Richie Fender: Sports News and Opinions

Jets Drama "Favre" From Over

2009-01-01T15:02:00.034-05:00

Who's tired of the Brett Favre drama? I thought that maybe a new team would mean a new revived life for the aging quarterback. He's looking more like college basketball player, one and done.

All the Green Bay haters were furious when they heard that the Packers were done with the Favre drama and shipped Brett to New York. Let's all face it, Brett is not a city boy and that's apparent. He's a country boy, no doubt and there's nothing wrong with that. Who can blame Brett? New York is a tough sports city. Compared, Green Bay has a population of roughly 101,203 citizens while New York bolsters an outrageous population of 8,274,527.

So was the Favre move the right thing at the beginning of the season? Who knows. You get different answers depending on who you ask. One thing was for sure though, Brett would stir up more drama at the end of this season and he's proved everyone right.

ESPN also reported that an anonymous veteran Jets player described Favre as a "distant" teammate when at the Jets' practice facility, spent his down time away from teammates in an office specially designated just for him. This source also commented, "There was a lot of resentment in the room about him. He never socialized with us, never went to dinner with anyone."

We've all been led to believe that the NEW York Jets were built to win now. In August, they traded for Favre and spent $140 million on additional personnel moves. The Jets soared to a 8-3 start while knocking off New England and then unbeaten Tennessee, then watched everything unravel.

Jets MVP running back, Thomas Jones, recently blasted Favre's final game performance while suggesting the QB's play called for his benching. Favre threw nine interceptions and only two touchdown passes in the final five games of the season.

Jones commented, "If somebody is not playing well, they need to come out of the game." Pulling a quarterback during a game is always a tough decision. Just ask Andy Reid with the Eagles. His stunt actually paid off since McNabb turned his play around and squeaked his team into the playoffs.

Who saw Favre's season ending news conference? Favre commented with concern, "Obviously I have to pay attention to how I'm feeling. I'm 39 years old." Of course, coming back depends on his shoulder which he should make sure he's physically capable. Not having to undergo a serious operation may upgrade his chances of returning in 2009. Favre only needs simple arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn bicep in his throwing arm which is causing him pain.

It seems that Favre may wait for the Jets to hire a replacement for former head coach Eric Mangini before making an official announcement. Could getting a new coach really help Brett stay? At this point, it couldn't hurt. It should be interesting to see if he comes back for the right reasons.

2008 NFL Season Statistics: Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers Comparison

Favre Total Passing TD's: 22
Rodgers Total Passing TD's: 28

Favre Total Passing Yards: 3,472
Rodgers Total Passing Yards: 4,038

Favre Avg Passing Yards/Game: 217.0
Rodgers Avg Passing Yards/Game: 252.4

Favre Total Interceptions: 22
Rodgers Total Interceptions: 13

Favre Total Pass Completions: 343
Rodgers Total Pass Completions: 341

Favre Pass Completion Percentage: 65.7
Rodgers Pass Completion Percentage: 63.6

Favre Avg Yards/Completion: 6.7
Rodgers Avg Yards/Completion: 7.5

Favre QB Rating: 81.0
Rodgers QB Rating: 93.8

Favre Total Rushing Yards: 43
Rodgers Total Rushing Yards: 207

Favre Total Rushing TD's: 1
Rodgers Total Rushing TD's: 4

After a year of stats, games, and fan enthusiasm, the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets are in the same position. They both will be watching the NFL playoffs from the comfort of home.

My solution: Brett needs to give up the New York scheme and retire. The Green Bay Packers however need to sign him to a one day, one dollar contract to allow Brett to retire a Packer. This achieves a couple of things. First it shows that the Packers have let go of the past and prove they want Favre to retire a Packer. Then it also shows that Brett is doing it for the love of Green Bay, not the money.

This is one last attempt to mend fences between the two and the fans. Maybe then we can all put this whole thing behind us and move towards the future, not thinking what could have been.

John Kasay Kicks Carolina to NFC South Championship

2008-12-29T12:09:00.007-05:00

The Cardiac Cats were in full force against the New Orleans Saints at the Super Dome. John Kasay came through in the end with a field goal that would give Carolin the NFC South Division title and a first round bye. This would also give the Panthers a playoff game on their home field, where they were the only team in the NFL to remain unbeaten.

FUN FACT: The Carolina Panthers receive their third division title in franchise history and first since 2003 when they advanced to Super Bowl XXXVIII.

John Kasay commented, “You guys dubbed us the Cardiac Cats a few years ago, right? Well, I think you can pull out the old hats and t-shirts and get ready for the ride. By God's grace, this one went in. Any time you don't capitalize by scoring points on offense, it can quickly bite you. They're not easy. None of them are."

DeAngelo Williams commented on John Kasay's greatness, “We knew they weren’t going to fold their tent and that we had to come out and keep fighting. John Kasay is the Ice Man and did a great job for us tonight.”

FUN FACT: The Panthers' 12 wins ties a franchise record set in 1996 (also 12-4).
The first quarter was all John Kasay. His leg was getting a workout with a 45 yard and a 26 yard field goal to score the only points of the quarter.

The second quarter was a little more competitive with a Saints, Garrett Hartley 21-yard field goal. Not to be out kicked John Kasay added another 34-yard field goal. Then Carolina added two touchdowns with a Muhsin Muhammad eight yard pass and a Dante Wesley 12-yard kick off fumble return for a touchdown. After a controversial reversal call, the Saints, Marques Colston nabbed a 26-yard TD pass to make the game 23-10 Carolina at the half.

I'm sure all who watched the game are still trying to figure out how officials overturned the catch and fumble by Saints receiver Marques Colston near the end of the first half.

I'm still scratching my head after watching Colston clearly catch the ball, get two feet down, and make a "football" move up the field. Colston then clearly had the ball knocked out of his hand before he went down which was without a doubt recovered by Carolina. Another call that proves the officials need to get back in school during the off season.

This was a huge play because the Panthers were up 23-3. I believe this interception would have put the Saints away for good. Maybe the officials wanted a close game? This official decision which was then ruled an incompletion allowed New Orleans to score two plays later on a 26-yard touchdown reception from Drew Brees to cut Carolina’s lead to 13 at the half.

The third quarter was slow with Jonathan Stewart scoring the only points of the quarter with a two yard TD run.

The fourth quarter was when the game got interesting for Saints fans and scary for Panther fans. New Orleans scored three unanswered touchdowns, Robert Meachem seven yard TD reception, Lance Moore nine yard TD reception and another Lance Moore 13-yard TD reception.

Then the man of the hour was getting set to shine. John Kasay launched a 42-yard bullet to win the game 33-31 and secure the NFC South Division Title while ending up the only NFC South team to beat another NFC south in their home.

FUN FACT: DeAngelo Williams rushed for a total, 178 yards and broke the Panthers' single-season record for rush yards (1,515) and 100-yard games (8), both previously held by Stephen Davis in 2003. Williams also had 18 rushing touchdowns coming into this game which leads the NFL. DeAngelo Williams had the highest first half rushing yards by a running back this season (15 rushes, 143 yards)

FUN FACT: Jonathan Stewart rushed for a touchdown, giving the Panthers the fourth set of teammates in NFL history to have 10 rushing TDs in a single season.

Steve Smith responded to the victory, which Carolina needed to avoid going on the road in the first round of the playoffs. "It's a huge relief. If we lose this game, the cards would have been stacked against us."

Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said, “It feels great. This division is probably the toughest in football. I’ve never had a bye week before and believe me when I say we need a week off, both the offense and the defense. After a week off we have a home game. This is it. We’ll be down to eight teams and we are one of them. The future is right ahead of us now. When you have a player like Brees, you know he can chuck it. They have the firepower and the weapons to make it a game. So I never thought they were out of it."

Carolina head coach, John Fox said, “That all looks good on paper, but it’s what you do with that (No. 2) seed. It doesn’t matter who it is or where it is, whether you are the one seed or the sixth seed. Either way we knew we had a spot in the playoffs. I think the week off helps players and hopefully we get guys rested up and healed up. But again, unless you do something with it, that seed means nothing.”

FUN FACT: John Fox is 7-0 all time at the Saints.

FUN FACT: Drew Brees finished with 5,069 passing yards, this makes him the second quarterback in NFL history to pass for 5,000 yards in a season. However, he finished 15 yards shy of tying Dan Marino's single-season record set in 1984 (5,084). Marino's record is safe for another season.

I was watching this game with my wife and we both agreed that this was another ugly win. Don't get me wrong, it's great to win the division again and to secure a first round bye but the Panthers can't afford to let teams come back into the game and expect to win playoff games.

The Panthers were up 23-10 at the half. The first half was wonderful, Carolina was firing in all cylinders but it seemed to us they abandoned the run the second half. Maybe the were resting Williams, I don't know. The one thing I do know, the game should have NEVER been this close.

AIFA Economic Question Answered

2008-12-23T10:33:00.011-05:00

I listen to a weekly internet radio show about the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA).

This radio show is hosted by AIFA Director of Media Relations, Bill Hazen. What I love about this show is they go behind the scenes and allow their listeners watch the development of their league.

