Every now and then something happens in our lives that make’s us feel very unique within ourselves, in my case this was watching a football match. This was a very important game for me to watch as it was the team that I have supported for so long! In fact all my life I have been a Liverpool FC supporter, I have seen some great times and not so great times especially in the last few years. Yes! We won three trophies in one particular season and that was great but even then there was still something missing. With the history of this great football club Liverpool FC has the best record when it comes to winning the English League. They have won the European Cup more times than any other British Football team and on this day May 25th 2005 they would find themselves with another golden opportunity of clinching this wonderful Cup with the big ears, now called the Champions League trophy.

So there I was anticipating this match which had the elements of being a classic football spectacular. In one corner you had the mighty team from Italy, AC MILAN. With a star studied team of great soccer professionals from Paolo Maldini, Andriy Shevchenko and the talented new Brazilian play maker Kaka. In the other corner you had my team Liverpool, who somehow with an awful Premiership league campaign behind them where they could only finish fifth behind their city rivals Everton and miss out on an Automatic Champions League place for the following season but Inspired by two scousers, club captain Steven Gerrard and the irrepressible Jamie Carragher through out the season, found themselves in the most lucrative football match in world football. It was a dream not only for the players but for all the Liverpool fans all around the world to see this great football club back where it belonged, at the top of the ladder in world football. So on this night two great teams steeped in history battled for a place in history.

Going back to my day I rang a very good friend of mine and asked her if she wanted to watch the game with me at a local bar...she said, yes! It was to be her first time watching a game like this and she was very excited by it all because everyone was talking about it…so we met up the and walked down to the bar. As we entered we could see that the place was streaming with Liverpool fans but you did have the odd Milan fan or two hiding and keeping a low profile in the corner of the bar.

So we found a nice spot to get a good view of the game and ordered some beers. You could feel the Anticipation of it all by the look of the Liverpool fans in the bar, some where very cheerful!

Others looked just happy to be there. I was calm from the outside but on the inside I was a mess. The big screens on the walls which seemed bigger than they actually were had everyone’s attention, even some of the bar staff would have a little peak at the screens, the place was buzzing.

My friend took out her cigarettes and lit up one, she was lucky to have that comfort, all I wanted at that moment was my beer to arrive and the game to start. Then as we watched the Players came out, there was a loud cheer from the bar crowd and one set of lads starting to sing ‘You’ll never walk alone’. I started to feel a little better and starting to sing along with them but only in my head. Then the game started and all I was thinking was that we must try to put as much pressure on the Milan players from the get go. Then we gave away an early free-kick but at that moment our beers arrived and the girl who brought it to us took my attention for a second or two and in that moment Milan had scored a goal…There was a hush of silence now from the bar and as I looked around I could see people in total shock at what had just happened. Me I was thinking that stupid left back of ours Djimi Traore is an awful player and not fit to wear the Liverpool shirt but he would later prove me and everyone wrong. My friend tried to give me some moral support by smiling and saying, don’t worry I still think Liverpool will win…I just looked sternly towards the screen with distain.

The game was all Milan’s; they were winning all the tackles, getting free-kicks in dangerous places. The Liverpool players look tired, unsure and beaten almost, it was not a pretty sight; they were chasing shadows it seemed. I just kept looking around the bar trying to ignore just what was happening and then it got worst. What looked like a penalty to Liverpool was denied and within seconds Milan broke away and scored. Then just before the half time break Milan broke away once more and scored a third, by now everyone in the bar was silent and stunned but the odd Milan fans I mentioned earlier were singing away happily in the corner. I was gutted! I look at my friend and said, lets go… She looked at me and said, Ok! And as we walked out I looked back and glanced at my fellow supporters and hoped that Liverpool would not be embarrassed and come out in the second half and show some heart. As we walked home to my house I told my friend that I would cook for her and that we could watch the rest of the game at my place.

We arrived at my home just as the second half was about to start, I turned on the TV and then took out a bottle of red wine, opened it and poured two large glasses and gave one to my friend.

She sat down and suddenly said, you know what Mark, ‘It’s never over until the fat lady sings’.

I think Liverpool can still make a come back and win she added. I just looked at her again thinking this girl knows nothing about football because if she did she would know that Milan would never give away three goals to a team that they have just outplayed for 45 minutes and with their defensive nature it would be totally impossible for Liverpool to make a comeback. So I smiled at her and told her to drink her wine while I prepared the dinner. As I was cutting vegetables in my kitchen, I could hear her shouting at the TV, which was strange because she did not do this in the Bar. So I took a little peak for myself and noticed that Liverpool had made some changes, The German midfielder Dietmar Hamann was now on the pitch and this gave me some hope that Liverpool could keep the score decent at least. But what it also did as well was make Steven Gerrard free to roam and move forward.

Then there was another scream from my living room, my friend was jumping around I came in quietly and Liverpool had scored. It was Steven Gerrard, the change in tactic had worked, Liverpool seemed more up for this game now and the players looked different somehow but Milan remained confident then two minutes later the game turned on its head, the ball was played to Vladimir Smicer and he drilled the ball home from 20 yards and Liverpool where back in the game, I came running into the room screaming with joy at what had just happen. The air was electric once more, I could not leave the living room and all of a sudden the game changed again. The Milan players looked shell shocked because within a few minutes Liverpool was on level terms. Gerrard dashed into the Milan’s penalty box and was fouled. It was a certain penalty, at this point I was on my knees yelling at the ceiling. I am sure my neighbours could hear everything. Even my friend was jumping for joy shouting, I told you, I told you!!!

She was right! She proved one thing to me and that was all the Soccer Pundits and I knew nothing about Football! Could they do it, could they actually win this match? No team had ever come back from three goals down to win a Champions League Final. I had to stop cooking at that point and told her that dinner will just have to wait and so we drank more wine and watched the rest of the match with our hearts in our mouths. It seemed that both of us had turns in screaming at the TV and this would continue right up until that now famous Jerzy Dudek ‘Hand of God’ save which denied Shevchenko the winner for Milan in the dying seconds of extra time. We were both quiet and I had my head in my hands at that moment…The referee blew for full time and the game was over. At that point I had to get up and walk around the house, nervous like hell! I walked back into the living room, listening to the commentator remarking about how Liverpool had won on a penalty shoot out against Roma in 1984 and our goalkeeper at the time Bruce Grobballar saved two penalties by putting off the Roma players as much as he could and now it had almost seemed like deja vous.

Who would be the villain and who would be the hero, it was now a lottery! I needed more wine so I opened up another bottle, my friend could not drink no more she was just adamant that Liverpool would win. She remarked, look at the Milan Players they don’t look happy!

I had a look and noticed the same thing! They seem beaten before the first spot kick.

She was right, our goalkeeper did everything he could to put off Milan’s first spot kick taker Serginho and it worked! He missed, blazing the ball high over the bar. It was our turn next and I was not worried because it was our Germany International Dietmar Hamann and as predicted he scored. I was calm but still nervous, it was their turn once more, surely they would score but once again Jerzy Dudek’s antics on the goal line did the job and he saved very easily. We would be now 2-0 up if French International Striker Djibril Cisse would score and after suffering a broken Leg and missing most of the season he shows his class and calmly placed the ball to the right of Milan’s Goalkeeper Dida’s goal giving him no chance. It was in our hands now, just two more spots kicks and we would be Champions of Europe. Kaka would score from his spot kick...then our hearts were in our mouths when our left mid-fielder John Arne Riise missed his spot kick, it was now 2-1 but still in our favour and before we knew it, Danish international Jon Dahl Tomasson made it 2-2.

So up stepped the Czech Striker Vladimir Smicer, playing probably his last game for Liverpool FC and his best game ever in my mind for the team, he calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 3-2 to us…My friend and I was so tense, the room was silent apart from the TV. Then Milan’s leading goal scorer stepped up to the plate, Andriy Shevchenko, the man who was denied the winner before the end of extra time. As he approached Dudek threw him the ball, he look anxious and nervous and did not look confident. Somehow I knew he would miss and he did…For a split second my heart had stopped and I sunk to my knees and just started to scream with ecstasy, my dream had come true, the Players dreams were for filled! My football team had won. Life could not be any better…I was emotionally drained by it all and was sure all the people in the stadium, the viewers and all the millions of people around the world were too. My friend and I were just hugging each other and kissing. I kept saying, that its time to get drunk and forgetting that I was suppose to be cooking dinner for the both of us! So we continued to watch the rest of the coverage on the box and as Steven Gerrard lifted the trophy and the commentator shouted out ‘Liverpool Are Kings of Europe’ a tear came to my eyes. In that moment I was in wonderland just like those players. As far as I was concerned they were Legends now no matter what they did for the rest of their lives, from this moment on they would always remember and treasure.

I started to also think about all those who had lost their lives going to see Liverpool play, all the disasters that had occurred during football matches. My heart went out to them…it's moments like this that makes it possible to see just why football is so important to the man and woman on the street. We relate to it in so many ways. We support our teams because we choose to and win, lose or draw all the emotions that this sport and all the other sports may muster are worth it for moments like these. So when it was all over and as I tried to figure out what had just happened, one thing dawned on me and that was it’s the Simple things in Life that I cherish the most and watching my team play is one of them.

Until last year, the past 10 years the winners of the Super Bowl are a combined 58-79 ATS for a lousy 42% win ratio following their Super Bowl victory. While the losers of the Super Bowl are even worse the following year at 64-94 for a 41% win ratio. Combined, that is a record of 122-173 ATS for a low 41% win ratio. I mentioned all these figures last year in the Super Bowl Football Betting Trend article, which was featured in Thehooks Book.

