SB Nation - Curtis Martin

Jets Flight Connections 121709

dvdvil — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:20:02 -0000

It is a sad day for the NFL and for the family of Bengals WR Chris Henry.

May he rest in peace.

Jets HC Rex Ryan wasn't ready to make a decision yesterday on the starting QB, but we should find out later today.

The New York Post's Kevin Kernan says that QB Mark Sanchez needs to start.

Filip Bondy of The Daily News says that The Sanchize needs to grow up fast.

Mark Cannizzaro's blog mentions how Rex reacted to LB Bart Scott's foul in Tampa Bay.

Manish Mehta writes about Scott's punishment, RB Shonn Greene's fumbling and Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez on CB Darrelle Revis. A couple of videos are attached.

If you have a subscription to Jets Confidential, here is an article on Revis and LB Calvin Pace.

Greene will learn to protect the football from mentor RB Thomas Jones, praised in this article by G Alan Faneca.

Revis and Jones are two of three AFC East MVPs.

Revis is one of NFL Fanhouse's non-QB MVPs.

The New York Times blog is shocked at the lack of attention towards TJ.

ESPN.com shows us where the top AFC East players are in Pro Bowl voting.

Newyorkjets.com has an article on the defense.

DT Kris Jenkins talks about money and marriage.

More connections after the jump.

Thanks to David Wyatt for this link: jetstwit.com, where I found this article on Bills great Thurman Thomas encouraging FS Kerry Rhodes.

That then made me look into twitter.com and their little known facts about Revis.

K Jay Feely thinks the Colts should play hard tonight.

Foxsports.com says the same ol' Jets will lose on Sunday, although the spread is Jets -6.

Thebiglead.com predicts the Jets will win out but lose the tiebreakers.

We signed a tackle to our practice squad.

Gang Green going up, Big Blue going down.

Thejetsblog.com has D'Brickashaw Ferguson's appearance on SNY's "Jets Extra Point."

Jetnation.com has a 1st Round Mock Draft.

This blogger is excited about the Jets defense.

Northjersey.com remembers Curtis Martin breaking records in the snow five years ago.

Jets team photographer Al Pereira posted his favorite shots of Marty Lyons.

Jonathan Babineaux says sorry, and then we find out about another Falcon's arrest.

Former Bills HC Mike Mularkey is now Falcons OC and taking heat for playcalling.

Two current Jets coaches have ties with Atlanta football - former Falcon Chuck Smith and former assistant Doug Plank.

While former Jet and DB Coach Corwin Brown recently left his job at Notre Dame, former Jets DB Coach Mike MacIntyre got a promotion at San Jose State.

The Arizona Cardinals not only have former Jets P Ben Graham, they also added Jets former first round pick K Mike Nugent.

Titans RB Chris Johnson says that Dolphins WR Ted Ginn changed his mind about racing him.

Meanwhile, QB Vince Young didn't practice for Tennessee.

Neither did Patriots QB Tom Brady.

Your daily reminder: You have until Dec. 21 to send the Jets to the Pro Bowl.

Lastly, here is Chris Henry this preseason for the Bengals:

Jet Memories Countdown #1; 3-0 Bucs look like Superbowl team; but don't see the glove come off!!

Niko Houllis — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:33:28 -0000

The Bucs were the talk of the offseason. They were the team doing everything right. They had their playoff year in 97, struggled a bit in 98 then returned with one of the best defenses ever seen in 1999. They went out and picked up Keyshawn Johnson, and took Randall McDaniel and Jeff Christie from the fellow NFC Central Minnesota Vikings. By every account, this was a team that was going to make a run for the Superbowl.

They came out and beat the Pats on the road game one. Then they shut out the Bears 41-0 at home in game 2. They beat Detroit 31-10.... and a date with the Jets was up next.

Curtis Martin is a great runner. The Bucs managed to control him. They managed to keep him in check. They saw Martin do everything...except, take the glove off! A Gloveless Martin then takes the hand off, drops back and throws a clean TD pass to Wayne Chrebet. Keyshawn threw up on himself Im sure. He mouthed off all week long, but Chrebet was the one who became the hero of the game.

The Goat was not Keyshawn, it went to Mike Alstott, who put the ball on the ground when the Bucs were counting on him to run out the game. All this after Ronde Barber returned a pass from Vinny back for 6 and a seemingly insurmountable lead with only 3:55 left in the 3rd quarter.

Vinny was benched, but returned and led the Jets to a TD at the 2:00 warning.

All the Bucs needed to do was run the clock out. The Good Hands People. We were supposed to be in good hands....

