I was out running this morning doing a "long run" for marathon training (today: 15 miles, and lots of ice and Advil) and was totally dragging, just gutting it out. Then on my headphones Bob Dibiasio mentions on WTAM that Sizemore has been inked to a long-term deal. Sweet! And then I was able to cruise through last few miles... at least that's the way it felt. To a bystander I'm a slower, more toroisesque adjective may have seemed appropriate.
Anyway, what's really suprising is the mammoth contract size for Grady Sizemore. When I read the Indians were trying to work out a deal and it was taking a while I didn't expect it was because it would be for six years (five would have been expected) with a club option for a seventh. That's crazy good for all parties involved. I'm a huge Sizemore fan and consider myself sort of an early adopter in this respect and it's flat out awesome that he'll be here through the 2011 season. Does this deal entail some risk? Definitely. But, c'mon, if you are going to stake out some ground on one young player in the major leagues you'd be hard pressed to find a more worthy one (except maybe another Indian -- Peralta). This is great news only days away from the opener. As cool as the Browns offseason has been, the Indians have been impressive too. Maybe they didn't exactly replace a guy like Millwood, but they've wrapped up most of their core players and pretty much have gotten themselves ahead of where they were in the Alomar days. And the prospects for then next few years are great. Will 2006 live up to the 93 wins of '05? Not a sure thing, but we'll see. But '07 and beyond are looking pretty sweet.
This article doesn't really say much, but, after living through Butch and Palmer, man am I glad we have some good guys at the top of the Browns org chart.
Expanding the playoffs: dumb. There's already plenty of examples of not-very-good teams making it in as a wildcard (see the Browns a few years ago). Obviously this is being considered for additional tv revenues (gotta pay for that CBA!), but Im not sure how watchable this would be. I guess they could add sort of a play-in week of games where all these wild-card teams face off. That's about the only way I can see it being entertaining. Oh yeah -- 1/3 of the NFL makes the playoffs each year. That's what's cool about being a "playoff team."
What is up with Peter King discussing his colonoscopy preparation and Vince Young's workout in the same sentence? My god man! King is already more entertainment and gossip than actual football reporting, but when the entertainment factor drops this low... it's really time for some new blood over at SI.
I really don't get why the Pats let their kicker walk. Not with all that cap space. Viniteri doesn't have a great leg, so in that sense he's a bit of a weakness, but he makes the big kick and is a veritable hero in New England. Oh well. And I guess that is the Belichek way -- every player, no matter how popular, has flaws, and no flawed player can not be replaced with a cheaper facsimile.
Brett Favre is not coming back anymore than Kurt Warner circa 2002 is coming back. Of course, Kurt Warner also plays on a better team at present.
It wouldn't be suprising if they pick a WR at any point after the first round. Braylong Edwards will be a question mark in 2006. And you can't count on Northcutt and Jurivecious being long-term fixtures on this team. The Browns will need another young weapon.
The NFL in Los Angeles. Nobody cares in the rest of the country and you'd be hard pressed to convince anyone that people in LA care either. Maybe this is part of the NFL's conspiracy to force more people to buy the Sunday Ticket -- after years of always seeing the best games of the week, suddenly LA would be saddled with crappy expansion/Saints football.
Seven teams are taking a look at Joey Harrington. I remember reading questions from from Lions fans in the Watercooler asking, "How much would the Browns give up for Harrington" and all I could do was laugh. Really, I'll be very suprised if the Lions get more than a 5th or 6th rounder for Harrington's services. While it's in Harrington's best interest to get traded soon instead of signing on late as a free agent, we may see Harrington's career take another Couch-like turn. Though Harrington is at least healthy, apparently. I am Harrington I go to Cincinnati to play for peanuts and try to rescue my career as a starter. Afterall, if you've already made ten of millions of bucks as a quarterback, do you really want to spend the next 7 years bouncing around the NFL holding clipboards? Interestingly, the Dolphins are one of the teams meeting with Harrington. Why does it seem like the Dolphins are interested in every player out there? You think Saban is just doing that to make clear that he is definitely interested in a QB so that other teams will fear him taking Vince Young in the draft? This all looks very similar to 2005 with Braylon Edwards. Of course, in this case the Dolphins should take Vince Young if they have the opportunity. In which case the Dolphins shouldn't be broadcasting their interest in a QB. It's all so complicated.
NCAA Tourney. 1) GMU making the Final Four is awesome. 2) What is up with the coaching? How many times did team take a time-out to diagram a last second play and then proceed to dribble and heave a three pointer? That is not a play, folks. That is what you do when a play breaks down.