New England and Carolina broke the football betting trend last year by combining for a 68% winning percentage Against The Spread (ATS). New England was 13-4-2 (76%) and Carolina was 9-6-1 (60%).

A winning ATS record the following season for a Super Bowl Participant had only happened 4 times out of 20 chances the past ten years. (2 teams times 10 years = 20 chances) The Pittsburgh Steelers went 10-7 for a 58% win ratio after losing to the Dallas Cowboys back in Super Bowl XXX. Denver had a winning record ATS twice, 12-7 (63%) following their victory against Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII and after their victory against Atlanta in Super Bowl XXXIII they went 9-5 (64%) the next year. Baltimore barely finished over 50% at 9-8 (53%) after beating the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV. Carolina and New England increased the total to six with their sterling records last year.

So does the football betting trend that has dominated the NFL make a comeback or do Philadelphia and New England continue the success from last year for the previous Super Bowl participants? I think the success from last year will continue this year not because I am superstitious but I think the lines may favor the Eagles and the Patriots.

The Eagles will have the harder time continuing the football betting trend and getting the lines a bettor wants (when looking to bet the Eagles) but I think they will continue to get better and dominate like last year and cover most of the big point spreads that come their way. They finished 12-7 ATS last year and were 6-4 ATS when laying over a touchdown. But if the Owens situation becomes a problem the lines will favor the Eagle bettors and I think McNabb would cherish the opportunity to perform at a high level without TO.

The Patriots bettors should receive favorable lines because they lost both coordinators. You should be able to jump on the Patriots at a great price and make some money early. People will be looking for them to fall back but I would not bet against Belichick if I were you. The man can coach and he will actually use this to his advantage and have his players ready to prove everyone wrong. Motivation will not be a problem. If they stumble the first 4 weeks, bettors will make a killing jumping on them or staying with them because the lines will change even more.

If you are a real pro football fan, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is - you crave NFL football. This is one sign that you are a real football fan. But there are many other signs that prove your loyalty to this major sport. A few are listed below.

NFL Draft – Ah, finally, it’s spring and there’s some football action. Even though it is too early for the regular season, at least there’s the draft. You follow it on TV and on the Internet. You live and breathe it.

Apparel – You have all the apparel of your favorite team. This can and should include a jersey, a sweatshirt, a t-shirt, a cap, a tie, socks, slippers, and many, many more items. Even pj’s!

Souvenirs – You’ve got a football or jersey or poster or anything autographed by your favorite player, AND it's hanging on the wall! Your kitchen cabinets contain multiple cups and mugs with your favorite team's logo on them.

Fantasy football players rarely pay much attention to National Football League rookies, during their fantasy football drafts. Rookies, you see, are not usually worth much to fantasy teams. It takes most rookies a year or two or in many cases even three or four to get fully acclimated to the NFL. Consequently, competitive fantasy football people usually steer clear of them.

This year may be different. More NFL rookies will likely appear on fantasy rosters than in the past decade, because this draft is rich with impact players. That’s right, rookies that can actually play this year and contribute to fantasy football rosters – some even as starters. I see at least seven players taken in the first round of the NFL’s draft that can start on fantasy teams, depending on how many teams are in your league. Obviously, smaller leagues (8 and 10 team leagues) will be too rich with veteran talent to have rookies as starters. Following is an assessment of these players and others to keep an eye on as you prepare for your fantasy draft. Notice the QBs are left out, as they won’t contribute much, even if they start.

The seven NFL first-rounders to target are: Ronnie Brown, Braylon Edwards, Cedric Benson, Carnell Williams, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams and Mark Clayton. Brown, Benson and Williams are potential starters in any fantasy league. In one of the best running back classes in recent memory, these guys will enter their rookie campaigns as feature backs for Miami, Chicago and Tampa Bay, respectively. These teams have proven that with the right guy toting the mail, they all can produce fantasy stars.

Although not the best player, Benson is probably the best pick of all the rookies, in terms of fantasy football value. He is a no-brainer in basic scoring leagues. He’ll be the starter from day one, and some experts have called him the best goal line runner ever to come out of college. If healthy, Benson could easily rush for 12 or more TDs in his inaugural NFL season.

Edwards is an immediate starter for the Browns, and this guy is a true stud. Although he can start in some fantasy football leagues, you’ll want to get him later, as Cleveland is a team that hasn’t shown much in recent years. Edwards is a steal, if you can get him in later rounds. Then, let him sit for a few weeks, and watch his production. The same goes for Williams, taken by Detroit, and Clayton, selected by Baltimore. Both of these receivers will likely start for their new teams, but a wait-and-see attitude is indicated, as both teams are in weak passing offenses, although the sky is the limit for the Lions who have selected a wideout with their first pick in each of the last three seasons.

Aside from these seven, there are several players taken after the first round of the NFL draft that are worth drafting on fantasy football teams. Most notably is J.J. Arrington, taken at number 12 in round two by Arizona. Dennis Green loves this guy and hinted on draft day that Arrington will be his feature back. This guy is a compact runner and has a nose for the end zone. A feature back on an improving Cardinals team could be a big scorer for fantasy teams.

The easiest steal in your fantasy football draft will be Ryan Moats, taken in the third round by Philadelphia. Moats, a smallish tailback from Louisiana Tech, could surprise for an Eagles team in need of a star at the position. Although he’ll likely be relegated to special teams and third-down use early on, watch for him to emerge, especially if someone gets hurt. He is a quick slashing runner and a real workhorse, despite his 5-8, 210-pound frame. An eye-popping senior season saw him log 288 carries for 1,774 yards and 18 touchdowns. His 1,890 all-purpose yards set a school record, as he proved he can catch the ball with nearly equal acumen. With a career average per carry of 6.4 and 28 TDs, Moats is definitely worth watching. Grab this hard worker in the late rounds of your draft, and wait for him to get his turn. If the stars align in Philadelphia, you might just get yourself the steal of your fantasy football draft.

Here are a few other notables you may want to watch for a late selection or a free-agency pickup, as the season moves ahead:

1 Heath Miller, TE taken by Pittsburgh: Would be ranked higher, because he’ll probably start, but tight ends are always a big question mark. If you are in a fantasy league that requires you to take a tight end, Miller is a good one.

2 Vernand Morency, RB selected by Houston: Watch for an injury to Domanick Davis and grab Morency the second it happens.

3 Maurice Clarett, RB taken by Denver: They love him and would like to see him prove all of the critics wrong. He’ll get a chance to play.

4 Matt Jones, WR selected by Jacksonville: Many feel the former QB is the best athlete in the NFL draft. At 6-6 with 4-5 speed and great hands, who knows?

5 Roddy White, WR taken by Atlanta in the first round. Very fast and underrated. The Falcons saw little from Michael Jenkins last season, so keep a close eye on White.

6 Chris Henry, WR taken by Cincinnati. Very big and fast. Could be a factor around the goal line in three and four receiver sets.

7 Reggie Brown, WR selected by Philadelphia. The Eagles have a few question marks at the position, not the least of which is the bizarre antics of Terrell Owens.

8 Ciatrick Fason, RB taken by Minnesota. With running back being so unsettled, Fason could emerge as the starter. Watch this one very closely.

Football Jerseys have undergone a complete change in its image, appearance and usage patterns. In the yesteryear sports jersey was just a part of the official sports equipment, nothing more nothing less. The jerseys meant for football players had long sleeves, were plain and their material was heavier than today's National football league jersey. Their simplicity and plainness has been a reason for many comments. Reason for their plainness was that jersey was the team gear with no frills or designing. According to legendary football coach Darryl Royal, they were "working clothes".

Custom Jerseys- A new Era in Sports Equipment

The growing popularity of National Football League (NFL) and advent of custom jerseys in the football teams has transformed the team gear. Team gear including the jersey has become trendier. Jersey has transcended its "working clothes" impression. Custom jerseys for today's NFL football players have shorter sleeves, vibrant colors and attractive patterns. The football teams now pay considerable attention towards design and appearance of their team gear.

Wearing replica jerseys for NFL football matches to support their team has not been a new phenomenon for the football fans. However, now the jersey has taken a step ahead and you will find many people wearing NFL authentic jerseys even out of the football arenas. Wearing national football league team-jersey of their favorite football team or player has become a personal style statement of the younger generation. This transformation is the reason for increasing demand of sports equipment in general and jersey in particular.

Moreover, the extreme popularity of football as sport in America has further popularized the jersey. There are too many avenues for football fans; some of them are NFL Football, College Football, NCAA Football and very popular Monday Night Football. These events have added to the growing demand for football jerseys and team gear. Many people have a passion for collecting authentic jerseys (game worn) and replica jerseys of NFL stars.

Draft day. Perhaps the most important day of your fantasy football season. This is when you build your team. This is when you laugh at your opponents when they pick an injured player. This is when you find gems in the 7th round who outperform players picked in the 3rd. In other words: don’t screw it up! Let’s go over some advice that you should follow on draft day:

1. Have your own cheat sheets! I can’t stress this enough. So many people use the rankings that their draft software uses (a la Yahoo), without noticing that they have not updated it to reflect recently injured players. Also, your scoring system is not reflected in pre-made rankings. If your receivers gain one point for each reception, that will have a huge effect on the placement of possession receivers. Use the given rankings as a basis, but alter them to reflect injuries and scoring systems.

2. In a local league? Don’t draft your local players. It’s a natural tendency for fans to overrate players on their favorite teams, so if your league is based in St. Louis, you would probably have to overpay to get guys like Bulger or Holt. Hype them up the weeks before your draft while conversing with the other owners, and then sit back and laugh when your favorite play gets picked three rounds too early.

