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The five best stories
1. Where's Brett? Enough already. Either he plays or he doesn't. I don't want to hear how the Packers should've traded for Randy Moss or how "dishonest" executive VP and GM Ted Thompson was/is/will be. It's difficult to watch great athletes struggle with retirement, and if Favre wants to keep playing, let him play. Just make a move and put an end to this silliness.
2. Jeremy Shockey and the N.Y. Giants: This is a potential sink hole for the Super Bowl champs. They wanted to trade Shockey around the draft but didn't, and don't ask me why. Now they're living with a bona fide distraction, with Shockey allegedly getting in the face of GM Jerry Reese at the team's June minicamp. I know he's talented, but so is Ricky Williams. Why would you want him around? Stay tuned.
3. The never-ending migraine that is Chad Johnson: We write about this guy as if he's the second coming of Jerry Rice. Please. Johnson is a good receiver who has moments of greatness, but he requires too much maintenance. He doesn't need a coach; he needs a babysitter. He wanted out of Cincinnati, but the club refused to budge. So he threatened to boycott the season, and the Bengals said, "Be our guest." Ooops. Chad blinked. He showed up for minicamp. Advantage: Bengals.
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| The Vikings are showing faith in Tarvaris Jackson; it's time for him to reward them. (Getty Images) |
5. Can the Dallas Cowboys live up to runaway expectations? Every time the playoffs roll around, someone complains about the "disrespect" they get. Fine. So this year we're moving the clock forward by six months. The popular pick in the NFC is not the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants but the Dallas Cowboys. Talk about disrespect.
Why stop there? The Giants not only aren't favored to win the conference; they're not even favored to win the division. Dallas is, and it's because the Cowboys have all sorts of new toys, beginning with Adam Jones, Zach Thomas, Felix Jones, Mike Jenkins, you name it.
Great, but we have the same ol' problem here, which is winning a playoff game. The Cowboys haven't done it since 1996. Tony Romo and coach Wade Phillips haven't done it, period. And what happens if the road to January has potholes the Cowboys don't avoid? Then what? If I'm Wade Phillips I'm signing up for daily stress tests.
Five guys I want to track
Selvin Young, RB, Denver: Two reasons: 1) I want to see who succeeds Travis Henry, and 2) I want to see how he meets his goal of rushing for 2,000 ... not 1,000 ... yards.
Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco: Nothing comes easy for the former No. 1 pick, and why break that record now? He enters training camp fighting for the starter's job with Shaun Hill. Smith has the credentials; Hill has a 2-0 record from a year ago. Smith has the edge, if for no other reason than the 49ers have a substantial investment in him and because it's about time he does something.
Asante Samuel, CB, Philadelphia: The Eagles had a league-low 19 takeaways last year, including 11 interceptions. Samuel had six interceptions by himself and scored once -- or once more than the entire Eagles defense.
Rudi Johnson, RB, Cincinnati: It's all about running the ball now in Cincinnati. Marvin Lewis has seen how far he goes winding up Carson Palmer 40 times a game, and he needs a change. So he turns to Johnson, who plummeted to a career-low 2.9-yard per-carry average last year. So he was hurt. He better bounce back if the Bengals expect to be a factor in the AFC North.
Javon Walker, WR, Oakland: He's already beaten up, and we haven't made it to training camp. The Raiders invested a bundle in him, and I'm not sure why. Neither, apparently, is Denver.
Five guys on the verge of breakout years
Julius Jones, RB, Seattle: Because now he's not sharing carries with Marion Barber.
Steve Smith, WR, New York Giants: He was terrific down the stretch, and he'll be terrific again -- provided he avoids injuries.
Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami: If he stays healthy he's a Pro Bowl pick waiting to happen. All the guy has done is run for 100 yards in six of his past nine starts.
Jay Cutler, QB, Denver: I don't know where the quality receivers are, either. All I know is the last four quarterbacks under Mike Shanahan's direction (including Steve Young in San Francisco) lifted their performances in their third seasons in his offense.
Jonathan Vilma, LB, New Orleans: I can't believe the Jets gave up on him. I know about the knee injury and the scheme and all that. But if he's right -- and the Saints claim he is -- he's a monster in this defense.
Five guys I'm not so sure about
Adam Jones, CB, Dallas: He hasn't played in a year-and-a-half, for crying out loud.
Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco: In case you missed it, Frank, your new offensive coordinator loves to throw the football.
Rex Grossman, QB, Chicago: No truth to the rumor that every overpass on the Edens is named for the guy.
Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver: Yeah, he's a go-to receiver, if you want to go to the police blotter.
