The Cream of the Cream

1. Tom "Football Jesus" Brady, New England Patriots
2007 Stats: 4,806 yards, 68.9% Comp, 50 TDs, 8 INTs, 117.2 QB Rating, and getting a victory BJ from supermodel Giselle. Quote: "Damn, I really wanted 19!"

You know why Tom Brady is so good? Cause he has an enormous chip on his shoulder. And I'm not talking a normal sized chip, I'm talking, an Italian from Brooklyn sized chip on the shoulder. Inside Tom Brady knows that every team in the NFL thought that there were 198 players better than him, and that will never go away.

Beyond that, he sits behind one of the best five offensive lines in the league, and he still has two of the best receivers in the league. The one negative may be the return of Sammy Morris and the Laurence Maroney being healthy this year, which will take away from the amount he passes. Also, Bill Belichick may not be throwing the whole "Beli-cheat" back in the faces of the NFL. His numbers probably won't be as ungodly as last year, but 4,400 yards, 40 TDs, under 10 INTs still will top the league.

2. "I heart" Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
2007 Stats: 4,040 yards, 65.4% Comp, 31 TDs, 14 INTs, 98.0 QB Rating, has made more money then 57 nations GNP from commercials over the last two years.

He is my favorite player in the league by far. His commercials are humorous and entertaining, but most of the time he's making fun of his own dorkiness. The pinnacle being, "worried over your haircut? Look at me, picked it at 10, and stuck with it. People appreciate that." Brilliant. A lot of people may be burnt out with him, but I swear, a famous person being able to publicly make fun of themselves (for money) is commendable. Kudos Mr. Manning, kudos.

More of the same in 2008 for Peyton. Sure Marvin Harrison is going to be back, but was Anthony Gonzalez that bad a substitute? Also, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are marvelous targets, and another year of maturing for his offensive line and Joseph Addai should provide Peyton with a continuingly stable offense.

3. Tony Romo aka "Mr. Simpson", Dallas Cowboys
2007 Stats: 4,211 yards, 64.4% Comp, 36 TDs, 19 INTs, 97.4 QB Rating

Was there anything more stupid than the Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo vacation thing? Look, I understand that we now view athletes as celebrities, and therefore are allowed to completely invade on their social lives, but Jesus... can we agree to not make it annoying? I still think that it was a conspiracy by the NFL and ESPN to bring in more female viewer ship.

I have a very weird feeling this season is going to be the beginning of the fall of Terrell Owens, but it doesn't matter because Dallas is stacked in the receiver position.

Several questions, though. What's the impact of losing Julius Jones going to have? Can Marion Barber III and Fred Jones make up the difference? Can Terry Glenn come back and be effective? Is Jason Witten going to be as dominating as last year?

I think the only noticeable difference is going to be a drop in INTs that comes from being a starter for 3 years.

4. Donovan "Cunningham" McNabb, Philidelphia Eagles
2007 Stats: 3,324 yards, 61.5% Comp, 19 TDs, 7 INTs, 89.9 QB Rating, 0% team backing

God Philidephia Eagles fans are stoopid. Do you realize you've had an elite QB for the better part of a decade now? Do you honestly think that Kevin Kolb or AJ Feely or even departed Jeff Garcia are anywhere as good as him? This guy almost yearly makes a case to be MVP, and you complain about him? I live in Miami, ask me what it feels like to lose a Franchise Quarterback. And did Dan Marino ever win a championship? No. But he sure as hell put us in a position every year to go there.

People, only ONE TEAM can win the championship! Not to mention, we're all sitting right at the tail end of a Dynasty in New England. Didn't he take y'all to the NFC Championship 3 years in a row? Come on, give the guy a break. Not to mention, he's NEVER had any receivers to throw to. The one year he did, they went to the friggin' Superbowl! What more could you want?

They Got The Stuff, But Do They "Got... The... Stuff..."

5. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
2007 Stats: 4,423 yards, 67.5% Comp, 28 TDs, 18 INTs, 89.4 QB Rating

The year before everyone was sucking Drew Brees' big one. Talk about having a Playoff Hangover. Through the first 4 games he had 9 INTs and 1 TD. He had the same amount of INTs for the final 12 games, as well as 27 TDs! I think he's going to have a mega bounce back.

Also, Reggie Bush, man, what a disappointment. Drew felt that hurt bad. Thankfully, Deuce "who names their kid Deuce?" McAllister is hopefully going to be healthy again, which will take a lot of stress of Drew.

6. Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams
2007 Stats: 2,395 yards, 58.5% Comp, 11 TDs, 15 INTs, 70.3 QB Rating

I'm going to over-inflate every single St. Louis Rams player, because their offensive line is killer, and last year they did so badly solely because the WHOLE LINE was injured. Marc Bulger, when he doesn't have guys knocking the crap out of him, is one of the best offensive weapons at the QB position.

It's not all sunny, though, Marc loves to get injured. That is a big issue, but I'm hoping for the best.

7. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
2007 Stats: 4,131 yards, 64.9% Comp, 26 TDs, 20 INTs, 86.7 QB Rating

He rushed back from his knee injury. Plain and simple.

Not to mention, RB Rudi Johnson has become all but useless. He only had one 100+ yard rushing game last year, and split time instead with Kenny Watson, who should have been starting the whole year. Hopefully Marvin Lewis makes the right decision.

I'd expect a drop in INTs and an increase in TDs. By the way, losing Chad Johnson won't be a bad thing.

8. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
2007 Stats: 3,154 yards, 65.3% Comp, 32 TDs, 11 INTs, 104.1 QB Rating

Big Ben was my pick to have a big surprise for the year, and ended up having a "career year" last year. Just look at those stats. 104 QB Rating? Wow, that's pretty intense. Goes to show you that giving someone a year to come back from injury is a good thing (ahem, Carson Palmer).

This is one of those situations that I think his ranking goes up and down depending on how your league goes. If there's a heavy lean on yards, then drop him down a couple of notches, but if there's more of a focus on TDs, INTs, and rating, then push him up a couple of spots.

The Steelers workmen like offense will always limit the yards this guy can put up, but also will keep him efficient and untouched.

9. Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle Seahawks
2007 Stats: 3,966 yards, 62.9% Comp, 28 TDs, 12 INTs, 91.4 QB Rating

He's been doing the same thing for a whole bunch of years now. He just seems to get the job done. Don't ask me why, but I predict a slide in the Seahawks. I don't know why, it's just one of those football intuition things.

Yeah, I Guess That'll Have To Do or This Guy Will Make A Reasonable Backup or God, Who Is Stupid Enough To Want To Trade For One Of These Guys

10. Derek Anderson, Cleveland Browns
2007 Stats: 3,787 yards, 56.5% Comp, 29 TDs, 19 INTs, 82.5 QB Rating

I'm only putting him the first one on this part of the list because of comparison to the other QBs. His offense is stacked, his defense gives up points, he makes A LOT of deep field passes (hence the 56.5% completion percentage), and they added Donte' Stallworth, what else can you ask for?