3. Serve lots of alcohol at the draft…and don’t touch it! Let your buddies confuse Luke Staley with Duce Staley, while you remain unimpaired. Although most will be fine after a couple drinks, it’s simply not worth the risk. Any slight advantage you can get is worth it, and if just one owner accidentally skips over a player because of the drinks, you’ve done your job. Remember kids, don’t drink and draft!

4. Keep track of everyone’s picks. Online, this shouldn’t be a problem, because your drafting service will likely do it for you, but it may be a difficult task in a live draft. However, it’s worth the troubles. You may be thinking, why bother? Simply, it gives you the ability to pass on certain players you know will be available later. For example, you’re picking 8th in a 10-man league, you are ready to take a kicker, but there’s also a deep-sleeper RB on the board. By looking at your notes, you notice that the guys with the 9th and 10th pick have already taken kickers, and would have no reason to pick another. Therefore, you can safely take the sleeper RB, confident that your kicker will be there when the draft swings back around.

Although this isn’t the complete guide to building a championship team, these simple tips will give you the edge, which might just score you a few key players that might eventually make a huge difference.

Fantasy football is easy. Very easy. Simply start players that outperform your opponents'. But, how can you be so sure who will perform?

Research.

Research.

Research.

Don't like research, eh? That's why the internet is so darn great! Websites will do the work for you, and all you have to do is check them weekly. The key topics you should check:

Cheat sheets: Have one of these handy when drafting, so you know the top players at each position. Make sure it is up-to-date so you don't draft a player who is injured for the season.

Strategic articles: Doing a little reading might be the key to your next victory. If you learn about a sleeper, picking him up in your league can be the move of the year.

Weekly picks: Know what teams have tough matchups, and who you should start or sit based on those matchups. Don't get stuck starting players who are in for a bad week.

Forum: Conversing with other fantasy football enthusiasts can give you some hints and tips that other members of your league aren't hearing. Use everything you read to your advantage.

It's that simple. Knowing a little bit more than your opponent is usually all you need. As they say, "Keep it simple, stupid.

Here’s fantasy football information that may provide a strategy few people will consider. Use this simple rule on fantasy football draft day, and you’re sure to be in the playoff hunt: get yourself a Jones.

In most fantasy football leagues, running backs are the most valuable players. A running back that catches a lot of passes and runs for a lot of yards and scores plenty of touchdowns can be the cornerstone of your fantasy football championship run. Now, if you are fortunate enough to select very early in your fantasy football draft, you’ll probably go after one of the thoroughbreds – Priest Holmes, Shaun Alexander, or Domanick Davis. If you pick later in the round, though, near the bottom, you’ll want to seriously consider a second-year back by the name of Jones. In fact, you can consider two.

Both Kevin Jones of the Detroit Lions and the Cowboys’ Julius Jones promise to have super years in 2005. Consider their stellar rookie seasons – years that made many fantasy football owners smile, especially late in the year. Kevin Jones started slow, before racing to 1,133 yards and five touchdowns. He had an eye-popping 4.7 yards per carry average. He also caught 28 balls for 180 yards and another score. Jones will be better this season. As his quarterback continues to mature, and his receivers get healthy, defenses will have to prepare for a complete offensive package, leaving Kevin to romp freely. Kevin Jones is worth a late first-round pick in any performance scoring league. If your fantasy football league uses the basic scoring method, you may want to wait until the second round, but don’t wait much longer.

As Dallas works out its QB problems, Julius Jones should also improve, which is scary for National Football League defenses and your opponents, should you nab Julius in your fantasy football draft. Now, your fantasy football information gurus may not be high on Julius Jones, because of his size (5-9, 205), but don’t let this deter you from grabbing this guy in the late first round. After an injury-plagued beginning to his rookie season, Jones finished the season with 819 rushing yards and seven TDs. All of this came in just seven starts. Imagine doubling these numbers and adding them to your fantasy football squad! For you performance people, Jones had individual efforts of 150, 198 and 149 yards. Give this guy a healthy season as the ‘Pokes starter, and the sky’s the limit.

So forget any fantasy football book, magazine or expert that isn’t high on the Jones. Halfway through your fantasy football season, your opponents will be trying to keep up with the Jones, and you’ll be riding their numbers to a fantasy football title.

The Cleveland Browns, on former boss Butch Davis’ watch, traded a second round draft pick last season, just so they could move up one spot in the first round of the National Football League draft in order to select Miami tight end Kellen Winslow, Jr. Davis and the entire organization took some heat for the move, which didn’t improve its standing when Winslow went down with a season-ending injury in week two, with a whopping five catches, 50 yards and no touchdowns.

You might think this makes Winslow very difficult to evaluate, when weeding through fantasy football information for your fantasy football draft in 2005. How does one measure the potential of a player who played in only two games and hauled in a minuscule five passes? Although it’s not an exact science, the answer is fairly simple. Treat Winslow sort of like a promising rookie, but keep in mind that he had a full season of rehab for his injury, as well as a full year of adapting to the National Football League. Also, in terms of Winslow, it’s important to note the arrival of a new coaching staff, one that will surely find ways to involve the talented tight end.

Finally, what few observers and fantasy football experts will notice is Winslow’s amazing athletic ability and raw talent. This guy may be the LeBron James of the gridiron. At 6-4 and 250 pounds, Winslow runs like most tailbacks, jumps like a world class hurdler, and is as strong as most linebackers. In just one short preseason and two regular season football games, Clevelanders saw frightening ability from Winslow, as he dodged, sidestepped and often ran over would-be tacklers. Plus, he has a certain confidence that most young players lack, likely due to his great genes. He is, after all, the son of a hall of fame tight end.

Is Winslow an unknown and a risk? Yes. Is he worth a middle-round pick in your fantasy football draft? Probably, depending on how strong you are overall. If you have a good draft, heading into the fifth or sixth round, don’t hesitate. Winslow could have an Antonio Gates-type season. He’s this good, and you might just wind up with your fantasy football draft’s Super Sleeper.

Here is some fantasy football information that the fantasy football books and magazines will likely disagree with. If you’re a quality fantasy football competitor, though, you know you have to rely on many sources to get your fantasy football information. Bank on this: Randy Moss will not experience the wild success that Terrell Owens had, when the latter changed teams last season. In fact, look for a drop-off in Moss’ numbers this coming fantasy football season.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Moss has been truly marvelous in his career, and I believe he is one of the best wide outs in the National Football League, even if he often likes to run his mouth more than his pass routes. If healthy, he’s probably good for 85 catches and 10 touchdowns. These are good numbers; they are not typical Randy Moss numbers. Fantasy football owners have come to expect far more from Moss, and many will believe that the change of teams will not hurt his fantasy football production. Some will even believe his numbers will increase. Don’t get caught in this fantasy football information myth.

Here are a few reasons that Moss won’t enjoy the same success Owens had in either the National Football League or in your fantasy football league. First, and foremost, Moss is leaving a star quarterback and going to a team with an average quarterback. It’s hard to ignore the fact that Culpepper will no longer be the one tossing the football in Moss’ direction. Instead, he’ll likely have Kerry Collins, a journeyman with a sketchy football resume. Second, although Moss will move next to a more experienced receiver in Jerry Porter, he’s leaving better receivers in Nate Burleson and Marcus Robinson. Finally, The Vikings’ better offensive line provides more time for deep quarterback drops, which enabled Moss to run the deep routes he made a living on. He won’t have this luxury in Oakland, and it will show up in his fantasy football stats.

So, while all of the other fantasy football books and magazines and so-called experts are pushing Moss for a high first-round pick, bank on the safest fantasy football information available – the information that says Moss is a risky pick. There will be much better players at the 1 through 10 spots, where Moss will go in most leagues. Get one of them, and you’ll go far, while one of your opponents will whine all year, watching Moss talk more and score less.

Here’s fantasy football information that fantasy football nuts should print or write down immediately. Don’t worry about the Vikings suffering on offense, due to the loss of Randy Moss. In fact, you can outfox your opponents, because of the Moss trade. You see, most fantasy football people will still value Moss to the point of spending a high pick on him, which may or may not work out, with Moss being a Raider. What most fantasy football owners will also do, which will be a deadly error, is de-value other Vikings, because of the loss of Moss.

So, the fantasy football information that most of the fantasy football books will likely overlook is to place a very high rating on Nate Burleson and Marcus Robinson. Watch the running back situation, too, because head coach Mike Tice says the Vikings will emphasize the run next season. Of course, Daunte Culpepper will continue to be a fantasy football stud.

Burleson, though, will be the true steal of your draft. Burleson is entering his third season, when many wide receivers begin to figure out NFL defenses. He went from 29 catches his rookie year to 68 in 2004. His yardage more than doubled from 455 to 1006. Best of all, especially if you’re in a basic scoring fantasy football league, Burleson found the end zone 10 times, while playing second fiddle to Moss and Robinson for most of the season.

Consider that Burleson didn’t become the number one receiver until about week ten, and his value increases even more, as it is clear that he’ll be the new number one, with the departure of Moss. Fantasy football players can expect 80-plus catches, 1,200-plus yards and 10-14 touchdowns. Note, the fact that Burleson returns punts increases his chance to reach pay dirt.

Nate Burleson is a true fantasy football thoroughbred. Most fantasy football owners will under value this fine young receiver, assuming he’ll be available in rounds three or four or even later in smaller leagues. Armed with this powerful fantasy football information, you now know not to wait too long on Burleson. Grab him early, let others scoff at your selection, then sit back and ride his performance all the way to the Fantasy Bowl.

My fantasy football league is approaching its 16th season. We have had 16 teams competing before, but now we are a 14-team league. Although the subject of performance points is bandied about at our league meetings virtually every year, we remain a basic scoring league -- the only way to go for true fantasy football fans.

Now, performance point system fans will say that there is so much more involved, making their games more exciting and more high-scoring. Ridiculous, I say.

