DeSean Jackson: The Epitome of a Team Player

Eagles wide receiver, DeSean Jackson is the most unselfish, team player in the NFL. He's making $769,960 this season, obviously less than market value (especially if you consider Plaxico Burress is making $3 million this year after not playing the last two seasons) and still allowed the Eagles the time and money to sign the likes of Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Vince Young, Cullen Jenkins, and re-signed Mike Vick to a $100 million contract, $40 million guarenteed. He held out before camp, but realized that it was in the team's best interest for him to be in camp--his deal will come later, after every one else.


With all kidding aside, DeSean Jackson has every right to feel disrespected by the Eagles. Mike Vick was franchise tagged and was not going anywhere without a deal. It was in the Eagles' best interest to not sign Vick to a long-term contract to see how effective he is after a year of teams planning a defense against him and seeing how his health holds up. I understand quarterbacks are more significant than wide receivers, but DeSean Jackson has proven his value as a receiver and return man for the last three seasons averaging over 1,000 yards per season with 4 returning touchdowns. He should have been a priority and deserves a new deal.

MLB not so Fan Friendly

It's well known by baseball fans that Major League Baseball needs a salary cap, but not to keep the game competitive, but to keep it interesting. Take the Brewers and Prince Fielder for example. Fielder was drafted by the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 MLB draft. Even the bandwagon Brewer fan was aware of Prince--and excited. Now in 2011, it appears that Fielder is playing his last season in a Brewers uniform. Not because Prince isn't happy in Milwaukee, but because a contract that would satisfy him would be 23% of the Crew's current payroll. However, if Fielder got his $20 Million per year, he'd be the third highest paid player on the Yankees' roster. Fielder leaving the Brewers is a devistating loss for the Mid-Market community.

The Brewers are not the only team in this situation. The Minnesata Twins have been forced to trade away top talent due to a lack of revenue--ala Johan Santana, David Ortiz. This last offseason, the Twins couldn't afford letting homegrown, St. Paul native, Joe Mauer go. In turn, they overpaid for the often injured future first baseman. Mauer makes $23 million this year, more than the 2nd and 3rd highest paid players, Joe Nathan ($11.25) and Michael Cuddyer ($10.5). The investment hasn't paid off so far. The Twins are in 4th place in the AL Central, sitting at 43-57, 7 games behind the 1st place Tigers. To make matters worse, Mauer is having his least productive season since his first full season in 2005. He's played on 41 games, has 0 home runs, and is batting under .300. The Twins didn't have a choice, but to re-sign Mauer, but at a hefty price, otherwise the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies wouldn't have blinked twice paying Mauer's $23 million.

A structured salary cap is not a necessity for MLB due to keep competitiveness, but to keep it fun for the fans. The big market teams are over paying for their players and small markets are forced with tougher decisions. Free Agency is a good thing; however, when there are only 3-4 teams who can afford players, the fans are the ones getting dumped on.

Favre's Shadow Not Big Enough to Cover Rodgers

Packers fans couldn't have asked for a better ending to the 22 week long cinema that ended on Sunday. A fitting end for Packers' Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has had the media on his back since summer of 2008 when Favre unretired and the Packers decided Rodgers will be the the starting quarterback moving forward. The media put a monkey on his back, saying it's hard to replace a legend, just ask Jay Fiedler and Brian Griese who replaced Dan Marino and John Elway, respectfully. Brett Favre was more than a legend to Packers fans. He ended the 29 year Super Bowl drought. When he was traded to the Jets, it caused Packers fans to be divided--some turned into "Favre Fans" holding a grudge against Ted Thompson. In terms of record, the 2008 season was a digression, finishing 6-10. Despite missing the playoffs, Packers fans saw a bright future with Aaron Rodgers, who threw 28 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and 4048 yards in his first full season starting. Now, two seasons later, Rodgers won his first super bowl and was the Most Valuable Player--something Favre never did.

