I TOLD YOU MAN

Welcome to the Saturday Night Edition of 'Thursday Night Football'- and a special edition of RHINO SPIEL. This is a monster game for for both teams. For the Saints, the Cowboys are likely the last major hurdle to a perfect regular season with their remaining opponents being Tampa and Carolina. For Dallas, they must win at least 2 of their 3 remaining games in order to make the playoffs. Jobs are on the line and J.J. wants a winner (especially with the Super Bowl coming to town next year).

We're going to be following the game LIVE- round by round of this heavyweight fight. Nice!

Before we get going, let me remind you of a prediction I made on December 1st, 2009- right here on RHINO SPIEL:

"Right now it doesn’t look like the Saints can be taken down. But the next 3 contests will be at Washington (a top pass defense), at Atlanta (a scrappy bunch but less so without Turner and possibly Ryan), and back home to face Dallas. Of the 3, the Cowboys have the best hope of upsetting the Saints. Don’t laugh. Here’s why:

i. They have a top run offense. Better than anyone the Saints have faced all year. The Saints have had issues against good running teams this year (see Miami and St. Louis). If you can run you can keep the ball out of Brees’ hands. Miami had 4 rushing TDs against the Saints and dominated the 1st half of that game. When they faced the Rams, Steven Jackson had 131 yards and a TD. If I’m the Cowboys, I mix up my play calling to try and be as unpredictable on offense as possible. Modify the 2 TE set have Barber, Felix, and Choice on the field at the same time. Incorporate quick screens, and utilize the wildcat. Bring in 4 & 5 wide formations (Austin, Williams, Crayton, Hurd, Witten/Ogletree) to really challenge that defense. The Cowboys have more weapons than the Patriots.

ii. The Cowboys have a staunch run defense. Take the Saints RBs out of the equation right away. Blitz the hell out of Brees with DeMarcus, Ratliff, and Spencer. The Saints WRs are big and strong so the Boys will have to play nickel most of the time...take out Colston and Henderson. But you can’t stop everything. I like Shockey and Meacham to have a big day. But it’ll be worth the sacrifice.

I’m calling it right now- if the Cowboys can execute to perfection they will win the ballgame. As Coach Jimmy Johnson once said “Put it in 3-inch bold letters”.

Take note that both the Skins and Falcons gave the Saints a run (each game was a 3 point victory for the Saints). If the Cowboys play loose and to perfection I'm sticking to my pick.

Now enough of the pre-game chatter- LET'S GET TO IT!

FIRST HALF

-3 and out for the Saints

-Boys take over and run the ball..right thing to do. Will they take a shot?

-THEY TAKE A SHOT AND IT PAYS OFF! Miles Austin deep for a Touchdown! MILES AUSTIN IS THE BEAST OF THE NFC EAST! But let's not get too excited. The Saints have been down early before.

-Saints 2nd series: I'm curious as to why they're trying to establish the run against the Cowboys staunch D. NOT the right thing to do- play to your strengths- Brees is getting time in the pocket. Another 3 and out for the Saints.

-Patrick Crayton with a decent return. Cowboys come out running again...1st two carries go to the Barbarian. Big 3rd down coming up.

-Choice in motion...Romo hits Roy for a 15 yard gain. Any 3rd down conversion is huge for the Boys. Then a quick strike to Miles Austin for a gain of 26 yards. Why aren't the Saints giving Austin more respect?

-A run followed by a quick screen, followed by a direct snap to Choice. 1st and goal.

-Touchdown Marion Barber!! Cowboys up by 14! But let's not get crazy. THE SAINTS HAVE BEEN DOWN BEFORE.

-Saints 3rd series. They're pissed! Reggie for a big gain. But why are you running so much? Saints play-action...Anthony Spencer for a monster sack!! WOW...3rd and 20 coming up

-Saints go deep! Both players going for the ball...no flag...incomplete. Punt downed at the Cowboys 8.

- Cowboys going on a methodical drive but seeing more 3rd and longs than the first two series....this is due to the Saints clamping down on the run and mixing in some nice pressure packages.

-Cowboys going for it on 4th and 4. I do not agree with this call. You're defense is playing well, why take a chance on giving the Saints great field position? But the Cowboys get lucky on a phantom illegal contact call against the Saints. WOW

-The pressure finally gets to Romo however and the Cowboys have to punt. Saints will start from their 9 yard line.

-Saints now start to mix up the play calling...seems to be keeping Dallas a bit confused...moving the ball nicely now...you get the sense they're waiting for that one crack in the Cowboys armour to appear.

-They find it with a nice 34 yard pass play to Colston. Saints in the Redzone. Brees is getting a lot of time to find his receivers....non-existent pass rush by the Boys' right now. However the Cowboys' D tightens up and forces a Saints field goal. 14-3 Cowboys.

-Mid-way through the 2nd Q (7:14) and the Cowboys are deep in their own end....Felix for 17 yards...Felix then Barber and the Superdome crowd is quiet...Jonathan Vilma is all over the field making plays...Saints putting huge pressure on Romo...Cowboys forced to punt

-3:55 left in the 2nd Q...Saints start deep in their own end...despite some mild pressure Brees is getting the ball out...Bush goes out with a cramp...we'll see if he checks back in....Brees is finding his receivers and the Saints are moving down the field!!

- But check that...Brees underthrows a deep ball...Jenkins int...and the Cowboys have it back with 1:53 remaining in the 2nd.

-The Saints D seems to have made all the right adjustments and the Cowboys' passing attack has gone cold. Saints will get the ball back with plenty of time on the clock....not good for Dallas. But DeMarcus gets to Brees and it's a fumble...Cowboys recover!! Cowboys tack on 3 points and will get the ball back to begin the 3rd Q. Nice half but the bad news is there is still another half to play and the Saints are the most dangerous team in the league.

SECOND HALF

-Cowboys are moving the ball down the field with a beautiful mix of run and pass...say what you want about Jason Garrett, but he's called a nice game so far

-Barber to the corner...TOUCHDOWN COWBOYS!

-Saints take over down 24-3....I must stress to you that this is still the most dangerous team in the league...no lead is safe...Cowboys have to play to the very last second to win

-The Saints come out and spit in the face of a pending upset with a nice return by Roby...let's see if they can put points on the board (they need it)...Saints will start their 1st drive in the 3rd Q from the Cowboys' 36 yard line...

-OH!! Devery Henderson drops an easy TD...Anthony Spencer is on fire for the Cowboys....Saints are going backwards here...Saints to punt

-6:03 left in the 3rd Q...Cowboys take over....Austin cracks 1,000 yards receiving on the season...11 TDs so far...WOW...Cowboys move it to mid-field and will punt it back to the Saints.

-Saints take over with 0:38 leff in the 3rd Q...moving down the field with quick passes and max protection..finally getting the ball to his big WRs...the Saints are going no-huddle....TOUCHDOWN SAINTS (Mike Bell).

-Cowboys let a 40 yard return by Felix Jones go to waste and have to punt the ball away...oh oh

-Saints go on the attack and sprint down the field to score..TOUCHDOWN SAINTS (Lance Moore)...oh oh Cowboys...better watch out!

-But the Cowboys are playing too well on offense...Romo is converting on 3rd downs and Austin is abusing the Saints secondary...Dallas moving down the field seemingly at will...4 mins left in the 4th Q...Barber will a monster 1st down...3:55 left to play...Dallas on the 4 yard line...at TD will put the Saints to bed...Cowboys seem content to run and not take a shot at the endzone...but wait a minute..Nick Folk hits the cross bar! The FG is no good...you've got to be kidding me. Wow...Nick Folk may have just lost his job.

