NFL FanHouse

Junior Seau on Belichick's Call, Veteran Leadership and His New 'Sports Job'

Chris Burke — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Patriots, NFL Media Watch, FanHouse Exclusive

Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 10 PM, Versus will begin airing "Sports Jobs With Junior Seau," a weekly program -- similar to the Discovery Channel's popular "Dirty Jobs" -- that will feature Seau, a 20-year NFL veteran, taking on some behind-the-scenes work at different sporting events. Versus will air a pair of episodes on Dec. 2. FanHouse secured a preview copy of one, where Seau played the role of batboy and equipment manager for the Dodgers.

This week, Seau spoke with FanHouse about his new show, as well as returning to the Patriots and, of course, Bill Belichick's fateful fourth-down call in Indianapolis.

More: Jets-Patriots Preview | Week 11 Scoreboard

FanHouse: Let's start with how you wound up hosting this project on Versus.

Junior Seau: I was fortunate enough to be selected by Versus. The concept was unbelievable. It fits right in line with what I believe in, in terms of promoting the people that are unsung heroes behind sports. I love sports and the more I can do with sports, I want to be part of it.

FH: In the preview episode, you work for the Dodgers ... and they seemed like they worked you pretty hard. Was it a tough gig?

Seau: Every show has its own identity. With the Dodgers, it was a moving show, down to the laundry to Costco shopping to washing cars. It was fun to do. One of the most interesting things about that show was muddying the ball, I never knew you had to do that. That's something that's educational, obviously, to the viewers as well.

FH: You mentioned washing cars. (Dodgers outfielder) Matt Kemp got you to wash his during the episode. Is that the first time you've had to do that for another professional athlete?

Seau: It's probably the first time I've had to wash a car in 8-10 years. This show has done wonders for me in terms of the things in which we normally do ... it's humbling, more importantly, it's showing a great light on the people that have to do these things.

FH: Aside from the Dodgers episode, were there any other episodes that proved particularly emotional for you or stood out in some way?

Seau: Building the new Meadowlands stadium, staying 3 days there, building the bleachers, putting in urinals, we were doing it all. It was definitely a harder job than which I expected. Someone had to do it and I was fortunate enough to be around good people to try.

FH: Did you try to hide any Patriots' stuff in the stadium while you were working?

Seau: I tried to leave a signature down on the end zone, but they caught it, and made me erase it.

FH: When Versus approached you about this concept, did you anticipate that you'd be coming back to the NFL, or were you ready to move on to other endeavors?

Seau: I was going to allow [Patriots coach Bill] Belichick to have that choice, all I needed to do was be prepared. Working out for 8 months without any glimpse of light, any communication, it was basically just working out of faith. And when he approached me, I had a chance to choose because I was working out. I chose to come back and help the boys, and here we are.

FH: But getting into TV is something you want to do continue with you're retired for good?

Seau: I definitely want to pursue camera work, the show with Versus and continue on with the show. It has such a great concept. There's so many sports with groups behind the scenes that we can promote. This show isn't done with the first season, hopefully we can continue that through the 2nd.

FH: Jumping back to the Patriots ... is your role right now what you expected it would be? Do you see yourself getting more playing time as the season progresses?

Seau: What I'm doing is basically just living the dream and just waiting my time for Belichick to guide me in the role in which he brought me in for. Right now, I'm behind two young linebackers, backing up some of the defensive line, being in the locker room, being in the game, getting in footballs shape and still cutting my show with Veruss on Monday and Tuesday, it's a tough job. I'm gonna wait patiently and see what happens.

FH: You're in your 20th season now, have you ever been part of a finish like last Sunday's Patriots-Colts game?

Seau: I've seen it all, you never want to be complacent, anything can happen on any given day. What happened to us is something that was forced upon us by great plays by Manning and the Colts. It really doesn't matter what we did, they made the plays when they had to and won the game.

FH: Plenty of people were critical of Belichick's decision to go for it on fourth down late in the game, including your old teammate Tedy Bruschi, saying it was disrespectful of the defense. Did anyone on the sideline feel that way?

Seau: It doesn't matter how we feel, only Belichick can answer that. The fact is Belichick made a call, we failed at converting and we all lost. We'll work for our next opportunity.

FH: Did you have to do anything different this week to get the team past that game? You're playing behind young guys at linebacker, as you mentioned, so was your leadership role increased after that loss?

Seau: What we try to do is do what's consistent. We try to be consistent at whatever we do, we don't try to do more than we did in weeks prior. We prepare to go out there and put ourselves in position to win, and hope to go out and execute it.

FH: Do you feel like you made the right decision to come back again?

Seau: I'm on a team and my role is to make sure the linebacker crew is ready to go and if they need my help, they know they can call on me without any falloff. If that's my role throughout the whole year, then Belichick's going to make that call. But anyone that's part of the game knows anything can happen on any given Sunday and if they call on me, I'll strap up the helmet and do what I do best.

FH: Since you've been back, have you noticed the little things that go on behind the scenes, since you spent all that time working those jobs?

Seau: I've always respected the guys that have worked behind the scenes in the 20 years I've been with the National Football League. Some of my good friends now are my trainers, doctors, equip managers, some of the field crew - so when I was approached by the show, it was a way to give homage to those people that have helped me for 20 years. When you ask me if I do respect them more, I do, but it wasn't because I didn't respect them from the get-go.

FH: Because of a credit card snafu, you had to pick up a $500 tab for the Dodgers at Costco. Have they paid you back for that?

Seau: (laughs) You know, come to think of it, I haven't been reimbursed.

Junior Seau on Belichick's Call, Veteran Leadership and His New 'Sports Job' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bears Shun NBC for Sunday Night Game

Matt Snyder — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, NFC North, NFL Media Watch

As the Chicago Bears look to break a skid which has found them losing four of their last five games, they are apparently not in a very outgoing mood. As NBC gears up for Sunday Night football this week -- which pits the Bears against the Philadelphia Eagles -- they requested "access" to Bears general manager Jerry Angelo, head coach Lovie Smith and quarterback Jay Cutler. The Bears declined.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the reason a Bears spokesman gave for the denial is that the team needs to focus on winning games instead of talking to the media.

