Michael Vick – Will somebody please just sign this guy so I can read about something else?
August 6, 2009
I had begun to comment on the story from one of our readers, fellow blogger Alan Parkins, but when I finished, I noticed that my comment was of near post-size proportions, so I figured I would share with you on this page as well:
This Vick business is starting to border on ridiculous. I had initially thought that he would be a perfect fit for my beloved (but much maligned by all others) Raiders. Imagine the possibilities of Vick and McFadden in a wildcat formation! Upon further reflection, I’ve decided that, for a team struggling to break even after several years in a row near or at the bottom of the NFL, taking on a player (and all of the media hype involved therein) who may not even play until the end of the season might not be the best move. I agree with you (Alan) that those Green Bay guys need to get their media story straight. Flirting with Vick is a recipe for disaster. Rodgers was a top 10 QB last year. Talking about bringing in another player at that same position is just silly (and only demonstrates a lack of confidence, on some level, in the relatively young former Cal QB). I actually think Carolina would make sense. Delhomme is no spring chicken and their receiver core (after Steve Smith) doesn’t exactly give me goose bumps. He could be an exciting addition to that team, fitting into the roster at any number of positions (Smith and Vick as the two split wideouts?). Either way, it’s beginning to make me feel similar to all of the Favre media nonsense (from both last year AND this year): I just want someone to make a move one way or another so we can get on with the season. Maybe this new league, the UFL, might be the way to go. At least so Vick can prove that he still remembers how to play the game…
Green Bay Packers give Duke PG a try-out at QB
April 14, 2009
That is the American dream… One day, after work, you get a call asking you to try out at your favorite sport for a chance to make the team. They like what they see, and ask you to come back. You make millions and live happily ever after…THE END.
Nice story huh? Too bad it never really works out that way.
I had a moment that was somewhat similar to this story. When I was in college, they started a brand new minor league baseball team. I figured out in the sticks where I was going to school, they must have not been that good. they had ads in the school newspaper looking for players. I played in high school, like most people probably did, and I was decent. (really, not great, but pretty good. I hit .350 my freshman year. Which meant that I was batting 6th…lol)
I went out the first day and didn’t embarrass myself. I caught everything hit to me in left field, had some good throws home on line, one hop and hit well in the cage. I think that because I was black, (one of four, and yes, I knew the other three…) they brought me back for the next day. That day, we just did a lot of scrimmaging and situational hitting/fielding drills.
I lasted a whole three days. They found out what I already knew…I had a good eye, took a lot of walks, mashed what I hit, but had a LOT of problems with the breaking stuff. That and my advanced age ( I was going to turn 23) made me a bad fit for a single A rookie league baseball team. I got to keep my gear from the experience, which amounted to some Odgen Raptors T-shirts, a pair of stir-ups ( I hate the socks with the stitched on stir-ups) some BIKE undershirts and pants and a cap.
I didn’t belong, and that was okay with me. I got to compete and that was good enough for me. I knew my trip was going to be short (although it was longer than I expected) because when I got there I saw 4 players that actually deserved to be there and another dozen or so that could do some exceptional things (like they had a rocket arm, they were fast etc…) that I couldn’t do.
Does that mean you should give up?
Greg Paulus, who chose to be a point guard instead of a quarterback in college, last week had a workout for the Green Bay Packers.
Paulus, who started 95 games at Duke before his role was drastically reduced his senior season, worked out in front of Packers representatives in Durham, N.C., Duke spokesman Art Chase said.
This was a good move for him, since the best that he could of hoped for is playing overseas. His DUKE pedigree is definitely worth something, and his numbers as a starter are not that bad either…But if the team has the internet, it might not be to his advantage.
This looks like an all you can eat buffet!
Chase said that Paulus threw to receiver Eron Riley during the session in advance of the draft, which is April 25-26.
The Wisconsin State Journal and ProFootballTalk.com first reported the story.
