Joe Kapp KO'd old enemy Angelo Mosca during the the recent CFL awards cereemony. Joe didn't play long in the NFL, but he led the Vikings to their first divisional title and later to their first SB appearance. Joe wasn't the greatest thrower by a long shot, but I alwayw admired his spirit and competitiveness. I thought he was one of the toughest football players ever, certainly the toughest QB. (When Joe had to scramble, he attacked tacklers by trying to run over them.) Anyway, I made a list of the toughest players I could remember and came up with fifty names. I stopped there. I then winnowed it down to my top ten. Here they are (in no particular ordeer, although I believe the first two names listed deserve the 1 and 2 spots:) Jack Youngblood (played with a brooken leg); Momk Edwards (played with two broken knee caps--legend has it;) Joe Kapp; Conrad Dobler; Darrell Greene; Johm Henry Johnson; LT; Emmitt Smith; John Riggins; John Henry Johnson; Dick Butkus; Jerome Bettis and Jim Taylor Okay, top eleven, with a preponderance of RBs I'm sure that some of you agree with some picks, but no one will agree with all. What do you think?

Don Chandler, kicker, punter.  In '65 roomed with another rookie, Sam Huff.  Huff, a small lineman (6' i"

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Shortly, we'll be moving from the midwest back to upstate NY.  We're thinking of becoming snow birds and will be in Fl during the second week in Sept..  We'll be looking for a residence to buy in or near Palm Beach County.  Maybe a stand alone, maybe a condo or town house, maybe a gated community, or even a +55 one.   Any thoughts, tips, recommendations, warnings  about housing, locations, neighborhoods, etc. will be greatly appreciated.  To avoid clutter on BBV, please send to g.cronin12@comcast.net 

If you want to see an old-fashioned brawl, watch these two go after each other for the fourth time tonight on Showtime.  Two of their previous three fights were voted Fight of the Year. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any fighter, now or in the past, who has been in more tough fights than Marquez  His fights with Pacquiao and Vasquez are classics.  Not recommended for those who don't like the sight of blood.

speech to giants D

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That is the conclusion drawn by NFLStatAnalyst.net, which rates the three guys in Eli' s draft class for passers in the last decade. It rates all other passers as well.  Lots of interesting conclusionsl.  For instance, behind Rivers at 2 and 3 are Brees and Romo. Four passers averaged more than a 65% completion rate,.  They were Chad Pennington, Peyton Manning, Curt Warner , and Matt Schaub.  Most sacked?  Who else but the New York Football Giants' own David Carr.

 

 

Out indefinitely.  Blackburn may be starting in his place.Blckburn's solid, dependable, slow, but physically, IMO, a step or two above AP.  Will he be able to call D signals?  Adequately, I should think.  He's been around for a while.  We'll be seeing more of the young guys for sure.  I guess Boley will start ar OLB?   I know a lot of BBVers wanted to see less of AP, but I don't think anyone wanted to see it happen this way.

 

An article in the current Bloomberg Mag. reports that because of the "Stadium Binge" the league is overburdened with debt from building new stadiums overloaded with luxury skyboxes.  With so many unsold tickets, the league is pushing for a new labor deal to lower  players' salaries.  The average price for a premier ticket is $226.  In'96, the NFL and team debt has jumped from $2 billion to $9 billion this year.    Ticket prices must come down. The owner's profits will be cut and the new pact will ease the loss.  Massive debt and reality could result, some speculate, in a 2011 season beginning and ending with an owners' lockout. 

An unsettling prospect, indeed, but I've heard far worse predictions,beginning with a recent assertion by a financial guru (outside the main stream, but frighteningly accurate with his forecasts to date) that our financial systerm is broken, the banks are zombies and the Anglo-American world is destined for third world status within fifteen-twenty years.

Carpe diem and enjoy what is sure to be a memorable game on Sunday.  

and see that I'll have hours of reading to catch up on all the analysis and chit chat re the draft.  Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Congrats cj on your new job with BBV.  You and a couple of other contributors (at least) have more than enough talent to start your own blogs.  Don't neglect your law school studies, cj.

My initial reactions to the draft:

1. Total surprise that we didn't trade some draft picks.  With these guys plus the undrafted FAs, training camp should be a warl.  My guess is tthat we'll see quite a few new faces on the '09 roster.  The team will be younger.  That's good.

2.  I'm very impressed by JR's choices and expect that a few years down the line. people will cite this year's draft as yet another example of his brilliance.  A couple of BBVers spun the scenario that JR would not trade up/trade for an WR but wait for their pick to land one in the first round.  Moreover, I think that every one of our first four picks received favorable mention from BBVers before the draft.  Congrats to all.

There's a great article on KG in the sports section of today's NY Times by a blogger named Glenn Warciski.  It's replete with stats for his whole career and contains lots of detail re last year's Giants season, including JR comments on that loss to the Iggles at the end of the year, 

I'm a computer illiterate, so I can't post it on BBV,but trust someone else will.  Warning to KG haters:  Warciski makes him look like the second coming of Lombardi.

There's another article on TO and why he'll bee a good addition to the team that picks him up.

However, did he ever make as poor a call as the one the Cards OC made on the play that resulted in an interception and a hundred yard return for a TD?  That was a predesigned play.  Okay, give the Steeler DC credit for faking the blitz, etc, making the interception possible, in that situation, why not a jump ball or fade to Fitz?  The OC ousmarted himself and that play was the difference in the game.   Any thoughts? 

Eastern Marches, what explains the failure of the universally acknowledged team with the largest number of great players, America's team no less, to fail for lo so many seasons now?  I

ts deluded legions of fans must know.  Its benefactor-of-criminals-and-malcontents owner must know.  Above all the legendary and all-omniscient John the Madden must know.   Cherish not to your breast as such lesser ones might their grievances, but in full display of your generous spirits share with  them the wisdom of your Secret  Knowlwedge.