-2 mins left in the 4th....no timeouts...Saints can tie with a TD...Dallas is bringing the pressure...the Saints are going hurry up...inching down the field...0:54 to play...incomplete to Lance Moore....0:38 to play...the Saints are resilient...Brees deep to Meachem is incomplete...0:26 to go...pins and needles in the Superdome...Brees complete to Henderson down to the Cowboy's 42...0:18 to play...Spencer takes down Brees but his arm was going forward...ruled no fumble...0:12 to play....BREES IS SACKED BY DEMARCUS WARE AND THE BALL COMES LOOSE...RECOVERED BY JAY RATLIFF...IT IS OVER!..COWBOYS WIN- COWBOYS WIN-COWBOYS WIN!!

wow

DON'T THINK YOU'RE PAID ENOUGH?

We agree! But here’s where we add insult to injury.

Find below just a few of the 2009 NFL Player Salaries that should be donated to charity so that we can feed starving children around the world and rebuild eco-systems in 3rd world countries:

-Roscoe Parrish, Bills, 1 rec, 25 ReYds- $4,261,720

-Jason Taylor, Dolphins, 31 Tks, 6Sacks- $10,025,385

-Shawn Springs, Redskins, 31 Tks, 0 Ints- $7,483,333

-Chris McAlister, Saints, 4 Tks, 0 Ints- $10,907,082

-Jamal Lewis, Browns, 500 RuYds, 0 TDs- $6,500,000

-Willie Parker, Steelers, 259 RuYds, 0 TDs- $4,092,300

-Nathan Vasher, Bears, 12 Tks, 1 Int- $5,216,666

-Bernard Berrian, Vikings, 47 rec, 485 ReYds, 4 TDs- $9,538,333

-Bob Sanders, Colts, 3 Tks, 1 Int- $8,743,332

-Justin Gage, Titans, 22 rec, 302 ReYds, 1 TD- $3,131,720

-John Abraham, Falcons, 32 Tks, 3.5 Sacks- $8,506,720

-Jake Delhomme, Panthers, 2015 PaYds, 8 TDs, 18 Ints- $10,956,666

-Cadillac Williams, Buccaneers, 586 RuYds, 3 TDs- $4,137,250

-JaMarcus Russell, Raiders, 1138 PaYds, 2 TDs- $4,854,865

-Marc Bulger, Rams, 1469 PaYds, 5 TDs- $9,005,760

-Nate Clements, 49ers, 35 Tks, 1 Int- $5,550,000

-Deion Branch, Seahawks, 32 rec, 279 PaYds- $6,760,000

Total Raised: $119,671,132

The amount the NFL actually donates to charities each year: $10,000,000

Things that make you say ‘Hmmmmmm...’

10 THINGS...

1. The D&G Playoff Pool returns 01.09.10. Don’t miss out! Public Enemy #1? Obsessions a.k.a. Cologne Boy.

2. I think the Eagles are hitting their stride at the right time. Good teams play their best football in December. They are now first in the NFC East and own the #3 seed in the NFC. All they have to do is hold their own against San Francisco and Denver (both home games) and it’s a virtual lock. Forget Dallas and forget the Giants (even though one of them might still make the playoffs). The other team to watch in the NFC is the Pack. This is a dangerous team flying low under the radar right now.

3. Both the Colts and the Saints are 13-0. First time two teams have been at 13-0 in the history of the NFL...and you know what? I find myself not really caring so much.


4. Here’s someone who may lose his job at the end of the year: Gary Kubiak. For all the weapons on this team, I feel they’ve actually taken a step backwards. Their reason for living should be to beat the Colts, yet their lifetime record against them is 1-13 (or something like that). Pathetic. It may be a stretch, but don’t be surprised.

5. Speaking of coaching vacancies...here are the teams you can expect will be joining Buffalo on the hunt for a new coach in 2010:
-Dallas
-Washington
-Oakland
-Carolina
-Cleveland

6. This week’s Brilliant Idea: Mangini thinking of moving Cribbs to RB. Ok, I know he’s a phenomenal athlete. But he is not a RB...and do you really want to risk his health with only 3 games left in the season? Dude, you’re fired!

7. Looks like ABT may be giving DaCosta and the Patroose the stiff arm for 2nd place in the D&G Fantasy Pool. A while ago I’d predicted that Patroose wouldn’t even finish in the money. I may have to eat crow on that, but there are still 3 weeks left. PROVE ME WRONG PATROOSE!

8. D&G: Glad you left them on the bench-
-Frank Gore (33pts)
-DeSean Jackson (40pts)
-Andre Johnson (43pts)
-Brandon Marshall (42pts)
-Dallas Clark (24pts)
-Willis McGahee (24pts)

9. TonyNFL: Glad you left them on the bench-
-Frank Gore (27pts)
-Adrian Peterson (33pts)
-Donovan McNabb (42pts)
-Ryan Grant (43pts)
-Willis McGahee (27pts)
-Rob Bironas (40pts)
-49er Defense ( 26pts)
-Titans Defense (25pts)

10. Yes this is the requisite comment on my beloved Dallas Cowboys. Chargers’ Linebacker Tim Dobbins was in on three tackles during the Chargers' goal line stand in the second quarter and had this to say: “I don't know what they were thinking but after the second time you gotta think, `don't run that play no more,''' Dobbins said. ``I don't know if they watched film or what. ``In our mind, we knew he wasn't blocking. We knew he had to get the ball...everybody in the stands new that...I don't know what they were thinking”. Yeah...neither do we.

10 THINGS...

1. I think Robert Meacham was awesome on Sunday. To me, he’s supplanted Steve Breaston as the best #3 WR in the league.

2. I’d be very afraid of the Packers right now. Their defense is ferocious, they’ve seemed to repair their O-line issues, and Aaron Rodgers is on a tear. You don’t want to face these guys wild-card weekend.

3. The Cowboys missed another great opportunity by losing to the Giants on Sunday. By my count that’s at least 3: The loss to the Giants week 1, the loss to the Broncos, and the loss to the Packers. By winning yesterday they could have effectively ended the Giant’s season, and put some fear into a Chargers team heading their way next week. As much as I love them, they’re not winners. And it goes back to what I said early in the year- that it starts at the top with the ownership and coaches. The team is laden with talent, but the attitude and culture is one of self-doubt and tentativeness- instead of the expectation of winning each and every Sunday (see the Saints). However, having said that, I say the Cowboys will put a drubbing on San Diego this Sunday.

4. I still think Anquan Boldin is a beast. Re-watch the SNF game film if you doubt me. He’s a MANANIMAL!

5. Glad you left them on the bench (D&G):
Brandon Jacobs 29 pts
Roy Williams 19 pts
Wes Welker 24 pts
Rashard Mendenhall 18 pts
Antonio Gates 23 pts
Tony Romo 45 pts
Drew Braes 43 pts
Leonard Weaver 17 pts

6. Glad you left them on the bench (TonyNFL):
Calvin Johnson 22 pts
Jerome Harrison 19 pts
Brandon Jacobs 30 pts
Eagles D 20 pts
Kevin Smith 19 pts
Knowshon Moreno 28 pts
Brandon Marshall 14 pts
Chad Henne 42 pts
Marshawn Lynch 16 pts
Santonio Holmes 19 pts
Tony Romo 54 pts
Miles Austin 15 pts
Wes Welker 16 pts

7. Three outcomes I still cannot understand:
Redskins giving up the ghost
Steelers going out like chumps
Patriots losing the momentum, lead, and game to the Dolphins

8. Wanna know how to beat the Steelers? 3 words: Pass, Pass, and Pass. They currently rank 17th against the pass having given up 2600+ yards, and 15 TDs, with only 8 picks. Other teams with 8 picks? Cleveland, Detroit, and St. Louis. The Steeler’s secondary was torched ALL DAY by Gradkowski (308 yards, 3 TDs) and his group of receivers. In fact, during the Steeler’s 4-game losing streak, Matt Cassel had 248 PaYds with 2 TDs, and Joe Flacco had 289 PaYds with 1 TD.

9. D&G: I think it’s hilarious that Cologne Boy drafted T.J. Houshmandzadeh and is actually going to win the Championship (see the commercial). Had to happen in my pool didn’t it?!