You see, we believe that to truly make our fantasy football league seem like more than just fantasy, we need to mirror the National Football League in as many ways as possible. So, we have desidned our rules after the NFL, and we attempt to score our points in the same fashion as the NFL.

So, when a running back or a wide receiver scores a touchdown, we credit the team in our league with that player with six points. When a kicker kicks a field goal, we allow three points, and we give one for PATs. We also award two points for a scored two-point conversion.

Our biggest difference is at the quarterback position. Although QBs can run for scores, earning six points, we award three points for a TD pass. This is the biggest departure from the mother league, the NFL.

This method of scoring allows for games that have very low scores, 9-6 is not entirely uncommon, but we have our fair share of high scores too. Fifty-seven points was the watershed mark in our league last season -- a not entirely unrealistic number for a prolific NFL team. Again, we want to be like the NFL.

I've known guys who play in performance leagues that allow 10 points, if a QB passes for 400 yards. Their weekly scores are unrealistic, scores like 126-90. This is more like a lopsided college basketball game than a football game.

Fantasy football nuts need to answer this question: have we entered a new era in drafting players for our fantasy football teams? Is this the era of the quarterback?

I think the answer is a resounding Yes.

In the past 15 years of drafting fantasy football teams, I have never selected a quarterback in the first round. In fact, I have always said that this is a fatal mistake. Moreover, in these 15 years, only one team in our league has selected a quarterback with his first pick and won the Fantasy Bowl.

So, the numbers would seem to back me up when I tell people taking a QB in round one is certain death to your fantasy football success. Now, my opinion is changing. Hey, in order to be successful year after year, you have to be flexible, especially in this risky game.

Consider this past season. Peyton Manning broke the single season record, with his 49 TD passes. If you score each pass as 3 points, this is a whopping 147 points, and this doesn't consider any additional points for TD runs or passing yards, if your league uses this method of scoring. Can anyone argue Manning's value as a top pick?

And what about Duante Culpepper and Donovan McNabb? Here are two more QBs, capable of 35 touchdown passes and another three to eight runs. If you play in a basic scoring league, your best running back or receiver will get you 15-20 TDs, good for 120 points at best. Compared to the 140 plus that one of these great QBs can amass, how can you pass on one of them, in favor of a Shaun Alexander or Priest Holmes?

Fantasy Football Fans will want to remember the name Deion Branch. When preparing for your fantasy football drafts this summer, don't let the New England receiver slip too far in your ratings or in your round-by-round projections.

He is a star in the making.

Branch's 35 catches and four touchdowns in 2004 may make him barely visible on many people's radar screens. Others may look for him to slip into the lower rounds, because of these modest numbers. Don't make this mistake.

Only the most astute talent evaluators will remember that Branch missed seven games. Even they, however, will remember his stellar performance in the Super Bowl, which earned him MVP honors. He tied a Super Bowl record with 11 catches for 133 yards. More impressive were his circus-style catches.

Branch is small but quick, as evidenced by his 13-yard-per-catch career average. This was just his third year in the league, and he is certainly a star on the rise.

If you have 12-16 teams in your league, look to nab Branch in the seventh or eighth round. He will be a steal here, but if you wait longer, you may let an amazing sleeper get away. Branch is just the type of player that the men in my novel, The League, look to steal in their drafts.

You can search the Internet or the newsstands in June and July, and you'll find a wealth of information about fantasy football and fantasy football leagues. Most of it is statistics. Miles and miles of statistics. And most sites and magazines claim to offer more than all the others. What few offer, though, is sound advice on how to be successful every year. So, visit all the sites and magazines for your stats, but search no more for the secret to winning, because here it is.

I have played in extremely competitive fantasy football leagues for 15 years. I've missed the playoffs only twice, and I've been to three fantasy bowls. I won more games and scored more points than any other team in my league's history. Now, I'll give you my strategy, and it won't cost you a dime. Here is the three-step formula for winning in fantasy football year in and year out.

The first step is to draft for depth. It sounds easy enough, but many people in my league focus on getting their starters, and the rest of the draft is nothing more than throwing darts at names on a stat sheet. I've selected players beyond the seventh round (we have 14 rounds) who have led my team in scoring. I didn't even have them targeted as starters; I just saw the potential, through all of the research I'd done. For example, take special notice of second and third-year wide receivers. They often go overlooked, because their numbers are not spectacular. Receivers take a year or two, before they adjust to the NFL. Chad Johnson is a great example. Also, watch for rookies who may explode late in the season, once they've grasped a system. Lee Evans was a star after week nine this past season.

Step two is to manage your team every week, down to the most minor details. If you've drafted for depth, you'll have lineup decisions every week, because you'll have a team full of players scoring points. Check their histories against weekly opponents (a vastly overlooked strategy by novices). Some players simply flourish against particular teams, just as some teams tend to score differently against certain defenses. This can definitely affect your weekly lineup decisions.

The third step is to watch the waiver wire and make two key trades. No matter how well you've drafted, near the end of the season, you'll need to make changes. It's time to trade away your depth for stars. Also, watch for available players to pick up -- even if they may only help you for one week. I drafted both Domanick Davis and Chad Johnson last season. Later, I traded both, so I could acquire LaDanian Tomlinson. This simplified my weekly lineup decisions, while giving me a player who would score at least one TD every week.

If you stick to this simple formula, no matter what type of league you play in, you'll make the playoffs 85 to 90 percent of the time. That's not bad in any league.

Fifteen years ago, my friends and I wanted to get involved in fantasy sports. We had heard of Rotisserie baseball, the game where you select major leaguers and use their statistics for your own fantasy team. Most of us preferred football over baseball, so we did a little research and decided to create a fantasy football league. Now, we're entering our 16th season, with 20 of the most rabid football nuts anywhere, competing for pride and a small monetary prize each year.

We're not alone, of course. Over 15 million Americans play fantasy football, a game that uses the statistics of professional football players for personal, fantasy teams. During the last decade, this game has erupted, like a volcano. There are hundreds of web sites, dedicated to it. Magazines litter the newsstands in June and July, all dedicated to providing the best information possible about players from the National Football League, as well as offering "expert" prognostication as to which players will benefit your fantasy team the most, based on their performances on the gridiron each Sunday. There are even radio and TV shows, dedicated to discussion of fantasy football and the NFL players that dot each team's roster.

If you know someone who loves football, chances are he or she is part of a fantasy football league. My own participation has initiated a new experience. As a writer, I'm always looking for a new idea, something unique, and fantasy football has given it to me. A work of fiction. For years, while I was busy writing how-to books and articles, I dreamed, as most authors do, of writing the great American novel. When that didn't come, I just wanted something different; something I thought would interest a large audience.

It finally hit me -- a work of fiction, based on fantasy football. It's called The League. Suspense, conspiracy and fantasy football combine for the first-ever published work of fiction that has a back drop of America's favorite game. Here's to a dream come true and a hope that 15 million Americans love The League as much as I do. Learn more about it at www.sportsnovels.com.

Mark Barnes has published several how-to books on real estate finance, Internet business, and self-publishing. Recently, he has expanded his horizons into the fiction world, with his suspense-thriller, The League, presented by DNA Press. The League is available at Amazon.com, DNA Press, Sportsnovels.com and will be in book stores this summer. Mark is currently working on his second novel, another sports-related suspense thriller. Mark Barnes resides in a suburb of Cleveland with his wife, Mollie and two small children.

The job of football manager must be the toughest and most stressful management role on the planet. There is no hiding. Your results are immediate – once or even twice a week. Club Boards and fans want instant results. Poor performance is punished ruthlessly and in public. Humiliation is a constant companion.

Under this constant pressure one can understand why many managers rant and rave on the sidelines, on television, radio and in the press. However, they are unaware that their aggressive and insulting behaviour is damning their players to continued poor performance.

In today's competitive world almost all football managers know that at Premier League level most players are equal as far as fitness and skills go. What makes the STAR, what makes the exceptional player is mental fitness. It is mental fitness that wins games.

So why do many managers behave in ways that damage their players’ mental fitness? Surely it can only be ignorance (in it’s true meaning) – because every manager wants success for his players and club.

So here are seven things a football manager must do to build his/her players’ mental fitness

1.Promise openly, right now, never to criticise any of your players in public. Not even if it’s justified. You’ll do your straight talking in private and if you decide to fire a player you’ll do it in the most decent way possible.

2.Tell your players that you like them, that you think they are great players and that you know every one of them does the best he/she can in every game. You trust them.

3.Do whatever it takes to get fun and enjoyment back into the team. People cannot perform at their peak when they’re afraid, worried or unhappy. Make having fun your main objective. Work hard – yes! Win games – of course. But let’s not beat ourselves up when we make mistakes. Let’s get the fun back in our football and our lives.

4.Genuinely praise even the smallest improvement or the tiniest spark of brilliance and praise openly. Especially when things are going badly. Big fires start from small sparks. Really look for things to praise.

5.Stop shouting, mocking and insulting – even in private. Your macho ego may feel good but it does your players no good at all. In fact, they’ll subconsciously hate you and will play badly to spite you - and they won’t even know they’re doing it. Concentrate on helping people do better – not on crushing them with sarcasm.

6.Make it your main goal to help each individual become the best player he/she can possibly be. Be seen to be helping players with their careers. If your club cannot satisfy the playing or wage aspirations of a brilliant player, work with him to find the best transfer possible. Imagine the effect this will have. Players will give you undying loyalty and effort when they know you are there for them.

7.Find ways to keep players’ minds focussed on success. Every day – several times a day make statements that predict success and expect success. Do not even hint at losing! Allow time for players to visualise that success – everything comes from a dream.