Refusing to be made available to the weekly NBC broadcast is not without precedent. Reportedly New England quarterback Tom Brady did the same thing last week.

It's a bit odd the Bears would decide to do this, because they aren't normally tight-lipped about talking to the media in general and they haven't been silent this week. Cutler and Smith have had normal press conferences and interviews.

I can say this, though: NBC is not missing anything in not getting sound bites from Smith. He's vanilla from a can. We'd hear some rendition of, "we're not where we want to be right now, but there are seven games left and we're still in the thick of the playoff race. We just need to move forward and keep playing hard. We'll keep working to get where we need to be."

Not that there's anything wrong with it, it's just that he's not exactly Jim Mora Sr. or Herm Edwards in terms of soundbites. He's bland.

Whether or not the Bears seemingly generic excuse as to the snub of NBC is true, we can't be sure. Maybe they are upset with how they've been playing and simply don't feel like talking about it? Regardless of the reason, they have the right. Now let's see if it translates into different results on the field. Jay Cutler has been pathetic in prime time this season (0-3, three touchdowns, 11 interceptions) and it all starts with the signal-caller.

Bears Shun NBC for Sunday Night Game originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dwayne Bowe Suspended Four Games

Will Brinson — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Fantasy Football, NFL Media Watch, NFL Rumors, NFL Analysis

Dwayne Bowe has been suspended four games by the NFL for violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances, according to the Kansas City Star's Kent Babb.

The suspension was announced by NFL spokesperson Corry Rush and then confirmed by the Chiefs, although they have yet (and may not) comment further on the matter.

Adam Schefter is reporting on Twitter (although the "Whoa" response is my favorite) that Bowe's suspension is a result of a diuretic used to lose weight. Bowe reported to camp approximately 30 pounds heavier than he should have, and that he and the Chiefs learned about the suspension a month ago, but decided not to appeal it.

This also explains why the Chiefs claimed Chris Chambers off of waivers. What it does not do -- in all likelihood -- is ease the nerves of Chiefs fans who just went through a rough ordeal with former running back Larry Johnson.

Fantasy Spin: Pick up Chambers. Like, quickly. Even though the Chiefs aren't that high-powered, he's the No. 1 option now. Bowe becomes a nice target in trades because he'll miss four games, but he'll be back just in time for the fantasy playoffs. If an owner is fringe on making the postseason, they might be willing to part with Bowe cheaply. Matt Cassel's fantasy value takes a huge hit, naturally.

Dwayne Bowe Suspended Four Games originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mel Kiper: 'I Was Right' on Jay Cutler, Mike Mayock Was Wrong

Michael David Smith — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:39:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, NFL Draft, NFL Media Watch, NFL Video

Although ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper and NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock always say nice, pleasant, cordial things about each other, they have an undeniable rivalry. And Kiper took a bit of a swipe at Mayock on Friday morning.

Although Kiper didn't mention Mayock by name, he made comments about Bears quarterback Jay Cutler's ugly game on Thursday night that were clearly intended to serve as a reminder that Mayock was Cutler's biggest supporter prior to the 2006 NFL draft.

"I was one that was, I guess, people would say negative," Kiper said. "I could just read you what I wrote back before he came out ... a guy who was over-hyped at Senior Bowl week, over-hyped at the Combine."

Everyone who follows the draft remembers that one of the sharpest disagreements Kiper and Mayock have ever had was over Cutler. Mayock called him the best quarterback in the draft and a future NFL superstar, while Kiper was significantly less enthralled with Cutler. Mayock is the one who was hyping Cutler at the Senior Bowl and the Combine.

So now that Cutler is coming off a five-interception day, it's fun for Kiper to say "I told you so."

Of course, it's less fun when you point out that Kiper's criticisms of Cutler were based mostly on Kiper's belief that Vince Young and Matt Leinart would be better NFL quarterbacks. For as bad as Cutler looked last night, he still has more passing yards in the NFL than Young and Leinart combined. So Kiper is free to gloat all he wants, but in the Mayock vs. Kiper battle over the 2006 quarterback class,Mayock comes out on top.

Mel Kiper: 'I Was Right' on Jay Cutler, Mike Mayock Was Wrong originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Does Not Want a Little Captain in It

Josh Alper — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Eagles, NFC East, NFL Media Watch

When Eagles tight end Brent Celek scored a touchdown on Sunday night, he celebrated his touchdown by putting his hands on his hips and raising his right leg off the ground. You may not have thought anything of it at the time, but now you'll understand why you spent the rest of the night craving a glass of spiced rum.

Celek's celebration was actually a pretty nifty bit of guerilla marketing by Captain Morgan, which offered to donate money to charity anytime a NFL player celebrated a score by striking the pose made familiar in commercials and on liqour bottles. The NFL didn't find it quite so nifty, however, and reached out to the charity and the company to tell them to put the kibosh on the stunt.

While Celek originally denied the promotional angle, but an exec with the company confirmed the deal. The company was planning to donate $10,000 to Gridiron Greats, which helps retired players deal with hardships, every time a player struck the pose on camera during a regular season game. The money would rise to $25,000 and $100,000 in the playoffs and the Super Bowl.

Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports spoke with NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, who, unsurprisingly, said that the league isn't into companies using their games as a platform unless the NFL gets a cut of the action. They said they will punish any players who go forward with the celebration, presumably in the form of fines equal to the amount donated to the charity.

"A company can't pay a player to somehow promote it's product on the field. Every league has the same rule. ... It's come up before, companies trying to use our games and then players for ambush marketing purposes."

