Ellerbusch.Net

Once again, the NFL never ceases to amaze…

So now that Mike Vick is out of prison, everyone seems to be chiming in on how long it will be until he starts playing football again.  I’ll tell you right now that I will lose all respect for the NFL & Roger Goodell if he ever wears a uniform other than orange again.  All these people are saying ‘he did the time, let him get on with his life’ can really just navigate away from this page before continuing on because you’re really not going to like anything else you read.  You can also get your blood pressure lifted by reading the brilliant commentary of CNN contributors.  I particularly love this part of Roland S. Martin’s article:

He deserves to make amends and get on with his life. If you were in his shoes, you would want to do the same.

Newsflash Roland, noone is saying that he should be put to death.  Amazingly he is going to have a better future than the dogs he electrocuted and buried alive on his property.  If I were in his shoes I sure as hell wouldn’t think I’d be getting paid to play football again.  

Let’s put it more in perspective Roland.  You are writing your ‘column’ when a co-worker walks in and you turn and shoot them in the face.  You don’t kill them so it’s not murder, but you disfigure them for life.  Do you think you’d be contributing to CNN again?  Once again athletes get a pass…

This guy Vick is a monster, and to allow him to even be a spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States!?!?  Do you really think his public service announcements are going to change the opinions of these people who get off on seeing dogs kill one another?  This guy might have served his time, but I doubt he’s sorry for anything that he did while contributing to the dogfighting ring in Virginia.  I bet he’s sorry that he got caught, but that’s about it.  That’s pretty much the only thing these people are sorry for once they get out of prision, is that they got caught.

Allowing this guy to play pro football again would just be a travesty to all fans of the game everywhere.  These people wearing ‘save Mike Vick’ jerseys need to really back up and realize what they’re promoting.  Then again I can relax and realize that there is a place for people like Vick in the afterlife.

/rant off

So, I haven’t gotten Direct TV yet to get the NFL Package, don’t know if I honestly every will.  So watching NFL Football at home can be honestly nerve racking when all you get to see is 4 games on Sunday.  Well, if you’re like me you might wonder what NFL games you’re going to be able to watch in your area.

Wonder no more!

It takes a minute to get the hang of the mapping, but just read carefully and you’ll be ok.

Despite holding 2007 Rookie of the Year Adrian Peterson to 32 yards on 21 carries, The New Orleans Saints lost a tough one to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.  If you would have told me we keep AP in check, and force 62 year old Gus Ferotte to pass the ball (19/36 222 yds 1 TD) I would have garunteed victory.  But what I was not aware of was poor officiating and playcalling to plague the Saints in the Dome in front of a nationwide audience.  A lame duck kicker did not help either…

Let’s take the blown calls for example.  A few come to mind, like missing the fact a guy nearly tore Reggie Bush’s facemask off during the fumble.  How in the world did they miss this obvious call?  It’s really getting annoying this year with the amount of blown calls around the league, and it seems there are more in recent memory, and bigger and more effective on the outcome of the game.  I saw a bunch of other ticky-tack penalties, missed and called inappropriately throughout the game.

The playcalling on the field at times was good, but when it mattered most with 2:10 on the clock in the fourth quarter, Sean Payton and his staff pulled another one.  And by one I mean the attempt to pass while driving to kick a field goal and leaving time on the clock.  You run the ball coach… seriously… run it!

All in all it was an exciting game, but a heart wrenching loss.  Hopefully we can bounce back against the Raiders.

The New Orleans Saints dropped another game today, Martin Gramatica’s kick was far right as time slipped off the clock in the fourth quarter. It was his second missed field goal of the day, but the ewok sized kicker was not the storyline of this loss. The horrible play calling of Sean Payton and his staff was highly instrumental in causing the Saints to fall to 1-2 for the year.

Here’s a few key points that I got from watching this game:

1. We still have Jason David?
2. If you’re going to make Deuce dress, why not put him in?
3. I mean seriously did we have to see that four down try on the goaline (See #2)
4. Reggie Bush had a good game, but all we want to know is where is Kim?

I’m having this gut feeling that I’m going to spend Sunday’s doing something else instead of watching the Saints, and I do not like it. Wake up Sean!

awwwww…

NFL Players Association – Union Head – Gene Upshaw passed away this morning of pancreatic cancer at the age of 63.

From FoxSports:

Upshaw died Wednesday night at his home in Lake Tahoe, Calif., of pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed only last Sunday, the NFL Players Association said Thursday. His wife Terri and sons Eugene Jr., Justin and Daniel were by his side.

This man did a lot for the NFL Players Association, and it is going to be an interesting few months from here out as they try to make ends meet without Gene.  A lot of people forget the expansive NFL career as a lineman that Gene had, if you get a chance you should check out his list of accomplishments.

The New Orleans Saints defeated the Arizona Cardinals 24-10 in a pre-season contest last night.  I know it’s just pre-season football, but I liked what I saw from the Saints last night.  Especially what happened when we got the ball to Robert Meachem as he caught four passes for 129 yards, one of which was a spectacular 60 yard touchdown reception.  I immediately thought of Steve Young after winning his first superbowl when he was asking his teammates to ‘get the monkey off his back’ (talking about Joe Montana’s shadow).  It’s nice to know that this kid can perform to the extent he did last night, as our wide recieving crew now looks to be one of the best in the NFL in my opinion.  You have talent up and down the line, size, speed and Coach Payton and his staff have their work cut out for them when it comes to deciding who is going to suit up on gameday.

Quarterback Drew Brees sported a new goatee but an old swagger as he drove the Saints down the field on the first drive for a quick six.  I love this guy (not in the way my wife does) in a Saints uniform.  It’s just the way you can have the feeling that he can get it done, unlike Saints quarterbacks of the past.  He’s the guy you want in there when the game is on the line and you need to make a play.

Reggie Bush once again did not knock my socks off, I still think he has true NFL potential that he has not yet discovered.  Deuce McCallister, Jeremy Shockey, or Marques Colston were all sidelined with injuries for this first pre-season game.  I’m really hoping that Deuce can return as the runner he once was, but that will be a monumental recovery and a stretch for this running back as he continues to get fluid on his surgically altered knee.�

It has gotten to a point now where you cannot turn on a radio and not hear something about Brett Favre returning to Green Bay.  I have stopped listening to Sirius NFL Radio in the mornings and taken up listening to Bubba the Love Sponge again since each ignorant caller decides to bring up something else about Favre, or what if Favre did this, or what if the Packers did that.  The guy should have stayed retired, and it’s really selfish what he is doing now.  It is a team game, and he is making it all about himself taking everyone in Green Bay down with him, especially Aaron Rogers. 

What cracks me up is all of these cheesehead fans who cheer his return after leading them down a road of deception for the past few months.  Best part is they will be the same ones who are booing him when he returns on opening day of the NFL regular season in purple and gold tossing touchdowns to Bernard Berrian.  OoooO… Fantasy Sleeper!

Please Brett make up your mind!

The New York Giants have agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Saints to send 28 year old Tight End Jeremy Shockey to the crescent city.  Shockey was disgruntled with his role in New York during last season, and did not participate in their Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.  The Saints have given up a second and fifth round pick in the 2009 NFL draft to make Jeremy a member of the NFC south Saints.

I am personally questionable about the role that Jeremy will have here in New Olreans.  As long as his attitude can be subdued by Coach Payton and his staff, I really think it will be a tremendous upside to his being on the team.  He is a great Tight End, and will be a good fit in the arsenal of the Saint offense.  Then again I’ve said it all before.