Kris Jenkins, DT, N.Y. Jets: Carolina must win now, yet it doesn't think enough of Jenkins to keep him? Something's not right.
Five rookies I can't wait to see
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| Matt Ryan is the perfect player to take over for Michael Vick. (Getty Images) |
Glenn Dorsey, DT, Kansas City: He fell to the fifth spot because some teams were nervous about his long-term health. Not Kansas City. The Chiefs had him rated their top pick and couldn't believe he dropped to them. Now they believe they have a bona-fide All-Pro.
Jerod Mayo, LB, New England: A year ago the Patriots' linebackers were older than the Old North Church, so there was a need for someone young, talented and promising. Meet that guy. Mayo is a perfect fit for the Pats, who traded down and still got their man. File this one under: The rich get richer.
Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore: He was the 18th pick, and I know a lot of people who think the Ravens could have gotten him at the same spot one round later. It doesn't matter. Baltimore has a conviction about him and believes he's their ticket back to the top. The Ravens aren't alone. "The guy will be a star," said one offensive coordinator I trust. "He's got a great arm and the kind of confidence you look for." Good. Baltimore has been waiting for years.
Matt Forte, RB, Chicago: Cedric Benson is gone, and good riddance. Now it's Forte who handles the Bears' rushing attack, and that should make Chicago fans a little, um, uncomfortable. Remember, Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton are your quarterbacks, so somebody has to produce yards. I don't know, but that sure seems like a lot of pressure to put on a rookie.
Five coaches I wouldn't trade places with
Wade Phillips, head coach, Dallas: There are more egos in his locker room than there is tumbleweed in Waco. Plus, the coach-in-waiting is sitting behind Phillips, calling the offensive plays. The Cowboys expect to make the playoffs, but they haven't won a postseason game since 1996 and Phillips hasn't won one, period. This, folks, is what you call a pressure cooker.
Mike Heimerdinger, offensive coordinator, Tennessee: Simple: He's supposed to make Vince Young look more like Steve Young. Good luck.
Ron Turner, offensive coordinator, Chicago: Let's see, your choices at quarterback are Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton. Your choices at running back are Forte, Adrian Peterson and Kevin Jones. Your choices at wide receiver are Mark Bradley and Marty Booker. Tell me: Where in the world do you find touchdowns?
Chan Gailey, offensive coordinator, Kansas City: The offensive line is a rehabilitation project. The quarterback is a question mark. And the star running back is coming off a serious injury. The Chiefs made a commitment the past few years to defense, and it shows. But their offense suffered as it grew old, ranking 31st overall last year and dead last in rushing. Getting these guys back to where they were a few years ago will take time.
Jim Zorn, head coach, Washington: Bad enough he has to succeed Joe Gibbs. But he has never been a head coach. Worse, he has never been more than a quarterbacks coach at the pro level. And it's not as if he's a kid. He's 55. Now he's running a team that's dissected daily in Washington. Patience, people, patience.
Five questions I want answered
1. How does Mike Holmgren operate as a lame duck?
2. How soon until we have a Kevin Kolb sighting?
3. Chad Pennington or Kellen Clemens?
4. Are the Cardinals better off with Kurt Warner as their starter?
5. Why in the world did the Chargers ever leave UCSD?
Five reasons to ignore gas prices and make the drive
1. Two words: Chargers girls.
2. You can shake hands with Jon Kitna. Guaranteed, you'll think a lot more of yourself after spending time with Mr. Positive.
3. Brett Favre sighting. You never know, Green Bay.
4. If you choke on lunch, Tony Gonzalez is there for the save.
5. You might meet Tony Dungy. Great coach. Greater person.
Five things I never get tired of
1. Running Pacific Beach. It's five miles from Crystal Pier to the jetty and back. Perfect.
2. Sitting down with Matt Hasselbeck. In his next life, this guy will work PR for the NFL. Wait a minute, he's already there.
3. Kicking around the 1970 Dartmouth-Yale game with Buffalo coach and former Eli star Dick Jauron. Talk about a different era. Dartmouth led the country in scoring defense and was the Lambert Trophy winner ... ahead of Penn State.
4. Oatmeal pancakes at the Encinitas Café. I took the Seahawks' Dave Pearson here last year, and he was sold. This time I'm ordering for Dave, only he won't be there. I know what I'm eating on the flight home.
5. Getting the lowdown on the Bills over dinner with my friend Rich Q. in Albany. The man knows his stuff, and he's always dead-on with the Bills.
Five things I'm going to try
1. Dinosaur Bar-B-Q, Rochester, N.Y. The original is in Syracuse, but this place is so highly touted by locals I figure I have to give it a shot. I'll have the Big Ass Pork Plate, please.
