off tha dome (Super Bowl edition)...

To say that the Super Bowl was boring… Is an understatement

Was it the worst Super Bowl ever? No. But, it was probably the least entertaining that I’ve seen

I am a diehard football fan. And it was a boring game to me. I can only imagine what it was like for the casual fan.

I think my city did a great job of hosting the Super Bowl. I speak for all of the city when I say thanks for coming and have a safe trip home. You can’t stay here… We are full!

Tom Brady is one of the greatest quarterback to ever play in the NFL. There is no denying that. Is he the greatest quarterback ever? No. Is he the greatest football player ever? No. Please don’t let social media and ESPN fool you

The Super Bowl was so bad that it drew the worst TV rankings for Super Bowls over the past 5 years

That said… It will still be the most watched TV program this year. So, even when the NFL loses, they win

I’ll keep it a bean...the Saints would have provided a much more entertaining game. With they have beaten New England? I don’t know. But it would have been a better game. I feel pretty confident in saying that.

Rams head coach Sean McVay said that he was out coached by Bill Belichick. Duhhhhhhhhhh

Saints fans should be mad. I get it. But at SOME point, you’ve gotta move on.

Belichick ran a clinic in that Super Bowl

Allow me to let you in on a little secret… Todd Gurley was hurt. He’s been hurt since they beat the Cowboys. I’m not sure why the Rams were acting like he wasn’t hurt...he was

Other than the threat of snow on Tuesday, the weather in Atlanta for Super Bowl week was pretty good. It was 63° on Super Bowl Sunday. They even opened the roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the national anthem so that people could see the jets fly over the stadium.

People are still boycotting the Super Bowl for Colin Kaepernick? I didn’t know that. I'm curious...how many DIEHARD football fans do you know that are boycotting the NFL? I mean the diehard fans who are financially invested in a team. Do you know of any? I don't. Maybe it's just me but everybody who I know that has boycotted the NFL appears to be a casual fan. 

I don’t begrudge anyone who decides to not watch The NFL because of how they have blackballed Kaep. That is their choice. I guess they won’t ever watch football again because he’s never playing in the NFL again. And he knows that.

That said… He will win his collusion case against the NFL.

Question...did Kaep ever say "Don't watch the NFL?" I don't know if he did or he didn't. He really hasn't said much. Maybe...just maybe...folks on social media decided not to watch the NFL and Kaep still watches it.

My boy, Ken, pointed this out to us in our Dead End Sports group text...

As usual...Ken is on to something...

Brady (age 41) and Belichick (age 66) are the oldest quarterback and coach to win a Super Bowl. I’m pretty sure that they will be favored to win it all next year. But the Patriots reign past to end at some point, right

How in the hell do you only score 3 points in the biggest game of your life?

Congrats to the Defensive Rookie of the Year… Darius Leonard! I am extremely proud of this young man. Like me, he is a proud alum of South Carolina State University

Also, congrats to the newest members of the Pro football Hall of Fame

Julian Edelman is not a Hall of Fame wide receiver! Isaac Bruce, who should’ve been in the Hall of Fame years ago, is still waiting to get in. Edelman couldn’t hold Bruce’s jockstrap…

Speaking of the Hall of Fame...my uncle, Harry Carson, is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When he played with the New York Giants, his defensive co-ordinator was Bill Belichick. A few years ago, I asked him what makes Belichick so special as a coach. He said... "With Bill, you were always prepared. He pays attention to every detail. We were so prepared from practice and film study that when you got in the game, there was nothing that you wouldn't see that he hadn't prepared you for." After 6 Super Bowl rings with the Patriots, I can believe that.

He also said that Bill was very funny.

Now THAT I find hard to believe!!!!

It had to be dope to be in Mercedes Benz Stadium and pay less than five dollars for a hot dog soda and some chips.

Holding someone’s jockstrap is a figure of speech… I don’t mean that literally. LOL

It couldn’t have been dope to pay $3000 for a seat in the nosebleed section and watch your team score 3 points.

I think the commentary from Tony Romo kept people awake

I saw pieces of the halftime show. I’m not sure what it was that I was looking at. It wasn’t that good

That was another thing… People were mad at Big Boi for performing at the Super Bowl in his hometown. I wasn’t mad at him. But that was an underwhelming performance.

I don’t really pay attention to commercials during the Super Bowl. But this is the only one that I really liked that I can actually remember seeing. This was pretty dope...

