FanNation - The Republic of Sport

The Giants rallied around their underdog status last year. They wanted to prove they could win for their embattled coach and QB, that he NFC didn't belong to the Cowboys and and that Patriots weren't unbeatable.

Now all of that motivation is gone. Why are they going to bleed for Tom Coughlin? The Giants were never talented enough to just blow teams away. They're going to be in a battle almost every week. Do they have the inspiration to come out on top against hungry teams on a consistent basis?

New York showed just how thin the line is between winning and losing in last year's playoffs. If that ball hadn't magically stuck to David Tyree's head, tonight's NFL season-opener game would be in Foxboro. The Giants couldn't afford any offseason hiccups if it hoped to defend its title. But they may have taken a couple of major steps backward, losing Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan. Their defensive line singlehandedly won games last year.  Without Umenyiora's six-sack domination of the Eagles and Strahan's three-sack performance against the Lions, the Giants may not have even been in the playoffs. Defensive end Justin Tuck looks like an up-and-coming star, but that's against single coverage. Can he thrive as the primary guy?

Enter the Washington Redskins, who have been about as unimpressive as an NFL team can be in the preseason. They were outscored 71-6 in their two final preseason games. But to be fair, many of their best players were on the bench and new coach Jim Zorn undoubtedly held back a big chunk of the playbook. And of course, preseason under any circumstances is completely meaningless.

Even with the adjustment the Redskins have had to make to a new coach, they're still an NFC East team, and at the end of the day, is there really that big a difference between these four teams? On any given Thursday, any of them can surprise the other. In Week 15, just a few weeks before Manning magically transformed into a Super Bowl hero, the Redskins came into the Meadowlands and made him look like a high school quarterback (18-for-53, 184 yards) in a 22-10 win.  

Washington enters the season with a lot more to prove than the Giants. Zorn was generally perceived to be a last-choice pick for head coach. Quarterback Jason Campbell doesn't get any respect and the only marquee name on defense is veteran Jason Taylor, who may not even play this week. The Redskins can take advantage of that us-against-the-world mentality that propelled New York to a championship. Don't be surprised if all the festivities and accolades around the Giants actually make Washington the more fired-up team tonight.

This year's Giants are reminiscent of the 2002 Patriots - coming off a miraculous upset win in the Super Bowl with a clutch quarterback and a solid, young nucleus. New England had an emotional letdown that year and missed the playoffs. Don't be surprised if the Giants get off to a slow start as they grow into their role as world champions.

Prediction: Washington 24, New York, 23 - The Redskins run and throw to Clinton Portis all night, letting their big offensive line mow down the suddenly susceptible Giants front seven.

 

If you have a loose billion dollars sitting around and want to buy an NFL team, now is the time to jump in. Three teams -- the Jaguars, Steelers and Rams - could reportedly be sold this offseason.

Owning an NFL team has to be the greatest job in the world. But which of the three teams would you want to own? Here are my rankings; weigh in with your own.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers - Mark Cuban recently said he wasn't interested in buying the Steelers because a small-market team was at a disadvantage in the NFL. That makes about as much sense as trading for Jason Kidd. Obviously the Steelers can win. They won Super Bowl XL.

If Wall Street financier Stanley Druckenmiller pulls off the purchase of the team, he'll have his quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, under contract for several years and a bright young coach in Mike Tomlin.

But the reason the Steelers are the choice team is the tradition and fans. The Steelers are Pittsburgh. Win in that town and you're a god. Lose in that town and you're still pretty cool.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars - Or should I say L.A. Jaguars? Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver denied a Philadelphia Daily News report that New Jersey-based billionare C. Dean Metropoulos is negotiating to buy the team. But multiple reports have indicated Weaver has financial issues and you have to wonder if Jacksonville can sustain a team. Even if the latest reports are true and the team isn't for sale, at some point, Weaver will have to seriously consider letting go of the Jags.

Fortunately for whoever owns this team, it's going to be a very good team in the short run. If quarterback David Garrard can keep playing mistake-free football, their running game and defense make them a bona fide contender in the AFC.

3. St. Louis Rams - Reports and denials have also been flying around St. Louis this year. Like Jacksonville, most speculate a buyer could consider moving the Rams back to Los Angeles.

But if you're a billionaire, does either city thrill you? I don't care how well the Rams play, St. Louis is too much of a baseball town, and we still have no real evidence Los Angeles can support an NFL team.

Just for fun, here are my rankings of the top five teams I'd want to own.

1. Miami Dolphins - South Beach. Working with Bill Parcells wouldn't be much fun, but he'll be gone by next year. Parcells typically leaves the cupboards stocked, so when the Dolphins eventually win you take the credit. Ricky Williams is the only big negative.

2. Dallas Cowboys - You'd instantly be the highest-profile owner in the NFL. New stadium, great history and a loaded team. And you'd be the first to hear who Tony Romo is dating.

3. San Diego Chargers - The weather is reason enough. The nucleus of young star players is a big bonus.

4. Houston Texans - Sweet stadium. A potentially strong fan base. And they're about to break through and have a winning season.

5. Washington Redskins - Anyone following Daniel Snyder will be an instant hero in D.C.

 

Brett Favre should just end the drama and come back right now. No more rumors, denials, text messages to journalists or canceled golf appearances. We all know he wants to play. Why wouldn't he? He's physically fine. And there's nothing better going on in Hattiesburg, Miss. Favre has to have realized that by now. Yes,  he said he was tired in March, but this isn't a quarterback who was known for having good judgment.

Every day Favre waits to return causes more of a headache for the Packers. By all indications, Aaron Rodgers has stepped in as a leader in Green Bay. And Packers management supports Rodgers. It was once unthinkable that Favre would force the Packers to trade or release him, but now that seems very possible if he decides to return. Favre is under contract through 2010 and Green Bay isn't allowed to let him dangle if he says he wants to play.

