Last Minute Lamentations

Okay, so I'm not going to lament anything.  I just like the alliteration.


Football starts in two days people.  Two days!  My final preseason thoughts are as follows:


I'm not ashamed to admit it.  For the past two years I have been completely and utterly wrong about Aaron Rodgers.  Yes, last year he had a nasty little habit of holding on to the football a little too long, but his pre-season play would seem to indicate he's cured himself of that.  Rodgers is every bit the gunslinger Brett Favre was, once upon a time.  He doesn't have Sterling Sharpe or Robert Brooks to throw to, but that doesn't seem to matter.  He manages to make do with guys named Greg and Donald, and even somebody named Jermichael.  I've heard at least one analyst predict a Packers / Ravens Super Bowl.  I don't know about the Ravens, but the odds on the Packers might be pretty good.


A couple days after being dumped by the Cardinals, Matt Leinart claims he is "very happy" to be the third string quarterback for the Houston Texans.  Umm, yeeeaaahhh.  Matt Leinart is lying.  Matt Leinart may be "very happy" to be employed, but he is certainly not "very happy" to be the third string quarterback for the Houston Texans.  Leinart is a Heisman Trophy winner, and for two glorious years he was king of Los Angeles.  Duke of Harris County just doesn't have the same ring to it.


Speaking of Heisman Trophy winners, rumor is that Reggie Bush may no longer be one.  Reports are that the Heisman committee has voted to strip Bush of the 2005 trophy after an investigation revealed he was in fact ineligible to play for USC that season.  Something about agents and improper gifts and things like that.  Is it me, or was USC a cesspool of athletic corruption for the first ten years of this century?  No wonder Pete Carroll caught the first train out of town he could find.


The Seattle Seahawks have opted to pay wide receiver T.J. Houshmanzadeh 7 million dollars to play for the Baltimore Ravens this year.  A sound business decision I'm sure.  For Baltimore.  Not only do the Ravens get Who's-yo-mama for nothing, they get to spend the seven million they would have spent on T.J. on something more fulfilling.  Dance lessons for Ray Lewis perhaps.  


The Rams have named first overall draft pick Sam Bradford their starting quarterback.  I think David Carr's rookie season sack record may be in jeopardy.


In a radio interview early this week, Randy Moss told listeners that he feels "unwanted" by the Patriots.  Moss is entering the final year of his contract and New England has yet to offer him an extension.  Relax Randy.  It's not that they don't want you.  They just don't want to pay you.  And it's not just you, they don't want to pay anybody.  That's how the system works in New England.  You give them everything you've got and they trade you to the Raiders.  Seriously, Tom Brady won three Super Bowls in four years for the Patriots and they STILL haven't paid him.  It's okay though.  I hear the Bengals will take any aging receiver and pay them millions, whether they actually play or not.


Finally, there's been plenty of talk over the past couple weeks about the worst NFL draft pick in history.  At the top of nearly everyone's list was Ryan Leaf.  Yes, you all remember Ryan Leaf.  And since you remember Ryan Leaf, you know why he is widely considered the worst draft pick in history.  But I'd like to argue for someone else.  I'd like to nominate one JaMarcus Russell, formerly of the Oakland Raiders.  Sure, Leaf's statistics are abysmal; only 25 games played (21 of those started), 14 touchdowns against 36 interceptions, a 48% completion percentage and a quarterback rating of 50.0.  But Russell's stats are almost as pathetic; 18 touchdowns to 23 interceptions, a 52% completion percentage, a quarterback rating of 65.2 and 15 lost fumbles.  But what sets Russell apart was his contract.  Russell was signed to a 68 million dollar contract, 31.5 million of which was guaranteed.  That was double the total contract and just short of TRIPLE the money guaranteed to Ryan Leaf.  Dollar for dollar, JaMarcus Russell is the biggest bust in draft history.