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  • Seb 11:53 pm on July 11, 2011 Permalink
    Tags: Anthony Calvillo   

    Anthony Calvillo

    Anthony Calvillo, QB of the Montreal Alouettes

    Departing from this eventful NFL off-season for once, let’s share a bit of CFL-related news here. Hey, we’re the “Pro Football” Bros after all… :)

    Last Saturday, Montreal’s fabulous QB Anthony Calvillo tied the CFL all-time touchdown record. That record was originally held alone by now-retired Damon Allen with 394 scores.

    While CFL rules and field dimensions certainly favor pass production and TDs, to fully appreciate the accomplishment it is worth noting only Marino and Favre in the NFL have thrown for more, and only 5 QBs in NFL history have passed for 300 or more TDs in their careers (Elway, Tarkenton, Manning, Marino and Favre). Considering that Calvillo is coming off two consecutive championship seasons (Go Als!!!), there is nothing preventing him from breaking this record and more.

    Montreal Gazette’s article: http://j.mp/napL4q

     

    • Guillaume 6:12 am on July 12, 2011 Permalink

      ok that’s it, i’m turned on with the CFL.
      let me know next time the Saskatchewan Roughriders play host to my beloved Ottawa franchise.
      I know the Als are the reigning champs but I’m still praying for a Grey Cup upset this year.

  • Guillaume 4:22 am on July 8, 2011 Permalink
    Tags: Kerry Collins   

    Kerry Collins

    Tennessee Titans quarterback Kerry Collins (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

    Titans QB Kerry Collins retires from the NFL after 16 seasons. What’s his legacy going to be Seb?

    I, for one, think he has had a very good career. In terms of productions, he is top 15-30 in every major passing categories, thanks to his longevity. Also took the Giants to the Super Bowl in 2000 (loss to the Ravens) and was able to overcome all kinds of personnal & professional issues early in his career to eventually become a respected leader and a productive player that would go on to play for 16 long seasons. That is quite an accomplishment. In my mind, Collins ranks with the likes of Vinnie Testaverde and Steve DeBerg: good quarterbacks who ended up having long and productive careers and who got better and better as the years went on.

     

    • Seb 1:25 am on July 11, 2011 Permalink

      Reacting on your last sentence above: would you say the Panthers gave up on him too soon?

      After a superb college career, including an undefeated season where he led Penn State to win the Rose Bowl, he was Carolina’s 1st pick ever and the 5th overall selection in the 1995 NFL Draft. He was chosen to build the team around. He showed signs of improvements in his first two seasons and helped lift the Panthers to the NFC Championship game! But after a poor 3rd year (21 interceptions vs. only 11 TDs, along with 27 sacks and a 4.6 yds/play average), and despite improving his game in 1998, the Panthers started off with an 0-4 record before he essentially asked himself out of the team. The Panthers immediately put him on waivers. We later learned he had been having personal issues with alcohol for some time already.

      He went on to play as a back-up QB for the Saints, then Giants, then took the starting role and led them to the Super Bowl in 2000, which they eventually lost. His production in New York was above average, he passed for at least 3,600 yards on 3 out of 5 years, reaching the 4,000 mark (and 6.4 yds/play average) in 2002. Two years later, the Giants released him to make room for rookie Eli Manning and first-class veteran Kurt Warner. His stint at Oakland was unremarkable, but he rebounded well in Nashville, leading the Titans to a 13-3 regular season record and the Playoffs in 2008.

      I agree with you bro, when all is said and done, Kerry Collins had a very good career. While he did not have many great seasons, his accomplishments, longevity in the league and repeated success leading three distinct teams to the Playoffs prove he was more than just “good”. Hence the question: did the Panthers rushed their decision to waive him in 1998?

    • Guillaume 6:34 am on July 12, 2011 Permalink

      http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/15310922/collins-ability-at-life-may-surpass-very-good-career

      nice article about Collins’ retirement from CBS Sportsline’s respected editor (and HOF voter) Len Pasquarelli.
      Says Collins rank at the top or near the top of the ‘Hall of Very Good”.
      I would agree with this assessment.

