A sad article.

This is a very sad story. Written by ESPN's Bill Simmons, it chronicles the funeral of, and events leading to the death of, Jamiel Shaw. Shaw was a standout high school running back in California. He was being scouted by D-1A schools like Stanford and Rutgers. He had a bright future ahead of him.

With his mother soon to return from her second tour in Iraq, Shaw lived in Los Angeles with his father. At the age of 17, he was shot twice by gang members, less than a block from his house.

While the gang violence in America pales in comparison to that found in Brasil, or other nations, I still find it reprehensible, and inexcusable. There is no need for it. When it results in the death of a promising young man, like it has here, it becomes all the more tragic. A few days ago, Pedro Espinoza was arrested, and arraigned on Capital Murder charges in response for his alleged role in the shooting.

Brett Favre in the virtual world.

Props to FootballOutsiders for finding this.

IGN is celebrating the retirement of Brett Favre by looking at his various video game incarnations. This kind of put into perspective the impact that sports gaming is beginning to have. It's actually a pretty good read.

You can find the article here: http://sports.ign.com/articles/858/858013p1.html

Favre Rides Off Into the Sunset...

Well, after decidedly more than 7-10 days, Favre decided to hang it up. After breaking all the passing records previously held by Dan Marino, and leading his beloved Green Bay Packers to the NFC championship game, Favre will retire. He made it official in a press conference that you could feel the emotion.

The quote that gets me is when he says, "I know I can play, but I just don't know if I want to..."
Well, if that's how you feel, tank you for the memories.

Prospect Rankings: RB

Here's my rankings for the running backs in the upcoming draft. A big suprise here too.

1) Jonathon Stewart

Jonathon Stewart is a physical freak. Built very low to the ground, at 5'11" and 230 lbs, Stewart has the advantage in nearly every physical confrontation he'll find on the field. Blocking and breaking tackles are all about leverage, and Stewart has that in spades. He bench presses in excess of 400 lbs, at a position where most of the top teir prospects are barely breaking 300. And his phenominal strength and bulk in his legs allow him to power through any defender in the NFL. Rushed for over 1,700 yards in one of the toughest conferences in FBS football, and did it at a 6.2 YPC clip to boot. Excellent ball security too, despite playing in an offense that deals with a lot of uncertainty at the handoff. PAC 10 fans are happy to see him go.

On the downside, Stewart, while extremely fast, isn't quite as fast as speedsters like Jamaal Charles. His ability as a reciever is also limited. The big red flag on Stewart is his durability, he's dealt with a lot of little ticky tack injuries over his three years in Eugene.

This is the pick that's gonna have some readers up in arms. Everyone loves McFadden, and I do too, but running back is a position where raw talent rules, and no one has more raw talent than Mr. Stewart. Think Larry Johnson, before Herm Edwards ran him into the ground.


2) Darren McFadden

McFadden is a tall, lean running back. At 6'2", 215 he's reminicent of Eric Dickerson, with the same upright flowing stride that lends itself to breaking long runs once he's broken past the second level of a defense. This is supported by his extremely fast 4.33 40 that he put down at the NFL combine. McFadden is also very versitile, famously taking snaps out of Arkansas' "Wildcat" formation. He has some experience returning kicks, and has proven himself capable of handling a full 300+ carry load for a season.

McFadden has had limited opportunaty as a reciever at Arkansas, due to the instability at QB for the duration of his stay. He also lacks lower body bulk, which can translate into reduced running power at the next level. He carries the ball a little looser than he should, and has had some problems with fumbles because of it. In addition, there are some off the field incidents that Goodell just loves to crack down on. Two seperate incidents outside of nightclubs, one ending in his being handcuffed, the other ending in him requiring surgery on his toe, don't look very good.

McFadden is the instant impact runner in this years draft. While I feel that Stewart is more talented, McFadden is much more polished at this point. If he gets the starting job from day one, which is likely, he's my early pick for ORoY.

3) Rashard Mendenhall

Mendenhall is very similar in his skillset to Stewart. He's compact, 5'11", 225. He's fast, 4.37 40. And he's strong, 26 reps of 225 lbs on the bench press. He, like Stewart, posseses optimal power between the tackles, while retaining breakaway speed on the edge. He has soft hands, making him a prime target coming out of the backfield. He's also very studious of the game, which helps limit the potential of his being a bust.