Say Favre does announce he wants to come back, the Packers can't figure out a reasonable trade and have to release him. Then things get scary. The two most QB-needy teams in the NFL happen to be Green Bay's two biggest rivals - Chicago and Minnesota. The Vikings' talent at running back and the offensive line is particularly interesting and with Favre in purple the Vikes would have to be considered an immediate contender in the NFC. Green Bay's worst nightmare is Minnesota coming into Lambeau with Favre at QB and newest Viking Jared Allen injuring Rodgers on the first series.

As for Rodgers, we're hearing a lot about his arm strength and confidence. But he has to run a West Coast offense for 16 games with opposing defenses having a lot of tape on him. There's no indication Rodgers is Steve Young waiting for Joe Montana to move on. One good half against the Cowboys is certainly no reason to turn away a Hall of Famer.

The Packers can't worry too much about Rodgers' feelings. Teams have a very short window to be great and Green Bay was very close to reaching the Super Bowl last year. Rodgers is supposed to be a tough kid. He'll get over it. Rodgers, who told Green Bay fans to "get on board or keep their mouths shut," in Sports Illustrated this week, certainly doesn't want to be the guy who kept Favre from returning to Green Bay.

The best plan for everyone is for Favre to announce he wants to return right now and the Packers to warmly greet him. Even if Favre isn't certain right now, that itch is only going to get worse over the summer. And coming back with another team never works. Think of Joe Namath as a Ram or Emmitt Smith as a Cardinal. Brett Favre doesn't belong in purple, pewter or Seahawks Blue. He belongs in green and gold. Stop putting off the inevitable and bring him home.

Bring in Denny Green, because apparently everyone is ready to crown the Cowboys. The latest wave of adulation for the 'Boys comes on the tails of news that they re-signed Terrell Owens and Pacman Jones is partially reinstated.

T.O. is an outstanding player and the Cowboys are definitely a weaker team without him. But don't get too excited about his four-year, $34 million contract. How many playoff games has Owens won in Dallas? (zero) How old is he? (35) How often has he been hurt? (often). How emotional is he? (postgame tears).

The recent drying up of the receiver free-agent pool might have given the Cowboys little choice but to extend Owens. But there's still a lot of risk. At his age, he's not going to get less injury prone. And how many times have we seen players sign big contracts and subsequently get hurt.

Several writers have speculated this contract extension is insurance to make sure he doesn't get upset with the team. To even suggest that points to Owens' capricious nature. Although he's behaved fine in  Dallas - except for run-ins with Bill Parcells, his vitamin overdoes and an ill-timed Jessica Simpson joke - his fiery days in Philadelphia aren't that far behind him. That was only three years ago. I have trouble believing players arrive in Dallas and completely transform themselves just by wearing the star. Which brings us to ...

Deion Sanders II. That's what Pacman Jones better be to justify all the headlines he's gotten. Finding the chemistry to win a Super Bowl is an elusive assignment, which seems to have a lot more to it than just talent. Whatever the perfect mix is, Pacman doesn't move the Cowboys in the right direction.

Dallas is a good team. But stop the offseason coronation. Where's the skepticism? This is T.O. and Pacman we're talking about. And I haven't even gotten to Wade Phillips or the loss of Tony Sparano. Not to mention the brutal NFC East.

As usual, I have a feeling some of you disagree. Let me know below in the comments.

 

Here's why Philadelphia's run of 100 seasons without a championship is so depressing: Just before the era of futility began, Philly was arguably the dominant sports town in the entire nation.

I came of age in the City of Brotherly Love when the Phillies were a playoff regular and screamed my lungs out when Bob Boone dropped the foul ball and Pete Rose caught it in the 1980 World Series. I was in Section 737 of the Vet when Wilbert Montgomery broke through the Cowboys line to race to the end zone and led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl. And like any Flyers fan, I was just as proud of their violence as their victories.

Then after the 1982-83 76ers swept the Lakers, everything fell apart. Rick Dempsey led the Orioles past the "Wheeze Kid" Phillies in the 1983 World Series. Sixers owner Harold Katz got too smart for his own good and shipped away Moses Malone and the No. 1 overall pick in the 1986 draft for nothing. The Eagles hire the brilliant Buddy Ryan but saddle him with the worst offensive coordinator in NFL history in Rich Kotite. And the Flyers resort to something called "Flockey Hockey," abandoning their tough guy approach in favor of finesse and falling apart in the process. Even the Rocky movies got progressively worse.

Most Philadelphians didn't care throughout '80s because the memories of those great teams were still so vivid and Dr. J, Mike Schmidt and Bobby Clarke were still around. Then we had new hope in the '90s with Randall Cunningham and the Eagles' dominant defense, that great '93 Phillies team, Charles Barkley in his prime and the arrival of Eric Lindros. But along came the Cowboys, Mitch Williams, Michael Jordan's Bulls and Lindros' father to ruin all those teams.

The new millennium brought Allen Iverson, Donovan McNabb and Ryan Howard, but they haven't gotten the job done either. Things got so desperate, we had to point to a horse, Smarty Jones, for hope. And even he choked.

Someone once asked me if I was afraid Philadelphia fans would lose their identity if we finally won a title. Sort of like Red Sox Nation lost its bite after Boston captured the World Series. Forget identity. We're the city that booed Santa Claus. We have plenty of identity. Give us a title. I'm sick of sitting at home watching my DVDs of Invincible and Rocky and daydreaming about walking down Broad Street with the gait of a champion once again.

I dare anyone out there to argue they've had it harder than us Philly fans. Sure, cities like Cleveland and Buffalo have fallen on hard times, but they were never that good in the first place. Give us your thoughts on notable losing sports cities.