Unfortunately, I just don't believe in it. Can anyone say Billy Joe Toliver? I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Brady Quinn is starting by the end of the year and Anderson's contract is the joke of the NFL. "Boy, the Browns sure blew that one. Of course, they're the Browns."

For those of you who doubt, Anderson finished the final 3 games, 180 yds/gm average, 50.9% Comp, 3 TDs, and 5 INTs. Against Buffalo, Cincy, and San Fran!

11. David Gerrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
2007 Stats: 2,509 yards, 64% Comp, 18 TDs, 3 INTs, 102.2 QB Rating

I used to have friends who were big time Jax fans, and they said that Gerrard was a hundred times better a QB than Byron Leftwich, and it's true. I would love to have Gerrard be the QB of my team. He's like Trent Dilfer, but even MORE efficient. In terms of fantasy, not so much. He doesn't kill in passing yards, and he doesn't kill in rushing yards. I doubt he'll have more than 20 TDs, but at least he'll keep the INTs down. He's a really solid backup, I just wouldn't want him as my fantasy starter.

12. Jon Kitna, Detroit Lions
2007 Stats: 4,068 yards, 63.3% Comp, 18 TDs, 20 INTs, 80.9 QB Rating

If Detroit finally got their offensive line together Kitna is going to have a pro-bowl season. His receivers are incredible, his defense sucks, and his running game is almost nonexistent. I just don't know how this guy manages not to leave the field with a busted spleen. Also, there may be a huge chance for David Carr syndrome. A man can get pummeled only so many times.

13. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
2007 Stats: 3,152 yards, 60.2% Comp, 21 TDs, 15 INTs, 82.4 QB Rating

He just is not a good NFL QB. There's been enough time for him to put his game together, and it just doesn't look like he's doing much of anything.

BUT... I would say he's a candidate for having the biggest season turnaround. Chris Chambers who wasted away down here in Miami for so long should also have a decent season (if he finally learns how not to drop the goddamn ball!), and Vincent Jackson is going to be this years DJ Hackett. Throw in Antonio Gates, and this may be trouble.

Then again, I just don't believe it.

14. Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2007 Stats: 2,440 yards, 63.9% Comp, 13 TDs, 4 INTs, 94.6 QB Rating

He's good, he's probably just not going to play every game.

15. Eli Manning, New York Giants
2007 Stats: 3,336 yards, 56.1% Comp, 23 TDs, 20 INTs, 73.9 QB Rating

Ugh, I hate to say Superbowl MVP Eli Manning. It's offensive. It makes me sad. Hey Eli, why don't you pass off your back foot a little more? Hey Eli, why don't you ride your brother's coat tails a little more? Hey Eli, why don't you screw over a franchise again because you're a spoiled brat? Jesus, I just do not like this guy.

16. Kellen "And you thought he was Black" Clemens, New York Jets
2007 Stats: 1,529 yards, 52% Comp, 5 TDs, 10 INTs, 60.9 QB Rating

If I had a bigger pair of balls, and I cared, I would probably rank Clemens a little higher. I think he's going to have a solid season, and I also think that the Jets are going to do a lot to protect him, so he'll probably have an efficient season.

Not to mention, the Jets have one of my major keys to making a football team good, they have an AMAZING offensive line. What they did in the draft two seasons ago, when they traded down to get both D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold was a thing of beauty. Then they go and sign Alan Faneca? Jesus.

Don't be surprised if the Jets beat out New England in the AFC East. Yes, I'm serious. And yes, I still hate the Jets.

The above picture is a bit of a misnomer, since we haven't exactly "covered" tomorrow's NFL Draft. In fact, we don't believe we've mentioned it, and since it's less than 24 hours until we get a constant dose of that man pictured above, we figured it was high time we did something.

Due to time constraints and the-world-outside-the-blogosphere-type realities, this post will be short and inundated with links directing you elsewhere. But we'll have more in-depth stuff after all 252 picks are made.

For player rankings and evaluations, we highly suggest you check out Scouts Notebook, which serves as our go-to site for this stuff. Also, SI.com has video of about 200 players, which will be a great resource for the weekend.

Alright, now let's do a quick breakdown by team, going from most important to least important (easy, Giants fans, I kid, I kid).

Philadelphia Eagles
Team Needs: S, OL, DT, CB, WR, KR/PR
Picks: 1(19), 2(49), 3(80), 4(115), 4(131), 5(152), 6(184), 6(191), 6(200), 6(203), 7(230)

Donovan McNabb was on SportsCenter earlier this week and said that the NFL Draft is for finding playmakers who can contribute right away, not guys who learn for the future. That's all well and good, but DMac is smart enough to know that that's not how the Birds operate.

Both McNabb and Eagles fans alike would love to see an impact receiver brought in this weekend, but unless the Lions (Roy Williams) or Cardinals (Anquan Boldin) change their mind regarding the availability of their star wideout, it's not happening. It'd be a shame to trade Lito Sheppard straight up for picks, but it looks like that's what's going to happen (and please, we don't want Michael Clayton, unless of course this Michael Clayton wants to come kick ass in the Eagles' front office).

As it stands, there are no glaring holes in this team, though the Birds could stand an upgrade at a few positions (wideout and safety spring to mind) and some depth at others (offensive and defensive lines). If the Birds want one of the premier offensive tackles (Branden Albert, Chris Williams, Ryan Clady) to succeed the aging Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan, they're likely going to have to move up from 19. With 11 picks, they certainly have the ammunition to do it.

One thing the Eagles do need desperately is a return specialist.  If DeSean Jackson tumbles into the mid-2nd round, the Eagles could try to move up and grab him.  Eddie Royal and Dexter Jackson would also be good candidates to end the Reno Mahe era.

For an extensive list of players the Eagles have shown interest in, check out Eagles Scout Uncensored (who grabbed the list from the Eagles' message board, so credit to them as well).

New York Jets
Picks: 1(6), 2(36), 4(102), 4(113), 6(171), 7(211)
Needs: WR, CB, DE, S, OLB

The Jets have had a nice little offseason for themselves so far. The signings of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody have helped shore up a leaky O-line, and Calvin Pace was a solid addition as a 3-4 pass rusher. Then again, this is a team that went 4-12 last year, so there's still plenty of work to be done.

The good news for the J-E-T-S is that with the sixth overall pick, they should definitely be able to nab an impact player. If we're going to break it down by need, we can look at it this way...

• There isn't a WR or a S in this draft worth that high of a pick
• That likely holds true for corner, as well, where taking Leodis McKelvin or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would at 6 would leave a better player on the board
• At DE, Chris Long likely won't fall to 6 (but he'd be a steal if he does)
• Vernon Gholston would fit perfectly as a 3-4 OLB, but he could go anywhere from 4 to 7 at this point; Derrick Harvey will likely be on the board and can really get after the QB

Of course, the "best available player" route could potentially yield a nice surprise like Darren McFadden. Although RB isn't technically an area of need with Thomas Jones locked up, the Jets would be hard-pressed to pass up on the chance to add an explosive playmaker that could jump-start their offense.

