Posts tagged NFL
Chad Pennington Interview
Chad Pennington played in the NFL for eleven years. He was selected by the New York Jets in the first round in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played for the Jets then played for the Miami Dolphins. Chad won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award twice. He is the NFL’s all-time leader in career completion percentage. He is currently a color analyst for NFL telecasts on FOX.
Besides having a great career in the NFL, Chad and his wife, Robin started up the 1st and 10 Foundation. That organization was created to build stronger communities by funding programs to help improve quality of life. They are also busy with their three sons, who love to play outdoors just like their dad.
Chad and I were able to talk about his time in the NFL, winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, and his foundation.
Art Eddy: Let’s first talk about your career in the NFL. You played for the Jets and the Dolphins. Both teams are in the AFC East. Do you feel that staying in that division helped your transition to the Dolphins?
Chad Pennington: I certainly had familiarity with division and with the teams that we would be playing to try and win a division crown. I also had familiarity with Bill Parcells and Dan Henning and some of the other people that were in place in Miami when I made the transition from New York to Miami.
AE: When would you say that you felt comfortable at your position after you were drafted?
CP: I think my third year was when the light bulb really went on. As a rookie you are just surviving on your college instincts. Your second year you are trying to figure out how to be a professional. By your third year you truly start to make progress as a professional. You start to contribute to your team in a positive way.
Even if you have some successful times in your first and second year, that third you I think that is when everybody starts to feel like okay I belong. This is where I am and what I need to do to have a long career.
AE: You won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award twice, becoming the only player since the awards inception to do so. What did winning that award twice personally mean to you?
CP: First it meant that both organizations that I played for when I did win those awards meant that I had great support. I had a great support system when I was trying to rehab from an injury. I had great teammates that supported me. When I came back from the injury we were able to do some special things on the field.
On a personal level it feels good that someone recognizes your hard work. It is very hard to come back from an injury. People don’t realize how much energy and time is spent just to get back on the field much less trying to play the way you are capable of playing. Playing after an injury is very, very difficult. It is a really exhausting process. To be able to win that award really meant a lot to me.
AE: Name one change the NFL has made since you entered the league that you like and one that you wish that they never had changed?
CP: I think that the game has gotten better from an entertainment standpoint. There are so many things that fans can get involved with the game and have real lifetime experiences with football. From a fan’s perspective it is really exciting.
I think with the safety of the game at some point in time we have to realize that this is a gladiator sport. It is a dangerous game. You can’t take away all the dangerous risks. That is like saying that there are no car wrecks in NASCAR. It is just going to happen.
I think the league is taking the appropriate steps to make it a safer game. We just have to be very careful that we are not taking away the integrity of the game as far as how this game is supposed to be played. As players we need to know that going in. We know what those risks are. To act like that we are not aware of concussions or that we are not aware of some of the things that go on is wrong as well. We got to make sure that we stay on that fine line and make it as safe as possible, but also realize that there is a risk in playing the game of football.
AE: You have played in the playoffs in your career. How much is the stress level heightened come playoff time?
CP: The excitement is certainly at a different level. The pace of game. The energy. The intensity of the two teams playing is at a different level. The winner goes on and the loser goes home. There is a finality to your season with that playoff game. It is the one time in the year that everyone is playing like there is no tomorrow.
I think that is why fans gravitate towards the playoffs as well as the players. At the end of the day when you take away all the frills of the NFL, the entertainment value, and all those types of things as a player that is truly what you are playing for. It is to win the Lombardi Trophy and be called world champion.
AE: Tell me a bit about your foundation and what type of events you guys do annually?
CP: The 1st and 10 Foundation was started with my wife, Robin and me in 2003. Our ultimate goal was to improve the quality of life in the areas we contribute. Those areas would be East Tennessee, Southern West Virginia, and the Tri-State area. We were able to establish a grant program in 2006. Since that inception we have been able to grant more than 1 million dollars to those geographical areas because of our donors and supporters.
The neat thing about our foundation is that all administrative calls are taken care of. Every donated dollar goes back into what we are trying to support. Our foundation is your foundation. That is what we always say. If you gave a dollar to the foundation we take a lot of pride to make sure that your hard earned dollar is put back to where it is supposed to be.
We got a lot of different initiatives. We have holiday parties, ticket programs, and some different things. Now that we have moved to Lexington, Kentucky we are looking at some other initiatives and programs that we really want to dive into. It has been something that we really have enjoyed these past ten years.
AE: What motivated you to start up the 1st and 10 Foundation?
CP: The first thing was when Robin’s father battled leukemia for ten months. We saw a need for patient family services with leukemia and cancer patients. It was not only for patient, him or herself going through a terrible experience, but the family is in shock. The family is trying to deal with the disease and support their loved one without having much knowledge or information. So that patient family service part is very important.
We felt like in the rural areas of East Tennessee and Southern West Virginia there are not big cities to access malls, movies, and other things to do. The community center is a source of life in these smaller areas and towns. We try to support community based programs and organizations to help many people as we can. The great thing about the community center is that affects all ages. That is what we were trying to do for the past decade.
Jan 27th
Pepsi #Halftime America with Lee Brice
Pepsi is getting ready for the Super Bowl with these two new ads that showcase the halftime show with Bruno Mars as well as pre-gaming a bit earlier smack dab in middle of America with Lee Brice.
When you’re trying to get the whole of America Hyped For Halftime, where do you start? For Pepsi, the answer was easy: smack-dab in the middle. That’s why we traveled to the tiny town of Milligan, Nebraska with a fleet of trucks, a grip of machines spouting free Pepsi, and a very special performance from country star Lee Brice.
Football isn’t football without halftime and halftime isn’t halftime without Pepsi. Check out Pepsi’s latest commercial and share in the joy of the first-ever halftime, caused by—what else?—a classic Pepsi moment. Then, tune in to the Pepsi Super Bowl 48 Halftime Show with Bruno Mars, happening on February 2nd, 2014. Get Hyped for Halftime!
Jan 20th
Anthony Becht Interview
Anthony Becht played 12 years in the NFL at the tight end position. In his career he has played for the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals, and Kansas City Chiefs. Since retiring Becht is still involved with football. He works for ESPN and is the Buccaneers Pre and Post Game Host for 620 WDAE.