While no one was going to be hurt by a few players striking a particular pose, it's hard to argue with a league's right to profit from its own marketability. That said, no players are getting paid for this, as all the money is going to charity, so while they're right about the Captain using guerilla marketing techniques, there appears to be a loophole. But no player is going to explore that loophole at the risk of infuriating a coach and losing money, so the NFL isn't likely to see a challenge.

Plenty of companies already pay players to promote their products on the field, however. Nike is paying Adrian Peterson to promote its products every time he touches the ball, it's just in a less blatant fashion than Celek promoting Captain Morgan.

The damndest part of the whole thing? Gridiron Greats might not even get the 10K from Celek's act. The campaign hadn't officially launched yet, which means that the Captain got all the publicity without any obligation to give money to the charity. Well played, NFL. Hopefully they'll still do it, because it would be a shame if the only two winners from this were the league and a corporation.

NFL Does Not Want a Little Captain in It originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tony Gonzalez and Wife Pose Nude for PETA Ad Campaign

Knox Bardeen — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- When Tony Gonzalez met with the press on Wednesday before practice, the normal preparatory queries involving the Atlanta Falcons' upcoming Week 10 game against the Carolina Panthers came up. But Gonzalez also spoke about an ad where he and wife, October Gonzalez, posed nude. The photo shoot took place during the offseason and was for the PETA campaign, "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur".

"It's something that me and my wife, we talked about it and felt very strongly about it," says Gonzalez. "It's a great cause."

Gonzalez said that he and October felt compelled to participate in the ad campaign after watching video and looking at pictures on the PETA website. "The pictures that I saw were pretty gruesome," Gonzalez said. "It's definitely inhumane."

Gonzalez also spoke about some of the good-natured ribbing he's received in the locker room since his teammates found out about the ad. And he reacted to the admission by one of his Falcons teammates that it's a little awkward seeing Gonzalez and his wife naked together: "My wife is a pretty woman, she's like a flower," Gonzalez said. "It's nice to be looked at. "

Some of his teammates have approached him, jokingly, with comments that Gonzalez wouldn't repeat. "It's all in good fun," said the All-Pro tight end. "If you do something like that, you'd better be prepared."

Tony Gonzalez and Wife Pose Nude for PETA Ad Campaign originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguars Again NFL's Lone Blackout

Chris Burke — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:52:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch

Despite a still-struggling economy and a league that's unusually top-heavy this season, the NFL continues to -- somehow, some way -- sellout the majority of its games.

With the news Friday afternoon that Cincinnati had sold enough tickets its matchup with Baltimore to air on local TV, that left the floundering Jaguars as the only team blacked out for Week 9. It's the fourth time in four home games that Jacksonville has failed (by a large margin) to reach a sellout, and the third week this season that every home team but the Jaguars has avoided a local TV blackout.

Rather remarkably, only three teams thus far -- Jacksonville, Detroit and Oakland -- have been blacked out.

That's not to say that some teams haven't been close.

This was the third of five home dates in 2009 that Cincinnati has needed an extension to get potential blackouts lifted. The Bengals narrowly avoided that fate for its Week 1 game against Denver, then dodged the bullet again on Oct. 18 against Houston.

The Bengals were given an extension to sell out for the season opener against the Denver Broncos as well as the October 18 tilt against the Houston Texans. Cincinnati has now sold out 49 consecutive games -- the longest streak in franchise history -- dating back to Nov. 9, 2003.

San Diego's sidestepped blackouts on multiple occasions this season, as have the Buccaneers, Rams and Cardinals.

But it's likely more cases like the Jags are on the way -- many of the teams already scrambling to unload tickets are far from the playoff chase, almost guaranteeing that attendance will drop at some venues. Detroit has already had two games blacked out, and aside from its annual Thanksgiving Day appearance, will probably fall short of a sellout for the rest of 2009 -- against the Rams last week, Ford Field was filled to about half-capacity. Oakland, too, has had multiple blackouts (3), and with a 2-6 record plus ongoing internal strife, seem a prime candidate to fall short of sellouts from here out.

St. Louis, Cleveland, Tennessee, Washington, and Carolina might also run into issues before the end of the season as well.

But it's just the Jacksonville area -- again -- that will live without the NFL for a bit this Sunday.

Jaguars Again NFL's Lone Blackout originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Larry Johnson Petition Pretty Clear Proof How Much Chiefs Fans Hate Him

Will Brinson — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, NFL Fans, NFL Coaching, NFL Media Watch, NFL Rumors

Larry Johnson is a mere 80 yards away from passing Priest Holmes as the all-time leading rusher in KC history, but if the fans who put together an online petition have their way, he won't get there.

You see, it turns out that LJ's recent actions -- tweeting at coach Todd Haley, calling reporters homophobic names, being suspended by the team -- combined with his past transgressions -- police problems, being suspended by the team (again) -- have created a sort of pent-up anger within the fanbase.

You can read the entire (and quite lengthy) petition here: petitiononline.com/StopLJ, but for those of you who don't care to parse through (deservedly) bitter, Midwestern ranting, here's the skinny: fans of the Chiefs are loyal, which is true, and they care deeply about and want to support their team, even when the Chiefs stink.

The petition seems to insinuate they realize that 12-win seasons aren't happening every year and they're not around the corner -- meaning they're cool with GM Scott Pioli rebuilding -- but that allowing Johnson to permanently etch his name atop a pretty important team record is simply unacceptable.

And you know what? I completely agree with them, at least in the sense that if I were a Chiefs fan, I would have wanted Johnson gone a long time ago, and I would be none too happy (particularly considering his production this season, which they cite in the petition) if he were still on the team despite his repeated efforts to not be a part of it.

Additionally, I salute these fans for taking a stand that doesn't involve eBay or craigslist -- as much as I would enjoy seeing Johnson up for purchase online, it's pretty inspiring to see a downtrodden group of fans take a stand on a moral level.