Yes, some money to buy in talent is helful but it is not everything. Seriously apply these seven rules for two weeks and see your team improve beyond what you ever thought possible.

Here are the consensus bowl picks from the SportGamble.us staff.

Tue., Dec. 14
New Orleans Bowl
North Texas vs Southern Mississippi
SG’s Pick: North Texas
If the So. Miss defense can stop Jamario Thomas from adding to his gaudy stats they should be able to keep this one close.
7:30 pm

Tue., Dec. 21
Champs Sports Bowl
Georgia Tech vs Syracuse
SG’s Pick: Georgia Tech
7:45 pm

Wed., Dec. 22
GMAC Bowl
Memphis vs Bowling Green
SG’s Pick: Bowling Green
I want to pick Memphis to win this battle, but the Falcon’s scoring offense, 4th in the nation, will simply outscore Memphis regardless of how well they play.
8:00 pm

Thur., Dec. 23
PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl
Cincinnati vs Marshall
SG’s Pick: Marshall
Marshall has shown up to play in big games this year. I consider a bowl game a “big” game, wouldn’t you?
6:30 pm

Las Vegas Bowl
Wyoming vs UCLA
SG’s Pick: UCLA
UCLA should burn Wyoming with it’s passing and running game. Although, Wyoming is playing in it’s first bowl game in 11 years…that’s certainly motivating.
9:45 pm

Fri., Dec. 24
Hawaii Bowl
UAB vs Hawaii
SG’s Pick: Hawaii
NCAA’s all time passing leader should have a hay-day against this no show UAB defense
7:00 pm

Mon., Dec. 27
MPC Computers Bowl
Fresno State vs 18 Virginia
SG’s Pick: Virginia
Fresno State failed to play with the big dogs this season and Virginia is on the horizon to become one.
2:00 pm

Motor City Bowl
Toledo vs Connecticut
SG’s Pick: Toledo
Connecticut has a football team? Well, that’s what we would have said last season but they have a QB that can rip the secondary. You probably haven’t heard of him but the NFL scouts know him very well. Connecticut has a chance if they grasp the mindset they had when meeting Pittsburgh earlier in the year.
5:30 pm

Tue., Dec. 28
Independence Bowl
Iowa State vs Miami (Ohio)
SG’s Pick: Iowa State
Iowa State’s explosive offense will give Miami all they want…plus some.
6:30 pm

Insight Bowl
Oregon State vs Notre Dame
SG’s Pick: Notre Dame
Notre Dame is going to fight its heart out in defense of Tyrone Willingham. Oh, did we mention they’re a pretty good football team anyway?
9:45 pm

Wed., Dec. 29
Houston Bowl
Texas-El Paso vs Colorado
SG’s Pick: Texas-El Paso
Jordan Carson (name sound familiar?) will finally have his chance to showcase his talent on national television. Colorado is still wondering what happened in the Big 12 championship...
4:30 pm

Alamo Bowl
24 Ohio State vs Oklahoma State
SG’s Pick: Ohio State
Oklahoma State is no stranger to big games. Unfortunately, they haven’t learned how to win them.
8:00 pm

Thur., Dec. 30
Continental Tire Bowl
25 Boston College vs North Carolina
SG’s Pick: Boston College
North Carolina has a lack of “big game” experience while Boston College has the “secret to success” for winning bowl games, they’ve won 4 straight.
1:00 pm

Emerald Bowl
New Mexico vs Navy
SG’s Pick: Navy
Did we say Navy? That’s right! These guys finally learned how to play football.
4:30 pm

Holiday Bowl
4 California vs 23 Texas Tech
SG’s Pick: California
Cal will punish Texas Tech for being pushed out of the BCS picture.
8:00 pm

Silicon Valley Bowl
Troy vs Northern Illinois
SG’s Pick: Northern Illinois
Troy has never been to a bowl game and they’re not ready to win one either. N. Illinois has a ground attack that will out-muscle this Troy defense.
11:00 pm

Fri., Dec. 31
Music City Bowl
Alabama vs Minnesota
SG’s Pick: Alabama
This isn’t because we like the SEC. Minnesota isn’t playing at home...
12:00 pm

Sun Bowl
Purdue vs 21 Arizona State
SG’s Pick: Purdue
Arizona State is coming with their 2nd string QB that Purdue’s young, yet darn good, defense should contain. Expect Purdue to light up the score board in this one!
2:00 pm

Liberty Bowl
10 Boise State vs 7 Louisville
SG’s Pick: Louisville
This may be bowl game of the year. If you like fast attack offenses and aggressive scoring, this game is for you! Vegas will be exploding with “total points” bets on this one.
3:30 pm

14 Miami (FLA.) vs 20 Florida
Peach Bowl
SG’s Pick: Florida
If Chris Leak (Gators) isn’t the best QB in the land he will be. When the Gators are operating on all cylinders I would pick them to beat anyone in the country. Keep an eye on this one because it should be a money maker!
7:30 pm

Sat., Jan. 1
Cotton Bowl
15 Tennessee vs 22 Texas A&M
SG’s Pick: Tennessee
The Vols simply ran out of time in the SEC championship. I suspect they will pick up where they left off. Neither team “should” be here so it will definitely be one of the better games to watch.
11:00 am

Outback Bowl
16 Wisconsin va 8 Georgia
SG’s Pick: Georgia
Wisconsin can play offense buy GA’s fast defense will stop the run and force Wisconsin to throw resulting in too many mistakes to overcome. Georgia wins.
11:00 am

Gator Bowl
17 Florida State va West Virginia
SG’s Pick: Florida State
Florida State has put the lost to Florida behind them. Bowden’s ability to dominate bowl games has a “W” written all over it.
12:30 pm

Capital One Bowl
11 Iowa vs 12 LSU
SG’s Pick: LSU (restrictions apply...)
LSU is young but managed to fight their way to a good bowl game this year. If LSU’s defense can keep the score close they can pull this one off.
1:00 pm

Rose Bowl
13 Michigan vs 6 Texas
SG’s Pick: Texas
If Mack can persuade his players they’re as good as he did the nations coaches Texas will overcome a solid Michigan team.
4:30 pm

Fiesta Bowl
5 Utah vs 19 Pittsburgh
SG’s Pick: Utah
Pittsburgh slipped through the back door to win the Big East but I’m afraid Utah will show Pitt what it’s like to play with the Big Boys.
8:30 pm

Mon., Jan. 3
Sugar Bowl
3 Auburn vs 9 Virginia Tech
SG’s Pick: Auburn
Auburn should be playing for the national title. Look for Auburn to win big for the slight possibility of sharing the title.
8:00 pm

Tue., Jan. 4
Orange Bowl
1 Southern California vs 2 Oklahoma
SG’s Pick: Oklahoma
This one should come down to the last quarter. Oklahoma should prevail with stamina.
8:00 pm

Who knew back then in the 1920’s that the National Football League would take the path to become what it has? In the 1920’s, a group of businessman and sports enthusiasts from the middle of America gathered in Canton, Ohio in a car showroom to discuss and strategize how they would take pro-football from a disorderly, ruthless game of disgrace to that of an organized league.

It is during this meeting in Canton in the showroom where the men defined rules, traded ideas, elected a board. The new league would be called the American Professional Football Association.

From the wooden, dusty arenas of the midwest including Hammond, Indiana, Akron, Ohio, and Rock Island, Illinois to the Duluth Eskimos in 1926 to Super Bowl 111 where Joe Namath and the AFL’s New York Jets displaced the NFL old guard.

In 1932, the first NFL championship game was played indoors on 80-yard field. While a lot about the game has evolved since the 1920’s, the emotion and pain of the football game remains the same.

Lets' face it: the BCS is a piece of garbage. It encourages unsportsmanlike behavior - and there really seems to be too much of that these days - by forcing teams to run up scores to maintain high poll positions. It encourages corruption by allowing poll voters to affect dramatic changes at the last minute, bowing to political pressure. It has resulted in weaker overall bowl matchups. And worst of all, it denies us the ability to settle the matter of the championship on the field.

Auburn, who will face ninth-ranked and two loss Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, are the first team to go undefeated in the SEC and be denied a shot at the title. They beat three top ten teams, and a good Tennessee team twice. Auburn would actually be better off under the pre-BCS system because there would at least be the possibility of sharing the title.

California led Texas in the BCS and was poised for a deserved shot in the Rose Bowl until, at the last minute, the last night of college football -- on a night when Cal faced a tough competitor in Southern Miss after a long trip across the country -- some voters raised Texas above Cal. This came after two weeks of politicking by Texas coach Matt Brown. There were even reports that some ballots in Texas were submitted before the games were even done.

California passed on the opportunity to score a very late, meaningless touch down, and it's likely that move had an impact on their drop in the polls. There is no longer any room for sportsmanship when a BCS bowl is on the line. A team competing for positioning in the BCS has no choice but to pummel its opponents.

The tie-ins the major bowls now have to conference championships has resulted in an 8-3 Pittburgh team playing undefeated Utah in the Fiesta Bowl, and a two loss Virginia Tech taking on undefeated Auburn in the Orange. Meanwhile, one loss Cal takes on 7-4 Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl. Are these the best possible matchups that could have been put together?

I don't think the creators of the BCS envisioned what we have now. I really believe it was an attempt to have something better. But it's time to admit that the system is a failure, and move on. The old system is better than what we have now. A playoff system is very feasible -- given that it already exists in every sport except major college football -- and would generate even more money than the current bowl system. The argument that it would take too much time away from the players' schoolwork is rubbish. Will we ever know the true details of the conspiracy among the university presidents, the bowls, and any number of parties, to deny us an honest playoff system? I doubt it. But it is shameful that the presidents of the NCAA-member universities allow such a system, that encourages corruption and poor sportsmanship, to exist.

