Random Ramblings on the NFL

--When is Nick Kaczur going to be suspended? He gets busted with a few hundred pills of oxycontin, turns state's evidence, wears a wire for the DEA, and yet the NFL has not said anything about a possible suspension. Matt Jones got 3 games for a similar thing, and yet somehow Kaczur gets off scot-free (or so it seems)?


--Are the injuries to Tom Brady and Peyton Manning good for the NFL? While you never want to lose two guys who have been the face of the league, their injuries; coupled with the improvements of other teams, has led to parity in the league where only one undefeated team remained after Week 6, only three teams are more than 2 games back of a playoff spot, and no one has separated themselves from everyone as clear cut front runners. Look at the AFC East in 2007 and 2008 through 8 weeks:


2007 New England 8-0

Buffalo 3-4

New York 1-7

Miami 0-8


2008 New England 5-2

Buffalo 5-2

New York 4-3

Miami 3-4

A division that was suppose to be fairly unbalanced has 4 teams within 2 games of one another, and everyone looks beatable. The same can be said for the other divisions where outside of the AFC South there is no more than a game of separation between first and second. While the NFL may have lost the casual fan (not that we miss you pink-hatters), this parity has people in Miami, Arizona, Denver and Baltimore thinking, "Playoffs?(apologies to Jim Mora) Could be". Even being a Pats fan I enjoy seeing the team battle for 4 quarters and not knowing whether they are going to get bounced by 20, or win by 34.

--Everyone is making big deal about Mike Singletary's post-game rant. Why? Yes it is good to see, but he didn't go overboard, didn't pull a Denny Green or Mike Gundy and probably said what a lot of Niners fans wanted to say. But let's face facts, the Niners are bad, have some bad contracts out there (Nate Clements) and have drafted poorly (Alex Smith). All in all, the Niners are an organization with a losing atmosphere and a losing culture in that locker room. Perhaps Singletary can change that, but let's not thinking this is the start of a return to 80s glory. It is going to take time to change the culture in San Fran.

--What is with the soap opera in Cleveland? The NFLPA should look into the conditions in Cleveland that has led to 6 staph infections since 2005, but why is Phil Savage acting like a scorned teenaged girl and threatening "full disclosure" regarding Kellen Winslow? Was Winslow out of line? Perhaps, but way to take the high road Phil. Can't wait for the "well he started it" excuse when all of this hits the fan.

--Dear God, please make the Brett Favre saga die. While Jay Glazer's reporting may need to be questioned as to whether it will be embellished, Favre handled this situation horribly. First he denies the report completely. Then we found out there was a call, perhaps not as long or about what was reported, but Favre had to know that his fallout with Green Bay would lend some weight to the report, and denying it at first only makes him look guilty.