Tag: Anthony Stalter (Page 132 of 133)

      Dimitroff is classic example of why teams should hire from winning organizations

      January 28, 2009 /

      January 13, 2008 was officially the day the Atlanta Falcons turned their misfortunes around. No, that wasn’t the day they drafted Rookie of the Year Matt Ryan (that was April 26, 2008) or the date they signed free agent Michael Turner (March 2).

      January 13, 2008 was the day the Falcons hired former Patriots’ director of college scouting Thomas Dimitroff to be their next general manager. Without Dimitroff, there might not have been a Matt Ryan, Michael Turner or Mike Smith, who recently won the NFL’s AP Coach of the Year Award.

      On Wednesday, Dimitroff was named Sporting News magazine’s NFL Executive of the Year – and for good reason. Not only was he responsible for hiring Smith, signing Turner and drafting Ryan, but he was also behind trading overrated cornerback DeAngelo Hall to Oakland, releasing aging veterans Alge Crumpler, Rod Coleman and Warrick Dunn, as well as selecting Sam Baker, Curtis Lofton, Chevis Jackson, Harry Douglas and Kroy Biermann in last year’s draft, all of whom were major contributors as rookies in 2008.

      There’s no doubt the Falcons were in bad shape in 2007. Michael Vick was arrested and sent to federal prison because of dog fighting, Bobby Petrino quit in the middle of the night and ran back to the college ranks, and players like Hall started to act above the team. Making matters worse, late in the year it looked like Bill Parcells would join the team as the new general manager, but as it turns out he was only using the Falcons as leverage to get the Dolphins’ front office job.

      Heading into 2008, the Falcons needed a new general manager (Rich McKay was relegated to team president after the ’07 season), a new head coach and a new direction. So after the Parcells debacle, owner Arthur Blank hired Dimitroff, which turned out to be one of the best decisions Blank has made since buying the team in 2002.

      Looking back, it was no surprise Dimitroff had so much success in just his first year. He came from a winning organization in New England, so he knew what it took to build a winner elsewhere. He hired Mike Smith because he knew he had to have a coach he could work with in constructing personnel. He drafted Matt Ryan because he knew most Super Bowl-caliber teams needed a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback. He parted ways with Hall, Crumpler, Dunn and Coleman because he knew their production probably wasn’t going to match their contracts and the team needed a new core group of players. And finally, he built an offense first because he knew dome teams have advantage on that side of the ball and that Smith (the Jaguars’ former defensive coordinator) could do more with less in terms of the defense, at least in their first year until Dimitroff had the chance to bring in better defensive personnel.

      But it all comes back to Dimitroff’s previous success. He learned in New England what it takes on a day-to-day basis to win in the NFL. He had hands on experience in helping the Patriots win so when Atlanta came calling, he took that same formula and instilled it into the Falcons. And wouldn’t you know it – it worked.

      NFL

      Why are MLB owners so scared of Mark Cuban?

      January 23, 2009 /

      Long-time Cubs fan (and billionaire) Tom Ricketts is the winning bidder for the Chicago Cubs and if the sale goes through (which would also include a 25 percent interest in a regional sports network), he would buy the club from the Tribune Co. for around $900 million.

      Woo-ho.

      Ricketts seems like a solid choice considering he’s a long-time fan and would likely try a hell of a lot harder than the Tribune Co. did in putting a winner on the field. (Outside of the years when the Tribune spent money on free agents in efforts to up the value of the club so they could eventually sell it, of course.)

      But Ricketts is not Mark Cuban.

      Had Major League Baseball allowed Cuban to buy the Cubs, he would have stopped at nothing to put a winner on the field. He wouldn’t have gone through years of mediocrity before trying to build a World Series contender – he would have tried to win from Day 1.

      So the question becomes: Why are baseball owners so petrified of Cuban? He would presumably bring excitement to the game, he would challenge the Yankees in terms of spending and he would be a hero in Chicago, which oh-by-the-way is the type of big city market that baseball would love see make the World Series on a consistent basis so TV ratings would skyrocket.

