Training Camp Smackdown!

 

You see people, this is what happens when you fuse the promise of a new NFL season and excessive ammounts of testosterone with the oppressive summer heat. Training camp fights is just another occupational hazzard for the NFL player.

Today, I have read and heard about Titans QB Vince Young punching  S Donnie Nickey with his throwing hand. I also heard about Ravens’ rookie TE Marcus Freeman taking on the entire defense.  Let’s review these bouts, shall we?

Young Vs. Nickey- This matchup has been on the lips of ESPN, FOX, and NFL.com all day  for obvious reasons. Young is last season’s rookie of the year, and a high profile player.  The incident started with Nickey disrupting a pass by applying a chokehold to WR Courtney Roby. Young took offense to the move, confronted the eager safety, and punched him with his throwing hand.  I applaud Young for showing leadership and taking up for Roby. However, he was foolish for using his thowing hand. In my opinion, if you are a fighting quarterback, use your feet, your other hand, a water cooler,or your helmet. You can use whatever you want except your throwing hand! 

Another issue I had with this bout was the press afterwards. To me, coach Fisher, Young and Nickey did not have to go to the podium to explain because training camp fights are common and could be handled without the media.

Freeman vs. Johnson/rest of Ravens’ defense- To me, this one was more interesting and more exciting. However, it did not receive a lot of fan fare because the main two involved were not superstars. The incident started with Johnson and Freeman tangling and scrapping after a play.  It was a normal tussle until a flock of purple jerseys (defensive players) jumped on Freeman’s back. Freeman dismissed the incident as fun and nothing serious. This fight was interesting because it left some questions. I wonder who won the fight oficially? How successful was Freeman against the number one ranked defense of the league? Where was  Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Bart Scott and Ray Lewis? And last but not least, why the offense did not help the rookie?

If you ask me, the fight in the Ravens’ camp deserved more press coverage than Young because it involved members of the NFL’s best defense, and a brave free agent rookie TE. If Marcus Freeman fought off all those purple jerseys successfully, then he deserves a roster spot!

The Plot Thickens

 

 Well, now isn’t this just special and precious?

For the first time in 21 months, Kansas City Chief mainstay Priest Holmes will grace a football field when he reports to training camp in two days. This sudden and shocking development adds some extra spice in the Chiefs’ contract talks with Larry Johnson.

Currently, Johnson is threatening the team with a hold out  if  he doesn’t get a new contract. With Priest returning, Coach Herm Edwards and the rest of the Chief brass is betting on Priest picking up where he left off two years ago before the neck injury.  If he does, this can be a perfect out to trade LJ. However, the Cheifs will be stupid to trade LJ away.

I still stand by my statement about LJ and a new contract. However, if Priest can produce on the field and they can come to terms with Johnson, that can be the start of a strong and solid backfield tandem. If Kansas City is smart, they would be betting on this scenereo especially if this tandem was successful in the past.

An Iron Clad Statement

The Pittsburgh Steelers opened training camp Tuesday, and they did not only open their camp, they busted the camp wide open! According to steelers.com, the first practice was very physicial filled with tons upon tons of hitting-and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Coach Mike Tomlin told the press that the team will be participating in five straight two-a-day sessions.  To me, Tomlin and the Steelers are definitely making a statement, and the statement is: “We’re Back and the rest of the AFC North is going to have some problems.”

Honestly, this is the attitude and the tone that a team in the AFC must set.  The AFC is the toughest and harshest conference in football where even the weakest team can explode at any time. I believe that Tomlin is taking the right approach here because the fans and the city will not tollerate a losing season, and will  quickly pine for Bill Cowher if the team flops.