Kaspers Korner

The Seattle Seahawks for the first time in years missed the playoffs with a 4-12 record.  Right now is the time for the Seahawks to make quarterback Seneca Wallace the starter.

The Seahawks are in the midst of a transition period, because their aging stars are in the twightlight of their careers, and they are plagued by injuries.

However, the one position that they do not need to worry about is quarterback as backup quarterback Seneca Wallace did an outstanding job filling in last year as he threw for 1,532 yards passing, 11 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and a 87 quarterback rating in eight starts.

Current starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck missed half the season with a back problems due to a bulging disc.
With Hasselbeck turning 34 this September and a new head coach in Jim Mora Jr. now is the right time for the Seahawks to make a change to Wallace as the starter.

After all the main reason that they stunk last year was that so many starters were hurt.

The Newark Star Ledger has a nice article on Iraq War veteran and New York Jets coach Ben Kotwica and his experience with the Iraq War.

ESPN reports that New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey has been released from a Las Vegas hospital Sunday after being admitted earlier in the day for dehydration.

Miami Dolphins defensive end Randy Starks was arrested for aggrvated battery, according to the Miami Herald.

ProFootballTalk.com reports that Priority Sports is mulling the filing of a complaint against Keels for violation of the NFLPA’s regulations rearding contract advisors.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Cleveland Browns coaching staff has told defensive lineman Shaun Smith to “Shape up and shut up.”

The Dallas Morning News reports that Dallas Cowboys rookie fullback Asaph Schwapp was arrested for possession of a weapon in a prohibited place as he had brought a knife and a throwing star into a airport.  What a dummy everyone knows by now you do not bring weapons into airports.

The Dallas Morning News also reports that the Cowboys followed the advice of a consultant on their practice facillity that has a criminal background.

Various wire dispatches report that the contract extension the National Football League negotiated with CBS and FOX include a provision that the NFL will be paid even if there is a lockout.  Most likely these payments will reduce the amount of future years payments, which was the way that the Direct TV deal was negotiated several months ago.

The Chicago Tribune’s Dan Pompei lists offensive players in the NFL that are poised to have a breakout year in 2009.

The Washington Post reports that Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth will be interviewed by the NFL for the tampering case brought up by the Tennessee Titans.

An article on Philly.com points out that backup Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb is getting antsy about becoming the Eagles starting quarterback, which he is well within his right to do since he is going into his third season.

Newsday reports that the New York Giants are considering a possible lottery sponsorship deal.

The Boston Globe takes a look at special teams turnover.

Bills fans who saw former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly play know that not only was Kelly physically gifted, but he also was very smart and a straight shooter.  On Sirius NFL Radio’s “Opening Drive,” Kelly once again proved why so many people still love the man.

“The pressure’s on. The pressure’s on Dick. The pressure’s on Turk Schonert, the offensive coordinator. They got the people that they need. They got some receivers. They got a couple of good running backs. That good, solid offensive line, I think, should jell this year,” Kelly stated.

He continued with, “So, they have no excuses. It’s time to show up, or just pack your bags, and there’s going to be a lot of changes.”

Kelly statements prove that Bills fans were right in thinking that if Jauron doesn’t make the playoffs he will be fired.

He is right to say that there is not excuses, because there is none.  Every position of the team has been addressed, or was fine since Dick Jauron has become the head coach of the team.

Now, it is put up or shut up as they have the talent and if they cannot do that then life in Buffalo for Jauron and his staff will be hell until he is fired.

Tim Dahlberg of the Associated Press blasts the National Football League for suing the state of Delaware for making it legal to be on sports there.  Then being hypocrites as owners at league meetings made it allowable for teams to sign sponsorship deals with state lotteries.

ProFootballTalk.com reports that the Tacoma News-Tribune writes that the Seattle Seahawks are not making head coach Jim Mora Jr. available to reporters to comment on Michael Vick.

Yahoo Sports reports that the National Football League has started investigating the Tennessee Titans claim that the Washington Redskins tampered with defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports that the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills are looking into making lottery sponsorship deals. As well as the Baltimore Ravens, according to the Baltimore Sun.
The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports that Miami Dolphins tackle Jake Long’s base salary for each left on his contract went up due to making the Pro Bowl in his rookie year.

