NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.
It does not seem plausible to add Michael Vick to your football team. It seems like a personal relations nightmare. None the less, both the Vikes and Niners are thinking that Vick would be a good addition.

You remember that Vick was sent to prison for running a dog fighting gambling ring on his property and that just about destroyed the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons made a tremendous comeback this year with rookie Matt Ryan from Boston College playing quarterback. The Falcons owner, Mr. Blank, has stated the Michael would not become a Falcon again. Still Vick is under contract and teams cannot communicate with him at this time. To be sure, though, the Falcons will be getting rid of him at some time.

There might be questions about Vick’s sharpness and conditioning because he hasn’t played since 2006, but he’s a proven winner who led the Falcons to an NFC Championship game and has been to three Pro Bowls. The dynamic athlete has the NFL single-season record for yards rushing by a quarterback with 1,039 in 2006, and is third all-time. He also has passed for 11,505 yards in six seasons, with 71 touchdowns and 52 interceptions.

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The 49er’s coach, Mike Singletary, hinted that Vick would play in the NFL and why not on his team. That had to be a confidence booster for Shaun Hill.

Vikings coach Brad Childress played it a little closer to the vest by refusing to comment on anything Michael Vick oriented, but did admit that Tarvaris Jackson needed some competition. In NFL lingo that means he is not yet good enough.

Photo source Newscom

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NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.
It is getting a little more intense.

First Ricky Williams tells us he has to try to stay off the pot and then Travis Henry gets busted.

Federal agents arrested Henry on Tuesday after he attempted to buy five kilograms of cocaine from a drug courier who had been caught several weeks earlier near Billings, Mont., court documents say.

The courier had agreed to cooperate with the Drug Enforcement Administration. The courier told DEA agents that Henry was the “money guy” in a Denver-based drug operation, according to an arrest affidavit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Denver.

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Travis Henry - check out his ankle. what is in that ankle brace? hmm

Hey, don’t pro football players make millions? Is this guy hooked or what?

“Henry and Mack then started cooking the cocaine to test the quality,” the affidavit says. “After they ‘rocked’ up the cocaine and saw that it was good quality, Henry and Mack packaged up all six kilograms of cocaine in a duffle bag.”

If convicted of the charge, Henry, who was released from the Broncos in early June, would face a minimum 10-year prison sentence.

Now if they get Ricky, you have a prison backfield of Ricky Williams and Travis Henry with Michael Vick at quarterback.

You don’t think Al Davis is scouting the prison team, do you?

Photo source Newscom

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NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

The new face of the Atlanta Falcons, Matt Ryan

Image details: 2008 NFL PLAYERS Rookie Premiere Photo Shoot served by picapp.com

One day Matt Ryan is playing my Michigan State Spartans in a bowl game and the next day Matt is inking a contract with the Atlanta Falcons.

The name “Michael Vick” was conspicuously absent.

Atlanta is owned by Arthur Blank, an owner that desperately wants to move on, as they say. It is time to forget the Michael Vick era. What better way than to draft a new quarterback, to give the team a new face, and to get him signed and in uniform quick.

Matt Ryan, the No. 3 pick in last month’s draft, signed a $72 million, six-year contract Tuesday. The announcement of the new deal came with smiles, confident talk of the future and no mention of Michael Vick, the first pick in 2001 who signed a $130 million extension, the richest in the league at the time, in December 2005.

Team owner Arthur Blank and the Falcons were especially eager to sign Ryan, avoid a holdout and help the franchise move away from the Vick era with new general manager Thomas Dimitroff, new coach Mike Smith and now a new quarterback.

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It is always dicey taking a quarterback with one of the top picks. Ask my Detroit Lions and Joey Harrington. It does not always work out.

Darren McFadden

To make it even more risky, Atlanta passed on Darren McFadden, more of a sure thing at running back and most likely soon to be one of the league’s stars. You can bet there will be some criticism of the Falcons if Matt Ryan comes out of the gate slowly while Darren McFadden gets off to the races. Matt may face some struggles with the lack of offensive weapons on the Falcons and an anemic offensive line, so expect some criticism.