One thing's for sure: with just two picks in the top 100, the Jets had better make their first and second rounders count.

New York Giants
Picks: 1(31), 2(63), 3(95), 4(130), 5(165), 6(194), 6(198), 6(199)
Needs: CB, S, LB, DT, WR

To everyone who gets sick of the endless hype around the draft -- you know, the people who say, "God Almighty, who cares who gets picked in the sixth round?" -- we'll just calmly point to the reigning Super Bowl champions. Kevin Boss, Ahmad Bradshaw, Michael Johnson, and Jay Alford were all recent late round picks or undrafted free agents that helped the G-Men spoil the Patriots' perfect season (just don't tell the Pats they lost... we don't think it's sunk in yet).

As amazing as their run was, and as well as the D played, the Giants certainly have some needs. The runaway freight train pass rush masked some serious personnel deficiencies in the secondary, where only Aaron Ross and Sammy Knight inspire a lot of confidence as starters. Luckily for the G-Men, this draft is deep at corner (though not so much at safety).

At linebacker, Antonio Pierce is a stalwart in the middle, but Mathias Kiawanuka will try to return after missing much of last year due to injury while Gerris Wilkinson is talented but inexperienced. Some depth there certainly couldn't hurt. Likewise, another defensive tackle to push starters Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins can only be a good thing for the G-Men.

On offense, Amani Toomer is probably on his last legs, while David "I only need one hand and my helmet to catch the ball" Tyree, his incredible Super Bowl catch aside, isn't any more than a third receiver. Steve Smith may be the long-term solution across from Plax, but he may not, so adding a talented receiver to the mix couldn't hurt.

___
Topics Discussed:

- Brett Favre's Retirement

- NFL Free Agency

- Binghamton Bearcats and the America East Mens Basketball --Tournament

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Fun Facts:

• This episode marked one year of Box Seat Central being on BTV. The first ever episode was on March 5th 2007
• Least amount of topics discussed on a Box Seat Central episode

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Weekly Credits Clip:

A look back at the first full year of Box Seat Central:

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Back to Season Two

-Philadelphia Eagles.  They had a glaring weakness in their secondary going into the offseason.  Emphasis on had.  Philly wasted little time in signing the best free agent on the market in Asante Samuel.  Samuel is a tremendous ball-hawking corner, with great play-making ability, something the Eagles didn't have much of last season.  The Eagles only had 11 interceptions as a team last year, while Samuel has six himself with the Patriots.  While the move probably spells the end of Lito Sheppard's tenure with the Eagles, I'm not sold Lito is backing his bags just yet.  Though Sheppard had just two picks in 11 games due to injury, a Sheppard-Samuel tandem would be one of the best in the NFC, and it would give the Eagles the freedom to move Sheldon Brown to safety to provide relief for the aging Brian Dawkins.  Getting defensive end Chris Clemons from Oakland could prove huge.  Clemons had eight sacks last year on a dreadful Raiders team, and the birds need a youth movement and a revitalization on a meek defensive line that couldn't get to the quarterback consistently a year ago.

-Cleveland Browns.  GM Phil Savage kept quarterback Derek Anderson, signing him to a three-year deal, and as Savage put it, the Browns will either be quarterbacked by Anderson or Brady Quinn for a long time.  Finally it seems as if the Browns have some much needed stability under center.  They added wideout Donte Stallworth to the mix, with hopes that he'll take away some of the concentrated attention that will be paid to Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow.  But more importantly, Savage beefed up a porous defensive line by acquiring defensive tackles Corey Williams from Green Bay and Shaun Rogers from Detroit.  Rogers and Williams instantly improve the Browns' defensive front.  The Browns desperately needed some stout run stoppers, and   the Browns could become a 10-win team last year to a serious contender for the AFC North title.

-Atlanta Falcons.  Like Philadelphia, Atlanta nabbed the best player available at his position, running back Michael Turner.  Turner, only 26, steps out of LaDainian Tomlinson's shadow and he'll have the chance to prove he can be an every down NFL back.  The move to land Turner officially cancels out the notion of drafting Darren McFadden and now allows Atlanta to shift their focus on taking quarterback Matt Ryan.

 -New Orleans Saints.  They gave up a 4th round pick for a 1st round talent, in landing linebacker Jonathan Vilma via trade from the New York Jets.  It was a struggle last year in New York for Vilma, who started just seven games and missed the remaining nine games following knee surgery.  But it's stunning the New York jettisoned a valuable commodity in Vilma for just a 4th round pick.  They plucked Randall Gay away from New England for 4 years, $17.6 million, and here's hoping in the bayou that Gay will be a drastic improvement over last year's free agent bust, corner Jason David.  For nearly $20 million, he better be.  The Saints also signed defensive Bobby McCray, who had 10 sacks for the Jaguars two years ago, but had minimal impact last year.  A change of scenery might do McCray some good.

-Chicago Bears.  Great move to keep linebacker Lance Briggs in a Bears uniform after Briggs was adamant last year about bolting from Chicago this offseason.  But maybe Chicago should look into Briggs playing at wide receiver as well.  They cut Muhsin Muhammad and lost Bernard Berrian to division-rival Minnesota.  That leaves Chicago will a current receiving corps. of Devin Hester and Mark Bradley.  Hester is tremendous asset on special teams, but Chicago is taking a gigantic risk if they believe they can lean on Hester at wide receiver.

-New York Jets.  After a 4-12 season, the Jets made guard Alan Faneca the highest paid lineman in the NFL to the tune of 5 yrs, $40 million.  And Faneca is 31.  They traded for defensive tackle Kris Jenkins from Carolina and then locked him up for 5 yr, $35 million, 20 of which is guaranteed money.  That for a guy who has had major shoulder and knee surgeries thefew seasons, more importantly, this will be his first experience playing in a 3-4 defensive scheme.  Not done yet, the Jets today signed defensive end Calvin Pace from Arizona for 6 yrs, $42 million; $22 million is guaranteed to Pace, who has been a starter for all of a year and change.  They backed up the Brinks truck so far, but for a team that's coming off a 4-win season, the Jets aren't exactly a year or so from playing in the Super Bowl.  They pushed Jonathan Vilma, Victor Hobson, and Dwayne Robertson out the door, and spending all that money on a collection of question marks is a tremendous risk.

-Oakland Raiders.  You truly never know what the heck Al Davis is going to do, and this free agency period falls right in place.  Oakland gave almost a combined $80 million dollars to keep defensive lineman Tommy Kelly, and lure ex-Giants safety Gibril Wilson.  But offensively, it's shaping up to be another disastrous year in Oakland.  Wideout Jerry Porter switched coasts, landing in Jacksonville.  That leaves Oakland with Ronald Curry and little else at wide receiver, very little size and even less speed right now.  And Josh McCown leaving for Miami now leaves Oakland quarterback situation down to JaMarcus Russell and Andrew Walter.  For Al's sake, Russell better be ready to get under center in what will be only his second NFL season.  You also have to wonder just what exactly is Al Davis's fixation with signing former Super Bowl heroes.  Do the likes of Larry Brown, Desmond Howard and Dominic Rhodes sound familiar?  Yup, all guys who played critical roles on their teams' success on the road to the Super Bowl and in the Super Bowl.  All guys who once they signed on in Oakland were never heard from again.  They don't call it the Black Hole for nothing.