Mendenhall was never asked to block very much. He's a straight line runner. Like Stewart, and unlike McFadden, Mendenhall didn't play at a high level for multiple seasons, he had his breakout year, and now wants to get paid.

Mendenhall was built for the current Denver Broncos. He's the one cut runner that Shannahan drools over. However, unlike the previous great RB in Denver, Clinton Portis, Mendenhall has the power to break through weak holes opened by a young line. He'd be a good choice for most teams that want to compete while rebuilding their line. He's remenicent of a pre suspension Ricky Williams. Let's hope he lacks the off the field issues that took down Ricky.

4) Jamaal Charles

Jamaal Charles is an average sized back, with mediocre blocking skills, and hands that are just OK. He does have one thing going for him though... he runs with face melting velocity. He doesn't do anything else particularly well, but he can hit a hole and vanish with impressive alacrity. Defenses can forget pursuit angles with this guy, because if the first guy misses, no one else will catch him.

On the downside, he really doesn't have anything else going for him besides his speed. He doesn't do anything particularly bad, but he doesn't knock you dead with anything else either. His ball security is an issue.

Think Willie Parker, only bigger and faster. If you've got a decent set of blockers who can pick up linebackers and safeties, then Charles is going to be a huge asset. The Vikings would love him if they didn't have Purple Jesus already.

5) Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson is very similar to Jamaal Charles, only a hair smaller at 5'11", 195, and a hair faster. Johnson posseses the same track start speed that Charles does, and is also a slightly better reciever, and has better lateral burst.

However, with decreased size comes decreased strength, leverage, and other physical characteristics. While Charles has limited pop at the point of impact. He also has some durability issues, having had neck surgery, and the dreaded "Turf Toe".

If Jamaal Charles is Willie Parker, Chris Johnson is Jerious Norwood. The ECU standout will make a very effective 3rd down back, and if he could put on ten more pounds without compromising his speed, he'll be an effective starter.

The Guy You've Never Heard Of...

Yvenson Bernard: The 5'9", 205 lb Oregon State standout is everything that a team wants in a third down back. While lacking the physical gifts to be a full time starter, Bernard is an excellent reciever, good blocker, and excellent short yardage back. He runs like a cockroach, in a good way. Ever see a roach slip through a crack the size of a quarter? That's all the room the O line needs to give Bernard for him to squeeze through and pick up those tough yards. Look for him to go on the second day, and make a team very happy.

But What About?

Felix Jones: his times at the combine were nothing exceptional, and combined with his limited exposure in college, it's iffy that he'll be able to carry the load. He's a solid third round pick though.

Mike Hart: he ran a 4.7 40. That's fullback speed, not running back speed. And it's not like he has fullback size. Second day pick.

Steve Slaton: I actually like Slaton as a running back. But not as much as my top 5. another solid third rounder. He made a huge mistake coming out early.

Ray Rice: Ran faster than I anticipated. He might have pushed his stock into the second round.

Teams likely to take a running back.

Seattle

Chicago

New York Jets

Kansas City

Tampa Bay

Green Bay

Atlanta

Arizona

Wow...

Well, that was definitely one of the better Super Bowls I've ever seen. Eli Manning stepped up big time. He made it look like he was back at Ole Miss. Brady looked like his ankle was definetly bothering him, he fluttered a lot of his passes, but got lucky on some of those passes that went out of bounds. The Giants D-Line took advantage of the weak Patriots O-Line. The Patriots D-line got embassarased by the Giants O-line, and when they actually got past the line, Eli made them look like children. Randy Moss didn't show up at all, nor did Lawrence Maroney.

I'm not going to lie and say I called this one, I'm shocked with the Giant's game as well. However, I can appreciate the game the Giants played. Good D-line play is very enjoyable for me to watch, although most people don't appreciate it all the time.

Mercury Morris got his ass saved by the Giants. He still looks like an idiot, but now he doesn't have to deal with the brutal teasing he would have gotten.

The guy who does come off like a complete douche is Bill Bellichick. He didn't go for the field goal that would have tied it. He called some very questionable defenses. He didn't run the ball as much as he should have. And it appears Randy Moss rubbed off on him with his 1 second left dissapearing act.

David Tyree had the best Super Bowl Catch I've ever seen, move over Lynn Swann.

The important thing now is... Everyone's Undefeated. Bring on the Off-Season.

Favre to make his decision soon...