But this was 99-00, when Alstott was having a little problem holding onto the rock. He had a three drop day against the Chiefs in 1999. He had his days. He won many more than he lost, that is for sure. The Bucs lost THREE more games in a row, to start out 3-4, and end early SuperBowl talk going on after the close loss to the Rams.

Jets Flight Connections 120709

dvdvil — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:01:33 -0000

Does the AFC East actually go through Miami? The Dolphins beat the Patriots yesterday. Here is the recap and the play-by-play.

There were plenty of people who thought Miami would win that game.

Did Mark Sanchez make the Patriots secondary overconfident?

Maybe New England is just not as good as they used to be, or maybe Chad Henne is just getting better and growing as a QB.

This game and a few others helped the Jets' playoff push.

This article looks at the other teams vying for a post-season spot.

Some more connections after the jump.

Is the media too harsh on Mark Sanchez? Backup QB Kellen Clemens thinks it's good for the rookie to be playing.

The Jets' starting quarterback is a competitor, but this article shows why the Sanchize needs to protect himself.

Should we try to sign former Buccaneer QB Jeff Garcia?

Head Coach Rex Ryan is happy with the rushing offense, and Thomas Jones is quietly getting some media attention. He and Curtis Martin talk about each other in this article.

Strong men also cry.

JetsConfidential notes that Shaun Ellis is playing well lately, but Vernon Gholston, not so much.

The Vikings lost last night, but Jets players don't really care how well or how badly Brett Favre does in Minnesota. Steve Serby reminisces about him in this book, if you haven't read it yet.

The Ravens play tonight, and Batimore OC Cam Cameron says Ryan really had another reason for bringing in Joe Girardi.

It looks like Rex is a big fan of New York sports. This article briefly - very briefly - mentions that he is apparently also a New York Rangers fan.

If we plan to go after Charlie Weis next year, would he get along with former QB Mark Sanchez. He's certainly not a big fan of Pete Carroll, Mark's former coach at USC.

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

sireric — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:00:23 -0000

Buffalo Bills (4-7) vs New York Jets (5-6)
Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 8:20 PM EST
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Woot! A Thursday night game! As this is a Thursday night game this week, I probably should have had this up sooner, but I didn't even think of that until just now, so that is why this gets posted now.

These two teams have a long history against each other, dating all the way back to 1960 when they first met. Fast forward 50 years, and this will be meeting No. 99 between these two franchises. The Bills hold the edge 54-44 all time, including a stretch from 1987 to 1992 where the Bills won ten straight games. The last five meetings between these two teams in Buffalo are after the jump.

Sunday, November 7, 2004: Bills 22, Jets 17
In what seems to be a common theme in Bills/Jets games, the Bills ground out 157 yards on the ground, spearheaded by Willis McGahee's 132 yards on 37 attempts - one for a touchdown. When the Bills have big days running the football against the Jets, they normally win. Lee Evans added a touchdown catch and Rian Lindell kicked two field goals; Big Pat Williams even tackled Curtis Martin in the end-zone for a safety. For the Jets, Chad Pennington got knocked out of the game, and former Cowboy Quincy Carter had to finish up. Carter hit Santana Moss for a 51-yard touchdown to make it close late, but the Bills held on for the win.

Sunday, October 16, 2005: Bills 27, Jets 17
Another Bills win over the Jets, another 177 rushing yards from Buffalo. McGahee was once again the workhorse with 143 yards on 29 attempts and a touchdown. Kelly Holcomb added two touchdown passes, one each to Jonathan Smith and Eric Moulds to help pace the Bills' scoring. This time, the Bills had Vinny Testaverde to go against, and the speed rushers of the Bills took advantage. (Please note use of sarcasm.) Ryan Denney (2.0), Tim Anderson (1.0), Sam Adams (1.0), and Angelo Crowell (1.0) all recorded sacks for the Bills.

Sunday, September 24, 2006: Jets 28, Bills 20
The Bills controlled time of possession and moved up and down the field with ease, but turnovers and costly penalties killed them. The Bills ran for 169 yards, once again led by Willis McGahee (who finished with 150 yards), and J.P. Losman even passed for 328 yards. A Victor Hobson fumble return for a touchdown and a key Losman interception gave the Jets the win. Chris Kelsay picked up the lone Bills sack.