10. Tom Brady:
-3 Super Bowl Championships.
-Some say the best to ever play the QB position.
-2 sons.
-2 different women.
-Both Supermodels.
-Worth millions.
-Yeah...this guy needs to get a life.

10 THINGS...

10 THINGS....

1. A word on Chris Collingsworth: I used to rif on this guy during his playing career. I found him to be an overrated receiver on the field (yes, even at 6’5”) and an annoying personality in real life (Don’t remember? Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8HdOEStmrs)
i. Yet his career stats: 1981-1988, 417 receptions, 6,698 yards, 36 TDs, four 1000 yard seasons
ii. Are on par with Plaxico Burress’ first seven years: 2000-2006, 400 receptions, 6,366 yards, 39 TDs, three 1000 yard seasons. Not too shabby
iii. And he’s won five Sports Emmy Awards.

He sounds less of goof than when he first started and clearly knows what he’s talking about. Still don’t love the guy, but he’s grown on me a little.

2. I was laughing at the Titans after they went winless in their first 6 starts. I sarcastically predicted that they’d go on to win 10 in a row and make the playoffs. Well....five games later and the joke may end up being on me. But the magic carpet ride ends next week in Indy.

3. Speaking of the Colts...down 0-17 and then outscore the Texans 35-10? Wow...that is sick.

4. I commented weeks ago that it may be time to reopen those ‘best QB ever’ discussions. Are you sure it’s Tom Brady? Manning and Favre would like to say a few words about that.


5. Tell me again that next year you’d still take Adrian Peterson over Chris Johnson. Really, I want to hear you say it. But before you do please take a gander at Chris’ 100+ yard rushing games so far this season:
i. Week 2 - 197 yds, 2 TDs
ii. Week 6 – 128 yds
iii. Week 8 – 228 yds, 2 TDs
iv. Week 9 – 135 yds, 2 TDs
v. Week 10 – 132 yds, 2 TDs
vi. Week 11 – 151 yds
vii. Week 12 – 154 yds, 1 TD

6. Took the kids to see Planet 51. Really bad movie. It was everything I could do to keep my eyes open. Usually they make the character similar in appearance to the actor providing the voice. Not so in this case, the main character, voiced by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, was blond haired and blue-eyed. Huh? And what was with the story? A planet of green people living in a white-picket fence; a 1950’s Americana type of world...scared of an alien invasion. Weak. What does this have to do with Football? Nothing. But had to tell someone. You guys win the prize.

7. Speaking of weak...this Thursday's NFL prime-time game featuring the Bills v. Jets is here in Toronto. Of course I’m going...but wishing the Bills were a lot better and a team like the Patriots or Saints were in town. Pay attention to the jersey count...they’ll be some Bills fans, some Jets fans, and whole lot of everything else. Toronto is a big NFL city with fans here supporting almost every team out there. I’m curious to know how the NFL feels about that. This is supposed to be the Bills’ market right?

8. This is was I stated in my last blog about the Patriots v. Saints match-up: “If the Patriots can run the ball on Monday night, they’ll beat the Saints. If not, it’ll be Drew Brees’ ascension ceremony” I think on Monday night we witnessed the inauguration of Drew Brees. A passing of the guard. You could see the resignation on the faces of the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick as they stood on the sidelines- knowing they didn’t run well enough to open up the passing lanes. Then they waived the white flag with 5:26 remaining in the 4th quarter and sent in Brian Hoyer for Brady. Ok now listen to me carefully. Right now it doesn’t look like the Saints can be taken down. But the next 3 contests will be at Washington (a top pass defense), at Atlanta (a scrappy bunch but less so without Turner and possibly Ryan), and back home to face Dallas. Of the 3, the Cowboys have the best hope of upsetting the Saints. Don’t laugh. Here’s why:

i. They have a top run offense. Better than anyone the Saints have faced all year. The Saints have had issues against good running teams this year (see Miami and St. Louis). If you can run you can keep the ball out of Brees’ hands. Miami had 4 rushing TDs against the Saints and dominated the 1st half of that game. When they faced the Rams, Steven Jackson had 131 yards and a TD. If I’m the Cowboys, I mix up my play calling to try and be as unpredictable on offense as possible. Modify the 2 TE set have Barber, Felix, and Choice on the field at the same time. Incorporate quick screens, and utilize the wildcat. Bring in 4 & 5 wide formations (Austin, Williams, Crayton, Hurd, Witten/Ogletree) to really challenge that defense. The Cowboys have more weapons than the Patriots.

ii. The Cowboys have a staunch run defense. Take the Saints RBs out of the equation right away. Blitz the hell out of Brees with DeMarcus, Ratliff, and Spencer. The Saints WRs are big and strong so the Boys will have to play nickel most of the time...take out Colston and Henderson. But you can’t stop everything. I like Shockey and Meacham to have a big day. But it’ll be worth the sacrifice. I’m calling it right now- if the Cowboys can execute to perfection they will win the ballgame. As Coach Jimmy Johnson once said “Put it in 3-inch bold letters”.

9. TonyNFL: I think that Brees has justified being drafted #1 by Johnny’s Groupies. Anyone care to debate the logic of that now?

10. TonyNFL: I think the battle for 1st place is HOT right now. Can Goose/Nick hold off a hard charging Johnny? I also think there is an interesting battle for 3rd place between Rob/Nick, Da Rhino, Gabe/Rick, and Bean Town. Only 5 weeks remain and it could come down to the very last one.

OUT.

10 THINGS...

1. The Hurricanes won their Touch Football Division Championship on Saturday with a come from behind 36-34 victory. The Canes went 13-0! Unstoppable...

2. Things that make you say ‘Hmmmm…’: Chris Chambers’ first 6 games with the Chargers netted 9 catches, 122 yards, 1 TD. His first 3 games with the Chiefs have netted 10 catches, 249 yards, 3 TDs. Guess he really didn’t want to play for San Diego eh?


3. If the Cowboys cannot muster up enough offence to beat the Raiders on Thanksgiving, you might as well call the season a wrap. Why? Check out the remaining opponents: Chargers, Giants, Saints, Redskins, and Eagles. Yeah…better beat the Raiders.

4. Tony NFL: I think things are getting really interesting in this league. We thought Johnny’s Groupies had things all wrapped up but GooseNick wants to have the last word. With only 62 points separating them, the final 6 weeks is going to be critical. Looks like it’s a 2-team race to the finish.


5. D&G League: I think ABT had the week he needed to stay in the hunt (imagine if he’d started Jamaal Charles). But at what cost? He may have lost yet another RB to injury.

6. D&G League Week 11 Kung Fu! Performances:
· Brett Favre 213 yds, 4 PaTDs
· Ben Roethlisberger 398 yds, 3 PaTDs
· Terrell Owens 197 yds, 98 yd ReTD
· Brady Quinn* 304 yds, 4 PaTDs
· Matt Stafford** 422 PaYds, 5 PaTDs
· Calvin Johnson 161 Yds, 75 yd ReTD
· Patriots D, 226 yds, DTD, 4 ints, 2 Sacks
· Wes Welker 15 recpts, 192 yds
· Ricky Williams 119 yds, 2 RuTDs, 1 ReTD
· Eli Manning 384 yds, 3 PaTDs

7. Not only has Obsessions wrapped up the D&G Championship already, I think this may be the most dominant performance in D&G history. This guy drafted from the 11th spot! Check out his draft place to performance ratio (draft position/points earned) for his 1st 8 picks:
· #11 Aaron Rodgers/ 248
· #14 Chris Johnson/ 209
· #35 Joseph Addai/ 103
· #38 Reggie Bush/ 65
· #59 TJ Housh/ 72
· #62 Cedric Benson/ 77
· #83 Jerricho Cotchery/ 67
· #86 LeSean McCoy/ 79
· Waiver Wire noteable: Mike Sims-Walker/ 94

Those players alone have generated 1000 of his 1600 points. He drafted well, and managed his starts better than anybody else this year- and had the mouth to back it up (isn’t it normally the other way around?). I hate him.