  • Seb 12:51 am on July 7, 2011 Permalink
    Tags: Alex Smith, , , ,   

    So in a 7-hour time span yesterday, someone sent me 4 football-related articles but simply forgot to post them here. Judging from the links, any idea who that could be? :)

    Need a clue? Only one team, the 49ers, is mentioned in all four…

     

    • Seb 1:33 am on July 7, 2011 Permalink

      OK now let me comment a bit:

      • Lockout ensured Smith-49ers union: hopefully “Alex camps” are more educational than this video interview, but what else can you expect during a lock-out? In all fairness to Smith, I think he is doing as much as anyone could expect from him at this point in the off-season, this guy is a hard-worker and deserves to win;
      • All-time best franchise players: it was fun to go through some of these teams and realize how difficult the decision can be. On the contrary, some other teams really don’t have much to sell. As for my own votes, sorry bro, my best 49er of all times still had to be Montana with a very slight edge over Young and Rice. Obviously my all-time Bear is the Great Walter Payton. Other notable selections included Staubach over Aikman and Smith, Manning over Unitas, Starr over Favre. Still can’t figure who to chose in Cleveland between Jim Brown and Otto Graham…
      • Michael Vick can be better than Steve Young: ha!! Good laugh. Advice to Mornhinweg: keep these motivational pieces for Vick himself, everyone else knows it ain’t happening. Ever;
      • H.O.F. stats? Sure, but Owens no lock: probably no Hall of Famer today has been fired or let go by as many teams as Owens, aside from George Blanda maybe… And yet Owens’ name keep coming up in Hall of Fame talks. The thing is, his football production is undeniable. With time, actions resonate louder than words: Owens IS a lock, just not a first-ballot lock…

    • Guillaume 7:14 am on July 7, 2011 Permalink

      OK Seb, I agree with you on all accounts up there.
      I would rank Jim Brown over Otto Graham because Brown IS the Browns and that will never change. Graham comes in a close second though.

      I won’t argue with your selection of Montana over Young & Rice of course. All three of them are 1st ballot HOFers so it’s fine by me.

      Michael Vick: well, you might be surprise with what i’m about to say but I think he has the tools to be one of the greatests. It obviously takes a lot of effort, over a long period of time, to achieve “all time great” status but technically speaking, Michael Vick is one of a kind. I’m anxious to see how he’ll fare this year, being the unquestionned starting QB of the Eagles.
      Injury risks are a major factor for him, but if he stays healthy, and continues to play in the West Coast offense scheme he has in Philly and plays as good as he did last year for several years…who knows where it might take him and the Eagles…

      and for T.O : he’s a definite Hall of Fame player. may not go on the 1st ballot (that would be a shame but I agree will probably not be the case), but he will get in someday. The most dominant WR I saw of the past 15 years. I rank him a notch higher than Randy Moss in my all time WR ranking.

  • Guillaume 6:45 am on July 6, 2011 Permalink
    Tags: NFL Lockout   

    This has to be the longest and most boring NFL offseason I ever experienced in my 24 years as a fan of American Football. Damn lockout, go to hell.

     

  • Guillaume 12:15 pm on July 4, 2011 Permalink
    Tags: , Patrick Tillman   

    Patrick Tillman

    Patrick Tillman of the Arizona Cardinals

    Absolutely tired of hearing people lobby for Pat Tillman to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I appreciate i’m not going to make myself lots of friends here today but I simply can’t quite get why Americans always seem to mix things up whenever ‘US troops’ are involed in any debate, conversation, you name it. Pat Tillman was a marginally good football player who decided to prematurely end his professionnal football career to go in the Army and serve his country after the notorious events of 9/11. This is an act of bravoure, and he got the US Army medals and honours to recognize his military heroism during the war. This is where it should end. But apparently, people think he is also deserving for the Hall of Fame, the ‘Pro Football Hall of Fame” that is. I’m asking, why is that? I think if we go on inducting Pat Tillman for his ‘off the field heroics”, then we ought to immediately remove the likes of OJ Simpson and Lawrence Taylor for their ‘off the field crimes”. HOF voters are told to solely focus over the ‘on the field’ actions of the former players and I would agree that this is how things should be done in Canton, most people do agree as well. Why then in the case of Tillman do people want to make an exception and induct a player who had very moderate success on a team (the Cardinals), the laughingstock of the league at that time. It just doesn’t make any sense at all to mix things up, for the sake of patriotism only. I think we should leave Tillman’s story to what it is: a professoinal athlete who decided to leave the sport, join the forces and serve his country abroad. Already an amazing story in itself.

     

    • Seb 1:54 am on July 5, 2011 Permalink

      The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s mission statement is “to honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions to professional football”. Most of them naturally come on the field, from players themselves. But not always. The 2011 Hall of Fame class includes Ed Sabol, founder of NFL Films, whose impact on the development and reach of NFL football is undisputed. So clearly, off-field contribution – to professional football – does matter.

