Mike Triplett and Gene Chamberlain, For Sporting News
First impressions from around the NFL after the news broke that Vikings QB Brett Favre reportedly will retire rather than return for a 20th NFL season:
"I don’t believe anything until it’s official."
— Saints QB Drew Brees
Nick Barnett says he’s prepared to either play Brett Favre hard or congratulate him.
"It’s like believing in Santa Claus. You get gifts, but you ain’t seen Santa Claus. We’ll see what happens … If he does retire, congratulations. It’s a well-deserved retirement. But if he does come back, we’ll be gunning for him the same way."
— Packers ILB Nick Barnett
"Are you serious? I don’t care. He hasn’t been here for two years."
— Jets C Nick Mangold
"I hope he doesn’t come back. I mean, he had a great career. But he’s our opponent now, and it’ll benefit us if he doesn’t come back. But if he does I wish him all the luck."
— Bears RB Chester Taylor
"There’s a lot of time between now and Sept. 9. … Has there ever been a final chapter (with Favre)? We haven’t seen a final chapter yet in that book. It’s still ongoing. Even in the middle of the season, it could still be an ongoing thing."
— Saints S Darren Sharper on the Saints-Vikings season opener
"If it is (true), then we were lucky enough to watch an unbelievable talent and great guy. But it’s better to go the year before than a year too late."
— Cowboys QB Tony Romo
"They have a great running game. Their receivers stepped up last year, especially Sidney Rice. You look at their defense: They still have all the parts. They still may be looked at as the favorites in the conference without Brett Favre. I don’t think it drops them down the rung too much."
— Bears TE Desmond Clark
"I haven’t seen the film where he’s said it … and we’ve also seen the film where he’s said it and he came back. So hey, let’s see. If he’s not there Thursday night (Sept. 9), that’s when I’ll believe it."
— Saints DE Alex Brown
"I’m just worried about our team right now. Obviously, if he’s playing, his presence on the field, you have to account for. If he’s not, you have to prepare for who’s playing in his place."
— Saints coach Sean Payton
"As a defense, we got after them and they got after us. It was a great game, and the main thing was we came out with a win and went to the Super Bowl. You take pride in tough divisional games like that, to reach your goal."
— Saints DE Bobby McCray said of the NFC championship game vs. the Vikings
"If this is it, and he does hang it up, it will definitely be a loss to the NFL. We’ll be losing a really, really great player and a legend to this sport."
— Saints DE Alex Brown
"I won’t believe it until I see Tarvaris Jackson starting against us. If he’s starting, we’ll go from there. Either way, we’ve still got a job to do."
— Bears OLB Lance Briggs
"He’s definitely a guy that is walking away from the game that is going to be missed. He’s established that he’s a future Hall of Famer. He’s one of the big names from the league that’s going to be missed."
— Falcons OLB Mike Peterson
"I just caught wind of it. That’s a Minnesota Vikings situation that they’ve got to address. I’m excited about our special teams practice today."
— Falcons coach Mike Smith
"You never know that’s going to happen. Who knows if that’s legit or what. Until you actually go through a season, you never know that’s going to happen."
— Packers RT Mark Tauscher
"I will not believe anything about him retiring until I see on that first day that he’s not playing. Brett’s a great competitor and it’s always hard for him to give it up. He always weighs his decisions back and forth, but he has always come back. Until I see him not out there, then that’s when I’ll believe that. … We’ve got a tough road ahead of us regardless of whether he’s with Minnesota or not. They’re a great team."
— Packers DE Cullen Jenkins
"Do I believe it? I don’t even know if I care enough to believe it or not, to be honest. It’s his career; he’s got to do what he’s got to do. But it doesn’t change anything for us. We’re going to have the same goal whether it’s Tarvaris (Jackson), Jeffrey Dahmer or Norman Bates quarterbacking."
— Packers ILB Nick Barnett
"I can’t think about another team and what they’re doing at camp and things of that nature. I know Brett on a personal level, so I’m happy for him, but we’re worried about us getting better out there. Minnesota’s going to be a good ballclub."
— Cowboys QB Tony Romo
"I’m sure he’s probably thought about that and is tired of playing that game, but I’m still going to hold off on making judgment until the end of camp or the end of the season. He might have that itch again."
— Cowboys TE Jason Witten
"It’s like Groundhog Day for him. They’ve still got what, a month left in training camp? Give him about a week and a half. He’ll change his mind."
— Cowboys WR Patrick Crayton
Sporting News correspondents Mike Triplett, J.P. Pelzman, Gene Chamberlain, D. Orlando Ledbetter, Tom Silverstein, Jean-Jacques Taylor plus The Associated Press contributed.
Mike Triplett and Gene Chamberlain, For Sporting News
First impressions from around the NFL after the news broke that Vikings QB Brett Favre reportedly will retire rather than return for a 20th NFL season:
"I don’t believe anything until it’s official."
— Saints QB Drew Brees
Nick Barnett says he’s prepared to either play Brett Favre hard or congratulate him.
"It’s like believing in Santa Claus. You get gifts, but you ain’t seen Santa Claus. We’ll see what happens … If he does retire, congratulations. It’s a well-deserved retirement. But if he does come back, we’ll be gunning for him the same way."
— Packers ILB Nick Barnett
"Are you serious? I don’t care. He hasn’t been here for two years."
— Jets C Nick Mangold
"I hope he doesn’t come back. I mean, he had a great career. But he’s our opponent now, and it’ll benefit us if he doesn’t come back. But if he does I wish him all the luck."
— Bears RB Chester Taylor
"There’s a lot of time between now and Sept. 9. … Has there ever been a final chapter (with Favre)? We haven’t seen a final chapter yet in that book. It’s still ongoing. Even in the middle of the season, it could still be an ongoing thing."
— Saints S Darren Sharper on the Saints-Vikings season opener
"If it is (true), then we were lucky enough to watch an unbelievable talent and great guy. But it’s better to go the year before than a year too late."
— Cowboys QB Tony Romo
"They have a great running game. Their receivers stepped up last year, especially Sidney Rice. You look at their defense: They still have all the parts. They still may be looked at as the favorites in the conference without Brett Favre. I don’t think it drops them down the rung too much."
— Bears TE Desmond Clark
"I haven’t seen the film where he’s said it … and we’ve also seen the film where he’s said it and he came back. So hey, let’s see. If he’s not there Thursday night (Sept. 9), that’s when I’ll believe it."
— Saints DE Alex Brown
"I’m just worried about our team right now. Obviously, if he’s playing, his presence on the field, you have to account for. If he’s not, you have to prepare for who’s playing in his place."
— Saints coach Sean Payton
"As a defense, we got after them and they got after us. It was a great game, and the main thing was we came out with a win and went to the Super Bowl. You take pride in tough divisional games like that, to reach your goal."
— Saints DE Bobby McCray said of the NFC championship game vs. the Vikings
"If this is it, and he does hang it up, it will definitely be a loss to the NFL. We’ll be losing a really, really great player and a legend to this sport."
— Saints DE Alex Brown
"I won’t believe it until I see Tarvaris Jackson starting against us. If he’s starting, we’ll go from there. Either way, we’ve still got a job to do."
— Bears OLB Lance Briggs
"He’s definitely a guy that is walking away from the game that is going to be missed. He’s established that he’s a future Hall of Famer. He’s one of the big names from the league that’s going to be missed."
— Falcons OLB Mike Peterson
"I just caught wind of it. That’s a Minnesota Vikings situation that they’ve got to address. I’m excited about our special teams practice today."
— Falcons coach Mike Smith
"You never know that’s going to happen. Who knows if that’s legit or what. Until you actually go through a season, you never know that’s going to happen."
