saintz08

The 10 things I think

1. I think when Dennis Green announces that Emmitt Smith is going to be his starting running back, what he's saying is: I don't have a starting running back right now.

2. I think it is absolutely amazing that, from all appearances, Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones will miss his third straight year of training camp and report to the Seahawks just in time to play the season. For three years Seattle and Jones and been arguing about a contract! For three years he boycotts camp and plays the season. Put yourself in Mike Holmgren's shoes. Don't you want to throw up? Jones is to make $7 million and he can't come to camp?

3. I think, and this is a Giant uh-oh, that some Big Blue observers are saying Jesse Palmer has thrown the ball better than Kurt Warner has in June practices.

4. I think, in the 20 years I have covered the NFL, I never remember seeing so many great young receivers -- guys who are under 25 -- in the game at the same time. Even the lousy passing teams, like Arizona and Detroit and New Orleans, have two or three kids who will scare every defensive coordinator they play.

5. I think you can never go wrong when you spend a half-hour on the phone with Phil Simms. "I don't care what team I'm talking to this offseason,'' Simms told me the other day, "Mike Martz's name comes up. His offense keeps evolving. It doesn't stay the same. Everybody's studying what Martz is doing.''

6. I think you might be surprised to know the newest way for teams to make some pretty good coin: Sirius satellite radio. Install satellite radio in your car or home this year and you'll get play by play of every NFL game. You can listen to legends such as Myron Cope in Corpus Christi, Texas. Some teams -- New England, most notably -- are planning to allow you to drive to the stadium this fall, drop your car off before the game, have the Sirius radio installed during the game, and listen to the late games on your car trip home. Such a deal.

7. I think, speaking of Sirius, Dan Reeves has a new job. The former coach is doing an 8-10 a.m. daily gig on satellite radio every day with former ESPNer Chris Mohr.

8. I think these are my non-football thoughts of the week:

a. Katherine McDonald! Attention Katherine McDonald! You have dozens -- no, hundreds -- of people praying for you, in and out of the Sports Illustrated family. And most of us will be in to visit you this week. (Katherine, for those of you who don't know, is the best travel agent in the history of the planet, and she's battling cancer. Because she knows I'm a slow writer, Katherine always tells me to schedule later flights. "You'll never make that plane!" she says. "Take the next one!'')

b. Coffeenerdness: This has happened twice now during the last couple of weeks. I order a grande hazelnut latte, and I get a grande sugar-free hazelnut latte but don't realize it until I get home. Then I wonder if I should get back in the car or just throw the swill away and forget about it. Annoying.

c. Tuesday night, interleague treat, Red Sox at Colorado. I turn on my MLB Extra Innings package, and wonder of wonders, I see Kevin Millar (.264, 4 HR, 18 RBIs) playing first in the non-DH game, with David Ortiz (.286, 13 HR, 54 RBIs, American League-best 24 doubles) on the bench. Millar is batting third! And I just have to wonder what Terry Francona is doing. Terry, you seem like a nice enough guy. But Ortiz for the last 12 months has been one of the scariest hitters in baseball. And you're at Coors Field, after an off-day, and you have him on the bench because a lefty -- a bad lefty, Joe Kennedy -- is pitching, and because Millar is 5-for-10 against Kennedy during his career. Terry, Ortiz is an everyday player. And he and Millar is not even a close comparison. Entering Tuesday, Millar, in 756 Sox at-bats, had 29 homers and 114 RBIs; Ortiz, in 60 fewer at-bats with the Sox, had 44 homers and 155 RBIs. I beg you, Terry: Play Ortiz every day. It is absurd, and a bit irresponsible, not to.

d. No baseball person in his right mind would see Ortiz as a four-out-of-five-day player.

e. Absolutely unbelievable noise from the Coors Field crowd. The Sox fans outroared the Rockies boosters maybe 2-to-1.

9. I think this about Jake Delhomme's new five-year, $38 million deal: Hooray. One for the good guys. I don't know a soul who's met Jake Delhomme who doesn't think he's one of the nicest straight shooters in the NFL.

10. I think it's time for me to put the keyboard away for a month. I don't know much about my plans for the next month except that:

a. I plan to sit on the right-field roof at Fenway Park once.

b. I plan to coach some 10-and-under Montclair Sports Illustrated Bears softball games with my wife.

c. I plan to displace some water in the Atlantic Ocean.

d. I plan to see the Lakewood Blueclaws (the Phillies' Carolina League team near the Jersey Shore) on Bobblehead Night.

e. I plan to drink a few beers at Monmouth Park one afternoon.

f. I plan to play in SI NFL editor Mark Godich's golf outing and to shoot 127.

g. I plan to take several naps.

See you in a month.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...mqb/index.html


[Edited on 21/6/2004 by saintz08]

ami2kind4words

I think if I hear anymore bout Jake Delhomme I will barf!! It one thing to root for a native for the superbowl on here, but to worship the guy. Why don\'t all you Delhomme fan\'s trade in your jersey and buy a panther\'s jersey.

ScottyRo

What is up with this trash? I\'m gonna let someone else do the research on this, but I\'m pretty sure NO\'s passing offense has been in the top half of the league for the past three years. Even if that isn\'t true, I\'d say that Brooks & Co. are a long way from being \"lousy\". This is just one more example of the \"big\" media\'s hatred of the Saints.

BlackandBlue

Why don\'t you chill. You act like the posters here held King at gunpoint to write this article. Sheesh.... King is a bubonic moron anyway.


[Edited on 21/6/2004 by BlackandBlue]

no_cloning

9th, 16th and 8th (2002, 2003, 2004)
My immediate reaction to that was laughter. BnB is right, King is a moron.

whowatches

Is this comment not infuriating to anyone else?!? :mad2:

Yeah, I know King is an idiot who basically writes a column about lattes, the Sopranos, his daughter and his man-crush on Bret Farve, but shouldn\'t he be held accountable for facts????

By lumping us in with Arizona and Detroit, he\'s revealing that he does absolutely no research at all before pecking out his drivel. Check this out.

For the 2003 season:

Saints:
- 8th in total passing yards (3438)
- 8th in passing TDs (25)
- 1st in INTs (8)

Cards:
- 23rd in total passing yards (2959)
- 19th in passing TDs (18)
- 29th in INTs (22)

Lions:
- 24th in total passing yards (2924)
- 23rd in passing TDs (17)
- 32nd in INTs (24)

Nice job, Pete.

What\'s more, Joe Horn is completely dismissed as a part of our passing attack? He\'s a pro-bowler!?!?!?

The Joe Horn-trade rumor he tried to start a couple of weeks was one thing, but this comment is poor journalism at worst and just plain laziness at best.

Can\'t wait til we win the big one, and King starts sucking up to us. Maybe I\'ll read his column again then.

Breath.... in.... and .... out.....

.02