      What about non-football-related contributions? As it stands today, there is no room for such praise in the Hall of Fame. Except… if they promote the positive values of the sport, as the mission statement also indicates. And while I agree Patrick Tillman’s football production does not belong in Canton, his sacrificing his NFL career (and ultimately his life) to serve his country echoes one of the fundamental values in football: putting the collective interest ahead of one’s own.

      Is that to say he deserves a bronze bust? I don’t think so, but his story, along with several others (see Joe Delaney’s here: http://bit.ly/lSWsDa), could still find a valuable place in the Hall and inspire generations to come without taking anything away from the exceptional athletes enshrined.

    • Guillaume 6:50 am on July 6, 2011 Permalink

      i think your first sentence, the HOF’s mission statement: “to honour individuals who have made outstanding contributions to PROFESSIONNAL FOOTBALL” sums it up: Sabol made an outstanding contribution to Pro Football with NFL Films. I date anyone to say he didn’t. As for today’s topic, Pat Tillman, he never ‘outstandingly’ contributed to Pro Football either on or off the field. Hopefully this should settle the issue we have here. Patt Tillman in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a BIG NO.

    • Seb 11:59 pm on July 6, 2011 Permalink

      “Date anyone”? No you won’t… ;)

    • Guillaume 4:48 am on July 7, 2011 Permalink

      HA!

    • Bennie 8:33 am on December 14, 2011 Permalink

      As I sit here and read this blog I cant help but ponder how an individual doesnt think Pat Tillman is a Hall of Famer. As well, I cant seem to figure out how another human being doesnt see his contributions to the game. Then, I found some clarity in the matter when I remembered that there are two different people in this world: Smart people and Idiots. The smart person in this matter sees Pat Tillman as a Hall of Famer, no brainer. The idiot inadvertantly allows their personal shortcomings to interfere with their better judgement. It would be pointless for the smart person to state any type of further case because the idiot will never get it no matter how strong the points are.Therefore, the smart person recognizes this and lays the issue to rest knowing that it takes the idiots of the world for the smart people to distinguish themselves.

    • Guillaume 10:57 am on December 14, 2011 Permalink

      we love you Bennie. We love you because you are so smart and it helps idiots like me get better :-). Oh, and by the way, you forgot to end your rant with: “God Bless America” ! “Oooooh, sayyyy can’t you see by the dawn’s early light”.

    • Guillaume 10:59 am on December 14, 2011 Permalink

      oups, and i forgot to say: almost 8 years after his death, Pat is still NOT in the Hall of Fame as a matter of fact. I guess there are A LOT of idiots sitting amongst the Pro Football Hall of Fame board. These 40 idiots sitting at the discussion table, and me. 41 vs. one smart guy = YOU ARE OVERWHELMED BENNY! goodbye, and please shut the door after you leave.

  • Seb 12:10 am on July 4, 2011 Permalink
    Tags: Top 100   

    NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2011 came to an end tonight. So who is #1? Check the full ranking here: http://j.mp/oRjcgX. Now is the time to disagree… Super Bowl MVP Rodgers at #11? Brees at #9? Ray Lewis at #4? Total mix up in my opinion, some players ranked more for their career than for their performance this past season… But player videos were well worth it!

     

    • Guillaume 11:48 am on July 4, 2011 Permalink

      Well, you knew Manning & Brady or Brady & Manning would go #1 & #2, It’s hard to argue with Ray Lewis, Darrell Devis etc. I think the ranking is pretty “fair” but i agree it’s more ‘career-based” than based on the 2010 season only. This being said, you’re talking about football players (average age 25 years old with an IQ half of yours at best) so i’m not sure they really understood the whole pupose of this ranking. Jokes aside, the top 10 players on this list are all perennial Pro-Bowlers and most (if not all of them) have had good-to-great seasons last year, so hard to argue with the selection. I think it’s actually more interesting to debate over who’s been left out of the top 100…

  • Seb 2:00 pm on September 9, 2010 Permalink
    Tags: NFL Kickoff   

    OMG it’s NFL Kickoff 2010 tonight! We have both been waiting exactly 214 days since Drew Brees and the Saints defeated Peyton Manning and the Colts 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV. Tonight is the night: the NFL is back and another piece of NFL history is just about to unfold before our eyes… :)

     

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