Were brothers Michael and Marcus both Vick-tims of difficult upbringings?

Last season Michael Vick became starting quarterback at the Philadelphia Eagles, propelling them to a 10-6 season, and, unfortunately, a one and done playoff surge. He showed poise and maturity, becoming a stand out leader in the NFL’s most explosive offence.

Vick was always destined for great things, and many believed the same could be said for his younger brother Marcus, also a quarterback starlet. Marcus never had the athleticism of Michael, but he made up for it by earning a reputation as a more accurate passer.

Unfortunately things turned out differently for the younger Vick. He struggled to put his fiery temperament aside and, off the back of a disastrous spell at the Miami Dolphins, where he played just one game before he was promptly dropped, his NFL career fizzled out when no other team were willing to take the risk with such a high maintenance player.

Both Marcus and Michael had widely publicised troubled pasts, with Michael sent to jail for operating an illegal dog fighting ring and Marcus most recently testing positive for drug use – just one of many incidents since a fall from grace in the NFL.

So why is it the two quarterbacks have had so many confrontations with the wrong side of the law? It appears to be a more common trait with the pros, so is it the money, or the fame?

Could a tough upbringing be a plausible excuse for both brothers? Both Michael and Marcus reportedly grew up in Ridley Circle, a public housing project in a financially depressed and crime ridden sector of the East Newport News, Virginia. Growing up in these surroundings could be one of the reasons that both Vick's aren't afraid to push for every yard.

Marcus has had a very difficult decade. Numerous infractions with the law led to the Virginia Tech quarterback becoming unceremoniously thrown off the team, the final straw coming in the 2006 Gator Bowl victory against Louisville. Elvis Dumervil will remember this game for all the wrong reasons, as Marcus demonstrated the highest level of unsportsmanlike conduct by stamping on the defensive ends calf – an incident that Elvis has claimed Marcus never apologised for.

Marcus has always shown a degree of arrogance. In response to being thrown off the Viriginia Tech team he proclaimed "It's not a big deal. I'll just move on to the next level, baby." Vick also then claimed that he was a better quarterback than both Jay Cutler and Matt Leinart.

Funnily enough Jamarcus Russell had a paralleled level of arrogance and he is now widely considered to be one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. Is this a classic case of players trying to run before they can walk?

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The Other Manning

He’s the one you don’t hear about so often. He’s the one without a Super Bowl ring. He’s the one that wasn’t a quarterback and he’s the one that never made it to the NFL.

Cooper Manning, the older brother of Peyton and Eli could have had a promising career in American football had it not been for an underlying nerve problem. A 6’4” tall wide receiver with passion and a will to win in his blood he could and should have been one of Ole’ Miss’s finest. Unfortunately the underlying nerve issue turned out to be Spinal Stenosis, a debilitating condition in which the spinal column narrows, causing pressure on the spinal cord. This nerve damage made it almost impossible for Cooper to compete in the game his whole family seemingly cherishes and without playing a single down for Ole Miss he was forced to quit the sport for good, a sad end for such a prospect.

Since then both his younger brothers have gone on to win Super Bowls, and also feature as the MVP for those games. Would this of all been possible without the inspiration of their older brother? Could Cooper have also been just as great?

I’ll leave that for discussion…

The best catch ever?

Just looking at some NFL action on YouTube and I managed to stumble across a bit of remarkable footage which I would question is one of the best catches I have ever seen. Noted it's not actually from the NFL but still impressive...

What are your most memorable catches within the NFL?

Akers over the hill, Henery on the horizon?

With the Eagles drafting a new kicker this year it could mean that David Akers's fruitful spell with the Eagles could be over.

Over Akers’s tenure spanning 12 seasons he has proved to be the surprise package for the team, scoring clutch field goals when depended upon and becoming one of the most consistent kickers in the league. Akers’s best statistical year came in his 4th year with the team when he successfully kicked a impressive 30 of 34 field goals, a percentage of 88.2%.

Akers’s has received five pro bowl selections and also holds the record for the most consecutive postseason field goal conversions. An extraordinary player, and a very charitable role model, it seems that in the light of most recent circumstances he might however not be returning with Philly. He is a free agent now, and the Eagles tagged him as their transition player this offseason, a move that Akers disagreed strongly with. The uncertainty surrounding Akers's contract is likely to be the motivation for picking a kicker in this season’s draft. Another factor might have been the underlying personal issues which led to a previously calm and collected kicker missing two vital field goals in last season’s playoff loss to eventual winners Green Bay Packers. We all know that even the most reliable kickers have been benched after missing key field goals.


