I Just Don't Understand......

Could you please help me understand one question that I have about two different football teams this season? The Dallas Cowboys and the Alabama Crimson Tide have confused and baffled me all season long. Why? Because both of these teams are fortunate enough to have not 1 but 2 great running backs, and they don't get the most out of these great players.

The Cowboys have Felix Jones and Marion Barber. Bama has Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why neither of these teams will use both great running backs in the backfield together at the same time. The Cowboys NEVER do it. Bama only does it rarely. WHY?

If two great backs are in the backfield doesn't it put pressure on the defense because they cannot key on one or the other but must respect both? If two great backs are in the backfield, does it not increase the chances that your offense can score and score quickly? If you fake to a Marion Barber and give to a Felix Jones, aren't the chances greater that some defenders will be fooled than if you are faking to a hardly known running back? Shouldn't the middle of the field open up better for Marion Barber, if defenders think that Felix Jones may have the ball running with it to the outside? Doesn't a defense HAVE to give respect to Mark Ingram's fake, which should allow Trent Richardson larger holes and fewer defenders to beat? Vice versa, doesn't Mark Ingram have better lanes to run in, when the defense thinks that Trent Richardson may have the ball? In addition to all of this, shouldn't the play action passing game be even better when the defense must respect the play fake to not just one but two running backs?

Sgt. Football is only a "borderline" idiot who has never coached a game of football in his life. Every coach and employee for the Dallas Cowboys and the Alabama Crimson Tide know more football than Sgt. Football will ever know. But for crying out loud, someone please explain to Sgt. Football why a team with 2 great running backs cannot use them both at the same time? Or at least try to and see how it works out? I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND!

You See It Coming....Don't You?

You do see it coming don't you? If you don't see it, please tell me you hear it coming? OK, if you don't see it or hear it, please tell me you smell it coming? Brett Favre is laying the ground work to bolt out of Minnesota and back to Mississippi, now that the Vikings are practically eliminated from the playoffs.

Yesterday, after Favre threw three interceptions and the Vikings lost to the Bears, Favre mentioned pain in his throwing shoulder for the first time all season. HUH? What about all those other injuries? Oh, he has been able to play with those as long as the games were meaningful. Now that the games are no longer meaningful, Favre needs a new injury that will keep him from playing well so he can be put on the injured reserve list and be through playing for the season.

Favre is having an MRI done on his shoulder and then will send the results to Dr. James Andrews for evaluation. I expect that Doc Andrews will inform him that his shoulder is too bad for him to play any more and Favre will head to Mississippi, possibly for good. However, until a complete season is finished without Favre playing a down, I would not say "for good".

So, now that you know this, please tell me that you do see it coming - Brett Favre quitting mid season on the Vikings since they can't make the playoffs. Should happen any day now!

Need A Job.....How Bout NFL Head Coach?

As the 2010 NFL season continues to fly by, it becomes more clear every day that numerous teams will be searching for new head coaches for the 2011 season. In fact, a close look reveals that as many as ten teams may be looking for new leadership. Thirty two teams make up the NFL and almost a third of them may be looking for a new coach at the end of this season.

Dallas has already sent Wade Phillips packing. Sarge suggests that you watch Titans head coach Jeff Fisher to fill the opening in Dallas. Yes, I know that sounds nuts but number 1 - Sarge is a borderline idiot and number 2 - Fisher is tired of the Titans owner Bud Adams not spending money on elite players plus Jerry Jones has let it be known for a while how much he likes Fisher as a coach. Don't be surprised if the Cowboys even give up draft picks and/or cash to get Fisher.

Carolina will be starting over as their record is awful. John Fox seems to be at the end of the line there. Lovie Smith has been on thin ice the last two seasons in Chicago. If the Bears miss the playoffs, don't be surprised if they are looking for a new GM as well as a new head coach. As this is written, Brad Childress is hated by his players and frowned upon by the Vikings owner. Even a Super Bowl win may not be enough to fix Childress future in Minnesota. Brett Favre indicates he won't return in 2011 and Sarge don't expect Brad Childress to return either.