8. I think the D&G Playoff Pool is going to be really really good this year. #1 Mission for everybody? Crush Obsessions.

9. If the Patriots can run the ball on Monday night, they’ll beat the Saints. If not, it’ll be Drew Brees’ ascension ceremony.


10. I love the Troy Polamalu Head & Shoulders commercials. Best out there right now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGFVnFoNnt4 . The radio versions are even better. “Here with us today is Hair Polamalu. Tell us about Pittsburgh’s hair-4 defense”. Hilarious!

10 THINGS....

1. If the season were to end here, Chris Johnson would be my #1 pick in the draft next year. He is the #1 back on the most run-heavy offense, anchored by the best O-line in the league. Besides that HE'S AN ANIMAL! Brees, Jones-Drew, Peterson, Turner all play 2nd fiddle to this guy. There. I said it. Sue me.



2. Coaches that need to be fired before you finish reading this sentence: Dick Jauron, and Eric Mangini. Coaches that can wait until the end of the season: Tom Cable and Jim Zorn. Coaches that need to be hired next season: Cowher, Holmgren, and Shannahan. Heck why not bring back Marty Schottenheimer? We need parity in this league.



3. Just when the Cowboys thought it was safe to go back in the water- BAM! Shark attack? Not quite. A ravenous Packers D combined with the sin of overconfidence.

4. Randy Moss is a MANANIMAL! Who else can do this with regularity? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec4BnHDu22A

5. The Eagles went to the well one too many times and I'd be suprised if Westbrook returned this year. He could be done folks. I mean broadcast booth done. Is anybody besides me questioning whether the Eagles have been putting Brian Westbrook's health first? He's been injured way too many times.

6. D&G League: I think it's time to face facts- Obsessions has wrapped up the D&G title with yet another 160 pt week. The rest of us are playing for 2nd place- you know it and I know it (curse the heckler). The interesting by-line here will be if Patroose can stay in the money. Doubt it.

7. TONYNFL: I think things have gotten a little more interesting with the leaders coming down to the rest of the pack. But the top 3 may be too well stocked for anyone to make a serious run against them. Anyone besides me wondering if there is some collusion going on there? A little too buddy buddy for my liking. Yeah I said it! What?!

8. I think everyone needs to get off Belichick's case. I might not have gone for it myself but c'mon...I'm conservative and he's got Brady, Moss, Welker and Watson on that team. You telling me he shouldn't have had faith they could get 2 yards? Get out of here!

**I went down to Philly last weekend to catch the Cowboys Eagles Sunday Night game. A few observations:

9. I think it was interesting that my name (Warren), usually considered rare, was one of the most recognizable (along with David) to the inspector when we were crossing the border: “Mauro, Massimo, Giuseppe, Tonino- what kind of names are these?” Hilarious! Guess those guys don't get out much.

10. How a group of Italians and one Jamaican spent their money wisely:

• RV Parking for the weekend $0
• Extension Cord $50 (had to be top of the line)
• 11 Full Racks of ribs $150 (approx.)
• Tickets to the game $270 (each)
• Cab Ride around Philly $275
• Cowboys beating the Eagles in enemy territory: Priceless

10 THINGS...

1. I think Brett Favre outright owns the Packers. They fear him. He should just buy the team and get it over with.

2. I think Chris Johnson is a mananimal. Is it possible this guy supplants AP as the number one fantasy draft pick next year? Think I’m crazy? Right now he’s making the argument right alongside MJD.

3. I think that those who passed over MJD for Matt Forte in their fantasy draft may have slightly miscalculated:
-MJD- 640 RuYds, 116 carries, 5.5 avg., 10 TDs, 27 Rec, 161 ReYds
-Forte- 408 RuYds, 118 carries, 3.5 avg. 3 TDs, 24 Rec, 185 ReYds

4. I think Ted Gin Jr. saw his life flash before his eyes when he was disciplined by Bill Parcells. I think he responded in a big way.


5. I don’t think anyone knows what is going on with the New York Giants. I don’t think that anyone in Dallas, Philadelphia, or Washington cares.

6. I think this was a funny comment made on a Buffalo Sports station in reaction to Ryan Moats’ 126 RuYd, 3 TD day:
“I have no idea why anyone tries to run on the Bills. Everyone knows you can’t run on the Bills. Watching teams try and do it is like high comedy!”

7. I think that San Diego has to take a lot of responsibility for keeping Chris Chambers on their roster for as long as they did; AND for paying him that kind of money ($4.55M this year alone). In my opinion, the Chargers have no rights to the money they will save for releasing him now. It should be distributed to organizations that will feed starving children around the world (and the Chargers cannot claim it as a charitable donation). Pricks.

8. I think that in the D&G, with 9 weeks remaining, Cologne Boy may have an insurmountable lead. The Cos may want to pick up the latest edition of New and Resale Homes magazine.

9. I think in 2009 PARITY has been replaced by MEDIOCRITY in the NFL. Nineteen teams have a record of 4-3 or worse.

10. Well now that Vince Young is at the helm, I think the Titans win all of their remaining games and go on to represent the AFC in the SuperBowl where they’ll spank the life out of the Saints 41-14. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I’m so funny.

10 THINGS

Ready for this week's list? Here goes...

1. I think Tony Romo made a lot of critics eat humble pie with a nice performance against the Falcons. Even though he had one turnover on a bonehead run an’ dive (slide QB, slide!), he still managed the game well overall and gave his WRs chances to make plays.


2. Despite breaking down in the 2nd half yesterday (they gave up 5 TDs and a FG), I’m still somewhat impressed by the Dolphins. They’re being very competitive with limited resources (who said Ricky Williams’ career was over)?


3. As I said last week, the Redskins are in a bad state. However, I didn’t give enough of the ‘credit’ to Jason Campbell. Watching that game Monday night, he is really no better than an average back-up. He makes really bad decisions out there and is very tentative in the pocket. The Todd Collins watch is on.


4. I think the Bears are wondering if anyone got the license plate of that orange and black striped truck that slammed into them on Sunday:
   Palmer 233 yards, 5 PaTDs
   Benson 189 yards, 1 RuTD
   Ochocinco 118 yards, 2 ReTDs


5. I think it’s a crime that DeSean Jackson gets as little touches as he does in that Eagle offense. That kid is magic.


6. I think I feel very sorry for Steven Jackson...Jackson in STL is like a beauty trapped in the body of a beast.


7. I think these are the ‘Out of the Blue’ players/coaches/teams of the season thus far:
   Miles Austin- Beast of the NFC East.
   Mike Wallace- Is this close to making Santonio Holmes irrelevant.
   Hines Ward- Who knew he still had it in him?
   Sidney Rice- Favre’s new go-to guy.
   Steve Smith- Better this year than his Carolina namesake.
   Rashard Mendenhall- Put the power back in Pittsburgh.
   Matt Schaub- We knew he had it in him...breakout year.
   Joe Flacco- Did you think he was this good though?
   Kyle Orton- The consummate game manager.
   Denver Defense- The engine of this team.
   Cincinnati Bengals- This time around it’s been less flash and more football.
   Josh McDaniels- Young phenom has recharged the Broncos.
   Mike Singletary- Bringing respectability back to the Bay.
   Jared Allen- Was he always this good?
   Gregg Williams- Finally...some defense on Bourbon Street.
   Packers D- Have adapted to the complex 3-4 in record time.


8. I think that unless something changes quickly in TONYNFL, it’s only a three team race to the finish between GooseNick, RobNick, and Johnny’s Groupies.


9. In the D&G, I think Cologne Boy, a.k.a. The Heckler is taking no prisoners this year. And he may just have enough weapons within his RB and WR core to survive his QB issues.