So out with the old and in with the new. In Alex Henery, the Eagles get a fantastic player. The former Nebraska Cornhusker went 120th overall, and he is the highest kicker to be selected since the Patriots took Stephen Gostkowski two spots earlier than that in 2006, and the best part is that he is also a great punter.

Henery definitely has some big shoes to fill but looks like he is the right man for the job. In his four seasons with the Cornhuskers he missed just two attempts shorter than 50 yards. Does he have a long leg? Take a look at this kick and decide for yourself…

That was a 57-yard field goal winner against Colorado, already equalling Akers’s NFL best.

Is he a clutch kicker? Well, if scoring all the points against the Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship game is anything to go by, it would suggest that he is ready for the task in Philly.

I still very much doubt that Akers’s career is over, one hiccup shouldn’t cost you your whole career and I’m sure he will get a second chance. One man’s loss is, of course, another man’s gain. Some sources have already linked Akers with NFC East rival teams the Redskins and Cowboys. The Cowboys' current kicker David Buehler converted 24 of 32 (75%) field goals last season, and Akers, even at the age of 36, still made 32 of 38 (84%). The Redskins' Graham Gano made just 24 of his 35 attempts (69%), illustrating another cause for concern for the struggling franchise.

As one of the Eagles most prolific scorers, wherever Akers ends up I'm sure he will be greatly missed. But in Henery I hope the Eagles can find a talisman able to guide them into the new era.

Motor City madness: is the suggestion of Detroit making the postseason so far-fetched?

Just two seasons removed from an 0-16 record, are the Lions in with a shot of making the play-offs? The short answer is yes.

When Nick Fairley dropped out of the top ten in April’s NFL draft it was never going to be long before someone nabbed him. And when Lions fans saw him within their grasp as he slipped past the Texans and Vikings at 11 and 12 respectively, their eyes must have been watering with the sheer anticipation and giddiness of what the pick could mean.

Sure enough GM Martin Mayhew and coach Jim Schwartz selected the defensive tackle at 13, and suddenly coaches from around the league had their heads in their hands when the realisation of what the choice meant hit home. The Lions had teamed up Fairley alongside last year’s Pepsi NFL rookie of the year Ndamukong Suh (pictured right) to create a formidable wall which has every chance of dominating up-front for years to come.

Opposing offensive coordinators will need every ounce of their attacking nous if they are to run through that barricade. Suh and Fairley could be stuffing halfbacks for the next decade. Add to that an improving offense, which may become great if 2009 first overall pick Matthew Stafford can stay healthy, and it’s difficult to argue against them making a run at the play-offs.

There is one thing, however. The Lions are forced to share the NFC North with Super Bowl champions the Green Bay Packers. Ok, so this is less than ideal. Detroit are nowhere near the level of Mike McCarthy’s world beaters so they won’t touch the Packers for first spot. And yes, on paper, going up against two other teams who have reached the NFC Championship game in the past two seasons suggests their chances may be bleak. But the Vikings are the not the team they were in 2009 when they were buoyed by the resurgence of a battling Brett Favre.

After Brad Childress’ departure and the appointment of former defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Minnesota is in a rebuilding phase. They drafted quarterback Christian Ponder in the 2011 draft and have suggested they want the rookie to start from the outset. One thing is clear in this league: if you don’t have steady and experienced quarterback play, you won’t stand a chance.

Then there’s last year’s NFC Championship losers, and current NFC North champions, the Chicago Bears. At times last season Lovie Smith’s men looked unbeatable. In other games they were average. Despite having the experience of Jay Cutler leading Mike Martz’s offense, there’s something about the Bears which says they won’t be able to reproduce the form they showed last season in making it to the postseason. How accurate an assessment this is, only time will tell.

It’s clear the Lions need a lot to go right for them if they are to reach the postseason, and having the current lockout in place is just another hurdle this young group of players must overcome. But they appear to have the necessary pieces of the puzzle and, with a bit of luck, they may well be the surprise outsider to nick a wild-card berth alongside the Bucs in the NFC South.

Packers to repeat?

Last pre-season there were many analysts predicting the team with the best shot at Super Bowl glory was one of the NFL’s oldest and most decorated: the Green Bay Packers.

GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy had assembled a young, talented crop of developing talent – sourced mainly through the NFL draft, something Thompson believes in so admirably. Then came the injuries, the slip-ups against teams like the Redskins, Dolphins and Lions, and it suddenly dawned on the Packers faithful that the Wisconsin outfit might not even make the play-offs.

The hot team in the NFC were the Falcons, and the Patriots seemed unbeatable once again as they went on an eight-game winning streak in the AFC – one which would have been a 14-game run had they not suffered a surprising loss to the Browns in week 9. Suddenly nobody was talking about Green Bay as a legitimate Super Bowl candidate anymore: big mistake.

The Packers rallied behind their leader Aaron Rodgers late in the season. Having carried his team for most of the year, the quarterback who replaced Brett Favre at the helm was never going to let the two concussions he suffered keep him out for long. Despite a growing list of injuries to key players, Rodgers and McCarthy continued to defy the odds. It seemed that every time someone went down, McCarthy found a way to patch-up what appeared to be a sinking ship. Players such as undrafted rookie Sam Shields stepped up to the plate big time, and after a crushing win against the New York Giants in week 16 the Packers had their postseason destiny in their own hands. Only one team stood in the franchise’s way: arch rivals the Chicago Bears.

In what was a drab encounter Green Bay scrapped a 10-3 win at Lambeau Field and the rest, as they say, is history. Chicago’s loss came back to haunt them as they were outfoxed by Mike McCarthy’s team in the NFC Championship game. The Pack were on a roll, and after demolishing every team like a wrecking ball as they gathered momentum in the postseason, they went on to claim their fourth Super Bowl title, and as number six seeds nonetheless. The question is, can they repeat?

The last time a team won back-to-back NFL championships was six years ago, when the New England Patriots were victorious in Super Bowl XXXVIII and XXXIX. The 2010 champions, the New Orleans Saints, looked well-placed to do so in the eyes of many observers last season. But after a solid, yet unspectacular regular season, which saw them slip under the radar and into the play-offs hot on the heels of division rivals the Atlanta Falcons, Drew Brees and co. were unceremoniously dumped out of the postseason at the first hurdle. By a team who won the NFC West with a 7-9 record no less: the Seattle Seahawks.

The Packers have key players such as RB Ryan Grant and TE Jermichael Finley back from injury, and have once again added a strong group of rookies from the draft. Going by what the record books say, the smart money would be on a return to the play-offs, with the franchise falling just short of winning another Super Bowl ring. But then again, every time Green Bay has won a Super Bowl they have reached the big game the following year – winning one and losing the other. If McCarthy and co. can lead a team decimated by injuries and without a running game to speak of – at least until the arrival of James Starks in the postseason – to Super Bowl glory, then imagine what they could do with a fit and healthy roster.

And with Aaron Rodgers having finally stepped out of Favre’s shoes with a Super Bowl ring of his own, there is a real possibility this franchise could become a dynasty over the next decade – much like the Patriots team that dominated the early part of the last one, the 70’s Steelers and Green Bay themselves in the 60’s, when the franchise was coached by the legendary Vince Lombardi. If ever the franchise had a chance to recreate just a snippet of his success, surely this crop of players are the ones who could do it.

The benefits of Burress

Having served a twenty-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to weapons charges, Super bowl winning wide receiver Plaxico Burress is hoping for a second chance in NFL through this year’s free agency.

Recent speculation has produced numerous suitors for the ex-Giant receiver, and most recently he has been linked to the Philadelphia Eagles, an outcome that doesn’t seem so farfetched to most critics.

The Eagles have recently helped reform Michael Vick into a leader that people place their faith in. Vick has also had a troubled past with a prison sentence but has seemingly put his past behind him. Would Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg relish the opportunity to mould Burress into a superstar again?

Philly already have deep routes covered by DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin has proven that he is a premium go-to guy but the Eagles could use some assistance converting short third downs. Last season the Eagles relied heavily on Vick’s running game to get those crucial downs, but this method also puts the quarterback hugely at risk of injury.

At the end of last season the Eagles made a swoop for Sinorice Moss, brother of Washington Redskins Santana Moss. Moss had previously been picked up by the New York Giants but due to injuries his time at the Meadowlands was hardly a memorable one. Also added to the receiver equation is tightend Brent Celek and fullback Leonard Weaver, both who were used extensively in McNabb’s last season with Philadelphia. Adaptations to the offence could easily see them playing more roles again in short gains.

So could Burress also feature? It’s a tough choice. Vick would be the ideal mentor for an already reliable receiver who can produce big yards after the catch is made. Will Burress have the same tenacity and attitude to win? Only time will tell.