Brett Lorenzo Favre's legend was born with his first pass attempt with the Packers. On September 13th, 1992, Farve came in after Don Majikowski was sidelined against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Favre dropped back, looked downfield, and threw a bullet pass... which was promptly batted away by defensive end Ray Seals. In typical Favre-ian fashion, Brett grabbed the ball out of midair. Thus Brett Favre's first completion was to... Brett Favre.

Favre snatched that ball out of midair and ran with it. Though he didn't make it far on that play, he was tackled for a seven yard loss, Farve's momentum seems to have carried over into a career that has been replete with magical moments, from his first start, against the Bengals, which saw him take Kitrick Taylor, whom had no TD catches in his career, and hit him on a 35 yard frozen rope which snatched victory away from the 2-0 Bengals, and gave the Packers their first win of the season. That TD was the only one that Taylor ever caught, but it was just one of 442 that Brett Favre has thrown for the Green Bay Packers as he rewrote the record books, first those of the Packers, and recently those of the entire NFL.

Favre's magical run has taken him through 257 games, 22 playoff games, 4 Conference Championships, and 2 Super Bowls. It has seen him earn 9 Pro Bowl appearances, 7 division titles, 3 MVPs, 2 conference championships, and an NFL title. Brett Favre has set 6 career QB records thus far.

Of those records, by far the most impressive is his 237 straight games started. In a sport that will destroy a man's body like no other, Favre has been the constant fixture, an Ironman every bit as worthy of the title as Lou Gehrig or Cal Ripkin. Favre's ability to come back, despite all obstacles placed in his path speaks well of his love for the game, and that is what I like best about him. When Favre scores a TD, he's not one to "act like he's been there before" as Tom Landry once demanded of his players. Whenever he puts the ball in the endzone, he celebrates with the passion of a player who's scoring for the first time, and because of that joy, he's scored more than anyone else.

I'm bringing up Favre's beginnings, because he's about to make his decision about his future. Favre has gone on the record as saying that he will make his decision weather or not to retire within 7-10 days. I would love to see Favre sprint out onto the field next season. But if he decides to move on to the next phase of his life, I'd just like to wish him luck. And say Thank You.

Goodwin's Cowboy...

I found this on FootballOutsiders.com and found it to be hilarious. Doubly so if you're a fan of a team in the NFC East.

Prospect Rankings: QB

THE TOP FIVE

1) Andre' Woodson

Rankings: Scout.com: 4th

ESPN:3rd

NFLDraftCountdown.com: 3rd

At 6'5" and 230 lbs, Woodson already posseses the protypical frame that one wants to see in a franchise QB. His mechanics are solid, and he has the athleticism to allow him to escape the rush. He has a strong arm, and is capable of making every throw an NFL offense will ask of him.

He did operate mainly out of the Shotgun while at Kentucky. If he misses the placement on a pass, it tends to be high. Doesn't operate well on timed, blind throws, like a Peyton or Brady does. He tends to be streaky as a passer.

Unlike other rankings, I'm very high on Woodson as a QB. I believe he's the best QB available in this draft. His combination of mobility, size, and arm strength reminds me of Donovan McNabb. I believe his stock will rise after he completes his combine workouts. Look for him to run in the 4.7s, and throw the ball very well.

2) Brian Brohm

Rankings: Scout.com: 3rd

ESPN: 2nd

NFLDraftCountdown.com: 2nd

Brohm is by far the most mechanically correct QB in the draft this year. He's extremely intellegent, and a hard worker, both on and off the field. Reads a defense extremely well. Gets the ball out quickly. Played in a pro style offense at Louisville.

Brohm's biggest problem is staying healthy, he's undergone surgery for a torn ACL, torn ligaments in his hand, and to repair his non-throwing shoulder. Outside of the questions about durability, the only issue with Brohm is that his physical atributes are simply "good enough", not excellent. At 6'3", he's tall enough, but it's nothing to write home about, and his arm strength is adequate, but it's not on the same level as some of the other elite QBs in this draft.

Brohm is a fairly safe prospect, injury issues aside. He's not going to redefine the quarterback position, but it's very unlikely he'll be unable to perform at a solid level. He's essentially Phillip Rivers with better form, and hopefully less mouthy.

3) Joe Flacco

Rankings: Scout.com: 2nd

ESPN: 5th

NFLDraftCountdown.com: 7th

Massive frame, at 6'6", 237 lbs. Phenominal arm strength. Exceptionally durable.Has all the physical tools you want in a pocket passer.