The Associated Press reports that Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison’s son is doing well after being bitten by the family pitbull.

The Tennessean reports that the Tennessee Titans thinks offensive lineman Leroy Harris can start, but there is just no room for that right now.

The Chicago Tribune reports that former Chicago Cardinals offensive lineman David Glenn Lunceford has died after a lengthy illness at age 75.

The Arizona Republic reports that quarterback Matt Leinart is a completely different person as he is dedicated and somewhat chiseled.

The New Orleans Saints defense was the reason why that they did not make the playoffs.  In due time they will be a force to reckon with.

Saints general manager Mikey Loomis did a dramatic make over of the defense, which started with the hiring of Gregg Williams as defensive coordiantor.

Everywhere Williams has gone that he has been with a team for an extended period of time has turn the defense into one of the best in the league.  That included his defense when he was the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, which turned out to be a disaster due to other things.

The thing is that Loomis and fans maybe expecting dramatic results overnite.  That is not going to happen, especially with the news that came out today.

U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson rejected most of the claims made by Minnesota Vikings Pat and Kevin Williams.  Also, Magnuson dismissed the lawsuit brough up by the NFL players union on behalf of both Williams, free agent running back Duece MacAllister, New Orleans Saints Charles Grant, and Will Smith.

That means Grant and Smith will be suspended for the first four games of the regular season.  Even for a coach as good as Williams losing both your starting defensive ends is crippling.

Loomis in free agency signed safety Darren Sharper, defensive end Paul Spicer, and cornerback Jabari Greer.  Also, they drafted cornerback Malcom Jenkins in the first round.

The problem is that people are banking on Sharper and Spicer to improve the defense, but both men are 33 years old, and are in the twighlight of their career.

The fact of the matter is that it takes time to time make a defense one of the best in the league.

Williams will improve the Saints defense this year, but not as much as people expect.  However, if he is given more than one year the Saints will be a force to reckon with since the offense is already one of the best in the league.

The Houston Texans released undrafted free agent guard Brandon Walker after his second arrest in a week.

The New York Daily News reports that New York Jets running back Thomas Jones will be in attendance of the teams Organized Team activities next week, but will still not get a new contract.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that wide receiver Marques Colston had microfracture knee surgery to repair a small hole in one of his knees.

Various media reports our of Pittsburgh reports that Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison’s pitbull bit his son, and seriously injured him.
The Washington Redskins have announced a state lottery sponsorship deal with the state of Virginia.

The Associated Press reports that suspended National Football League quarterback Michael Vick has met his parole officer Friday.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards wants to remain a Brown.

The National Football League being a six billion a year business some teams with the current economy could be heading for trouble.  The Jacksonville Jaguars could be the first team to file bankruptcy.

The Jaguars are in serious trouble as they are potentially looking at a television blackout of all eight home games, which would most likely be the first in recent history.

The Jaguars have only sold 35,000 nonpremium season tickets, which means that they team must sell 15,000 more to lift television blackouts.

Last year the Florida Times-Union points out that Jaguars sold 43,000 season tickets at this time last year.

The original seating capacity for Jacksonville Municipal Stadium was 73,000, but was reduced due to poor ticket sales.

Now, at 50,000 the team still cannot sellout games regularly.

The Jaguars stadium lease runs through 2030 and according to a old 2002 Times-Union article the lease is a really hard to get out of.

So, Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver has two options.  First, keep on taking losses yearly by the team until the contract runs out, or file for bankruptcy.

Any good business man is not going to consistently keep taking losses.  So, that means that sometime soon the Jaguars will file for bankruptcy.

The biggest news beign that former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is out of Jail.
ProFootballTalk.com reports that Seattle Seahawks head coach Jim Mora Jr. echoed sentiment by reporters when he was the Atlanta Falcons head coach that Vick doesn’t have the skill set to be a National Football League quarterback on ESPN.

ProFootballTalk.com also reports that Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aquib Talib got into a fight at OTA’s today with offensive tackle Donald Penn.