Larry Johnson Petition Pretty Clear Proof How Much Chiefs Fans Hate Him originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peter King on the 12-Year Journey of Monday Morning Quarterback

Michael David Smith — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch

When Peter King agreed to write a weekly Monday Morning Quarterback column for the 1997 NFL season, he figured it'd be a few hundred words, a week's worth of stuff that didn't fit into the pages of Sports Illustrated. That's not the way it worked out.

As it turned out, MMQB became several thousand words a week on everything and anything that King felt like writing, whether about football or about his family or about coffee. Now, with Monday Morning Quarterback available in book form, King talked to FanHouse about how the column got to this point.

He also addressed accusations that he's too close to Brett Favre, why he likes Twitter, and what it meant to be the subject of the New York Times crossword puzzle. The full interview is below.

Michael David Smith: Are you surprised by how big this column has become?
Peter King: I'm very surprised. To get 1.9 million or 2 million people to log on and read something is sort of a tribute to longevity. A lot of people get used to reading it every Monday after it started with sort of a cult following -- back in 1997 there weren't many original, web-only columns. The Internet was the Wild West and no one really knew what was going on.

There are dedicated football fans who want me to focus only on football, but I kind of want it to be sort of like a newspaper -- if you don't like the non-football stuff, just move on. If you don't want stuff about airplanes and TV shows and things like that, you'll move on. But I try to have that mix between the personal stuff and the majority of people who just want to read all the football they can.

Let me ask you about the part of the book that I'm sure will cause the most arguments: you list your Top 100 players of all time and of today. Peyton Manning is No. 1 of today and No. 25 of all time. If you do a revised edition in 10 years, where do you think Manning will be on the all-time list?
Well, one of the dangers of lists like this is using active players. I have gotten some reaction from people who say Manning is too high because he only has one Super Bowl ring. I don't agree with that. Why is it in baseball, we don't say about players who haven't won a World Series, that he wasn't a winner? Ted Williams didn't win a World Series, so we can't consider him the best hitter of all time? I've gotten a lot of questions about that list, and it's sort of the classic argument starter at a bar.

You've developed a big following on Twitter, and you post news and observations regularly. What do you like about it?
I got started on Twitter in April. I suppose the interesting part of it is the ability of fans to get access to people they really want to ask questions to. It's the ability to learn things from people in the business and from athletes. I'm not sure if over time I wouldn't have chosen to go on Twitter if Sports Illustrated hadn't asked me to, but I enjoy the ability to communicate with people. It's a cool way to have interaction with intelligent fans. I probably get more than my share of, "You're an idiot, you don't know what you're talking about," but those people I don't really engage with.

I told my Twitter followers I'd ask you a question that they submitted, so let me ask you one from Padrick Brewer: "Does King worry about oversharing with MMQB? How often does he edit personal stuff out or think twice about what he writes?"
Sure. I wouldn't write about stuff that my kids or my family didn't want me to write about. If I'm on an NFL training camp trip and I have a long off-the-record conversation with someone I'm not going to write, "I just talked to Player X or Coach Y and he gave me good stuff, but I can't tell you what he said." I just try to tell people what my life and my job are like.

You got your start as a print media guy, but you've embraced things like Twitter as well as writing the long Monday column on the web, writing a mailbag column where you interact with readers, and so on. Are too many print reporters unable or unwilling to embrace new media?
I think if you don't embrace the new media you're going to die. When I talk to young journalists I tell them, "Be versatile. Don't just think you'll work at the school paper and then get a job at a newspaper and be there the rest of your life." Newspaper circulation around the country is down 10 percent in a year, papers are dying and I just think it's important that young people have an appreciation for blogs, for new media. I'm not telling you anything you don't know, but being versatile is key. One of the things that helped me get a job at Sports Illustrated at age 31 in 1989 was that I tried to be versatile: when new things would come up, I was willing to try it.

Is your column a lesser product because you now watch games on TV in the NBC studio and you used to attend games in person?
That's a great question. It bothers me sometimes -- I wish I was in Green Bay this weekend to spend time with Favre, or with Aaron Kampman or Cullen Jenkins if they have a great game against Favre. That's one thing I simply can't duplicate sitting in the studio in New York. On the other hand, I get to see all the games now, and I think that has become a benefit. In preparing this book I went back and read some old columns and what I was doing then was writing the vast majority of my columns about one game. Now I'm able to touch on a lot of different games. Now the column is more diverse but not as nuts-and-bolts on any one particular team as it used to be.

Part of doing your job is cultivating sources. Are there any sources you've gotten so close to that you couldn't write about them objectively?
Well, I would say there are people who I've probably given the benefit of the doubt to more than some others over the years. I know people will say, "Oh, you love Favre." It's something I think about a lot. It's something I've tried very, very hard to make sure I'm fair. I realize that on a few occasions I have been overly fair at times. One time was when I took Favre's word for it that he didn't take a dive on the Michael Strahan record-breaking sack. I took his word for it, and probably in that case, I should have quoted him saying he didn't take a dive, and then said, "Hey, the picture tells the whole story, and whatever his words are, my feeling is he gave Strahan the sack record." That's how I feel now, and looking back on that it's something I view differently.

In October of 1995 you spent a week with Brett Favre and the Packers for an article that I think is one of the most insightful pro football pieces I've ever read. But did Favre giving you that kind of access make you too close to him?
That was a story about a week in the life of the Packers. Mike Holmgren let me go anywhere in the building and let me see basically everything. I didn't even know Brett Favre before that -- I had met him once -- but I walked into the building and he said to me, "Here's where I live, come over any time." I certainly did start to become close to him, but people who say I got too close to Favre and I'm always in his corner need to know that all of us in this business try as best we can to find out things others don't know. And my guess is that there's probably been 20 occasions over the last 14 years where I have written something about Favre that other people said, "I wish I had that." I can definitely look myself in the mirror and say that the only time where I would ever question my news judgment on Favre is after the Strahan sack. Every other time I've written about him, you put any story I've written about him, and I feel good about it.