      I’ve always been under the assumption that owners didn’t want Cuban the owner because he would challenge the Yankees and therefore, smaller market teams wouldn’t make as much off the luxury tax as they would if the Bombers spent big all the time. But thanks to TSR teammate John Paulsen (who did a quick Google search because my dumbass didn’t think to), I realized that the money from the luxury tax (also called the ‘Competitive Balance Tax’) isn’t distributed to smaller market teams to promote competitive balance.

      So therefore, it doesn’t matter if Cuban came in and spent as much as the Yankees because smaller market teams get paid from baseball’s revenue sharing program, which is completely independent from the luxury tax. (In fact, it would help smaller market teams if the Cubs’ revenue was close to the Yankees’ because they would get a bigger cut from the revenue sharing program.)

      If owners keeping Cuban out has nothing to do with the luxury tax payout, then again – why treat him like the Ebola Virus? Below are two opinions as to why. There are probably more, but in my opinion, none bigger than the two below.

      1. Baseball has become the “good ol’ boy” network in terms of its owners. Change is bad. And Mark Cuban owning the Cubs would be the epitome of change – radical change. He does everything first class with the Mavericks and he would presumably do the same with the Cubs. He would upgrade Wrigley Field, treat the players like kings and probably sit right behind home plate so he’s within earshot of the umpire. Baseball owners don’t want a young, hip outsider coming in and having the media focus be on him and the way he does things. He would rock the boat every chance he got, just like he does now in the NBA. Owners are supposed to sit in their seats or boxes and watch from afar. They’re not supposed to be in your face and as recognizable as Cuban is in the NBA.

      2. MLB teams already have their hands full trying to keep up with the Yankees every offseason. If Cuban buys the Cubs, he would compete with the Evil Empire and drive up the price for free agents even more. The player’s union would love for Cuban to buy the Cubs, but the owners would rather deal with one monster than two. (Granted, the Mets and Red Sox compete with the Yankees’ spending on a consistent basis, too, but nothing compared to what Cuban would presumably do.)

      Some might note that the owners also don’t want to be associated with someone, who, in November of last year was accused of insider trading. But don’t forget that Cuban was being turned away by MLB owners well before the SEC report came to light. And by the way, Cuban would have paid $1.3 billion for the Cubs, which is a good bit more than the $900 million Ricketts is ready to dole out. So it has nothing to do with money.

      The bottom line is that baseball is seemingly making a mistake. Cuban would do a lot for the Cubs’ organization and baseball on a whole, but for whatever reason he’ll never have the chance to become an owner. It’s sad really, because in the end, baseball fans are the ones who suffer the most.

      MLB, NBA

      Five Intriguing Super Bowl Storylines

      January 19, 2009 /

      If anything, the 2008 NFL Season was far from dull. While the Cardinals and Steelers each won their respective divisions to secure playoff berths, neither team was a slum dunk to make it to Tampa at the start of the postseason.

      Let’s recap, shall we?

      The Steelers entered the playoffs with huge question marks to be answered, most surrounding their offense. In their last regular season game of the year, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was taken off the field strapped to a stretcher after the back of his helmet slammed against the turf following a hit between two defenders. Along with his health, Pittsburgh’s offensive line, although starting to gel in the final month of the season, seemed to be a weakness that defenses like the Titans and Ravens could exploit if they had the opportunity to face the Steelers in the postseason.

      So while they ranked first in total defense entering the playoffs, the Steelers had major issues. Yet they steam rolled an overmatched Chargers team in the divisional round, then turned Joe Flacco’s inexperience against him in the AFC Championship Game and now they’re one win away from winning their second Super Bowl title in three years.

      Conversely, the Cardinals had a little steeper hill to climb. Although their offense was explosive throughout the season, they played poorly down the stretch and many believed that if they had to go on the road in the playoffs, they would never survive. Not only that, but many pundits also didn’t believe ‘Zona would get past a good running team like the Falcons, who were sure to ride Michael Turner to victory in the opening round.