Recently he has teamed up with Mohan’s Custom Tailors and the Doe Fund to help those in need this holiday season. Mohan’s is looking for people to donate suits or overcoats that they don’t use anymore. This charity event kicks-off a holiday season of giving at Mohan’s. When people come in and donate their suits they will receive a $100 credit toward a new custom tailored overcoat. Then those donations will be cleaned and donated to charity.
I was able to chat with Anthony about his playing days in the NFL, fatherhood, the work he is doing with Mohan’s and the Doe Fund, and this current season in the NFL.
Art Eddy: Let’s talk about the great work that you are doing with Mohan’s Custom Tailors and the Doe Fund to help those in need this holiday season.
Anthony Becht: I really think it is outstanding. I have teamed up with Mohan’s Custom Tailors after my career. Just for the fact that they have some great suits. They wanted to team up and work together to work with a charity each and every month of 2014. To kick off the year they are going to work with the Doe Fund.
Basically Mohan’s are going to donate suit jackets and suits that customers bring in. They will clean them up and give them to the Doe Fund. We see a lot of charities that supply the homeless with shelter and food. I think the Doe Fund really does a great job. What they do is actually get those in need in the workforce. They find them jobs, get them educated, and get them back on their feet so their long term success is greater than the short term.
Those people can’t afford suits or jackets. For Mohan’s to provide jackets and reach out to this charity and work with them is bar none an outstanding idea in the long term for these people in need.
AE: How can people help you guys out?
AB: They can go to Mohan Tailors dot com. They can reach out to Mohan’s if they have a suit or anything they have that they are no longer using. They can go to Mohan’s and receive a $100 discount towards the purchase of a new suit, custom suit, or overcoat. Basically the goal is to get these coats and overcoats to those people in need.
Hopefully we will be able to get over a thousand of these jackets back to the people in need. I just think it is a great idea. Just reach out to Mohan’s. Go to their website. You can call them at 212-697-0050 to get more information.
AE: Moving to sports, you played for 12 years in the NFL as a tight end for the Jets, Bucs, Rams, Cardinals, and Chiefs. Looking back at your career what do you take away the most from your days in the league?
AB: One thing Art is that it goes fast. You don’t realize how the years pile up. All of a sudden bam it kind of hits you and your career is over. I have been very fortunate. The average in the NFL is three and a half years. I definitely surpassed that playing 12 seasons.
I got to play in New York, one of the greatest cities in the world. I came down to Tampa, where I live now, and I got to go to a few places at the end of my career. I really got to see the country and see the fans, and play with different coaches and teammates.
The fact that I got to play such a long time and the longevity to stay somewhat healthy throughout my career and not miss many games was great. Being that blue collar type of tight end playing in the NFL opened up many opportunities when I was playing and now with my post football career in the media world.
AE: You played for a few different quarterbacks in your career. How long did it take you to build a chemistry with a quarterback when you started playing for a new team?
AB: As a tight end that was the first thing I did. When I came to New York I had Chad Pennington and Vinnie Testaverde sitting right next to me at my locker. Immediately you try to build those bonds. That is important. I think any wide receiver, tight end, running back in this league the first person you are trying to make friends with is the quarterback.
Anything you can do to build that extra work or continuity and getting on the same page is huge. As I grew into my career and went to different teams I was kind of a guy that got gravitated to as a leader. I would be with those quarterbacks from just an experience standpoint.
For any young guy coming into the league build a relationship with the quarterback, the coordinators, and just everybody to get on the same page and put that extra work in. It can really help you develop yourself as a better player and extend your career.
AE: Did you have a few guys on opposing teams that you enjoyed matching up against?
AB: Yeah, there had been some opponents obviously playing against different teams especially in the AFC East. You look at the Miami Dolphins. They were always a big rival. You are playing against Jason Taylor twice a year. He was one of the more phenomenal defensive players to play during my time.
You look at the Patriots. Guys like Willie McGinest and Tedy Bruschi, these guys were just hard-nosed defensive players that accentuated what the NFL was really all about. There were challenges for me. When I was a young guy with the Jets going against these high caliber players was tough early, but made me a better player as I went on in my career. It helped me extend my career and play a long time in the NFL.
AE: Switching to this year, who is your pick to win the Super Bowl?
AB: When I look at the NFC I really see teams that are in the bottom tier of the playoff situation are really trying to fight for their position. Originally I thought the Saints were going to be a team that could really make some noise moving forward. They had an outstanding season. We see them have their struggles with the Rams recently.
I think the big thing for me is the consistency. The Seattle Seahawks have been the most consistent team. When you look at the quarterback play in Russell Wilson everyone is picking them, but that is really the main factor. Every single week they have had the ability to go out and play hard, play good, and win each and every game. They could easily be undefeated.
On the AFC side you think that it will be the Denver Broncos, but you are starting to see some flaws with this team. They struggle on defense. I feel that no matter how many stats Peyton Manning puts up they need every single yard and every touchdown. That could be a problem moving forward.
Look at the Patriots and the Ravens. I think it is going to be one of those cold weather teams that if they can just get into the playoffs, they can make some noise. Look at the Ravens. They are a team that understands the situation. They can play hard-nosed defense. They have an experienced quarterback that can make some noise. Overall though if the Broncos get hot and they can do anything with their defense then they would be the favorite going in to the playoffs.
AE: Any team surprise you this year either in a positive or negative way?
AB: I think in a positive way the Carolina Panthers have done an outstanding job this year. You talk about the head coach, Ron Rivera. Everyone wanted to fire him last season, but all of a sudden they stuck with him. Cam Newton became a better player. They get a few defensive players like Luke Kuechly and other defensive linemen that come in and really help build that team.
Now they are really a complete football team. They can run the football. They can play defense. To me they have been the surprise. I thought that they would be better, but I didn’t think that they would be in the mix to potentially with the division.
Dec 18th
Kurt Warner Interview
Kurt Warner had a brilliant career in the NFL. Whether it was him leading the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 1999 or taking the Arizona Cardinals to their first ever Super Bowl berth in 2008, Warner left his mark in the NFL. Kurt has been named MVP in the league as well as in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Besides excelling on the field Kurt does even more off the field with the work he does with his foundation, First Things First. The foundation is devoted to impacting the lives of others using Christian values, providing aid and supporting those in need. The foundation supports children’s hospitals, people with developmental disabilities, and single parents to name a few.