10. Is anyone wondering what has happened to Armando this year? Last place in TONYNFL, second-last in the D&G- this guy used to be the one to beat. Ouch. Word is a quarrel with his buddy Guido has caused him to lose focus...admirable that neither of them has played it out in the media. However, I think that this reporter will get to the bottom of it yet!
    

SUPERFLY!

Ha Ha! I may be aging myself here but back in the day (way back in the day) growing up in the 70's and 80's, my favourite thing to watch on a Saturday was Wrestling. Specifically Mid-Atlantic and WWF Pro-Wrestling. Ahhh...now it's coming back to you. Remember these guys?

• Ricky Steamboat
• BlackJack Mulligan
• Sweet Ebony Diamond/ Rocky Johnson
• Greg Valentine
• Roddy Piper
• Cowboy Bobby Duncum
• Dusty Rhodes
• Harley Race
• Jay Youngblood
• Tommy Rich
• Sgt. Slaughter
• Big John Studd
• Andre the Giant
• Wahoo McDaniel
• Bad Bad Leroy Brown
• Jimmy Valiant/ The Boogie Woogie Man
• Bob Backlund
• Nikolai Koloff
• Hulk Hogan
• And the flamboyant Ric 'Natureboy' Flair

For me Ric Flair was the man ("to be the man, you got to beat the man- wooo!). I loved watching him wrestle. There were his classic battles with Ricky Steamboat, Harley Race, Roddy Piper, and Greg Valentine. But more than that, Ric Flair was the master of the interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy-LQH8N6Ug

But there was one guy who you ran to the TV for....the one who you never forgot...whose every match seemed to be a classic...he was fast, strong, cut, and exotic: The one and only Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka. When he came off that top rope, time stood still, eyes widened, teeth clenched, and your hands gripped the couch. He was the man...found some old footage of him on Youtube in the match that made his legacy.

Here is Jimmy Superfly Snuka at his best http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOgHMGRp4dc

Wasn't this the real golden age of pro-wrestling? Before pay-per-view, super steroids, and semi-clad women?

Yeah.

10 Things I THINK I THINK (The D&G Edition)

1. 
   

1. The Tennessee Titans are in dire straits at 0-6. But don’t put it all on Jeff Fisher- his players quit playing half-way through the 2nd quarter. Do you realize that Kerry Collins and Vince Young combined went for 2/14 for -7 yards with 2 interceptions? All day. Somewhere along the way this team lost its heart.


2. I think Tom Brady looked like the Tom Brady of ’07- 380 PaYds with 6 TDs. What kills me is that the defense knows he only throws to Moss and Welker- and they still couldn’t stop them!


3. I think Jim Zorn should be fired (shocker!). Do you realize they’ve gone 2-4 against win less teams this season? Then Mr. Snyder I think you should sell the team and get out of Football. You’re embarrassing a storied franchise.


4. I think I’m scared of the New Orleans Saints. What a horse-whipping they put on the G-Men. WOW. Who's next?


5. I think Matt Schaub is a Fantasy STUD.


6. I think Buffalo saved their season today with a win over the Jets. It should make the return engagement in Toronto that much more interesting (yeah right).


7. I think the following bullets were dodged in the D&G this weekend (thank you for leaving them on the bench):
   Drew Brees- 369 PaYds, 4 TDs
   Ray Rice- 77 RuYds, 2 RuTDs, 117 ReYds
   Matt Schaub- 392 PaYds, 4 TDs
   Marques Colston- 166 ReYds, TD
   Zach Miller- 139 ReYds, TD
   Laurence Maroney- 123 RuYds, TD


8. I think the Falcons are the dark horse of the NFC. Prediction: Matt Ryan throws for 300+ PaYds, and 2 PaTDs against the Cowboys weak pass defense in Week 7. Falcons win by 6.


9. I think that either the Eagles are not as good we think, or the Raiders are not as bad as we think.


10. I think I continue to be impressed by the Broncos. What a game last night. What a win last night.

Make Mine a D&G!

10 Things I Think I Think (Forget Peter King)

1. The Bengals are for real. Although not a huge Fantasy play, Palmer has become a really good game manager. In each of the 5 games thus far, he's led multiple clock-eating drives that have ended in a score. If not for a fluke play against the Broncos, these guys would be 5-0.



2. The Bills are a bad team. They lost to the Browns 3-6. Check the Brown's QB Derek Anderson's stats from yesterday: 2 completions, 23 yards, 1 INT. Are you serious man? Never in my football watching life have I ever seen such ineptitude.



3. Miles Austin is a beast (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTUDvCiIDNk&feature=related)- and Tashard Choice may be the most complete Back on the Cowboys roster.



4. But the Cowboys are a bad team overall. The fact that they needed a 250 yard, 2 TD performance to win in OT (against the winless Chiefs!) should wave great big red flag at you.



5. Brett Favre has skills. If he leads the Vikings to a Superbowl Championship this year, I think we'll need to reopen the 'Best Ever' QB discussions.



6. Speaking of the Best Ever QB. I think Peyton Manning would also like to reopen that discussion (another Superbowl or not).



7. I think the Giants are being very smart with Eli's injury. They know that they go as he goes.



8. I'm not yet convinced that Turner the Burner is back. Circle back to me in 3 games.


9. I continue to be amazed that the Wildcat offense continues to work as well as it does. Nice win by the 'Fins.


10. I think that 2nd TD catch by Braylon Edwards was the best catch of Week 5. Nice throw by Sanchez, but to make that catch under duress, get the feet inbounds, and score a TD? Edwards is doing his best to dispel the 'hands of stone' reputation (and yes I know the refs overruled the call erasing the TD. But this writer thinks that it was indeed a TD). AND I think that TD catch by Miami's Ted Gin Jr. against Revis was a thing of beauty. Much harder for the WR to make that catch then it is for the QB to make that throw folks.

THE PONY EXPRESS

Anyone catch the Cowboys_Broncos game on Sunday? If you didn't you certainly know the outcome, because whether you love or hate the 'Boys, you always know whether they won or lost. Well they lost. This time the horse broke the rider. Thanks to Andrew McKenzie (The Hurricane) for providing this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZMvbrUN8Pc. Yes, Marshall gave Newman a yank which enabled him to break free, but Terrence had a shot at that ball- and no excuse for missing several chances to tackle him. But this latest loss isn't Newman's fault (Newman!- sorry couldn't resist). Neither is it Romo, Jessica, Wade, Garrett, or T.O.'s fault for that matter.

Folks were riffing on the Broncos all week saying they're not really 3-0 because they hadn't beaten a real team yet. On top of that, folks were just waiting for that Denver locker room to explode due to this summer's hi-jinx (Cutler, Marshall). But did you notice how once the season started, you could hear a pin drop in Denver? There was only one focus- Football.

Contrast that with Jerry's World over in Big-D. Football was #4 behind #1- Jerry's World, #2- The departure of T.O., and #3 Who Romo was dating/dumping. Now, one team is 4-0 and the other is 2-2. Draw your own conclusions.

Going into this game true Cowboy fans knew it was a trap game. The Cowboys had the better personnel, and just needed to settle down and they'd win without the pressure of prime-time in a brand new mega=stadium. The Broncos had only beaten Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Oakland. As it turns out the Bengals are competitive; but the other two could be beaten by the last place team in my 2-hand touch league right now (Okay, I'm exaggerating, but not by much).

What happened? Nothing. Just character. My good friend, filmmaker and Football connoisseur, Andrew Burrows-Trotman (ABT for short) always said that a team's true character always shines through. That is what defines them and they will win and lose accordingly.

As I've stated before, the Cowboys are talent laden and, on any given Sunday, can beat anybody. We seen them clunk their way through games and yet still give themselves a chance to win in the end. They are this close (putting my thumb and index finger about an inch apart)...but can't seem to close the gap. What is the problem? Characters instead of Character. Big difference.