      Thanks to three Atlanta turnovers and a soundly executed game plan to shut down Turner, the Cards beat the Falcons to set up a regular season rematch with the Panthers in the second round. Six Jake Delhomme turnovers later and Arizona was heading to the NFC Championship Game despite everyone and their mother suggesting that they would never be able to win on the road. Then despite the Eagles’ best efforts at a second half comeback, Arizona was able to hang on Sunday to secure a trip to the Super Bowl, which seemed like an improbable task at the start of the playoffs.

      Now that the matchup has been set, what do we have to look forward to? Plenty, actually. Below are five storylines that should wet your appetite for the next two weeks before kickoff on February 1.

      Anquan Boldin1. Anquan Boldin vs. Todd Haley.
      Perhaps the most intriguing storyline heading into Super Bowl XLIII is what the relationship will be like between Cards’ wideout Anquan Boldin and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. The two could be seen having a heated discussion on Arizona’s sideline during the NFC Championship Game Sunday and Haley mouthing, “Don’t call me that” several times during the exchange. According to several reports, Boldin was so upset after the game that he refused to talk to the media and left the locker room abruptly without celebrating with his teammates. Haley claims the receiver was upset with being replaced by Steve Breaston in one of the formations during Arizona’s pivotal game-winning scoring drive, but nothing has been confirmed. So what happens now? More than likely, the situation will get brushed under the rug because the last thing any team needs is to head into the Super Bowl with its star receiver and offensive coordinator at odds. But one has to wonder if Boldin (who publicly stated that he wanted the Cardinals to trade him in the offseason) will put aside his personal feelings in order to help his team win a Lombardi Trophy. He better, because if he thinks that Arizona (or any team for that matter) will spend millions of dollars on a player that put himself above his team’s push to win a Super Bowl, than he has another thing coming.

      2. Kurt Warner vs. the Steelers defense.
      The Pittsburgh-Arizona matchup reminds me of the 2002 Super Bowl between the Buccaneers and Raiders. Like Pittsburgh this season, Tampa Bay led the league in total defense that year. Oakland had the best passing offense in the league and was led by long-time veteran quarterback Rich Gannon. Arizona doesn’t have the best passing offense in the league (they were second to New Orleans), but they are led by trusty 11-year vet Kurt Warner at quarterback. In Super Bowl XXXVII, Gannon threw a record five interceptions, three of which were returned for defensive touchdowns as the Bucs routed the Raiders 48-21. Granted, this isn’t Warner’s first Super Bowl (it will be his third), but his situation is eerily similar to Gannon’s. The Steelers’ defense excels at making quarterbacks (young and old) look silly when they drop back to pass. And while he hasn’t shown signs of it yet this postseason, Warner can get awfully turnover prone if he feels too much pressure. The Eagles were able to get to Warner in the third quarter of the NFC Championship Game and the Cardinals’ offense wilted. But they couldn’t do it on a consistent basis (neither could the Falcons or Panthers), and Warner picked them apart with the help of Larry Fitzgerald. Can the Arizona offensive line protect Warner long enough for him to find open receivers? Or will Warner suffer a similar demise as the one Gannon did?

      Ben Roethlisberger3. The injury status of Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward.
      Unlike the Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, the Steelers don’t have to worry about injuries on the defensive side of the ball come February 1. But the same can’t be said for their offense, which will likely dress a less than 100% Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward. Big Ben is dealing with a multitude of nagging injuries ranging from bruised ribs to a spinal cord concussion he suffered in Week 17. Ward caught three passes for 55 yards before exciting the championship game with a right knee injury. The team is calling the injury a “slightly sprained MCL,” but he’s expected to play in the Super Bowl. Both of these players will embrace the two weeks off they have between now and kickoff, but one has to wonder whether or not the injuries will come up again any point during the game. Backup quarterback Byron Leftwich has looked good in spot duty this season, but he’s highly immobile and will turn the ball over from time to time. At receiver, the Steelers can get by with Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington, but Limas Sweed has dropped two potential touchdown catches the past two weeks and it isn’t easy replacing Ward’s instincts and leadership on the field. Pittsburgh needs both players to be healthy because while the Cardinals’ defense doesn’t look good on paper, they’re one of the most underrated units in the NFL and are playing extremely well right now.