The Packers' defense, ranked number two in points allowed, played a very important role in the super bowl win, but it was Rodgers's 304 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 turnovers that ultimately won the game. It was Rodgers who went to Disney World. It was Rodgers who went on Letterman, Rodgers has become a star. Being Favre's successor, it's only natural to compare the two. Now that Rodgers is a star, will the comparisons to Favre increase or decrease? Whether or not the comparisons continue, Favre's shadow is no longer big enough to cover Rodgers. I don't think Aaron Rodgers will ever get as big as Favre, but now that Favre has filed his retirement papers for the second time and Rodgers has matched the total super bowl victories as Favre, no Packers fan will ever wish Favre is still the Packers quarterback.

Man, I hate the Bears

For the most part, a Packer fan's Monday morning (or Tuesday) is determined by a Packer victory. And if the Bears lose, that's just like extra sprinkles. To me, however, if the Packers win and the Bears don't lose, the day is a wash--that is how much I hate the Bears. Sunday's game was especially nerve wracking for me, as you can imagine. It's not that I was wasn't confident that the Packers would win, it was the small percent chance the Bears knock out Rodgers and Flynn comes in unprepared--similar to the week 14 loss to the Lions. Luckily Julius Peppers's helmet-to-helmet cheap shot didn't knock out Rodgers.

What makes me nervous about the Super Bowl is not that I don't think the Packers are the better team, because they are, but the fact the Packers didn't put away the Bears early and it came down to a Sam Shields interception. The Packers offense didn't finish strong. Before the kneel to end the game, the Packers' last five possessions ended with punts. I hope the weather was the excuse to why the offense didn't score in the second half. I hope Nick Collins was too busy thinking about how he was going to celebrate his first Super Bowl appearance while Earl Bennett was running past him for a 30 yard touchdown, bringing the Bears within a touchdown in the 4th quarter. The Bears should have felt helpless and over matched while B.J. Raji was doing his fat man shimmy shake in the end zone. But I'm afraid for the Packers against the Steelers, because there is no reason the Bears--the Packers biggest rival--should have had enough hope to put together a 4 play, 60 yard touchdown drive.

I can't complain, the Bears are done this season and won't have the luxury to ruin a high draft pick in April, and the Packers have a chance to win their second Super Bowl since the Bears won their last one.

Melo Should Consider Clippers

Carmelo Anthony has made it abundantly clear that he wants out of Denver, first choice being the New York Knicks. However, New York doesn't have the assets to give Denver. The New Jersey Nets stepped in, offering a package that would include 3rd overall pick, Derrick Favors, but they were waiting for Anthony to sign an extension, until yesterday when owner, Mikhail Prokhorov announced that the Nets were terminating trade talks for Anthony (conveniently announced the week after Denver threatened New Jersey to keep the trade talks private). Going to New Jersey would be counterproductive for Anthony, he wouldn't be on a contending team and the Nets are second fiddle to the Knicks.

If Carmelo wants to play in a big market and doesn't mind being on a team that is second fiddle in their market, he should consider the Los Angeles Clippers. That sounds crazy, I know. Who would want to play for the Clippers with the Lakers in town? Who would want to play for Donald Sterling, universally known as the worst owner in professional sports? The biggest reason Carmelo Anthony should consider playing for the Clippers is Blake Griffin. The Clippers star rookie is 2nd in the league in double-doubles and is one of six players who average a double-double. Griffin isn't even the leading scorer for the Clippers--that honor goes to Eric Gordon, who averages 23.9 points per game. Griffin (23 years old), Gordon (22), and Anthony (26) would be the biggest rival to the Heat's trio of Lebron, Wade, and Bosh. The difference is the Clippers trio all play different positions add different dimensions.

What makes this deal more realistic is the pieces the Clippers have that they can trade to Denver. Right now the Clippers have a projected lottery pick (sitting 3rd to last in the Western Conference, 6 games out of the playoffs), last year's 8th overall pick, Al-Farouq Aminu, last year's 18th overall pick, Eric Bledsoe, and Chris Kaman all available to be traded. Let's say all those guys go in a deal, plus Craig Smith to match Carmelo's $17 million contract, the projected starting lineup would be:

PG: Baron Davis
SG: Eric Gordon
SF: Carmelo Anthony
PF: Blake Griffin
C: DeAndre Jordan

This team is not your mother's Clippers. A playoff run this year isn't likely, but the next 3 years with that trio they are a lock for the playoffs and will contend for the the title.