Sunday, September 30, 2007: Bills 17, Jets 14
This was the starting debut of Trent Edwards. With the Bills holding a slim 10-7 lead halfway through the fourth quarter, Dick Jauron shows lots of faith in his young QB by going for it on a fourth and one. Jauron's faith was rewarded when Edwards hit Michael Gaines in the end zone for some much-needed insurance points. Less then four minutes later, Leon Washington crossed the goal line for the Jets to pull the Jets to within three points, but the Bills' defense would hold on for the win.

Sunday, November 2, 2008: Jets 26, Bills 17
After Jay Feely hit a field goal for the Jets, the Bills came back with a Derek Fine touchdown pass from Edwards to make it 7-3. It was all downhill from there. Feely hit two more field goals and Abram Elam's 92-yard pick six put the game away for the Jets. The Bills rushed for only 30 yards, and Kris Jenkins singlehandedly shut down the Bills' running game. Jabari Greer added a 42-yard pick six to make it look a little more respectable.

Book Review: SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK: A Fully Caffeinated Guide to Everything Your Ever Wanted to Know About the NFL

John B — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:05:54 -0000

For most NFL fans, Peter King's column on SI.com is a must read every Monday and Tuesday morning. Few writers take fans inside the NFL like King. He has a new book out, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK: A Fully Caffeinated Guide to Everything Your Ever Wanted to Know About the NFL, which compiles his greatest columns for one great read.

No matter what team you are a fan of, this book offers great insight into how the league operates. In one story, King follows Chris Canty's agent last year during his free agent saga. This story illuminates how wild and unpredictable free agency can be. You can take the concepts learned in that tale, and wild free agent pursuits like say Bart Scott make a lot more sense.

There's a story about Peyton Manning's rehab from a knee problem last year. Manning's story shows us how hard guys like say Curtis Martin work to overcome injuries and the valuable preparation time rehab costs them even when they are suiting up.

King's breakdown of the 2004 Draft quarterback scramble makes you think things could not have been much different in 2009 when the Jets moved up for Mark Sanchez.

Like his column, some might argue there is too much emphasis put on his personal life in the book, namely his daughters in their high school sports, but also like his column, there is so much good information in there you can easily forgive him.

There are some other interesting thoughts King inserts like moving our most bitter rival, Miami, out of the AFC East. Tough to get where he's coming from on that one, especially when he says Dallas should stay in the NFC East to preserve traditional rivalries. He also lists his top 100 players of today and all-time. I get the impression some Jets would move up if the list was taken right now like Darrelle Revis. At the end of the day, even if you disagree, King is well-informed and makes you think.

There's also a really great story on how King offered advice to Mike Tannenbaum on how to get in touch with Brett Favre right before the trade. Without that inside information, Tannenbaum might have never gotten through to Favre. I won't go any deeper because I want to help out the publishers who have been really nice to me. You need to get the book to find out.

I promise you'll understand how the league works behind the scenes a lot better than you did before reading it. I recommend it.

Jets vs Dolphins – Rivalry Redux

Xander Diaz — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:30:19 -0000

More photos » by Lynne Sladky - AP

2 months ago: Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown (23) runs for a touchdown during the first quarter against the New York Jets during an NFL football game in Miami, Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Browse more photos »

The newest chapter in the Jets – Dolphins rivalry began with another spectacular Monday Night Football game. The Miami Dolphins edged out the New York Jets 31-27, in a game that featured 2 ties and 6 lead changes. A disappointing end to an exciting game for Jets fans.

The loss got me to thinking about some of the great games I’ve seen these two teams play over the years and I decided to put together my list of the most memorable games played between these rival AFC teams.

January 23, 1983 – 1982 AFC Championship game – aka the ‘Mud Bowl’
During the strike- shortened 1982 season, the Dolphins swept the regular season series. The two teams would meet again in the 1982 AFC Championship game, a trip to Super Bowl XVII at stake. This game was marked by a rather strange incident. The tarp was left off the field of the Orange Bowl during a marathon rainstorm leading up to the game. This resulted in a mud covered field which helped keep both teams scoreless in the first half. This game would feature ten turnovers, eight of them on quarterback interceptions. Three of those interceptions came from the star of the game, Dolphins linebacker A.J. Duhe who would nab three of Jets quarterback Richard Todd’s five interceptions of the day. Duhe cemented the 14–0 win, sending the Dolphins to Super Bowl XVII, when he returned one 35 yards for a touchdown.

November 10, 1985 – The "Super" Duper Game
Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino was down to the Jets 17-14 with less than a minute to play when he fired a 50 yard touchdown pass to Mark "Super" Duper, winning the game, 21–17. Duper had been sidelined for seven weeks with a broken leg leading up to this game, coming back to have the game of his life against the Jets. He set a Dolphins club single game record with 217 receiving yards in helping Miami secure the win.