Kurt Warner is now an analyst for the NFL Network. Check him out every Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning at 9:00 AM ET.
Kurt was able to chat with me about who he thinks has the best shot at winning this year’s Super Bowl, his playing days, and his foundation.
Art Eddy: You do an excellent job breaking down games for the NFL Network. You are a few years retired from the league. What are some of the major changes to the game since you retired?
Kurt Warner: I think the biggest thing is passing aspect of the game due to the new rule changes. Also the nature of the talent that has come into the league like the tight end positions. The athletes that are coming into those positions now has really driven it to become a pass first league more so than any other time in the history of the game. I think that has been the biggest change. It has become difficult to play really good defense.
AE: Which teams are fun to watch for you and the crew at the NFL Network?
KW: I appreciate the game having played it. I enjoy watching a lot of different things. Of course I enjoy watching passing teams, their passing concepts, and a good quarterback on how they read and decipher defenses.
I also like watching good defenses. To see how teams like Seattle are able to week in and week out just come up with schemes and have the talent and the ability to stop teams. Like when they played the Saints. It is rare because of the changes and the athleticisms of offenses. It is rare for defenses to come out and shut down really good offenses like that. You have to appreciate what they are doing and how they are able to do that week in and week out.
AE: Who is your pick to win the Super Bowl?
KW: Right now I think that it is still between Denver and Seattle. I think that those are the two best teams from an all-around team standpoint. What a great battle it would be to see a Seattle defense up against Peyton Manning and the crew that he has.
I think it would be a great matchup. I think it would be fun. There would be a lot of great storylines. I think that those are the two best teams right now. I think what you are going to see is what will happen on the other side of the ball. Denver’s defense, can they step up and be able to make the plays needed to win a championship.
It is the same with Seattle’s offense. Russell Wilson is playing great right now. You want to see that offense continue to do that. If so I would give them a slight edge because they are better on both sides of the ball. I think it would be a great matchup.
AE: What is your take on having the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium this year where it could snow or rain?
KW: I am not a big fan of it. I don’t want the history of our game to be determined by weather. I understand why you have home field advantage and why you play the games during the regular season, but if you are a team that plays in a dome it is not your fault.
The problem is that it is hard to really prepare to go out into the elements. I think we get to see that a lot. Teams get a week to prepare and spend some time in the city, but it is very difficult to acclimate yourself with the weather. These teams that are dome teams or warm weather teams I think it is an unfair advantage if you are putting them into a poor weather situation with a team that is used to it.
I understand all about football and how it has been built. It is a game that is played outdoors and in the elements. I want there to be a situation where both teams have an equal opportunity to play their best football. So with that, may the best team win. I am not a big fan of that. I know other people really like that and think that it is part of the game.
I think that certain teams would have a disadvantage by going out in the elements, especially in that kind of game.
AE: Speaking of Super Bowls, you and the St. Louis Rams beat the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. To me that was one of the best Super Bowls in the history of the NFL. You won the MVP award and that game is known to many as the “One Yard Short” game. What did you take away from that game?
KW: Anytime you win the Super Bowl and get to the pinnacle of your job, your career in the business that you are in is phenomenal. To win such a great football game, I have been fortunate. I played in three unbelievable Super Bowls. Two Super Bowls that could have gone either way came down to final plays.
It was great to be able to get that win in my first Super Bowl. It was great to see how the team had to step up. The offense had to make a big play to get us ahead and then the defense had to make a big stop. That is what football for me is really all about. You win championships as a team. All sides have to come together. I definitely saw that in my first Super Bowl and that was one that I will never forget.
AE: You have played with some great guys like Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin. As a quarterback it must have been a dream to have those players as teammates. 
KW: No great quarterback is ever great without having great players around him. You can go down the list. To have those kind of guys to count on, guys who were big time players in big time moments was so much fun. It made my job so much easier to know that those guys were on the other side and know what they could do and trust them in any situation.
I was really, really fortunate to play with some really great players. It was a huge reason of why I had the success that I did.
AE: How tough was it to step away from the game?
KW: It really wasn’t that hard to step away. The reason was that the last few years were extremely rewarding. No one really gave us a chance. We didn’t necessarily have a great team, but we were able to overcome a lot. We were able to come together at the right time to do some really special things. It was rewarding, but at the same time it took a lot out of me.
I was asked to do a lot. The mental stress and the pressure to live up to certain expectations was really hard. It had an effect on me both mentally and physically. Understanding that and knowing how much I had to give, you understand the reward, but also the cost of it. When I weighed all of those things it was actually an easy decision to walk away.
The game had been tremendous to me. I accomplished more than many people expected me to. I was very proud of what I was able to do in my career. It became much easier for me to say that I am not willing and able to give what my team and teammates deserve that I have to step away. As hard of a decision that it was just because it is never easy to say goodbye, at the same time it was the right decision. I knew I didn’t have what it takes to give what I always had.
AE: Tell me about the outstanding work you do for your foundation First Things First.
KW: It something that we started about 12 years ago. We started it because we didn’t want to limit God in his reach with our lives. We didn’t design to say hey we are going to focus on this group or that group. We have been varied in the programs that we have run.
From working with Make-A-Wish and taking families down to Disney with us every year to doing homeownership programs like Habitat for Humanity and working with children’s homes and orphanages. We just have a variety of things.
We just are now working to help with supportive living for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our son was injured when he was young and deals with these challenges on day to day basis. We have come to understand that when he gets passed high school all the challenges that are out there to really allow them to thrive and have a purpose and derive in live.
That is our next endeavor is to build what we call Treasure House for these individuals and these families to have a next step and have dreams in life. Our foundation encompasses a lot of different things, but wherever God directs us or takes us in life He usually seems to open up a door to allow us to help in that area. That is how we designed our foundation from day one. We will be where God takes us and if a door opens up we will go through it and see how we can help.
Dec 16th
Deacon Jones’ Wife Elizabeth Refects On Husband’s Career
Deacon Jones, former NFL defensive lineman, Hall of Famer, and Orlando Florida football legend, was honored in his hometown community as part of a special program called “Hometown Hall of Famers” presented by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Allstate. The event took place at Edgewater High School where Deacon grew up. Representatives of the Hall of Fame, Allstate, the Orlando community, and Deacon’s friends and family will be in attendance.