My wife and I have been to several Fayetteville Guard games which are affiliated with the AIFA. If you love indoor football, then you'll love this league.

I proposed a question to this league about the recent developments of sports economics. The question was answered by John Morris (CEO/Co-Owner, Business Operations), the interview takes place about 8:30 minutes into the show and last till about 22 minutes.

Click here to listen!

Giants Outlast Panthers in OT

2008-12-22T09:53:00.012-05:00

The Panthers are disappointed that the road to the Super Bowl will not be running through Charlotte, NC but instead will travel through East Rutherford, NJ. The Panthers did have some good new this weekend though as they secured a playoff birth when Dallas lost.

FUN FACT: With Tampa Bay’s loss to San Diego, the Panthers are the only NFL team with an unbeaten record at home (8-0).

Carolina can clinch the NFC South and the No. 2 seed in the NFC with a win at New Orleans next weekend. Despite the disappointing Pro Bowl snub, DeAngelo Williams responded by tying his own team record with four touchdown runs against the Giants to take the NFL lead in with 20 overall, including 18 on the ground.

FUN FACT: DeAngelo Williams has a Panthers' single-season record 20 touchdowns.

This battle was destined not to disappoint. In the first quarter the Giants scored first with a John Carney 32-yard field goal. Carolina responded with a 13-yard rush from DeAngelo Williams.

The second quarter was back and forth with a Giants two yard run from Brandon Jacobs. Carolina's DeAngelo Williams had a pair of TD runs for five yard and one yard respectively. New York's John Carney nailed a 35-yard field goal to inch closer before the half, 13-21.

The second half was a different story all together. It was very quiet in the third quarter with the only score coming from the Giant's four yard TD pass from Eli Manning to Kevin Boss.

There were only two touchdowns scored in the fourth quarter, one from each team. DeAngelo Williams 30-yard for Carolina and Brandon Jacobs for New York with a one yard rush. The difference making was Eli Manning's Two-Point Conversion Pass To Domenik Hixon to tie the game 28-28 sending it into overtime.

Overtime was a back and fourth battle resulting in the Giants Brandon Jacobs scoring a two yard rush to win the game 34-28.

FUN FACT: The Giants rushed for their most yards in a game since 1959. New York also wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

While I was watching the game, I noticed the big difference for Carolina in the second half was that Steve Smith was pretty much a non-factor, failing to register a catch. How can you not use one of your biggest weapons during such an important time. The running game was on but need more from Smith and the Panthers defense.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning commented, "It's great for our fans to be able to play here at Giants Stadium. You never know what the weather is going to be like here. We're used to playing in those cold and windy games and I would like to think we would have the advantage in some of those. I think it will be fun playing the games at home."

Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said it best for all Panthers fans, "Disappointing would be putting it mildly. The road to the Super Bowl goes through New York. We had a chance. We didn't get it done. We've got to back to work and get ready for New Orleans. Give them credit. They battled back and made the plays they had to. They beat us. That's why this game is so much fun. One is excited. The other is totally devastated. That would be us. I have a lot more anger and despair inside. That is why we play this game, to win. The highs are extremely high and the lows are extremely low.”

Jake Delhomme responded to the wind factor, "The second half was a lot different than the first half. I think the wind picked up tremendously in the second half. In the third quarter we ran some players where we were trying to take some shots down the field, and just the way that wind was blowing, it didn't give us too much of an opportunity. But they had to play in it too. If we are lucky enough to get back here that would be fantastic. That would mean things are going well. But we have to worry about going to New Orleans and clinching the division.”

Panthers Damione Lewis commented about the Panthers defensive performance, “We ended up giving up long plays on defense and allowing them to move down the field and get a touchdown and a two-point conversion. That's where it is on us as a defense. It’s very disappointing, but we’re still in the dance. We just might have to (get to the Super Bowl) a different way then we planned on doing. But sometimes things don’t work out the way you want them to but in the end the goal is the same. This was a heavyweight slug fest and they happened to get the best of us tonight.”

Carolina head coach John Fox replied in his post game press conference, "We're in the playoffs. That was a goal in the season. The team a year ago that won the Super Bowl (the Giants), it wasn't a number one seed. I don't think there's been a team that's won it in awhile (as the first seed). That would have been something. It was something that we had as a priority, but it just wasn't meant to be."

AFL Lost Season Good for Arena Football?

2008-12-17T14:28:00.015-05:00

I'm sure by now we've all heard about the lost 2009 season for the Arena Football League. In fact, the Cleveland Gladiators owner James Ferraro told The New York Times, "It's a historic day for the league. This league will be much, much stronger, and it will be here for a long time because of what happened. This is the farthest thing from the league folding. This is, in my opinion, just showing us the league will not fold. The league is developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model."

Originally founded in 1987, the AFL currently has 16 teams. There was a report that a number of AFL teams in large cities had said they would not return in 2009 which could include markets like Dallas, Philadelphia, Colorado, Georgia, Chicago and Cleveland.

This may allow other small market arena leagues to be more successful during their 2009 season. These league are located in smaller cities through out the U.S. and are normally cheaper to operate.

The arenafootball2 league (af2), American Indoor Football Association (AIFA), Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL), Indoor Football League (IFL), and Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) just to name a few.

Teams from these smaller leagues now have the opportunity to nab AFL players at discount prices. Like the Saginaw Sting coming off a CIFL championship, reported prospects of landing AFL players from the Grand Rapids Rampage. Trumbull also reported that, "The AFL's departure could mean more sponsorships or even television coverage for the Sting. You might end up seeing us on TV this year, who knows."

IFL officials, like Abilene Ruff Riders' Communications Director Dane Lisser, see the AFL cancellation as an opportunity. Lisser commented, "Part of the Arena Football League's problem, is there is too much money involved with arena football. With the way we're paying our players, we're going to be OK. There's not any cause for worry."

According to the Ruff Riders' Web site, their players make on average, $225 per game plus a $35 win bonus. Housing and other benefits are also factored in to total the average salary is in the $10,000 to $20,000 range for a four-month season. From other reports, this seems to be a goof average for other small arena leagues. The Wall Street Journal has reported, the AFL boasts an average salary of $85,000. Well, we can now see where the issue lays.

Lisser also commented, "There may be some trickle down of players from the higher-level arena league to leagues lower-level league such as the IFL. There are definite possibilities. This is a step down, but they can continue to play."

The IFL will play its inaugural season in 2009. This league was formed over the past summer by the merger of the Intense Football League and the United Indoor Football League. The new league includes 18 teams that were held over from the merged leagues, and IFL officials are expected to have more than 20 franchises by the time the season starts which is more that the AFL currently carries.

So I guess looking back, the lost season for the AFL springs new life in smaller leagues that can seed their brands in their communities. Score one for the little guy.

af2 Season, Not Affected by AFL Suspended Season

2008-12-16T15:04:00.002-05:00

Here's the offical response concerning the arenafootball2 season in the aftermath of the AFL suspended 2009 season.

Release: 12/15/2008

The arenafootball2 league (af2), the official development league of the Arena Football League (AFL), will continue to operate as usual and WILL play in 2009 – the league’s 10th anniversary season. The af2 operates entirely on its own and is not directly affected by the AFL’s current situation.

The af2 is supported by 25 team ownership groups that are personally and financially committed to operate in 2009, a sound and sensible economic structure, and a league office which operates efficiently.

The AFL announced today that the League’s Board of Directors have decided to suspend the 2009 season subject to agreement and cooperation with the Arena Football League Players Association while the League works on developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model.

“Today’s decision by the AFL will not affect our preparation for a successful 2009 af2 campaign,” said af2 President Jerry Kurz. “We’re excited by the addition of Milwaukee to our league family and feel that this, our 10th anniversary season, will provide our fans with the most competitive and most entertaining year ever.”

The 2009 af2 schedule was finalized and released in early November. Since then, all af2-member teams have been busy building rosters, selling season tickets and hiring additional staff as necessary in preparation for the 2009 season.

The af2 is also coming off one of its most successful campaigns in 2008. Last season was the fifth time in nine (9) seasons that the league’s total attendance figure topped one million fans. The campaign was capped off by the best attended ArenaCup championship game in league history. The sellout crowd of 10,662 fans in attendance at Spokane Arena (Spokane, Wash.) were treated to the best title game in league history as the Tennessee Valley Vipers scored a dramatic 55-54 overtime victory over the host Spokane Shock.

The future of the af2 stands on solid ground as well as evidenced by the addition of two new expansion teams already committed for the 2010 season (Toledo, Ohio – Toledo Bullfrogs; Worcester, Mass.). The league has also expanded its corporate support by developing multi-year relationships with two brand new league partners – Aaron’s and Russell Athletic – to join current proud supporters such as Schutt, Spalding and Network Foundation Technologies (NFT).

Thanks to NFT’s patented online broadcasting technology, “af2TV” was developed and successfully implemented in 2008. In the inaugural season of af2TV, close to 250,000 online viewers from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and 40 nations from five different continents logged in to view af2 games throughout the 2008 season. This FREE-for-View online network will once again showcase every game of the league’s 10th anniversary season live over the Internet beginning in March.