Largely unproven against top teir talent. Pretty much completely immobile. Forces passes a little too often. Needs to streamline his throwing motion.

Joe Flacco is going to be this years, "Where did he come from?" player. He'll grade out very well at the combine, and soon all the talking heads will be discussing him. He's very similar to Browns QB Derek Anderson. questions still remain about weather he'll be able to perform like Anderson, though. His last minute invitation to the Senior Bowl gives him an opportunity to really raise his stock, by proving he can play against high level competition.

4) Matt Ryan

Rankings: Scout.com: 1st

ESPN: 1st

NFLDraftCountdown.com: 1st

Has experience in pro style offenses. Good mobility in the pocket, and throws well on the run. Excellent intangibles. Media Darling. Prototypical height. Displays good touch on passes.

Weak arm strength. 19 interceptions this season is a huge red flag, as is the 59.3% accuracy. Has a history of foot injuries. Needs to eliminate his windup in his throwing motion.

Matt Ryan went from a 4th or 5th round pick to a first rounder with his performance this season. However, unlike most other outlets, I don't belive he's the best QB on the board. A lot of his accolades had more deserving canidates. Ryan was good, but he wasn't 1st team All-American level, nor was he the best senior QB, despite his winning the Manning Award. The media has whipped up a frenzy around him that somewhat overestimates his abilities. This will work to his favor when it comes to draft position, but it won't assist him on the field. He's similar to Cowboys QB Tony Romo, but a little taller, with a weaker arm, but the style of play is very similar.

5) John David Booty

Ratings: Scout.com: 8th

ESPN: 6th

NFLDraftCountdown.com: 6th

Worked well in the Pro offense of USC. Reads defenses and goes through his progressions very well. Solid Mechanics. Very Quick Release.

Average arm strength and size. Durability is a concern. Will never be a rushing threat. It's debatable how much he was benefited by the massive talent differential between USC and other teams.

JDB isn't significantly better than other options at this point. Erik Ainge or Chad Henne would be almost as good. What seperates them is Booty's accuracy and experience in the offense. Booty's style of play is very similar to Jake Delhomme.

The Guy You've Never Heard Of

Josh Johnson: A product of the University of San Diego, Johnson is essentially a Dennis Dixon Clone, and with Dixon coming off a torn ACL, Johnson might be the better option. He's a little light for the position, but is a solid passer, and good runner. He posted a strong showing in the East-West Shrine Game. Think Jeff Garcia.

But What About?

Dennis Dixon: Solid QB prospect, but with his reliance on his mobility, combined with his recent ACL tear, makes him a shaky pick at best.

Colt Brennan: System QB. Lacks arm strength, and is far too light to survive the NFL.

Matt Flynn: Too short, makes some very questionable throws, and got by more on the talent of the team, than his own.

Teams That Will Likely Pick a QB:

• Chicago
• Minnesotta
• Atlanta
• Baltimore
• Tampa Bay
• Carolina
• Kansas City
  
  

State of the Team: Vol 1.

Today, we're going to take a look at the Miami Dolphins. In 2007, the Miami Dolphins wrapped up a 1-15 campaign that will undoubtedly rank among mankind's most awful crimes.

QB: The Dolphins made their big move of the 07 off season by swapping out their young, injury-prone QB, Daunte Culpepper, for and old, injury prone QB, in Trent Green. While Culpepper found a new shot at mediocrity in Oakland, Green suffered a second straight season ended by a severe concussion. Green's done in the NFL, regardless of what he claims, we saw it with Aikman, we saw it with Young, we saw it with many a QB. Concussions beget more concussions which beget early retirement. No one's going to invest in a 38 year old concussion case.

Cleo Lemon came in after Green's shattered remains were carted off the field, and fared slightly better. Slightly better in the manner that death by drug overdose is better than death by radiation poisoning, in the end, you're still losing everything, but you get to see some pretty things before you shove off. Lemon's 71.0 QB rating was sandwiched between Vince Young and Tavaris Jackson, not great company for a passer. Lemon's 4 rushing TDs helped mitigate his weak passing, but still not enough to make him anything other than an average backup.

Which brings us to John Beck. Dolphins fans, John Beck is not the answer, he lacks accuracy, can't find the endzone, and has no positive rushing value to compensate for that. He's a little short, and his deep passes have a tendency to flutter. Normally, you might stash such a player as a backup for a few years behind an aging starter during his youth so that when the prior starter leaves, you can have a transition with relatively few bumps. Unfortunately, John Beck has no youth left, he's older than Phillip Rivers, who was drafted 3 years ahead of him. Typically at age 26, a team is deciding weather to keep a QB as their franchise, or dump him, with John Beck, that age has come and gone, the time he spend developing is now coming at the cost of his prime years.