Elizabeth Jones, his wife was kind enough to speak with me about her late husband’s career, the hometown ceremony and what it means to their family and his legacy.
Art Eddy: Can you tell me about the “Hometown Hall of Famers” event that is presented by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Allstate that is happening in Orlando to honor your husband?
Elizabeth Jones: It is really a great, great promotion. There are so many things that young people can learn about life from my husband. He was always preaching about where he came from and fighting very hard to become what he became and do be the best at what he could be.
So I think that Allstate sponsoring this event and going back to the hometown of these guys is a great educational tool. Hopefully it will not only promote the Hall of Fame, but it will be inspirational for some of the kids, if not all of them. Maybe it will push them to go into life and do good things.
AE: This is a great honor and I know Deacon would appreciate this event. What does this ceremony mean to you to honor Deacon’s legacy?
EJ: So many thing have happened since he passed away. He was honored for things when he was alive, but since he has passed away there has been so many accolades and honors. Seeing now how much he was loved and really respected and how he helped out many people’s lives in ways you don’t even think about when he was alive is amazing to see.
I think he would be very, very pleased. I think for his legacy to continue in the place where he grew up would be especially poignant to him. As you know in the times in which he grew up are quite a bit different than they are now. Often times I think young people don’t know it or they forget about it. I think that it would be a lot to him for them to maintain that knowledge and understand how far they come and what it means now.
AE: Deacon had a very long list of accomplishment and accolades. What motivated him while he was playing in the NFL?
EJ: What motivated him more than anything else was where he came from and the times in which he grew up. Nobody thought that he could make it. Nobody gave him credit for being as good as other white people. You are well aware of the circumstances and it really annoyed him so much. It motivated him so much to prove to the world that he was not only as good as, but better than.
People in hometown believed he was a dreamer and he would never accomplish his goals. They thought his goals were something that wasn’t accomplishable. He just refused to accept that. He would not accept the fact that he was lesser than anyone else. What also motivated him was anger. A lot of anger. It served a purpose for him.
AE: What do you think was your husband’s greatest moment in his phenomenal career?
EJ: I think for him the greatest moment was when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first year of his eligibility. That was validation for him. You know that my husband was a very in your face kind of person. So that was a big deal to him. Getting into the Hall of Fame meant the world to him. People thought that he couldn’t do it, but he felt like well here I am.
That was a huge accomplishment for him. When he started playing football in the NFL he never played to be a Hall of Famer. It wasn’t a consideration. The fact that he was not only a Hall of Famer, but he achieved that in his first year eligibility was a great moment for him.
AE: Tell me about the Deacon Jones Foundation and the many great things your organization provides.
EJ: Deacon often said that he wouldn’t know what his life would have become if he didn’t get the opportunity to go to a good school and to further his education in ways some others don’t get to. He wanted to give young people the opportunity and really level the playing field.
In terms of the Deacon Jones Foundation it was much more than a scholarship situation. We look to mentor them. We get them involved with corporate America. We introduce them to people in business that can mentor them as well. We teach them about giving back to their community. One of the things that Deacon wanted was to make sure these kids wanted the education we provided for them and give back to their community.
It is a very hands on program with a lot of different aspects to it. Primarily it was created to create leaders in the community and be able to help those in need.
AE: I know Deacon did a lot work with the military. What are some of the things beyond football you want people to know about Deacon?
EJ: Oh my gosh! He was so impressed with the soldiers. He went to Iraq and that scared the devil out of him. When he went to Iraq and saw the risks that these young people were taking. He loved the military beforehand and the fact that people would go into battle for thing that they believed in. It affected him very deeply. The last trip he took in Iraq made him want to be more involved in helping the military.
Deacon was really unique. He was big, bad, fierce, and tough. He was also the sweetest, warmest, and most caring person in the world.
Sep 25th
Week 3 NFL Picks
So entering Week 3 of the NFL season, 22 of 32 games have been decided by 7 points or less. That’s nutty. Like, historically nutty. That shit just doesn’t happen. It makes it difficult to be on point with the picks, man. But 8-8 is a big improvement from 4-11-1, so let’s keep that trend rolling…
At Philadelphia -3 Kansas City
Andy Reid returns to Philly with the undefeated Chiefs. Philly’s defense is not good. They’ve given up an average of 460.5 yards per game over the first two weeks. The Chargers and Redskins are the only two defenses that have allowed more yards. The Chiefs on the other hand have a pretty solid D, but I think the up-tempo attack of the Eagles will prevail here.
Pick: Eagles -3
At Tennessee -3 San Diego
Philip Rivers is looking sharp and the Titans are not. A league-worst 123 passing yards a game isn’t gonna cut it. Chris Johnson’s been dancing too much behind the line of scrimmage, Kenny Britt seems to realize his time in Tennessee is done, and Jake Locker’s only completing 56 percent of his passes. The Chargers have put up 61 points in two games. San Diego spoils Tennessee’s home opener.
Pick: Chargers +3
At Minnesota -6.5 Cleveland
Good news for the Browns – Josh Gordon is back. Bad news – they traded away their best offensive player. Trent Richardson will miss the start of the Hoyer era. Dude found out he was a Colt while listening to the radio. Stay classy, Cleveland! The Vikings don’t look all that threatening, but the Browns seem to be playing for next year just two weeks into the season.
Pick: Vikings -6.5
At New England -7 Tampa Bay
The Pats offense has looked a bit weak so far, but they’ll get it together.
Pick: Pats -7
Houston -2.5 At Baltimore
The Ravens may be without Ray Rice which is bad news for a team that’s only averaging 2.8 yards a carry. The Texans can outscore this bunch.
Pick: Texans -2.5
At Dallas -4 St. Louis
These two teams are pretty evenly matched, but I like the Rams here. They’ve looked pretty solid so far, and I think they can take one in Texas.
Pick: Rams +4
At New Orleans -7.5 Arizona
The Saints play different in the comfort of their own dome. They should take this one without too much trouble.
Pick: Saints -7.5
At Washington -2 Detroit
Shootout city. The Redskins have the worst defense in the NFL. They’ve allowed 511.5 yards per game so far. Yikes. The Lions can score in bunches. With or without Reggie. Take the over and watch the fireworks.