Speaking of halftime shows, the best performances that I’ve seen were prince and Beyoncé. Unfortunately, neither of them will ever perform at another Super Bowl

For as great as Tom Brady is, that performance in the Super Bowl was pretty awful.

Hey Jared Goff... you stunk too. You were worse than Brady

The Rams were one of the highest scoring teams in the NFL this season. And yet they only scored three more points then me and you

With 16 combined points, The Rams and the patriots set a Super Bowl record for the fewest points scored

The patriots are losing their linebackers coach, Brian Florez, who will become the new head coach of the Miami Dolphins #probrutha

I think it’s pretty cool when they drop the top on the Benz. I went to a few games this year for the Falcons. When the top is open, it looks pretty dope

There was talk about the roof being opened for the entire game. I don’t know if that can happen when you are having the Super Bowl in February in Atlanta. is it possible going forward? Maybe. It will be 76° tomorrow. Go figure!

Josh Gordon, even while being suspended by the NFL for substance abuse, will get a Super Bowl ring from the New England Patriots

Pepsi is the official sponsor for the NFL so it was funny to see their billboards all around the city because Atlanta is the home of Coca-Cola

If I told you before the game that New England would only score 13 points, you would think that they would lose the game. The Rams defense was stellar! Their offense didn’t help them out at all

It’s an old saying… But it’s true… Defense wins championships

And just like that… The season is over. My girlfriend is gone until July what are we gonna do now???

PODCAST: head games

The game of football is not just a contact sport but a “collision sport”. Those who play the game are often regarded as modern day gladiators. Football is a game of strength. Man verses man…until the end. It’s the most popular sport in this country. Fame and glory is often associated with football. But football also has a darker side.

Because the sport is so violent, its participants feel the after effects of playing the game long after they are done playing.

Football is violent…but is it deadly?

The recent movie, Concussion, exposes the downfall from playing the game. In the movie, Will Smith plays Dr Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian forensic pathologist who fought against efforts by the National Football League to suppress his research on the brain damage suffered by professional football players. The movie is deep, entertaining…yet disturbing.

On this podcast, I briefly discuss the movie along with my story of playing football from the age of 8 through college. Can football cause long term cognitive damage? Are today’s current players susceptible to dementia, Alzheimer’s, and the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Listen, share, and let me know your thoughts

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the black quarterback...

I remember the era of football when black quarterbacks were referred to as "black quarterbacks". Thankfully, we've moved past that era. But this new wave of quarterbacks will face many challenges...

Here is a pretty interesting read from William (Bill) Rhoden of the New York Times.

NFL protects the pocket as black quarterbacks transcend it

William Rhoden

New York Times

A reporter called recently and said he wanted to talk about a golden era of the black quarterback. A record nine African-Americans started at quarterback in Week 1 of the N.F.L. season, signaling to some that this was the beginning of a dynamic new day in the N.F.L.

But calling attention to “golden eras” for blacks in sports has had mixed results. There once was a golden era of black jockeys, which ended at the turn of the 20th century when they were squeezed out of racing. The golden era of blacks in organized baseball ended in the late 19th century, with blacks banished until 1947. And a similar gentlemen’s agreement froze blacks out of professional football from the early 1930s until 1946.

Indeed, shortly after Jason McIntyre’s article appeared on the Web site thebiglead.com, the ranks of black starting quarterbacks in the N.F.L. shrank by one. On Wednesday, Tampa Bay Coach Greg Schiano announced that Josh Freeman, the Buccaneers’ first-round pick in 2009 and their starter since that season, would be replaced on Sunday by the rookie Mike Glennon, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound pocket passer.

The former N.F.L. coach Tony Dungy said the move would have created an outcry a decade ago.

“Is this racially motivated?” said Dungy, now an analyst for NBC. “If he were white, would they be sticking with him longer? Would they have gotten more weapons around him?”

Dungy once coached the Buccaneers and later led the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl victory. He said what happened to Freeman was less about race and more about politics.

“I think the Freeman case is really just a case of Football 101,” Dungy said. “New coach comes in, he didn’t draft Freeman, he doesn’t like some things about him; maybe he isn’t his guy and he prefers to start out with his guy.”

Schiano tried to recruit Glennon to Rutgers when he coached there, drafted him for Tampa Bay and is choosing to sink or swim with him. But Tampa Bay lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 13-10, on Sunday to fall to 0-4.