One of the things that stands out in American Wild West lore is the Pony Express. In the very early 1860's it was a mail service that ran across the middle of the United States (Missouri to California). It relied on mounted riders instead of stagecoaches or trains to cross the country. The result was the ability to cover 3,200 Kms in 10 days. Far faster than anything else at the time. The lesson? Less is more. Focus on your reason for being, and do it well.

Something to think about over in Big D.

I'm out.

MY FANTASY

Got your attention now?

Alright...this year I've got only 2 Fantasy teams going (trying to keep the marriage intact)...

Team 1: Romo, Campbell, Quinn, Gore, McFadden, Hightower, L. Washington, L. White, Coffee, A. Johnson, R. Wayne, Welker, Driver, C. Henry, Austin, Olsen, Boss, V. Davis, Akers, Rackers, Mare, Cards, Cowboys.

Team 2: Hasselbeck, Garrard, Pennington, Gore, McFadden, Hightower, L. White, Mewelde, M. Morris, A. Johnson, D-Jack, Welker, Coles, Henry, Britt, Carlson, Boss, Bironas, Kasay, T. Davis, Weddle, Packers, Dolphins.

Let's talk about Team 1 today...

All things considered I didn't think I'd drafted too badly (certainly better than recent years). But, in this league (TonyNFL 20th Anniversary Edition, 10 teams, Standard scoring), I am taking an absolute BEATING. Why? MISMANAGEMENT THAT'S WHY!

Week One I leave Romo on the bench (300+ PaYds, 3 PaTDs). Why? Cause I wasn't sure what TB was going to bring. Their passing def was 4th in the NFL last year and it was a home game. Plus I thought the Boys would focusing more on establishing their new running game- working out the kinks.

Week Two I leave both Gore (207 RuYds, 2 RuTDs) and A-John (149 ReYds, 1 TD) on the bench. Why? No excuses here. Should have started them both plain and simple. Smooth move exlax.

Week Three:
Against my better judgement (I was thinking of Washington or White instead) I start Gore against the Vikings thinking he's my stud- have to go with him- look what happened in Week Two-and guess what? The guy sprains his ankle and gives me diddly squat. No luck with Gore this year. Yes I have Coffee...but he's a Rook...a great preseason means nothing now. He's got to show and prove before he'll be worth anything.

I'd been wrestling with who to start between Wayne and Driver all week. I knew Driver would have a good game against STL but...I'm so far behind I decide to take my chances with the better player and start Wayne. Reggie delivers (126 ReYds, 1 TD), but A-John doesn't. Should have left him on the bench and started Driver and Wayne. Who knew?

Anyway, I've got Romo going tonight. Hopefully he gives me something to feel better about.

In related news, I found a great site that sells Crystal Balls. It's http://www.crystal-balls.com/gazingballs/50mmcrystal.htm?gclid=CM_X6viylJ0CFdZM5QodWHfD7Q if you're interested. Figure I'll give it shot and see if it helps.

Yeah right.

I'm out.

Time to PONY UP

Cowboys 31, Giants 33

If you watched the game, you saw the Giants win with a last second field goal. But let me tell you something, that game was lost months ago.

Forget the story you read this morning that said that Romo is the real problem with the team and not T.O.

The problem lies within the character of the club- and that character is defined by its owner.

The focus last night should not have been on the Tower of Babel; instead it should have been focused on winning the game. Have you heard some of the player's comments? They said it feels more like entertainment complex on steroids than a football stadium. Think I'm off base? Did you know that 30,000 people bought tickets that didn't come with a seat? Did you know that the players are paraded in front of the fans as they enter the stadium? A fish bowl would be an upgrade. One whiff of the pomp and circumstance and I knew the Boys were in for a bad night.

And yet, the Cowboys could have won this game going away. The offensive and defensive lines dominated on both sides of the ball. The O-line's push and seperation allowed the Boys to rush for a total of 251 yards and 3 touchdowns. The defensive line, despite not getting any sacks, put significant pressure on Manning all night. So why did the Cowboys lose?

Four things:

• The Secondary is soft. Newman, Jenkins, Scandrick , and Hamlin aren't getting it done. In 2 games, they've allowed 606 yards passing and 3 touchdowns. How bout them apples?


• Romo has to take better care of the ball. Last night's pick 6 and deep ball pick were just brutal momentum killers.


• The Dallas receiving core is weak. A very average crop at best. Not one of them strikes fear into the hearts of their opponents. Not one.


• Character. All Show and no Prove. I don't feel this team is playing with a sense of urgency. Instead, they're playing with a sense of entitlement. Not as brash, but similar to last year's attitude and expectations. Instead of being out there, it lurks beneath the surface like an unseen cancer.

During the summer I predicted the Boys would go 10-6 and make the playoffs. They'd surprise people with a renewed sense of purpose and a retooled offense focused on the run. But you cannot change character. Yes they're a really good running team now. And yes I actually really believe in this team. But Jerry has to change its character and the smell of the air. Take the focus away from the stadium and put it back on football.

That's all for now. We'll talk at the end of the season about firing the coach and bringing in Anquan.

Da Rhino is out!

THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO

As you know by now, the Eagles have signed Michael Vick. Yes, this has to be considered the worst possible scenario for the Cowboys and everyone else in the NFC East.

Why? It completely changes the way you
have to game plan against the Eagles. How will they use Vick?

Wildcat?

Two-Back sets?

As a wide receiver?

Punt returner?

Quarterback (with McNabb split out)?

If the Eagles can figure out a way to use him best (considering time away from the game, possible skill erosion, learning a new system, new coaching, circus-like atmosphere) weeks 7 through 17 and into the playoffs will be very very scary.

I applaud the Eagles for being ballsy enough to do this. They've effectively said that they want to win a Superbowl and Michael Vick has way too much talent to ignore.

Where it will get real interesting is if McNabb suffers a debilitating injury. Then what happens?

'The Worst Possible Scenario" is the Best Possible Scenario if you're part of the Eagles organization.

*More importantly how will Vick's presence in Philly impact Fantasy Football? Will he be in a position enough to rack up yards, PPR, and touchdowns?

RIDDLE ME THIS

I just don't get it.

Roethlisberger is accussed of rape and it's barely news (barometer test: Heard much about the case lately?). Yet folks are still writing vigorously about Plaxico Burress, Michael Vick, and Terrell Owens.

Am I missing something?

By the way, as 'The Season' rolls around I'll be posting a lot more. do try and keep up ;)

Why 'Star Trek' was Da Bomb:

• Great effects


• Cool characters


• Non-Stop action


• The 2hours plus went by at warp speed


• Brilliant touch to re-write history and keep Star Trek alive for future generations


• No Ferengi


• A complete lack of the garbage that hurt the Star Trek TV spinoffs (like the Ferengi)

What I'd like to see next:

• Klingons of course


• More Romulans naturally


• and more of Lt. Uhara

9 out of 10

Leaf's owners rated the worst in the NHL

Anyone as shocked as I am?

And I quote: "How can the $1.75 billion owners of the most valuable franchise in hockey continue to so mismanage one of the NHL's most storied teams? The Leafs still haven't won a Stanley Cup in 42 years, and the deep pockets of its parent organization have done little to reverse that trend. But it's not some fat-cat collective running the team from its penthouse suite -- since 1994, MLSE's primary investor has been the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. Unfortunately, the dysfunctional relationship between the two principals -- Richard Peddie and Larry Tannenbaum -- continues to trickle down to the on-ice product, as MLSE is too busy running too many sports properties and breaking ground on too many real estate projects to pay enough attention to the Leafs".

I'm embarrassed and I'm not even a hockey guy.

See the rest of the article here http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/hockey/nhl/05/08/nhl.owners/index.html

Movie Review: X-Men Orgins- Wolverine

The long awaited Woverine pre-quel finally hit theatres. Here is my bullet-point review:

Why didn't the Director take more time to delve into the family dynamic? Someone uttering "my son" with bone claws in his gut doesn't exactly explain a lot of things.