Pick: Lions +2
Green Bay -2 At Cincinnati
The Packers have one of the most explosive offenses in football. The Bengals beat up on the Steelers at home, but their defense is going to have a difficult time bottling up Green Bay’s multiple offensive weapons.
Pick: Packers -2
At Carolina -1 NY Giants
Two 0-2 teams try to turn things around, someone’s gotta win, right? I think the Giants are the better winless squad.
Pick: Giants +1
At Miami -2.5 Atlanta
Toughest game of the week to call. Are the Fins for real? Can they contain Atlanta’s passing attack? Can the Falcons get production out of their backup RBs with Jackson sidelined? I thought the Fins would be much improved this season, and I’m going to keep supporting their turnaround here.
Pick: Fins -2.5
At San Francisco -10 Indianapolis
Luck gets a new weapon and the Seahawks proved that the mighty Niners aren’t invincible. Trent Richardson was already an angry runner. Now he’s going to be even more motivated to destroy people. I think SF wins this one, but it’ll be closer than a two score margin.
Pick: Colts +10
At Seattle -19.5 Jacksonville
What the what? Three score deficit in Week 3? Harsh bro! But the worst team in football competing up against the most legit home field advantage in the NFL? The Jags are gonna get trounced.
Pick: Seahawks -19.5
At NY Jets -2.5 Buffalo
I interviewed EJ Manuel earlier this week and when we talked about that near win against the Pats in Week 1, EJ said, “we don’t want to become a shoulda, woulda, coulda type team.” I love this guy. He’s calm, collected, unnerved. EJ over Geno, Bills over Jets.
Pick: Bills +2.5
Chicago -2.5 At Pittsburgh
When the free agent lineman that you picked up off the street looks better than all four of your regular starters, your o-line is a mess. The Steelers need their high draft picks to show up and help. Miller and Bell won’t be factors this week, but DeCastro and Adams need to start living up to their pedigree. Jarvis Jones too. Pittsburgh’s offense is a mess: nowhere to run, Haley’s getting yelled at by the team’s best wide out, Ben needs more freedom to run the no huddle and call his own plays, etc. It’s tough times all around in Pittsburgh, and the offense shoulders the bulk of the blame. I want to believe they can turn it around, but I really do have my doubts. Steelers as home dogs shouldn’t happen though.
Pick: Steelers +2.5
At Denver -15 Oakland
The Broncos look scary good and the Raiders look borderline competent. This spread seems to fit just right. Denver can take away Oakland’s biggest strength. The Raiders lead the league in rushing and the Broncos are first in the league against the run (that’s what happens when you build large leads early). It all adds up to more time for Peyton to wreak havoc.
Pick: Broncos -15
Last Week: 8-8
Season: 12-19-1
Last Season: 136-121-5
Sep 19th
The NFL Jersey Report
His team may not have the best record, but Robert Griffin, III has the best-selling jersey. Last week RG3’s jersey outsold 29 other teams as a whole (Not the Giants or Ravens’ jerseys). How do I know all of this? Well I checked the “Jersey Report” from DICK’S Sporting Goods.
DICK’S upgraded the “Jersey Report,” to now include detailed graphs showcasing sales by player, team, position and division, as well as fan stories, expert analysis of how jerseys are rising and falling. As a football fan it was interesting to read the following stats on the sale of NFL jerseys.
Here are some quick hits on the sale of NFL jerseys
Monday Night Football:
•Last night’s game had the current #9 overall team in jersey sales (Steelers) vs. the #13 team (Bengals)
•Troy Polamalu’s jersey was the only defensive player to crack the top ten overall (last week) but has since fallen to #21.
•Heath Miller’s jersey is the second most popular for the Steelers
•AJ Green was second in receiving yards after week 1 and is currently #14 in overall jersey sales (#1 on the Bengals)
In the past week of sales……
•RG3’s jersey outsold 29 other teams as a whole (Not the Giants or Ravens’ jerseys)
•LeSean McCoy’s jersey joins QBs in top five
•1. RG3 2. Andrew Luck 3. Peyton Manning 4. LeSean McCoy 5. Eli Manning.
•Rising star – McCoy’ jersey has jumped 24 spots since last week
•Over one-quarter of all jerseys sold are for the NFC East. The bottom two teams in the division are in the top three in sales, though, with WAS # 1 and NYG #3 overall.
•It’s a QB league, more than 40% of jerseys sold are quarterback jerseys
Each week you can check out the Jersey Report to see which is the hottest selling jersey of that week and which one is losing popularity. It is like the stock market for jerseys.
Sep 17th
Archie Manning Interview
Archie Manning is widely known for his time playing quarterback at Ole Miss in college and for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL. Archie and his wife Olivia have three terrific sons, Cooper, Peyton, and Eli. All three boys did follow their dad’s footsteps by playing football. Peyton and Eli are quarterbacks in the NFL who both have Super Bowl rings.
Like all of us Archie has experienced highs and lows in his life. In an upcoming film called “The Book of Manning” on ESPN airing September 24th people will get to see just that. The film takes more of the personal look into the Manning family.
Talking with Archie solidified my notion about how much of a caring and down to earth person he is. Archie told me that he is very blessed to be married to Olivia for 42 years and that they are proud parents and grandparents.
Since we already know about Archie and his time in the NFL I wanted to talk with him about fatherhood. We did chat a little bit about football, but as you will read below there is more to Archie than just football.
Art Eddy: First off let’s talk about the outstanding performance from your son Peyton had on opening night of Week 1. From his neck surgery to now it just goes to show what an incredible player Peyton is both mentally and physically.
Archie Manning: Well certainly we are proud of Peyton. It was a special night and they got a win too. Two or three years ago we didn’t know what Peyton’s future was in football. He had been so fortunate throughout his career to be healthy and never miss any time.
To have four surgeries and for everything to go well and be able to come back and physically play again. He changed teams, but to get the season started like that was really good. We were really proud of him.
AE: What will you always take away from your career in the NFL?
AM: I didn’t really see the brightest side of it. I was one of these kids that wanted to grow up and play ball. So the fact that I got to do it. I got to do it for almost 15 years. I did it in college which was a great experience for me and professionally for 15 years.
I am not scarred by the lack of success we had or getting beaten around a bit or this and that. I wanted it as a youngster. Wanted to play college football. Wanted to play pro football. I got to do it and it was a great experience for me.