You started that piece in 1995 by writing about all the various aches and pains Favre was suffering from. Are you amazed that he's still playing, 14 years later, and hasn't missed a single game in all that time?
To think that a guy can play every game at that position since 1992 is absurd. And that particular year -- I didn't know this at the time -- was the year that he was going through his Vicodin addiction. It's amazing to make it through one season, let alone all these years. He's a coach's son, one of these guys who just goes out there and plays. His father once almost whipped him after he scored a touchdown because he scored on a different play than his father called, and he's one of those guys who just thinks it's his job to go out there and play. He has a tough body, a high pain threshold and has also had a lot of luck never to get his knee rolled on the way Tom Brady and Carson Palmer have.

I understand you wanted to do a profile of Mark Sanchez and he declined?
Well, Sports Illustrated, after the Jets went to 3-0, wanted to do a story on Sanchez and how he's taken the town by storm, and I called the Jets and through the Jets, Sanchez declined. He said, "I want to accomplish something before I sit down for long profiles." I think that shows a good, smart kid. I did interview him at the Jets' facility, but for a story more about the Jets as a team than just about Sanchez.

You said at the start of your appearance on Charlie Rose that the NFL has potentially serious problems on the horizon with the labor situation. What's your best read on it: are we going to see games canceled because of a labor stoppage in 2011?
The thing to keep an eye on in the labor situation is that DeMaurice Smith has added essentially a third party in these negotiations, and that is the retired players. The players and owners can say whatever they want to about taking care of retired players, but the question is who's going to pay for it? I haven't heard anything from either the players or the owners about who's going to pay for it. I think instead of taking 60 percent of the gross, the players should take 59 percent of the gross and put 1 percent in a fund for indigent retired players. And then the owners should take their 40 percent and agree to just take 39 percent and put 1 percent in that fund. Because without both the players and the owners agreeing to that, they're not going to get the retired players taken care of.

Overall, I look at the tea leaves and the tea leaves say to me that we're headed headlong to a labor stoppage in 2011.

You and Mark Cuban had a little back-and-forth on Twitter about the football league he invested in, the UFL. In the book you mention that you attended the first XFL game. Is there room in this country for a second football league?
I think there's room but it has to be like the Pacific Coast League or the International League in baseball. A minor league, with minor league expectations. I was a very young sportswriter when Donald Trump ruined the USFL by prematurely saying, "We're going head-to-head with the NFL in the fall." That was idiocy. The UFL should be content with being a minor league. They should build a financial model based on getting 20,000 people to come to the games. I think it's great to have people like Cuban involved, but I don't think Mark Cuban gets into things to be a minor league.

What percentage of NFL players do you think are using performance-enhancing drugs?
Including HGH?

Yes.
I would say 10 or 15 percent. That's a guess, but I think you'd be naive to think HGH isn't being used by some players, if they think they're not going to get caught.

What have you written over the years that you're proudest of?
I really liked that Packers story. I wrote a story on the Dallas Cowboys around draft day 1991 covering Jimmy Johnson and their coaches and how they prepared for the draft and I was proud of that one because it helped people to understand how the Cowboys as a franchise worked. I think way back to my days in Cincinnati, I did a profile of the Reds' ownership -- including Marge Schott, who at the time no one knew -- and explained to Reds fans who these people were.

How's Paul Zimmerman doing?
It's going to be a long process. He was so damaged by these strokes that it's going to take him a long time to get back. But as Linda says every time I have any communication with her, she's amazed because he just won't give up and he'll do all the rehab he has to to try to get back to being able to communicate. He was always a guy you could talk to for hours. I hope he gets that back in some way.

What did it mean to you to be in the New York Times crossword puzzle?
Wow. it was totally bizarre. I just wanted to be one clue. I didn't want to be the theme. It was very strange. I do the crossword and I have to stop at Thursday. I don't think there are a lot of Sunday New York Times crossword people who also read Monday Morning Quarterback. I heard that a lot of crossword people were ripping the crossword constructor for putting me in there -- "Who's this guy?" and things like that. That's a good wake-up call that a lot of people don't care about some football writer. I'm just lucky to know that there are 1.9 million people who want to read what I write.

Peter King on the 12-Year Journey of Monday Morning Quarterback originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Larry Johnson Slur Nets Him Some More Free Time

Will Brinson — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, NFL Media Watch, NFL Rumors

Recently, Larry Johnson has made waves -- to put it mildly -- not only with his angry tweeting at Todd Haley but also with his recent inappropriate comments to reporters. And now it appears as if he could be suspended by the Kansas City Chiefs sometime soon.

According to a statement from the Chiefs, Johnson has been asked to stay away from team activities while the NFL and Kansas City's front office conduct an investigation into his recent statements. All of this despite an apology from Johnson on Tuesday.

The Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League are continuing to investigate the alleged comments made by Larry Johnson. Until that review is complete, the Chiefs have instructed Larry to refrain from practicing with the Chiefs or participating in other team activities. A decision regarding Larry's status will be made once the investigation has concluded.

Now, there's a couple of factors to consider here. First, Johnson apologized (you can read it at the KC Star if you want, but it's pretty standard, including a bit about not being a "good role model" and telling his coach, the commish, the fans and his teammates that he's sorry). So he at least deserves some sort of break on that end.

At the same time though, Bob Griese apologized too, and he's still staring down a one-week suspension for talking about Juan Pablo Montoya and tacos. The point there being that, as we all know, there's only so much a standard apology can do when a public figure says something highly offensive.

Additionally, Johnson allegedly referring to a group of reporters in a homophobic manner came directly on the heels of his Twitter freak-out -- it's a bad, back-to-back combination of publicly noted displays that Roger Goodell and Scott Pioli cannot possibly be enthused about.