-New England Patriots.  It's been an exodus so far in Foxboro, especially on defense.  The Pats released oft-injured linebacker Rosevelt Colvin.  Asante Samuel left for greener pastures in Philly.  Randall Gay took his game to New Orleans, and safety Eugene Wilson may depart sometime this week.  Keeping Randy Moss, who came within an eyelash of signing with Philadelphia, alleviates some of the angst, but the Patriots have a lot of work to do to plug crucial gaps on defense. 

-New York Giants.  The champs lost three starters on defense, two at linebacker.  Reggie Torbor lands in Miami and Kawika Mitchell stays in state, heading to Buffalo.  Gibril Wilson heads across the country to Oakland, but GM Jerry Reese filled his spot by signing Sammy Knight.  The replacements on defense may have to wait until next month's draft.

-San Francisco 49ers.  For the second consecutive year, the 49ers are doing their best Washington Redskins imitation: throw big time money at whoever's available.  Last year it was the likes of Nate Clements, Tully Banta-Cain, Michael Lewis and of course that big payoff trade for Darrell Jackson(sike!).  This year, the list includes:  defensive end Justin Smith,  wideout Isaac Bruce, linebacker Dontarrious Thomas, running back DeShaun Foster, quarterback J.T O'Sullivan, and return specialist Allen Rossum.  Underwhelming?  You bet.  Smith got $20 million in guarantees, for a guy that had just two sacks last year with Cincinnati.  While Smith and Thomas will contribute automatically as starters, however, Bruce and Foster are big question marks.  Bruce is 36 and he may have to go beyond just being a father figure and mentor to the other receivers.  Foster will be counted on to shoulder some of the running back duties and take some pressure off of Frank Gore, but Foster can't seem to ever be healthy.  Couple those two with what the 49ers had a year ago, and they've gotten no better on the offensive side of the ball.  The 49ers still don't have a strong, steady offensive line, a line that has gotten quarterback Alex Smith killed at times last year.  Tight end Vernon Davis may have no other choice but to become a clone of Antonio Gates in San Fran.  If not, the 49ers can't count on the likes of Jackson, Bruce and Arnez Battle to put a scare into opposing secondaries.

Reality.

Alan Faneca is no longer with the Pittsburgh Steelers opting instead to join the Jets. I guess when it all comes down to it, as much as you like to think otherwise, it really is all about the money. What other conclusion could there be? I had hopes for Alan to finish his career, if not with the Steelers, with some dignity, on a good team. That opportunity seems gone as Faneca's Jets were 4-12 last year (yeah so the beat the Steelers, bleh).

One thing that I've always hated about free agency is that it strips playes of their identity, it kills their fan base and it cheapens the legacy that they built with a former team. Take Randy Moss for example. Who is he? Is he a Viking, is he a Raider, is he a Patriot or is he... Unfortunately, despite the fact that he's a amazing player and will be considered one of the greatest WR's in history he has no identity and no one would want to claim him. The same goes for Terrell Owens. Very rarely can a player forge a legacy with more than one team. Reggie White is the only example I can think of. For this reason, I am so thankful that Jerome Bettis made the choices that he did. And it paid off. He could have left, demanded to be traded, tried to prolong his career with another team, but he valued his identity and personal history. And if you think that his decision wasn't financial...it was. He knew that by identifying with Pittsburgh and carrying that identity into retirement he insantly became more marketable for the rest of his life. He could have squashed that and signed a deal for another year or two leaving his image less desireable and much less marketable.

Alan got the money now. But he won't be making any lasting memories with the Jets in the minds of the fans. I think that we can rest assured that Alan Faneca will always be remembered as a Steeler. But not with the same love and admiration given to Jerome.

• The Vikings signed WR Bernard Berrian to a 6-year contract
• The browns nabbed Receiver Donte Stallworth
• The Jets got a deal done with former Steeler Alan Faneca

The Raiders search for a Wide Receiver marches on fruitlessly. Stallworth had been rumored to be making a visit according to the Boston Globe.

Credit: ProFootballTalk.com

ProFootballTalk says that the Jets are the favorites.

Note: My original post incorrectly listed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers instead of St. Louis. I regret the error

This is the quandary the New York Jets find themselves in this off season: a regime predicated on building through the draft is faced with numerous holes to fill on a team that went 4-12 last season in a free agent pool that has top-end talent available at two positions of need - guard and cornerback. Add to that the surplus of cap space the Jets have and it would seem to be the perfect recipe for making a splash in free agency.

However, the Jets have been notoriously stingy under the Tangini reign, evidenced by not giving Pete Kendall $1 million prior to last season to keep him around, and a reticence this off season to restructure Laveranues Coles' contract (for what it's worth, I side with the Jets on this one). With their two likely top targets - Alan Faneca and Asante Samuel - seeking mammoth deals, it would take a significant change in philosophy for the Jets to sign either one to a contract.

Let's break down the Jets biggest holes to fill this off season and see how they might fill them (without delving too deep into possible selections in April's Draft).

Offensive line

An enormous problem for the Jets in '07, and the unequivocal number one priority to fix before training camp, particularly left guard. As previously mentioned, Alan Faneca would be a great pick up from a talent standpoint. The question is, will Tannenbaum be willing to pay out such a big contract (Faneca's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, expects Faneca to sign for about $7 million a year with a $10 million signing bonus) to an O-lineman on the wrong side of 30? History suggests no, but given the dire straights of Gang Green's line last season, I could see them overpaying to help shore up this unit for '08.

After Faneca, there is a significant drop off in free agent guards available, though the Jets are reportedly interested in Lions guard Damien Woody. Tannenbaum may opt for a cheaper alternative if they decide not to break the bank on Faneca. If you're thinking about taking a talented OL prospect with the sixth overall pick in the draft, that's not likely, barring a trade. Jake Long will probably be gone by then, and the sixth slot is too high to select any of the remaining crop of offensive lineman (other than, perhaps, Ryan Clady).

Steveo21's Take - Tangini will have to cringe on this one, but they'll sign Faneca.

Cornerback

For the most part, the Jets are in great shape in the secondary for next season. After a terrific rookie campaign from Darrelle Revis, he looks to be a long-term fixture in the Jets defensive backfield. Hank Poteat and David Barrett are quality nickel and dime corners, and the safety positions are in good shape with Kerry Rhodes at strong safety and the tag-team of Abram Elam and Erik Coleman manning free safety.