2. Dodging another discussion of LaDainian Tomlinson's AFC Championship Game exit and what it says about the guy. Are you kidding me? What does it say? It says he was too hurt to play, that's what. I can't believe anyone suggests he wimped out. Get a life. This is the best back in the business. He was hurt. He couldn't play. Get over it.
3. Cutting Randy Moss some slack. He was absolutely lights-out last season, and I'm not talking about his NFL-record 23 touchdown catches; I'm talking about his performance in front of reporters during the playoffs -- particularly the Super Bowl. Moss stayed long after coach Bill Belichick sulked out of his Super Bowl XLII postgame news conference, and he was thoughtful, cordial and informative.
4. Spending an hour in Wegman's in Ashburn, Va. It's less than a mile from the Redskins' facility, and it's the best thing to happen to grocery stores since Trader Joe's mixed iced tea and lemonade. I know you can find Wegman's in its Rochester birthplace, but I'm committed to Dinosaur Bar-B-Q, remember? One suggestion, guys: Do me a favor and start carrying Joe Tea. It's the holy grail of bottled tea.
5. Two nights at the Del Monte Lodge in Pittsford, N.Y. Absolutely the best stop on the tour. Please, Russ Brandon, promise you'll never move the Bills' camp.
Five things I'm going to miss
1. The lumberjack at Mel's on Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco. It's the high price of scratching the Bay Area from my itinerary.
2. Sitdowns with Mike Lombardi. He was/is one of the sharpest personnel people around. Don't ask me why he's out of the league. He knows talent and how to find it.
3. Talking with Brian Billick in his Best Western office in Westminster. They were supposed to be interviews, but they usually wound up as hour-long educational experiences -- with Brian and I solving the world's problems. People say Billick was arrogant. I don't know many guys in this business who aren't. But he had the ability to poke fun at himself, and I don't know many guys in this business who can.
4. Spending time with Tony Dungy and Bill Polian in Indianapolis. Dungy is the best interview anywhere. Kind. Thoughtful. Helpful. He's also a damned good coach. Maybe Polian isn't the world's best interview, but he's informative, knowledgeable and downright brilliant when it comes to talking personnel and the history of the game. This is the price I pay for skipping Terre Haute.
5. Watching Browns practice. I usually do it alongside general manager Phil Savage, and there aren't many GMs I respect more than Phil. He has done a remarkable job rebuilding this franchise, and I always learn something when I'm with him.
Five things I'm not going to miss
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| Eli Manning won't get as much criticism after winning the Super Bowl. (Getty Images) |
2. The rock-star following with Tom Brady. I love watching the guy play, too, but ever try to get near him? Good luck.
3. Warren Sapp's tirades.
4. Spygate. Yeah, it was a big deal, but it's over. Let's let Matt Walsh return to practicing his golf swing in Hawaii.
5. Suffering through night-after-night of listless efforts by the Yankees. I swear, for a guy who produces such big numbers, Alex Rodriguez is one of the game's worst clutch performers. Guaranteed, if there are runners on third and second and it's close he won't get the ball out of the infield. History will record his acquisition as the beginning of the decline and fall of the Yankees.
Five reasons other than football to go to training camp
The Coal Tower Restaurant, Pittsford, N.Y.: If I covered the Bills I would have a seat reserved daily. Breakfasts are sensational, the burger I had for lunch was cooked to order and the milkshakes are to die for. Plus, it's cheap, the people are friendly, it's alongside the Erie Canal and how many chances do you have to dine in an honest-to-God coal silo, anyway? I don't like this place; I worship it.
Evenings along the St. Croix River in Stillwater, Minn.: Stillwater is roughly 35-40 minutes from Chiefs camp, and there's plenty to like. The stores. The people. The ice cream. The river. Summer Tuesdays. The Freight House. I've never been to Plymouth, but this is my most livable place in Minnesota.
Five Guys Famous Burgers: You can find one near the Ravens' complex in Westminster or just outside the Redskins' facility. I'm trying Washington this year, and I'm loading up on the fries.
Driving from SFO to the Raiders' camp, Napa, Cal.: When you do it you wonder why anyone would live anywhere else. Do yourself a favor: Complete your trip with a meal at the Red Hen Cantina, just up the road from the Raiders.
The Noon Special at Pagliai's Pizza, Mankato, Minn.: Every year Bob Hagan, Tom West and I make a pit stop at Pagliai's, usually for lunch and always around noon. I've already put in for a pepperoni pizza, and keep coming with those iced teas. Here's the good news: The bill is little more than $5. Now the bad: The Vikings leave town in mid-August.