AE: What has been the biggest change about the game from when you played to now?
AM: The game has changed a great deal. You hear most people say that players today are bigger, stronger, and faster and they are. The training methods have changed. It is more of a year round thing and it really wasn’t when I first came into the league. The whole emphasis on nutrition. The weightlifting programs. The speed enhancements. Players are just better overall.
It is also a more complex game. There are various personnel groups going in and out of the game. It wasn’t like that when I started playing. There wasn’t that many substitutions, kind of the same eleven out there all the time. That is the big change. They really got smart people coaching, well they always have. These coaches today with all these personnel groups, defensive coaches, offensive coaches countering back. They are very smart guys and it is a complex game.
AE: What was your football advice to Cooper, Peyton, and EIi when they started playing football?
AM: Well it really started in all sports. They liked sports. I don’t feel like I pushed them in sports. I will say that I was glad that they had an interest. I think athletic sports are good for young people if they like it. One thing is that it consumes a lot of their time. I think that is a good thing now in our society.
I think there is a lot of value there. There are things to learn especially in team sports. How to be part of a team. You learn how to deal with adversity. You know how to deal with good things too like winning. The teamwork part of it. Being coached. Taking direction. Having a proper attitude. Sacrificing things. A lot to learn.
I really didn’t want mine playing tackle football until about the seventh grade in an organized way at school. So that is what they did. There is nothing wrong with playing football. I was a little old fashioned. I always encouraged them to play in the yard. That’s what we did growing up in small towns in Mississippi. Kids don’t do much of that anymore. They went from sport to sport. Played a lot baseball early on. Played basketball. A little bit of soccer. A lot of just ball in the backyard. I think it was about seventh grade when they started organized football.
It was no big deal. We just had a rule with anything they played. If you go out for something you are going to stay out. If you think there is any doubt that you are not going to like this project, than don’t do it because you are not going to quit. Football was always a good experience for them. They had good coaching. One of my rules is you got to have fun. Football is supposed to be fun and I think they did.
AE: I am very curious to know what happens when all three brothers get together. Not to put you on the spot, but who is the funniest out of the three? Or maybe I should say who tries to be the funniest of the three?
AM: Cooper has always been the guy that keeps everybody laughing in our family. He has been funny since he was a little boy. Has a good sense of humor. Maybe a little bit crazy at times. He does a lot of funny things. I think Peyton and Eli have always been a good audience for him.
I think the main thing is that the three of them get along real well. We don’t get together as much as we like to with everyone spread out. I know when those three get together they do laugh a lot. They have fun. As a parent that makes me feel really good.
AE: The film “The Book of Manning” will premiere on September 24th on ESPN. The film takes the viewer even more inside your family. From what I have seen it shows the both some of the highs and lows in your life. How did this project come about?
AM: They just came to me and wanted to do it. It is kind of a popular thing on TV now. You see the “30 for 30” series on ESPN. I think the NFL Network has “A Football Life.” This is something that started three or four years ago. ESPN and Southeastern Conference have a thing called “SEC Storied.” They came to me.
I know they did one on Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, and a good friend of mine up at Tennessee, called Condredge Holloway. They told me that they wanted to do it. It took us a while to get going. I had a lot on my plate. It kind of started and I told them that they had to delay it for a while. Peyton was going through those neck surgeries. We came back and allowed them to do it and just let them go.
It is getting ready to come out. Olivia and I have viewed it and we liked it. I think it is something our grandchildren will like and hopefully some other people will enjoy it. It does go back to my childhood, my college football days. I lost my dad when I was playing college football and dealing with that. Raising kids. It is not about pro football or anything. As far as their concerned it is a little more about their high school days and making some decisions. Plus a couple of tough things Cooper had to go through as an athlete.
AE: Your family is well known. Many people look to Cooper, Peyton, and Eli as role models. As a parent that has to send a message to you and your wife that you did a good job raising your sons. What are you most proud of your three sons?
AM: First of all if there is anyone that needs credit for them turning out pretty well it would be Olivia. We have been fortunate enough to be married for 42 years. She is not only a great wife, but a wonderful mother. Olivia and I have just been really so blessed to have the three boys, Cooper as much as Peyton and Eli have given us such great joy and happiness through the years. All three have been married to three great girls. All have families. All have children. Grandchildren are the greatest thing in the world.
Again we have been just so blessed. I think the thing I am most proud of is what I said before. The fact that they all get along so well. At my age I see siblings who don’t always get along because of one problem or another. That is kind of sad to me. I know Olivia and I feel the same way. We pinch ourselves sometimes. We have two sons playing quarterback in the National Football League. At the end of the day I think what gives us the most joy is that all three of them are happy and that they all get along so good.
AE: What were some of the main life lessons you wanted to teach your sons?
AM: Priorities was always a word we threw around a little bit. As you get older and have a lot of things hit you in the face there. School work, social, and sports and so forth. My mother always used to do this. When you didn’t know the meaning of a word she would say go look it up in the dictionary. If you look up priorities in the dictionary it says what is most important.
So I think we would always try to emphasize with the boys to take a look at what is most important. Your faith, your family, your school and if you are in sports or extracurricular and friends. I guess the other thing is that young people today in country and our society have a lot of challenges. This is what we do with our children. If we just try to remind them when they got a decision to make, just kind of take a deep breath and step back and try to do what is right. What do you think is right here? What is the right thing to do? If you can be a little patient and take time and make the right decision, things will be a lot better.
AE: Now as a grandfather what is to like to see your sons take on the role of being a father?
AM: I just think it is being around the grandkids. Laughing with them and seeing them grow and spoiling them. Gosh it is great to take them for a cheeseburger or have them spend the night or go to a ball game. Olivia and I have spent our lives going to ball games. Now they are active in those, well some of them are still a little young. The ones who are old enough are getting active in the same little leagues and basketball and so forth. People tell you how great grandchildren are, but it is better than they tell you it is.
Sep 12th
Former Saints player Joe Horn tells us how to BBQ and talks some football
Joe Horn played in the NFL for 11 years most notably for the New Orleans Saints. The four time Pro Bowler was elected to the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame and finished his career with 58 receiving touchdowns.
Horn went from having a great career in the NFL to starting his own business. For a few years now Joe has led a successful company called Bayou 87. Joe sells barbeque sauce and smoked sausage. Part of the proceeds from his company goes to various charity organizations. He played a role to help rebuild New Orleans especially after Hurricane Katrina.