It's Official: AFL suspends 2009 season

2008-12-15T16:37:00.007-05:00

Courtesy: Arena Football League

Release: 12/15/2008

NEW YORK -- The Arena Football League Board of Directors will suspend the 2009 season subject to agreement and cooperation with the Arena Football League Players Association while the League works on developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model.

“Every owner in the AFL is strongly committed to the League, the game, and, most importantly, the fans,” said Acting Commissioner ED POLICY. “Owners, however, recognize that, especially in light of the current unprecedented economic climate, the AFL, as a business enterprise, needs to be restructured if it is to continue to provide its unique brand of this affordable, fan-friendly sport.”

The Board of Directors conducted a meeting via conference call Sunday night and voted in favor of a motion to suspend the 2009 season. Columbus Destroyers co-owner and vice chairman of the AFL Executive Committee JIM RENACCI was asked by the Board of Directors to spearhead the restructuring process.

“Ownership truly appreciates Acting Commissioner Policy’s steady hand and stewardship in what has been a challenging time for the AFL,” said Renacci. “Our owners will work in conjunction with Policy to develop a plan that ensures the future of the AFL.”

“We, the owners of the Arena Football League, realize we have the most fan-friendly, affordable and accessible sport anywhere,” said JON BON JOVI, co-owner of the ArenaBowl champion Philadelphia Soul. “These are trying economic times. The revamping will ensure that the AFL continues to provide value to its fans and not only survives but thrives in the years to come.”

“Our involvement with the Arena Football League was always geared toward promoting football on a year-round basis,” said Dallas Desperados owner JERRY JONES. “Our experience with the Desperados has accomplished those goals and has been very positive. As we move forward we will explore all of the options that are available in regard to the future of the AFL and the Desperados.”

After 22 seasons, the second-longest tenure of any U.S. pro football league, the decision to suspend the 2009 season was not made lightly. AFL ownership has conducted multiple meetings over the past several weeks, discussed numerous options and concluded that this decision is in the best interests of the 16-team AFL and its fans.

“As a four-year owner of the Georgia Force, I have enjoyed our affiliation with Arena Football. In addition, our club is very proud of its leadership position in the league in many areas on and off the field,” said Georgia Force owner ARTHUR BLANK. “We want that to continue for our fans, so we support the decision to focus our energies on securing the long-term success of the Arena Football League.”

“Although it is disappointing to suspend the 2009 season, the Arena Football League and its owners feel it is essential to reevaluate the current business model to ensure the livelihood of the AFL in the future,” said JOHN ELWAY, Co-Owner, CEO Colorado Crush.

“We remain grateful to the greatest fans in the world for their avidity and their patience. It is with them in mind that the AFL, its owners and its players remain committed to resuming play as soon as it is feasible,” concluded Policy.

Another NFL - AFL Merger?

2008-12-15T15:26:00.008-05:00

To arena football fans delight, the Arena Football League's attendance increased dramatically over its last few years, averaging 12,415 wild fans per game during the 2007 season. However, the increase was accompanied by greatly increased expenses and debt. This lead to the league's suspension of operations on December 14, 2008. The Arena Football League itself has suspended its operations for 2009 but they have continued to maintain the AF2, their minor league.

Let me tickle your Arena Football fancy with a possible league saving solution. If the Arena Football League can not reach a solution with restructuring their organization, then I propose a buy out.

Not by me, of course, but maybe the National Football League would be interested. I purpose an AFL-NFL merger.

Now before all the arena nay-sayers start booing and hissing, hear me out. A merger is any combination of two or more business enterprises into a single enterprise. This would be perfect since both organizations represent a same idea, professional football entertainment.

The Arena Football League has been around for 22 years while the National Football League has been around for 88 years. Some of you may remember a similar merger, the AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time, the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL).

While that was a merger of two outdoor leagues that were at war with each other competing for the same ratings, my merger recommendation would be more beneficial.

My proposal on how the NFL could use the AFL:

1) NFL owners could purchase existing AFL teams and relocate them to their respective cities. This would make AFL teams more financially stable while allowing NFL owners a chance to expand their fan base with an outdoor game as well as an indoor game. With the exception of the New Orleans VooDOo

2) Perhaps use the AFL as a NFL minor league system for farming future players while even giving practice squad players a chance for additional playing time.

3) Year around marketing opportunities. The NFL owners who also own AFL teams (like the Dallas cowboys and the Dallas Desperados) can create combo ticket packages for both teams. This will create a link for fans to experience both games for a reasonable price.

Since the Arena Football season is during the NFL off-season, teams can lower cost by using the same training facilities and staff.

Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Desperados owner Jerry Jones said it best, "Our involvement with the Arena Football League was always geared toward promoting football on a year-round basis. Our experience with the Desperados has accomplished those goals and has been very positive."

No 2009 Season for Arena Football

2008-12-15T10:55:00.018-05:00

Despite cutting the salary cap, it has been reported that the Arena Football League will shut down operations for the 2009 season. They do plan to restructure the organization and return to play in 2010.

Owner and chief executive of the Cleveland Gladiators, James L. Ferraro responds to the leagues decision, "I think it's a historic day for the league. I think this league will be much, much stronger, and it will be here for a long time because of what happened."

AFL officials are in hopes of coming up with a better business model reported from their conference call last week. The league's board of directors conference call apparently voted to shut down because too many big-name owners or big-name cities said they would not return in 2009.

An anonymous source stated, "We couldn't be taken seriously if we lost too many teams, especially in big markets. That's what was going to happen. We needed to shut down and reorganize."

This has been an off-season of uncertainty for the league. The 16-team league has delayed indefinitely the start of free agency as well as the release of its 2009 schedule. The dispersal draft to award players from the defunct New Orleans Voo Doo has also been suspended. There has been no permanent replacement named for former AFL commissioner David Baker. Baker abruptly resigned last July, just two days before the Arena Bowl championship game.

This is truly a sad day for the organization. The fact they had to shut down a season of operation worries me. The restructure should have begun at the end of last season and worked non-stop during the off season to reach an acceptable result. As recently reported, the af2 (AFL minor league) operates entirely on its own and is not directly affected by the AFL's current situation.

Perhaps this is good news for alternative arena leagues like the AIFA. According to AIFAProFootball.com, it's business as usual for the American Indoor Football Association.

The AIFA commented, "With the recent announcements that the Arena Football League (AFL) and participating teams are suffering financial hardships that could potentially result in the suspension of operations for the 2009 season, the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) will continue with business as usual."

The 2009 AIFA season begins in March and the league is already planning for the future. Business must be good for the league since they recently added Two expansion franchises (Richmond, VA and Trenton, NJ) to the 2010 season line-up.

The AIFA begins their third season of operations with a total of 16 participating teams. These teams have a footprint that reaches from the East coast to as far west Utah.

AIFA league co-owner John Morris has been working relentlessly securing the future for the ever expanding league. Morris commented, “We are in a great position today. We have sixteen teams in four divisions on two different coasts. You cannot drive up and down I-95 without driving through a city that is represented in the AIFA. We have teams in Harrisburg, PA, Erie, PA, Reading, PA, Baltimore, Washington DC, Florence SC just to name a few. That is what makes our business model successful. Travel costs are kept low because of our strategically placed teams. When an owner can take his team on the road, play the game, and drive home all in fewer than seven hours, that saves the participating teams thousands of dollars in operating expenses.”

Another reason for the leagues success is the implementation of the first-of-its-kind Playoff Incentive Package. This package is a nest-egg of $110,000 that is utilized to financially aid teams that advance past the 14 game regular season.

John Morris responded regarding the Playoff Incentive Package, “We want our teams to be able to play into the post season. Each team has a projected budget going through the regular season. Should they advance into the playoffs and beyond, they should not have to worry about where they will fit post-season travel expenses into their budget. They need to focus on winning football games and a championship.”

So as well can see, there may be trouble on the horizon for the AFL, but the AIFA is on it's way to securing a solid foundation for it's league. They reassure all of their teams, sponsors, and fans that the AIFA will definitely be kicking off its third successful season in March. As well as working on continually stabilizing the league through 2010 and beyond.

Bronco Busters: Carolina Purr-fect at Home

2008-12-15T10:10:00.009-05:00

The Big Cat was on hand to watch his team inch closer to a division title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. He was treated to a spectacular show as the Panthers finished perfect at home.

FUN FACT: The Panthers finished 8-0 at home for the first time since 1996.

It was only last week when Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson found out he needed a heart transplant. Head coach John Fox asked his beloved boss what the players could do to help. Richardson simple answer, "They're already doing it."

John Fox relayed Jerry's message to his players and they continued their hard work against the AFC West Division leading, Denver Broncos. Carolina rode the Broncos to a 30-10 win to honor their much loved owner.

Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers responded, "That's what we want to do for him, keep winning games and try to bring him something special."

Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams commented, "I was one of the people on the sidelines clapping because I didn't know he was here. I saw his blanket kind of falling down, and his wife pulled it up. That was kind of cute. To see him up there, after what he's been through, it just shows his dedication to the team. He's not only an owner, he's a friend and he's family."

FUN FACT: Rookie running back Jonathan Stewart scored his ninth rushing touchdown of the season, setting a franchise record.

