Future Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders has always had a mercurial personality, though the people who have played with him over the years will tell you that "Prime Time" is actually a lot more humble and hardworking than people may think. As Sanders will tell you, there's Deion and there's "Prime Time"; we know which one showed up on Thursday's "Total Access" show on the NFL Network to air a grievance about his place on NFL Films' "Top 100 Players of All Time" series. Prime was No. 34 overall, which you'd think would be pretty reasonable, but he begged to differ
Hilarious to be sure, but I'll side with Prime to a degree. If he was the best cover corner in the history of the game at his peak for a sustained period of time (and I don't think anyone who saw him would even debate that), and there are 22 players on the field at any given time, why wouldn't the best at one position be higher?
The problem is that this is a Top 100 overall -- the best, the most important, the guys who had the biggest impact in the sport. And I'm not sure how much Deion really changed the game because his skill set was virtually unrepeatable. It's all well and good to say, "I want to shut receivers down just like my hero, Deion Sanders," but unless your name is Darrelle Revis(notes) (who's done it for just the one season so far -- that's how hard it is to play at that level at that position), it just ain't happening. Prime may be unhappy that the list is weighted to the offensive side of the ball, but that's the way it goes. And the guys directly ahead of him -- Sid Luckman at 33, Jim Parker at 32 and Bruce Smith at 31 -- all have great arguments for their placements.
You know who I'd like to hear from on this list? Chuck Bednarik. The former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker/center was the last legitimate 60-minute player in the NFL, and he's never had complimentary things to say about other players who toyed with both sides of the game (Prime played some wide receiver as well, most notably whenever Michael Irvin was busy being suspended for his ancillary activities).
Bednarik has been an outspoken, even bitter critic of today's NFL players for playing on only one side of the ball, calling them "pussyfoots," noting that they "suck air after five plays" and that they "couldn't tackle my wife Emma." He even criticized Troy Brown(notes) of the New England Patriots and Deion Sanders of the Dallas Cowboys, two players who also have played both offense and defense, because their positions as a wide receiver and cornerback didn't require as much contact as the center and linebacker positions that Bednarik played.
Too bad for Concrete Charlie. Because on that Top 100 list, Bednarik was No. 35 -- one behind Mr. Sanders. Now, there's another guy who may have something to say about this whole process.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
David Garrard's wife: Future Jaguars assistant coach?
Well, an armchair quarterback at the very least. That's the story coming out of Jacksonville and the Florida Times-Union, as the wife of Jacksonville Jaguars' actual quarterback David Garrard(notes) gave team offensive offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and quarterbacks coach Mike Shula a few new ideas for the offensive playbook at a recent birthday party for the Garrards' son. Said David Garrard:
"I said, 'Here's a great time to tell the coaches what you've been trying to tell me.' She was laughing with them and joking with them, and they know Mary. They know how she is and the competitor she is. It was more joking than anything. She knows I like to move around and run around a little bit more. She was just saying we've got to see that some more and see you running around a little bit. Not that she was coaching up our coaches or anything."
Through Week 5 of the 2010 season, the Jags rank 19th in Football Outsiders' passing efficiency metrics, and Garrard is 13th in quarterback rating (90.1) -- he's thrown nine touchdowns and six picks to date. He's also taken 12 sacks, which might be the real reason Mrs. Garrard wants her husband to roll out more often -- maybe he's too banged up for that Saturday "honey-do" list?