September 21st, 1986 – The Shootout
On this day Jets quarterback Ken O’Brien and Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino would each give legendary performances. The two quarterbacks would combine to set 2 NFL single game records. O’Brien and Marino would combine for a whopping 884 net passing yards and ten passing touchdowns. Records that still stand to this day. Dan Marino completed 30 of 50 for 448 yards and six touchdown passes. Ken O’Brien would throw for 479 yards and four touchdowns. Memorable moments include a Ken O’Brien td pass to wide receiver Wesley Walker with no time left on the clock to force overtime and his game clincher in overtime for the win, 51-45. To this day, this is the highest scoring game between the teams (96 total points).

November 27, 1994 – The Fake Spike Game
With first place in the division on the line, the Jets would outplay the Dolphins for three quarters and hold a 24-6 lead. The score cut to 24-21, Marino and the Dolphins would drive to within the Jets’ five-yard line. With thirty seconds left on a live clock, Marino took the snap from center, motioned as if he was going to spike the ball and instead fired the ball past Aaron Glenn and into the corner of the end zone where Mark Ingram waited. The touchdown gave the Dolphins a 28-24 victory and the division. The Jets went into a spiral after that play, losing all of their remaining games. This game marked the beginning of a dark down-ward spiral for the Jets that would last until the end of the 1996 season. The Jets would compile an embarrassing record of 4-33 during this period.

December 13, 1998 – Remember Chad Cascadden?
Both teams were 9-4 and the division lead, and possibly the division title, was the line. Going into the final minutes of the game, the Jets led 14-10 when a Marino fumble was picked up by Jets linebacker Chad Cascadden, who returned it for a touchdown putting the Jets ahead 21-10 with less than two minutes on the clock. The Jets would win 21-16, going on to win their first post-merger division title the following week at Buffalo.

October 23, 2000 – The Monday Night Miracle
Both teams started the 2000 season 5-1 when they met on Monday Night Football to determine control of the AFC East. What should have been an exciting match, turned into a three quarter drubbing by the Dolphins. The Dolphins held a leadthat grew to 30-7 at the end of the third quarter. Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw three picks and running back Curtis Martin was held to 30 yards rushing. In fact, the Jets would manage only two first downs in the entire first half. The game was so one-sided that Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler was heard on the sidelines telling defensive end Jason Taylor, "They ain’t coming back on us!" to which Taylor replied, "Hell no! You kidding? C’mon now." Those words would come back to haunt the Dolphins in short order. Testaverde would hit wide receivers Laveranues Coles and Jermaine Wiggins for td’s, cutting the lead to 30-20. A John Hall field goal later, Testaverde hits Wayne Chrebet in the end zone to tie the game 30-30 with 3:55 left. Almost crushing the revitalized hopes of the Jets, Fiedler would respond by tossing a long touchdown pass to Leslie Shepherd retaking the lead 37-30. The Jets would re-tie the game with 42 seconds left, when Testaverde hit offensive tackle Jumbo Elliott with a three yard touchdown strike, sending the contest into overtime. Elliott famously bobbled the ball as he fell in the endzone. The Jets would eventually win on a John Hall 40-yard field goal in overtime. The key to this game was the Jets fourth quarter performance. After managing only 5 first downs in the first three quarters, Testaverde completed 18 of 26 for 235 yards and four touchdowns, converting twenty first downs. This game came to be known as ‘The Monday Night Miracle’ and was selected by fans as the greatest game in the history of the Monday Night Football television series, when Monday Night Football celebrated its 500th telecast. The game also set the mark as the largest comeback from a fourth quarter deficit in NFL history.

Xander Diaz is Editor-In-Chief at AFCBeast.com

A Tribute to Edgerrin James

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:41:34 -0000

Edgerrin James will always be a Colt. Image: www.azcentral.com

View full size photo »

Edgerrin James is a Hall of Fame running back.

There. I said it.

Don't believe me? OK, before you call me names and say I'm biased for all past, present, and future Colts greats, look at the numbers.

12, 164 rushing yards - 80 rushing TDs - career rushing average of 4.1 a carry - 430 receptions - 3,345 receiving yards - 11 receiving TDs

He is currently ranked #11 all-time on the career rushing list. Very soon, he will pass Marcus Allen for #10 all-time. Marcus Allen is in the Hall of Fame, and it took him 15 seasons to rush for 12,243 yards. Edgerrin James has rushed for 12,164 yards in 11 seasons.