But, there is a vacant starting spot across from Revis available. The popular name being bandied about as free agency descends upon us is Samuel. Samuel is a prototypical play-making corner. He's a ball hawk and has very good hands (late drop against the Giants in Super Bowl XLII notwithstanding). The problem is, he often gambles to put himself in a position to make an interception.

He knows Mangini from the Mangenius' time in New England, and given the Jets need for a corner and their available cash, he seems to be a nice fit - not so fast my friends. Samuel is reportedly seeking a contract that would pay him $10 million a season for 10 seasons, including a guarantee for $30 million. Which is to say, he won't be a Jet.

Given the overall strength of the secondary right now, and the depth of quality corners available in the draft, there is no way the Jets can justify giving Samuel a Nate Clemens-esque contract, as much as it might rankle Bill Belichick to steal one of his players.

Steveo21's Take - Let someone else overpay Samuel. Address the second corner spot in the draft.

Nose Tackle

Not a position likely to be filled via free agency, but absolutely a position of need, especially with the potential trade of Dewayne Robertson, as we've noted. The imminent Jonathan Vilma trade also plays a key role in addressing the need to upgrade at nose. The more information we receive, the more intertwined these two potential deals seem to be, so perhaps it's best to start with Vilma.

The Panthers and Lions seem to have emerged as the main suitors for Vilma. The buzz surrounding both potential deals is that in return the Jets would receive an interior defensive lineman - Kris Jenkins or Shaun Rogers - who would fit better in a 3-4 scheme than Robertson.

Netting Jenkins would be a major upgrade for NY as he would immediately become the most dominating player on their defense and occupy two blockers on each play - which has been Robertson's greatest short-coming. Rogers would also present a significant upgrade, although he's only played consistently in one season (last year).

Interestingly, in the article linked above, Dave Hutchinson notes that if Robertson were to restructure his contract the Jets would like to bring him back and potentially move him to defensive end should they land Jenkins or Rogers.

Steveo21's Take - Adding either Jenkins or Rogers would be an immediate upgrade. You think David Harris would enjoy playing behind either one of them?

Linebacker

Despite the loss of Vilma, the Jets aren't desperate to add a middle linebacker from the free agent market. Harris had a stellar rookie season as mentioned above, if the Jets can find a true nose guard, no one will benefit more than Harris. Eric Barton started 9 games in place of an injured Vilma last season and is capable of starting full-time in '08.

The Jets real need is at the rush linebacker position. They did a horrible job generating pressure last year, and the starting outside linebackers (Bryan Thomas and Victor Hobson) accounted for only 4.5 sacks between them. Hobson is a free agent and it's unlikely he will return.

Should the Jets attempt to improve through free agency on the edge, Clark Haggans is one possibility. Haggans, who took down opposing signal callers 4 times last season, has played his entire career with the Steelers. He is a known commodity and has averaged over six sacks a season for the past four years.

Another option is Calvin Pace from the Cardinals. Pace, 27, is four years younger than Haggans, and posted 6.5 sacks last year. My only concern with Pace is that last year (98 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 1 interception) wasn't a fluke. Previously, his season highs were 32 tackles and 5 sacks.

Steveo21's Take - Not convinced the Jets will sign an OLB, but if they do, it'll be Pace or Haggans.

Wide receiver

Could the Jets sign someone to give Kellen Clemens more weapons on the outside? Maybe, but I'd doubt it. The Jets lack a true number one wide out, but other than Randy Moss, none are available in this class.

Bernard Berrian has been a popular name as he would give the Jets a homerun hitter on the outside, but he's asking for a bigger contract than Deion Branch signed. Also, this is another position deep in talent in this year's draft class.

Steveo21's Take - Don't look for much action on this front. At that price, I think Berrian is a long-shot.  If anything, look for a smaller signing to fill Justin McCareins' spot.

Originally Aired: February 26th 2008 at 8:00p.m.

___
Topics Discussed:

- Memphis Tigers loss to the Tennessee Volunteers (NCAA MBB)

- Fantasy Baseball Preview

- Ben Wallace and Wally Szczerbiak traded to the Cavaliers

- Yao Ming season ending injury

- Obligatory Mothta’ F#$%n Segment

- NFL Franchise Tags / Cuts

- 'Graveyard'

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Fun Facts:

• Debut of engineers Max Lieb and Harrison Gluck
• The website Jordan mentions about Larry Hughes is actually http://heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com/

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Weekly Credits Clip:

The death of Soulja Boy at a Milwaukee Bucks game (Starts at -00:51 mark).

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.484026&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26]

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Back to Season Two

Vote Now for the Steelers who are up for 3 remaining "Dapper Dan" Best in Sports Awards on April 1st.
Voting continues the rest of this week until March 1st.

Vote for "Best Moment in Pittsburgh Sports History" (either the Immaculate Reception or the first Super Bowl win)
Vote for "Best Team in Pittsburgh Sports History" (either the '76 or '78 Steelers)
Vote for "Best Athlete in Pittsburgh Sports History" (either Terry Bradshaw or Joseph Greene) I'm shocked! Barry Bonds is not on the list...although he could suit up for either TB Rays or STL Cards. Interesting, and sorry, I had to pass it on.

I'm officially endorsing Terry Bradshaw since, despite his 4 Super Bowl titles, he never gets mentioned in the same breath or even series of breaths with the "greatest" NFL quarterbacks of all time. Let's at least vote for him as Pittsburgh's best.

• The Steelers like Jeff Otah...me too. I like his name too, he just sounds like a Pittsburgh Steelers player. On a completely different note, the Post-Gazette for some reason believes that the Steelers are selecting 22nd in the coming draft. It seems every article I've read from the recently keeps talking about the 22nd pick. Um, correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm not, the Steelers have the 23rd pick. (PG, TR)

Josh Harris at the Tribune-Review seems to think that the Steelers have already decided who they want to take in the draft. And it may not be Otah or any Offensive Lineman. He had this to say:

Just know that the Steelers already know who they want to draft in the first round, and that his performance at the Combine won't change the Steelers' opinion about him.

Heck, maybe that's just a slam on the Combine's uselessness.

• I'm excited for year two. Being in the midst of my own "1st year" at a particular job, in somewhat of a coaching role, I can understand Coach Tomlin's comfort level, and excitement, entering year number two. It's hard to build anything and feel good about it when you are still trying to get familiar with a new job, let alone one that deals with personnel, systems and an established organization.

With Faneca on the market...Hadnot appears to be a Havenot. So I've read reports of 3 teams with particular or assumed interest in Alan's services: Dolphins, Cardinals and Bears.

• I'm picking up what Jim Wexall is puttin' down. Usually you have to pay for Jim's excellent insights on Steelcityinsider.com...Unless you read the Tribune-Democrat from J-town. I won't regurgitate all that he had to say but as I read about Albert, Stewart, Flowers and Jackson I'm convinced that the Steelers will draft all 4 in the 1st round. We need the all, I want them all...we can't have them all. Ok, you can kep Flowers, not sure if I'm ready for another Flowers in the secondary.