However, they haven't suspended him yet, so there's always a chance that Johnson could end up just paying a lot of money to the organization and the NFL for his behavior. Of course, some people actually think that would be the best thing for the Chiefs -- Johnson's a distraction, no doubt, but he's certainly keeping people in Kansas City from staring too hard at the team's record.

Larry Johnson Slur Nets Him Some More Free Time originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve McNair Jr., NFL in London: Week 7 NFL Live Tweet

Michael David Smith — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:37:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch

Steve McNair Jr, a senior wide receiver at Oak Grove High, is having a great season. He has received several scholarship offers and is also taking some snaps at quarterback. That's nice to hear.

The NFL is considering mandating helmets for umpires in 2010. That's long overdue.

Those are among the observations I've made on Twitter so far this Week 7 Sunday, and if you want more like it, you can follow along below or follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Twitter Updates on NFL Week 7

NFL on Twitter

Steve McNair Jr., NFL in London: Week 7 NFL Live Tweet originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ron Jaworski Disses Dolphins' Wildcat

Michael David Smith — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Dolphins, NFL Media Watch

The Miami Dolphins had a big game on Monday night, running wild against a very good New York Jets defense and doing it in large part with the wildcat formation. But Ron Jaworski, who called the game for ESPN, doesn't think the Dolphins' game plan is a game plan that can lead a team to a Super Bowl.

Asked on ESPN Radio Friday if a team can win a championship while relying heavily on the wildcat, Jaworski said, "No, I don't believe so -- I still believe it's a gimmick and a gadget."

Jaworski added that he thinks the Dolphins' personnel is well suited to using the wildcat occasionally, but that it should only be used occasionally, and should not be an integral part of the team's offensive game planning.

"They're very good at executing the running game. They don't run as well from traditional formations but they do very well with Ronnie Brown in the wildcat and Ricky Williams in motion. This offensive line is a very good offensive line that gets off the football and wins in the trenches. That's why the wildcat is so good in Miami, the running game, the running backs and the offensive line."

Jaworski made clear that he thinks the Dolphins run the wildcat effectively -- but he thinks that if the Dolphins are going to be an elite NFL team, they need to do it with a more prototypical NFL offense. Jaworski cited the Dolphins' 27-23 loss to the Colts in Week 2 as an example of a game in which they ran the ball well but still didn't win.

"Clearly, no one does it better than the Miami Dolphins, but I really believe that at the end of the season they're going to have to find a way to get some explosive plays out of the passing game," Jaworski said. "It was crystal clear in the Colts' game, they controlled the ball 45 minutes but when you run the football that well you're not going to score a lot of points."

I consider Jaworski the best NFL analyst on television, but I disagree with him here. I think the Dolphins have proven that the wildcat is more than just a gimmick: It can be an integral part of a winning game plan. I can't wait to see what the Dolphins throw at the Jets when the teams meet again in two weeks.

Ron Jaworski Disses Dolphins' Wildcat originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Media Spotlight Shines on Brain Injuries In the NFL

Michael David Smith — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Injuries, NFL Media Watch

Concussions have plagued the National Football League for decades, but there may have never been a time when the problem of brain injuries suffered in practices and in games has been more on display than right now. Several major media outlets are closely monitoring the problem and reporting on the way brain injuries often affect football players long after their playing days are done.

The latest example came Sunday night on 60 Minutes, when former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson told 60 Minutes correspondent Bob Simon that his concussions were so severe that he often couldn't see straight -- and yet he'd keep playing, because that's what's expected in the NFL.

"Lot of times, if I didn't get my vision back before the next snap, I'd have to have another linebacker call the plays. I couldn't see on the sideline. I couldn't see my defensive coordinator signaling in 'cause my vision was still blurred," Johnson said on 60 Minutes.

Concussions are also a focus of a new piece in the New Yorker by Malcolm Gladwell, who writes that while concussions are a serious problem, an overlooked problem in football is that hits can cause brain damage even when they don't result in a concussion:

Much of the attention in the football world, in the past few years, has been on concussions-on diagnosing, managing, and preventing them-and on figuring out how many concussions a player can have before he should call it quits. But a football player's real issue isn't simply with repetitive concussive trauma. It is, as the concussion specialist Robert Cantu argues, with repetitive subconcussive trauma. It's not just the handful of big hits that matter. It's lots of little hits, too.

And the New York Times has reported extensively on the long-term affects on the brain of a football career, including a story about a recent study finding that former NFL players in their 30s and 40s are 19 times as likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease or similar memory-related diseases as the general population.

The fact that football players expose themselves to the risk of brain damage is certainly not breaking news. But an intense media spotlight on the subject is long overdue.

Media Spotlight Shines on Brain Injuries In the NFL originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Twitter Updates: Week 5

Michael David Smith — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch

It's Week 5 of the NFL season, and by now you know that if it's Sunday, we'll have live NFL Twitter updates right here at FanHouse.

It's not a great NFL Sunday, with only three games -- Bengals vs. Ravens, Falcons vs. 49ers and Patriots vs. Broncos -- that match up two teams with winning records. But every NFL Sunday is sure to be fun, and if you want to keep posted on everything that's happening, follow along below or follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Twitter Updates on NFL Week 5

NFL on Twitter

NFL Twitter Updates: Week 5 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve McNair's Suicide Prevention Public Service Announcement Released

FanHouse Newswire — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:10:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Media Watch

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Shortly before former NFL quarterback Steve McNair's mistress killed him and then herself, he recorded a public service announcement that urges young people thinking about suicide to call a hotline and "live to see better days."

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities shelved the announcement after McNair's July 4 death, and it never aired. The state released three versions of it to The Associated Press this week in response to a public records request.

In them, McNair says, "Each year too many young people are taking their own lives. So if you're feeling really down and have even thought about suicide, call 1-800-273-TALK, and live to see better days."

McNair donated his time to film the announcement in April on a sports field at Goodpasture Christian School in the Nashville suburb of Goodlettsville, where he had held summer youth football camps, then-department spokeswoman Jill Hudson said in July.