Muhsin Muhammad said, "I thought it was awesome. Just to see him up there in his box and know that he was here to enjoy another undefeated season. My first year as a rookie we went undefeated at home in '96 and you know that was a special year, went to the NFC championship game. Now to be able to have him watching again and here to see that undefeated season at home again, that's a real special moment."

In the first quarter, Denver drew first blood with a seven-yard reception to P.J. Pope from Jay Cutler. Carolina struck right back with a 15-yard pass hauled in to Steve Smith to even the score. After the two touchdowns both Denver and Carolina scored a field goal a piece to tie the quarter 10-10.

This would be the only points Denver was allowed to score for the rest of the game.

The second quarter was all Panthers with a two-yard rushing TD from Jonathan Stewart and a 44-yard field goal from the sure shot, John Kasay.

There was more of the same from Carolina in the third quarter. DeAngelo Williams had a beautiful 56-yard touchdown run.

John Kasay had the only score of the fourth quarter with a locked in 42-yard field goal. to end the game score 30-10.

FUN FACT: Carolina improved to 4-0 vs. AFC teams this season.

Denver quarterback Jay Cutler commented on their loss, "They pressured us a little bit. We weren't able to run the ball as well as we wanted to."

FUN FACT: The Broncos lost for the first time this season against the NFC and first time vs. the Panthers in three all-time meetings.

FUN FACT: Jay Cutler only had seven sacks all season and received an additional two from the Carolina Defense.

Coach John Fox responded to the win, “I think it’s great. It’s something that we addressed in the off-season. We have a unique bunch. It was something they put on their list of goals and we were able to accomplish it. I think it was done one other time here by this organization. It’s not easy to do anywhere, and so those guys ought to be commended.”

Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme commented on the game, “It’s something we hadn’t seen on film from them. We hadn’t prepared for it. But I thought (offensive coordinator) Jeff Davidson and (passing game coordinator) Mike McCoy did a great job and we went hurry, into our red ball mode. We liked our match up when we went into that. To me it goes back to coaching. Don’t panic. Base rules, this is where we need to go, and it worked. You want to protect your home turf. In the past we’ve done OK at home. We played pretty good on the road. That is a special feeling and I think it comes back to confidence. I think it snowballs. We’ve been down and come back. Our guys are very confident.”

Recently extended corner back Chris Gamble said, "We wanted to cover better and they were throwing a lot of short routes and stuff like that. We wanted some tight coverage on their receivers and let the D-line do their job and they did that.”

Like Jack and the Beanstalk, the Panthers will go prowling in New York looking for Giants and trying to snatch that No. 1 NFC seed. Next Sunday night's game is huge as the winner will have home field advantage in the NFC Playoffs. Where will the road to the Super Bowl go through? New York or Charlotte?

USFL: Making a Comeback

2008-12-12T10:17:00.017-05:00

Who remembers the United States Football League? To be honest I've heard of it but not familiar with the defunct league.

It was a short-lived professional football league that only played three seasons between 1983 and 1985. It was by far the NFL's strongest competitor since the 1960s version of the American Football League. Unfortunately the league officially folded in 1988.

Here is the official press release issued to the media announcing the plans for the New USFL:

The New United States Football League To Kick Off in February 2010

Redondo Beach, CA – August 13, 2008 – A new professional football league will launch its inaugural season February 20, 2010 as the New United States Football League (USFL), it was announced today by Michael Dwyer, founder and chairman of the new league.

The New USFL season will run from February through June and will feature a sixteen game season with no pre-season games. There will also be wild card and division playoffs leading to a new USFL Championship Game at the end of June. This schedule is designed to avoid any overlap with other major football leagues and provide fans with football excitement year round.

The league will start with 12 teams and grow to a maximum of 16 teams. Teams are currently slotted for California, Oregon, Nevada, Texas, Michigan, Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, Utah and New York.

Tom Shapiro, USFL Commissioner and Assistant City Attorney of Santa Barbara, CA, said, “Americans love football – it’s a fact that’s been proven year after year. We’ve worked long and hard to develop a winning league concept that Americans can really buy into. In fact, 30% of each team will be sold to the public in stocks, with an additional 20% of each team held by the league. We think this will help create fan loyalty and discourage teams from moving around.”

He added that the league believes its owners will have the financial strength, personal reputation and professional accomplishments that equal any group of professional league owners in existence today. The stock sales should help generate another $40 to $50 million in capital to help ensure the success of the New United States Football League.

For more information on the new USFL, or to find out about team sponsorship opportunities, contact Michael Dwyer at 310-539-3837 or visit www.NewUSFL.com

- END -

Click here to listen to the USFL's President & CEO, Michael Dwyer give an interview to ESPN radio.

When the original USFL started they competed with the older, more established National Football League by trying not to compete directly. The USFL played its games from March-June schedule but also having slightly different rules. The New USFL will run February to June and not compete during the NFL season.

The New USFL awards 12 states as the home of a New USFL teams. The states are:

Nevada
California (2)
Portland
Texas
Louisiana
Florida
Arkansas
New York
Michigan
Ohio
Alabama

This will be very interesting to see if two league can co-exist in today's sports industry. Let's look at it this way, if it weren't for the original USFL then we wouldn't have such marquee talent such as Herschel Walker, Craig James, Marcus Dupree, Brian Sipe, Doug Flutie, Mike Rozier, Reggie White, Jim Kelly, Steve Young and other young stars of the day.

The USFL is looking to open their office in Redondo Beach, CA.

AFL Troubles on Hold for Now

2008-12-11T10:11:00.007-05:00

It seems to be pre-mature when the owner of the AFL's Los Angeles franchise reports that the league is expected to call off the 2009 season. L.A. Avengers owner Casey Wasserman told the L.A. Times that the AFL needs to take the necessary steps to become more efficient in this poor economic time. Wasserman told the newspaper that this decision was not yet official, however, he expected the owners to vote on the approval this week.

Wasserman replied, "It's important for the Arena Football League to think about the next 20 years. And the economic model, combined with the economic environment we're in currently doesn't allow us to take that perspective. By suspending play for the year, in cooperation with our players and our partners, it allows us to get the perspective to try and make the decisions that are in the best interest of the long-term viability of the league."

The AFL Board of Directors released the following statement in response to rumors of the suspension of the 2009 season, "Despite rumors and reports to the contrary, the Arena Football League Board of Directors has not suspended the 2009 season at this time. The Board met via conference call this evening. The Board will continue to meet regularly to examine any and all long-term structural improvement options for the AFL."

So how do you fix the leagues financial issues? This first step is to fix the salary cap which is the maximum amount of money that can be spent on salaries for a sports team or other group. The players' union voted to cut the salary cap from $2 million to $1.4 million in order to help save the coming season.

Hopefully this is just the first step to help restructure the league for long term success. Ahmad Hawkins, union rep for the Grand Rapids Rampage commented, "I'm one of the top-paid guys and I was the first one to say I'd take a pay cut. We agreed to take the salary cap lower. The players want to do anything we can to play this season." Hawkins, a defensive back with the Rampage earned $75,000 last season.

The AFL's troubles come during a time when the world of sports is feeling economic crunch. The NFL is cutting 150 jobs, while the NBA and NASCAR also have laid off dozens of workers. Even the NHL is in a hiring freeze while the Internet operation for Major League Baseball also has trimmed positions.

While still in their infancy, the 22-year-old Arena Football League has lasted longer than the American Football League, World League, USFL and XFL combined.

In a show of some stability, the arenafootball2 league (official development league of the AFL) stated they will continue to operate as usual and will continue with their 2009 season. This is the 10th anniversary season of the af2. Fortunately, the af2 operates entirely on its own and is not directly affected by the AFL's current situation.

Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson Needs Heart Transplant

2008-12-11T09:59:00.009-05:00

It's a sad day in the Queen City. Carolina Panthers Owner and Founder, Jerry Richardson has been placed on the United Network for Organ Sharing heart transplant waiting list.

Mr. Richardson had a pacemaker/defibrillator inserted in early November. He returned to the hospital last week after feeling ill and was unable to attend the Panthers Monday night victory over division rival, Tampa Bay. Richardson underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2002 and has a history of heart trouble.

Jerry Richardson is the only NFL owner to have played in the league. He played two seasons as receiver for the Baltimore Colts. Richardson and his two sons worked for years to get an NFL expansion team in Charlotte. Since bringing the expansion Panthers to the Carolinas in 1995, he has been one of the league's most influential owners and serves on several league committees.

Providing a donor heart becomes available, Richardson will undergo heart transplant surgery at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. There is no timetable for the organ donor process.

Doctor's explain that heart transplant candidates can remain in the hospital or go home during the waiting process. However, after surgery the heart transplant patient normally remains in the hospital a period of time. Once the patient is released, the recovery time can take up to several months. On a good note, approximately 2,200 heart transplant surgeries are performed in the US every year with a very high success rate.

NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell had this to say about Richardson, "I think what they have done here is create a franchise that is not only admired in its own community, but admired league-wide. It's what we want our franchises to be, a great part of the community, and that is large part due to Jerry Richardson."

Richardson's sons, Mark and Jon, play major roles in running the team and Bank of America Stadium, which is also owned by Richardson.