      4. Does Ken Whisenhunt hold an inside edge?
      Mike Tomlin and Ken Whisenhunt were hired eight days apart in 2007. Some believed that when Bill Cowher decided to retire, that Whisenhunt (the Steelers’ offensive coordinator at the time) would take over as head coach. But Whisenhunt eventually decided to head west and take over the seemingly impossible rebuilding plan in Arizona. Tomlin was then plucked from his defensive coordinator position in Minnesota to coach the Steelers, and now two years later the two will meet in the Super Bowl. The question becomes: Will Whisenhunt have inside knowledge of how the Steelers run their offense since he was their offensive line coach when they beat the Seahawks in the 2006 Super Bowl? Of course not, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know ways to help Arizona defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast defend Ben Roethlisberger (who Whisenhunt coached for two seasons in Pittsburgh) or find ways to exploit the few weaknesses the Steelers have defensively. Remember, Jon Gruden helped Monte Kiffin scheme against Rich Gannon (his former quarterback in Oakland) in Super Bowl XXXVII and the Bucs wound up intercepting the Raider QB five times. It would be unwise to overlook Whisenhunt’s knowledge of the Steelers when breaking down this matchup.

      Mike Tomlin5. Steelers open as 7-point favorites.
      This isn’t a huge storyline by any means, but the general media loves to shy away from the gambling aspects of the big game, so it’s fun to talk about. Don’t expect the Steelers to remain 7-point favorites for very long. Pittsburgh fans will likely push the spread up to –8 or –9 by kickoff, making the Cardinals an intriguing pick in my opinion. Pittsburgh’s average margin of victory this year (including the postseason) was right around 10 points and that includes a 31-0 ass kicking of the Browns in Week 17. So as good as the Steeler defense is, they haven’t necessarily blown opponents out this season. Point is, if the spread jumps up closer to 10, there’s a good chance the Cards will keep the game close and produce a cover. If the line drops, then it’s hard not to love what the Pittsburgh defense could potential do to Kurt Warner and the Steelers might be an easy choice. So basically, let the public make your decision for you and if the line stays put, then maybe partaking in some Super Bowl squares or the total (which opened at 47) is the better way to go.

      NFL, Super Bowl

      NFC/AFC Championship Preview

      January 18, 2009 /

      Before I wrote my Divisional Preview last week, I gave a jab to all the losing teams from Wild Card Weekend. So I think it’s only fair to the Falcons, Colts, Dolphins and Vikings that I do the same to the losers from the divisional round.

      Tennessee Titans: Spend some time this offseason finding another offensive weapon besides Chris Johnson. I swear at one point during the game last week I actually saw Kerry Collins look to dump a pass to the Titan bench because he knew Johnson was sitting there nursing his injured ankle.

      Carolina Panthers: Jake, black shirts, silver helmets, bro. Does anyone else wonder if one of the Panthers went up to Delhomme in the locker room after the game, stopped at his locker, looked him dead in the eye and said, “Happy f’ing birthday, Jake. Way to cost us the game”?

      New York Giants: Eli, you’ve been playing in New York (New Jersey, actually) for four years now. You’re telling me you still haven’t figured out how to throw with that wind by now? Don’t blame yourself, though. Your coach should have deferred to the second half and put his defense (his strength) on the field first to start the game. Losing to the Eagles at home was a collective effort.

      San Diego Chargers: I read that the general feeling out of Chargers’ camp was that Santonio Holmes’ punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter set off a chain of mistakes and miscues leading to San Diego’s loss in Pittsburgh. Yeah that, and the fact that Willie Parker did whatever he wanted, the Chargers only held the ball for 17 seconds in the third quarter and they couldn’t stop the big play. But that was it.