Joe was nice enough to chat with me about his time in the NFL, the Saints chances to reach the Super Bowl, and his Bayou 87 sauce.
Art Eddy: First off you have a great barbeque sauce called Bayou 87. With people tailgating for the NFL season. What are some great recipes people can make with your sauce?
Joe Horn: Oh man they can make it with anything they have; salad, fish, ribs, hamburger. It is a great tasting sauce. I have been going against a lot of great sauces out there. I have done a lot of promos with it. It is a great tasting product. I am just telling the fans when you see it just pick it up and try it. You will be a fan for life.
AE: Last time we spoke you were getting ready to launch your hickory smoked sausage. How has that been selling on the market? Any cool recipes for the sausage?
JH: The sausage started in January with the smoked sausage. There is a hickory smoked sausage that is doing absolutely well. I am enjoying that. The fans are enjoying it too. It is so rare the athletes or celebrities that have products and take time to promote it. I have been able to have the chance to go around and really promote it.
When the fans taste it they become branded for life. So I want the fans to go out and try the product. Don’t just buy the product because it has my name on it. Try out the product and you will be a fan of the products for life. Wal-Mart and other grocery stores don’t have your product just because you are former football player. These products have to sell. I am doing well with it. Hopefully down the road my kid’s kids will benefit from this and the charities that I donate to will also.
AE: For those who are just getting into tailgating what is the best recipe that is quick and easy to barbecue at the stadium?
JH: Let me give you a quick insight. Most people when they barbeque they take up to six or seven hours to prep up the meat. Look if you want a quick, prepped up meat that tastes real well, probably tastes better than your average guy’s barbeque, season up your meat. Cut it up. Boil it up. I know a lot of people say, ‘Joe you are not supposed to boil up your meat.’ I say, ‘Whatever.’
Butter it up. Wrap up the meat in some saran wrap and put it in the oven. Cook it up a little bit like five, ten minutes. Take it out and throw it on the grill. You will have a quick barbeque that will taste better than the average guy, who takes a day to prep up his meat to barbeque all day.
I had a barbeque cook-off with my uncle. He has been barbequing for 25 years. We had a taste test and I destroyed him. It took me an hour and fifteen minutes. It took him nine, ten hours to get his meat together and get ready. I boil up the meat. I cook it up on the grill. I put some seasoning on it than I put it up on the grill. It is easier, quicker and everyone can eat quicker.
AE: Moving to your great career in the NFL, can you describe your feelings and mindset you had as a veteran 
player going into Week 1?
JH: Training camp was basically a give and take type of thing. You knew you were going to be starting. You were comfortable with your team. I like to eat. So I came into training camp overweight. I just took my time and got in shape as I went further along. Basically the second or third preseason game you want to make sure that you are in tip top condition. You got to cut out the things that you used to do. That was the most exciting part for me.
Stay in shape, man. As a veteran you don’t need to know too much when you are with a coach for three or four years. It is the same thing probably with DB’s.
AE: Saints fans had to deal with a tough season last year with Coach Sean Payton not being on the sideline. This year he is back and he, Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints look poised to make a run to the Super Bowl. How do you think the Saints will do this year?
JH: I don’t know man. The really might be 16-0. It is really hard for me to give out records. When guys used to ask me, ‘Joe what is your record going to be?’ I never said 12-4. I never said 10-6. I always said 16-0 because I don’t know where we will be at when we will lose that game. I really can’t predestined when we are going to lose. I can’t do that.
I can’t really tell you what record the Saints will have, but I do hope they make it to the playoffs. You just never know. The guys work hard. They learn the plays. You pray that you don’t that many injuries. You try to build a camaraderie with your team that will last all the way through the playoffs like the Ravens last year.
AE: What did you like about some of the offseason moves the Saints made this year?
JH: I don’t get too caught up in what offseason acquisitions that the teams bring in because all of that really doesn’t matter. You got to gel in training camp. You got to gel in the preseason games. Anybody can go to different teams. You got to show people when the lights come what you can really do.
The first test for the Saints will be the Atlanta Falcons. No matter who you bring in it depends on what that person can bring to the game. You can’t really judge a player until the stats go down on paper.
AE: Which team stands to be the biggest roadblock for the Saints?
JH: Do they play the Eagles?
AE: I don’t thinks so.
JH: The Falcons are Super Bowl contenders. I would have to say Atlanta. I think the sneak up team this year will be the Eagles.
AE: Really? Why do you say that? Because of Chip Kelly?
JH: Because he is spicing the game up. It is like a do or die for Chip Kelly. He is bringing something new to the league that can make a mark for NFL history. The new offenses that he brings and the things that they will do to make the game fun. Take the team to the playoffs and the Super Bowl. It is a hard offense to stop.
However. However, it can also backfire on him. All that trickery can get you interceptions and fumbles, other coaches will call you stupid. So it is like a make or break type of year. Although it is his first year, this is a make or break type year for Chip Kelly and that offense. It could go great. Mike Vick and those guys can do a wonderful job with it or it can be a flusher down the stool.
Sep 9th
ESPN’s Herm Edwards Tells MANjr. who he thinks will be playing in the Super Bowl
Fans of the NFL or ESPN know who Herman Edwards is. The former NFL player that made a name for himself with the Philadelphia Eagles also was a head coach for the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. Edwards was the player who recovered a fumble by Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik on a play that has been nicknamed “The Miracle at the Meadowlands.”
You can now catch Herm breaking down the NFL as an analyst for ESPN. Not only does Edwards still stay close to his passion by talking football, but he goes around the country to speak in front of large crowds. Whether he is speaking on a college campus or at a business convention, when he speaks people listen.
I had the great pleasure of talking with Herm about his time in the NFL as a player and as a head coach. Since I am a football fan I did ask him to breakdown this upcoming NFL season and tell me who he thought will be playing in the Super Bowl.
Art Eddy: First off let’s talk some NFL for this upcoming season. You do an outstanding job on ESPN. You are informative, funny, and to the point. So which teams do you think will have a great season?
Herman Edwards: This is a quarterback driven league. Yet I say that with some hesitation in the fact that this preseason right now there are a lot of injuries. There are some critical injuries too. Some guys that are going to lose some time especially when you think about Denver. They were the favorite going in this year to go to the Super Bowl.