Dungy said he believed that racism had significantly disappeared from quarterback selection in the N.F.L., largely because coaches are desperate to win. The larger issue is how, for all of the talk about golden ages, the pro football establishment has resisted a revolutionary style of play emerging from the quarterback position.

“It’s not as much a black-white issue as it is an unwillingness to trust in quarterbacks who don’t conform to the traditional idea of what a quarterback is,” Dungy said. “If you are not 6-5, 230, you better have something really fantastic and special that people can hang their hat on. Because they don’t want to go out on a limb with what’s not prototypical.”

Defenders continue to become larger and more lethal, capable of delivering violence from any point on a field. The statuelike pocket passer is becoming an endangered species. The logical antidote would be a quarterback who could run as well as pass, putting defenses back on their heels. Instead, the N.F.L. has put in rules to protect quarterbacks in the pocket while allowing defenders to annihilate those who dare to venture out of it.

This is what the current crop of black quarterbacks — Michael Vick, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, Geno Smith, Terrelle Pryor, E J Manuel and Freeman — is up against in the so-called golden age. The wide-open, freewheeling play associated with many black quarterbacks — and adopted by white players like Tim Tebow — is largely shunned by the football establishment.

Everyone is for the versatile quarterback in theory. But at the moment of truth, franchises routinely retreat into the pocket.

“I think we have gotten over the black-white issue,” Dungy said. “I think that most owners, general managers, even fans are past that. But it is still the perception of what the quarterback is, and what everybody’s looking for and what wins in the National Football League.

“You have to fight that, whether you’re Robert Griffin or Johnny Manziel, that is still going to be there. That’s what we have to overcome.”

I was pulling for Tebow. If a white, athletic quarterback became wildly successful, a mold would be created. Instead, Tebow was treated the way black quarterbacks used to be treated, and he is out of the league, three years after entering it.

“Johnny Manziel is the next hope,” Dungy said, referring to Texas A&M’s Heisman Trophy winner. “Manziel is going to be the test case, no question about it.”

The greatest and most persistent obstacle to acceptance is the news media’s reluctance to expand its vocabulary of praise to include this new generation of African-American quarterbacks.

“It’s hard for the general American media to portray that and hard for people to accept it,” Dungy said. “You look at Russell Wilson, and why is he successful and why is he better than everybody thought? It’s because he’s sharp, he’s on top of things, he’s a leader. Pete Carroll said he took over from Day 1. But nobody wants to say that, nobody will tell you how smart and how great a leader this kid is.”

Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and even Philip Rivers are routinely referred to as brilliant strategists, coordinators on the field — geniuses. Andrew Luck, the Colts’ second-year quarterback, is already being referred to as a great field general in the Manning mode. Wilson and R. G. III, for example, are largely described in relationship to their amazing physical skills: strong arms, speed, quickness and versatility.

“It’s just not seen that way,” Dungy said. “Part of Robert Griffin’s brilliance is his leadership and guys following him. And he is smart, but we can only look at the fact that he runs a 4.3 and has a strong arm.”

Dungy played quarterback at Minnesota but switched to defensive back in the N.F.L., where he played for Pittsburgh and San Francisco. He was heartened when the Washington Redskins drafted Griffin.

“Maybe we are ready to look at guys who win and lead, who are exceptional and exciting and put points on the board,” Dungy said. “That still is the bottom line.”

I wonder. Or is the new bottom line creating stars with whom the majority of fans can identify? Is that partly why Schiano made the switch for Week 4? Or is it a combination of the two? From Randall Cunningham to Donovan McNabb to Vick, versatile, highly athletic quarterbacks have had marvelous success in the N.F.L.

“We’ve had that, but I think in people’s minds, ‘O.K., it’s an aberration,’ ” Dungy said. “They say: ‘O.K., you can be successful, you can make some highlight plays and go to Pro Bowls. But you can’t win a championship.’ I think it will take winning a championship to legitimize this style in a lot of people’s minds.”

Until then, the so-called golden age will remain fragile.

NFL Preview...12 RADIO SHOW

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Sports Wrap Up....12 Radio Show

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Sports Wrap Up...12 RADIO SHOW

EVENT: 12 RADIO SHOW

WHO: Hosted by 12kyle and co-hosted by Juan

WHAT: Sports Wrap Up

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christian vs gay

Last week, Tim Tebow was released from his job as backup quarterback of the New York Jets

A few hours later, NBA veteran Jason Collins became the first active player in major professional sports to come out of the closet.