      Kurt WarnerPhiladelphia Eagles (9-6-1) at Arizona Cardinals (9-7)
      Sunday, January 18, 3:00PM ET
      Current Odds: Eagles –4
      Over/Under: 47
      Game Outlook:
      What the hell do we make of the Cardinals now? They stumbled into the postseason, so everyone (myself included) thought, “Well, this team won’t make it past the first round.” Then they beat the Falcons by shutting down Michael Turner, which happened to be the one thing many pundits said that they would have trouble with. But then everyone (myself included) thought, “Well, now they have to go on the road. And there’s no way they’ll win on the road.” Then they go to Carolina and absolutely crush the Panthers 33-13. Now there seems to be two schools of thought with these Cardinals from Arizona. The first being that the Falcons and Panthers made their job a hell of a lot easier by collectively turning the ball over nine times in two games. The second being that the Cards are for real and that everyone has disrespected them the past two weeks. Personally, I think ‘Zona falls somewhere in between. Do I think they were handed some golden opportunities to win over the past two weeks? Yeah. Do I think that they’re better than what everyone (one more time: myself included) thought they were? Yeah. But the Eagles are playing some damn good football right now and probably won’t make the same glaring mistakes that the Falcons and Panthers did. Philly also measures up well with Arizona given that their secondary is outstanding and that they’re playing with a ton of confidence. This game will come down to three things for both teams: 1) don’t turn the ball over, 2) convert on third downs and 3) play good defense. Whichever team is successful in those three areas of the game will win. And if you think that’s too simple then look at all of the playoff games played so far this season. The losing team turned the ball over more, couldn’t convert on third downs and couldn’t stop their opponent from making the big play.
      X-Factor: DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles
      Jackson has breathed life into Philly’s passing attack and he’s provided a spark in the return game. If Brian Westbrook isn’t 100%, Jackson will have to make plays to give the Eagles a shot at making their second Super Bowl appearance in four years. It’ll also help if Andy Reid can line Jackson up in the “Wildcat” formation and allow him to make plays running the ball, too. Because Donovan McNabb can’t win on his own, even though he’s playing outstanding football right now.
      Prediction: Cardinals 24, Eagles 21
      Why the Cardinals? Because I think they’re destined to win. Nobody thought that they would be here right now and nothing in the NFL has made sense all year (i.e. the Eagles are probably the better overall team, so why should they win, right?). The Cards are also at home (where they play remarkably better than they do on the road) and I can already see the Kurt Warner headlines in the paper Monday morning.

      Willie ParkerBaltimore Ravens (11-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
      Sunday, January 18, 6:30PM ET
      Current Odds: Steelers -6
      Over/Under: 34
      Game Outlook:
      Even though the divisional round essentially provided two duds (I know the Ravens-Titans game was close, but it really wasn’t that good of a game), I’m once again looking forward to what the AFC brings to the table this week. These are the two best defenses in the league (if not the NFL) and it’s going to be great to see how Rex Ryan and Dick LeBeau attack the opposing offense. The Ravens’ game plan has been simple the past two weeks in that they’ve relied on playing great defense and not turning the ball over offensively. Rookie Joe Flacco hasn’t thrown for over 200 yards in either of Baltimore’s two postseason wins, but the key is that he hasn’t turned the ball over. He has taken a couple of big shots down the field (mainly to Derrick Mason in the win last week) and converted, so that could once again play a factor this Sunday. The Ravens aren’t going to do anything different Sunday than they did the past two weeks – they’re going to play things conservative and win this game with defense. For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger isn’t the picture of perfect health right now, so it’ll be interesting to see what Ryan does to get pressure on Big Ben and force him to make mistakes like the Titans were able to in their Week 16 win over the Steelers. Of course, if Baltimore can’t stop Willie Parker than this game will be over before it starts. Parker had a great game in Pittsburgh’s win over San Diego last week and it forced the Chargers to be less aggressive. San Diego couldn’t get any pressure on Roethlisberger and he was able to hit them for big plays in the passing game. If the Ravens can effectively blitz him, he’s always likely to hold onto the ball too long, take sacks or turn the ball over. How effective Baltimore’s defense is will be what determines whether or not they’ll be playing for a Super Bowl title in two weeks. Pittsburgh’s defense is outstanding, but it’ll be the opportunities that the Ravens force via their defense that will be the determining factor in which team comes out victorious.
      X-Factor: Terrell Suggs, LB/DE, Ravens
      The Ravens need this guy to play. His status for Sunday is still uncertain as he continues to nurse an injured shoulder, but things don’t look promising. He’s been one of the best edge rushers in the league since he came into the NFL and he’ll be needed to drum up a pass rush against Big Ben. If he doesn’t play, that’s a huge blow to the Baltimore defense.
      Prediction: Ravens 13, Steelers 10
      It’s hard to beat a team three times in one season and with Big Ben’s injury a concern, I think Baltimore wins this with defense. Either way, this is going to be an outstanding game.