— Packers RT Mark Tauscher
"I will not believe anything about him retiring until I see on that first day that he’s not playing. Brett’s a great competitor and it’s always hard for him to give it up. He always weighs his decisions back and forth, but he has always come back. Until I see him not out there, then that’s when I’ll believe that. … We’ve got a tough road ahead of us regardless of whether he’s with Minnesota or not. They’re a great team."
— Packers DE Cullen Jenkins
"Do I believe it? I don’t even know if I care enough to believe it or not, to be honest. It’s his career; he’s got to do what he’s got to do. But it doesn’t change anything for us. We’re going to have the same goal whether it’s Tarvaris (Jackson), Jeffrey Dahmer or Norman Bates quarterbacking."
— Packers ILB Nick Barnett
"I can’t think about another team and what they’re doing at camp and things of that nature. I know Brett on a personal level, so I’m happy for him, but we’re worried about us getting better out there. Minnesota’s going to be a good ballclub."
— Cowboys QB Tony Romo
"I’m sure he’s probably thought about that and is tired of playing that game, but I’m still going to hold off on making judgment until the end of camp or the end of the season. He might have that itch again."
— Cowboys TE Jason Witten
"It’s like Groundhog Day for him. They’ve still got what, a month left in training camp? Give him about a week and a half. He’ll change his mind."
— Cowboys WR Patrick Crayton
Sporting News correspondents Mike Triplett, J.P. Pelzman, Gene Chamberlain, D. Orlando Ledbetter, Tom Silverstein, Jean-Jacques Taylor plus The Associated Press contributed.
Mark Craig, For Sporting News
MANKATO, Minn.—First impressions from Vikings training camp Tuesday after the news broke that Vikings QB Brett Favre reportedly will retire rather than return for a 20th NFL season:
"I’m not a big hearsay person. I gotta hear it from the horse’s mouth."
— Coach Brad Childress
Jared Allen says he’d love to have Brett Favre back, but camp is too hard to think about anything else.
"I love Brett and he reserves the right to do anything he wants to do. We’d obviously love to have him as a teammate. We’d love to have him back. But until it’s official … I’ll believe it when I see it. Right now, we’re just going to focus on the guys we have here–just like we did last year, just like we did the year before. Camp is too hard to think about everything else that’s going on."
— DE Jared Allen
"You never know the situation. You really can’t think about whether he’s coming or not. You just have to take care of your part in case he does or in case he doesn’t. You can do the best you can. That’s all you can do. … Brett’s a great guy. I don’t want to take anything away from him. He’s a Hall of Fame quarterback. I learned a lot from him last year. Hopefully, if I get my chance this year, I can just keep going. … I just want to keep my same focus and continue doing what I’m doing."
— QB Tarvaris Jackson
"I heard something about it. I hope it’s not the case. I didn’t hear anything from him. So now, I have no comment on it. It’s all rumors to me."
— TE Visanthe Shiancoe
"As far as we know, it’s the same thing. We haven’t heard anything. He doesn’t call me. I do know we’re here working and trying to get better."
— DT Kevin Williams
"I just found out about it two seconds ago. Coaches told us there were some rumors swirling around. Sounds like that’s all it is. I really have nothing to say other than speculation right now. Nothing really has happened. We can’t speculate on ‘What if?’ All we can concentrate on are the guys who are here. That’s all we can do."
— LB Ben Leber
"I hope to see him in a couple of weeks, but I mean the sun is going to rise tomorrow and we’re going to have football, whether Brett is here or not. We want him back, but 20 years, he deserves the right to do what he wants with it. Obviously, timing issues will be a factor, whether he’s coming or not. But right now we have Tarvaris (Jackson) and Sage (Rosenfels) working. Everybody else is working. We played football without him once before. If we have to do it again, we’ll do it again."
— DE Jared Allen
"I don’t have a reaction. I haven’t talked to Brett. I’ll try to give him a call today. I’d rather here it from the horse’s mouth than you guys (in the media). I really need to talk to him first."
— QB Sage Rosenfels
"Football is the ultimate team game. Brett played great last year. Whoever plays quarterback this year will have to play great. Quarterbacks always have to play great for a team to be successful. So whoever is in there is going to have to play great football."
— QB Sage Rosenfels
"It’s been three years now being asked Brett Favre questions. It’s kind of a part of my life now. I actually might miss it. It’s his decision. I’ll just come out here and try to get better."
— QB Tarvaris Jackson
"Hopefully (confidence) is high. I believe in my teammates. Hopefully, they believe in me. I want to come out here every day and work hard to try and get better. When the season starts and if I’m the guy I’ll be in there working hard each week, every day trying to be that guy who helps get the team going."
— QB Tarvaris Jackson
Mark Craig, For Sporting News
MANKATO, Minn.—First impressions from Vikings training camp Tuesday after the news broke that Vikings QB Brett Favre reportedly will retire rather than return for a 20th NFL season:
"I’m not a big hearsay person. I gotta hear it from the horse’s mouth."
— Coach Brad Childress
Jared Allen says he’d love to have Brett Favre back, but camp is too hard to think about anything else.
"I love Brett and he reserves the right to do anything he wants to do. We’d obviously love to have him as a teammate. We’d love to have him back. But until it’s official … I’ll believe it when I see it. Right now, we’re just going to focus on the guys we have here–just like we did last year, just like we did the year before. Camp is too hard to think about everything else that’s going on."
— DE Jared Allen
"You never know the situation. You really can’t think about whether he’s coming or not. You just have to take care of your part in case he does or in case he doesn’t. You can do the best you can. That’s all you can do. … Brett’s a great guy. I don’t want to take anything away from him. He’s a Hall of Fame quarterback. I learned a lot from him last year. Hopefully, if I get my chance this year, I can just keep going. … I just want to keep my same focus and continue doing what I’m doing."
— QB Tarvaris Jackson
"I heard something about it. I hope it’s not the case. I didn’t hear anything from him. So now, I have no comment on it. It’s all rumors to me."
— TE Visanthe Shiancoe
"As far as we know, it’s the same thing. We haven’t heard anything. He doesn’t call me. I do know we’re here working and trying to get better."
— DT Kevin Williams
"I just found out about it two seconds ago. Coaches told us there were some rumors swirling around. Sounds like that’s all it is. I really have nothing to say other than speculation right now. Nothing really has happened. We can’t speculate on ‘What if?’ All we can concentrate on are the guys who are here. That’s all we can do."
— LB Ben Leber
"I hope to see him in a couple of weeks, but I mean the sun is going to rise tomorrow and we’re going to have football, whether Brett is here or not. We want him back, but 20 years, he deserves the right to do what he wants with it. Obviously, timing issues will be a factor, whether he’s coming or not. But right now we have Tarvaris (Jackson) and Sage (Rosenfels) working. Everybody else is working. We played football without him once before. If we have to do it again, we’ll do it again."
— DE Jared Allen
"I don’t have a reaction. I haven’t talked to Brett. I’ll try to give him a call today. I’d rather here it from the horse’s mouth than you guys (in the media). I really need to talk to him first."
— QB Sage Rosenfels
"Football is the ultimate team game. Brett played great last year. Whoever plays quarterback this year will have to play great. Quarterbacks always have to play great for a team to be successful. So whoever is in there is going to have to play great football."
— QB Sage Rosenfels
"It’s been three years now being asked Brett Favre questions. It’s kind of a part of my life now. I actually might miss it. It’s his decision. I’ll just come out here and try to get better."
— QB Tarvaris Jackson
"Hopefully (confidence) is high. I believe in my teammates. Hopefully, they believe in me. I want to come out here every day and work hard to try and get better. When the season starts and if I’m the guy I’ll be in there working hard each week, every day trying to be that guy who helps get the team going."