Edgerrin is ahead of Franco Harris (Hall of Famer), Thurman Thomas (Hall of Famer), John Riggins (Hall of Famer), and O.J. Simpson (Hall of Famer) on the all-time list.

By the time this 2009 season is over, it is very likely that Edgerrin James will pass Marshall Faulk, Jim Brown, and Tony Dorsett, ranking him 7th overall. In the top ten rushers of all time, currently only three backs (Curtis Martin, ranked #4; Jerome Bettis, ranked #5; Faulk, ranked #9) are not in the Hall of Fame. Faulk is Hall of Fame eilligible in 2011, Martin in 2012, and Bettis in 2013. All are locks to get in on the first ballot. If not, well then sorry, but the Hall of Fame would become a sham and not reflect what it was intended to honor: True football greatness.

Factoring all that information in, and it is pretty much a lock that Edgerrin James will have his bust enshrined in Canton. Not bad for for a kid who grew up in modest Immokalee, Florida.

In the lead-up to this Sunday's game between the Seahawks and the Colts, we are seeing many articles about the "Return of Edgerrin James" to Indianapolis, and rightly so. Edgerrin James is one of the greatest running backs this league has ever seen. But more than that, Edgerrin James will always be a Colt, and we Colts fans will always treat him as one of our own.

The best of the "Return of Edge" articles comes, not surprisingly, from Mike Chappell, who profiles Edgerrin, the family man. Since the tragic death of Edgerrin's longtime girlfriend, Andia Denise Wilson (mother to his four children), the man they call "Edge" has made it a point to adopt one of the key principles often emphasized by Edge's former coach in Indianapolis, Tony Dungy: Family first, then football.

Edge's family live some 3,000 miles away from his home stadium in Seattle, but as Mike Chappell makes clear, Edge does not let mileage interfere with his primary job as a dad:

"I'm on the phone with them nonstop," James said during a phone interview from Seattle ahead of Sunday's visit to Lucas Oil Stadium to face his former team. "We have a sweet setup at the house. I know they're well taken care of.
"I'm going to be hands on. I don't want to blow it as a parent."

The article goes on to quote current Colts running backs coach Gene Huey, who was Edge's position coach from 1999-2005.

"He follows the beat of his own drum, which is a good beat.
"He's done it the right way, on and off the field."

Edge's accomplishments as a player and as a father rank him as one of the true "great" players we have in this league. I'll admit that for us bloggers, it is hard to accept "good people" at face value, mainly because we spend so much time making fun of the Randy Moss-like players this league has often placed front and center. As fans, we focus on highlight plays, loud behavior, and and the celebration of idol worship. For all the claims that Terrell Owens is an individual, or that Chad Ochocinco (Johnson) is unique, both of them have the personalities of slugs when compared to Edgerrin James.

Edge is the ultimate individual in this league, and unlike many, many other players, he does not crave the attention many of these fools go out of their way to get.

When Owens raises four kids by himself, call me. Then, you can call him "unique." When Ochocinco becomes as selfless and team-oriented as Edge has been all throughout his career, call me. Then, you can call him "special."

There is nothing special or unique about attention-grabbing douchebags like Owens and Ochocinco. Dime a dozen, any street corner. Edgerrin James is the kind of person and player everyone in the league should look up to. There are not many like him.

Isn't that the very definition of "unique."

Edgerrin James celebrates after the 2008 NFC Championship Game

Image:nbcsportsmedia4.msnbc.com

Often forgotten when discussing Edge is his before-mentioned selflessness. John Oehser offers a peak into Edge, the mentor. Following the 2005 season, the Colts chose not to re-sign Edgerrin James. He went on to sign with the Arizona Cardinals, one in a series of moves that transformed the perennial losing franchise into a contender. The story was one of the first stories I ever blogged about here (yep, I'm old now, thank you for reminding me).

Edgerrin was replaced in Indy by a rookie first round pick in 2006: Joseph Addai. Unlike former-Colts running back Marshall Faulk, a brooding malcontent who seemed to resent the Colts for trading him in 1999 and replacing him with a then-rookie first rounder named Edgerrin James, one of the best mentors Addai had while he transitioned from college life to the pros was the man he replaced: Edge.

One reason for the [Colts'] affectionate attitude toward James was the class and honesty with with James carried himself off the field, and it was that side of James Addai said he saw shortly upon being selected by the Colts in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft.
This was a little more than two months following James' departure, and Addai said James immediately took a mentoring role on the field and off.

"That speaks a lot about him," Addai said. "I still talk to him to this day. Having somebody like him who had been doing it well -- that means a lot."