Post-production work was under way on 10-, 15-, and 30-second versions when McNair died.

Last year, Tennessee received a $1.5 million federal grant to help prevent suicide among young people. The Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network reports that suicide is the third leading cause of death for those ages 15 to 24, and about a third of Tennessee counties have suicide rates that exceed the national average.

Police investigating McNair's death concluded his 20-year-old mistress, Sahel Kazemi, had been "spinning out of control" in the days leading up to the shooting.

She had seen another young woman leaving the condominium where she and McNair were found dead. She was worried about money. She was arrested for DUI. She bought a gun and told a co-worker she was thinking about "ending it."

Family and friends described Kazemi as a sweet young woman who did not have it in her to kill someone and would not have wanted to kill herself.

When her family visited her in Nashville in May to celebrate her birthday, they said she was very happy and planning to move in with McNair. She thought he was in the final stages of a divorce from his wife of 12 years.

But she painted a different picture of the relationship less than two months later when she confided in a customer she met at the restaurant where she worked as a waitress.

Vera Mosley Buckner, of Decatur, Ala., said Kazemi told her she was in love with McNair, but he had recently started acting like he didn't want to spend time with her.

"'I don't know what to do,'" Buckner remembers her saying.

By Travis Loller, AP

Associated Press writer Randall Dickerson contributed to this story.

Steve McNair's Suicide Prevention Public Service Announcement Released originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michael Vick Re-Signs With Nike

FanHouse Newswire — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:05:00 EST

Filed under: Eagles, NFL Media Watch

NEW YORK (AP) -- Michael Vick is back with Nike two years after the company severed ties over the quarterback's involvement in a dogfighting ring.

"Mike has a long-standing, great relationship with Nike, and he looks forward to continuing that relationship,'' his agent, Joel Segal, said Wednesday.

Segal would not reveal terms of the agreement. Nike did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The deal was announced during a panel discussion at the Sports Sponsorship Symposium by Michael Principe, the managing director of BEST, the agency that represents Vick.

The endorsement is the latest step forward for Vick as he seeks to rehabilitate his career and his image after serving 18 months in federal prison. On Sunday, Vick played his first regular-season game since December 2006.

"It is quite evident that athletes that run afoul of the law are by no means relegated to obscurity when it comes to pitching products,'' said David Carter, a professor of sports marketing at the University of Southern California.

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Michael Vick

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick speaks about dogfighting at Covenant Baptist Church in southwest Washington, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Latest Michael Vick Images

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick speaks about dogfighting at Covenant Baptist Church in southwest Washington, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick listens during his introduction to speak about dogfighting at Covenant Baptist Church in southwest Washington, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, left, and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, clap during the introduction for Vick to speak about dogfighting, at Covenant Baptist Church in southwest Washington, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, left, signs an autograph for Khristen Avery, 18, of Indian Head, Md., second from right, after speaking about dogfighting at Covenant Baptist Church in southwest Washington, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick (7) throws a pass in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs defense, including linebacker Jovan Belcher, right, and Demorrio Williams, center. The Eagles defeated the Chiefs, 34-14, Sunday, September 27, 2009, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (David Eulitt/Kansas City Star/MCT)

MCT

PHILADELPHIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Quarterback Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles throws a pass during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 27, 2009 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Vick

Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Quarterback Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles rolls out of the pocket during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 27, 2009 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Vick

Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles talks to team mates in the huddle against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 27, 2009 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Vick

Getty Images

Vick signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 13. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell gave him his full reinstatement Sept. 3, saying he could return to the field in Week 3.

Vick participated in 11 plays, accounting for 30 total yards, in the Eagles' 34-14 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, as Philadelphia tries to use him in a variety of ways as a backup.

Nike, which signed Vick as a rookie in 2001, terminated his contract in August 2007 after the Atlanta Falcons star filed a plea agreement admitting his involvement in the dogfighting ring. At the time, Nike called cruelty to animals "inhumane, abhorrent and unacceptable'' and halted release of his fifth signature shoe, the Air Zoom Vick V.

Back when Vick first signed with the Eagles, Carter had said he was "too toxic for most companies to even consider taking a chance on him.'' What's changed? As Carter noted Wednesday, there has been little backlash to the quarterback's return to the NFL.

Protests have been limited, and the Eagles' sponsors have stood by them. That experience could make companies less wary about adding Vick as an endorser, though the biggest determinant might be no different from any other athlete: how well he performs on the field.

Retailer Dick's Sporting Goods said earlier this month that it wasn't carrying Vick's Eagles jersey in any of its 300 stores as a business decision.

Vick signed a $1.6 million deal with the Eagles, with a team option for the second year at $5.2 million. He was once a corporate star - holding multimillion dollar deals to market everything from sneakers to sports drinks. But those millions are long gone.

In July, Vick filed for bankruptcy protection while serving his sentence, saying he owed between $10 million and $50 million to creditors.

To Carter, Nike likely made a calculated business decision that the benefit of sales tied to Vick outweighed any potential public outrage.

Vick must still have some selling power if the company is getting behind him, he said. "Nobody understands their consumer and has their finger on the pulse of their consumer like Nike does.''

By Rachel Cohen, AP Sports Writer

AP Retail Writer Sarah Skidmore in Portland, Ore., contributed to this report.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Michael Vick Re-Signs With Nike originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terrell Owens Rips Rodney Harrison

Michael David Smith — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:47:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, NFL Media Watch

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens took to Twitter to lash out at former Patriots safety and current NBC analyst Rodney Harrison Sunday night, responding to Harrison ripping him on television by making pointed comments about Harrison's 2007 performance-enhancing drug suspension.

Owens went catchless for the first time since 1997 in the Bills' loss to the Saints, and in discussing the game on NBC's Football Night in America, Harrison (who previously said Owens called Owens "a clown") is "more concerned with his own stats than the team's success."