Larry Johnson was born on November 19, 1979 in La Plata, Maryland. Over the years Johnson has proven that he is one of the best running backs in the entire world. In fact, many believe that he is one of the best players in the world regardless of position. Although he has not received as many accolades as some of his counterparts, Johnson is definitely one player who is sure to put up solid numbers year in and year out.

Even at a young age it was evident that Johnson was going to be a great football player. This began to show during his high school days at State College Area High School in State College, Pennsylvania. He played both linebacker and running back in high school, and finished his career with 2,159 yards.

After high school Johnson decided to take his game to Pennsylvania State University. In 2002, Johnson managed to rush for more than 2,000 yards; a feat that has only been met by a handful of players. Thanks to his impressive season in 2002 Johnson received several awards including the Maxwell Award for the top college player, the Doak Walker Award for the top college running back, and the Walter Camp Award. To top all of this off, Johnson graduated with a degree in Integrative Arts.

Johnson was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2003 NFL Draft, and has been with the team ever since. During his first couple of seasons Johnson did not see a lot of action, but this changed drastically in 2005 when he played in all 16 games. This led to him ending the season with 1,750 yards and 20 touchdowns. Johnson followed this up in 2006 with 1,789 and 17 touchdowns.

Although Larry Johnson does not have all the endorsement deals or get a lot of attention, he is still among the best players in the NFL.

Philip Rivers was born on December 8, 1981 in Decatur, Alabama. Rivers is one of the best young quarterbacks in the world, and he has proven this time and time again on the field. Not only does he have all of the physical tools needed by a good quarterback, but he is also one of the smarter players in the game as well. When you combine these two things it is easy to see why he will be a great player in the NFL for many years to come.

Rivers attended Athens High School, and excelled both in the classroom and on the football field. As a senior he played both safety and quarterback, and this led to him being named the Alabama Football Player of the Year.

After high school Rivers chose to take his game to North Carolina State University. During his days playing for the Wolfpack, Rivers broke nearly every school and conference record. Perhaps his greatest record is that for most games started by a college quarterback with 51. This not only showed his consistency, but also his determination to lead his team game in and game out. Rivers led the Wolfpack to four bowl games, and came home with wins in three of them.

Rivers was drafted by the New York Giants with the fourth pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Shortly thereafter he was traded to the San Diego Chargers for fellow quarterback Eli Manning. After a bit of a delay, Rivers finally signed a six year contract worth $40.5 million.

During the 2004 season Rivers saw limited action, appearing in only two games. The 2005 season was more of the same as he was not able to beat out Drew Brees for the starting quarterback position.

Rivers was finally named the starting quarterback in 2006 after Brees departed for New Orleans. During his first season as a full time starter Rivers put up solid numbers. He did a very good job managing the game which was evident by the Chargers 14-2 record, and AFC West Championship.

While pre-season expectations of the New York Jets had them predicted to win 3-4 games this season, they went on to finish 10-6 and made it to the playoffs. Last season you couldn't give away New York Jets merchandise with the dismal 4-12 finish but this season everyone was wearing green and white as the resurgent New York Jets under new head coach Eric Mangini surprised everyone.

New York Jets hats, jerseys, jackets, socks, t-shirts, bumper stickers, helmets, curtains, rugs, pillows, blankets, flags, posters, photos, footballs etc. were sold out before Christmas leaving nothing left by the time the playoffs arrived.

Many retail stores in New Jersey and New York reported Jets merchandise sales weren't even this strong in 1998 when the New York Jets went to the AFC Championship game vs. Denver. Online reports showed that New York Jets merchandise was atop the best sellers of any NFL team merchandise this season. You can attribute that to the surprising outcome of this current season and of course they are in the New York market, which never hurts.

In other Jets news many fans are buzzing about whether the team will be changing their team colors, uniform or logo in 2009. This is the year the New York Jets and New York Giants will be sharing a stadium together. While there has not been anything mentioned on what the new stadium will be called as of yet, there have been rumors the Jets will perhaps change their team logo and uniform. This isn't unusual for teams to do this when entering a new stadium. Most recently the Arizona Cardinals changed thier uniforms and wore a commerative patch to celebrate their new stadium. I think a change in uniform will only help merchandise sales for any team, especially in the New York market. If you have noticed, for decades NFL teams didn't change uniforms or logos until the late 90's when several teams moved into a new direction with colors, logos, etc. which really spiked marketing and merchandise sales for the respective teams. Since 2000, fourteen NFL teams either completely changed their team colors and uniforms or changed some aspect of thier uniform in some way. I think it's a safe bet to assume the New York Jets will do the same with the opportunity to make a huge bang within the NFL merchandising side of it in 2009.

It seems as if it was not just a few weeks ago that the footballing career of David Beckham was considered over at Real Madrid football club. The coach, Fabio Capello all but said that he would not play Beckham again till he left the club.

In fact, some reports suggested that Beckham would be allowed to leave in April, rather than in June when his contract ends. Well, in the eyes of many football followers and analysts, the end had come for Beckham's active playing career. He had been effectively placed on the shelf to gather dust, or so it seemed. Surprisingly, just a few weeks later, the tide has changed. Beckham now holds a regular shirt at Real Madrid, and was named the man of the match in the recent champion's league victory over Bayern Munich. What could have been responsible for this sudden turn around by the coach? Well, the club had been under performing of late, losing some of it's home matches in the Spanish league, and drawing some others. Few goals were being scored and the fans made no secret of the fact that that they were far from satisfied at the club's results. Some fans openly called for the resignation of Coach Capello and the club president, Perez.

Capello's job really came under serious threat when his team lost to lowly rated Levante by a lone goal in a match played in the Bernabeu. Well, it appeared that coach Capello was going to get the axe if he lost his next game, even though it was an away game.

He had no choice than to reconsider his earlier vow not to play Beckham again, and recalled him for the match. And to the surprise of all, Beckham scored a trademark free kick to bring Real back into the game after going a goal down earlier on. According to the Spanish press, his goal saved Capello’s job.

His overall contribution to the game was marvelous.

Needless to say, most people wondered why he had been left on the bench by Capello all this while. He again went on to produce a commendable performance in the next league game, which Real won. He capped it with a fine display against Bayern in the champion’s league, contributing to the three goals scored by Real.

Already, the England manager, Steve Maclaren has admitted that Beckham’s inspiring displays of recent have put him under pressure to recall him back into the England squad. Could the former outcast player be on his way back to playing for England? We can only wait and see as events unfold.

The 2006/2007 season in the English premiership has thrown up some pleasant surprises in terms of the results obtained so far. A few clubs that would not have been given a chance of surviving in the premiership for even one season are performing well, while on the other hand, some traditionally strong clubs are struggling to stay in the premiership.

A few months ago, who could have predicted that a club like Portsmouth, which barely managed to stay in the premiership last season would stay in the top half of the league table?

Well, they have surprised all and sundry, and have not gone beyond the seventh position in the league till date. At a point in time, they were in the third position for about a week.

Reading is another football team that has taken many by surprise this season. The team has literally come from nowhere to stay in the top half of the league table for most of the season. They have defeated some of the traditionally strong teams and their performances have thrilled many observers.

On the other hand, clubs that are regarded as top clubs like Middlesbrough, Wigan and Charlton have struggled to find their form all season. Charlton is in the relegation zone, while Wigan is just above them in the drop zone. Middlesbrough, the club that was last year’s UEFA cup finalists has struggled to find their form all season long, and is currently in the bottom half of the league table.

Teams that were expected to mount a serious challenge for champion’s league places like Tottenham, Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle have just put in average performances all season long. It’s not likely that any of them will get a slot in the champion’s league this season, although they could still reasonably get an UEFA cup slot.

This past season Dwayne Wright was coming back from a serious knee injury suffered during the second game of the 2004 season, and showed the NFL scouts he is back and 110% healthy. Wright rushed for 1,462 yards and 11TD's. His biggest game this past season came against Louisiana Tech when he rushed for 295 yards and a TD. Other notable performances this season included a 158 yard, 3 TD game against Nevada, 154 and 1 TD against Oregon, 136 yard and 2 TD's against Washington, and 121 and 2 TD's against New Mexico St. In his final game at Fresno St. Dwayne rushed for 106 yards and 2 TD's against San Jose St. Dwayne caught 51 passes for 429 and 2 TD's during his career at Fresno St as well, showing all-around running back skills.

He was off to a great start in 2004 before his year ended at Kansas St. Wright went through a rigorous rehabilitation that lasted two years to return to 100 percent for the 2006 season, and boy did he have a season!! Dwayne is a tough runner who possesses good breakaway speed once he gets through the defensive line, and has nice hands out the backfield. Wright earned the starting job during the 2003 season and had a huge year. Dwayne spent a lot of time in the weight room and added weight and strength in 2005 spent the year working on injury rehabilitation. Wright played in two games in 2004, starting both, before tearing his left patella tendon when being tackled at the end of a 61-yard pass play in the fourth quarter of the Kansas State game ... he missed the remainder of the year as a result. He started the season with a 109-yard effort in a win over Washington and had 74 yards in the KSU contest before going down with the injury.

In 2003 he was an honorable mention All-WAC honoree after transferring from junior college after playing in all 14 games, starting eight. Wright became the 12th player in program history to gain more than 1,000 rushing yards and supplanted record-holding running back Rodney Davis midway through the season. Wright had consecutive 100-yard games against Louisiana Tech and Portland State. Dwayne initially made waves with a TD run against top-ranked Oklahoma, in a game where he came out of the backfield to record 19 catches for 143 yards and a score. That year he finished fourth in the WAC in rushing yards. Dwayne had his best game of the year came against Louisiana Tech when he rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown. He just missed an 100-yard game against UTEP (97 yards), Rice (96) and Nevada (91).