The Panthers are hard at work for Mr. Richardson and getting set to take on the Denver Broncos in the house Richardson built, Bank of America Stadium. John Fox and crew will defend his house with Panther Pride.

AFL News: New York and New Orleans

2008-12-10T14:56:00.010-05:00

In time of uncertainty, the New York Dragons have unveiled a new logo and new members of the Dragons Advisory Board. Promising a new look and feel they added New York Jets safety Kerry Rhodes and New York Giants LB Danny Clark. Rhodes and Clark will bring their expertise in the field of pro football to the Dragons management group.

The new look Dragons have taken the first step to revamp the eight year old team's sports brand. This step was taken by the AFL team's new management group led by Steven and Shanna Silva, who purchased the team from former owner Charles Wang on July 25, 2008.

Silva said prior to the logo's unveiling, "We want to bring a brand new start to the Dragons football team. Updating the logo is just the beginning. We want to show fans that making sure they have the ultimate fan experience is paramount to this management team. From putting the best football team possible out on the field every night, to making sure fan involvement and customer service is the best it can be, this is the 'new' New York Dragons."

Silva also commented, "We're so excited to have both NFLers on board giving the Dragons support throughout the season. It shows how dedicated both Kerry and Danny are to growing the sport of football,as well as fan support of football, in the greater New York area."

New York is not the first team in the AFL to have current or former NFL players join their ownership group or advisory board. More well known members include; John Elway (part owner of the Colorado Crush), Mike Ditka (involved with the Chicago Rush), and Ron Jaworski (affiliated with the Philadelphia Soul).

Silva added by stating, "The AFL has a history of partnering with NFL teams and players, many of our players have come from NFL teams or have gone on to careers in the NFL, and many AFL teams have former NFL players in upper management positions. There is a symbiotic relationship between the two leagues. What's great about having Kerry and Danny on board with the Dragons is that they have their finger on the pulse of the New York football fan. We are looking to expand our reach to those passionate football fans, who may not yet be familiar with the Dragons. Once Kerry and Danny's season ends with the Jets and the Giants, the Dragons' season begins and that passionate fan has an outlet to remain excited about football. They don't have to wait six months for NFL preseason to begin."

Kerry Rhodes replied, "I am pleased to be a part of an organization such as the New York Dragons. I feel with the talent, my experience as a professional football player and position on the Board of Advisers will allow me to explore options to enhance this team. I am excited and we are looking forward to a great season."

On a much more depressing note, the New Orleans VooDoo plan to cease operations despite being near the top of the league in attendance the past two seasons.

New Orleans VooDoo owner Tom Benson (also owns the NFL New Orleans Saints) said the decision to fold the 5-year-old AFL franchise was "not an indictment of [the New Orleans] marketplace."

The AFL released this written statement, "Tom Benson and Rita Benson LeBlanc have been exemplary AFL operators, leaders and partners. The League is saddened to learn of their sudden decision to terminate their ownership of the VooDoo and regrets that they will no longer be part of the AFL family. VooDoo fans and the New Orleans community will always maintain a special place in the history of the AFL for their support of two sold-out ArenaBowls. The league will examine all possibilities regarding the future of the team. This development will not prevent or delay the AFL from continuing to examine new structure possibilities."

The VooDoo have played a total of four seasons in New Orleans, with the exception of suspending operations in 2006 due to the devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.

Ranked fifth in the league in ticket sales, the VooDoo's average attendance last season, measured by tickets distributed, was 14,321. Due to strong community support, the league awarded the city of New Orleans the past two Arena Bowls.

Rita Benson LeBlanc, VooDoo Co-owner said this about the fans in New Orleans, "The VooDoo fans have been the best in the AFL. Their passion, enthusiasm and support made it possible for us to bring two consecutive Arena Bowls to benefit New Orleans. It is a sad day for our community and our organization, but circumstances prevented us from continuing in the AFL."

Tom Benson also explained to the AFL regarding his decision to fold was based on "circumstances currently affecting the league and the team."

Sports Economic Slump

2008-12-10T13:08:00.009-05:00

The National Football League is set to lay off about 150 employees. NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell stated that the league will cut more than 10 percent of its staff. This is in response to the downturn in the American economy.

The NFL has revenues of approximately $6.5 billion, of which an estimated $4.5 billion goes to players. The NFL has always been regarded as one of the most wealthiest professional sports leagues in the world. In fact, Forbes called the NFL “the richest game” and the “the strongest sport in the world.”

Goodell officially announced the cuts to league employees in a memo. What a nice guy. The NFL will eliminate about 150 of its staff of 1,100 in New York, NFL Films in New Jersey, and television and Internet production facilities in Los Angeles. In an interview. Roger Goodell stated that the league and its teams could feel the economic slump in sponsorship and marketing.

Goodell's memo read, “These are difficult and painful steps. But they are necessary in the current economic environment. I would like to be able to report that we are immune to the troubles around us, but we are not.”

However, ticket sales for this season have been strong and stadiums have been mostly sold out. NFL officials believe that was because season tickets for this year’s games were sold in the spring and summer before the financial squeeze on America. Goodell feared the league and its teams would take a bigger hit when season tickets go on sale for next year’s season.

League spokesman Greg Aiello replied, “We’re looking at everything with an eye to how we can be more efficient and reduce costs.” Aiello also said that the NFL still plans to throw parties at the Super Bowl, elaborate events for which the game has long been known.

The NFL is not the only league feeling the effect of a lack luster economy. The Arena Football League is facing financial pressures that could possibly force the league to dissolve.

According to The Denver Post, two unnamed sources "with knowledge of the league's troubles," were cited as stating the league could dissolve if it doesn't secure financing by Dec. 19.

Michael Young, Colorado Crush executive vice president, told the Denver Post, "The business model for the league is broken. If the rug is pulled out from under us, it's pulled out from under us."

The AFL issued an official statement which read, "The AFL is working on long-term structural improvements which have unfortunately delayed some important events, such as the release of the 2009 schedule, the Dispersal Draft, and the beginning of free agency. We thank our fans for their enthusiasm for these events and ask them to be patient a little longer while we finalize our long-term improvements. All AFL teams are working toward winning ArenaBowl XXIII."

Even though some teams are feeling the effect of uncertainty, coach Bret Munsey of the Jon Bon Jovi-owned Philadelphia Soul responded, "We're business as usual. I am continuing to try and find players to make our 2009 roster. That's what we're doing until I'm told to do otherwise. I think they're working on some things at the ownership level and we're just being told to concentrate on keeping this football team competitive and continue to look for players."

Since November 2007, the AFL's board of directors has been looking into various ways to improve the league's finances. One proposal involved individual franchise owners ceding control of the league to new investors.

Reported in Sports Business Journal, AFL owners had approved a tentative deal with Platinum Equity in which the company would invest up to $100 million and assume management control of the league. That deal has yet to be completed and there are no guarantees of an AFL bailout.

In 2006, ESPN acquired the national TV rights to the AFL and also has a minority stake in the indoor league. ESPN signed a five-year deal to have multimedia rights that included everything from Internet to radio to publishing to international distribution.

ESPN released a statement, "We have always admired the AFL's fan-first philosophy, but we have no comment on their business activity."

Will the financial woes of larger sports leagues allow for alternative leagues to succeed?

CC Sabathia: For the Love of Money

2008-12-10T12:08:00.009-05:00

Congratulations to CC Sabathia for choosing money over happiness. Who can blame him during this economic recession. I mean come on, he's only going to be making up to $160 million over 7 years. Is that too much to ask for CC, he has a family to feed.

That's more than most of us will make in our lifetime. It seems happiness does have a price tag and with enough zeros you can own a piece of happiness too.

Sabathia attended Vallejo High School, in Vallejo, CA where he lettered in baseball, basketball, and football. So when the L.A. Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and the Anaheim Angels entered into the bidding war, it seems that CC would come back home to sunny Cal.

Although there were varying signals from the Dodgers, Giants and Angels, it was clear in the end that no other team would come close to what the Yankees offered, massive amounts of bling. Dollar bills and lots of them would lure CC to the Big Apple and the Yankees will pay Sabathia the largest contract ever for a pitcher.

Not bad for a player coming out of the draft as the top high school prospect in Northern California according to Baseball America. Sabathia was drafted in the first round (20th overall) by the Indians in the 1998 MLB Draft. He signed for a $1.3 million bonus. Sabathia played the first seven plus seasons of his career with the Cleveland Indians where he won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award.

Will CC find much needed success in New York playing for the legendary franchise?

Panthers, Giants Match-up Moved to Primetime

2008-12-09T15:21:00.008-05:00

Finally Some Respect? Week 16 Panthers-Giants match up moved to prime time on Sunday Night Football!

National Football League Reported:

The NFL announced flex schedule game-time changes for four Week 16 games on Tuesday.

The Carolina Panthers-New York Giants game on Sunday, Dec. 21 will be played at 8:15 p.m. ET on NBC, and the San Diego Chargers-Tampa Bay Buccaneers game that day will move to 1 p.m. ET on CBS.