No word on how seriously Jacksonville's coaches took the suggestions, but considering the fact that Jacksonville's offense won't rival Indy's or Houston's for overall explosiveness anytime soon, perhaps another voice would be welcome. If Mary Garrard can correctly identify "Goalline Empty Right F Short Key All Fade" or "I Right Tight Close Goalline Fake 18 HO Force QB Keep Pass Left" (she'd probably like that one, as the idea is for the quarterback to roll out), we say that it's time to give her a shot
Monday, October 11, 2010
Peyton Hillis continues TD streak with ridiculous catch
The next time you hear the Denver Broncos mourn their sub-par running game, or you hear analysts bemoan that sub-par running game on their behalf, keep in mind that Josh McDaniels traded this guy for Brady Quinn
This guy is Peyton Hillis(notes), who once ran with Darren McFadden(notes) and Felix Jones(notes) in the Arkansas backfield that gave birth to the Wildcat. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 draft by the Mike Shanahan empire that predated McDaniels' current reign, and led the Broncos in rushing yards in Shanny's final season in the Mile High City. That Hillis did so with just 343 yards in 68 carries makes the feat a tad less impressive, but still ... Hillis saw just 13 carries in his second year as McDaniels went with other options, and he was traded to the Browns for Quinn, the eternal backup, and two draft picks in March of 2010.
What has Hillis done since signing on with the Browns? Oh, not much. He's just scored a touchdown in every game this year, including the amazing catch shown above. Going into Week 5, he was tied with Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew(notes) for eighth in the NFL in rushing yards with 322, and he has more rushing plays of 20 yards or more than Chris Johnson.
Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton's(notes) great year has made Quinn's involvement irrelevant, and against the Baltimore Ravens today, Quinn was a healthy scratch - Tim Tebow(notes), who the Broncos selected in the 2010 draft, was the second quarterback. McDaniels has made sone personnel moves that turned out very well (like the Jay Cutler(notes) trade that brought Orton to Denver in the first place), but it's pretty clear that he missed the boat completely on Peyton Hillis
Executive: UFC 120 expected to set European attendance and gate records
This month's UFC 120 event will be the Ultimate Fighting Championship's most successful European show to date.
That's the word from UFC UK president Marshall Zelaznik, who today hosted a media conference call in anticipation of the Oct. 16 event.
UFC 120 takes place at The 02 in London, England, and airs via same-day delay on Spike TV. The show is expected to set European attendance and gate records.
UFC 120 is the first event in the U.K. since UFC 105 nearly a year ago. As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported, that show, which took place at Manchester's MEN Arena, was the highest-attended European event (16,693) in UFC history. However, it fell short of UFC 75's $2.7 million live gate, an event at The 02 that that also set a European record.
Both records are expected to fall next week at UFC 120, which is headlined by British star Michael Bisping vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama.
"I think it's a testament to how big the UFC is getting here in Europe and the U.K.," Zelaznik stated.
In fact, because of the interest and ticket demand for the show, UFC officials recently opened new seating sections at The 02 for UFC 120.
The addition of those seats and the ticket prices, which ranged from $80 to $400 (£50 to £250), should set the record marks
Jon Jones thinks about his match with unbeaten Ryan Bader
Jon Jones is the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s equivalent of Stephen Strasburg, the Washington Nationals pitcher who was so spectacular as a rookie before being injured. Strasburg did things that had been years – decades – since the likes of it had been seen in Major League Baseball.
Jones, 23, is similarly gifted. He became a sensation quickly in his UFC career after acknowledging that he incorporated moves he’d learned on YouTube into his fight game. He’s 11-1 and his only loss came as a result of a disqualification because of an illegal elbow as he was in the process of destroying the highly regarded Matt Hamill.
Jones tries moves in the cage few other fighters would even attempt, but he rarely does the same one twice. Even more amazing, he’s been so dominant that he hasn’t had to put his flashy moves together in combination
He’s been the UFC’s top prospect almost from the minute he signed his first contract, in 2008. Greatness seemed assured; it wasn’t so much a question of if but when.
“He’s a serious, serious talent,” UFC president Dana White said of Jones.
White said after Jones’ Aug. 1 victory over veteran Vladimir Matyushenko that it was time for the one-time junior college wrestling national champion to begin facing the top talent in the UFC’s stacked light heavyweight division.
Two months after that win, though, Jones suddenly finds himself sharing the spotlight as the sport’s most promising prospect. Ryan Bader is 12-0 after back-to-back impressive wins over Keith Jardine and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
The UFC is trying to put together a fight between the two young stars on Feb. 5 on its annual Super Bowl Eve card in Las Vegas. That has led to Jones being involved in a controversy – a minor, nearly completely insignificant controversy – for the first time in his career.