Wright initially committed to Washington St. but when Mike Price left to become Alabama's head coach, he decided to attend West Hills Junior College, where he led his team to the Silicon Valley Bowl against Foothills College. Wright and the team finished third in the Valley Conference. He was named to the All-Central Valley Conference team. Dwayne played in eight games and rushed for 1,068 yards and scored 11 touchdowns and averaged 6.5 yards per carry. He was named team's Most Valuable Offensive Player. Wright was one of the top running backs to come out of high school on the west coast and was named the San Diego Union Tribune's Offensive Player of the Year out of Lincoln High School in 2000.

Dwayne was born June 2, 1983 to parents' Gwen and Wil Washington and has has two brothers, Kenrick and Andre, and one sister, Ashley. Dwayne married Jewelyn Wright and the couple have two children - a daughter, Jewelyn, and a son, Demarion.

Wright is a day 1 pick, no doubt. He fits best with a zone blocking scheme and is built for the NFL. I think the knee injury was some what a blessing in disguise for Dwayne, it allowed him to add much needed weight and strength to him frame and stayed the same type of back. When he first came to Fresno St. he has a frame similar to Eric Dickerson, (tall and lean), but with the added weight, he now has an NFL ready body.

He may not have the 4.3 speed, but his speed and power combo is impressive. Wrights hands are also really good, making him a good fit for a team that runs the west coast offense, or a version of it.

A 2006 Heisman Trophy and Davy O'Brien candidate, Louisville junior QB Brian Brohm is rapidly becoming one of the hottest names around NFL circles. Brohm has all the tools NFL personnel people and head coaches love, size (6'4, 224), a big time arm that is accurate, toughness, leadership, and the study habits that a QB needs to succeed at the pro level.

Coming into this season Brohm ranked 1th on the school's touchdown passes chart with 25, he also has thrown for 3,702 yards, which also stands 11th in school history. Brohm has ahd five 300-yard games in his career, all coming during the 2005 season (his 1st as a starter) and currently holds the school record with a 68.4 completion percentage. Brohm has thrown just seven interceptions in 399 attempts and had an 8-2 record as the starting quarterback coming into this season.

As a prep at Trinity High School, he threw for 10,579 yards and 119 touchdowns at Trinity High School. Brian was voted one of the 2003 National Top 150 Adidas Playmakers and named USA Today Offensive Player of the Year. Brohm was also named the Gatorade Player of the Year. In his high school career he appeared in 44 games and was the recipient of the National Quarterback Club's award for the National High School Quarterback of the Year, and he was named to the Parade Magazine High School All-American teams. Brohm ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and No. 2 prospect by ESPN's Tom Lemming and led the Shamrocks to three state titles. He was awarded the Roy Kidd Award and was a three-time state finals Most Valuable Player and guided his team to a 15-0 record in the state playoffs. Brohm started for the East squad in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He finished second in state history in career passing yards and career touchdowns and also set a state record for career completion percentage, not to mention he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies.

Brian Brohm is a management major and is the 4th Brohm to play football at U of L, his dad, Oscar and brothers, Greg and Jeff each played football for the Cardinals, so his genes are good.

Brohm reminds me a little of Brett Favre. He has a gunslingers mentality and is fearless on the field. I think, depending on the teams needs picking first in the draft, he could be the #1 overall pick, but AT LEAST the first QB off the board. I believe he has more upside then Brady Quinn and will be a better pro when it is all said and done.

Central High School in Brookfield Wisconsin must be proud of their own Joe Thomas. The 6'8 313lb LT is the best OL in the country, HANDS DOWN. He is also arguably the most athletic as well. He played DT for the Badgers last year when they got in a pinch.

Thomas is projected to be among the top three overall selections in the 2007 National Football League Draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. , Scouts Inc. and us here at the War Room. Thomas was named to 2006 Playboy All-America team, the 2006 preseason first-team All-American and the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle according to The War Room. A second-team preseason All-American according to Lindy’s and Street & Smith’s, Thomas was selected to 2006 preseason watch lists for the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award and was assigned the only one-on-one block on UW’s offensive line 90 percent of the time the past two seasons.

In 2005, Thomas was first-team All-American according to Pro Football Weekly and was second-team All-American by Walter Camp, SI.com and Rivals.com. A consensus first-team All-Big Ten, Thomas was a Lombardi Award semifinalist. The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 5 honoree, Thomas was an Academic All-Big Ten choice, where he started all 13 games at left tackle and was named UW’s co-offensive player of the week vs. Bowling Green and Penn State. Thomas earned third varsity letter and injured right knee while filling in on depleted defensive line in Capital One Bowl game vs. Auburn.

Thomas earned second varsity letter in 2004 when started all 12 regular season games at left tackle. He was a consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten pick and named Academic All-Big Ten and first-team academic all-district. Thomas set UW indoor record in shot put with throw of 62-0 ¼ feet, set in 2005 and was a 2005 NCAA indoor and outdoor qualifier in shot put.

Thomas in 2003 earned first varsity letter and played much of season as a blocking TE (wearing No. 82). Thomas was the first true freshman OL to see action during the Barry Alvarez era, and started at DE vs. Auburn in Music City Bowl and assisted on seven tackles.

Thomas was rated as the No. 4 offensive tackle in the nation according to Tom Lemming and among top 20 offensive tackles nationally, top 25 players in the Midwest and No. 3 player in Wisconsin according to Rivals.com. A PrepStar All-American and second-team All-America offensive tackle according to USA Today. Thomas was also a member of Detroit Free Press All-Midwest team , and was a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first-team all-state defensive lineman and second-team all-state offensive tackle as a senior. Thomas was also first-team all-state honors at DE from Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and Associated Press. The WFCA 2002 Defensive Player of the Year with fellow Badger Justin Ostrowski, had 85 tackles and 12 QB sacks as a senior and 70 tackles and eight sacks as a junior. The three-time all-conference selection and four-year letter winner in football, track and basketball, captained football and basketball teams his senior year and finished fifth in nationals in shot put as a junior. Thomas was all-conference, all-area and all-state selection in shot put and discus … four-year honor roll student. He was also on the U.S. Army Academic All-America team, and was coached in football by Rick Synold at Brookfield Central High.

The business major (real estate and urban land economics) makes his parents Eric and Sally very proud and embodies everything college sports is about.

Joe Thomas is the highest rated OL I have since Orlando Pace (who went #1 overall). He has all the tools to be an all-pro for years to come and his play reminds ME of HOFer (and Chaffey High School/USC alum) Anthony Munoz.

Lawrence Jackson is everything NFL personnel people look for size (6'5, 265 lbs), speed (4.5/4.6) strength, leadership qualities and he has a tireless work ethic. Did I mention he is also productive?! Lo-Jack had 24 tackles for loss and 16 sacks entering the 2006 season.

But it all started in "The Wood"..Inglewood California. Jackson earned 2002 Super Prep All-American, Prep Star All-American, Student Sports All-American first team, Tom Lemming All-American, CNNSI.com All-American first team, The Insiders.com All-American first team, Super Prep Elite 50, Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team, The Sporting News Hot 100 honors (and countless others).

He had 142 tackles, with 11 sacks, plus 4 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions in 2002 while playing defensive line and middle linebacker. As a junior in 2001, he made the Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass first team, All-CIF Division X first team, Los Angeles times All-Star first team, Los Angeles Times All-South Bay Lineman of the Year, South Bay Daily Breeze All-South Bay first team and All-Ocean League Defensive MVP. He had 134 tackles, including 22 sacks, plus 2 interceptions (1 returned for a TD), 7 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 3 blocked kicks in 2001. Inglewood made it to the 2001 CIF Division X semifinals. During his 2000 sophomore season, Inglewood advanced to the CIF Division X finals. In his career, he had 57 sacks. He also was on Inglewood's track team.

Jackson choose USC over UCLA, ASU and other Pac 10 schools in one of Pete Carroll's famous recruiting classes. Jackson redshirted as a freshman defensive end in 2003, his first year at USC. He won USC's Service Team Defensive Player of the Year award. After the season, he had arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle to remove debris.

In his RS Frosh year, Lo-Jack started at defensive end and did a commendable job. Overall in 2004 while appearing in all 13 games (he started all but BYU), he had 32 tackles, including 11 for losses of 41 yards (with 6 sacks for 31 yards), plus a deflection and an interception (against Arizona, which he returned 19 yards to set up a TD). He made the 2004 Collegefootballnews.com Freshman All-American first team, The Sporting News and Rivals.com Freshman All-American second teams and The Sporting News Freshman All-Pac-10 first team. He had 5 tackles against Oregon State (1.5 for losses) and Notre Dame (2 for losses) and 4 stops against Arizona State.

Lo-Jack's sopmore year was his coming out party to the national media. Overall in 2005 while starting all 13 games, he had 46 tackles, including 13 for losses of 76 yards (with a team-best 10 sacks for minus 60 yards), plus 6 deflections, a team-best 2 fumble recoveries, a team-best 4 forced fumbles and a blocked PAT. He made the 2005 All-Pac-10 first team and he made the 2005 ESPN.com All-Pac-10 team. He won USC's Defensive Lineman of the Year and Co-Player of the Game versus UCLA Awards. He had 4 tackles (including 2 sacks and a deflection) at Hawaii, 4 tackles each against Arkansas and Oregon, a team-high 7 tackles (including 2.5 for losses, with 1.5 sacks) at Arizona State, 2 stops and 2 deflections against Arizona, and 4 tackles (1 for a loss) at Notre Dame). He added 2 tackles (with a sack) and a deflection at Washington, then 3 tackles (1 for a loss), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the same play that led to a USC TD and also a blocked PAT against Washington State. He had 3 stops (with a sack), a fumble recovery (to set up a USC TD) and 2 deflections against Stanford, a tackle at California and then 7 tackles (with a sack) and a forced fumble that USC recovered to set up a field goal against Fresno State. He had 5 tackles, including 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles (USC recovered the second one).

