Time to Go Camping Before the Summer's Over!

For the first eight days of training camp, it appeared that #1 overall pick QB Jamarcus Russell (left) and #2 overall pick WR Calvin Johnson (not pictured) were waiting for one another to sign contracts. Most of the time, it is the #1 pick who is given the highest paid contract in the draft, and every pick after that decreases in value. However, on that eighth day, Johnson ended his holdout and signed with the Detroit Lions, leaving many to feel that this was the first step for the other unsigned picks to get their deals done. With the exception of Jon Beason and Dwayne Bowe, this has not been the case. The two highest profile picks who continue to hold out are Russell and QB Brady Quinn (right).

So, who needs to be in camp more right now, Russell or Quinn? Both men are the potential saviors of teams who have suffered in recent years, and both play the key leadership role of the franchise. However, with the recent signing of Daunte Culpepper by the Oakland Raiders, suddenly the pressure to perform immediately has been taken off the shoulders of Jamarcus Russell. Brady Quinn is entering a situation where the starting quarterback last year was Charlie Frye, a man who has nowhere near the name recognition of Quinn, and has had limited success in the NFL. The other quarterbacks are better known, but have also seen limited success. So the job is basically Quinn's if he wants it, but with that job comes the expectation to perform, and when the quarterback is missing this much of training camp with the preseason beginning this week, pretty soon there is not going to be much time left to gel with his teammates and get his timing down.

On top of that, Quinn needs to accept the fact that he was drafted 22nd overall. Sure, he played for a high profile program at Notre Dame (whether they deserve to be or not), got the most media exposure a college player could hope to get, and played for an NFL style coach. The stars seemed to be aligned for him to be a top 10 pick at worst. The fact is, it didn't happen, so deal with it. This is not the same situation last year with Reggie Bush, where the team is going to give you a smaller contract than the #1 pick, but more bonuses and guaranteed money. Quinn should use that as motivation to perform, and feel lucky that he's in a situation where he can play right away. I saw an interview on ESPN a few days ago, and they asked him if he was prepared to sit out the season. He sort of dodged the question and said he hoped it wouldn't come to that, but he left himself open to the idea. So is a guy who was one bad game away from being benched before Charlie Weis came to Notre Dame that self-centered that he'd sacrifice a year of his aspiring career because he can't get paid as much as Jamarcus Russell? I'd like to think he isn't, but then again, it wouldn't surprise me.

That all being said, I'm very surprised that Jamarcus Russell wasn't signed before the NFL Draft even took place. I can't even remember the last time that the #1 pick held out this long. It kind of sets up a poor trend that I hope doesn't continue for the years to come. So, while there are plenty of reasons why Jamarcus Russell should be in camp right now, there are many more why Quinn should be.

Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall, Which is the Greatest Major of Them All?

I'll admit it, I'm the type of guy who could sit and watch 4 straight days of Championship Golf, and enjoy every second of it. In fact, this weekend was one of my favorite events of the year, the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament, where Charles Barkley, the owner of the world's worst swing, lost by over 150 points to Chris Chandler in the Modified Stableford System (trust me, if you're not a golf nut, it's not even worth trying to learn the real Stableford System, much less the modified one), and next week is The British Open, or The Open Championship as they call it across the pond.

That being said, from May thru August, the four most important events of the year are played, The Masters, The U.S. Open, The British Open, and the PGA Championship. However, what's really starting to get on my nerves is when Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player each appear in the "History of the Tournament Highlight Reel" for each of them, proclaiming why the particular tournament that's being played that week is the most important for the players, and also the most historically relevant. While I can understand that networks are trying to push their product, and are trying to gain ratings in an era where ratings = more advertisers = more money, I wish the golfers wouldn't sell out their true feelings just for the sake of ABC, NBC or CBS.

It's perfectly fine to love one tournament more than another, and there are perfectly good reasons to love all four majors:

The Masters - Played every year on perhaps the 2nd most famous golf course in the world (other than St. Andrews), Augusta National. The memories of events that took place 50 years before can be relived on a yearly basis with players hitting virtually the same shots as their predecessors. Well, maybe not the same after Augusta "Tiger-proofed" the course after he won in '97. But I digress. I mean come on, what other place can wearing a green jacket be considered a good thing?

U.S. Open - This is our Open Championship. Any Joe Schmoe with a 1.4 handicap (OK, maybe Joe Schmoe is a little harsh) can attempt to qualify for this tournament. On top of that, the United States Golf Association takes this opportunity to make everybody playing in this tournament look completely foolish. With rough as high as your knees and greens that create about as much friction as ice, this is without a doubt the hardest test in golf.

British Open - It is the oldest championship in professional golf, and therefore has the most history. Dating well back into the 1800's, this championship has seen its triumphs, such as Harry Vardon winning a record 6 in the early 20th century to John Daly coming out of nowhere to win in '95. However, the British Open has also seen the greatest collapse in the history of sports, when in '99, Jean Van de Velde blew a 3 stroke lead on the 18th hole, and lost in a playoff. The British Open returns to Carnoustie next week, where the collapse occurred.

PGA Championship - Now, maybe it's just me, but this tournament does not seem to get the kind of love that the other three do. Number one, it's got the best trophy in all of golf, the Wannamaker Trophy, two, it allows PGA professionals who spend their time helping old ladies at the driving range break 50 yards with a driver the opportunity to show that they can compete with the best in the world, and three, it housed perhaps the greatest finish in golf history when Tiger Woods and Bob May battled in an epic playoff duel in 2000.