Two other Week 16 game-time changes: the Philadelphia Eagles-Washington Redskins and Atlanta Falcons-Minnesota Vikings games on Sunday, Dec. 21 move from 1 p.m. ET to 4:15 p.m. ET on FOX.

The flex schedule game-time changes for this Sunday (Dec. 14) are Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos-Carolina Panthers on CBS moving from 1 p.m. ET to 4:15 p.m. ET.

The NFL will utilize “flexible scheduling” on Sundays in Weeks 11-17. Flexible scheduling will ensure quality matchups in all NFL Sunday time slots in those weeks and give teams a chance to play their way onto primetime and into the late-afternoon 4:15 p.m. ET time slot on CBS and FOX.

For each of the flexible scheduling weeks, with the exception of Week 17, the NFL will announce the start times of games on Sundays no later than 12 days prior to that weekend. To ensure a Sunday night game and doubleheader games with playoff implications in Week 17, the flexible scheduling decision for that Sunday may be made on six days notice.

Panthers Run over Bucs to Take Control of NFC South

2008-12-09T10:56:00.022-05:00

The Carolina Panthers were a force to be reckoned with on Monday Night Football. Looking very comfortable in the national spotlight, Carolina proved to the NFL that they belong among the best while sending a subtle message. Teams beware, there are Panthers on the prowl for their first championship.

FUN FACT: This is the second time this year that Carolina and Tampa Bay have met with identical records fight for first place in the NFC South. Carolina and Tampa Bay are the only 2 teams in the NFL undefeated at home.

Before this game the Buccaneers have only allowed 1 rushing touchdown all season long. Carolina pounded out 4 displaying physical domination with their power running game.

FUN FACT: NFC South teams are 10-0 at home this season when playing another NFC South team. The NFC South is also a combined 24-2-0 (.923) at home.

The first quarter was kind of quiet for such a big game with the only score coming from a John Kasay 33-yard field goal. Steve Smith was open several times early in the game but didn't get the looks he deserved.

Tampa Bay evened the score in the second quarter with a Matt Bryant 20-yard field goal. Then came along Carolina's running game. Jonathan Stewart performed the honors with his first 2-yard rushing touchdown.

The third quarter saw some life from the Buccaneers as they scored 2 touchdowns, a 50-yard pass to Antonio Bryant and a 4-yard run from Carnell Williams. Carolina gave their running backs a break as Jake Delhomme aired out a 38-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith.

Tampa Bay had one brief shining moment in the fourth quarter, Antonio Bryant hauled in a spectacular 15-yard one handed grab from Jeff Garcia to pull the Bucs closer. The point after was blocked. Carolina continued their dominance in the fourth quarter with 3 rushing touchdowns, Jonathan Stewart's 4-yard rush. DeAngelo Williams had two with a 16-yard rush and a 36-yard rush to seal the win 38-23.

Panthers coach John Fox said, "People remember what you do in December. This was a big stage and I like the way our guys met the challenge. I just don't want them to drink this Kool-aid they are about to get into (from the media). I want to make sure they come back ready to work and realize how we got to this point."

Fox said of the running game, "It's what we’re built around. We got bigger and more physical up front (in the off-season) and those two backs are pretty special. That is what we tried to build around and we have the people to do it. We're going to try and do it more consistently moving forward.”

Carolina's running back DeAngelo Williams said, "The O-line and the fullback did an outstanding job blocking for us today. They did an outstanding job getting us to the second level."

Panthers linebacker, Jon Beason said, "Monday night, there won’t be a question that we’re going to come out faster. There’s no way you can go out there and not start fast in a game like this, the magnitude, the stage, what’s at stake. Everybody’s going to be watching.There’s so much at stake for us and for Tampa, it’s time to show the whole country that we’re Super Bowl contenders, that the road to the NFC title is going to start down here in the NFC South. Anyway, we have a really good group of coaches and players, and when you have that kind of group God is in your favor. I’ve got a lot of respect for Jon Gruden, to me he’s an offensive guru or genius. It’s going to be a fight against Tampa, and could come down to a battle of wills and preparation. That’s where we want to be—where preparation meets will."

Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden commented, "Those guys are that good. Those guys are going to make guys miss. Both of them."

The Panthers' DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart became the first teammates in NFL history to rush for 100-plus yards, score two-plus touchdowns and average over 7.0 yards per carry in the same game. They were getting open and (the Bucs) weren't able to stack the box early on and that gave us a little breathing room. We were trying to keep them on their heels and I think we did a great job tonight."

Jonathan Stewart stated, "When you are in a zone like that, that is how it feels. We were in a zone for sure. You can tell when you are running the ball the way we were today that it takes a lot out of the defense, just to be running back and forth chasing the running back. It takes a toll on the defense."

Julius Peppers had a career-high, 13 sacks and commented, "There was a lot on the line, so both teams were playing hard and trying to get the job done. Our guys stepped up and made plays on offense and gave us a little cushion and we just had to close the door. I wouldn't necessarily call it a statement game. It was just a game with a lot on the line. And we played well at the right time."

Peppers comments about their home record, "You have to realize it's tougher to play on the road than it as home. You have the fans behind you. It's a comfortable setting. So this year we are just protecting our home, and that's what we need to continue to do."

FUN FACT: DeAngelo Williams has scored a touchdown in seven straight games, the longest streak in Panthers history. Williams' two touchdowns give him the lead for most rushing touchdowns (13) in a season in Panthers history.

FUN FACT: 301 rushing yards sets a Franchise Record (Previous: 264 WK 11 v/s the Lions)

Keys to the game:
Carolina Rushing Duo
DeAngelo Williams 19 carries, 186 total yards, 2 touchdowns
Jonathan Stewart 15 carries, 115 totals yards, 2 touchdowns

3rd Down Conversions:
Tampa Bay 6-14, 43%
Carolina 8-10, 80%

According to CarolinaGrowl.com, with Carolina's win, don't be surprised if the NFL moves the Panthers-Giants game on Dec. 21 to the Sunday night time slot. It makes perfect sense given the No. 1 seed in the NFC could be on the line.

If Carolina can defeat the Denver Broncos next week, they will close out the regular season a perfect 8-0 at home. They will also take a step closer toward capturing their first NFC South title since 2003.

MVN.com MNF Interview

2008-12-08T09:15:00.018-05:00

I would like to welcome everyone from the Most Valuable Network! I was recently approached by Anthony Hall of the MVN Outsider to give my opinion on tonight's Monday Night Football match-up between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers.

I was interviewed along side JC of JC De La Torre's Tampa Bay Sports Blog. JC provided a Tampa Bay perspective of the Monday Night showdown. No matter which team your routing on, one thing is for certain, games don't get much bigger than a national stage like Monday Night Football.

As everyone already knows, I love giving my opinion on sports, especially the Carolina Panthers. Check out the article titled, Battle of the NFC South front-runners: Bucs and Panthers meet on MNF, on the MVN Outsider website.

Here are a few more articles of interest for Panthers fans:

Cat Crave's NFC South Breakdown: Week 13

Carolina Growl Game Breakdown: Panthers have more at stake than the Bucs on Monday night

Carolina Growl Column: If the Panthers win out, they're the No. 1 seed in the NFC

Alternative Football Leagues

2008-12-03T15:39:00.010-05:00

* The United Football League- UFL (NFL Competition)

The UFL's website stated that, The United Football League, a new professional outdoor fall football league, will kick-off its inaugural season in the Fall of 2009. The UFL, featuring high quality traditional football played by world-class athletes, was created to meet the unmet needs of football fans in major markets currently under served by professional football. Serving communities with pride and passion, the UFL will provide fans with affordable, innovative and entertaining game-day experiences.

This new professional football league is being organized by William Hambrecht, a Wall Street investor (former minority partner in the USFL's Oakland Invaders) and Tim Armstrong, a senior executive at Google.

Here's what the NBA's Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban had to say about the league on his blog.

So far there will be between six and eight teams that will compete in the inaugural season scheduled for September 2009. The league initially intended to place these teams in markets where the NFL had no presence.

Hartford, Connecticut
Las Vegas, Nevada
Los Angeles, California
New York, New York
Orlando, Florida
San Francisco, California

Possible expansion:
Monterrey, Mexico
Salt Lake City, Utah

The league is not in direct competition with the NFL since they will play their games on Thursday and Friday nights. This offers viewers an opportunity to experience additional top quality football. This league looks like it will attract former NFL and arena league players.

* American Indoor Football Association- AIFA (Arena Football 2 Competition)

The AIFA is a professional indoor football league that was formed in 2006 foundered by John Morris and Michael Mink. The league's talent level is comparable to a league such as Arena Football 2 which includes several former NFL practice squad players scattered across the league.

The AIFA's Mission statement is as follows. "It is the Mission of the American Indoor Football Association to provide a vision and an environment that is necessary for independently owned companies and the League's teams to become successful in the operation of an Indoor style Football Organization. The League will provide a dynamic style of play so unique and exciting that fans and communities not only enjoy, but desire the sport in any and all geographic area of the United States."

Sixteen teams participate in the AIFA, which is concentrated mostly in mid-sized markets in the eastern United States and the Rocky Mountains.