That prompted this response from Owens on Twitter:

I could less about Rodney Harrison! Anybody tht using steroids, yes STEROIDS rodney, is a cheater & cheated the game!
Is tht Y u used steroids b/c u were worried about ur stats or ws it b/c u were losing it? Lol! U're a loser & a cheater? Got any steroids I cn borrow?
Hey rodney! Send me sum steroids 2 the Bills facility next week!

Owens was referring Harrison's suspension for using human growth hormone, in violation of NFL policy. Harrison has always maintained that he used HGH only to recover from injuries and has never used anabolic steroids.

But those little details aside, the larger point here is that Owens has long had a reputation as a malcontent, and access to Twitter gives him an easy way to vent his frustrations. With the Bills off to a 1-2 start and Owens not getting involved in the offense, you can bet he'll have more opportunities to vent.

Terrell Owens Rips Rodney Harrison originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raiders Ban Rich Gannon From TV Production Meetings

Chris Burke — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:40:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, NFL Media Watch

Rich Gannon was the MVP of the 2002 NFL season, leading Oakland to an AFC championship and Super Bowl berth. That's where things began to unravel between Gannon and the Raiders, though.

Gannon threw five interceptions in a Super Bowl XXXVII loss to Tampa Bay, then suffered serious injuries in 2003 and 2004. And now the Raiders don't even want him in the same building -- according to the San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland team officials have banned Gannon from participating in pregame television production meetings with his CBS crew, a direct violation of NFL policy.

"Rich Gannon is not welcome here," Raiders executive John Herrera told the Chronicle. "We told CBS we did not want him in our building, we did not want him to be part of our production meeting, and that's where it sits."

Herrera went on to argue that Gannon has repeatedly bashed the Raiders since becoming a TV analyst, quoting Gannon as saying that Oakland should just "blow up the building and start over" -- a statement that apparently sent Herrera and the rest of the Raiders franchise over the edge.

"We think in a post 9/11 world, that's not a very proper thing to say," Herrera told the Chronicle. "It's uncalled for. He seems to be a guy who can't get over the fact that he played the worst Super Bowl game in the history of the game and he wants to blame everybody but himself.

"I guess it's our fault he threw five interceptions."

Yeah, I can't imagine any reason Gannon would be jaded toward the Raiders ...

When the Chronicle asked LeslieAnne Wade, CBS' senior vice president of communications, about the situation, she backed Gannon: ""Rich Gannon is an objective and analytical broadcaster and he will be broadcasting the game as assigned by CBS."

NFL rules dictate that all teams must make the head coach and players available to the crew broadcasting a game for production meetings. The Raiders' decision to lock Gannon out will almost certainly lead to a fine from the league.

Sunday's Denver at Oakland game is blacked out in a 75-mile radius around the Oakland Coliseum because the Raiders failed to achieve a sellout.

(Update, Sept. 26: Because of the NFL's television rules, the Raiders decided to allow Gannon into the required meetings. "We have relented," Herrera said.)

Raiders Ban Rich Gannon From TV Production Meetings originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rodney Harrison Not on Twitter

Michael David Smith — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:40:00 EST

Filed under: Jets, NFL Media Watch

One of the more entertaining stories in the NFL last week was about former New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison and current New York Jets safety Kerry Rhodes having a war of words over Twitter. But there's just one problem: Harrison, who's now an NFL analyst for NBC, isn't on Twitter. The account @Rodneyh37, which Rhodes and others assumed was written by Harrison, was bogus.

The person who's been writing the Twitter posts taking shots at Rhodes admitted as much on Friday, after ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted that the account was fake. However, the guy running the account claims that everything he wrote was taken from things Harrison has actually said in interviews.

Harrison did, in fact, criticize Rhodes in a radio interview, which is what got Rhodes to respond. But still, someone was running a Twitter account that was made to look like it legitimately belonged to Rodney Harrison, when in fact it did not.

Fake Twitter accounts purporting to come from professional athletes are fairly common, so it's no great surprise that Harrison's account was fake. What is surprising is that Rhodes, whose Twitter account is verified as legitimately being written by him, took such umbrage at Harrison's account without stopping to think that the account might be bogus.

The lesson here is that sometimes professional athletes go out of their way to find things they can interpret as slights, to help get them fired up for games. That seems to be what Rhodes was doing by taking the shots from the fake Rodney Harrison personally. Using perceived slights to get pumped up for games is something Rhodes and Harrison have in common.

Rodney Harrison Not on Twitter originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve Smith 'Jokes' Jake Delhomme: 'I Never Really Liked You as a Quarterback'

Will Brinson — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Panthers, NFL Media Watch, NFL Video, NFL Rumors, NFL Quarterbacks

Jake Delhomme's had a rough, well, nine months. Ever since he threw 42* interceptions against the Arizona Cardinals in the playoffs last year, he's been scrutinized, particularly because he signed a new monster extension (even if it was for salary cap purposes).

And then, last week, he laid a total egg against the Eagles, essentially spotting Philly 21 points en route to an embarrassing opening week loss. Turns out, while that game was going on, Steve Smith was "joking" with JakeSixPicks on the sideline, stating, "I never really liked you as a quarterback. But as a person . . . I love you as a person." Prefer video proof? Fine!

Now, obviously Smith was joking -- after all, he said it to Jake's face. But Florio makes a pretty good point ... what if he's not joking about this? That's entirely possible, right? I mean, I constantly disguise insults at people I don't care for by wrapping them in sarcasm and humor, so why can't Smith? Personally, I think he really was kidding; he's worked with Delhomme too long -- and knows the Panthers' QB situation all too well -- to bother trying to start some unwarranted in-team turmoil. It would make about as much sense as randomly punching someone in the face.

*Approximate, based on what it felt like sitting at the game

Steve Smith 'Jokes' Jake Delhomme: 'I Never Really Liked You as a Quarterback' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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