Hey everyone....I can smell the holiday weekend, how about you? Hopefully I can get through this column without too many mentions of lawsuits, concussions and/or Giants injuries. Seriously though, why are the Giants cursed with the injury bug lately? Last season was one big infirmary, but it's not like we care now. But it's easy to think of how well we will do in 2012 with health, a strong playoff run and another ring--until Hakeem breaks his foot. And Brian Witherspoon blows out his knee--again. I guess we can only hope these are freak things and won't be the norm.
Remember a few weeks ago when former Giant Mark Collins said in our Where Are They Now series how he felt the NFL was a few rules short of becoming the Pro Bowl? Turns out former Steeler Greg Lloyd agrees. Here is what he said in an interview recently: "This is not PBS; it's not the public channel that you go watch. It's the National Football League; it's a violent freaking game." Well, yeah. And they are paid well to play it. But the commish has to walk a fine line between making the game "soft" and at times unwatchable, and all of the lawsuits with the potential of making the game disappear.
Well, there it is. I mentioned this ugly bit of the NFL again. What else is happening?
Well, if you're looking for Jon Kitna these days, he's teaching math in Tacoma. Apparently that's what Kitna always envisioned for himself--teaching math at his alma mater. But he wound up playing quarterback in the NFL pretty well for several years. But the best part of the article is when Kitna talks to a kid who is doing his weight-training sessions after class, and the kid is a ripped 135 pounds.
This "Fuel Up to Play 360" program is having legs. Here is an article about a kid in Wisconsin who was chosen as one of the "ambassadors" of the program, where he will educate other kids about healthy habits. And here is a story about some Broncos cheerleaders and the team mascot talking to some elementary school kids. You read that correctly. When asked about the difference between having Tim Tebow as the team QB and now having Peyton Manning, one cheerleader replied, "Tim Tebow was a very exciting quarterback and did a great job for the team last year, but he'll do very well wherever he goes. We're all very excited that Peyton Manning will be with us this year and we feel confident he'll be a great asset to the team this year." When asked the same question, the mascot replied, "Are you kidding me, skippy? He's Peyton Freaking Manning!"
Speaking of Manning, one of his former tight ends, Ben Utecht is an aspiring musician who also spoke recently about memory loss. Dang, there it is again.
So Jerry Jones thinks the window for the Cowboys to win another title is closing. Wow, there are so many things I want to say about that, but sometimes when you have a blank canvas, you can't think of anything. So please, fellas, insert your jokes in the comments section below.Referee Ron Winter was appointed to the governor of Michigan's council on physical fitness. Really, Ron Winter? I think about guys like Ed Hochuli being in a role like that, not Winter. But good for him.
Plaxico Burress, remember that guy? He's having trouble landing a job these days. I wonder if he would make a good math teacher. Or maybe he could teach a concealed-aaaaaaaahhhhhh.......whew, that was close.
Kyle Williams thinks the botched plays in the NFC title game provide him with extra motivation now. Those botched plays provided Giants fans with something else extra--the chance to see Steve Weatherford exclaim "We're going to the bleeping Super Bowl!" (GIF please, Fester?)
Did Charlie Sheen buy Lawrence Taylor's Super Bowl ring last week? Wow, the jokes write themselves here too.
I know it's grilling season, but for some reason I have Frito Pie on my mind.
Many of you know I work in the music business. Today I received a press release for country artist Kip Moore about his current single reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country chart. The song is called "Somethin' 'Bout a Truck." No, I did not make that up, and I guess we have stereotypes for a reason.
Have a great holiday weekend everyone--and be safe if you're traveling or just driving.