Bader, like many of Jones’ past opponents, is a wrestler. Jones isn’t particularly thrilled at facing yet another wrestler and mentioned it in several interviews as word leaked of the pending deal.
Jones was mortified when he perused the Internet and saw that his words were taken as disrespect for Bader’s ability.
“I believe in the martial arts way and carrying yourself in a certain manner and never disrespecting your opponent,” Jones said. “I’m not the type of person who would ever talk badly about another fighter and it’s really bothered me to see what has happened and how I’ve been portrayed.”
The son of a pastor, Jones praised Bader for his win over Nogueira and for improving to 12-0.
“You have to be really good to do what he’s done,” Jones said. “Ryan Bader is an excellent fighter who has accomplished a lot and deserves everything that is coming to him now.”
Jones, though, concedes that he saw things he believes he can take advantage of when he meets Bader. The conventional wisdom has always been that a wrestler would probably be the one to beat Jones, because beating him would probably require getting him off his feet where he wouldn’t be able to use his lethal strikes.
He’s heard the talk that Bader might be the guy who could get him down and, after UFC 119, isn’t buying it.
“It was a great fight to watch,” Jones said of Bader’s Sept. 25 victory over Nogueira at UFC 119. “I thought Ryan Bader was exposed a bit as far as his wrestling ability. Nogueira not being a wrestler and considering the fact that Nogueira was able to stuff a lot of his takedowns, it was very interesting for me to watch.
“But I respect Ryan Bader as an opponent. I respect that he’s never lost a fight. I am up for the challenge and I’m excited by the challenge.”
The controversy, however minor and trivial it may be, came because Jones was honest enough to admit he was tired of fighting wrestlers and would rather test himself against a different style. He was hardly demeaning Bader or Bader’s talents.
He’s cringed at those who have suggested he’s become arrogant or cocky. He’ll admit to being confident in his ability, but he insists he’s far from cocky. The dictionary definition of cocky is “jauntily conceited or overbearing; self-confident in an aggressive or swaggering way.”
Anyone who knows Jones would laugh at such a description of him. He has confidence – defined as “firm belief; trust, reliance” – in his ability in the cage, but he’s by no means pompous.
“I’m confident because I study, study, study and, yes, I have some physical attributes that maybe give me an advantage. The long arms are something I was born with. But the way I pull off moves, the timing of the way I do my moves, it’s all because of my passion and love for this sport. I’m confident because I work hard. I’m a warrior.
“But cockiness is not where I’m at. Financially, I’m not the most successful fighter. As far as stats, I haven’t broken any records. As far as Hall of Fame, I’m not there. As far as being a champion, I’m not there. I have no reason to be cocky. I just love who I am, I love what I’ve earned and I love this sport.”
The fight with Bader will be the biggest of his career because it will put the winner on the precipice of a championship shot. Still, Jones dreams of one day meeting his idol, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
Jones is an unabashed Silva fan and said he’s frequently locked himself in his room and sat in front of his computer for four or five hours at a time watching Silva fights. His eyes sparkle as he speaks of moves Silva has pulled. He’s memorized sequences in those fights, almost by heart.
“I’ve bathed myself in Anderson Silva,” Jones said. “I think I’d have an advantage going into a fight with him because I’ve studied him so much. I’ve patterned my career after Anderson. You can’t really say you know Anderson Silva, because, like me, he can pull off pretty much anything he wants to pull off, whatever he trained for that specific fight.
“So, you can’t know Anderson Silva, but you can understand who he is and how he thinks and how he operates.”
The one thing Silva has never done is look past one opponent to another he may fight down the line. Part of Silva’s greatness has come from delivering night after night.
Jones understands that and plans to take a similar approach to fighting Bader.
“I feel I’m this close to getting a shot at being the UFC light heavyweight champion of the world and I’m not going to slow down or allow pressure to get in my way now,” Jones said. “My dream is right in front of my face and I’m fighting someone I respect a great deal, so that will inspire me to train even harder.”
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