I saw this cartoon and found it to be fitting. The sports media was often critical of Tebow when he would profess his love for God. Tebow, a devout Christian, would begin every interview by thanking God. This rubbed some people the wrong way.

It was interesting when Collins, a 7 foot 12 yr journeyman, told the world that he was gay. The media applauded him. Some even called him a hero.

Collins is no hero. Nothing is wrong with Tebow.

Maybe the sports media has "overblown" it for both men?

As fans...do we care?

More importantly...do we have the right to judge?

I don't care. And I won't judge.

your favorite athlete is gay...

Your favorite athlete is gay...

Lebron James is a queer...

Peyton Manning is a fag...

Derek Jeter is a homo...

Danica Patrick is a dyke...

Yeah...your favorite athlete is gay. The cat is out of the bag. Now what? How do you feel? Does it even matter?

My hope is that you would say that it DOESN'T matter. Personally, I could care less if my favorite athlete (or anybody else for that matter) is gay. That's their personal choice. It's none of my business who these people sleep with. And who I sleep with is none of their business. Honestly, I think the above mentioned athletes are straight. We assume that they are. But we don't know because we don't know them personally. And it really doesn't matter if they were. Not to me at least.

There has been some discussion in the sports world that there are "as many as FOUR current NFL players who may come out of the closet." They should! Now may be the best time to do it. I think most people would be willing to accept a gay teammate in their locker room. Truth be told, there are already gay players in all major sports. If teams don't think they have gay players on their roster, then they are delusional. The numbers suggest that they are there. I think it would be a great thing. Come out of the closet. Be who you are. Anybody with an open mind would be ok with it. I know there are some who will say "well, in the Bible it says blah, blah, blah." Kill that noise. I believe in the Bible but it was written a gazillion years ago and everybody's interpretation of it is different. (I wish I had time to talk about how "church folk" talk about inclusion of all people but are quick to look down on gays and lesbians...but that's not a part of today's discussion). 

Recently, there has been some pictures to surface online of NFL player Kerry Rhodes and his personal "assistant" on vacation. While Rhodes has denied being gay, the pictures of him sharing intimate hugs and laughs with this man could suggest otherwise. Would there be backlash if he came out? Not really. I think Rhodes...and any other player would feel relief that they no longer had to hide their secret. 

We are all different and we all do different things. If we worried more about ourselves and not about other peoples personal business...things would be much better. 

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Juan

NO HOMO

"Stay away from Chris. He's a faggot."

I can't remember how old the first time that I heard the word "faggot". I was 6 or 7...i think. I wasn't sure what or who a "faggot" was but I was assured that it wasn't something that you wanted to be. And I was sure to stay clear from Chris. That was the first time that I heard the word faggot but it wasn't the last.

I think I grew up like most kids in the 70s & 80s...homophobic. While I knew that I would never harm a man because he was gay, I didn't want to be around them either. Once the explosion of AIDS in the early 80s, homophobia ran rampant. During my freshman year at South Carolina State University, we were faced to deal with AIDS in a big way. On November 7, 1991, Magic Johnson announced that he would be retiring from the NBA because he had acquired HIV. I remember seeing dudes in the dorm crying because they thought Magic was gonna die. Some wondered..."was Magic gay?" My response was "does it matter if he got HIV from being gay or doing drugs? It shouldn't. You should be concerned about the man...not the disease." It was at that moment, I realized that my thought process had changed.

Three years later, I read a book that changed my views totally. The book was called Invisible Life by E. Lynn Harris. The book featured a story about a man who realized in college that he was gay and his inner struggle to come out of the closet. The more I read the book the more that I realized that these characters sought the same thing that I sought...love. They wanted it from other men...I wanted it from women. There were parts of the book that were initially difficult to read (the love scenes) but that got easier with time. I learned from that book that people are people. We all like different things. I could care less what somebody does behind closed doors. Their personal choice doesn't define who they are. People are people. Gay...straight. It doesn't matter. 

Of course, not everybody feels this way. Just a few weeks ago, Chris Culliver, a member of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers made some homophobic comments while being interviewed on a radio show in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. Culliver was asked if he’s been approached by homosexuals.

“Nah, I don’t do the gay guys, man … I don’t do that,” said Culliver.

He was then asked if there were any homosexual players were on the 49ers.

“No, we don’t got no gay people on the team,” said Culliver. “They gotta get up out of here if they do.”

