Good afternoon fellow Giants fans. It's time for some football fodder, or as has been the case lately, some doom and gloom. It's getting hard to see all these stories about head injuries and lawsuits, but it's a reality that even the NFL's PR people can't spin.
Okay, so I knew there was a problem and there were several former players threatening lawsuits against the NFL. But thousands of players? Yikes. That is bad, and scary not just for those players, but for the future of the game. This seems to be a common theme each week but these are the stories dominating the NFL news this off-season. And here is more, with talk about last year's labor dispute along with the lawsuits and how it's spelling doom.
And hey, we need refs, but we may have (gulp) scabs this season. Their words, not mine...but I always loved that word. Do you guys remember that players' strike in 1987? I have vague recollection of Lawrence Taylor crossing the picket line. And I remember thinking, who would call that guy a scab? Not me.
Hey, let's talk about some real football. Here is a story about second year Panthers' QB Cam Newton becoming a leader. Man, that dude is sick talented. I grabbed him at the end of both my fantasy drafts last year, and was richly rewarded, especially in the one league I started two QBs in and had him and Aaron Rodgers.
DeMaryius Thomas is giving his former Georgia Tech teammate and new Jets' receiver Stephen Hill some advice about adapting to the NFL game. No truth to the rumor that he gave Hill advice on how you have to adjust to Tim Tebow's erratic passing.
The Pro Bowl will play on, at least in 2013. I know you all were on the edge of your collective seat on that one.Did you guys know Kyle Orton was almost a Colt last season? Imagine how the course of NFL history would have changed (insert sarcastic font).
I don't know about you, but when I think of HBO's Hard Knocks, I don't think of the Miami Dolphins. But hey, they were getting close to having to find a CFL team.
Here is an interesting story about Joe Namath and Jim Brown bashing their former teams. I use the word "interesting" loosely though. Kind of funny how he mentions Tiki Barber too.
You want to see a contrast in aging wide receivers? 37-year old Donald Driver re-signed with the Packers after winning on Dancing with the Stars. Former Steelers' star Hines Ward will join the NBC Sunday night crew. And Terrell Owens was released by the Indoor Football League's Allen Wranglers after missing a children's hospital visit.
A draft lottery would surely be interesting. I don't think it'll ever happen, but it's interesting to consider.
Chris Christie is really pushing for legalized gambling. I'm pushing for the guy to consider the South Beach Diet. Seriously dude, I don't care about your political career, but you have a family and look like a giant Weeble. I also want to lead by example here, and I noticed after topping 180 pounds last week (I"m only 5'4") that I'd better do something. So I'm low-carbing it again. And as I said in my food blog earlier this week, that doesn't have to suck. You can have juicy steaks, cheese, nuts and all the green leafy vegetables you can handle (okay that last part is a drag). And you can create stuff like this.
If you are a fan of watching icebergs melt and flip over before your eyes, check this out. Or if you just need a reason to root for the Pro Bowl, consider this one--cheerleaders.
Have a great weekend, everyone!