      NFL

      A Chat with NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice

      January 15, 2009 /

      Interview Date: 1/8/09

      It’s not often that a sports writer gets the opportunity to interview a sports legend. So when we were offered the chance to sit down and talk with former San Francisco 49er great Jerry Rice, we nearly leaped out of our seats.

      Jerry has dabbled in a number of different professions since retiring from his Hall of Fame NFL career, including competing on “Dancing With the Stars” and more recently, acting. He has a cameo appearance in the movie, “Without a Paddle: Nature’s Calling,” where he plays a character named Hal Gore (uh, Al Gore’s brother…seriously), who happens to be a bit off his rocker. (Hal’s game plan to stop global warming was focused around squirrel farts…again, seriously.)

      Jerry was gracious enough to talk to us about his role in the movie, his experiences with acting and whether or not more acting was in his future. We also couldn’t let him get off the phone without asking him some gridiron questions, including his thoughts on who currently is the best wide receiver is in the game, what young quarterback has the best chance of winning a Super Bowl, and what defensive backs were the best he ever played against. He also filled us in how legends Joe Montana and Bill Walsh were pranksters, and whether or not coaching is in his future now that the 49ers have hired former player Mike Singletary has their next head coach.

      Jerry Rice: Anthony!

      The Scores Report: Jerry, it’s an absolute pleasure to talk with you!

      JR: Not a problem. You’re the last one of the day, bud! It’s been a long day so I’m giving you my best.

      TSR: Excellent! Well my first question has to be – is acting harder than playing in the NFL?

      JR: (laughs)

      TSR: It’s gotta be, right?

      Jerry RiceJR: (still laughing) Yep! Of course it’s harder because it’s something that I’m not accustomed to. And in (my) particular scene in “Without a Paddle: Nature’s Calling,” I play someone else. I don’t play myself. So that was the challenging part of that, but it gave me a chance to challenge myself and I’m always looking for opportunities like that and I think it brings out the best in me. Hopefully people look at this on DVD and they appreciate it and they like it.

      TSR: Well I got a few laughs just watching you dressed up in that garb!

      JR: I bet you did!

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: That’s why they put me in that!

      TSR: I’m sure it was. Why don’t you explain the role for people who haven’t seen the movie yet?

      JR: I’m this mountain man whose been in the wilderness for about 30 years and I’ve got this long beard…I’ve got this coat that’s pretty much made out of squirrels and stuff like that…and I thought I had found this cure for global warming by way of squirrel farts.

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: But hey, I had a great time making it, man.

      TSR: How did you get involved in something like this?

      JR: You know, this fell in my lap because Terry Bradshaw was supposed to do it and you know how crazy Terry is. Maybe Terry looked at it as, “there’s no way I’m doing that.” So they decided to contact me and they said, “do you want to do it?” And I said, yeah, I’ll go for it and I did, and I’m glad because to be associated with Paramount is an honor within itself. And to also work with the actors and actresses was really cool.

      TSR: Is there a future in this for you or is this a one and done type thing?

      JR: Hey, I’m hoping it’s not a one and done. You know, hopefully this opens up more opportunities for me just like “Dancing With the Stars” did. I feel as though I worked my butt off, I had fun with it and people are going to get a chance to see another side of me that they’ve never seen before. I’m going to watch the DVD tonight and I’m going to critique, and I’m sure I’m going to look at certain parts and say to myself, “I could have done that better than that, but that’s just part of not being complacent and being willing to continue to work.

      TSR: Consummate professional, right?

      JR: That’s it, buddy.

      TSR: Mind if I toss a couple football questions at you?

      JR: Let’s do it.