Mike Singletary was picked by many in the preseason to be the NFL Coach of the Year. Wrong, it ain't happening. With the Niners 2-6, Singletary has to find a way to win the weak NFC West to have a shot at keeping his job. In fact, it may take a playoff win.

In the AFC, the Jaguars have wanted to get rid of Jack Del Rio for the past two seasons but the team struggles so much financially that they don't wish to pay a new coach. Rumors are constant that the Jaguars will be sold or relocated by the NFL to a better supporting city. If or when this gets done, Del Rio is D-U-N, DONE. This was supposed to be the year that the Houston Texans and Gary Kubiak got over the hump and made the playoffs. Well, a 4-4 record with a putrid defense won't get it done. Texans will finish as they always do 8-8 or 9-7 and will miss the playoffs. When they do, Kubiak will be job hunting.

The Bengals won the AFC North last year and added Terrell Owens in the off season. Somehow, the same old sorry Bengals have found a way to be 2-6. Marvin Lewis has used up all 9 of his lives with the Bengals. The day the Bengals season ends will also end Lewis' title as Bengals head coach. Norv Turner has had more talent than almost any other coach during his time with the Chargers. Norv always finds a way to lose in the playoffs. Sure, his Chargers will make a run at the weak AFC West crown but anything less than a Super Bowl appearance will probably get him fired. And truthfully, he was given at least one more year than he really deserved. Finally, Josh McDaniels has literally made the Broncos a mess. He traded Jay Cutler and started last season 6-0 but missed the playoffs with a 8-8 record. This year he traded Brandon Marshall and currently the Broncos are 2-6. You ask, Sarge do you really think McDaniels could be fired after only 2 seasons in Denver? Well, you tell me. A 6-0 start last season, but a mess made, and since then McDaniels team is 4-14. Yes, this could be bad enough after 2 seasons that the Broncos have to tell McDaniels to get lost.

More than ever before, the NFL is a what have you done for me lately business. Head coaches don't get but 3 or 4 years to make serious improvements. When the 2010 season ends, a large number of teams are not going to see the improvements they were expecting. Update your resume' and make some phone calls. Maybe you won't get the opportunity to be a NFL head coach, but with all these openings you can at least ask to fill out an application.

Aikman Confirms What We Have All Known All Along!

Sarge has been preaching ever since Wade Phillips was named Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys, that Wade wasn't the real deal but only a puppet for Jerry Jones to be the real Head Coach. Anyone watching the Cowgirls can tell that the players answer to Jones not to Phillips. In addition, it has been obvious that the players don't respect Phillips. After their only win of the season over the Texans, Phillips made his team promise to give that effort in every game. Promise? Are you kidding me? Seriously, Wade, Promise? What a joke. Head Coaches, Generals, and CEO's don't make their subordinates promise. They tell them what it is expected and if those expectations are not met then heads will roll. Now, one of the great Cowboys of all time has confirmed what the Cowboys problem really is. In fact, he has made it elementary simple for Jerry Jones. The only problem is Jerry Jones won't accept the advice because Jerry wants to be the head coach and a REAL head coach will not tolerate being a puppet for Jerry. Copy the url below and paste it in the address bar.


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/system/mt-search.fcgi?search=aikman&IncludeBlogs=14&limit=20


Aikman is dead on the money. However, if he really wants to help Cowboy fans, he should bust the chops of Jerry Jones for wanting to much coaching control. Either be the coach or hire a real one.

Why Such Love For Randy Moss?

Lately, you have heard a lot about Randy Moss in the sports news. First, Randy was upset about the fact that he was in the last year of his contract with the Patriots and the Patriots had not offered him a contract extension. In other words, when this season ended Randy would be free to sign with any team he wanted. Probably, what upset Moss about this is the fact that if he suffered a major injury, he may not be able to play next year or ever again and would no longer be making the big money, since he would be without a contract. In addition, not being wanted by someone hurt his massive ego. Randy publicly voiced his displeasure with the situation and the Patriots traded him to the Vikings.