— QB Tarvaris Jackson
Brett Favre threw a major curveball at the Vikings’ season Tuesday by reportedly deciding to retire instead of returning to the NFL for a 20th season and for a second year in Minnesota.
In 2009, Brett Favre threw for 4,202 yards, 33 touchdowns and a career-low seven interceptions.
Coach Brad Childress still calls the situation "fluid," but if Vikings officials can’t talk Favre out of retiring the team’s path to Super Bowl 45 becomes significantly tougher.
Based on their quiet offseason, the Vikings had conducted business believing Favre would return. Without him, the Vikings are left to scramble at the game’s most important position, leaving the rival Green Bay Packers the new clear favorite in the NFC North.
The Vikings without Favre
Foremost, they will miss Favre’s elite arm strength and big-play prowess.
"Favre gave them a tremendous big-play potential, while at the same time not exposing the offense to turnovers," said former NFL lineman Brian Baldinger, now an analyst for NFL Network. "That’s a very delicate balance they can’t replicate with Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels."
With Favre last year, it’s no coincidence that wide receivers Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin enjoyed breakout seasons. Although his NFC championship game loss to New Orleans was marred by an interception, Favre excelled at protecting the ball in ’09—seven interceptions, his fewest since becoming a starter.
Favre didn’t force the action too much, knowing he had reliable underneath targets such as Harvin and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe and great red-zone production, including Shiancoe’s 11-touchdown season.
Then there are the intangibles. The reason Favre was so good so quickly in Minnesota was that he still had the fire and desire to play the game, and he benefited greatly from playing in a familiar system.
Because of his comfort in the scheme, it allowed him to concentrate more on being a leader and helping to raise the game of his much younger offensive teammates. Favre’s brand of youthful exuberance rubbed off on them.
"He reminded me of a kid in the candy store," said former NFL coach Mike Ditka, now an ESPN analyst. "He was a 40-year-old teenager having fun out there, still with the talent to back it up."
The Vikings with Jackson
Jackson is a good athlete with a good arm, but the dropoff from Favre is dramatic when it comes to decision-making and durability. With Jackson under center, coach Brad Childress would have to change his approach to the ’10 season and again lean heavily on All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson.
Jackson simply isn’t equipped to handle a gun-slinging role. The team must return to pounding Peterson, also mixing in rookie running back Toby Gerhart and getting creative with Harvin as a runner.
The key will be to take as much pressure off Jackson as possible.
Jackson can be effective when everything else is clicking around him, leading the team to the playoffs in ’08. The defense also must be more aggressive and force more takeaways to create shorter fields and easier scoring opportunities for the offense.
Favre was as amazing as one player can be in a team game last year, so the other Vikings must be stronger to compensate. The ’10 Vikings have the talent to return to the playoffs without Favre.
The Packers without Favre
Remember Favre’s team of 16 years? Two years later, they would benefit most from his "real" retirement. Green Bay now has the decided advantage at quarterback and in the division.
"Aaron Rodgers is an emerging superstar, and he is surrounded by high level of talent at the skill positions," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "If they can run the ball a little and protect Rodgers, they’re as good as anybody offensively."
Packers GM Ted Thompson made the correct decision to move on without Favre in ’08, and it should pay off quite nicely this season.
Vinnie Iyer is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
Brett Favre threw a major curveball at the Vikings’ season Tuesday by reportedly deciding to retire instead of returning to the NFL for a 20th season and for a second year in Minnesota.
In 2009, Brett Favre threw for 4,202 yards, 33 touchdowns and a career-low seven interceptions.
Coach Brad Childress still calls the situation "fluid," but if Vikings officials can’t talk Favre out of retiring the team’s path to Super Bowl 45 becomes significantly tougher.
Based on their quiet offseason, the Vikings had conducted business believing Favre would return. Without him, the Vikings are left to scramble at the game’s most important position, leaving the rival Green Bay Packers the new clear favorite in the NFC North.
The Vikings without Favre
Foremost, they will miss Favre’s elite arm strength and big-play prowess.
"Favre gave them a tremendous big-play potential, while at the same time not exposing the offense to turnovers," said former NFL lineman Brian Baldinger, now an analyst for NFL Network. "That’s a very delicate balance they can’t replicate with Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels."
With Favre last year, it’s no coincidence that wide receivers Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin enjoyed breakout seasons. Although his NFC championship game loss to New Orleans was marred by an interception, Favre excelled at protecting the ball in ’09—seven interceptions, his fewest since becoming a starter.
Favre didn’t force the action too much, knowing he had reliable underneath targets such as Harvin and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe and great red-zone production, including Shiancoe’s 11-touchdown season.
Then there are the intangibles. The reason Favre was so good so quickly in Minnesota was that he still had the fire and desire to play the game, and he benefited greatly from playing in a familiar system.
Because of his comfort in the scheme, it allowed him to concentrate more on being a leader and helping to raise the game of his much younger offensive teammates. Favre’s brand of youthful exuberance rubbed off on them.
"He reminded me of a kid in the candy store," said former NFL coach Mike Ditka, now an ESPN analyst. "He was a 40-year-old teenager having fun out there, still with the talent to back it up."
The Vikings with Jackson
Jackson is a good athlete with a good arm, but the dropoff from Favre is dramatic when it comes to decision-making and durability. With Jackson under center, coach Brad Childress would have to change his approach to the ’10 season and again lean heavily on All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson.
Jackson simply isn’t equipped to handle a gun-slinging role. The team must return to pounding Peterson, also mixing in rookie running back Toby Gerhart and getting creative with Harvin as a runner.
The key will be to take as much pressure off Jackson as possible.
Jackson can be effective when everything else is clicking around him, leading the team to the playoffs in ’08. The defense also must be more aggressive and force more takeaways to create shorter fields and easier scoring opportunities for the offense.
Favre was as amazing as one player can be in a team game last year, so the other Vikings must be stronger to compensate. The ’10 Vikings have the talent to return to the playoffs without Favre.
The Packers without Favre
Remember Favre’s team of 16 years? Two years later, they would benefit most from his "real" retirement. Green Bay now has the decided advantage at quarterback and in the division.
"Aaron Rodgers is an emerging superstar, and he is surrounded by high level of talent at the skill positions," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "If they can run the ball a little and protect Rodgers, they’re as good as anybody offensively."
Packers GM Ted Thompson made the correct decision to move on without Favre in ’08, and it should pay off quite nicely this season.
Vinnie Iyer is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
The Chicago White Sox came out publicly on Monday and, as the report puts it, "backed away from their manager" with regard to his comments that Latinos aren’t given the same luxuries that Asian players (and white and black players, for that matter) are given.
The ChiSox felt Ozzie’s thoughts on the support system for Latino players are "incorrect." But that doesn’t necessarily make him wrong.
It also doesn’t make MLB or the White Sox wrong either. Let’s separate this into two parts.
Ozzie Guillen’s comments created a PR opening for MLB.
First, Guillen’s claim that the Latino players aren’t given the same help in acclimating to the game as Asian players is entirely true, but it has nothing to do with racism. It’s simple economics. The Asian players who come to play Major League Baseball have almost all been transplants from other professional leagues and have come into MLB with top-dollar price tags. In fact, because of the system in place between MLB and some Asian leagues, several players have been shipped over to America with gigantic price tags and fees, procured by secret bid, tethered to negotiation rights. This is a far cry from finding a 16-year old kid in the Dominican Republic and paying him a few thousand (or even hundred thousand) bucks to come play in the States.
The Asian players have extra help, including interpreters, because teams already have more invested in them and need them to acclimate to make the investment pay off. The minor league system, for better or worse, is constructed to weed out the players who aren’t able to make it at the highest level. In that regard, Guillen is totally right in that Latino players aren’t given the same playing field as those in the minor leagues who can speak English. It’s harder for Latin kid on his own to succeed, and near impossible for him to navigate the landscape through the minors and avoid every speed bump, including performance-enhancing drugs. So, in a way, Ozzie is right, even if the motivation behind it — or at least the juxtaposition of his point with that of Asian players — isn’t entirely fair.