My wife and I have personally been to a few AIFA games in Fayetteville, NC. The team there is known as the Fayetteville Guard. If you're a fan of arena football then you'll love this league. Since they concentrate in smaller markets it allows more people to see professional football who might not normally get a chance to. my vote is it's worth the money. The only fear is that teams that don't get community support seem to disappear quickly which is a shame.

Being a business major, I'm excited to follow the expansion and development of both leagues. It's intriguing to see teams develop and expand. Good luck to both leagues.

Is the NFL Learning it's Lesson?

2008-12-02T12:17:00.022-05:00

What can I say about the rough seas brewing in the NFL? Legal troubles around every turn. It's time for the NFL to lay down the law and make sure this the NFL doesn't end up the "No Future Law" league.

Exhibit A: Adam "Pacman" Jones
Exhibit B: Plaxico Burress

Exhibit A: I don't believe I've seen a player given more chance than I have with Adam "Pacman" Jones. A man who turned a new leaf and wanted to drop his troubled "Pacman" nickname but hasn't shown a reason why we should.

Jones will rejoin his teammates on a limited basis and then return to full-time practice. His first game back will be on Dec. 7 in Pittsburgh against the Steelers.

Worrick Robinson, Adam Jones' Nashville-based attorney said, "He much appreciates the Cowboys and Jerry Jones for standing behind him and encouraging him, and he's grateful to the commissioner. It all starts with him and his decision-making. He's comfortable making decisions for himself."

Robinson continued by saying, "There was a period of time where security was in place and it worked, but just like anything, it wasn't foolproof. If the individual, in this instance, Adam Jones doesn't want to make the right decisions to protect himself and the team and the league, then the security is not going to be of any benefit anyway. Adam and I have talked about that, and he understands that very clearly and he agrees with that. He's willing to accept the responsibility of making his decisions without being influenced by a security guard."

Now time will tell if Adam Jones can police himself. The Cowboys will no longer be providing babysitters, I mean bodyguards.

This may be Adam Jones final chance to stay in the NFL. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Jones must strictly adhere to the terms of his reinstatement and any missteps will lead to a lifetime ban from the NFL.

He must now continue intensive rehab and counseling on an outpatient basis. Even a missed appointment will mean the end of Jones' troubled career in the NFL.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell claimed he would have a "ZERO" tolerance policy with Jones if he were suspended again but as we all know he was suspended in October for fighting with his own bodyguard in a Dallas hotel. I thought zero mean none?

Why wait for that missed appointment which we all know he will miss and toss him out now. He's been given chance after chance.

Exhibit B: As if Pacman wasn't enough to munch on, there's the tale of a Giant causing trouble in New York. The New York Giants wide receiver, Plaxico Burress, accidentally shot himself in the right thigh last Friday night. He was allegedly trying to enter the club with teammate Antonio Pierce when they were stopped by security guards.

Burress started to unload the gun and bobbled it. Apparently the gun accidentally went off and shot through his leg. Club security tried to call an ambulance for the NFL receiver, but Burress refused. He actually took himself to Cornell Medical Center and was released after being treated.

Let's keep in mind people, this was a concealed weapon. Officials have stated that Plaxico does not have a concealed weapons permit.

Now the plot thickens. Reports also indicate that Burress had a Florida gun permit but that the permit expired in May. New York law prohibits the possession of a concealed weapon within New York even if one is licensed in an outside state. Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2006 led the way to stiffen gun laws in New York City making it a mandatory 3½-year sentence for being busted for illegal possession of a firearm within the city.

New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg has said that the Giants receiver should face a minimum of a 3 1/2-year prison sentence if convicted of having a gun illegally at a New York club over the weekend. Bloomberg also told the New York Post that anything short of the 3 1/2-year minimum for felony gun possession would be "a sham, a mockery of the law."

Bloomberg told the newspaper, "Our children are getting killed with guns in the street. Our police are getting killed, that's why the state legislature passed the automatic sentence if you get caught with an illegal gun. I think it would be an outrage if we didn't prosecute to the fullest extent of the law, particularly people who live in the public domain. If we didn't prosecute to the fullest extent, then I don't know who on earth you would."

Bloomberg also criticized the Giants for not volunteering information to NY police about Burress accidentally shooting himself, and said he saw little wiggle room in allegations against Burress. "It's pretty hard to argue the guy didn't have a gun (and) that it wasn't loaded. You've got bullet holes in and out to show it."

Plaxico Burress was charged with two felony counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree but was released on a $100,000 bond. Burress was ordered to return to the Manhattan Criminal Court by Judge Felicia Mennin on March 31.

A grand jury will hear evidence and make a decision on whether Burress will be indicted. Illegal possession of a firearm carries a sentence of 3½ to 15 years in jail.

Let's take a look back at Plaxico's notable past off-field incidents:

- September 2008: Suspended for 1 game versus the Seahawks for an unexcused absence.

- June 2008: Fined $42,000 by the Giants for missing team mini-camp meetings

- September 2006: Fined by Tom Coughlin for missing team meetings

Plaxico Burress is done for the year. The New York Giants have fined and suspended Burress for four games which is the rest of the regular season. They also placed him on the non-football injury list, which means he couldn't come back for the playoffs.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said, "When you lose a player of Plaxico's ability, it is incumbent that everybody step up and fill the void. In the last two seasons, this team has done an outstanding job of that."

Fines in the NFL typically mean a player loses a paycheck for each game he misses. In this case, that would mean roughly $206,000 per regular-season game. He also was due to receive $1 million from his signing bonus on Dec. 10. The team may go after that payment as well.

Take this note down, Plaxico is done with the Giants. Who knows, maybe he'll fit in with the Cowboys instead. Not to mention is legal troubles if found guilty.

Panthers Out Last Packers In Lambeau Field

2008-12-01T13:30:00.018-05:00

Starting fast wasn’t a problem for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. However, this had been a problem in the previous weeks. Jake Delhomme had previously commented, “We need to start faster. We need to have that edge, that sense of urgency when we come out."

Carolina came out clawing in the first quarter striking first blood with a 1-yard rush from DeAngelo Williams.

The second quarter saw more action as Green Bay got on the board with a 32-yard field goal from Mason Crosby. Carolina's Jake Delhomme got his wheels moving with a 1-yard touchdown quarterback keeper run keeping Carolina ahead, 14-3. That didn't last long as Donald Driver received a 6-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers. Once again the Panthers answered back as DeAngelo Williams bowled in for a 1-yard run.

The third quarter was all Green Bay with a 44-yard field goal from Mason Crosby then a Donald Lee 5-yard TD reception. An Aaron Rodgers pass to Greg Jennings completed a Two-Point conversion to tie the game 21-21.

Early in the fourth quarter, Green Bay took the lead for the first time with a 21-yard TD pass to Greg Jennings making the score 28-21 Packers. DeAngelo Williams had another 1-yard for Carolina to tie the game back at 28-28. Green bay had another field goal with 1:57 left in the game. It was looking like the Packers may walk away with this win.

A great kick return from Mark Jones set Carolina up at the Carolina 45 yard line. In the shotgun, Jake Delhomme throws a bomb deep down the middle to Steve Smith who catches it and advances to the Green Bay 1-yard line. This set up a 1-yard TD rush for DeAngelo Williams that would eventually win the game 35-31 for Carolina.

FUN FACT: DeAngelo Williams' fourth 1-yard TD run of the day gave the Panthers the win as they reached nine wins for the first time since 2005. Williams is the first player since the NFL merger in 1970 to have four 1-yard TD runs in a game.

FUN FACT: The Packers are 1-4 since their bye week and have allowed 86 points and eight rushing TDs over the last two weeks.

DeAngelo Williams is only 5'-10", 217 pounds, but rushed like a rhino this past Sunday. He bulldozed in four times from the 1-yard line in Carolina’s 35-31 win over the Green Bay Packers. The four rushing touchdowns set a single-game franchise record.

This is Williams’s fifth straight game scoring a TD for the Panthers and bumped up his season touchdown total to 11. This is one shy of the team record set by Stephen Davis in 2005.

When asked how difficult was the last catch from Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith responded, “It’s probably a catch that none of you guys could probably make,” as he laughed and looked around at the media contingent surrounding him in the locker room. “Jake threw it out and I went and attacked the ball.”

Jake Delhomme said, “There are two guys playing deep and when they’re flat footed looking at you and Steve is running, you throw it. We’ve done well at home, but we’ve been below average on the road. But we came into a tough place and we scored some points. We had 28 points last week (against Atlanta) and 35 this week. We’re scoring a little bit of points.”

Coach John Fox commented, “Like most pass plays, you can’t tell a quarterback exactly where to go with it. Typically what he does is he has to go with what the defense gives him. He has a lot of confidence in number 89 and he threw a good ball out there. I think it showed a lot about our football team. We stressed all week about starting fast. I think we were able to finish fast, too, which is critical.”

Fox also commented, “This game is full of ebbs and tides. But we made stops when we needed to. That’s the difference in records this time of the year being able to win those type of games and not. [DeAngelo] had to carry more of the load today. When he has, when we've called on him, he's come up. He's done a tremendous job for us."

After the game, defensive end Julius Peppers wasn’t apologizing for his hit on Aaron Rodgers late in the game that drew a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness.