The have lost some key components. When you lose (Von) Miller and (Elvis) Dumervil due to the fact that you didn’t get a contract done right and the other kid didn’t pass the drug test. Well now that is 30 sacks out of the building. That is not good. How do you replace that? Now their schedule will say that if they can get past the first six weeks, then they can make a run like they did last year. You still have to look at them as one of the favorites in the AFC.
New England I think is always going to be in the mix. I think that they are still good enough to win the AFC East. In the AFC North I think the favorite is Cincinnati. You look at the NFC West it is going to be between San Francisco and Seattle. I think Seattle is the team in the end that will be playing Denver in the Super Bowl.
AE: Which team or player do you think will look to have a breakout year?
HE: I think Dez Bryant is maturing as a wide receiver. I really like him. I think he is going to have an outstanding year. I think the rookie down in Arizona, Tyrann Mathieu, I think he is going to make a bunch of big plays. We are going to be talking about him a lot on “SportsCenter.” He has instincts that you can’t teach. I like that in the guy. I watched him in college. I think that he is a guy that is always around the ball who can do something. It seems like every preseason game it is like he just made another play. If he can keep his life in order off the field he is going to be a very good football player.
A lot of people are saying that Andrew Luck will be having a down year. I don’t know that. I watched Andrew Luck in college. It didn’t surprise me that he had seven fourth quarter comebacks. It is going to be a fun year. There is always going to be a guy that explodes that comes on the scene. So we will just have to wait and see.
AE: Many Dallas Cowboys fans and fantasy football owners hope that you are right in that Dez Bryant will have a breakout year.
HE: Yea, especially for fantasy fans. They love touchdowns. (Laughs)
AE: I know your mantra is “Next man up.” There seems to be a lot of injuries this preseason. Which teams are going to feel the biggest brunt of the injury bug this year?
HE: Obviously you have to look at Denver. That is a team that is like whoa. You lost Miller and you already lost Dumervil. That is a problem. I think that when you look at the Pittsburgh Steelers they lost Le’Veon Bell. They were counting on him to run the football. Now he is gone along with Mike Wallace.
You look at the players on free agency that leave and you look at the players that go hurt and the offensive line in Pittsburgh that really struggled. Now you have the same scenario with Ben (Roethlisberger). He is running around trying to protect himself. When I watched Ben play against Washington it looked like the Ben of old. Running around trying to make plays. The offense didn’t look too different to me.
AE: This is where guys on the bench have their moment to step up. That happened to you as a player when you started out your career with the Philadelphia Eagles. What was it like to finally reach the top of the football mountain and be a starter in the NFL?
HE: When you are young you have these wild dreams. I think kids should always dream. Especially when I speak to young people I tell them we are very goal orientated. Your parents or your teachers say write down your goals. I tell them this. It is more than just writing down your goals. A goal without a plan is a wish.
You have to have a plan. When people tell me their goals, I say okay what is your plan? I had a plan to learn and to dedicate myself and to sacrifice myself. To make sure that if I didn’t make it as a pro football player I didn’t have any excuse. We sometimes reflect on our lives and use excuses for some of the situations we put ourselves in or not achieving the goal that we set out. You have to understand your talent level. Then you have to understand your passion.
I believe God gives everyone a talent. A lot of people are in search of that and they struggle. Then there is work involved in it and there is sacrifice. There is an old saying at the barbershop, ‘Everyone wants to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die.’ What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve that goal?
When I was young there were things that I was willing to sacrifice that other people didn’t want to do to be an athlete. So when I made it I was like okay how do you stay here? It is the same old story. You got to work. You have to roll up your sleeves and go to work. You have to want to get better. You can’t live on your laurels. There is a guy out there that is working just as hard. He is trying to take your job.
That is the one thing about pro football. You don’t graduate. Not like college. You have a graduating class in high school. You have a graduating class in college. In pro football you have to take somebody’s job. I think sometimes we don’t realize that the hardest competition is within. You have to learn how to compete against yourself. See I never competed against an opponent. I played right corner for ten years. It didn’t matter who the wide receiver was. It was about me competing against me. How much better can I compete against myself? That was always the driving force for me.
AE: I guess you already answered my next question which was, who was the toughest receiver you had to guard in the NFL? I guess you were your toughest challenge.
HE: People always ask that question. I say this. If you can play at the professional level, you are pretty good. You are one of the best players in the world. If you are a professional athlete you are the best. You are pretty good.
AE: You also moved up the ranks in coaching. You started in college and worked your way into the NFL. When did you realize you wanted to become a head coach?
HE: I never wanted to become a head coach. (Laughs.)
AE: Really?
HE: No, no. Not at all. That was never my goal to be quite honest. My goal after playing was to give back to football. It had given so much to me. I first got in as a scout. I think that helped me to become a coach. I was a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs for two years. I first went to college and coached at San Jose State. Then I left the college job and went to the Kansas City Chiefs and worked with Marty (Schottenheimer), Tony (Dungy), and Bill Cowher. There I learned how to scout.
I think that is so important about how you can learn about players when you scout. How to view players and how to evaluate players. You learn how to evaluate different positions, which I thought was great. Then from there I became a secondary coach. I was satisfied being a secondary coach. I had a group of guys that I enjoy coaching. Then I went with Tony to Tampa to be an assistant coach. Then after two years being there I got calls about becoming a coordinator. Tony said that I didn’t need to become a coordinator. You just sit here and be an assistant head coach and one day you will be head coach.
I said I didn’t want to be a head coach, but he said you will be a head coach. For Paul Tagliabue I was on his list. He gave me the privilege to some owner meetings with the GM’s and head coaches. It was almost like an interview process. I was the only assistant head coach that was at those meetings. I actually spoke at one of them. They were grooming me to be a head coach. I was on the fast track, but really had no intentions.
I had no ambitions of being a head coach. Why would you want that job? It is a thankless job. So sure enough these calls started coming in. I had five interviews. My first interview was with New York. A few days after the interview the Jets call me and say you need to come back up here. I asked why and they said if I wanted the job it was mine. So I said okay. (Laughs) You just sit there and say whoa. It was a lot of fun. I really appreciated the opportunity Woody Johnson gave me to become a head coach.
Sep 3rd