Now, the second part is less about what he said and more about the process through which this situation was handled. A say-anything-he-wants coach had his annual soapbox that spread across the entire country through both tradition media outlets and social media. Everyone was, is and will be talking about Ozzie’s comments. That’s a win for him, because whether or not you agree with his assertion, he planted the seed and the debate and discourse – including the paragraphs above — are suddenly omnipresent in the industry.
The ChiSox then came out and told their own manager — and fellow member of Major League Baseball — that he’s wrong:
"Ozzie may not have been fully aware of all of the industry-wide efforts made by Major League Baseball and its clubs to help our players succeed in the transition to professional baseball, no matter the level of play or their country of origin."
It’s brilliant PR, even if the team or the league will never admit it. A very hot-button topic was brought up in a genuine setting by someone who has a close, personal investment in the situation. That person put out specific challenges to both his direct employer and the league in which they participate. That, in a way, gave the team — and league — ample opportunity to defend their own progress using this exact situation as their counterpoint example.
In other words, Guillen’s claim actually opened the door for both the White Sox and Major League Baseball to laud their own programs in a completely organic way. This isn’t a press release to pat themselves on the back. This explanation from MLB …
"Major League Baseball and the White Sox provide a number of programs to help our foreign players with acculturation, including English language classes and Spanish language presentations related to the risks of and testing for performance-enhancing drugs. The team also has Spanish-speaking staff assigned to serve as liaisons for our Latin American players."
… helps to naturally spread the word of their involvement with the Latin community in both this country and overseas. It may not have been Guillen’s intent to set them up for this PR spike. It may not have been the team’s goal to use Guillen’s comments as a catalyst for discussion, either. But it worked.
It’s the beginning of August and baseball is, for the next few weeks until football really starts going, the biggest game in town. This is the perfect time of year to discuss topics like this, and not just about the growth of the game in other countries and how that ties into the game here, but more about the programs – like the new drug testing – that are in place in the minors. It would look so disingenuous for MLB, or any league, to publicly pat themselves on the back about their advancements in cultural equality, unless they were challenged on it. And who better to make that challenge, from a PR standpoint, than one of your own out-spoken members?
We are talking about this now, which is important. But in most cases it hasn’t devolved into soapboxing that so many racial issues in sports have a tendency to become. Guillen can be unpredictable at times, but this situation – so far – is actually a PR win for everyone. Even if it may not have been intended that way.
You can read/listen to more from Dan Levy at OntheDLpodcast.com and follow him on Twitter @onthedlpodcast
The Chicago White Sox came out publicly on Monday and, as the report puts it, "backed away from their manager" with regard to his comments that Latinos aren’t given the same luxuries that Asian players (and white and black players, for that matter) are given.
The ChiSox felt Ozzie’s thoughts on the support system for Latino players are "incorrect." But that doesn’t necessarily make him wrong.
It also doesn’t make MLB or the White Sox wrong either. Let’s separate this into two parts.
Ozzie Guillen’s comments created a PR opening for MLB.
First, Guillen’s claim that the Latino players aren’t given the same help in acclimating to the game as Asian players is entirely true, but it has nothing to do with racism. It’s simple economics. The Asian players who come to play Major League Baseball have almost all been transplants from other professional leagues and have come into MLB with top-dollar price tags. In fact, because of the system in place between MLB and some Asian leagues, several players have been shipped over to America with gigantic price tags and fees, procured by secret bid, tethered to negotiation rights. This is a far cry from finding a 16-year old kid in the Dominican Republic and paying him a few thousand (or even hundred thousand) bucks to come play in the States.
The Asian players have extra help, including interpreters, because teams already have more invested in them and need them to acclimate to make the investment pay off. The minor league system, for better or worse, is constructed to weed out the players who aren’t able to make it at the highest level. In that regard, Guillen is totally right in that Latino players aren’t given the same playing field as those in the minor leagues who can speak English. It’s harder for Latin kid on his own to succeed, and near impossible for him to navigate the landscape through the minors and avoid every speed bump, including performance-enhancing drugs. So, in a way, Ozzie is right, even if the motivation behind it — or at least the juxtaposition of his point with that of Asian players — isn’t entirely fair.
Now, the second part is less about what he said and more about the process through which this situation was handled. A say-anything-he-wants coach had his annual soapbox that spread across the entire country through both tradition media outlets and social media. Everyone was, is and will be talking about Ozzie’s comments. That’s a win for him, because whether or not you agree with his assertion, he planted the seed and the debate and discourse – including the paragraphs above — are suddenly omnipresent in the industry.
The ChiSox then came out and told their own manager — and fellow member of Major League Baseball — that he’s wrong:
"Ozzie may not have been fully aware of all of the industry-wide efforts made by Major League Baseball and its clubs to help our players succeed in the transition to professional baseball, no matter the level of play or their country of origin."
It’s brilliant PR, even if the team or the league will never admit it. A very hot-button topic was brought up in a genuine setting by someone who has a close, personal investment in the situation. That person put out specific challenges to both his direct employer and the league in which they participate. That, in a way, gave the team — and league — ample opportunity to defend their own progress using this exact situation as their counterpoint example.
In other words, Guillen’s claim actually opened the door for both the White Sox and Major League Baseball to laud their own programs in a completely organic way. This isn’t a press release to pat themselves on the back. This explanation from MLB …
"Major League Baseball and the White Sox provide a number of programs to help our foreign players with acculturation, including English language classes and Spanish language presentations related to the risks of and testing for performance-enhancing drugs. The team also has Spanish-speaking staff assigned to serve as liaisons for our Latin American players."
… helps to naturally spread the word of their involvement with the Latin community in both this country and overseas. It may not have been Guillen’s intent to set them up for this PR spike. It may not have been the team’s goal to use Guillen’s comments as a catalyst for discussion, either. But it worked.
It’s the beginning of August and baseball is, for the next few weeks until football really starts going, the biggest game in town. This is the perfect time of year to discuss topics like this, and not just about the growth of the game in other countries and how that ties into the game here, but more about the programs – like the new drug testing – that are in place in the minors. It would look so disingenuous for MLB, or any league, to publicly pat themselves on the back about their advancements in cultural equality, unless they were challenged on it. And who better to make that challenge, from a PR standpoint, than one of your own out-spoken members?
We are talking about this now, which is important. But in most cases it hasn’t devolved into soapboxing that so many racial issues in sports have a tendency to become. Guillen can be unpredictable at times, but this situation – so far – is actually a PR win for everyone. Even if it may not have been intended that way.
You can read/listen to more from Dan Levy at OntheDLpodcast.com and follow him on Twitter @onthedlpodcast
Sporting News staff reports
BOSTON — Cleveland Indians catcher Carlos Santana was carted off the field on a stretcher with his left leg in an air cast after blocking home plate for an out in the seventh inning of Monday night’s game with the Boston Red Sox.
Pinch hitter Daniel Nava singled to right and Shin-Soo Choo fired a strike to the plate. Santana made the catch, then blocked the plate with his leg as Ryan Kalish came in sliding hard.
Santana remained on his stomach in obvious pain as most of the Indians players on the field huddled around him. Television replays showed his left leg buckled.
He was seated before being helped onto a stretcher and off the field. The crowd gave him a nice ovation as he was taken off.
"He tested well with the trainers," manager Manny Acta said after the game. "They feel he doesn’t have any serious damage with his ACL or MCL. He’s leaving tomorrow for Cleveland to get an MRI."
Santana never left the ballpark and was in the trainer’s room after the game, but was unavailable to the media.
