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Darrelle Revis’ $162 million asking price is absurd

New York Jets Darrelle Revis runs back an interception 67 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers in week 12 of the NFL season at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on November 29, 2009. UPI /John Angelillo Photo via Newscom

Darrelle Revis is a damn fine corner – the best in the league maybe. He’s also vital to the Jets’ success this season and he’s arguably the most important piece of Rex Ryan’s defense.

He has also only played one season (that being one, as in – only one) of elite ball, which is why the $162 million over 10 years that he’s asking the Jets to give him is absolutely ridiculous on many levels. (The $162 million figure comes from Newsday’s Bob Glauber.)

The Jets can’t fiscally give into Revis’ contract demands without sacrificing other areas of their team. They have an entire roster to consider – not just one player, a cornerback no less. Not to undermine the importance of the cornerback position, but quarterback is the only spot where a team should break the bank in order to sign or re-sign a player.

Last time I checked, Revis doesn’t throw the football.

Granted, the $162 million figure that Glauber is reporting may be off. After all, the $162 million asking price hasn’t come out of Revis’ mouth; we’re just going off of what Glauber is reporting.

Then again, Revis isn’t in camp and we’re only two and a half weeks away from the start of the regular season. The Jets have reportedly already offered $122 million (in a down economy, mind you) over 10 seasons and Revis has yet to sign. If he’s insane enough to turn down $122 million, then chances are he’s insane enough to ask for $162 million.

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Tom Brady’s comments about Jets, “Hard Knocks” should surprise no one

FOXBORO, MA - AUGUST 02: Tom Brady  of the New England Patriots walks off the field after training camp on August 2, 2010 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Tom Brady hates the Jets and therefore, doesn’t watch HBO’s “Hard Knocks” because of it.

Shocking.

While appearing on sports radio station WEEI this morning, Brady said, “I hate the Jets, so I refuse to support that show.” Good – he should hate the Jets. They haven’t won a Super Bowl since “The Brady Bunch” premiered on TV and yet they’re the most talked about team in the NFL right now. They’re also a direct rival of Brady’s Patriots, so why should he show them any love? (Besides, Brady has more important things to watch these days than “Hard Knocks”…like his wife for example.)

I was criticized a couple of weeks ago when I wrote that Brandon Phillips’ comments about the Cardinals were refreshing, but I’ll say the same thing here: We need more of this in sports. That’s not to say that Phillips wasn’t out of line with what he said, because he was. But we’ve reached a point in professional sports where rivalries are dying between teams (read that again: between the teams, not fans) because everybody loves one another.

I like what Brady said and here’s hoping that the Patriots-Jets battles this season are once again highly entertaining. Nobody wants Brady and Rex Ryan to engage in a week-long smack talk, but a simple, “I freaking hate the Jets” from time to time out of an athlete is welcomed by me.

Now, let’s play some football.

Jim Brown should attend Ring of Honor not for Browns, but for the fans

NEW YORK - APRIL 22: Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown is interviewed on the red carpet during the 2010 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 25, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

We can only speculate why Jim Brown has decided not to attend the Browns’ inaugural Ring of Honor ceremony, which will be held at the team’s home opener on September 19.

Maybe he had other commitments or more important things to do. Or maybe he decided to snub the team after Mike Holmgren removed him from his senior management position (which cost Brown his standing with the front office, along with a six-figured salary) earlier this year.

But whatever the reason, he needs to realize that the only people that he hurts by not attending the ceremony is the many fans that still appreciate what he did for the NFL and the Browns organization.

I don’t know the details of what happened between him and the Browns and therefore, I can only base my opinion off what I’ve heard and read. As fans, that’s all we can go on in these situations – what others provide us. But as an outsider, it appears as though Brown is just miffed that the organization took away his fancy title and high-paying salary, so he has decided to give the team the middle finger now that they want him to be there for their event.

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2010 FSWA Industry Insiders Fantasy Football Draft

FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 22:  Randy Moss #81 and Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrate Laurence Maroney's touchdown in the second quarter against the New York Jets on November 22, 2009 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.  (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

For the third straight season, I was invited to join the Fantasy Sports Writers Association’s Industry Insiders League. Last season, I made the playoffs and finished fourth out of 60 teams after scoring the most points in my 12-team division during the regular season. In 2008, I also made the postseason and finished second in my division in points scored.

