The Brothers Johnson Need More Money

The brothers Johnson are in a no win scenario. Their performance on the field clearly indicates they are underpaid but ownership wants them to honor their ridiculous contracts. In a sport where every play can be career ending you have to evaluate a players worth differently. Andre Johnson is arguably the best receiver in football yet Brandon Marshall, Larry Fitzgerald, and Roddy White earn twice as much money a season. Chris Johnson is a freak of nature and hands down the most explosive player in the league. He is one of only 6 players in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season but Maurice Jone-Drew makes 3 times as much money. Most people would argue that the brothers Johnson are just being spoiled brats and should honor their contracts. No one put a gun to their heads and forced them to sign. In the real world that makes perfect sense but football is not the real world. You cannot apply the same logic. There is no apples to apples comparison. If you were making $50 an hour at your job and found out another company was paying $150 an hour to someone with less skills than you what would you do? You'd quit your present employer and offer your services to the company that pays more money. Football players don't have that luxury. Ownership can cut a player anytime they want but players can't leave and seek employment with another team. Ownership always has the upper hand. The only recourse is to hold out. It's the only thing that will get their attention. Good luck brothers.

Is McNabb A Little Bitch?

Clearly something's going on behind the scenes that I don't know about. A month ago (April 5) I wrote a blog detailing how Donovan McNabb would be a perfect fit in D.C. Now I'm not so sure. We've had another incident where a player has thrown Donovan under the bus without even thinking twice about it. This is a disturbing trend. Players don't talk sh*t about the quarterback. It's an unwritten rule that's been broken time after time with McNabb. Coach Tony D'Amato once said the quarterback is the top spot, the guy who everybody's looking at first, the leader of a team whose teammates will break their ribs and noses and necks for you cause they believe! Cause you make them believe! That's a quarterback. I'm starting to get the impression none of that applies to Donovan McNabb. When he's publicly criticized players never rush to his defense. They leave him twisting in the wind like clothes on a laundry line during a hurricane. Hugh Douglass, Rush Limbaugh, Terrell Owens, and now Desean Jackson has something to say? Desean Jackson still has similac on his breath yet he has no problem taking shots at a future hall of famer. Something's not right here. On the surface Donovan appears to be a model citizen, someone that's always positive, optimistic, supportive, and inspirational. Underneath the surface players don't respect him enough not to call him out. If Donovan doesn't fix this problem it doesn't matter where he goes. Once you lose the locker room it's over for you. Hopefully he hasn't lost the Redskin's before he even gets started. Stay tuned.

Pete Carroll: The Next Jimmy Johnson?

I was watching the NFL Network yesterday and they showcased the top collegiate NFL factories. #2 was the Miami Hurricanes and #1 was USC. I couldn't help but notice the parallels between Jimmy Johnson's leap to the pros and that of Pete Carroll. Jimmy stocked the Dallas roster with blue chip Hurricanes and turned the Cowboys into a power house within 5 years. I see Pete doing the same thing. He's already added Lendale White and Mike Williams and promised to get more out of Daryl Jackson. This formula can work. No one knows collegiate personnel better than Carroll right now and his perspective on talent will give the Seahawks and advantage in free agency. Watch out, the Seattle Trojans will be a force to be reckoned with in 3 years time.

If I Were A Pro Athlete Who Would I Be?

Certain positions in the world of sports fit my personality. I would excel at these positions given my mental make up and background. If I were a pro athlete here's who I'd be:

5. NBA 12th man. Great seats, summers off, and all the perks of being an NBA player without the wear and tear on my body.

4. NFL Back up QB. The real unsung leaders of a football team. A guy who knows all the plays and how to execute them. Has to be ready at a moments notice to step in and produce.

3. Professional golfer. Thursday through Sunday shift playing in the sunshine. I could potentially earn $50,000 a weekend.

2. MLB Closer. The terminator, the executioner, the undertaker, whatever you wanna call me is fine. When I enter the game it's the start of your ending. When I leave the game it's a quick interview, sign a couple autographs, and off to the limo.

1. Hockey goalie. The last line of defense. My cat quick reflexes and superior hand eye coordination would make me a hall of famer. Patrick Roy would be just another guy if I played.

Draft Day Observations

First off, I'm not a big fan of the new format. I don't see the benefit in dragging the draft out for 3 days. One 8 hour session is fine with me. The NBA can get away with a prime time draft because there's only 2 rounds and 5 minutes between picks. The NFL is an eternity. If it ain't broke don't fix it I always say. Here's the 5 most intriguing selections:

1. Seattle. The Hawks got 2 starters in offensive tackle Russell Okung and safety Earl Thomas. They avoided temptation when the Chiefs took Eric Berry with the 5th pick. All in all I can't see how they could have done any better.

2. Denver. Tim Tebow with the 25Th? There is no middle ground here. This was a feast or famine pick. The Broncos will begin experiencing hunger pains very soon. Tim Tebow is a great guy and a feel good story, but he is not a starting NFL quarterback.

3. Dallas. Way to go Jerry. After picking Dez Bryant you now have 3 prima donna receivers who all think they're the #1 go to guy. As The World Turns doesn't have this much drama.

Oakland. The surprise of the draft. Rolando McClain is a conservative solid pick which should pay dividends for years to come. Is Big Al feeling ok?

5. Detroit. They added Ndamukong Suh and Jahvid Best. Best first round of any team. Something tells me they won't be getting pushed around anymore. 8-8 next season. Playoffs?

There Is No Racism In The NFL

I may not like Roger Goodell, but I respect the hell out of him. I'm impressed the commish hasn't applied a double standard for quarterbacks and players not of color. If you mess up you get the book thrown at you no matter who you are. No one player is going to derail the money train that is the NFL. Enter Ben Roethlisberger. This 2 time Super Bowl champion armed with a $102,000,000 contract had the nerve to rape a girl while still under investigation for raping a different girl. Was he crazy? No, just confident the rules of entitlement for rich white quarterbacks applied to him and therefore he was untouchable. I would have agreed until yesterday. Instead Roger Goodell handed down a swift and ruthless punishment that has caused the downfall of one of the proudest franchises in professional sports. The Steelers will recover from a public relations standpoint, but they won't make the playoffs this year and possibly may trade their franchise quarterback to make a point. That's quite a price to pay for someones bad judgement. Notice has been served. Roger Goodell would suspend his mama if she acted up. Unless your name is Peyton or Eli you better watch yourself.