After playing only 4 games with the Vikes, Moss complained about the coaching staff by expressing how much he loved the Patriots and their coach. He also cursed out a caterer who was serving lunch to the team, apparently, because he didn't approve of the food. So the Vikings just released Moss to be claimed by any other team through the order of worst record moving to best record. The Tennessee Titans have claimed him.

Sarge has watched Moss closely for the last year and half. See, Sarge's favorite player is Tom Brady - yes he needs a haircut; he is not a European model for crying out loud he is a quarterback in the NFL. Sarge watches the performance of Tom Brady and the Patriots closely each week. Over the pat two seasons, Sarge has repeatedly noticed that Randy Moss is not nearly as dominant as he once was. Randy Moss was lethal in his younger years because he was so fast, so tall, and could jump so high. All a quarterback had to do was throw the ball up near Moss and he would out run or out jump anyone else for it. Defenses had to account for not letting Moss get behind them and even then it still didn't matter some times.

Based on the eye ball test, my friends, those days appear to be over. All of last season and this season so far, Sarge has not seen Moss out jump a defender for the deep ball. Only occasionally does Moss get behind the defenders. The most lethal part of his abilities appear to have disappeared with his youth. Moss is 33, which is old for a receiver. His legs and speed could be gone at any minute of any day.

Yet, NFL people continue to give Moss the same respect he commanded in his prime. Sure, he will occasionally make a great catch but not with the frequency of a dominating player. When Moss went to the Vikings, everyone thought that him stretching the defense down field would allow Adrian Peterson to run the ball better. Yet, Peterson's numbers went down rather than up. Maybe quarterbacks and coaches feel the need to force passes to Moss to keep him happy, which in turn takes opportunities away from other players? Now as Moss heads to the Titans, people continue to say that Moss will help Chris Johnson run the ball better. Only time will tell but Sarge encourages you to monitor Chris Johnson's rushing numbers before and after Moss.


Sarge is stunned that Moss would not be putting forth his best effort and behavior since he is playing to get a new contract and get paid the big money for the final time in his career. Teams will be less likely to sign Moss or if they do they will be more inclined to give him less money and less years if they know his attitude is still a major problem or his abilities have faded. Vice versa, teams will be willing to pay more money if they see that Moss is still lethal and his attitude is in check.

Maybe Sarge is wrong, and he is more wrong than he is right, but it sure does appear that Randy Moss does not out jump or out run people with the dominance that he once did. If he still can, he doesn't show it hardly ever. Yes, defenses still respect his ability but maybe it is time they start to not show so much respect. Maybe it is time for defenses to challenge the 33 year old Moss and make him prove he can still do what he once could. If they get burned a couple of times then the defense should play back and respect Moss. However, defenses playing with less respect for Randy Moss just might expose the fact that Moss is a shell of what he once was. Which would mean that the team that employs Moss does not have to tolerate his unreasonable attitude or antics. Uh oh, then Moss may be without a contract at all.

Some Things That Are Wearing On Sarge, During This Football Season!

As the football season reaches the midway point, I have found a number of things that are just wearing me out. You know, irritating, fatiguing, and burdening. Sort of like that guy that does the Southern Bullion Coin and Jewelry commercials on TV. For your entertainment purposes only, here are some football things that are wearing on Sarge.

1) Bama throwing makes me throw up! Alabama has, possibly, the best pair of running backs ever to play together in the same backfield. Yet, who knows why they don't pound the rock with Ingram and Richardson. When they lost to South Carolina, the ratio was 17 carries for Ingram and Richardson combined compared to 35 pass attempts and 12 rushing attempts by McElroy - which of course the majority of those rushes were pass plays that turned into sacks or scrambles. Final ratio - Ingram + Richardson = 17 carries as to 47 plays that were passes or McElroy. WHAT! WHY? They trailed the whole game but in the first minute of the 4th qtr the lead was only 7.