Addai said he and James talked multiple times after he was drafted, then the two spent time together the following February as the Colts prepared to play the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI in James' native South Florida.

Addai recalls James saying during that time:

"Joe, if you're going to make a decision, run it across me first."

"Just little stuff like that -- not always about football . . . life," Addai said. "You have someone you can always go to -- it's good."

Edge's mentoring of players who would one day replace him did not stop with Addai. Around the middle part of last season, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt benched Edgerrin James in favor of rookie running back Tim Hightower. Following the promotion, Hightower rushed for 109 yards on 22 attempts, including a 30 yard TD run, in a victory over the St. Louis Rams. After the game, Hightower took the game ball, attached a personal note to it, and presented it to Edgerrin James.

Why did Hightower do this for a man he just replaced?

"He deserves it," Hightower said. "He's done so much for me."

Despite being benched, Edge did not sulk or brood on the sidelines, creating a distraction that undermined the team, like Joe Montana often did with the 49ers and Steve Young, or Terrell Owens has done with every team he has played for. Instead, Edge took Hightower under his wing, taught him how to run better with the ball, protecting his body and the football from bone-jarring hits. More importantly, when asked by reporters about Hightower replacing him, Edge did what Edge always does; he spoke the truth about Hightower's abilities:

"I'm not surprised," James said. "I don't fit the 'yes-man' mold. . . . They can sit me down for the rest of the year. I'll still come and go to work.
"I'm happy for Tim. I'm supportive of Tim. I knew he was going to have a big day. But this was personal."

Edgerrin James, dragging defenders

Image: abritishman.files.wordpress.com

Later on in the 2008 season, Whisenhunt changed his mind again after several poor performances by the team. He sat Hightower and once again started Edgerrin James. The result was a memorable push through the 2008 post-season, culminating in an appearance in Super Bowl 43. Edgerrin James was the starting running back for the Cardinals in that game. In the first half, James' running and receiving helped keep Cardinal drives alive... until Kurt Warner threw a game-killing INT on the goal-line prior to halftime.

Following the Super Bowl, it seemed obvious Edgerrin wanted out of Arizona. Despite getting benched, tutoring Hightower, getting un-benched, and helping lead the Cardinals to the Super Bowl, the front office felt Edge wasn't worth keeping around. Yet, despite everyone and their mother knowing that the Cardinals did not want Edge, they held onto him until after the 2009 NFL Draft. All throughout this process, Edge was dealing with Andia's illness, which took her life nine days before the Cardinals finally released him.

Way to keep it classy, Cardinals.

Arizona drafted Edge's replacement, another first round pick: Beanie Wells out of Ohio State. However, unlike Addai or Hightower, Wells does not seem to be benefiting from his status as Edge's replacement. Wells has rushed for only 73 yards in three game, and has fumbled the ball twice.

Now, Edge has signed with the Seahawks, and following Indy's 31-10 smashing of the Cardinals last Sunday night, he took the time to text his old friend Reggie Wayne about the game:

"Way to go get em for me buddy.''

This Sunday, Edge will return to his second home. He won't be in the friendly confines of the old RCA Dome. That building is gone, along with the blue face guards that once adorned Colts helmets the year Edge was drafted. Also gone is Tony Dungy, his friend and life mentor. But, Peyton Manning is still there. So is Reggie, Dwight Freeney, Gene Huey, Jeff Saturday, and Ryan Diem. Some players, like Freddy Keiaho, Donald Brown, and Pierre Garcon, have near played on the Colts with Edge. That's how long he has been gone. But while the new stadium may seem foreign to Edge, the people in the stands will most certainly look familiar. And while written tributes and profiles like this are nice, the best gratitude any Colts fan can give ole Edge is this:

When Edge gets the ball, we should cheer for him.

Obviously, we don't want our team to lose. But, rarely (if ever) does the opposing team's player get cheered when he performs on the field. This Sunday, we should change that.

This Sunday, cheer for this man please

Image: seattletimes.nwsource.com

This Sunday... hell, any Sunday... it is a-okay to cheer for the Hall off Fame lock that is Edgerrin James, no matter what uniform he wears.

Go Edge!

Go Colts!

New England Patriots' Vince Wilfork - one class act

MaPatsFan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:42:30 -0000

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

I mean...DANG! That's impressive for a big man.

Browse more photos »

Vince Wilfork can be many things. To opposing offensive linemen, he's a nightmare; at 325 pounds and with five years under his belt, he's prime, Grade A nose tackle material. To rival fans, he's a cheapshot artist of the highest order; just ask any Bills fan and they'll tell ya.