Kafka the lone ranger

Signs of a lack of unity were witnessed in the Philadelphia Eagles camp today during an organised training session. Due to the lockout many players from various teams have been scheduling training sessions and exercise drills to stay fit in the vent of the upcoming season. According to NFL.com the majority of training sessions had drawn between 6-12 players, but they had been led by Michael Vick. Vick however is now reportedly training with a personal coach and with Kolb returning to Texas, numbers have vastly dropped. The passing camp was attended by just two players today, back up quarterback Mike Kafka who might have a point to prove if Kolb leaves, and Jeremy Maclin. Does this show a lack of respect for the young quarterback already, and will he be able to lead the team effectively if Vick becomes injured? Most teams have already easily been generating at least three dozen players to training camps, so will this stall the start of the Eagles season?

One player that has been absent for most of the Eagles training camps is wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Instead DeSean has decided to keep active by training with his longterm coaches from the west coast.

Rams close to fitting missing pieces of the jigsaw – Part Two: Offense

Despite the obvious need to surround Bradford with weapons for his sophomore season, there were a lot of observers left with raised eyebrows when the Rams took TE Lance Kendricks from Wisconsin in the second round, and two very similar receivers in Austin Pettis out of Boise State and Greg Salas from Hawaii in rounds three and four.

Securing the services of the athletic Kendricks appeared odd to a lot of fans because of the decision to take two development TEs in Michael Hoomanawanui and Fendi Onobun in the 2010 draft.

However, considering new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels – previously head coach at the Denver Broncos and OC at the Patriots under Bill Belichick – likes to employ a spread offense with two TEs it is understandable why this decision was made. It also provides a nice comfort blanket for Bradford, in the form of a solid check-down option with good hands, and an equally useful blocker for Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson.

There was also frustration at the choice of two very similar receivers in Pettis and Salas – both of whom are big, strong receivers with solid hands and great route-running ability, but who lack the explosiveness and speed of a number one receiver.

However, it is important to point out that last season the Rams struggles were not in moving the ball down field, the problem was picking up six once they reached the red zone – something which Pettis, Salas and Kendricks will all help address because of their route-running ability. And it must also be stressed that an out-an-out no.1 receiver would not solve this weakness in the Rams’ offensive unit.

Adding three new weapons for former Heisman trophy winner Bradford has now given the team serious depth in their receiving corps – enhanced by the return from season-ending injuries of Donnie Avery, a speedster who was selected ahead of Eagles stand-out receiver DeSean Jackson in the 2008 draft, and veteran Mark Clayton, who gelled well with Bradford in the short time he was on the field after joining from the Ravens.


Although he will hit the free agency market when the lockout is over, Clayton has expressed a desire to return to St Louis, and the Rams will surely look to snap up his services sooner rather than later. Then there’s Missouri wide receiver Danario Alexander – a guy who was undrafted in 2010 but signed by the Rams after Clayton went down injured. He struggled to stay healthy all year – part of the reason why he ended up signing with St Louis as an undrafted free agent after putting together stellar collegiate numbers in 2008.

However, if he can stay healthy there is real hope from within the organisation that the glimpses he showed last season were just a snippet of his talents. If he can fight off competition during training camp and gets an extended run in the team then he is a legitimate candidate for the number one receiver spot for years to come.

With Clayton, Avery and Alexander looking like shoe-ins for three of the receiver spots on the roster, and Amendola developing nicely as a slot receiver last season – much in the mould of Wes Welker, it leaves two players part of last year’s team out in the cold. Assuming the Rams do not cut this year’s third and fourth round draft picks, it would seem that Brandon Gibson and Laurent Robinson will likely be the two receivers released.

Then there’s the running back dilemma. Steven Jackson has been outstanding, there is no question about that. Last year he became the Rams’ all time leading rusher, surpassing the previous record set by Eric Dickerson. But he has been asked to carry the team for the past seven seasons and now the rebuilding finally appears to be taking shape it is crucial the Rams sign a change-of-pace back to help share the load.

San Diego’s Darren Sproles has been mooted as a potential addition to the team, and would seemingly be a perfect complement to Jackson in a feared running back tandem. Similarly, the explosive nature of Reggie Bush, who was vocal about his displeasure in seeing the Saints draft Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in the first round last month, would turn the offense and special teams unit into an exciting and potentially devastating force.