The radio host asked Culliver to reiterate his thoughts, to which the player said, “It’s true.” He added he wouldn’t welcome a gay teammate – no matter how talented.

“Can’t be with that sweet stuff,” continued Culliver. “Nah… can’t be… in the locker room man. Nah.”

He later apologized and will have to undergo sensitivity training as mandated by the San Francisco. 

He's delusional if he doesn't think that he doesn't have a gay teammate. The numbers suggest that there is. 

Maybe I should give him my copy of Invisible Life to him

And maybe some of you...

12 RADIO SHOW

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12 RADIO SHOW

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This week's topic...NFL Returns!!!

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DivaDee & OJ from In the Clutch

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12 RADIO SHOW

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Tonight's topic - SPORTS WRAP UP. We will discuss the Penn State scandal, NBA Free Agency, NFL, MLB, and the Olympics. Don't miss it!!! 

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12 RADIO

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co-hosted by DivaDee and OJ (from the Way off Base Sports Show on BlogTalk Radio)...

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We'll be discussion topics like...

1. Why do you think so many people wanted to see Lebron lose?

2. Excluding centers, name YOUR top 5 best players in the NBA

3. Should college athletes be paid to play? Why or why not?

yellow rain

It's about to start raining...

Yellow rain...

The funny thing about the yellow rain is that nobody seems to be the least bit concerned.

I am MORE than concerned.


For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about. I'm speaking of the yellow rain that's about to fall from the sky. There is a set of billionaires and a set of millionaires who can't agree how to share millions of dollars. Listen to them. The billionaires will want you to believe that they are "losing" money. The millionaires will want you to believe that they are being "cheated" out of money. You could choose sides. Or you could act like you don't care.

As a fan of the NFL...I care.

As a fan of the NBA...I care.

If the NFL's owners (billionaires) and the NFL Players Association (millionaires) can't come to an agreement by March 4, the players will be "locked out". We, as NFL fans, could be looking at an abbreviated NFL season...or maybe no season at all next fall. Same for the NBA. The fact that both parties have met sparingly to hammer out their negotiations could spell doom. Guess who gets caught in the crossfire???

The fans.

Are fans supposed to feel sorry for millionaires and billionaires who can't agree on how to share millions of dollars? Gimme a break. The unemployment rate for "us fans" is at 10% in this country. We are slowly digging ourselves out of the worst recession since the Great Depression. We are the ones who will spend $200-$500 to go to a game on Sunday. We love the game. We live for Sundays. But don't get it twisted. We don't share your pain. We aren't millionaires or billionaires like you. We don't live in the financial world that you live in. So, please don't look for sympathy. Personally, I don't care how the labor agreement gets done. Just get it done. We don't wanna hear your sob story about how much money is lost. We don't care.

Don't piss on us and tell us that it's raining...

Rare Air

I'm gonna offer a different perspective of Steve McNair. I want to tell you some things that you may or may not know about the man. I never had the opportunity to meet the man but I knew of him quite well. My former college teammate, Anthony Cook, was drafted in the same year as McNair by the Houston Oilers. They were teammates for several years. Another good friend, Eddie Robinson, Jr, played several years with McNair and was on the team that McNair led to the Super Bowl. McNair and I also graduated the same year. His school, Alcorn State, never played my school, South Carolina State but I followed his career. I felt like I knew him. In the game of football, there's a brotherhood. You don't have to be on the same team but we all share a bond. Nevertheless, I knew Steve McNair.

I knew Steve McNair as Air McNair

I knew Steve McNair was a helluva quarterback

I knew Steve McNair gained more than 6000 yds rushing and passing and threw for 53 touchdowns during his senior year.

I knew Steve McNair was the highest draft pick to come from a HBCU.

I knew Steve McNair led the way for the current crop of black quarterbacks in the NFL. When he entered the NFL, some media referred to him as a "black quarterback". When was the last time you've heard somebody refer to Donovan McNabb's skin color.

I knew that Steve McNair played the violent game of football in pain. He played hurt...a lot.

I knew that Steve McNair ALMOST won a Super Bowl on a great last drive.


I don't know Steve McNair.

I don't know about why Steve McNair was "dating" this 20 yr old woman.

I don't know what kinda marital problems Steve McNair was having.

I don't know what kinda husband or father Steve McNair was.

I don't know why Steve McNair was cheating.