Even in the rout of Tennessee, they attempted more passes than Ingram and Richardson got carries - McElroy attempted 32 passes to 26 combine carries for Ingram and Richardson...WHY? Their offensive line is great and these backs are great. MAKE TEAMS STOP THEM AND YOU WILL FIND THAT USUALLY THEY CAN'T! Ingram - 85 carries for 544 yards and 6.4 yards per carry on the season. Richardson - 86 carries for 606 yards and 7 yards a carry on the season. POUND THE ROCK, BAMA! Then work play action with EASE!

2) Dripping with Sarcasm, I CAN'T FUNCTION NOT KNOWING IF BRETT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE! I love Brett Favre the warrior but I can't stand the Drama Queen and now he is exacerbating injuries to have excuses for poor play. I know his ankle has given him problems. The pictures of it on the internet after last season's NFC Championship Game were proof that it was hurt. Sunday night against the Packers, Favre's ankle got tweaked. He began to limp all over Lambeau Field like he could hardly walk. OK, I am sure it didn't feel good. Only one problem, when he needed to run or scramble there was no limp what so ever. Watch the last few plays. He moved with no restriction at all during plays then limped like he was cripple after plays were over, as well as, in the post game interviews. In the post game interviews, he mentioned he may not be able to play the next game. DUDE, QUIT BEGGING FOR SYMPATHY! QUIT HAMMING IT UP SO YOUR FANS WILL SAY, "LOOK WHAT A GREAT WARRIOR HE IS. BARELY ABLE TO WALK BUT STILL OUT THERE TRYING." Sorry Brett, but if you limp that bad while walking, you have to limp that bad while scrambling or running. Then again this is par for the course for what we all know to be the biggest drama queen of them all. Still, quit faking the injury to be worse than it really is. Update - An MRI has revealed 2 small fractures in Favre's ankle but he is listed as DAY TO DAY on the injury report, just like me and you are in our jobs. Again, I stand by the eyeball test during the game that showed he couldn't hardly walk but he could run and scramble. HAM!

3) Jerry Jones, please just call yourself Coach. The Cowboys continue to struggle and the reason is so simple. Sarge has laughed about this for a couple of years now. Jerry is a great owner and business man, just look at his checking account. However, he can't get out of the way so a real coach can take them to the top. The boys have great talent but no "football leadership" because Jerry wants all the credit for building and coaching this team. Hand puppet coach, Wade Phillips, made his team promise to give a full effort every game after they beat the Texans. REAL COACHES DON'T MAKE THEIR TEAM PROMISE - THEY DEMAND THEIR TEAM GIVE FULL EFFORT OR CHANGES ARE MADE! So Jerry Jones, we all know you are the coach of this team. Please, start claiming the title that you demand. Do the press conferences, put it on the roster, acknowledge it in public, and give yourself credit for that losing record as HEAD COACH. But don't change a thing - the entertainment of a brilliant, rich guy too stupid to realize he is the reason his team loses is priceless.

4) Rex Ryan, his cocky attitude, and loud mouth. Rex is a good coach with a good team. However, THEY HAVEN'T DONE JACK SQUAT, YET! Rex, you can run your mouth all you want when you win the ring. Until then, shut up! And tell your team to shut up also. PAPER CHAMPIONS!

5) B(ull) C(rapping) S(illiness) - Yes, the agonizing talk of the BCS has begun. I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! Why should I have to figure out who the best is based on 3 polls and a computer poll or whatever there is? IT CAN FIGURE ITSELF OUT ON THE FIELD - JUST LOOK AT EVERY OTHER MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP IN COLLEGE AND PRO. I become more and more disgusted with this every year and take college football less and less serious every year. SORRY, IT IS JUST RIDICULOUS AND WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT AS FANS. AND I WON'T!

6) Tom Brady's Hair! Tom, you are my favorite player. One of my favorite players of all time. But Dude, that MOP on your head is just BRUTAL. Let me guess, your Brazilian wife thought it would look cool. Dude, it is ok to grow it out, BUT STYLE IT, DO SOMETHING WITH IT! Here's an idea, Tom. When it is long enough, get it all cut off and allow it to be used to make wigs for cancer patients.

