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      Jaguars to pursue Michael Vick?

      July 29, 2009 /

      Sam Farmer of the LA Times writes on his Twitter page that the possibility of free agent quarterback Michael Vick signing with the Jaguars “is looking more and more real.”

      While I question how a writer from the LA Times would know that Vick could sign with the Jaguars (it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to think Farmer has a contact in Jax, I guess) Jacksonville does make sense as a possible landing spot for the criminal. (Too harsh? No? Okay.)

      There were rumors around draft time that the Jags would take a quarterback with the No. 8 pick in the first round, but instead decided to upgrade their offensive line when Eugene Monroe fell to them at that spot. Some pundits believe that David Garrard’s time is running out in Jacksonville, although he was hardly to blame for the injuries that ransacked the offensive line last year and completely hindered the Jags’ offensive success.

      Still, a little competition never hurt anybody and Garrard’s backup is 37-year-old journeyman Todd Bouman, so maybe Vick is a great fit for the Jags. (Although it should be noted that Jacksonville’s beat writer Michael C. Wright reports that Vick’s name hasn’t come up once during meetings between him and team brass.)

      In other Vick news, the Redskins, Seahawks, Bengals, Bills, 49ers and Rams have already stated that they’re not interested in the free agent QB.

      NFL

      Jim Johnson passes away at 68

      July 28, 2009 /

      In sad NFL news, former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson lost his battle with cancer and passed away on Tuesday at age 68.

      Johnson had taken a leave of absence from the team in May as he continued to battle a cancerous tumor on his spine. The Eagles announced his death on Tuesday afternoon.

      A veteran of 22 years as an NFL assistant, Johnson is regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the league, known for complex schemes that confused opponents and pressured the quarterback from every angle. His defenses consistently ranked among the best in the league, including last season, when the Eagles finished third in total defense and fell one victory short of the Super Bowl.

      “What haven’t I learned from Jim?” (Sean) McDermott said. “I don’t think it would be fair to Jim, in this setting, to try and limit in one statement, one press conference, the effect that Jim has had on my life.”

      McDermott paid Johnson the ultimate compliment in describing the style of defense he wanted the Eagles to play: Johnson’s style.

      “There is one thing I know, and that is that this system, it works,” McDermott said. “Jim has spent a considerable amount of time in his coaching career researching and finding things that work and finding things that didn’t work, quite frankly, and I’m going to respect that and we’re going to build on that. From there, we’ll add wrinkles.”

      Johnson was simply one of the best. He’s attacking style was highly productive and at least from this NFL fan’s point of view, incredibly fun to watch. He helped the Eagles win five division titles and between 2000 and 2008, his units ranked second in the league in sacks with 390.

      The NFL, the Eagles and us fans are going to miss you, Jim. RIP.

      NFL

      Childress: Favre staying retired

      July 28, 2009 /

      According to Vikings head coach Brad Childress, Brett Favre has decided to stay retired and will not play this season.

      Judd just received a phone call from Brad Childress who said he talked to Brett Favre and that he was informed that Favre is staying retired. Childress cited the daily grind both mentally and physically as part of the reason why Favre remained retired.

      “I just think it was a rare opportunity to explore a Hall of Fame quarterback who had background in the NFC and in this division,” Childress said. “He knows our system inside out … This doesn’t change anything about how I feel about our football team.”

      I’ll be the first to admit that I’m shocked. I thought for sure that Brett was coming back, but ultimately I think this was the right decision. I don’t think his body would have made it through a full 16-game season and I know just the thought of him being in white and purple was enough to make most Packer fans throw up their lunch.

      My first thought was to write about how Brett screwed the Vikings by putting them and their players through the ringer for the past two months. But really, what has changed? They planned on going with either Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson before all of the Favre talked spread, and now those two players will battle it out in camp. Chances are, Rosenfels and Jackson are going to put all of these behind them fairly quickly and get ready for training camp. With the season still a couple months away, Favre will be old news in Minnesota in a few weeks and the players will move on.

      Then again, the season is still a couple of months away, so Favre could still change his mind…no! He wouldn’t…would he?!

      NFL

      Bill Simmons’ “Almost Famous” tribute, Pt. 2

      July 28, 2009 /

      In Part 2 of Bill Simmons’ “Almost Famous”-is-the-greatest-movie-of-the-decade spiel, he continues to take quotes from the movie and apply them to the 2009 NBA offseason. Here’s one about the Pistons…

      47. Please don’t give him any more acid. Thank you.
      To Joe Dumars. In the span of 14 months, he hired the wrong coach (Michael Curry), overpaid the wrong bench guys (Kwame Brown and Amir Johnson), traded the wrong star too early (Billups, who would have netted more than just an expiring cap figure near the deadline), extended the wrong star too early (Rip Hamilton), overrated the wrong young guy (Rodney Stuckey, who might not even be a point guard), threw away the wrong season (2008-09, when the East was more wide open than we thought), then made it up to Pistons fans by saying, “I just spent $94 million on two guys who will never make an All-Star team!” Shouldn’t you be worried when your top five guys (Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Hamilton, Stuckey and Prince) are all perimeter guys who don’t rebound, play inside or make other guys better?

      I too think that the Pistons overpaid for Gordon and Villanueva, who are certainly good offensive players, but really seem to struggle on the other end of the court. Dumars had the rep for being one of the savviest general managers in the league, but with these signings all the Pistons’ cap space is gone and they don’t have an inside presence.

      The funny thing is that Dumars was pretty much bidding against himself for Gordon’s services (the Bulls didn’t even bother to make an offer) and the best Villanueva could have hoped for was a mid-level deal (from Cleveland?). This is one of the more interesting rebuilding projects going.

      Humor, NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Detailing the Mark Cuban/Don Nelson split

      July 28, 2009 /

      This is probably only interesting to NBA nuts and Mavs fans, but the transcript from the Cuban/Nelson arbitration hearing has been released, and there are some interesting tidbits of information. Like the story of how the Mavs almost drafted Pavel Podkolzin at #5 (instead of Devin Harris) in 2004.

      But as June’s draft loomed, Nelson testified that he had no reason to believe he wouldn’t continue to lead that process, noting that he had selected standout Josh Howard with the 29th pick of the previous year’s draft.

      On draft day, the Mavericks acquired the No. 5 pick from Washington. Nelson testified that as he settled into the draft room to talk to team scouts, he was surprised to hear son Donnie, the team’s vice president of operations, discuss taking “this big Russian” with the No. 5 pick.

      The player’s name is redacted from the arbitration transcript, but it is clear that Nelson was referring to 7-foot-5 Pavel Podkolzin.

      “I said, ‘Donnie, I cannot take that Russian five,’ ” Don Nelson testified. “And he asked me if I would go in the men’s room. I went in the men’s room with him, and he informed me that I wasn’t in charge of the draft.

      “And I said, ‘Oh, really? Well, who is?’ He said, ‘I am.’ And I said, ‘Well, it’s nice of somebody to tell me.’

      “And I said, ‘Well, if that’s the case, then as your father I’m asking you don’t draft [redacted].’ … And Donnie didn’t. He took Devin Harris.”

      Later in that draft, the Mavericks sent a future first-round pick to Utah for the rights to No. 21 pick Podkolzin – who never played a regular-season game for Dallas.

      The article also discusses how the Mavs failed to match Phoenix’s offer to Steve Nash, and how that affected the franchise.

      Continue reading »

      NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

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