Matt Ryan guarantee

The Falcons are putting all Read more

NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

Michael Vick is vilified everywhere

Image details: Michael Vick Sentenced in Federal Court served by picapp.com

What could possibly happen next to Michael Vick?

Will he get benched by his prison team for erratic passing?

Will the guard dogs start hearing rumors of his past life and threaten him?

Now we find out Michael Vick is being held responsible for a defaulted loan.

A federal judge ordered imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick to repay more than $2.4 million to a Canadian bank for defaulting on a loan.

The Royal Bank of Canada sued Vick in September, arguing his guilty plea to a federal dog fighting charge—and the resulting impact on his career— prevented him from repaying the loan.

According to the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Newport News, the loan’s terms specify that any employment change negatively impacting Vick’s income constitutes a default on the loan.

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You remember the Atlanta Falcons and owner Arthur Blank went after Michael Vick’s bonus money that was paid to him from 2004 to 2007 to the tune of 20 million bucks. Lucky for Vick a Fed Judge let him keep all but 3.75 million.

There is also another lawsuit for 1.08 million Read more

NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

New York Giants drive the old Carr home

Still traveling around the league is David Carr.

Now by good fortune he arrives at the doorstep of Eli Manning and the New York Giants.

Come in, they say. It is a lot nicer here than where you have been. We will take care of you.

David is tired and decides that is an excellent idea.

“I have a lot of calluses,” Carr said. “I’m like an old carpenter I’ve been through it. If you let that stuff affect you, you’re not going to be able to do your job. One of the reasons I’m excited about coming here is they protect the quarterback well and they have playmakers on the outside.”

Taken first by Houston in the 2002 draft, Carr’s career has faltered in recent seasons. He was released by the Texans after the 2006 season and signed a two-year, $6 million deal last year with the Carolina Panthers. source

Last year, David Carr was beat out by Vinny Testeverde, all 44 years of him. Ouch!

What promise David Carr had at one time coming out of Fresno State the same year as another huge failure, Joey Harrington.

David did put up some cool stats during his time.

Carr had career-high totals of 54 passes and 39 completions in Giants Stadium against the Jets on Nov. 26, 2006. He tied the NFL single-game record with 22 consecutive completions vs. Buffalo on Nov. 19. 2006. Carr has passed for more than 300 yards four times, including a career-high 372 against Minnesota on Oct. 10, 2004. He has directed 11 career game-winning drives in which the decisive points were scored in the fourth quarter or overtime, including one last Oct. 7 in New Orleans

Joey Harrington

Oh, and that other QB, Joey Harrington? He somehow resigned with the team that let him go, Atlanta. You know how those QB relationships are. Very hard to break.

The Atlanta Falcons re-signed Joey Harrington on Wednesday, one week after cutting the six-year veteran quarterback.

General manager Thomas Dimitroff, who also has re-signed Chris Redman to a two-year deal, has said the team will take a quarterback in next month’s NFL draft.

The 29-year-old Harrington started 10 games last season, but he returns as a probable backup—the role he would have played before Michael Vick’s legal troubles.

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So a bright year for QB’s turned out a couple of career backups. Makes you think twice about wasting a high draft pick doesn’t it.

NFL Football Fan Question In what round should your quarterback be drafted?

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NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

Byron Leftwich never got untracked in Atlanta

Atlanta is taking a deep breath and now exhaling.

There, that felt better, but something is different.

Oh geez, look, the whole stinking team is gone.

It started with Michael Vick and the dogs and then the team went to the dogs.

They hire and lost Bobby Petrino at coach so fast, you hardly knew he was there.

Now the player losses mount as they clean house and prepare to rebuild.

The Atlanta Falcons released four-time Pro Bowl tight end Alge Crumpler and six other players Friday in the first step of a major rebuilding job in the post-Michael Vick era.

The Falcons also cut quarterback Byron Leftwich, defensive tackle Rod Coleman, offensive tackle Wayne Gandy, cornerback Lewis Sanders, wide receiver Jamin Elliott and linebacker Marcus Wilkins. source

Alge Crumpler was often a favorite target of Michael Vick. Vick could somehow throw the short pass to big Alge consistently. It led to a lot of Atlanta’s minor air success with Vick at QB. (Squibster Note: Alge Crumpler was on my Fantasy Football team at that time)

Without Vick and putting in new coach Bobby Petrino’s system, Alge fell out of favor eventually ending up with a hurt knee. Now he is just a money liability.