RB: The lone bright spot of the early season was the great play of Ronnie Brown. Unfortunately, Ronnie Brown tore his ACL during the 7th game of the season. ACL tears usually take 2 years for a running back to fully recover from. Edgerrin James can attest to that. So the Dolphins won't be able to lean on Brown next season. With Ronnie Brown yet to complete an entire season, the Dolphins might want to consider looking for a good backup to take some of the pressure off him.

After Brown went down, the Dolphins brought out a cavalcade of mediocrity. Jesse Chatman, Samkon Gado, Lorenzo Booker, Patrick Cobbs, even the burnt out, smoked out, shell of Ricky Williams. None of whom should be anything better than a 3rd stringer at this point. Obtaining a decent backup is a must.

WR: The Dolphins had one decent WR at the end of the 06 season. That wide out had a monster season in 07, catching for 1,175 yards and 8 TDs. Unfortunately, in their infinite wisdom, the Dolphins management traded Wes Welker to the Patriots before the season began.

This left them with Chris Chambers, Marty Booker, and Ted Ginn jr. Chambers has been deceptively bad in Miami, making several highlight reel catches, but for every phenomenal catch he made, he dropped a dozen easy catches. In the management's one intelligent move in recent history, they managed to get decent value for Chambers in a trade with the Chargers.

Marty Booker is a decent slot receiver, but when you're playing a natural 3rd receiver as your no. 1 receiver, you've got some issues.

Ted Ginn jr, was drafted with the 9th pick in the 2007 draft, in a move that just oozed nepotism. Ginn is an unpolished project who was drafted essentially to be a return man. Apparently no one told the Dolphins that you shouldn't draft a return man with a top ten pick when a franchise QB is still on the board.

TE: The Dolphins had a decent receiving TE in Randy McMichael, but they jettisoned him in favor of Justin Peelle's superior blocking skills. Questionable call, but given Brown's explosive early season, one that is at least understandable.

OL: Vernon Carey might be a pro bowl caliber player at guard. However, because the rest of the line is so terrible, he's forced into service at LT, out of position. The rest of the line is unspeakably bad. This is evidenced by the the Dolphins averaging 5.05 yards per carry off left tackle, and less than 4 ypc up the middle or off right tackle. Throw in 42 sacks allowed, and you have nothing to write home about.

DL: The D-Line suffered under the Dolphins' schizophrenic 4-3/3-4 defensive alignment. Jason Taylor still made plays, but Keith Traylor and Vonnie Holliday looked lost when asked to rush the passer from the inside. Matt Roth had a weak showing too, notching a meager 3 sacks. Traylor is retiring, and Taylor is getting old, so replacements will need to be found for them. The depth is shallow, with Rodrique Wright looking like a capable backup, but marginal starter, and no one of note after him.

LB: Zach Thomas, the normally stalwart ILB, went down for the season in the 5th game. He'll be 35 this season. Channing Crowder has been decent when on the field, but seeing as the Dolphins are going to shift to a 3-4 under their new coach, two ILBs will be needed, and Thomas is rapidly approaching the end of his career. Ernie Miles is next in line, but he's undersized, and lacks Thomas' instincts. OLB Joey Porter was disappointing, but some of that could be chalked up to his playing out of position quite a bit when the Dolphins run the 4-3. Derrick Pope is extremely undersized, and is out of place in a 3-4, his inability to pressure the QB will limit his usefulness to Coach Sparano.

CB: Neither cornerback is a real playmaker in the Champ Bailey mold. They combined for 2 INTs, one each. Will Allen was targeted on 20% of opponents pass attempts, despite only allowing 4.5 yards per pass attempt. This becomes even more inexplicable when you realize that Michael Lehan is allowing 8.1 yards per attempt.

S: Jason Allen wedged his way into the starting lineup, and while he didn't play like a pro bowler, he played decently. Cameron Worrell also worked his way into the starting lineup,but didn't play as well, and certainly not living up to the potential he displayed as the man who filled in for Broken Mike Brown.

Overall: The Dolphins are a broken franchise right now. Every position needs to be upgraded more or less. They're at least three years away from contention. but hey, there's still a reason to be a Dolphins fan...

