November 2012 Archive

N’damukong Suh will take his choir boy act to ESPN this week as he sat down for a one on one interview to air during their 3-hour Sunday NFL countdown. If this were any other player in the same situation I’d be itching to watch. But I already know what Suh does when he’s interviewed. He turns into the sweetest kindest gentlest very large person you’ve ever seen. He’s softspoken, articulate, polite and all “I don’t know why people think I’m an asshole” etc. etc. 

Last season when Suh appeared on CBS’s NFL show people expected fireworks but they got nada as Suh was on his bestest behavior. Definitely tune in if you haven’t seen him do his thing on the media before.

[N'Damukong Suh will appear on Sunday's NFL Countdown]

If you’re really interested in learning about what makes Suh tick check out his GQ profile. He’s a strange bird who hasn’t left the nest. [N'damukong Suh: He Didn't Mean to Hurt You]

Only way a person believes that tattoos suddenly make this sweet faced individual look like a thug is if they’re one chromosome from having one chromosome.

So, let me guess…people learned zero, zip, nada, nothing from Allen Iverson? 

Let me refresh your memory. Allen Iverson was lambasted for years for having visible tattoos and cornrows. Fastforward barely a decade after he leaves the league and cornrows and tattoos are everywhere on everybody. And don’t you feel like an idiot for ever caring in the first place? No? Well you should. 

The other day I tweeted that I’m rooting for newly minted 49ers starting QB Colin Kaepernick to succeed because he’s a QB with visible tattoos. Anything that detaches people from what a quarterback “should be” or “look like” is a win in my book. I still didn’t expect some neanderthal to write something bashing Kaepernick’s tattoos and comparing him to an inmate or thug. 

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Philadelphia Eagles CB Nnamdi Asomugha is a really good actor so I love that he made a Funny or Die video. In the clip, Asomugha, along with his inept partner, chases down an email scammer claiming to be a Nigerian Prince.  At the end of the video, Asomugha talks about why Nigeria doesn’t even have Princes. I thought the video was cute.

I know I just talked about how much I love The Real Rob Report, but this voting edition is so hilarious. In this video, we find out which Seattle Seahawks voted, who they voted for, why some didn’t vote, and who they would have voted for if they would have voted…which they didn’t.

Also, Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman (briefly) comment on current coverage rules vs. the old rules. Sherman doesn’t like the 5 yard rule.

It really felt like concussion week in the NFL. Jay Cutler, Alex Smith, Michael Vick, Ryan Clark (I think? again?). Even backup Brady Quinn who had filled in for Matt Cassel has sustained two concussions this year the latest of which he tried to play through (umm fines anyone?). Really surprised he said that in public. Anyway, if you remember, Quinn only got the start after Matt Cassel was concussed.

In two cases — Jay Cutler and Michael Vick — the QBs played through at least two more snaps before being tested and benched. In Cutler’s case, I believe the count was 7. Surprisingly enough, the NFL believed that the teams followed protocol in both cases and no fines are forthcoming.

Multiple reporters this week (including one at the Bears hometown paper Chicago Tribune) argued that a week is not enough for recover. A few have gone so far as to say that ALL concussed players should sit out the following week. I’d love to hear others’ thoughts on that? Should it be a rule? That would be going one step further of the fairly new rule that concussed players can’t return to the same game and the tightened up rules for future return.  

Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid called Michael Vick’s concussion “significant” which I took to mean worse than they will admit. Still, there are signs pointing to him starting this coming week. But never to worry, his teammate RB-turned-spokesperson Lesean McCoy has assured us that Michael Vick can “hold a conversation” and isn’t “in la la land.” As comforting as that is, Foles should start this week. McCoy has no report on Jay Cutler’s condition but I think he should also sit. And Alex Smith as well.

I don’t want to see Kaepernick vs. Mccown or Campbell any more than you do but such is life. As it stands right now as I’m typing, none of the concussed starters have “officially”  been ruled out for this week except Brady Quinn.

Ryan Clark (S Steelers) is a whole other animal together. He has a history of stingers and concussions and has sustained two concussions this season alone. There is substantial evidence that one concussion increases your chances of of having another. And Clark looks to be headed the Austin Collie route and that concerns me. I also was concerned at the way he seemed to be overselling his health. He made a point of telling the beat reporters that he was doing just fine and then took to twitter to issue a string of overly happy tweets. I could be reading too much into it, but again, it *felt* like an oversell TO ME. Remember, this is the same guy who expressed a willingness to play in Denver even though the last time he did it he almost died due to the altitude.

I’m no Miss Cleo but I expect the Baltimore Ravens to pose somewhat of a concussion risk for Byron Leftwich this week. Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is expected to sit out due to sustaining a rib injury AND a shoulder injury against the Chiefs inconsistently stout defense. All I can say about that is Ay yi yi. 

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