So, when I was growing up, there was one tournament that I dreamed about playing in and still do today, and that's the U.S. Open. I love seeing professional golfers struggle like I do on a daily basis, and I love the fact that if I got good enough, I could attempt to play in it, which is a goal of mine down the road. The Masters is always fun to watch, and the British Open is great fun because it's a different style of course than those you see in the U.S., but you've got to wake up so early to watch it. The PGA Championship seems like it's not built for the public, simply the club that the elite belong to, which is likely why it does not get the same status that the others do. Nonetheless, they all help shape the history of golf, and make it such a great game.

Facilitation for 7/9

Hey everybody, I'm doing one of the facilitations for tomorrow, and I thought I'd give you a little heads up on my topic. As you can see from my posting this week, I am a Lions fan, and the main reason I became a Lions fan in the first place was because of one man:

BARRY SANDERS

However, Barry often draws comparisions with whom many others consider to be the greatest running back of all time:

JIM BROWN

So, who was the greatest running back of all time, Sanders or Brown? Arguments can be made for others, but nobody redefined the position at the time they played like these two men did, and nobody but these two get compared to by today's players as much as they do. So, here are some arguments to support both men.

Barry Sanders

• Played 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions (1989-1998)
• 1989 Offensive Rookie of the Year
  
• 10-time Pro Bowler
• 3rd on the All-time rushing list with 15,269 yards, accomplished despite holding the NFL record for yards lost from scrimmage.
  
• Averaged 5.0 yards per carry during career (He and Brown are the only two to ever average over 5 yards)
• 1997 AP NFL Co-MVP with Brett Favre
• One of only 5 people to ever rush for over 2,000 yards in a season (O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Terrell Davis, and Jamal Lewis)
• Holds various NFL records including 5 consecutive 1,500 yard seasons and 14 consecutive 100 yard games.
  
• Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004

Jim Brown

• Played 9 seasons with the Cleveland Browns (1957-1965)
• 1957 Offensive Rookie of the Year
  
• 9-time Pro Bowler
• 7th on the All-time rushing list with 12,312 yards, accomplished despite playing in the 14 game season era.
  
• Averaged 5.2 yards per carry during career
• 1957, 1958 & 1965 AP NFL MVP
• Holds Cleveland Browns' franchise rushing record of 1,863 yards.
• Holds various NFL records including career yards per carry (5.2) and career yards per game (104.3)
• Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971

I look forward to the debate tomorrow!

Why Do I Torture Myself Every Year?

It's now less than a month before the NFL's Hall of Fame Game and already I'm excited. In football it seems, there is more optimism heading into a season for every team, regardless of whether they even won a game the previous year. Maybe that's why I love football so much. I know that if I just stick it out, my team will eventually come around, and I'll be there to say, "I was there through the rough times. Where were you?" However, when you're a Lions fan like me, there are plenty of rough times.

Every year I always come up with some outlandish reason why this year is our year; except for last year. Maybe I was angry because of the trade of Joey Harrington, or maybe it was because we hired a first time coach, or maybe it was because if William Clay Ford was ever going to fire Matt Millen, he would have done it by now, or maybe it's a combination of the three. However, I was still there, week in and week out at Jimmy's Sports Bar, inhaling all the French toast sticks, Coke and secondhand smoke one can possibly handle at 10 in the morning cheering my team on. Following a 3-13 season with a playoff appearance seems like a daunting task, but it's not like it hasn't been done before, and it's not like it wasn't accomplished last year by the New Orleans Saints who used the #2 pick to take who many considered the best player in the draft, much like the Lions did this year. However, it takes much more than a rookie phenom to reach the top.

While the Lions may not have had a great team last year, they had potential, and with a little luck, could have had a much more respectable season. In fact, 10 of their 13 losses were by 10 or less points. A bounce of the ball either way could have resulted in a 14 point swing. However, there were reasons they were in those positions. Their offensive line was terrible last year, which lead to Jon Kitna being sacked more than any other quarterback, and their rushing attack being the worst in the league. When the games are close at the end, it's impossible to maintain a lead with no rushing attack, and it's impossible to overcome a deficit when you can't get a pass off. In spite of the line, many positive things happened. Kitna became only the second Lions quarterback to eclipse 4000 passing yards, and Roy Williams led the NFC in receiving, which earned him a spot in his first Pro Bowl. Williams accomplished this even though he was constantly double teamed, opening the door for Mike Furrey to have a breakout season.

So, how did the Lions go about fixing these problems? They obtained George Foster, a starting tackle for the Broncos, who consistently have the best line every year. They also upgraded at Guard when they brought in former All-Pro Edwin Mulitalo who was injury plagued last season, but appears to be good to go now. With Kevin Jones' injury status in question, they brought in Tatum Bell, an extremely fast slashing style running back, and T.J. Duckett, a "3 yards in a cloud of dust" style guy, who will definitely help their struggling red-zone offense. I have every confidence that with Mike Martz at offensive coordinator, their offense will be one of the tops in the league.

However, the big question is whether or not the defense will step up. They didn't have a very good defense to begin with, they lost their best defensive player, cornerback Dre' Bly, and their top lineman Shaun Rogers is dealing with some off the field issues. They picked up a hopeful replacement for Bly in Travis Fisher from the Rams, and helped out the line with the acquisition of Dewayne White. However, questions still remain at linebacker, with Boss Bailey and Teddy Lehman both having injury plagued careers so far, despite being amazing athletes. Ernie Sims has been solid in his one year of experience, and they drafted a few standouts in the mid and late rounds, but only time will tell if the defense will be up to the challenge.

All in all, many people have told me that I look at the Lions through a lens of blind optimism, but I've done it every year but one since I was very young, and there's no reason not to. However, if everything comes together, the Lions stay healthy, and they get a few bounces of the ball their way, I don't see any reason why Jon Kitna and Mike Furrey's predictions of 10-12 wins can't happen.