One thing I do know...it ain't my none of my damn business! And it ain't yours, either! For the past few days, I've listened to this man's name be degraded, judged and dragged through the mud by many people who have done the same thing. Even if you've never cheated, no one should pass judgement on the man. Steve McNair didn't kill himself. He was murdered in cold blood. He was the VICTIM.

Infidelity does not normally lead to death. Over the past few days, I've listened to people say things that have really pissed me off. Steve didn't ask to be murdered. Steve's infidelity should not have taken him off this earth. You could say that the infidelity was a by-product that led to his death but McNair didn't deserve this. McNair's legacy will be what he did on the field and his charitable contributions off the field. His legacy will not be about some young, crazy woman who didn't think much about her life nor his. Keep this in mind, Steve McNair was MURDERED by somebody who he trusted. And there have been some to suggest that he "brought this on himself." That's bullshit. It does't matter what you think about his decisions to date a 20 year old waitress despite being a married man with 4 sons. He's dead and there ain't no coming back from that.

I don't think this will serve as a lesson to men (or women) who cheat. Magic Johnson got HIV in '91 and yet there are STILL people have babies by 3 or 4 different baby mammas. The lesson here is that you must be careful of the company that you keep...male or female.

Shame on those of you who are throwing stones. Steve McNair was somebody's father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, friend, teammate, frat brother, and yes...husband. They will mourn him forever when this story is no longer a headline.

I may have pissed some of you off with this post. If i did...good! Put the stone down. You don't know Steve McNair

I do.

12 on 7

As many of you heard, Michael Vick is back on the street. He spent nearly 2 yrs in jail and is now on house arrest following his felony conviction for bank rolling an illegal dogfighting ring. Vick, the former #1 overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons, is currently serving a suspension that was handed down by the NFL's commissioner Roger Goddell. Vick will be on house arrest for 2 months. After he completes that, he will apply to be re-instated back into the NFL. Vick's release from prison and the possibility of a return has sparked a huge debate. Some believe that Vick should NEVER be let back in the NFL. Others believe that he's paid his debt to society and he should have the opportunity to play again if a team wants him. Everybody has an opinion on it. Here's my take...

I think I've been able to view Vick's situation from a different perspective. I'm a fan. Not only am a fan of the Falcons but I watched every game that Mike Vick ever played for my team. Unlike these smucks who've watched Vick on SportsCenter highlights for years. They don't have a clue. I have also owned a dog or 2 for most of my life. I love dogs. I'd own a dog right now if I could. My first memories on this earth involve me and my dog.

Let me preface my statements by saying that what Vick did was horrible and cruel. NO ANIMAL DESERVES THAT! Vick was dead wrong. He can't blame it on ignorance. He knew what he was doing was wrong. To be honest, if he had never gotten into trouble...he'd probably STILL be fighting dogs. Not only what he did was horrible, it was downright stupid. Vick's contract was worth 130 million. There's no way that you should risk 130 million for a few thousand dollar bets. That's what he did. I'll never understand that. You squander millions for thousands??? Now...I wasn't the best student in math...but I know that's backwards. Nevertheless, Vick did time for the crime that he committed. Personally, I don't think he should've served time. But he broke the law and that's it. I don't think you should go to jail for driving 75mph in a 35mph speed zone but if that's what the law is...then you have to obey the law. Vick has paid his debt to society. He doesn't owe me an apology. He doesn't owe me any money. He has kids that he has to take care of. He has a family to provide for. He has a life to live. I can't tell him how he should do it.

The big debate is "should Vick be allowed to play in the NFL again." Some say that he should be allowed to come back. However, there is a huge segment of the sports community that thinks that he should be suspended and not be allowed to play again. Huh? Are you kidding me? It's funny to me how people find "certain things" to stand on their morals. Don't get me wrong...dogfighting is a cruel. But would you want a dude on your team who is a convicted felon for dogfighting (Vick) or a dude who has been convicted of another crime? The NFL is full of dudes who have been in trouble with the law. Wanna dude who killed another human while he was drunk behind the wheel...go pick Leonard Little. Wanna dude who has been brought up on domestic charges for smacking women and even spitting on women...go pick Larry Johnson . Wanna dude who was "involved" but charged with obstructing justice in murder investigation...go pick Ray Lewis. Wanna dude who started a fight in a strip club and a hail of bullets that left a man paralyzed for life...go pick Adam "Pacman" Jones. I could go on and on. The bottom line is that there is crime in society so you;re gonna have crime in professional sports. I'm not absolving Vick for his horrendous act but I don't think killing another human is the same. These dudes are STILL in the NFL but people are saying that Vick shouldn't be allowed back in? Get off your high horse.