So Carmelo, would you rather be the man in New Jersey/Brooklyn or be part of a trio in LA and make franchise history?

Bears not Rodgers's Kryptonite

Despite popular belief among sports columnists, the Bears have not shut down Aaron Rodgers. In two games this year he threw a total of 545 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and completed 72% of his passes. He also ran for a touchdown. The scary Bears defense only sacked Rodgers twice and caused one fumble, not recovering it. Rodgers's stats were better in the week 3 loss to the Bears than their week 17 win. Rodgers's worst game was against the Jets in week 8, 170 passing yards, 0 touchdowns, only completed 44.1% of his passes. But the Packers won that game. The Jets are a good team, they aren't planning for their first round pick right now, they are planning for the Steelers.

To think if the Bears shut down Rodgers then they are going to win is inaccurate. Don't get me wrong, shutting down Rodgers is helpful, but let's not jump on the Bears bandwagon. If Rodgers has 170 yards passing and 0 touchdowns, then there is a good chance Jay Cutler is going to have less than 200 passing yards and multiple turnovers. Cutler has a combined 389 passing yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions, a 56% completion percentage, and was sacked 9 times. Packer fans want to see Aaron Rodgers to have a big game statistically in a win over the Bears, but realistically, they don't need it. However, the biggest factor stopping Rodgers, considering it is medically proven that one you have had a concussion that it is easier getting another, is the weather and the possibility of a hard field. Other than that, expect at least 200 yards passing, a touchdown or two, very few turnovers, and most importantly, a Packer victory.

Burress is Wearing the Wrong Uniform

Plaxico Burress was finally sentenced, and now he is—shamefully—in jail for at least the next 20 months and possibly the next 24. Burress concealed a loaded handgun into a New York City club. To top it all off, the gun fired a bullet into his leg, he had to be rushed to the hospital, and no one called the police. Burress later agreed to a plea agreement that stated he attempted criminal possession of a weapon. It is no debate, Burress broke the law—he didn’t even have a license! Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way in favor of guns, especially handgun possession; however, I do not think Plax should be in jail, away from football(although if he wasn’t in jail he would deserve a suspension of some sort), and most importantly away from his family for the next two years. This belief doesn’t just stem from my opposition to jails and prisons; it comes from the fact that the only reasons we have to force people to confinement is to punish them for their actions, and to keep them away from society. Isn’t there a sufficient alternative punishment? Don’t you think getting shot was a significant punishment already? If not, how about some community service too?

Let’s consider the situation a little bit more. Just a year before this incident, Sean Taylor was killed while at his home, and he was without a gun while the murderers had at least one gun. Sean Taylor was at a major disadvantage. Once again, I am not in favor of guns, in my country I’d eliminate all handguns, but if Taylor had a gun, he’d be on track for his fourth Pro Bowl selection. And then this summer, Steve McNair was murdered by a gun too. Once again, he was unarmed. McNair’s murder might not have been prevented even if he was armed, but it is another example of a celebrity being a target. Plaxico Burress broke the law, yes, but can you blame him for being a little paranoid? The media over covers celebrity murders, and Plax didn’t want to be the next.

Even though it sounds un-egalitarian, we live in a society where celebrities should be held to different rules and laws. They have to deal with being photographed in public, sex-tape scandals, and sexual harassment accusations far too often, only because they are rich and famous. Not to say the everyday person does not have to deal with these problems, but the problems aren't at the same level. If you were late to work or a meeting, would you receive a $1,500 fine? Professional athletes have that kind of pressure on them. They deserve different standards. I understand that Plaxico Burress broke the law and he is supposed to be punished for it. But two years of jail time is way too much. He already shot himself and lost his job, there has to be an alternative way of teaching him and other celebrities a lesson. Because that is ultimately the point of the sentence, right? Really the best solution to this problem is to ban possession and purchase of handguns all together and force people to fight with battle-axes.