The tackle spots on the offensive line seem set for years after Saffold, a second round pick in 2010, had a breakout year protecting Sam Bradford’s blindside and former number two pick Jason Smith finally found his feet on the right. With one of the most consistent and reliable center’s in Jason Brown bolstering the line the only real upgrades needed appear to be at the guard positions.

Veterans Adam Goldberg and Jacob Bell do not appear to be long term solutions for the Rams. Both struggled badly towards the end of last season, failing to create the necessary holes and running lanes for SJ to burst through. John Greco showed glimpses of potential but failed to remain healthy on a consistent basis. That means it is imperative the Rams pick up at least one guard in free agency and another in the later rounds of the 2012 NFL draft.

The only other area of need which many believe can be addressed in the free agency market is an out-and-out number one receiver. Having discussed the various options the Rams already have at this position it doesn’t appear to be that much of a glaring need. One thing is for sure, coach Spags believes above all else in playing for the team and having players with strong characters to be a part of it. It wouldn’t make much sense going out and grabbing Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens or Randy Moss because they’re likely to upset the apple cart and do more harm than good.

That leaves the only other option being Sidney Rice who may well hit the market from the Vikings. But despite having clear potential, as was demonstrated when he put together such impressive numbers with Brett Favre at the helm in 2009, Rice was hampered by injuries last season. And he wouldn’t come cheap either. The Vikings are likely to want at least a first-round pick for someone who has been a focal point of their offense – and that’s if they let him go at all. This move seems like a stretch for the Rams, and again one which seems unlikely when considering how coach Spags has built his team up till now.
The smart money says Spagnuolo sticks with what he already has and lets Josh McDaniels work his magic. And judging by the new offensive coordinator’s previous record, there is a distinct possibility he could ignite the passing game, while balancing it off with the consistent and devastating threat posed by the evergreen Steven Jackson.

The Blind Side

I guess I never revealed what a Blind Side actually is. For some people it might make a lot of sense, others who have seen the film starring Sandra Bullock about Michael Oher might have an understanding. But to others new to the game of American football I thought I would clarify what a Blind Side or to be Blind Sided actually means.

The Blind Side actually is the area outside the quarterback's vision. This is supposedly the most dangerous place for a quarterback to receive a tackle or a sack from a defender because he never has the opportunity to see the pressure coming.

Specific players on the offensive line are used to protect this side for the quarterback and it is the position the Baltimore Raven's Michael Oher plays.

Anyway I hope explains the term the Blind Side.

Olympic Tickets

Well as I'm sure most of you are aware, the London 2012 Olympic Games are coming around fast. I'm very excited myself as I think it will be a great opportunity to see exciting sports that you rarely get the opportunity to see. I'm not so sure about this ticket bidding however. Some friends and I recently placed our interest in some tickets, going for the most abstract sports as well as the athletics of course. I chose Taekwondo, purely because I thought it would be an interesting spectacle (my friends didn't agree however).

Unfortunately today was the last day that the money for the tickets would of been taken out of bank accounts and seeing as nothing has happened in m accounts, I'm assuming I was unsuccessful. Disappointingly just one out of my six friends managed to secure tickets.

As a result I will be watching table tennis in the summer of 2012 cheering on the British players. In all honesty I know nothing about table tennis and our chances of success but I guess I have to be grateful that I have obtained some tickets at least where others might not of been so fortunate.

What is the NFL Draft?

The NFL Draft is an annual process where the best players in college American football are selected by NFL teams. It is used effectively because it ensures that all the teams are even, ensuring competitive balance.

The draft consists of seven rounds, in which the 32 NFL teams take it in turns to select the top players. The team with the worst record from the previous season goes first and the order is based on how each club performed the previous year.

Most recently in the 2011 NFL Draft the Carolina Panthers selected first overall because they had the worst record in the league in 2010. It then continues all the way down to the Super Bowl champion’s Green Bay Packers, who will pick 32nd and last in the opening round.

The most interesting part of course comes when teams trade up the list to select better players. This can be done by making deals with other teams offering picks, sometimes even for future drafts.

The draft takes place at Radio City Music Hall in New York every year in April. Each team has 10 minutes to select a player in the first round, a sum which is reduced to 7 minutes in the second, and 5 minutes in the remaining rounds. If no player has been selected by the team on the clock, the next team below has the opportunity to effectively jump in.

Most of the time it is widely considered that the first round picks are the best players, but this is not always the case. Some gems have been found in the lower rounds, including New England Patriots Super bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady, picked round 6!