This is an old link, but worth passing on because it's disturbing. WTAE encouraged fans to send in pictures of Your 'Steelers Kids' and pets.  I know we all get a little crazy sometimes but the headline brought it to light. I think it's ok to brainwash our children into being Steelers fans and, goodness, I have a dog named Bettis. But to equate (exploit?) the two together for a photo essay. Maybe I just feel guilty.

• the more we know...it seems the less we know. Here's yet another prediction for who the Steelers will draft #23...Chilo Rachal. Who? Huh?

With the Free Agent season looming, that means only 3 more days of the Alan Faneca era. :(

The Steelers traditionally don't make a splash in free agency, usually opting to let other teams make splashes with Pittsburgh's players. I'm having trouble thinking of the last BIG splash the Steelers have made in free agency...hmm? I could be missing someone, but off the top of my head James Farrior seems to be the last real impact player we've signed as a FA.

Generally, I'm ok with this. How could I not be, I am not even a blip on the radar and I certainly don't make personnel decisions. Whatever the Steelers have been doing usually works. Here's where the "but" comes...but, if ever there was a time to splash rather than sprinkle I'd say based on the needs, this is the year. Granted, there aren't many "spalsh-worthy" players (other than Moss, who I wouldn't even want)...so a 5 out of 10 splash will be just fine.

What brought all of this to mind was this quote I came across by Kevin Colbert as reported in The Arizona Republic:

"In talking with Alan and talking with Alan's representatives, he's probably going to get significant money on the open market and it's probably money that we're not going to be able to absorb," said Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert. "And if we did absorb it it might limit what else we can do in free agency."

That last line jumped off the page to me. I was resigned to thinking that we will just wait on the draft...and he easily could have said that if they spent so much money on Faneca they wouldn't have the necessary flexibility to sign draft picks and slews of FA rookie tackling dummies.

That's not what he said. He said, free agency. I know, I know, Steelers and free agency are oxymorons. To quote Lloyd Christmas, "So you're sayin' there's a chance!"

It certainly didn't help matters the way the Steelers played the last month and a half of the 2007 season, therefore, I'm extremely nervous for the 2008 season. I'm not nervous because we don't have a decent team, but because even if we have a better team we may have a worse "net" outcome at the end of the season. The schedule is very unkind as Peter King, of Si.com, has observed the terrifying sight that we all observed a month or so ago.

The 2008 edition of the Pittsburgh Steelers could very well be a much improved team over the 2007 version, yet have much less to show for it. I am convinced that the ONLY way to the playoffs in 2008 will be by winning the division. The Steelers must remember that at ALL times and not get soft with any amount of lead they may get during the season. A schedule which features 10 teams that were +.500 on '07, as well as 8 games against '07 playoff teams and of those teams the Steelers play all but two 2007 division winners. It's going to be a long ride.

Here are the positives:
*The AFC North plays very similarly tough schedules (except we land as a bonus for winning the division: NE and SD)
*I believe we will still own the ugly step child Browns yet again. Derek Anderson's magic ride has closed and with the tougher schedule the Browns will certainly revert to the Brownies that we know and love.
*The Ravens will be better...but they have a long way to go and with no QB and a new head coach, it'll be tough.
*The Bungles...well, I think the seat continues to get much hotter for Marvin.
*We could literally get to all of our road games in 2008 by bus if we so chose. Ok, not exactly, but the Steelers don't leave the eastern time-zone all season. This will be HUGE.
*The Redskins will likely take a step back with a first time head coach...and a complete change in the staff. I hope we get them early in the season while they are still getting to know each other.
*We hate the Patriots and I can't wait to stick it to them.
*Even though we could be better with a worse record I think there will be a noticable difference in year two with Mike Tomlin really beginning to put his mark on this team.
*The home turf is good for a few home wins... :) Maybe that will be how we slow down the Colts, Chargers and Cowboys.

I think I'm beginning to talk myself out of the self-loathing hole I've been in since seeing this slate of teams. So what if we have a stinky record?...win the division and with such a super high RPI (if there was such a thing in the NFL) we'll be battle tested and no one will want to face us come playoff time. The playoff games may even seem easier to us after playing this brutal schedule.

I think it's time to start on the other hand.

A few links from the day that was...

• Changing of the guard. It appears that the Steelers are moving forward with life. We knew it was inevitable but no one wants to think that it really is going to happen. I feel like we all know that it's time to shoot Old Yeller and we know that it will happen, we just don't feel like the day would ever come. As Mr. Faneca leaves us, it's time to embrace Chris Kemoeatu. I think it's wise that the Steelers are going to try and keep what we can rather than putting all of our eggs in the draft basket and into the hands of a couple rookie O-Linemen.
• Football Outsiders has some entertaining "awards"...a few Steelers got mentioned, thus the link.
• I guess I'm not the only Steelers blogger to feel the lonliness and sadness of the NFL in late February.
• The Patriots seem poised to make their already ancient defense even older. What, Andre Tippet wasn't still available?
• The Ravens are dirty rotten criminals!? We all think that...but rumor has it they even ripped off their own logo from some poor sap.
• The retention of depth at both sides of the line continues. Travis Kirschke will remain with the Steelers after filling in for Aaron Smith for the last four games as he was injured.
• NFL.com has their top 10 special teams plays of the 2007 season. THE STEELERS MADE THE LIST! However, it's not a good thing. That trainwreck of a tackling job the Steelers displayed against Josh Cibbs made number 2 on the list. I'm not quite sure how Phil Dawson's ricochet kick wasn't number one. I don't think we'll ever see something as freaky as that ever again.

It seems to me that everyone wants this "spygate" thing to go away, except Arlen Spector. I am willing to let it go, but I'd still like to know the extent of the cheating, which we may never know. But, this stings...the Pats taped the Steelers 2x during the 2004 season? Hmm, we dominate them in the regular season and lose to them in the AFC Championship game. Convenient, for them. Very inconvenient for us. (thanks to heelssoxsteelers for the lead on this link)

• ESPN.com posts Scouts Inc's opinion of 5 things that every AFC North team needs for next season...for those of you that can't access the INSIDER articles of ESPN. Here's the recap: We need a Center, Offensive Tackle, Defensive End, Running Back, Offensive Guard. Ok, so there's not really any new there, those are all things that we would love to see added. But wow, to see it written out that we need a C, OT and OG? Hmm, there are only 5 positions on the OLine. I say, pay Faneca and move him to Center. Make him your big FA splash and then go all draft.

FoxSports also reports on their opinion of the needs facing the Steelers for the offseason. FOX Sports continues to pull to the surface BR's "desire" for a tall WR...I wish the whole Steelers team was taller...I think a team of all 6'9" players would look pretty intimidating. Yeah let's make everyone tall. I digress.
Here's the best nugget from the Fox outlook:

2008 outlook: Very good. Pittsburgh fielded the NFL's top-ranked defense but the unit never rebounded after being picked apart during a 34-13 December loss to New England. [my interjection...they never rebounded after Aaron Smith was injured...of course the JAX loss was ugly the followign week with AS] The return of two injured starters (safety Troy Polamalu and defensive end Aaron Smith) and projected emergence of second-year linebackers Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley should help. With a few other tweaks and a successful comeback by running back Willie Parker, Pittsburgh could be contending for a Super Bowl once again.