The following is a run through of the first half of the draft. Keep in mind that this is a high-performance PPR league that starts 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 flex, 1 TE, 1 K and 1 DT.

1.10: Randy Moss, WR
I drew the 10th pick — grrr — and knew I was probably going to have to take a WR with at least one of my first two picks in order to keep pace with the owners picking earlier in the first round. It’s a PPR league and we can start up to four WRs, so wideouts are a vital part of the first couple of rounds. One RB/RB combo I was considering was Rashard Mendenhall and Jamaal Charles, but when my pick came up I elected to go with the top WR on my board, Randy Moss. The top four RBs, Andre Johnson and Frank Gore were off the board, and in the two seasons where he’s had Tom Brady as his QB, Moss has finished WR4 (in 2009) and WR1 (in 2007). And it didn’t hurt that his offseason workout ensures that he’ll be in top physical condition heading into the season. Regarding the other available WRs, Larry Fitzgerald’s QB situation worries me a little and Reggie Wayne has to fight for targets with several other capable receivers. Moss will get plenty of looks even with Wes Welker working the underneath stuff and he’s always a top target in the redzone.

2.03: Larry Fitzgerald, WR
Ryan Matthews, Reggie Wayne, Drew Brees and Rashard Mendenhall went on the turn, so it was down to Fitzy, Roddy White and Jamaal Charles for me at 2.03. Todd Haley is playing mind games with Charles in KC, and even though he tore up the league last season, I didn’t feel comfortable taking him here. Besides, I liked the RB talent that has been slipping into the late third and early fourth rounds in mock drafts this summer. So I went with Fitzy, Matt Leinart be damned. With Anquan Boldin in Baltimore, Fitzgerald is bound to get a few more targets, right?

3.10: Ryan Grant, RB
Grant isn’t going to catch many passes, but he was RB9 last season and will get plenty of goal line carries in the Packers’ potent offensive attack. The remaining WRs weren’t too enticing (Welker, Colston and both Steve Smiths were gone), so I was definitely looking RB here. DeAngelo Williams went 3.08 and Pierre Thomas went 3.09, and I would have drafted either before Grant. But with Moss and Fitzy already on the roster, I feel more than comfortable going with Grant as my RB1.

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Pirates prove that the current structure in baseball doesn’t work for fans

July 18, 2010 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America - 18 July 2010: The view from behind the plate at PNC Park prior to the National League game between the Houston Astros and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates Paul Maholm.

The Associated Press released information this morning that should make Pirate and general baseball fans sick and Yankee fans even more appreciative of what they had in George Steinbrenner.

The AP reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates have been able to turn a profit over the last three years – the same Pittsburgh Pirates that haven’t had a winning season in over 18 years.

According to the financial documents that were obtained by the AP, the Pirates took home $15,008,032 in 2007, $14,408,249 in 2008 and $5.4 million 2009. That’s chump change compared to what a team like the Yankees have been able to take home, but they also win.

The Pirates claim that principal owner Bob Nutting doesn’t take a salary and that may be the case, but it’s also clear that they’re not using all of their resources to win on the field. How could they be? If they were, former All-Stars like Jason Bay, Freddy Sanchez, Nate McLouth and Jack Wilson wouldn’t be suiting up for other teams tonight. Nor would arbitration eligible or players close to becoming free agents like Tom Gorzelanny, Ian Snell, John Grabow, Xavier Nady, Adam LaRoche, Damaso Marte, Nyjer Morgan, Ronny Paulino and Sean Burnett be playing for other clubs right now either. (Let’s not forget that the Bucs also dealt Jose Bautista – the current home run leader in the AL – to the Blue Jays for 20 shake weights and an instructional shake weight at-home video.)

The Bucos say that they’re trying to win through the draft and with players like Andrew McCutcheon, Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie either on the big league roster or in the minors that may be case. They say that they’ve paid nearly $12 million for amateur draft picks and have raised their draft expenditures to $31 million over the last three years.

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