None contributed more than Crumpler, one of the team’s most respected players and a leader in the locker room. He twice led the Falcons in receptions and had a streak of four straight Pro Bowl appearances from 2003-06.

But Crumpler was plagued by knee problems this past season and dropped off to 44 receptions. Also, he counted $5.1 million against the salary cap for 2008, money the Falcons felt could be better spent elsewhere.

Byron Leftwich

At the QB position, there is Read more

NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

You want Pete Carroll over me?

You know what you are thinking. Why would he do it?

It is USC, man. Land of the babes and surf and football. It does not get any better.

Even a bad year has you mentioned in the running for a National Championship at some point.

The money is good. The sun is good.

Why do it?

Maybe we need a little background here.

Carroll has experience in the NFL as a head coach and as an assistant in addition to his tremendous success at USC.

Carroll, 56, was 6-10 in as coach of the New York Jets in 1994. He was 28-23 with a division title and two playoff appearances as coach of the New England Patriots from 1997-99. source

OK, Pete did the NFL Coaching thing and he left for the Valhalla of College football.

Still, why return?

Here is the kicker.

Atlanta, also currently looking for a general manager, might be willing to offer Carroll control of player personnel decisions. That could be enough enticement for Carroll to talk with Blank or other team officials.

Hmm, not only money, but power, too. And no long recruiting cycle. Heck, no recruiting period.

Tony Soprano

Three other coaches have already been interviewed; Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and Read more

NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

The return of the Squibster. Now the good and the bad. The good is that my most excellent boss and coworkers filled in quite nicely and that is most appreciated.

The bad is the Squibster is diagnosed with Cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. Fear not, they say the cancer is one that is curable, so let us move forward with our dreams of football!

Oh boy, and you thought you had a bad Monday.

Try this one out.

The Falcons awoke to news of their disgraced quarterback being sentenced to nearly two years in prison for dogfighting.

The day never got any better.

With Reggie Bush watching from the sideline, Drew Brees passed for 328 yards and three touchdowns as the New Orleans Saints bounced back from a devastating loss with a 34-14 rout of Atlanta on Monday night. source

The only fun part of this game, since it was so one-sided, was the banter between the announcers. In particular, was he examination by Young and Jaws about the spread offense and Michael Vick.

Young maintained that with the speedy corners in the pro game and the speedy linebackers in the pro game that the spread could not work. Jaws agreed.

Then Young went on about wanting Read more

NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

Be sure to check out my companion blog at NBA Obsessed.

Plaxico Burress, another one of Michigan States great NFL receivers

The Cleveland Indians win over the Boston Red Sox and there was a Monday Night Football game. On a night of playoff baseball, the Monday Night game was a dud.

That was kind of the feeling during the game.

You had Peyton Manning’s little brother playing against the perennial losing Vick-less Falcons.

The game started out as a battle, but then quickly degraded as the Falcons were unable to mount any sort of offense with Joey Harrington suffering with inaccuracy, the receivers dropping a lot of passes, and the line protection breaking down.

It was an easy victory for the Giants 31 - 10 over the Atlanta Falcons.

The game was just too easy to be the Monday Night game. Although a little bit of NFL and Giant history was set in this game. Read more

NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

Be sure to check out my companion blog at NBA Obsessed.

Peyton says the bar has been raised

Why does it seem like there are a handful of great quarterbacks and a large bunch of mediocre quarterbacks?

Ok, great ones.

Tom Brady, no doubt. Accurate as all get out. Rarely leaves the pocket.

Peyton Manning, no doubt. Quick reads. Strong and accurate. Makes big plays.

Brett Favre, some doubt, because he is getting older and has to carry around the NFL record book.

Michael Vick, wait a minute, the NFL wanted him to be great, but he had other ideas.

We thought maybe Marc Bulger or Drew Brees after last year, but it is just not working out that way.

Carson, Donovan, Philip Rivers, Vince Young? Read more