He was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in July 2008 and started the season at Triple-A Columbus where he batted .316 with 13 homers and 51 RBIs before being recalled June 11.
In 46 games with the Indians, he hit .260 with six homers and 22 RBIs.
The game was delayed for 12 minutes.
"He made a great play," outfielder Shelley Duncan said. "A game-saving play."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Sporting News staff reports
BOSTON — Cleveland Indians catcher Carlos Santana was carted off the field on a stretcher with his left leg in an air cast after blocking home plate for an out in the seventh inning of Monday night’s game with the Boston Red Sox.
Pinch hitter Daniel Nava singled to right and Shin-Soo Choo fired a strike to the plate. Santana made the catch, then blocked the plate with his leg as Ryan Kalish came in sliding hard.
Santana remained on his stomach in obvious pain as most of the Indians players on the field huddled around him. Television replays showed his left leg buckled.
He was seated before being helped onto a stretcher and off the field. The crowd gave him a nice ovation as he was taken off.
"He tested well with the trainers," manager Manny Acta said after the game. "They feel he doesn’t have any serious damage with his ACL or MCL. He’s leaving tomorrow for Cleveland to get an MRI."
Santana never left the ballpark and was in the trainer’s room after the game, but was unavailable to the media.
He was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in July 2008 and started the season at Triple-A Columbus where he batted .316 with 13 homers and 51 RBIs before being recalled June 11.
In 46 games with the Indians, he hit .260 with six homers and 22 RBIs.
The game was delayed for 12 minutes.
"He made a great play," outfielder Shelley Duncan said. "A game-saving play."
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The final few hours and days before the trading deadline didn’t lack for intrigue or action, but the regular-season power structure really didn’t change much after the flurry of activity.
Consider …
In the AL East, the Yankees and Rays still are the favorites, and the Red Sox still need to hurry up and get healthy.
In the AL Central, the White Sox still have the best rotation and the Twins still need Justin Morneau back in the lineup.
In the AL West, the Rangers still are the clear favorites.
In the NL East, Philadelphia might have closed the gap a little, but the Braves still have the better rotation and a few games on the Phillies.
In the NL Central, the Cardinals washed (lost a bat and gained a pitcher), and the Reds did nothing.
In the NL West, the division-leading Padres improved, and the rest of the teams are trying to figure out a way to catch baseball’s most surprising team.
The middle of San Diego’s order is stronger with Ryan Ludwick in it.
Anyway, on to the poll.
1. Yankees (last week: 1). A quick New York newbie update: Lance Berkman is 1-for-8, Austin Kearns is 0-for-2 and Kerry Wood struck out three in his first inning, which was scoreless despite the fact that he allowed two walks and a hit.
2. Rays (2). Newcomer Chad Qualls is just the 14th pitcher used by the Rays this season. By contrast, Qualls was one of 25 different hurlers used by his former team, the Diamondbacks, this season.
3. Padres (3). Ryan Ludwick, the outfielder San Diego stole from the Cardinals, had 20 doubles, 11 homers, 43 RBIs, 45 runs scored, a .283 average and a .828 OPS. How those numbers rank, respectively, on the Padres: second (tied), second, second, third, third, second. So, yeah, that was a good move for San Diego.
4. Giants (6). The Giants are 14-4 since the All-Star break. In that stretch, their pitching staff has a 2.96 ERA (third in the majors) and 152 strikeouts (first). Matt Cain has started four times since the break; he’s 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA and holding opponents to a .150 average.
5. Rangers (4). C.J. Wilson hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in his past 11 starts, rolling up a 7-2 record and 2.75 ERA in that stretch. On the downside, though, he’s walked at least four batters in six of those starts and failed to last six full innings in four of them.
6. Red Sox (7). The Red Sox have won five of six and have four in a row against the Indians to start this week. After that, though, it’s four at Yankee Stadium.
7. Twins (12). Since the All-Star break, the Twins lead the majors with 6.47 runs per game (the Yankees are second at 5.88). Delmon Young, since the break, is batting .452 with a 1.214 OPS and 23 RBIs; he’s up to .335 and 81 RBIs on the season.
8. White Sox (10). Gordon Beckham isn’t quite putting up Delmon Young numbers, but after his horrid first half, the .379 average and 11 RBIs since the break is a huge relief for the White Sox.
9. Braves (5). Clearly, the Braves scouted Rick Ankiel exclusively after he returned from the disabled list—he hit .367 with six RBIs in those eight games—and ignored what he did before he got hurt—.210, nine RBIs in 19 games.
10. Reds (8). After the Reds—who are fighting for their first playoff berth since 1995—stood pat on deadline day, it kinda felt like GM Walt Jocketty pulling out his Hoosiers speech … y’know, "I would hope you would support who we are, not who we are not. … This is your team."
11. Cardinals (9). It seems odd that a team that has failed to score at least three runs on 34 different occasions this season would trade a starting outfielder with a .281 average, 11 home runs and an .827 OPS for a new No. 4 starter. Well, maybe "odd" isn’t the right word …
12. Phillies (11). Domonic Brown already has a couple of two-hit games for the Phillies. The team’s clear No. 1 prospect was hitting .327 with 20 homers, 17 stolen bases and a .980 OPS in the minors (65 games at Class AA, 28 at Class AAA).
13. Rockies (15). Is there a more schizophrenic team than the Rockies? Already in the second half, they have an eight-game losing streak and a four-game winning streak.
Ricky Romero is part of an unheralded Big 3 in Toronto.
14. Dodgers (13). OK, maybe the Dodgers can claim that title. They opened the second half with a six-game losing streak, then won five of six and currently have lost five in a row.
15. Blue Jays (18). The Blue Jays have three starters with at least 18 starts and ERAs under 4.00—Ricky Romero (21 starts, 3.46 ERA), Shaun Marcum (21, 3.24) and Brett Cecil (18, 3.77). That’s something the Yankees, Rays and Red Sox can’t claim.
16. Marlins (20). Closer Leo Nunez has already matched his 2009 saves total (26), and he’s just getting better as the season progresses. He’s allowed just one run in his past 12 games (0.77 ERA) and struck out 17 in those 11 2/3 innings.
17. Mets (19). More than likely, the Mets’ fate will be decided over the next couple of weeks, when they face the Braves, Phillies, Rockies and Phillies (again). At 6 1/2 behind the Braves in the East and 7 1/2 out of the wild card, there’s no room for a slip-up.
18. Angels (14). The kid the Angels just called up, Peter Bourjos, has impressive numbers at Class AAA Salt Lake—in 102 games, he was hitting .314 with 85 runs scored, 13 doubles, 12 triples, 13 homers, 52 RBIs and 27 stolen bases.
19. A’s (17). The results weren’t pretty—10 hits and five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings—but at least Brett Anderson was back on the mound for the A’s last week. The young lefty starter who had a 4.06 ERA as a 21-year-old last season, has made just seven starts in 2010.
20. Tigers (16). You have to feel sorry for the Tigers, who have placed almost as many guys on the disabled list (three) as games they’ve won in the second half (four).
21. Brewers (21). So much for those hopes of being a darkhorse contender in the second half. The Brew Crew has lost five in a row and sits 11 1/2 games out of first place in the NL Central.
22. Nationals (25). So, in the second half, the Nats have lost series to the Marlins and Brewers (non-contenders) and won or split series with the Reds, Braves and Phillies (contenders). Guess that means their four-game set with the Diamondbacks this week spells trouble.
Alex Gordon has two months to show he can be a force with the bat.
23. Astros (26). The Astros have won five in a row and allowed a total of four runs in those games. The "worst" start of the stretch? Wesley Wright gave up just four hits and two earned in seven innings against the Brewers on Sunday.