      TSR: I’m sure you watch the NFL closer than anybody. What current wide receiver impresses you the most every Sunday?

      JR: Probably Andre Johnson. But you have to look at Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, you know…let me think…

      TSR: What about Terrell Owens, one of your x-teammates?

      JR: I thought you wanted younger guys, okay, yeah – Terrell Owens, Randy Moss all those guys. Those guys are still the big play receivers, you know? (They) are why you pay your money – because you know that those guys are going to put on a good show for you.

      Joe MontanaTSR: You’ve won Super Bowls with Joe Montana and Steve Young so you know what it takes for a quarterback to win a championship. What young quarterback – Tony Romo, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, etc. – that hasn’t won a Super Bowl yet is the next to win one in your opinion? What current quarterback is destined to hoist a Super Bowl trophy?

      JR: You know what? The next guy? Boy…it could be Joe Flacco from Baltimore with the way he’s playing right now. It could be Donovan McNabb. You know, Eli…well Eli’s won one already, so, you know, we’ll just have to wait and see how (the playoffs) pan out. The ultimate thing is to win the Super Bowl and I think all of those guys have a legitimate shot.

      TSR: Besides winning the Super Bowl, what would you call your greatest moment in the NFL? What was your greatest achievement?

      JR: (laughs) Oh my God! Probably…oh my God. I would say, uh…just playing with the guys that I had played with. It was never about records to me. So you know, just the relationships that I had built you know, with (Joe) Montana, (Ronnie) Lott, Roger Craig – so many great guys. Then going across the Bay (to Oakland to play with) Tim Brown and so many other great players.

      TSR: I always want to ask players this. Was there ever a funny moment, whether it’s on the field, off the field in the huddle, whatever, that you rarely share with the public? Could you share one of those moments to give fans an insight to what your playing days were like?

      JR: Joe Montana was always a prankster!

      TSR: Was he?

      JR: Oh, yeah – Joe Montana did crazy things. He would put Tiger Balm and stuff like that in jocks. Then all of a sudden guys would put their jocks on and they’d get that little burning sensation out there on the field!

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: (laughs)

      TSR: Did he ever get you?

      JR: No, he knew better than that!

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: (laughs) But you know, Joe was a prankster…Bill Walsh would walk through the locker room with those tights on, and his sweat towels and his football shoes and stuff like that trying to look like a wide receiver and all that stuff.

      TSR: That’s pretty funny, although it’s hard to imagine a legend doing that!

      JR: Yeah!

      TSR: You played against some of the best defensive backs in the league. Who was the hardest to beat or the best you’ve ever played against?

      JR: I had two of them – Darryl Green and Deion Sanders. Those guys were so fast and I had to study them, I had to work them off the line of scrimmage, and I had to be patient. That was always something Bill Walsh wanted us to do – he wanted us to be patient off the line of scrimmage. He wanted us to win at the line so, you know, I had some success against those guys.

      TSR: Is there a current defensive back playing now that would fit into Green or Sanders’ mold?

      JR: You know what, no, because you don’t have that many cornerbacks that play one on one anymore. It’s because of the (defensive) schemes, so you know, you still have some good defensive backs out there but (Green and Sanders) were going to pretty much be singled up with the best receiver on every team. And their job was to shut that guy down and they were great.

      Mike SingletaryTSR: I thought the hire of Mike Singletary was absolutely the right move to get the 49ers headed back in the right direction. What are your thoughts on the hire?

      JR: I think it’s fantastic. I think that was the best move the Niners (could make in hiring) Singletary. I also heard that Tom Rathman is going to come back as the running backs coach, so this team is starting to move in the right direction. They have someone (in Singletary) that’s a great leader, will lead them by example and if the players don’t do their jobs, he’s going to let them know it. And if they don’t pick it up, they’re going to be out of there.

      TSR: Is coaching in your future, Jerry?

      JR: No.

      TSR: No? Absolutely not?

      JR: (chuckles) Not at all, buddy!

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: Hey I have to run, my man.

      TSR: Thanks Jerry – I appreciate your time!

      JR: You got it – take care.

      Interviews, NFL

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