But, to me, he's one classy guy. In the midst of a protracted contract negotiation, Vince has kept his wits about him and is focused on the task at hand, namely football:

"While I’m here, I’m going to pay my dues. I signed a six-year deal and I’m going to play my six years. Some people chose a different route. That’s not me.

"I’m doing what I can do to better myself. Whether I’m here or not here, I’m playing football. By me sitting out, what would that prove? Don’t prove nothing to me."

This is EXACTLY the kind of thing I like hearing. Nothing ticks me off more than some prima donna wanting to negotiate his contract, and then pulling whiney baby stunts to make his point. Good for you, you played well. THATS...YOUR...JOB!! If you played poorly, is it ok for the organization to renegotiate your contract down? Wait, I'll give you time to answer...BZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTT!!! I thought not.

Instead, Vince does the classy thing and does his job, honoring the contract he signed, even though he's significantly underpaid:

Yet Wilfork’s $2.2 million salary is $3.25 million below the average of the top 10 defensive tackles in the league and $3.858 million below the top five. Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton will earn $5.177 million this year for not playing as well, or probably as often, as Wilfork, who has missed only three games in five years and none in the last two.

Now, part of me wants to call up Kraft and rip him a new one, but I've given up on that, especially after the restraining order. Seriously, what the heck is he thinking:

Why the Patriots continue to low ball (or these days no ball, according to people familiar with the negotiations) Wilfork, only they understand, but they made the same mistake with Curtis Martin, Asante Samuel [stats], Adam Vinatieri, Deion Branch and nearly with Richard Seymour [stats], who, like Branch, stayed home until he was fairly compensated. Now they are perilously close to walking the same road again.

Again, Vince doesn't want to sit; he's got too much class for that. You know, a guy who actually thinks about his teammates vs. himself:

"Otherwise, I’m on the field (ticked) off at everybody and now my teammates can’t trust me to do what I have to do. I would not put my teammates in that predicament. They know what they can get out of me and they know what they will get out of me."

On the other side of the coin, bidness is bidness. Part of the reason the Patriots are more successful than any other franchise in the past decade is that mindset. Don't like it? There's the door. I'm sure some other team would be happy to pay you. Before you go, take a walk through "The Hall at Patriot Place" and pay careful attention to this picture:

via www.patriot-place.com

Good luck, sayonara. Don't get me wrong; I think Wilfork is dealing in good faith. The LEAST the organization could do is to throw him a bone, start a dialogue. But that doesn't appear to be happening. Which leads me to my next question: Do you think the organization is correct in their stance? Should they stick with the Patriot Way no matter who it is, or should they bend a little for Vince?

Life would be weird without the big man. I'm not sure I want to think about it.

Chiefs CB Maurice Leggett on Training Camp, Attitude and Clancy Pendergast

Chris Thorman — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:56:15 -0000

Kansas City Chiefs' Maurice Leggett (31) runs for a touchdown after a botched play by the Raiders' Shane Lechler (9), right, in the first half of the Week 13 contest (via SacBee.com).

View full size photo »

Second year cornerback and the 2008 Kansas City Chiefs Mack Lee Hill award winner Maurice Leggett was on the Red Zone podcast yesterday. Nice job by Soren Petro during the interview. He may be the only local sports talk radio guy whose opinion I trust.

After the jump, I took some notes and put them in my words. Maurice touches on OTAs, the new look 3-4 defense and going up against veteran wideout Bobby Engram in practice.

What do you think about OTAs? Which is worse, OTAs or training camp?

OTAs are worse. Nothing to look forward too, like games. In training camp, you're preparation is completely different. You're preparing for real games.

How much more difficult is training camp than OTAs?

It's not much more difficult. More practices and more meeting times. Training camp is all about football. OTAs you still have to deal with your personal life.

How different is last year from this year? Is it like starting over?

Yeah, I feel like everyone is starting out as rookies, as far as learning your plays on the defensive side. You just have to go out there and do what you've done your whole life.

How is the attitude different from last year?

We're more uptight. We have something to prove. We don't want to be the run over team.

You felt like you were the run over team last year?

We have each other's back now if we make a mistake. We trust each other more.

Do you look back on your rookie year and see all of the things you could have done differently?

The more reps you get, the more it comes to you. Some of that stuff is in the back of your mind and the coaching staff helps bring it to the front.

How much more difficult is the conditioning of the OTAs?

It's tougher but it's more mental. Haley wants to see who is mentally tough. I'm focusing on 2% better each and everyday.

I'm assuming training camp is going to be tougher?