• Loved the show of 'brotherhood', fighting side by side, war after war. Always have each other's back. But did they have to say "back to back' all the time? After all these years you'd think they'd know it?


• Where was Wolverine's berserker rage? He was too calm and collected most of the time.


• Somehow I thought that bonding an indestructible metal to your bones would have been alot more painful. He seemed to handle it ok. Did anyone believe for a second he'd actually die? C'mon man. You have to better than that dude.


• Cool claws. (ooooo shiny)


• Liev Schreiber was very convincing as Sabretooth. This guy needs his own movie.


• Ryan Reynolds was absolutely superb as Wade Wilson. As I knew he would be.


• The Director screwed up the Deadpool character though. He was not a genepool of stolen mutant abilities. He was an assassin of the highest order coupled with a healing factor and 'deadpan' humour. He earned his name by surviving a prison stay where the inmates ran a deadpool on who would be the next to die.


• The Professor X appearance was weak. Not even a hint of suspense. Corny if you ask me.
• Very forgetable. Fit for TMN. Not the big screen

6 out of 10

Let's talk Superhero Movies

Ranking the Top 10 Superhero Flicks-

1. Spiderman 1- Took the genre to the next level. Still the best. Although I'm still on the fence with Maguire, Willem Dafoe was the perfect casting as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin.



2. Dark Knight- Bale and Freeman deliver, but Scary clown puts it over the top. I believe in Harvey Dent!



3. Iron Man- This was really, really good. The Armour was wicked and Downey Jr. was very believeable as Stark. Ironmongers unite!



4. Superman: The Movie (1978)- Some have this at #1. Can't blame them, watch this film again and realize how good it still is today.



5. X-Men- A good intro. Well done all around...except Halle Berry as Storm. Sorry



6. Spiderman 2- Strong follow-up to Spiderman 1. Very well done...but to reveal his identity to a train full of people? Nah...



7. Batman Begins- Thank you for saving the franchise. Batman Forever and Batman & Robin were total embarrassments.



8. Batman (1989)- Competent. But Keaton is not Bruce Wayne. Kim Basinger is simply not believeable. But Nicholson was ok as was the film overall. Big upgrade over Adam West and Burt Ward. Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?



9. Superman II (1980)- Epic battle with General Zod. Very cool to see.



10. The Incredible Hulk- Norton, Roth, and Hurt will the real stars of this one. I believed them as Banner, Blonsky, and Thunderbolt Ross. Although I understand the reason for the Stark/Avengers connection at the end of the film, it wasn't done well. The General is going to go drinking at a local bar and Tony Stark walks in? C'mon!
    

Da Rhino watches movies too. OUT

BULL TO BUFFALO

So I'm in my kitchen talking with my close friend ABT about life and how you never know what it's going to throw at you. It is then when I see the Breaking News on NFL Network, "Terrell Owens signs a 1 year deal with the Buffalo Bills". Did you say the Bills? Did I read that right? WOW. I have to admit that like Stevie Wonder, I did not see this one coming.

But let's break it down shall we?

Here are the reasons why I like it:

1. In one swift move, Ralph Wilson has brought back the fans. After a season to forget and the trepidation surrounding a possible future move to Toronto, Wilson has given the fans a reason to believe again.


2. The Bills immediately put the rest of the AFC East on notice. The Fins, the Patriots, and the Jets know that these guys are not content with being the dregs of the division. Remember at least for half a season last year, the Bills were in contention with the rest of them.


3. This says a lot about T.O., maybe he is the most misunderstood guy in the league. No one would have picked him to go to such a small market team. 'Owens' on the back of a Bills jersey? Still can't see it. Undoubtedly he could have gotten bigger money going elsewhere. And yes I heard about all the teams that came out and said "we have no interest in signing Terrell Owens". Don't believe that for a minute! Trust me, the Bills were the only team negotiating with Terrell's agent Drew Rosenhaus.


4. 'Owens' on the back of a Bills jersey: Oh, make no mistake the printing presses are already running my friend. The Bills marketing staff will have T.O.'s jersey in the stores faster then it takes a guy to get to first base in a porno! NFL licensed jersey revenues are shared, so the real bonus is that these jerseys represent free advertising for the team. The more you have out there, the more you're attracting attention to the team itself. That in turn sells more seats which gives the Bills the opportunity to earn more unshared revenue like Box seat sales and $12 Hot Dogs.


5. Lee Evans and Marshawn Inch (Lynch! I meant Lynch...damn, I keep doing that) have just become a lot more valuable in Fantasy Ball. Grab them if you can.


6. Bills in Toronto: All of a sudden, Toronto fans will have 2 games to watch T.O. in 2009. Love him or hate him, now you've got a real stud playing for the home team.

Here are the reasons why I don't like the move:

1. Trent Edwards 2008 stats: 245 /374 for 2699 yards, 11 TDs, 10 Ints. Dude this is going to be no where good enough. Sure the very presence of T.O. will dramatically improve those numbers but I feel sorry for Edwards if he can't get T.O. the ball. Quotes from several games last year- "Edwards is not getting much help from his offensive line. The Buffalo running game has been anemic lately and when he tries to pass he doesn't have much time to find receivers downfield...Edwards is intelligent, young, and still learning, but based on recent games he seems to be regressing" (Week 10 vs. New England); "Edwards got off to a horrible start as he threw three interceptions in the first quarter as he went three for seven for 25 yards, and only led the offense to one first down. The Browns played a lot zone early in this game and Edwards tried to force the ball into some receivers he should not have" (Week 11 vs. Cleveland); "Edwards had a mediocre first half, hitting ten for 21 for 112 yards. Worse, he started bouncing passes to receivers again" (Week 13 vs. San Franciso).


2. The back-up is newly signed Ryan Fitzpatrick. He went 221/372 for 1905 yards, 8 TDs, and 9 Ints. Oh boy...this is not looking good. Here are some quotes from some of his games last year- "Fitzpatrick looked out of synch all day, looking uneasy in the pocket and being late on his reads. He threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, and seemed to try to force some throws in where coverage was tight" (Week 4 vs. Cleveland); "Fitzpatrick's yards per pass play were quite low (less than three yards) and much of his results were short passes over the middle or towards the sidelines. When he did drop back, he went down, to the tune of seven sacks" (Week 7 vs. Pittsburgh). Getting the message? THESE QUARTERBACKS ARE SHAKING IN THEIR BOOTS RIGHT NOW.


3. 1 year, $6.5M? Only? Surely you could have done better than that sir. Although Terrell won't admit it, it sounds like Drew told him to take what he could get. Repair your image in a quiet town like Buffalo, and then move on to better things. But taking this now may preclude him from receiving another big contract down the road.


4. Marshawn Inch (Lynch! Lynch!): He is a borderline bust right now. Owens' arrival gives him a chance to be good again, but if he can't overcome his off the field problems, adding Terrell will do nothing to improve the declining morale of this team. I liken it to when Deion Sanders joined the 49ers secondary in the early 90's. He immediately made everybody around him better, but in the end he left the team worse than before he arrived. Why? Because the circus atmosphere that was Primetime's mantra (back then...he's a completely different man now) became the priority over football.

Bottom Line:

It's a surprising move that has some risk. But overall I think the reasons for doing it outweigh those for not doing it. Name one cornerback in the AFC East that can confidently cover Terrell Owens man-to-man? There isn't one. That immediately means defenses will have to play the Bills differently. If Trent can get better, and his o-line can give him the time he needs, we could see the Bills making a playoff appearance next year.

Da Rhino has spoken. I'M OUT.