Though Paulus, from Syracuse, N.Y., opted for the Blue Devils as a basketball player, he is not without some serious football credentials. He was offered a football scholarship by Notre Dame as well as the University of Miami, and was a former Gatorade football player of the year at Christian Brothers Academy.
Paulus, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, was a four-time all-state football player; a starter in the U.S. Army All-American game; and set six state passing records. Christian Brothers was 42-3 during his time there, and he had 11,763 career passing yards and 152 touchdown passes in 45 games.
He is the only one among his male siblings to take the basketball route. Each of his five brothers played Division I-A football; Mike Paulus is currently a quarterback at North Carolina.
Paulus averaged 9.9 points and 4.1 assists as a three-year starter for the Blue Devils. But coach Mike Krzyzewski shuffled his lineup and Paulus, with a history of injuries, was replaced by Nolan Smith at the point. Paulus played just 16.1 minutes a game this season, averaging 4.9 points and 1.3 assists.
He earned widespread praise, however, for his conduct and demeanor after losing the starting job, giving guidance to the younger players and never showing outward disgruntlement.
He also expressed no regret about choosing basketball over football, during an interview in January with USA Today.
“I wanted to play point guard, and I got a chance to do that and to play for Duke and Coach K,” Paulus told USA Today. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”
I can think of this as something that I want to change...
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
I think that the picture gotten here on a CAL blog (go visit when they are up and running, there was a great Oregon game breakdown) sums up the season. Cal is a sleeping Bear, ready to expose the fangs and do serious damage on the Pac-10. We watch A LOT of football being a part of the Too Old crew. One, because as a former high school coach, college and high school player it is part of my DNA. Two, the other members of the crew are passionate about SPORTS, period. Third, we are degenerate gamblers, so we will bet on almost anything.
While we were watching the Bowl season, discussions came up on how I was rooting for CAL basketball last year to blow out Ben Braun and get some new blood up in Harmon Gym, Haas Pavillion. Someone brought up that maybe I should start thinking about calling for Tedford to get blown out and start over. That would be utterly ridiculous to do so. Tedford has given CAL some long needed credibility in the football program. We have not had that kind of buzz since the year of Mooch. The record speaks for itself.
I started thinking about my life as a CAL fan. It has been a long and turbulent road. They have always been the college in my backyard, growing up in Richmond. CAL football was the first game Read the rest of this entry »
When the World is Upside Down
September 28, 2008
The world is upside down in the sense that my bets were all upside down. If this is opposite world, then I am the King. Instead, I chumped it up on the bets in the morning…
But, in upside down world, the Raiders are really putting it to SD, but are not putting up the amount of points its going to take to win the game. The defese got a safety and the offense drove to the 7 yard line, but the offense just stalled and The Chosen One has not made good decisions with the ball in the zone, getting saked and having to settle for a Seabass FG…
Gambling and Football Sunday
September 28, 2008
This is the one day that you get to sit back and relax. Sunday is always made for football and I guess the Lord of your particular choice. I am taking today to worship (not in a sacrilegious way of course, I am not trying to get to hell…at least so soon…since I am sure I will and have made a million other mistakes that hopefully I will get to rebuke…)
Today, I am going to have hash browns, eggs and French toast with sausage while watching the various games that are a part of the DirectTV lineup. Outside of a good breakfast, nothing says Sunday morning than some friendly wagers on the game to spice them up. So, here is what I am going with this morning during the early slate.
Sep 28 01:00 PM EST - Football NFL – 201 Arizona Cardinals Ev for Game
Sep 28 01:00 PM EST - Football NFL – 203 San Francisco 49ers +165 for Game
Sep 28 01:00 PM EST - Football NFL – 209 Green Bay Packers +110 for Game
What I did was take the moneyline for the game, since I think that the Cards, Niners and Packers are going to win outright. You get a better return than just taking the point spread. Plus, I am parlaying the games and for the three taking the moneyline, I am getting 11 to 1. I also have the Broncos today and have them as well in another parlay. We will check back later to see what is happening.