The two a days, the mental aspect is there to see how tough you are mentally. Physically, it's on each player and how hard you work. You have to be smart about how physical you are.

How about Todd Haley's approach?

It's nothing new to me. Last year was more of a shock to me. Some guys get used to the yelling. Me personally, I think he's hard because he wants to see where you head is.

What about Clancy Pendergast?

Cuttthroat guy. Making sure we're fundamentally sound. No matter what we do right or wrong, he tries to coach us and make us perfect on each and every play.

Are you guys watching any Arizona game tape to help prepare?

We're watching ourselves on tape because that's the best way to learn. He shows us what we're doing wrong and what we're doing right.

How much of a difference is the 3-4 for you as a corner?

We can see the field a lot more. You never know what to expect out of a 3-4 defense. We're looking to be a top 5 defense. You never know what to expect from Clancy.

What are the offensive guys saying about the defense, since you practice against them?

They ask us what defense we're in. Honestly, we try not to give it away.

Is there a good offensive/defensive rivalry?

We're competing, trying to make everyone better. We're teaching each other, based on where we've been.

Any wideout you like going up against?

Feels good to against a vet like Bobby Engram. And I'm just trying to make Dwayne Bowe the best he can be.

Does Bobby help you, tell you what you can do better?

We do that after practice, off the field or on the phone. "You should play it like that."

What's your evaluation of Matt Cassel?

Do not try to bait him. If you bait him long enough, he's going to take you.

On winning the Mack Lee Hill award for the Chiefs best rookie...

It was quite an experience. Being around big name guys like Tony and Dwayne is great. I was just trying to do my best.

How much of a shock was it when Tony Gonzalez was traded?

I had a steel face. I was like, "Wow, this is a business. Guys move on." I learned a lot from that guy.

Toughest wide out you faced last year?

Brandon Marshall. His size and speed is what made him so good.

Better play for you last year - the fake field goal fumble recovery or the pick six against the Broncos?

The fumble recovery. It was my first touchdown.

Who was your favorite player growing up?

Emmitt Smith and Curtis Martin. I played running back until I got to college.

Are you going miss River Falls?

I have mixed feelings.

Check out more podcasts from the Red Zone here.

The Valley Ranch Review: Miles Austin Talk, Draft Nuggets

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:00:11 -0000

The Cowboys most legitimate deep threat at wide receiver, Miles Austin, will be in New York visiting the Jets this week. Their interest in him sounds serious.

The Star-Ledger's Dave Hutchinson says that the Jets may insert a "poison pill" clause into Austin's potential offer that could deter the Cowboys from matching it. This such clause helped the Jets force the Patriots away from their offer for running back Curtis Martin in '98.

Hutchinson says:

A "poison pill" is a clause inserted in an offer sheet to a restricted free agent that makes it almost impossible for a team to match the offer.

And in regards to how the Jets used it in the past:

That clause was a provision in which Martin could become an unrestricted free agent the following season if the Patriots matched the offer, allowing him to leave New England without the Patriots receiving a dime. Also, the deal included a $3.3 million roster bonus that would've wrecked the Patriots' salary cap.

With the imminent resigning of Demarcus Ware, the Cowboys' salary cap may need as much saving as possible.

Josh Ellis examines the Miles Austin situation.

As for Austin, here's what he said to the DMN.

"This is where I started," Austin said. "There's a connection to Dallas obviously. You also want to be somewhere they want you, and I think [the Cowboys] do."

Gang Green Nation's take on why the Jets invited Austin provides insight into the potential the team may see in the wide receiver.

13-3 rocked in '07, but last year's debacle was unexpected. What should we expect of the Cowboys for this upcoming season? BTB's Carl Shelton discusses that question in year three of the Wade Phillips' regime.

Keeping up on draft news , Todd Archer checks out how Texas Tech guard, Louis Vasquez, can fit with the Cowboys.

Northern Illinois defensive end, Larry English, will visit Big D next week.

Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee wants to be a Dallas Cowboy.

"It's a huge deal for me," McGee said. "Next week will be a pretty big week for me getting to to Oakland, then Dallas and Denver. I've got a pretty full week, but that Dallas visit will be huge for me because growing up here in Texas I had Troy Aikman and so forth on my wall for a long time now. I'm so excited to be one of the guys to go on the visit and if I have the opportunity to play in Dallas I know that I would be thrilled and honored."

T.O. makes his appearance as a Bill.

Rumors about Chad Johnson coming to the Eagles have hit SB Nation. Check out what Bleeding Green Nation has to say.