7) Oregon Duck's CRAP-i-forms! I mean uniforms. Green and yellow can be good looking colors together. Just look at the Oakland A's baseball uniforms of the 1970's. But the Ducks uniforms, look like Duck POOP! Hey Nike, quit showing how bad your design department can really be. GIVE THE DUCKS SOME REAL UNIFORMS, THAT SCREAM FOOTBALL INSTEAD OF FUTURISTIC ROLLER DERBY!

College Athletes Are Being Paid, Surely Not.....

Recently a former agent for pro football players has told his story to Sports Illustrated about how he used to pay college football players, which is against college rules and would make the players ineligible if the NCAA knew at the time. This gentleman claims to have a need to clear his conscience of his actions. Let's be honest, most of the time when someone is clearing their conscience they are filling their bank account at the same time. Regardless, I am STUNNED (dripping with sarcasm) to learn that college athletes have been and are being paid.

It is almost laughable to think how often this probably happens and yet the NCAA hardly catches and punishes anyone. Recently, they HAD NO CHOICE BUT to catch and punish USC over Reggie Bush taking money but only because of a high profile lawsuit that the former agent filed against Bush to get his money back. OF COURSE THEY ARE GETTING PAID - A LOT OF THEM ARE GETTING PAID! 18 and 19 year old kids who come from poor, below average, or average income families. They don't have time to get jobs because of the time they are supposed to spend in class and on the ball field. Then some slick, smooth talking, cash waving leech walks up and offers to pay them. YOU BETTER BELIEVE A LOT OF THEM TAKE THE MONEY - WHO WOULDN'T? SERIOUSLY, WHO WOULDN'T?

The main point I would like to make is what can be done to stop it. Honestly, I don't know and I don't believe anyone else knows either. However, let's try to fix something that is currently wrong while trying to help this problem also.

Currently, players cannot turn pro in football until 3 years after their graduating high school class has been out of high school. Can I please ask WHY? This is a ridiculous, un-American, and un-constitutional rule. Athletes should be able to turn pro when other people turn pro at whatever they do, which is usually 16 or 18 and in some specific jobs 21. It makes my blood boil that the "powers that be" are going to prevent an 18 year old kid from cashing in on a multi million dollar athletic career but that same 18 year old kid is allowed to do so many other jobs, including serving in our military.

Again, I ask the simple question of WHY? As far as football goes, I believe this rule is only in place to help protect college football. College football would never see the very best players if they could turn pro out of high school. If NFL owners really believe that an 18 year old out of high school can't play in the NFL, why do they have a specific rule about age? If all owners believe that 18 is too young for the NFL then surely an 18 year old wouldn't get drafted if they were allowed to enter the NFL. WRONG. That is exactly why they have an age specific rule because they know that some owners would be willing to draft an 18 year old.

Pro sports leagues, allow athletes to go pro when they are of age to accept other jobs. The Constitution grants them the right in my opinion. Of course, I am not a scholar of the Constitution but I do have common sense of the meaning of that document. Athletes like everyone else should have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If these athletes can go pro and get paid above the table for their services then it would curtail some of the getting paid under the table while playing for college teams. Would it eliminate the cheating? NO - not even close, but it would help. More importantly these athletes would be allowed the liberty to seek a profession like millions others do at the age of 18.

Pro sports leagues and the NCAA - SHAME ON YOU, until you fix this. Allow 18 year olds to seek professional athletic careers in any league and help lessen the cheating in college athletics by doing it. Will 18 year olds fail in professional sports leagues? YES - no questions asked. Will it be sad? YES. Will there be regrets? ABSOLUTELY. But the decision should be that of the 18 year old, his family, and advisers. Just like it is the decision of that 18 year old who decides to go to work, or go to college, or go in the military.

Of course in the end, money has to be the reason for this ridiculous rule. Some where in the picture some one would lose a lot of money if 18 year olds were allowed to turn pro in sports. Sorry, but that is usually my view point when things don't make sense - MONEY is the reason. Well, what about that 18 year old's right to make money? The Constitution gives us the right to vote WHEN WE ARE 18. The Constitution also grants us the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - except when you are an 18 year old athlete who wants to become a professional.