Sports Buffet for 05/11/10

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NFL

UFA Charles Grant (NO) had the involuntary manslaughter charge against him dropped. He agreed to a misdemeanor public fighting charge with a fine of $1,000, a year probation and a $20,000 payment to the victims of that confrontation. The charges stemmed from a brawl outside a nightclub that led to the death of an innocent passer by.

Texans LB Bryan Cushing has been suspended for the first 4 games for violations of the NFL drug policy. He was the D Rookie of the year last season despite having failed a test in September of 09. He appealed the decision but lost that appeal and now will serve the suspension.

RFA OG Daryn Colledge signed his tender with the Packers.

We will see a lot of RFA players signing their tenders between now and June 15th. On that date NFL teams can lower the offer and the period for players to get an offer from another team has already expired.

The political left is insisting that the NFL pull the Super Bowl scheduled for Arizona due to the recent law that enforces federal law in the state. I suspect that the gutless Commissioner Goodell will do that despite the fact … Read more at FryingPanSports

The Titans will be at destiny's door again in 09 but will they find the key to open it?

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When the Titans were the Houston Oilers, then head coach Buddy Ryan said that they had knocked on the door of the AFC Championship a couple of times and promised to kick it down next year. They didn’t and he was gone a season later.

For most of last year, the Titans were considered by nearly everyone the best team in the AFC if not the NFL. Then they lost to the Jets and that seemed to take the heart out of the team. They ended up doing what they have for all the Super Bowls but 2000—watching from the sidelines. This year could be different, but don’t bet the house on it unless you have a balloon payment due on it soon. Chances are 4-1 they will be the second or third best team in the conference. It will take luck and avoiding injuries to get the Titans to big game.

Former starting quarterback Vince Young will be fighting a possibly terminal case of splinters from carrying the clip board all year. Kerry Collins is the starter and Young has done absolutely nothing to win over the coaching staff or the team other than run his mouth. Collins is … Read more at FryingPanSports

The Jets go all in on Sanchez

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The Jets got a bargain on USC QB Mark Sanchez but if he doesn’t work out, he will be very expensive—he will cost Coach Rex Ryan and the entire organization their jobs. They have pushed all the chips to the middle of the table and bet their future on him.

Nothing can destroy a new coaching staff faster than making a critical mistake by taking a QB that flops with your first ever pick. Just ask the 1999 Browns organization that picked Tim “I’m on the” Couch. A mistake on a 1st round QB will set the franchise back 5 to 6 years. Given the lack of experience in college and the question about Sanchez not being able to beat out Booty and the Jets have in effect doubled down on the bet.

The Jets will give Sanchez every chance in the world to claim the starting position this year. The Jets will never beat the Pats for the division title with Kellen Clemens at the helm. My feeling is that Sanchez is not Matt Ryan (Atl) or even Joe Flacco (Bal). He will be servicable but not ever become the superstar that the Jets hope.

Adding to the … Read more at FryingPanSports