Most of Vick's downfall is his own fault. However, some of the blame falls at the feet of his former employer, the Atlanta Falcons. No...the Falcons didn't put 4 grand on lil Sparky. The Falcons made far too many concessions for Vick. The Falcons were too busy trying to cash in on the "Mike Vick Experience". They were too busy trying to make him the face of the franchise and he had no interest in that. Vick is a quiet dude. He was the star who didn't want to be the star. There were far too many times when Vick was the last one on the practice field and the 1st one to leave. You can't be the franchise QB and do that. I have friends in the Falcons front office and they all say that there was too much "coddling the superstar QB." No one will openly say that the Falcons knew that Vick was fighting dogs but they all say that the "Falcons knew SOMETHING was going with him." I can't put alotta blame on the Falcons. Vick was getting paid as much as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Too bad he didn't dedicate himself to the game like they do.

For those who say Vick should "come back and play another position"...save your breath. The dude made the Pro Bowl 3 out of 5 yrs as a starter. You don't get to be an All-Star just b/c you're mediocre. If Vick came back tomorrow, he's better than half the QB's in the NFL right now. Vick is a tremendous athlete and a decent QB. He needs a lotta work on his game. I remember when people would be critical of him for running too much but if you watched any Falcons games...you'd know why he was running. The Falcons had a horrible offensive line. And we had the worst wide receivers in the NFL...hands down. For as much as the Falcons profited from Vick, they never surrounded him with a decent offensive line nor a great wide receiver. However, things have changed for the Falcons. They made the playoffs last year and have a very good QB in Matt Ryan. Some will say that the whole Vick saga has to do with race. I don't think it does. I know white people who loved Vick and rooted harder for him than anybody else. I know black people who don't like Vick.

In the end, everybody deserves a second chance.

"The value of compassion cannot be over-emphasized. Anyone can criticize. It takes a true believer to be compassionate. No greater burden can be borne by an individual than to know no one cares or understands."- Arthur H. Stainback

twas the night before the game

As we move closer to the Super Bowl...I wanna let you in on a little secret...there is no such thing as getting rest the night before the game.

It is a misnomer.

Trust me.

The night before the game is the night where you get the LEAST amount of sleep. When you are about to play in the biggest game of your life...in front of the world...the mere thought of it keeps you up for most of the night. I've never played in a Super Bowl. Neither have you. One can only imagine what it must be like in the hours leading up to the game. As many of you know, I played football when I was in college. I played at South Carolina State University. When I played, I could barely sleep the night before the game. Neither could most of my teammates. It would be routine to find my teammates up until 3 or 4 am. Some would be playing a game of cards. Some would be up watching tv. Some would be studying. Some would be mentally preparing for the game. Very few would be asleep. Too much anxiety. There is a lot of preparation that leads up to the 3 hours that you spend on the field. As you prepare, sometimes you forget to do the little things...like get some rest. I remember times where my roommate Russell and I would stay up talking about the game for hours...before we even played it.


We only played on the college level. It's magnified even more when you're talking about the NFL. The players who will participate in the Super Bowl will probably get very little sleep tonight. They've worked hard all year to get to this point. You can't view the game as "just another game" because it's not. It's the only game. I've only attended one Super Bowl in my life. It was Super Bowl XXI...the Denver Broncos vs the New York Giants. My uncle, Harry Carson, was the starting middle linebacker for the Giants. He told me that he barely slept the night before that game. He said that just before kickoff, he found himself unable to breathe and hyperventilating. I understood. I had the same thing happen to me a few times when I played at South Carolina State. There was one time where I nearly fainted after the 1st play of the game. It was the emotion...adrenaline...anxiety of playing in a game. I'm sure that it's 10 times more extreme when you're playing in a Super Bowl. My uncle also told me that he had several teammates throw up just before they went on the field. One teammmate, quarterback Phil Simms, only had an hour of sleep. Simms went on to lead the Giants to victory that day and was named the Super Bowl MVP.

As you watch the game tomorrow, don't be suprised if you see guys getting oxygen before the game starts. Don't be surprised if you see some guys sitting on the bench and they are yawning. There is a lot of pressure and anxiety that is built up. And the one thing that we all need...will be the thing that the players won't get tonight...a good nights sleep.