Senior Bowl Week Kicks Off

The Senior Bowl traditionally takes the top seniors from college football and puts them through their paces against each other. It's one of the few chances to see these players go against top level talent in a competative environment. This year's Senior Bowl kicks off on Saturday the 26th of January. It's website, with rosters, articles, and event times can be found at www.seniorbowl.com/2008/.

This year, several of the potential top players have pulled out of the game. Notably absent this year is Brian Brohm, Glenn Dorsey, Craig Steltz, Mike Hart, John Carlson, Quenton Groves, and Mike Jenkins. Most of them are citing some sort of injury.

Some of the lesser known players to take a look at during this game are Delaware QB Joe Flacco, East Carolina RB Chris Johnson, Boston College OT Gosder Cherilus, South Florida LB Ben Moffitt, and Troy CB Leodis McKelvin.

Scott Wright, at NFLDraftCountdown.com, is on site at the Senior Bowl, and has started his own blog to give you up to the minute updates on the Senior Bowl. His blog can be found at http://nfldraftcountdown.com/features/seniorbowl/blog.html.

Norm Chow Returns to Los Angeles

Less than a month after being canned by the Tennessee Titans, Norm Chow has returned to the city from which his title of "Offensive Guru" sprang from. Back in Los Angeles, Chow is calling plays, not for USC coach Pete Carroll, but for UCLA's Rick Neuheisel. Chow will replace Jay Norvell as UCLA's offensive coordinator.

The hiring of Chow is the next step in the continuing overhaul of UCLA's coaching staff, beginning with Neuheisel replacing Karl Dorrell, on through Neuheisel's bringing in of former UCLA wide reciever Reggie Moore. These offensive coaches were brought in to fix an offense that finished 2007 ranked 9th in the Pac 10 in scoring offense and dead last in passing offense. The hope is that Chow, who mentored three Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks, will bring a turn around to the weak passing offense.

Here's my thoughts on this. Former mega recruit Ben Olson is jumping for joy right now. The prototypical Olsen posseses all the physical skills needed to be a top flight QB. He compares very favorably to Carson Palmer, who struggled his first few years at USC before Norm Chow was hired as offensive coordinator, before Palmer won the Heisman Trophy his senior year and became the first pick in the 2003 NFL draft.

The UCLA offense isn't in nearly as bad shape as the statistics from last season seem to indicate. They suffered from a brutal rash of injuries to their QBs and RBs. While most of their starting lineup has moved on, these injuries allowed their backups, and next years starters, to accrue valuable experience. RB Khalil Bell was more effective than starter Chris Markey when subbing in for the injured Markey. Bell's 5.6 ypc average is a good sign for Chow's offense, especially when combined with the potential players returning in the recieving corps. WRs Dominique Johnson and Terrence Austin, while nowhere near as good as the WRs Chow had with the Trojans, provide a good dichotomy of skillsets. Johnson is a 6'4" jump ball specialist, and Austin is a 5'11" speedster, who'll make the screen pass a more viable threat. Rounding out the skill position players will be TE Logan Paulsen, a 6'6" recieving threat who'll be seeking to rebound from a dissapointing 12 catch season in which he missed 6 games due to injury.

The weakest point of the offense is the Line. Chow is used to having phenominally talented blockers for his offense to go to work behind. That said, UCLA will only be returning 2 players with significant experience on the offensive line.

The matchups with the current talent is important, but another front that the Chow hiring makes progress on is the failing battle that UCLA has been fighting with USC for the young talent of California. Rick Neuheisel already has a good pitch set up, being able to sell kids on their joining him in reviving UCLA's "Proud Traditions", but now he has a another lure with which to land the big time recruits. Norm Chow has had three Heisman winning QBs under his watch, Ten 1st round draft picks have come out of his offenses, 3 of his QBs are currently starting in the NFL, one of his players is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Chow's resume exudes success for everyone who's willing to join him. Don't forget the fact that his offenses at USC are still fresh in our memory. This is going to be a powerful tool for UCLA's recruiters.

This is an excellent move for UCLA, it'd be a great move for almost any school, but UCLA is particularly well suited for him.

Opening Day

This is a blog about the important things in life. This means that there will be alot of posts about football here. Don't get me wrong, there are other important things that will be talked about here, but there'll be a lot of football.

Here's my plan. I intend to update this blog with at least one football related topic per week. Off topic posts will be put up whenever something tickles my fancy.