Really? Ready to be contending for the SB again already...I don't believe I'm going to read that many places this offseason. Very surprising to read. While the Steelers will certainly be the favorite to win the division, I expect the AFC North to look really bad on paper becasue of the tough schedule that the division has drawn. More on the schedule in a later post.

• Here is an interestng dialogue about why the Steelers rarely, if ever, use the Franchise Tag and asks the question why they wouldn't use it this year of all years to keep Faneca.

The Bears are doing their homwork on Faneca...2/3 down the page. UPDATE: Vinnie Iyre says the Bears need to show him the money!

• Scott Brown of the Tribune-Review answers reader submitted questions regarding the Steelers. The highlight was the idea of acquiring FA wide receiver Bryant Johnson from Arizona, formerly of Penn State. Johnson is 6'3" so he's taller than what we have now. I like the idea, especially because he won't cost a fortune but is a very strong ans solid reciever that would complement Hines and Santonio very nicely. That being said, I'd much rather find a RB in the same mold as a BJohnson...4-5 years in the league, big, strong, affordable and looking for a situation where he can take his game to the next level on a good team.

SI's "Truth and Rumors" reports the lightly based rumor that the Steelers may be interested in the Bengals Justin Smith. Eh, could go either way on this...I think he's probably more expensive than he's worth and older than I'd prefer. But his name is Smith to add to our Smith collection of Anthony, Aaron and Marvel.

• What's with the rumors surrounding all the Bengals players...are we hoping to improve our street cred? This rumor is about FS Madieu Williams. Is this guy from the "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" fame? I'm starting a new rumor...Big Ben likes to throw the ball to TJ Houshmanzadeh...go get 'em.

Breaking down the Class of 2004 Quarterbacks, courtesy of NFL Gridiron Gab

• Just thought I'd point out that this 2008 Steelers calendar lists Russ Grimm as Pittsburgh's head coach on the 1st page inside. Oops.

Nothing to do with the Steelers but I love the Burger King "little hands" Double Cheeseburger commercial. Classic.

• The Steelers sign two players
• Looks like Ben Roethlisberger got his "tall" Wide Receiver. Maybe he should have been a little more clear.
  Ben, "I wanted a tall WR like Randy Moss or Plaxico Burress, someone who is actually good"
  Mgmt, "oh, all you said was tall, so we thought this guy would work."
  At least this tall WR fellow is from Michigan State...like Plax. Hmm. Oh, Matt Trannon is his name.
• Jared Zabransky is a Steelers QB. JZ of Boise State fame. With all the turf issues this season maybe Jared can bring some perspective for what it's like to play on a truly awful field. Quarterback depth can never be bad, He just doesn't seem like a Steelers kind of guy. We'll see.
• Speaking of turf, it appears that the Rooney's have decided to stick with a natural grass surface. I couldn't be happier. I for one am of the opinion that if we wanted to play in a mud hole every week we should be able to. It's our home field, get over it. Of course, you want to have the best possible conditions for your players to play their game on so you do what you can to put down a good playing surface. I am pleased that the Rooney's choose to listen to their own players rather than the ollective groanings of other teams players and Gene Upshaw.
• So you're saying there's a chance. The Steelers are planning to open up contract talks with Ben Roethlisberger and several others this coming week. But, the surprise is that the Steelers are planning to make one more phone call to Alan Faneca's agent. Now would be the time to pray. I wouldn't be so concerned with the Steelers keeping Faneca any other year, because the Steelers have proved to me in the past that they usually make the right personnel moves in regard to their veteren players (both financially and skill related). This year is different, with all the perceived needs at OL and the holes that will need filled, I prefer to keep our best guy, if for no other reason to provide some veteren leadership to the young guys that we'll be brining in. So I say, do whatever it takes, keep Alan in black and gold...don't let the Pittsburgh Cardinals...er Arizona Cardinals get him. 
• LOVE this...just saw it while surfing YouTube this evening.
• Great post by "nice pick, cowher" with a great interview of Roethlisberger.
• From the Post-Gazette: ...Also, in case you wondered, "Here we go Steelers, here we go!" translates literally as: "Hier gehen wir Steelers, hier gehen wir!" For the full article click here.

**While it's nice to see the Steelers admirably represented in the game...I am nearly puking as I watch Ben Roethlisberger direct a TD drive by handing off to Fred Taylor and making passes, including the TD to TJ Whosyourmama. Eww, it's just gross.
**Note to Ben: please don't throw the ball to Braylon Edwards or Kellen Winslow.
**Bittersweet moment: This is probably the last time we get to enjoy Alan Faneca blocking for Roethlisberger. Unless of course the get to hook up in future Pro Bowls.
**Another reason I don't like the Pro Bowl...pictures like this should never happen, at least not with a smile on your face. Although, I might consider forgiving James, since they were college teammates.

Stick with me on this one…

Alright so I was watching my Steelers wallow through the swamp that is Heinz Field against the Cincinnati Bungals – yes the Bungals (Myron Cope where are you in my life) when suddenly, I was inspired by the infamous babblings of NBC broadcaster John Madden.

(Bear with me, this isn’t a cheap set-up for a Brett Favre joke, I swear)

So good ole John was talking about Steelers’ offensive lineman Alan Faneca, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the year and has already stated that he will not be coming back to the Steelers, who simply can’t find room for him in the payroll.

Faneca, a perennial all-pro, is a Steeltown favorite who has played with the team since being drafted in 1999. In training camp this August, some dumb reporter asked Faneca about maybe giving the Steelers a hometown discount on his contract.

Faneca almost let loose in his pants, he was laughing so hard.

But this hometown discount stuff is a very, very intriguing idea to us small-market baseball fans. What if players had some financial incentive to stick around with the franchises that brought them up? What if fan favorites like Miguel Cabrera, Torii Hunter and Jason Bay weren’t un-signable by small-market teams who struck it big when they raised these guys in their own systems?

So here is my inspired idea:

Create a system that gives small-market franchises a little financial help in holding onto guys once they become free-agency eligible.

You know that luxury tax set in place to end the Yankee dynasty? Yes, the one George Steinbrenner and sons are capable of completely disregarding. Why not use it to help pay for new, long-term contracts of players who have been with one team their entire career and have earned a big-time contract.

Say you set a cap of $100 million – five major league teams had payrolls over the $100 million mark, with only the Yanks and Sox over by significant amounts – and you tax these teams a certain amount (I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t know the exact percentage teams are taxed, if somebody would be so kind as to help me out there). Either way, I would probably up the tax enough to make the Steinbrenner’s and Henry’s of the world sweat a little bit.

You offer this tax to teams, with the mandate that they have to put the money towards locking up homegrown favorites to long-term deals, weighting the system to help small-market teams such as the Marlins, Pirates, and (the no longer Devil-ish) Rays first.