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced they claimed cornerback Tyron Brackenridge off waivers.

The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reports that San Francisco 49ers cornerback Walt Harris tore his ACL in a collision during practice.

The Associated Press reports NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reinterated that the Rooney Rule could be expanded to general managers.

Newday reports that Tony Kornheiser left Monday Night Football, because ESPN wouldn’t accomdate his fear of flying.

The Miami Dolphins announced today a partnership with Kangaroo Media that will see five thousand premium seats add Kangaroo Gen III units that fans attending the games will be able to access personalized content such as instant replay, different camera angles, field-level audio, fantasy team alerts, NFL news and standings, split-screen video and stats, video on demand, and video and text message boards.
Clark Judge of CBSSports.com confirms that former Indianapolis Colts coaches Tom Moore and Howard Mudd will return as consultants.

The Sports Business Journal reports that owners passed a resolution that allows teams to allow their logos to appear in state lotteries.

The Baltimore Ravens announced Wednesday that they have hired Jason Brooks as their assistant to the offense, according to the Baltimore Sun.

With Michael Vick being released from Leavenworth Federal Prison many media outlets are speculating where Vick will sign with if he is reinstated.  One of those team shouldn’t be the Buffalo Bills.

Peter King of SI.com wrote today that he thinks the Bills is one of five teams that could wind up signing Vick.  The thing is that they are already set at quarterback.

Vick for his career can be best described as an average quarterback.  His stats back that up as he has only completed 53.8 percent of his passes, never thrown over 3,000 yards per a season, thrown for more than 20 touchdowns per a season once, and has only accumulated over an 80 quarterback rating once, which was his second year as a pro.

Edwards on the other hand completed 65.5 percent of his passes, 2,700 yards, and a 85.4 quarterback rating in only his second year.

On top of that Vick has been out of the game for over two years.  So, that means most of his skills have diminished, and with Vick turning 29 in June, nobody in their right mind is going to give Vick even a backup job.

The only way the that Vick will return to the National Football League, as first mentioned by Clark Judge of CBSSports.com and then by ProFootballTalk.com, is Vick will have to play in the UFL.

If Wilson signs Vick I will burn my Bills hat and become a New Enland Patriots fan.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Pisa Tinoisamoa is scheduled to visit the Chicago Bears on Wednesday.

ProFootballTalk.com reports that Cincinnati Bengal offensive tackle Andre Smith has changed his agent back to Alvin Keels.

The New York Jets announced that they have signed sixth round draft pick offensive lineman Matt Slauson.

Albert Breer of SportingNews.com reports that New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady is operating without restrictions.

The Saint Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Saint Louis Rams are not interested in wide receiver Plaxico Burress.

The Lakeland Ledger reports that former National Football League running back Travis Henry was busted by U.S. Marshals in Auburndale, Fla. for apparently violating his release agreement with his case in Montana.
The Associated Press reports that the New Orleans Saints signed former Buffalo Bills and Saint Louis Rams defensive end Anthony Hargrove.

The Dallas Morning News reports that Dallas Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis has returned to work for the special teams practice portion or practice Tuesday.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that wide receiver and kick returner Joshua Cribbs will request a trade if the team fails to redo his contract.

Scout.com reports that Miami Dolphins guard Donald Thomas is injured again as he tore a pectoral muscle and will possibly miss all of training camp.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced that fullback Byron Storer has been place on injured reserve for the 2009 season already.
The National Football League announced that it has a deal with Comcast.

The New Orleans Saints also announced that former kicker Morten Anderson has been elected into the New Orleans Saint Hall of Fame.

The Baltimore Sun reports that tightend Todd Heap has missed his second straight minicamp with a back injury.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison is missing the trip to the White House for fear of flying.

The Indianapolis Star reports that former NFL players Ron Johnson and Frank Winters have joined the Indianapolis Colts coaching staff as interns.
The Chicago Tribune reports that Chiacago Bears president Ted Phillips wants to avoid a lockout in 2011.
The Tampa Tribune reports that linebacker Barrett Ruud is skipping minicamps for a new contract since he is in the last year of his rookie contract.