he and agent Ben Dogra have had the entire offseason to bark about the deal and try to get changes made, yet there has been nothing leaked that would indicate conversations have taken place.
2010年7月8日星期四
Raider’s third round pick was Jared Veldheer
Our next pick was Lamarr Houston the defensive tackle from Texas. Now even though he was drafted as defensive tackle his showing at OTA's and mini-camps have shown coach Tom Cable that Houston has the ability to play defensive end just as well. Last season at Texas he recorded 57 total tackles and 7 sacks. This gives the Raiders a run stopping threat and quarterback's worst nightmare. It allows Raiders an amazing amount of depth at defensive line. The versatility of Houston with: Richard Seymour, Matt Shaughnessy, Tommy Kelly, John Henderson, Jay Richardson, and Trevor Scott. He has a feisty attitude and has mixed it up on the practice field with veterans like Langston Walker. This fiery attitude and willingness to play hard every down until the whistle blows has the Raiders defense shaping up very nicely.
Now we can clearly see the theme of the Raider's first two picks in the NFL draft, that being stopping the run. As a defense last year the Raider's problems stemmed from not being able to stop the run and allowing teams to exploit the secondary with play action. This season though has emphasized stopping the run and making teams throw the ball to our ball-hawking secondary, which includes: Nnamdi Asomugha, Tyvon Branch, Michael Huff, and Chris Johnson. This secondary was highly rated last season and with Nnamdi's cover ability and Tyvon's skill in closing quickly and making sure tackles has the Raider secondary looking very good for next year.
Now the Raider's third round pick was Jared Veldheer offensive tackle from Hillsdale College, a Division II school. Veldheer was a dominant offensive tackle during his time in college and his competition stood no chance against his 6' 8" 312 pound body. While at Hillsdale he blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher each of the three years he started, and was named first team All-American. Now the NFL is a faster moving game and the margin for error is far less than it is in college but Veldheer's technique is good and his size helps in creating holes in the defense for the running backs as well as protecting his quarterback. Veldheer also has drive to do well and help his team out where he can. Fortunately for him he has a slew of offensive linemen to help him learn how to play in the NFL. Guys like: Robert Gallery, Khalif Barnes, Langston Walker, and Mario Henderson are capable of showing him the ropes.
Al Davis and his henchmen had a fairly quiet offseason, staying out of the headlines with the lone exception of releasing Russell. Oakland finally gave up on the first overall selection from the 2007 draft who proved to be one of the biggest busts in the history of the NFL. Russell completed just 52.1 percent of his passes in his career with 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, 15 lost fumbles and a passer rating of 65.2.
Oakland paid him a staggering total of about $36.4 million. That will buy a lot of cough syrup.
The Raiders on offense
Enter Campbell with the former Auburn great looking to improve on the best of his four NFL seasons. In 2009 Campbell threw for 3,618 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while compiling a passer rating of 86.4. The Raiders are hoping he and new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson can improve an offense that ranked 31st in scoring per game (12.6) and 31st in total yards (266.1).
Oakland could use a boost from a running game that ranked 21st in the NFL with an average 106.4 yards per game. Former first round pick Darren McFadden suffered a knee injury in the first month of the 2009 campaign, and finished with just 357 yards and an average of 3.4 yards per carry. He hasn't been labeled a bust yet, but he's certainly not the player he was at Arkansas.
Michael Bush, who had 589 yards and averaged 4.8 YPC, is the team's best option. The Raiders would love to have a feature back but it appears it will be another RB by committee in '10.
In another example of poor drafting, the Raiders top pick in 2009, Darrius Heyward-Bey, could be headed the bust route after a rookie season in which he made just nine catches. Oakland's best receiver and perhaps its best player is tight end Zach Miller, who had 66 receptions and an average of 12.2 yards per catch.
There's no doubt Campbell will be better than Russell, but to be honest he's still a lower-tier NFL QB playing behind a bad offensive line. Campbell will receive very little help from the running game.
The Raiders jerseys on defense
Oakland's defense ranked a respectable seventh against the pass, limiting opponents to 206.4 yards per game. But Oakland was 29th against the run, 26th in overall yards allowed and the Oakland Raiders jerseys gave up an average of 23.7 points per game.
Now we can clearly see the theme of the Raider's first two picks in the NFL draft, that being stopping the run. As a defense last year the Raider's problems stemmed from not being able to stop the run and allowing teams to exploit the secondary with play action. This season though has emphasized stopping the run and making teams throw the ball to our ball-hawking secondary, which includes: Nnamdi Asomugha, Tyvon Branch, Michael Huff, and Chris Johnson. This secondary was highly rated last season and with Nnamdi's cover ability and Tyvon's skill in closing quickly and making sure tackles has the Raider secondary looking very good for next year.