So say for some unforeseen reason the Pirates decide not to trade Jason Bay at some point in the next year, and leave themselves the option of resigning him long-term after next season. (I realize this probably won’t happen, and actually would probably be a bad idea for the Bucco’s, but I’m just creating an example here).

For arguments sake, lets put Bay’s projected market value at $10 million per year (I don’t know what it really would be at this point, I’m just using a nice, round number since I am but a simple journalism student). If this tax can generate just $3 or $4 million for the lowly Buccos, bringing the Pirates contribution to Bay’s salary down to $6 or $7 million a year, they just might have a shot at resigning him, whereas a $10 million per year salary is just too much for the Pirates modest payroll.

Maybe I’m just an overzealous, small market fan, but wouldn’t it be better for the game to have more Cal Ripken Jr.’s, Tony Gwynn’s and Craig Biggio’s to help put fans in the seats.

The goal of every professional franchise is to keep the interest of the casual fan. Casual fans want two things: a winning franchise (obviously), and a franchise face. One of the easiest ways to do put a face on your franchise is to keep around the guys who have grown through the system, and who have taken their bumps and bruises right in front of the hometown fans. When those guys succeed, it does wonders for a team’s fan base, because the fans begin to identify with the player.

Personal example: Jaromir Jagr was a fan favorite for the Penguins in the 1990’s, and following the retirement of Mario Lemieux, Jagr became the face (and the hair) of the Penguins franchise. He was the team captain and was arguably the best offensive player in the NHL. Following bitter, unsuccessful contract disputes with Penguins personnel, Jagr was traded to the Washington Capitals, and has been a villain in Pittsburgh ever since, getting booed every time he touches the puck at the Igloo.

It is completely undeniable that fans feel a stronger bond with players who stick around for their entire careers. Think fans want to see their hometown favorites disappear? Ask Red Sox fans how they felt about fan-favorite Johnny Damon’s departure to the Evil Empire a couple years back.

So maybe my little system is a slightly extreme/improbable, and maybe there is no way to generate the funding to help implement it, but I think it’s a decent idea. If nothing else, it was a creative way for me to vent my hatred of the Steinbrenner family.

*By the way, I defy Al Michaels to come up with 900+ words based on anything that John Madden says.

A bit more context first...I will assume that every player will be in their prime and performing at their optimal level. So, for one game, imagine everyone at their absolute best. I imagine this game will be played in typical fall weather - 50 to 60 degrees, moderate wind, no rain. (A nasty December game might change a few things for me - and for you.) All right, that's it. Here's my squad:

QB: Peyton Manning

RB (2): Earl Campbell and Marcus Allen

H-Back: Todd Christensen

WR 1: Jerry Rice

WR 2: Randy Moss

WR 3: Steve Smith

TE: Shannon Sharpe

TE 2: Kellen Winslow (the Original)

LT: Orlando Pace

LG: Alan Faneca

C: Dermontti Dawson

RG: Bruce Matthews

RT: Anthony Munoz

K: Adam Vinatieri

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Offense - Joe Gibbs' Motion, Multiple TE Offense (Pre-Al Saunders). I prefer this offense because it allows for an attacking passing game - and a power running game. Gibbs often featured three wide receiver sets and three tight end sets in the same game. It's not easy to get the personnel to run this well, but when you have them, the results can't be beat. Even though the "West Coast offense" is most frequently associated with the San Francisco 49ers and Bill Walsh, the roots are deeper and organically connected to Joe Gibbs.

Gibb's offense emphasized the ability to attack deep, run with power and utilize motion to keep defenses off balance. With respect to "style of play," I've always preferred teams who could throw deep and run with power. Speed kills - that's always there...unless the weather is bad and the defense decides to sit back in coverage. Teams that run with power don't care what the weather is - and they dictate terms to defenses, usually. I'd like my chances with this team - against most defenses, except the one I'd line up against them.

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DE - Reggie White

DE - Charles Haley

DT - Vince Wilfork

RLB - Lawrence Taylor

ILB1 - Levon Kirkland

ILB2 - Ray Lewis

LLB - Derrick Brooks

RCB - Deion Sanders

LCB - Rod Woodson

Nickel - Darrell Green

FS - Troy Polamalu

SS - Ronnie Lott

P - Ray Guy

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Well, that's the defense. There are some serious legends of the game here. I believe in stuffing the run and making teams one dimensional. I also believe that if there is such a thing as a shut down corner, I'd like to have one - if not two. Perhaps as important as stopping the run with your front 7 is the ability to get pressure without blitzing. This team could get pressure against most teams without blitzing - and if they did, look out! Champ Bailey probably would have made this team if Ben Watson hadn't tracked him down in the playoffs a few years back. Darrell Green and Woodson would have been waiting for Watson in the end zone with buttered popcorn and a frosty beverage.

In looking over this roster, I can't imagine the defensive huddles. I can imagine the sheer terror this group would inspire. I decided to go with the 3-4 because so many of my favorite players have excelled in this particular formation. This team also has more than its fair share of nastiness. A friend calls it, "Grrrrh!!" From Lewis to Lloyd to Haley this team has it. It also has a nice balance of players with sterling on/off field reputations - White, Lott, Woodson, Polamalu, Green and Derrick Brooks. That's enough character to save a city, if not a nation. If has resilience and fortitude. Look no further than Vince Wilfork. And, it has the best punter to ever lace up a pair of cleats.

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I'd like the defensive coach to be Belichick - just because he came up with (to the best of my knowledge) that funky 1-5-5 defense. The Super Bowl rings are nice - but he clearly knows something most other folks don't know. Since I don't know what he knows that other folks don't know, I'll go with him. My next option would be Dick LeBeau - defensive coordinator Pittsburgh Steelers or Bud Carson, creator of the Zone Blitz.

That's the squad.

Now let me say a few words about Alan Faneca.  First, you have been a great player for the Steelers and arguably you are one of the best offensive linemen in the game currently.  There is no doubt that based on that you would deserve to be one of the highest paid.  I also can understand your frustration with seeing less qualified players receive superior contracts. 

But while being frustrated is clearly appropriate – the situation stinks.  Allowing those frustrations to spill out in public helps no one.  In virtually every profession there are some clear truths: we are all replaceable, there will always be a few people who are less talented that will be compensated higher than more talented individuals (it sucks but it is true), and when the frustrations spill out in public the relationship will end poorly. 

So if you have truly decided to move on after this year, I like other Steelers fans will miss you.  We have truly enjoyed watching you work.  But in the interim, keep your mouth shut and play ball.  Don’t allow your frustration to turn you into a cancer on the team.  When you are asked questions about your contract… you don’t have to answer.  Eventually people will stop asking, if you don’t answer.  In the end, I hope that it works out; I would love for you to finish your career with the Steelers.  But you and I know that the Steelers are not going to make a 31 year old guard the highest paid guard in the league – teams like Detroit and Buffalo do that crap.