Peppers said, “I’m not trying to judge whether he’s trying to step out of bounds, I’m just going for the hit. I’m not trying to hurt him or anything like that. The last thing I saw he was still out of bounds. A few plays before that he acted like he was going out of bounds and stayed in and got like five extra yards and a first down. I didn’t want to take that chance again. It’s just one of those things. It’s part of the game.”

NEXT WEEK'S MATCH UP: The Panthers (9-3) return home to face Tampa Bay (9-3) for a Prime time Monday Night Football showdown. This game will be pivotal in determining the NFC South champion. Does it get any better than that folks?

Falcons Soar Past Panthers

2008-11-24T09:55:00.014-05:00

This was a very tough game to watch. My wife and I were cringing the entire game. While screaming and cheering at the screen, it seems that Carolina never really showed up to play football. Which was unfortunate for us because we wanted to watch a football game.

The first quarter was all Atlanta, with a 23-yard field goal from Jason Elam as well as a 7-yard rushing touchdown from Harry Douglas. This put Atlanta up 10-0.

FUN FACT: The Falcons have outscored opponents 88-24 in the first quarter in 11 games in 2008. They were outscored 105-71 in the first quarter of 16 games in 2007.

FUN FACT: Atlanta kicker Jason Elam has scored at least 1 point in 246 straight games, the second-longest streak in NFL history.

The Falcon's Michael Turner romps in for an easy 1-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. Carolina moved into field goal rang for the first time and capitalized with a 23-yard field goal from John Kasay. Carolina was on the board 3-17 before the half.

Carolina woke up long enough to score 10 unanswered points in the third quarter with a DeAngelo Williams 5-yard run and a 21-yard John Kasay field goal to being the Panthers within 4 points, 13-17.

The fourth quarter was a back and forth brawl until the final minutes. Atlanta quickly scored with a 4-yard Michael Turner rush. Jake Delhomme showed off his wheels as be barrels in for a 12-yard run with a DeAngelo Williams rush for a Two-Point Conversion. Carolina gets within 3, 21-24.

The Falcons answered back with a Michael Turner 1-yard rush then added with a Harry Douglas 61-yard punt return. It was little too late as Muhsin Muhammad caught a 16-yard touchdown pass From Jake Delhomme. Michael Turner's 16-yard rushing touchdown sealed the deal at the Georgia Dome, winning 28-45.

NFC SOUTH FACT: The Falcons hold a 17-11 advantage in the all-time series against the Panthers, but Carolina has won five of the last eight.

Jake Delhomme went 21-of-35 for a total of 295 yards. Steve Smith had 8 passes for 168 yards. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 101 yards on 19 carries. Penalties killed the Panthers as they had 8 for 48 yards. It's hard to win if you give up free yardage.

Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme commented on the loss, “We need to start faster. We need to have that edge, that sense of urgency when we come out. For some reason the last couple of weeks it was slow. And we need to get it because it doesn’t get any easier from here on out. It’s disappointing. We gave ourselves some manageable situations and we didn’t convert. You are down 17-0 before you wake up and start playing some football. We dug ourselves such a hole. It's frustrating. We should start better."

Carolina defensive tackle Damione Lewis responded, “I know I’m angry and I think everyone on defense is. We all try to make the adjustments and try our best to make sure it doesn’t happen again. The defense feels like we let the team down. We fought back and gave ourselves an opportunity to come back and have a chance to take the lead and we didn’t. It’s hard on us. A great defense won’t allow a team to score points like that and we gave up the most points today we’ve given up all season.”

“We can’t continue to spot a team 10 or 17 points every time and expect to come back and win. Not against a team like that,” said cornerback Ken Lucas.

Panthers coach John Fox said, "They had a lot of personnel groupings and did a good job hiding their substitutions. It caused us to be a little bit behind on defense."

This was a must win for Carolina. Unfortunately the loss dropped the Panthers to 8-3 that forced a tie for first place in the NFC South with Tampa Bay. The Bucs hold the head-to-head tiebreaker so if the season ended today, the Bucs would win the division and the Panthers would be a wild card team for the playoffs. Carolina cannot afford to keep suffereing losses like this if they want to live and see the playoffs.

Overtime's Not for Everyone

2008-11-20T15:42:00.019-05:00

I'm sure by now we've all heard about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb overtime brain fart. For those of us who don't remember, please allow me to remind you.

NFL RULE: If an NFL game is tied after four quarters, the teams play an additional quarter lasting up to 15 minutes. In an NFL overtime game, the first team that scores wins, this is referred to as sudden death. In a regular-season NFL game, if neither team scores in overtime, the game is a tie. In an NFL playoff game, additional overtime periods are played, as needed, to determine a winner.

This means CLEARLY, that regular season games can end in a tie after one quarter of overtime is played but the Super Bowl and postseason games cannot. I believe that McNabb should have known this. All players and coaches in the NFL should be aware of this rule. In fact, this rule was adopted in 1974, and only 17 games have since ended tied.

McNabb said, "I never even knew that was in the rulebook. It's part of the rules, and we have to go with it. I was looking forward to the next opportunity to get out there and try to win the game. I hate to see what happens in the Super Bowl, and I hate to see what happens in the playoffs, to settle with a tie."

Is he insane? What would he think would happen if a playoff game ended in a tie? How would anyone advance to the next round? Come on Donovan, let's not get stupid.

McNabb went on to plead his case, "I've never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book. It's part of the rules, and we have to go with it. Should I have know that rule? Yes. But, there are a lot of rules in that rulebook that a lot of us don't know, and we ask questions."

In McNabbs defense, it seems the overtime knowledge it not known by others throughout the league. In fact other players like Hines Ward and Ben Roethlisberger have rushed to his aid showing their own ignorance of the rule.

A little closer to home Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox was asked in an interview how much time he spends making sure his players know the rules.

Fox commented, “We meet about them. We talk about them. We meet in the off-season. Everybody has mandated meetings with the officials. We have them at training camp. They sit in meetings and go over tape. A lot of it is just everyday stuff. As far as the tiebreakers for the playoff system and all those kinds of things, I don't really look at those as rules; those are just procedures. But as far as playing the game and situations of games, we practice those on a daily basis.”

Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said he knew regular season games could end in a tie, “I promise you, there’s some people that probably didn’t know that overtime ended in a tie in the regular season."

Jake was also asked if he was surprised that McNabb didn’t know the rules and responded, “Yes and no. .... a little bit. But I promise you, he didn’t play thinking let’s wait until the second overtime. Sure he’s getting a lot of flak over it. A lot of guys probably don’t know and are too proud to say they didn’t know.”

I guess that ignorance is bliss for those who don't know the rules. Perhaps one day, they'll be able to experience the same realization that McNabb did.

Bottom line is that there is no excuse to not know the rules. If a player doesn't know the rules, then the responsibility lays fully on the coaching staff, PERIOD!

Bishops Take Down Pride in Season Finale

2008-11-17T16:04:00.009-05:00

It was the prefect day for football. The air was warm and the skies were sunny at kickoff. That quickly changed as the wind came roaring in and the skies slowly darkened as the game went on. Northern Nash High School’s football field was already muddy as the Bishops hosted the pride of Greensboro in their last regular season game.

The Battling Bishop football team celebrated its 2008 Senior Day during this Homecoming game. The team honored their 14 seniors before the game: Nigel Rodgers, Damian Hopkins, Matt Bass, Cliff Edmundson, Reshard Patterson, Micke'l Cahoon, Carlos Railey, Aaron Durant, Russell Rouse, Joseph Stutts, Reggie Wells, Travis Kivett, Quinderra Spellman, and Richie Wiggins.

Could NC Wesleyan keep winning streak alive versus Greensboro College? The Bishops were 6-4 coming into the game. They also have never lost to Greensboro in the program's history.

The Bishops suffered an incredibly sloppy first half of football that kept the Pride in the hunt for their first conference win of the season.

NC Wesleyan looked very strong as they scored on their opening possession in the first quarter with another touchdown in the secopnd. Even though both teams struggled in terrible field conditions, the Pride made good on a Bishop interception that led to a 25-yard field goal early in the second quarter.

NC Wesleyan led Greensboro College 14-3 at the half.

During the third quarter of the game, the Bishops completed a 14-yard touchdown pass then later added another rushing touchdown to end the third quarter.

The Bishops' continued their scoring in the fourth quarter with another touchdown to secure a 35-3 win.

With this win, NC Wesleyan ends their regular season, 6-4 overall, 5-2 in the USA South. This win continues the Bishops football program's third straight winning season for and ties them for second place in the USA SOuth standings with Ferrum College.

According to the Rocky Mount Telegram, NC Wesleyan coach Mark Henninger commented, “To finish the season with a winning record is huge, especially considering the start we had. I think it says a lot about this group of seniors. I told them after the Ferrum game we could either finish 6-4, 7-3 or 2-7, and they responded.

Henninger also commented about missing the playoff's, “If we do just a few more of the little things three weeks ago (against Christopher Newport) we are in the playoffs again. I think it’s good for our young guys to come so close to (a championship) but not get it. I’m excited about what I have coming back in the spring and how hungry our guys will be.”