Now the Raider's third round pick was Jared Veldheer offensive tackle from Hillsdale College, a Division II school. Veldheer was a dominant offensive tackle during his time in college and his competition stood no chance against his 6' 8" 312 pound body. While at Hillsdale he blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher each of the three years he started, and was named first team All-American. Now the NFL is a faster moving game and the margin for error is far less than it is in college but Veldheer's technique is good and his size helps in creating holes in the defense for the running backs as well as protecting his quarterback. Veldheer also has drive to do well and help his team out where he can. Fortunately for him he has a slew of offensive linemen to help him learn how to play in the NFL. Guys like: Robert Gallery, Khalif Barnes, Langston Walker, and Mario Henderson are capable of showing him the ropes.
Al Davis and his henchmen had a fairly quiet offseason, staying out of the headlines with the lone exception of releasing Russell. Oakland finally gave up on the first overall selection from the 2007 draft who proved to be one of the biggest busts in the history of the NFL. Russell completed just 52.1 percent of his passes in his career with 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, 15 lost fumbles and a passer rating of 65.2.
Oakland paid him a staggering total of about $36.4 million. That will buy a lot of cough syrup.
The Raiders on offense
Enter Campbell with the former Auburn great looking to improve on the best of his four NFL seasons. In 2009 Campbell threw for 3,618 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while compiling a passer rating of 86.4. The Raiders are hoping he and new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson can improve an offense that ranked 31st in scoring per game (12.6) and 31st in total yards (266.1).
Oakland could use a boost from a running game that ranked 21st in the NFL with an average 106.4 yards per game. Former first round pick Darren McFadden suffered a knee injury in the first month of the 2009 campaign, and finished with just 357 yards and an average of 3.4 yards per carry. He hasn't been labeled a bust yet, but he's certainly not the player he was at Arkansas.
Michael Bush, who had 589 yards and averaged 4.8 YPC, is the team's best option. The Raiders would love to have a feature back but it appears it will be another RB by committee in '10.
In another example of poor drafting, the Raiders top pick in 2009, Darrius Heyward-Bey, could be headed the bust route after a rookie season in which he made just nine catches. Oakland's best receiver and perhaps its best player is tight end Zach Miller, who had 66 receptions and an average of 12.2 yards per catch.
There's no doubt Campbell will be better than Russell, but to be honest he's still a lower-tier NFL QB playing behind a bad offensive line. Campbell will receive very little help from the running game.
The Raiders jerseys on defense
Oakland's defense ranked a respectable seventh against the pass, limiting opponents to 206.4 yards per game. But Oakland was 29th against the run, 26th in overall yards allowed and the Oakland Raiders jerseys gave up an average of 23.7 points per game.
2010年7月6日星期二
Miami Dolphins
The new Miami Dolphins jerseys are a perfect example of such.
From Don Shula to Dan Marino to Zach Thomas, Dolphin football jerseys players have been some of the best to ever step on the gridiron.
In 1972, Miami became the first and the only perfect football team in the history of the National Football League.
It's a tough task to try and name the 10 greatest Miami Dolphins, but I tried my best.
Taken into account was each player's tenure with the team, his loyalty, his statistics, and lasting legacy.
Some feedback:
• The biggest concern was expressed on defense.
``They're very weak at outside linebacker -- that group is in the bottom third of the league,'' Williamson said. ``Cameron Wake is still a liability with the run. Koa Misi has upside, but rarely do you see 3-4 conversion guys come in and light it up. I would have kept Jason Taylor.''
One personnel director said he's eager to see Charlie Anderson in an expanded role, and ``the one positive at linebacker is they're younger and more athletic. Everybody thinks Misi could be an impact player.''
The evaluators worry about free safety, where Chris Clemons is the favorite.
``I don't know that any of their options are starter caliber,'' Williamson said. The scout said, ``I question if Reshad Jones has the range to play over the top. He's a backup at best.''
• There was unanimous praise about adding receiver Brandon Marshall.
``It's a little scary bringing him to Miami, but his issues have been relationship-related and he's married now,'' one executive said. ``It's worth the risk.''
But that executive cautioned, ``You don't have that blazing deep threat anymore'' to take advantage of Chad Henne's arm.
• On Ronnie Brown, one executive said: ``He's pretty damn good when he's healthy, but durability is always the question with him. He'll be 29 in December. He'll have a market in free agency next year but not too big of one.''
Said Williamson: ``Ronnie Brown is not elite. I don't know if you can put him in the top 12 to 15 running backs because you can't trust him. Ricky Williams might be the better player. It wouldn't shock me if their No. 1 pick next year is a running back.''
• One personnel director rates Henne as a ``solid NFL starter'' but doesn't project him to be a top-half-of-the-league starter. The other director said: ``He'll lock on a receiver, force the ball and trust his arm too much at times. Accuracy is erratic, but most of his weaknesses are correctable.''
• One of the personnel directors said tight end must be upgraded eventually: ``Anthony Fasano is not a guy you can create mismatches with in the passing game. Teams do not worry about him.''