(See the press conference here http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80f234bb)

T.O. Be or Not T.O. Be- No longer a question

The Free Agency period began in earnest last week and has been humming along with it's usual share of big signings (Redskins guarantee Haynesworth $41M over the next 4 years), surprises (Browns trade Winslow to Tampa Bay, Eagles let Dawkins migrate to Denver, Dallas lets Canty go to the Division Rival Giants, and the Broncos entertain a 3-way trade that would have sent Cutler to Tampa, Cassel to Denver, with picks to New England), and sensible moves (Kitna to Dallas to back-up Romo).

Before Free Agency began there was much bally-hoo about whether Dallas would keep Owens or purge him from their roster. Articles were written about how there were differing opinions in the ranks of the Cowboys senior management, coaching staff, and player elite (Stephen Jones and Jason Garrett wanted him gone. Wade Philips was okay with him staying as were several players. And apparently Tony Romo and Jason Witten were on the fence). But then Mr. Jones came out and publicly inferred that Owens was staying put. Now that T.O. has been released, folks will accuse Mr. Jones of lying, but I don't think so. It is clear that he implied Owens would be staying; however, he did not explicably state that. And that would have been the time. So clearly there were ongoing discussions about Terrell's future in Dallas.

Many folks view Terrell as a cancer in the locker room who needed to go. His attitude (or at least the attention he attracted for every little peep) was a major contributor to the downfall of the Cowboys towards the end of last season. I for one disagree. For sure a model citizen he is not, but look at his time in Dallas vs. his tenure in San Francisco and Philadelphia, and he has been comparatively well behaved. I would offer that his on-field production can certainly be weighed favourably against his off-the-field antics. Check his stats over the last 3 years (2006, 2007, and 2008) in Big D:

- Played 47 of a possible 48 games

-235 receptions

-3587 yards

-38 Touchdowns

Let's compare that to arguably the best wide receiver in the game (Larry Fitzgerald) over the same period:

-Played 44 of a possible 48 games

-265 receptions

3786 yards

-28 Touchdowns

Oh, you say that Fitz isn't the best? Andre Johnson is the best? Try this on for size:

-41 of a possible 48 games

-278 receptions

-3573 yards

-21 Touchdowns

We could certainly compare others but I'd bet my Fantasy Ball Championships (D&G 2009-2010 and Tony NFL 2009-2010) that Terrell's stats over that period can be compared against any other top receiver in the league today.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO Jason Garrett?

-Roy Williams replaces T.O. as the #1 WR

-For now, Patrick Cratyon moves up to #2 and either Sam Hurd or Miles Austin moves into the 3 spot.

-As none of those are legitimate #2s in my eyes, almost certainly Dallas will have to go after another wide-out over the next few weeks or hope to get a sleeper in the draft.

-Jason Witten becomes/remains Romo's #1 option

-Defenses can now put 8 men in the box to stop Barber. He's a Bull but will get bogged down in the increased traffic.

-This means that Dallas will have to shuttle in Felix Jones and Tashard Choice more often to spell Barber.

-But the running game can only take you so far, and Roy Williams isn't scaring anyone.

-Still loads of talent here, but the points won't come as easy.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO T.O.?

It means he'll get a 2-3 year contract somewhere else in 2009 for a dump truck full of $$. Possible suitors:

- Oakland Raiders: They love a deposed WR. See Randy Moss, Jerry Rice.

-Minnesota Vikings: They lost out on Housh. They'd love to team Owens with Bernard Berrian.

-Chicago: When your #1 WR is Devin Hester, you need all the help you can get.

-49ers: Could use the help in a bad way, but I don't see him as a Singletary guy.

-Bills: Owens won't go there.

-Jaguars: Maybe. I don't think Del Rio would shy away from getting Owens.

-San Diego: Not a bad fit. Vincent Jackson is not on his level and adding Owens could take them near the top of the AFC.

-Tennessee: Jeff Fisher could keep his ass in line...and could use a huge boost at WR. Don't rule this one out.

-Baltimore: Ozzie Newsome wanted him before, could T.O. change his mind about going there?

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO JERRY JONES?

Simply put: No more excuses.

WHO IS LEFT IN FREE AGENCY?

The following could be viable candidates for the Boys'

-Marvin Harrison

-Lance Moore

-Bobby Engram

-Mike Furrey

-DJ Hackett

Only time will tell. Da Rhino is OUT.

Top Reasons for doing the unthinkable: Dropping a Touchdown Pass

Since 2003 I've been playing in a touch football league with a bunch of crazy Italian boys (yes I'm a glutton for punishment). We get together, have a good time, and don't take it too seriously. After all it's just a beer league right? Well, not quite. Yes, it's a beer league and sure we have fun, but not one of us hates to lose. Especially these guys. When we lose you hear every curse word in the book (and some new ones). The funniest thing is that after the game everyone pats each other on the back "good game man, see you next week". But then at the local watering hole "that guy sucks man, why do we have him on our f***ing team?" LOL! Hilarious!

As for me, generally I enjoy playing offense, but thrive on playing defense. I just don't like seeing anyone else succeed (that kind of characteristic makes for a good CB). Having said that, when I do play offense there is nothing worse than dropping a pass (especially when it's 4 for the field...you've got to score to stay in the game). Even worse I hate dropping touchdown passes. And what sucks is I've been dropping my share lately. Damn! It's gotten so bad that I actually have a list of excuses that you can borrow when you happen to drop one:

1. The lights! I lost it in the lights!


2. The ball was too low man! Do I look like Danny DeVito to you?


3. The pass was too high brother! Do I look like Yao Ming to you?


4. He knocked it out of my hands! Didn't you see that?


5. WTF JD?! Put a spin on that ball!


6. Damn gloves


7. Ref! That guy was all over me! That flag stuck to your ass?


8. Dichio! I was trying to tip it to you man...pay attention!


9. I can't believe he got it there...do I look like Donovan Bailey to you?


10. The lights! I lost it in the damn lights!

Feel free to use any one of them. I was going to go on and write about how I'm getting older, losing my vision, getting arthritis in my hands, etc. But hell, I just just dropped the ball. Damn!

Da Rhino is out.

SUPERBOWL 43...

...was a whole lot of fun brother! Here's how Mr. Spiel saw it.

The 2 weeks leading up to the game found me really confident. I was backing the Cardinals and really felt they could win the game. In fact I really thought they would the game. You wanna know why? Because you cannot account for magic. The Cardinals had magic throughout the playoffs. Let's face it, everyone thought they would lose to the surging Falcons, a team that had really turned their season around behind Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White. But they won. Then they took down the Panthers on the road. And then they took care of business at home against the Eagles (and now one game them a chance in that game). MAGIC. So regardless of the Steeler's winning tradition and much vaunted defense, my predictions for the game were as follows:

• Cardinals 22, Steelers 20.


• Boldin would have a 50+ yard TD.


• Warner would win the MVP and punch his ticket to the HOF.

I was almost right. Warner to a sprinting Fitzgerald for a 62 yard TD and I'm yelping "wooo! wooo! wooo!" My wife thinks I'm crazy. I am. I'm actually cheering a team I used to laugh at. The Cardinals are going to win this bad boy. But then the unthinkable happens (well not really the way the Steelers were moving the ball all night, but you wanted to think it was unthinkable. You wanted the Cardinals to win).

These were my thoughts after the game:

• Roethlisberger and Holmes had ice water in their veins.


• Good on Tomlin, he's now the model coach everyone wants.


• I'm very happy for the Arizona Cardinals organization. It was a tall order and they almost pulled it off.


• I'm very happy for Kurt Warner, even in losing he was very gracious. Would he consider an offer to compete for the starting job in Dallas?


• Larry Fitzgerald is a very impressive young man. Young African-American men coming into the league should model themselves after him.

So here is the final kicker. Check out 9 players from my TonyNFL Fantasy team:

• Kurt Warner


• Larry Fitzgerald


• Anquan Boldin


• Edgerrin James


• Tony Romo


• Jason Witten


• Santonio Holmes


• Heath Miller


• Marshawn Inch (ooops! Lynch. I meant Lynch)

How did I not finish in the money? Damn!

Da Rhino is Out.