24. Royals (23). After a pair of 0-fers in his return to the majors, Alex Gordon has a seven-game hitting streak and a pair of home runs as the Royals’ new left fielder. True, he’s only hitting .286 in those seven games but considering he was at .158 when he started the streak, that’s quite an improvement.
25. Cubs (22). Carlos Marmol’s numbers really are amazing this year. In 49 1/3 innings, he’s allowed just 25 hits and struck out 92. That’s a strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio of 16.78; the previous best in the wild-card era of any pitcher with at least 49 innings was Eric Gagne in 2003—a far cry back at 14.98.
26. Indians (24). Chris Perez, the Indians’ official closer now that Kerry Wood is wearing Yankees pinstripes, hasn’t allowed a run in his past 14 appearances. For the season, he has a 2.13 ERA and a dozen saves.
27. Diamondbacks (29). Justin Upton is working on a 17-game hitting streak entering the week—he’s hitting .403 during the stretch—and has boosted his average to .282 for the season, with 16 homers and 13 stolen bases.
28. Mariners (27). Last year, Daniel Murphy led the Mets with 12 homers. Nobody on the Mariners has cracked double-digits yet this season.
29. Pirates (28). Youngster update: Jose Tabata has a 12-game hitting streak and is batting .397 over his past 19 games. Neil Walker is hitting .377 over his past 15 games, with a 5-for-5 showing mixed in there. Pedro Alvarez, though, has struggled lately; he’s hitting just .111 with one RBI in his past 10 games.
30. Orioles (30). Well, the Orioles got their experienced manager in Buck Showalter. He has his work cut out for him.
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com, and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ryan_fagan.
The final few hours and days before the trading deadline didn’t lack for intrigue or action, but the regular-season power structure really didn’t change much after the flurry of activity.
Consider …
In the AL East, the Yankees and Rays still are the favorites, and the Red Sox still need to hurry up and get healthy.
In the AL Central, the White Sox still have the best rotation and the Twins still need Justin Morneau back in the lineup.
In the AL West, the Rangers still are the clear favorites.
In the NL East, Philadelphia might have closed the gap a little, but the Braves still have the better rotation and a few games on the Phillies.
In the NL Central, the Cardinals washed (lost a bat and gained a pitcher), and the Reds did nothing.
In the NL West, the division-leading Padres improved, and the rest of the teams are trying to figure out a way to catch baseball’s most surprising team.
The middle of San Diego’s order is stronger with Ryan Ludwick in it.
Anyway, on to the poll.
1. Yankees (last week: 1). A quick New York newbie update: Lance Berkman is 1-for-8, Austin Kearns is 0-for-2 and Kerry Wood struck out three in his first inning, which was scoreless despite the fact that he allowed two walks and a hit.
2. Rays (2). Newcomer Chad Qualls is just the 14th pitcher used by the Rays this season. By contrast, Qualls was one of 25 different hurlers used by his former team, the Diamondbacks, this season.
3. Padres (3). Ryan Ludwick, the outfielder San Diego stole from the Cardinals, had 20 doubles, 11 homers, 43 RBIs, 45 runs scored, a .283 average and a .828 OPS. How those numbers rank, respectively, on the Padres: second (tied), second, second, third, third, second. So, yeah, that was a good move for San Diego.
4. Giants (6). The Giants are 14-4 since the All-Star break. In that stretch, their pitching staff has a 2.96 ERA (third in the majors) and 152 strikeouts (first). Matt Cain has started four times since the break; he’s 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA and holding opponents to a .150 average.
5. Rangers (4). C.J. Wilson hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in his past 11 starts, rolling up a 7-2 record and 2.75 ERA in that stretch. On the downside, though, he’s walked at least four batters in six of those starts and failed to last six full innings in four of them.
6. Red Sox (7). The Red Sox have won five of six and have four in a row against the Indians to start this week. After that, though, it’s four at Yankee Stadium.
7. Twins (12). Since the All-Star break, the Twins lead the majors with 6.47 runs per game (the Yankees are second at 5.88). Delmon Young, since the break, is batting .452 with a 1.214 OPS and 23 RBIs; he’s up to .335 and 81 RBIs on the season.
8. White Sox (10). Gordon Beckham isn’t quite putting up Delmon Young numbers, but after his horrid first half, the .379 average and 11 RBIs since the break is a huge relief for the White Sox.
9. Braves (5). Clearly, the Braves scouted Rick Ankiel exclusively after he returned from the disabled list—he hit .367 with six RBIs in those eight games—and ignored what he did before he got hurt—.210, nine RBIs in 19 games.
10. Reds (8). After the Reds—who are fighting for their first playoff berth since 1995—stood pat on deadline day, it kinda felt like GM Walt Jocketty pulling out his Hoosiers speech … y’know, "I would hope you would support who we are, not who we are not. … This is your team."
11. Cardinals (9). It seems odd that a team that has failed to score at least three runs on 34 different occasions this season would trade a starting outfielder with a .281 average, 11 home runs and an .827 OPS for a new No. 4 starter. Well, maybe "odd" isn’t the right word …
12. Phillies (11). Domonic Brown already has a couple of two-hit games for the Phillies. The team’s clear No. 1 prospect was hitting .327 with 20 homers, 17 stolen bases and a .980 OPS in the minors (65 games at Class AA, 28 at Class AAA).
13. Rockies (15). Is there a more schizophrenic team than the Rockies? Already in the second half, they have an eight-game losing streak and a four-game winning streak.
Ricky Romero is part of an unheralded Big 3 in Toronto.
14. Dodgers (13). OK, maybe the Dodgers can claim that title. They opened the second half with a six-game losing streak, then won five of six and currently have lost five in a row.
15. Blue Jays (18). The Blue Jays have three starters with at least 18 starts and ERAs under 4.00—Ricky Romero (21 starts, 3.46 ERA), Shaun Marcum (21, 3.24) and Brett Cecil (18, 3.77). That’s something the Yankees, Rays and Red Sox can’t claim.
16. Marlins (20). Closer Leo Nunez has already matched his 2009 saves total (26), and he’s just getting better as the season progresses. He’s allowed just one run in his past 12 games (0.77 ERA) and struck out 17 in those 11 2/3 innings.
17. Mets (19). More than likely, the Mets’ fate will be decided over the next couple of weeks, when they face the Braves, Phillies, Rockies and Phillies (again). At 6 1/2 behind the Braves in the East and 7 1/2 out of the wild card, there’s no room for a slip-up.
18. Angels (14). The kid the Angels just called up, Peter Bourjos, has impressive numbers at Class AAA Salt Lake—in 102 games, he was hitting .314 with 85 runs scored, 13 doubles, 12 triples, 13 homers, 52 RBIs and 27 stolen bases.
19. A’s (17). The results weren’t pretty—10 hits and five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings—but at least Brett Anderson was back on the mound for the A’s last week. The young lefty starter who had a 4.06 ERA as a 21-year-old last season, has made just seven starts in 2010.
20. Tigers (16). You have to feel sorry for the Tigers, who have placed almost as many guys on the disabled list (three) as games they’ve won in the second half (four).
21. Brewers (21). So much for those hopes of being a darkhorse contender in the second half. The Brew Crew has lost five in a row and sits 11 1/2 games out of first place in the NL Central.
22. Nationals (25). So, in the second half, the Nats have lost series to the Marlins and Brewers (non-contenders) and won or split series with the Reds, Braves and Phillies (contenders). Guess that means their four-game set with the Diamondbacks this week spells trouble.
Alex Gordon has two months to show he can be a force with the bat.
23. Astros (26). The Astros have won five in a row and allowed a total of four runs in those games. The "worst" start of the stretch? Wesley Wright gave up just four hits and two earned in seven innings against the Brewers on Sunday.