• The personnel directors said Miami did not regress by dumping Justin Smiley and signing Richie Incognito; Williamson said the line should be better, with Incognito and John Jerry.
``Incognito costs your team sometimes with his temper, but he's as nasty as anybody and plays with real toughness,'' one director said.
From Don Shula to Dan Marino to Zach Thomas, Dolphin football jerseys players have been some of the best to ever step on the gridiron.
In 1972, Miami became the first and the only perfect football team in the history of the National Football League.
It's a tough task to try and name the 10 greatest Miami Dolphins, but I tried my best.
Taken into account was each player's tenure with the team, his loyalty, his statistics, and lasting legacy.
Some feedback:
• The biggest concern was expressed on defense.
``They're very weak at outside linebacker -- that group is in the bottom third of the league,'' Williamson said. ``Cameron Wake is still a liability with the run. Koa Misi has upside, but rarely do you see 3-4 conversion guys come in and light it up. I would have kept Jason Taylor.''
One personnel director said he's eager to see Charlie Anderson in an expanded role, and ``the one positive at linebacker is they're younger and more athletic. Everybody thinks Misi could be an impact player.''
The evaluators worry about free safety, where Chris Clemons is the favorite.
``I don't know that any of their options are starter caliber,'' Williamson said. The scout said, ``I question if Reshad Jones has the range to play over the top. He's a backup at best.''
• There was unanimous praise about adding receiver Brandon Marshall.
``It's a little scary bringing him to Miami, but his issues have been relationship-related and he's married now,'' one executive said. ``It's worth the risk.''
But that executive cautioned, ``You don't have that blazing deep threat anymore'' to take advantage of Chad Henne's arm.
• On Ronnie Brown, one executive said: ``He's pretty damn good when he's healthy, but durability is always the question with him. He'll be 29 in December. He'll have a market in free agency next year but not too big of one.''
Said Williamson: ``Ronnie Brown is not elite. I don't know if you can put him in the top 12 to 15 running backs because you can't trust him. Ricky Williams might be the better player. It wouldn't shock me if their No. 1 pick next year is a running back.''
• One personnel director rates Henne as a ``solid NFL starter'' but doesn't project him to be a top-half-of-the-league starter. The other director said: ``He'll lock on a receiver, force the ball and trust his arm too much at times. Accuracy is erratic, but most of his weaknesses are correctable.''
• One of the personnel directors said tight end must be upgraded eventually: ``Anthony Fasano is not a guy you can create mismatches with in the passing game. Teams do not worry about him.''
• The personnel directors said Miami did not regress by dumping Justin Smiley and signing Richie Incognito; Williamson said the line should be better, with Incognito and John Jerry.
``Incognito costs your team sometimes with his temper, but he's as nasty as anybody and plays with real toughness,'' one director said.
2010年7月5日星期一
Green Bay Packers
The most recent have been the 2004 Colts and the 2008 Cardinals. And the Green Bay Packers have a chance to be the sixth.
The player that is locked to have 1,000+ yards next season is Greg Jennings. Jennings had the third best yard average among 1,000 yard receivers last season, as I explained in my article "A Look at Greg Jennings in 2010 ".
Jennings is one of the best receivers at getting yards after the catch. With a minimum of only 60 receptions, Jennings will surely make another 1,000+ season.
Donald Driver and Jermichael Finley however, are very likely, but I would not consider them "locks".
Donald Driver has turned 35 this off-season, and at that age, any team should be concerned about.
Driver however did post a 15.2 yard average last season, the same average he posted back when he was 26. And like Jennings, he's great after the catch.
His biggest problem has been his ability to catch the ball as of late. Last season he had a noticeable amount of throws that clearly were easy to catch, but he simply dropped.
It's the biggest reason why most fans have begun to think that Driver is finally starting to show the very first signs of his aging body.
If Driver can simply fix that problem, he's sure to keep his 1,000 yards a season streak up to seven.
And on a good note, Driver had surgery on his knees back in January called "knee scopes". It's a surgery that's supposed to help you play longer, and Driver has stated he's felt better than he's had in years.
If Driver can keep running like he always has, or maybe even possibly run a little better considering the surgery he had, then he should definitely break the 1,000-yard mark, despite the ball-drops.
Finley is a nightmare for any defense. Nobody seems to be able to think up of a solution. The fact that Finley is a good runner, very athletic, and very tall makes him pretty much unstoppable.
Seeing his performance in the playoff game last season shows just how much of inescapable threat the young man is.
If he played the whole season, he would have easily landed somewhere around 900-950 yards, which is just short of 1,000 yards.
If Finley keeps doing what he does, and that would be just plain old getting better, he has a very good shot at breaking 1,000 yards next season.
If the Green Bay Packers don't have three 1,000-yard receivers next season, it really won't matter that much anyway. There are so many talented slot-receivers, that they will make up for any yards that those three have not been able to pull up.
Aaron Rodgers will still be set to break anything past 4,500 yards. He was only 25 yards short of the franchise record last season.
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