Jets have Hard Knocks offense

I have not had the pleasure of watching all of the Hard Knocks episodes with the Jets as their 2010 star. I have watched their offense in the preseason though, and the show was much more entertaining. I now give head coach Rex Ryan a break for the swearing. I am not sure Gandhi could have contained himself while watching one stalled drive after another. The New York Jets are a team with super bowl expectations, not aspirations and Rex Ryan is a smart man. He knew when he wrote "soon to be champs" on that espn bus that he had to get his all world cornerback Darrelle Revis into camp. He knows his only shot is to somehow resurrect the 2000 Ravens and will their way to a title on defense. Rex Ryan also knows that his offense, and turnover prone quarterback Mark Sanchez specifically, is not equipped to carry the team through January if need be. Ryan's defense finished number one in the league last year and the Jets only snuck in the playoffs by the graciousness of Indianapolis and Cincinnati. Two teams who rested their starters, knowing full well they might face the same team again when it really mattered. The Jets have a tough schedule and some potent offenses on the horizon. Even with Revis the Jets will need to put up some points. So do what you have to do Rex. Scream, swear, film. Just get that offense on track before the championship bus leaves without you.

Manning, Woodson still great

While watching Thursday night's preseason game between the Packers and the Colts, I couldn't help but notice that Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson are still the best at what they do. Manning and Woodson have been consistantly great in a strikenly similar way. Both were born in 1976. Both finished the 1997 college football season as the best two players at their position, Manning as quarterback for the University of Tennessee and Woodson as a corner back and return specialist for Michigan. Woodson untimately won the heisman and national championship, but the race between he and Manning was so close it was deemed an "upset" by most. Both were drafted in the top five of the 1998 NFL draft. Manning was named first team all rookie and Woodson was the defensive rookie of the year. Both have been to multiple pro bowls throughout their careers, and both are at the top of their game today. Manning enters the 2010 season as the reigning mvp and Woodson enters as the reigning defensive player of the year. I am growing to appreciate their careers now more than ever. I hope they retire together and enter the hall of fame together.

Happy Returns for Titans

The Tennessee Titans and their fans were pleased with their 24-10 preseason win over the Arizona Cardinals. The fans were especially pleased, as there has not been much to cheer about in the city of Nashville since the last Titans home game. Flood damage and recovery took a back seat to Chris Johnson, Vince Young, and football. Yes, we are well aware it was a preseason game and some marque players were out. But they won, and we looked good doing it. Chris Johnson seemed to be in mid season form. Players raved over Vince Young's improvement with his accuracy and leadership in mini camps. Last night's performance shows that he might, I said might, finally turn the corner. The defense dominated on third down and the return game was much improved as well. The Titans have a flock of physical back up running backs to complement the league's ultimate weapon in Johnson. Tennessee looked like the team that finished the season 8-2 last year. All preseason games aren't meaningless.

Cowboys in unfamiliar place

The Dallas Cowboys are the favorite team of America's favorite sport. Football season has finally arrived and the Boys are defending NFC champs. They play in the state of Texas for goodness sakes! But on the eve of their first home preseason game, the Cowboys find themselves in an unfamiliar role, second fiddle. The headline grabbing Texas Rangers are the new toast of Dallas. A role far different than the usual stop gap between the Mavs and Cowboys. I am a Dallas resident and less than casual baseball fan, but I've been bit by the bug too. It's hard not to root for a rags to riches story, and I do mean that figuratively and literally. From leading the division in August to "stealing" Cliff Lee from the Bronx bullies. As I am writing this, Cliff Lee is putting it to the Yankees. All while being bankrupt. The bidding war and he said he said court room drama that ensued only served as a backdrop. This team is likable, and really really good. They have always been the underdogs and it's hard not to root for them. Then it seemed like out of the blue the Cowboys were on last Sunday night. Don't get me wrong, the Cowboys are and will always be top dog in Texas, but for now the radio stations and sports page are Texas first, Texas often. It will be interesting to see what would happen should the Rangers continue to win as the regular season approaches for the Cowboys. I hope we get to find out.

Karma bites Fisher

Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher is fuming over the sudden loss of his running backs coach Kennedy Pola. USC head coach Lane Kiffin lured Pola away to become the offensive coordinator for the Trojans this fall. A move that leaves Fisher and his Titans without a running backs coach one week before training camp. Fisher went on record to call the act unprofessional and disappointing, stating that a courtesy call and explanation at the least was warranted. And while I too was tempted to vilify Kiffin and victimize Fisher, I remembered a quote my mother told me. "What's good for the goose, is good for the gander". Jeff Fisher fired his running backs coach Earnest Byner at the end of last season. A running backs coach who had a 2000 yard rusher and NFL offensive player of the year in Chris Johnson. A running backs coach who was also not given a reason for his release. To this day, Fisher's response to firing Byner and hiring Pola is that he couldn't pass up the opportunity. Well apparently neither could Kiffin. Sorry Jeff, what's good for the goose is good for the Trojans.

Dallas Anyone?

The NBA free agent period is still in full swing, believe it or not. And for the life of me I can not figure out why the Dallas Mavericks can not attract a game changing player via free agency or trade. This is not even about Lebron James. This is about Tyson Chandler, Jerry Stackhouse, and Brendan Haywood. From the outside looking in, Dallas would seem like a great place to chase a title. The city itself is booming and the weather is better than average. The fans are passionate and the owners of their professional franchises are committed to winning. Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki is unselfish and in his prime. The team as a whole has won a 50 plus games for ten straight years. And get this, you would not even have to carry the weight of the state on your own shoulders. The Cowboys will throw that in free of charge. C'mon superstar or second tier runner up. We see that it takes more than one superstar to win it all. Join Dirk and the guys and get your ring too.

Let LeBron Live!

This just in...LeBron James left Cleveland to join the Miami Heat. The following actions by Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert and most Cavs fans paint a vivid picture on why it is so hard and why so few chase their dreams. How many of us have delayed or aborted a dream to meet the expectations of someone else? How many of us dreamed of leaving home as a child to start a new life somewhere else? Dan Gilbert and the city of Cleveland showed their true colors when LeBron's dream no longer fit their expectations. Overnight the word hero was replaced with traitor. Speculation is that Lebron will not be able to continue to live in Akron, for fear of public backlash. Seriously? It's just a game people! We can no longer wait for someone else to "bring us our championship". We must become our own champions and follow our own dreams. To some it's graduating college. To others it may be raising a family. To LeBron, it's to play for the Miami Heat. As a Nashville native I urge the fans of Cleveland to keep it all in perspective. Steve McNair was our hero, and we'd give anything for him to be playing in Miami this fall.