24. Royals (23). After a pair of 0-fers in his return to the majors, Alex Gordon has a seven-game hitting streak and a pair of home runs as the Royals’ new left fielder. True, he’s only hitting .286 in those seven games but considering he was at .158 when he started the streak, that’s quite an improvement.
25. Cubs (22). Carlos Marmol’s numbers really are amazing this year. In 49 1/3 innings, he’s allowed just 25 hits and struck out 92. That’s a strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio of 16.78; the previous best in the wild-card era of any pitcher with at least 49 innings was Eric Gagne in 2003—a far cry back at 14.98.
26. Indians (24). Chris Perez, the Indians’ official closer now that Kerry Wood is wearing Yankees pinstripes, hasn’t allowed a run in his past 14 appearances. For the season, he has a 2.13 ERA and a dozen saves.
27. Diamondbacks (29). Justin Upton is working on a 17-game hitting streak entering the week—he’s hitting .403 during the stretch—and has boosted his average to .282 for the season, with 16 homers and 13 stolen bases.
28. Mariners (27). Last year, Daniel Murphy led the Mets with 12 homers. Nobody on the Mariners has cracked double-digits yet this season.
29. Pirates (28). Youngster update: Jose Tabata has a 12-game hitting streak and is batting .397 over his past 19 games. Neil Walker is hitting .377 over his past 15 games, with a 5-for-5 showing mixed in there. Pedro Alvarez, though, has struggled lately; he’s hitting just .111 with one RBI in his past 10 games.
30. Orioles (30). Well, the Orioles got their experienced manager in Buck Showalter. He has his work cut out for him.
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com, and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ryan_fagan.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News
Not so long ago, it was easy to identify the NFL’s elite tight ends. During the NFL’s passing explosion, however, it now seems like every team has a special athlete who can serve as both a surehanded receiver and nimble blocker.
To whittle the league’s current crop of talented tight ends down a select 10, Sporting News enlisted the help of NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger. Here is Baldinger’s rankings of the top tight ends heading into the 2010 season:
1. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons. There are no signs of a drop off with any part of his game. He remains the gold standard — an athletic receiver and physical blocker to whom modern tight ends are measured.
Of the seven seasons Jason Witten has played for the Cowboys, he’s started all 16 games in four of those seasons.
2. Jason Witten, Cowboys. He’s the consummate professional. You know what you will get game after game: A hardnosed effort where he leaves everything on the field. He’s an essential third-down option for Tony Romo.
3. Antonio Gates, Chargers. San Diego was wise to lock him up to a long-term deal last week. As a matchup nightmare, he opens up the field for the rest of the receivers. He’ll also be counted on to recharge a power running game.
4. Dallas Clark, Colts. He is the best and smoothest route-runner we’ve ever seen at the position. He can line up and get to any spot on the field, and Peyton Manning will find him everywhere.
5. Vernon Davis, 49ers. He always has been a chiseled athlete who looks the part of a premier tight end, but thanks to coach Mike Singletary lighting a fire under him, he’s finally playing up to his talent. Expect another explosive season.
6. Heath Miller, Steelers. Although he lacks the flashy game or gaudy fantasy statistics, he does all it takes to help Pittsburgh win.
7. Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings. Like Davis, Shiancoe has put together a good hands game with his impressive physique. He is unquestionably an excellent red-zone target, even better when Brett Favre is at quarterback.
8. Owen Daniels, Texans. He was right there on the cusp of joining the elite tight ends before tearing his ACL last season. If he comes back strong, he has the smarts and skills to re-stake his claim.
9. Kevin Boss, Giants. Considering New York’s offensive philosophy is to pound the football, he excels as a run blocker. In the passing game, Eli Manning has great trust in him in all situations.
10. John Carlson, Seahawks. There are several young and exciting receiving tight ends, but this one for some is the undiscovered gem of the Emerald City. He runs exceptionally well and has performed like a wide receiver in two seasons in Seattle.
All-star watch
Five more promising tight ends who eventually will be Pro Bowl-bound:
Brent Celek, Eagles. Expect Kevin Kolb to lean on him a lot.
Jermichael Finley, Packers. He’s an explosive athlete in an explosive passing offense.
Dustin Keller, Jets. Going into his second year with Mark Sanchez, watch for their chemistry on underneath routes.
Zach Miller, Raiders. Jason Campbell soon will learn he’s the most reliable and skilled receiver in Oakland.
Brandon Pettigrew, Lions. He’ll be welcomed back from knee surgery to be Matt Stafford’s security blanket.
Vinnie Iyer is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News
Not so long ago, it was easy to identify the NFL’s elite tight ends. During the NFL’s passing explosion, however, it now seems like every team has a special athlete who can serve as both a surehanded receiver and nimble blocker.
To whittle the league’s current crop of talented tight ends down a select 10, Sporting News enlisted the help of NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger. Here is Baldinger’s rankings of the top tight ends heading into the 2010 season:
1. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons. There are no signs of a drop off with any part of his game. He remains the gold standard — an athletic receiver and physical blocker to whom modern tight ends are measured.
Of the seven seasons Jason Witten has played for the Cowboys, he’s started all 16 games in four of those seasons.
2. Jason Witten, Cowboys. He’s the consummate professional. You know what you will get game after game: A hardnosed effort where he leaves everything on the field. He’s an essential third-down option for Tony Romo.
3. Antonio Gates, Chargers. San Diego was wise to lock him up to a long-term deal last week. As a matchup nightmare, he opens up the field for the rest of the receivers. He’ll also be counted on to recharge a power running game.
4. Dallas Clark, Colts. He is the best and smoothest route-runner we’ve ever seen at the position. He can line up and get to any spot on the field, and Peyton Manning will find him everywhere.
5. Vernon Davis, 49ers. He always has been a chiseled athlete who looks the part of a premier tight end, but thanks to coach Mike Singletary lighting a fire under him, he’s finally playing up to his talent. Expect another explosive season.
6. Heath Miller, Steelers. Although he lacks the flashy game or gaudy fantasy statistics, he does all it takes to help Pittsburgh win.
7. Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings. Like Davis, Shiancoe has put together a good hands game with his impressive physique. He is unquestionably an excellent red-zone target, even better when Brett Favre is at quarterback.
8. Owen Daniels, Texans. He was right there on the cusp of joining the elite tight ends before tearing his ACL last season. If he comes back strong, he has the smarts and skills to re-stake his claim.
9. Kevin Boss, Giants. Considering New York’s offensive philosophy is to pound the football, he excels as a run blocker. In the passing game, Eli Manning has great trust in him in all situations.
10. John Carlson, Seahawks. There are several young and exciting receiving tight ends, but this one for some is the undiscovered gem of the Emerald City. He runs exceptionally well and has performed like a wide receiver in two seasons in Seattle.
All-star watch
Five more promising tight ends who eventually will be Pro Bowl-bound:
Brent Celek, Eagles. Expect Kevin Kolb to lean on him a lot.
Jermichael Finley, Packers. He’s an explosive athlete in an explosive passing offense.
Dustin Keller, Jets. Going into his second year with Mark Sanchez, watch for their chemistry on underneath routes.
Zach Miller, Raiders. Jason Campbell soon will learn he’s the most reliable and skilled receiver in Oakland.
Brandon Pettigrew, Lions. He’ll be welcomed back from knee surgery to be Matt Stafford’s security blanket.
Vinnie Iyer is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
SPARTANBURG, S.C.—The Panthers are not among the flashiest and most controversial NFL teams. When training camp comes around every year, there never seem to be splashy acquisitions or personnel shakeups
Matt Moore is a steady enough quarterback to do what the Panthers ask of him.
So by those standards, it’s been a quite a topsy-turvy offseason in Carolina. Familiar faces such as defensive end Julius Peppers, wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad and fullback Brad Hoover are missing.
The biggest change by far, however, was the anointing of a new No. 1 quarterback for the first time in nearly seven years, when Jake Delhomme unseated Rodney Peete in Week 2 in 2003 and led the team all the way to Super Bowl 38.
Now it’s exit Delhomme, to the Cleveland Browns. Enter Matt Moore. From one undrafted quarterback to another.
Last year, Delhomme struggled with interceptions and then an injury that caused him to miss Carolina’s games in December and January. Moore, however, made the most of his five-game stint—winning four—and earned the respect of his teammates.
"We all have faith in him because of what he did last year when he got a chance," left tackle Jordan Gross said.
Moore did exactly what Delhomme did at his very best: Play off the strong running game, protect the ball and deliver the occasional big play. Moore isn’t about to alter that formula. His passer rating over the coldest, windiest stretch of the season—which included a 41-9 road rout of the Giants in the Meadowlands—was 104.1.
"There’s no reason because things have changed according to the depth chart, that I need to change at all," Moore said. "If I can keep that mindset—just be true to yourself and who you are—everything else will work out."
The Panthers need Moore to be efficient and durable because of the uncertainty behind him. He is the only quarterback on the roster who ever has thrown a pass in an NFL game.
Although the Panthers received plenty of attention for drafting former Notre Dame standout Jimmy Clausen in the second round, neither he nor fellow rookie Tony Pike—nor current No. 2, undrafted second-year man Hunter Cantwell—offers the same poise, grasp of the offense or leadership skills as Moore.
"There’s no question we’re young," Panthers coach John Fox said. "I’m looking forward to seeing (the quarterbacks) in game conditions."
The fact Moore doesn’t need to audition for the starting job in preseason games and can just focus on the regular season should provide added confidence.
"I’ve really just been trying to affirm with (Moore) in his mind, ‘You just be the same guy you’ve been, don’t stand up and shout from the rooftops what everybody else needs to do,’ " Gross said. "Get good at playing quarterback, and the rest will come."
Vinnie Iyer is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
SPARTANBURG, S.C.—The Panthers are not among the flashiest and most controversial NFL teams. When training camp comes around every year, there never seem to be splashy acquisitions or personnel shakeups
Matt Moore is a steady enough quarterback to do what the Panthers ask of him.
So by those standards, it’s been a quite a topsy-turvy offseason in Carolina. Familiar faces such as defensive end Julius Peppers, wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad and fullback Brad Hoover are missing.
The biggest change by far, however, was the anointing of a new No. 1 quarterback for the first time in nearly seven years, when Jake Delhomme unseated Rodney Peete in Week 2 in 2003 and led the team all the way to Super Bowl 38.
Now it’s exit Delhomme, to the Cleveland Browns. Enter Matt Moore. From one undrafted quarterback to another.
Last year, Delhomme struggled with interceptions and then an injury that caused him to miss Carolina’s games in December and January. Moore, however, made the most of his five-game stint—winning four—and earned the respect of his teammates.
"We all have faith in him because of what he did last year when he got a chance," left tackle Jordan Gross said.
Moore did exactly what Delhomme did at his very best: Play off the strong running game, protect the ball and deliver the occasional big play. Moore isn’t about to alter that formula. His passer rating over the coldest, windiest stretch of the season—which included a 41-9 road rout of the Giants in the Meadowlands—was 104.1.
"There’s no reason because things have changed according to the depth chart, that I need to change at all," Moore said. "If I can keep that mindset—just be true to yourself and who you are—everything else will work out."
The Panthers need Moore to be efficient and durable because of the uncertainty behind him. He is the only quarterback on the roster who ever has thrown a pass in an NFL game.
Although the Panthers received plenty of attention for drafting former Notre Dame standout Jimmy Clausen in the second round, neither he nor fellow rookie Tony Pike—nor current No. 2, undrafted second-year man Hunter Cantwell—offers the same poise, grasp of the offense or leadership skills as Moore.
"There’s no question we’re young," Panthers coach John Fox said. "I’m looking forward to seeing (the quarterbacks) in game conditions."
The fact Moore doesn’t need to audition for the starting job in preseason games and can just focus on the regular season should provide added confidence.
"I’ve really just been trying to affirm with (Moore) in his mind, ‘You just be the same guy you’ve been, don’t stand up and shout from the rooftops what everybody else needs to do,’ " Gross said. "Get good at playing quarterback, and the rest will come."
Vinnie Iyer is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
Observations and opinions from Panthers training camp in Spartanburg, S.C.:
What’s new
Jake Delhomme and Julius Peppers had been the faces of the team, but it was time to move on without them. The moves pave the way for youngsters such as quarterback Matt Moore and linebacker Jon Beason to take full charge of the team.
The Panthers’ base philosophy of running to set up the pass and stopping the run won’t change. Both Moore and Beason are in their roles because they know what they need to do to help the team win.
Camp battle
The main quarterback competition for second-round pick Jimmy Clausen isn’t with Moore, but rather with fellow rookie Tony Pike and Hunter Cantwell. A successful camp for Clausen would be ending up as the No. 2 quarterback, an injury to Moore away from playing.
"You go out each and every day to get yourself ready because you never know when you’ll go in," Clausen said.
Rehab report
Left tackle Jordan Gross, coming off a broken lower left leg last November, enjoyed being in pads and passed the "gut check" to begin camp. After breaking his arm in June, Steve Smith is on track for the season opener. Right tackle Jeff Otah, another key player who ended last season on I.R., isn’t quite ready to practice on his comeback from knee surgery.
Rookie on the spot
Outside linebacker/defensive end Eric Norwood, a fourth-round pick out of South Carolina, has much to grasp in camp because he will be needed to boost the team’s sack total sans Peppers. "He can be a designated pass rusher as well as an every-down linebacker," coach John Fox said.
2010 outlook
The Panthers have a roller-coaster history under Fox. Either injuries or inconsistency push them out of the playoffs, like last season, or everything falls in place around their strong running game and defense to get them to postseason. The team looks .500 on paper with the potential to exceed expectations.
Vinnie Iyer is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
Observations and opinions from Panthers training camp in Spartanburg, S.C.:
What’s new
Jake Delhomme and Julius Peppers had been the faces of the team, but it was time to move on without them. The moves pave the way for youngsters such as quarterback Matt Moore and linebacker Jon Beason to take full charge of the team.
The Panthers’ base philosophy of running to set up the pass and stopping the run won’t change. Both Moore and Beason are in their roles because they know what they need to do to help the team win.
Camp battle
The main quarterback competition for second-round pick Jimmy Clausen isn’t with Moore, but rather with fellow rookie Tony Pike and Hunter Cantwell. A successful camp for Clausen would be ending up as the No. 2 quarterback, an injury to Moore away from playing.
"You go out each and every day to get yourself ready because you never know when you’ll go in," Clausen said.
Rehab report
Left tackle Jordan Gross, coming off a broken lower left leg last November, enjoyed being in pads and passed the "gut check" to begin camp. After breaking his arm in June, Steve Smith is on track for the season opener. Right tackle Jeff Otah, another key player who ended last season on I.R., isn’t quite ready to practice on his comeback from knee surgery.
Rookie on the spot
Outside linebacker/defensive end Eric Norwood, a fourth-round pick out of South Carolina, has much to grasp in camp because he will be needed to boost the team’s sack total sans Peppers. "He can be a designated pass rusher as well as an every-down linebacker," coach John Fox said.
2010 outlook
The Panthers have a roller-coaster history under Fox. Either injuries or inconsistency push them out of the playoffs, like last season, or everything falls in place around their strong running game and defense to get them to postseason. The team looks .500 on paper with the potential to exceed expectations.
Vinnie Iyer is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at viyer@sportingnews.com.