The philosophy major has a brother, Keith, was a offensive tackle at Arizona and entered the 2006 season on the Lombardi Award watch list.

Jackson has all the tools to be a special player in the NFL and I see him as a player was has the tools to be even better on the pro level.

The PAC-10 may have the 2 best CB's that are draft eligible in Antoine Cason and Daymeion Hughes out of Cal. Hughes has all the tools that ANY NFL personnel person looks for in a CB, size (6'2, 195) speed (4.3), a fearless attitude and a short memory. He is a play maker plain and simple.

Hughes is currently a mid-season All-American by SI.com and CBS Sportsline and ranks second in the nation with seven interceptions so far this season. Hughes is second all-time at Cal with 14 interceptions and snagged his seventh interception of the season against Washington, snagging a key pass in the end zone, and also broke up a pass and had six tackles on the day. He collected his sixth interception of the season against Washington State to go with three tackles and a pass breakup. Hughes had four tackles against Oregon while holding Jason Williams to just 66 receiving yards (he had entered the game with 115.5 per game). Hughes recorded four tackles with a pair of pass break-ups against Oregon State, and he returned an interception for a touchdown against Arizona State (his fourth career INT return for a TD and second this year). Hughes added a second pick-off against the Sun Devils (his third career two INT game) while leading the team with 11 tackles. Daymeion returned an interception for a 30-yard touchdown against Portland State, and Hughes snared two interceptions against Minnesota while also tallying six tackles and a pass break-up. He recorded five tackles against Tennessee as the Volunteers rarely threw towards him. A preseason All-American by eight different publications, including first team All-America by ESPN.com and Playboy and is on the Watch List for three different national awards.

In 2005 he led the PAC-10 Conference with 17 passes defended, including 12 break-ups while ranking second in the league with five interceptions and ranked No. 16 nationally in that category. Hughes finished fourth on the squad with 62 tackles. Hughes also returned his five interceptions for 159 yards, including a 41-yarder for a touchdown at Washington. Hughes had two interceptions in the shutout of Arizona and a 59-yard interception return at New Mexico State and his INT against BYU on the Cougars' final possession clinched Cal's victory in the Las Vegas Bowl. Hughes had a season-best 10 tackles and broke up two passes against top-ranked USC, he followed that up by getting a blocked a kick and recorded a quarterback sack against Washington State. He forced a fumble against Stanford.

Back in 2004, Hughes started at cornerback opposite Harrison Smith as a sophomore, starting in 11 of Cal's 12 games. The club's 12th-leading tackler with 26 stops, including 21 unassisted, he tied for second on team in passes broken up with six. Hughes starred in the Big Game vs. Stanford, breaking up four passes and recording a pair of solo tackles, he also broke up passes at Air Force and Oregon State. He tallied four-tackle games three times, at Air Force, vs. Arizona State and in the Holiday Bowl vs. Texas Tech.

In his Freshman year, he was the Bears' most productive true freshman, starting five games at cornerback and tying for the team lead with two interceptions. He had 30 tackles (25 solo) and recovered one fumble while playing in all 14 games. His first interception of his career came against Oregon State, a pick he returned 72 yards for a touchdown, and his second interception came against Washington at the Cal 6-yard line, staving off a possible Husky scoring drive. Hughes was credited with three tackles in the Insight Bowl against Virginia Tech. Hughes was the recipient of the Bob Simmons Award as the team's most valuable freshman.

Coming out of Crenshaw High School, Hughes graded out No. 79 on the California Top 100 list and No. 41 on the Athletes list nationwide. He was named to the SuperPrep All-Far West team and Prep Star's All-West squad following a senior season that produced impressive statistics on both sides of the ball. He rushed for 600 yards and chalked up 720 yards receiving, while scoring a combined 15 touchdowns as a senior and also registered 48 tackles and 10 interceptions at defensive back in 2002. Hughes made the Los Angeles Times all-region team and was named the Coliseum League Co-Player of the Year. He also voted runner-up Southern California Prep Player of the Year and Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West honorable mention. Hughes was regarded as the 11th-best cornerback in the West by PacWest/TheInsiders.com, and as a junior, earned all-league and all-city honors after rushing for more than 1,500 yards and adding another 520 yards receiving. Hughes also gathered 49 tackles, five interceptions and two sacks at defensive back. Hughes competed two years in basketball and track, and one season in tennis.

He is a art practice major at Cal and is the leader of their secondary. His parents, Ronald and Catana, call him by his nickname, Dantè.

I see Hughes along the same lines of Cason, as the 1b to Cason's 1a when it comes to CB's this year. You can't go wrong with either of them. Hughes is a proven play maker that can take away half the field. If I had to compare him to anyone, it would be a more physical Champ Bailey. Bailey's cover skills were more NFL ready (when picked #7 overall by the Redskins) then Hughes', but Hughes has the ability to be THAT TYPE of player.

Not too many people know the name...Antoine Cason out of the University of Arizona, but the 6'0 190 lb CB has the NFL on notice. Cason, out of Los Alamitos (near Long Beach) CA, has all the tools the NFL looks for out of a CB...size, speed (4.39 forty) jumping ability (40 inch) a willingness to hit and an even stronger desire to learn. Did I mention he also has the bloodline?!! His Dad, Wendell Cason, played at Oregon, and for the Falcons form 1984-87, and his cousins are Ken-Yon Rambo (NYJ) and Avieon Cason (Dallas). His brother ran track at Washington St.

Cason is one of the top defensive backs in the PAC-10, not to mention the nation. He has started all 22 games and played every snap his first two years. He received second-team All-PAC-10 honors in 2005, when he finished with three interceptions, five passes defensed and 50 tackles including 2.5 for losses. Normally plays the strong side of the field, Cason has seven career interceptions coming into the 2006 season, and those 7 picks puts him in position to rate with UA’s best ever on the all-time chart, with five more needed to his the top nine. He had a season-long 27-yard interception return against Oregon. Cason had seven tackles three times last season. He started 11 games as a true freshman in 2004, earning All-PAC-10 honorable mention. Cason was selected to the FWAA and Sporting News freshman All-America teams ... TSN’s All-PAC-10 freshman team selection and PAC-10 defensive freshman of the year honors. Cason was also selected to Rivals.com freshman All-America club. He finished the season 70 tackles (54 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss (-18 yards), four interceptions, six pass breakups and three forced fumbles. Cason was the second-leading tackler on the squad, while ranking fifth in the PAC-10 in interceptions, 20th in tackles, fifth in forced fumbles and ninth in passes defended. He tallied 12 tackles (8 solo) and forced a fumble vs. ASU. Cason also returned an interception 23 yards, had nine tackles (7 solo), two pass breakups and two tackles for a loss (-8 yards) at Washington. Cason also returned two interceptions for a total of 61 yards and tallied five solo tackles vs. California. He was named PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Week after first collegiate game: tallied a career-high 13 tackles (12 solo), including one for a loss, forced two fumbles, broke up one pass and returned an interception four yards vs. NAU.

Out of Los Alamitos high school he was second-team All-CIF Southern Section and first-team Division I CIF as senior. He also earned Southern Section Division I all-defense honors. He was also a member of the Tacoma News-Tribune Western 100 and was a Prep Star All-America selection as a top 300 national recruit. A Super-Prep All-Far-west honors as a Top 100 California prospect and Rivals.com three-star rating and No. 38 as a DB prospect. Cason also played running back at Los Alamitos where he had 41 tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in 2003. A First-team all-league as a junior, with six interceptions and was the Sunset League Defensive Back of the Year and first-team honors as a senior. Cason was also a member of the Orange County Register first-team all-county. He won team’s ‘Hit of the Year’ for 2002, and he also participated in track.

Cason's activities outside of football show what a well-rounded person he is, his likes includes dogs, PS2, working out and monthly church usher duties. I see Cason as a sure first round pick and possibly the first CB off the board. He reminds me of less physical UA alum, Chris McCalister, but I would say at this point in his progression, he is a better cover corner then Chris Mac.

Donovan McNabb is now the best quarterback never to have won a Super Bowl.

As if the guy needed any more pressure on him.

Until the Colts beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, Peyton Manning held that distinction, and seemed destined to retire into the “Dan Marino/Dan Fouts” Wing of the Hall of Fame in Canton.

But now, Peyton is off the schneid. He’s won the big one. He is a world champion.

And as a result, he is no longer the best quarterback currently playing in the NFL to have never won a championship.

That distinction now belongs to #5.

Now, I don’t say that to put any added pressure upon the already-burdened shoulder pads of Donnie Mac. Heaven knows he’s got enough Philadelphians breathing down his neck for things that are out of his control.

When he’s bad, he’s criticized. When he’s good, he’s criticized. When he’s somewhere in between, he’s criticized.

Heck, the guy gets criticized when he goes to the bathroom.

Despite all that, Donovan McNabb is a five-time Pro Bowler, was NFC Offensive Player of the Year in 2004, and led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl in 24 years that same season.

No matter what he does from here on out, Donovan McNabb is one of the greatest players in Philadelphia Eagles history. He does not need a Super Bowl win to validate that.

However, now that Manning has shed the “choker” label and won the big one, the mantle of “best active quarterback never to have won a Super Bowl” falls to Donovan McNabb.

It is a mantle no athlete wants.

And make no mistake; #5 enters the 2007 season at a crossroads. He has missed major portions of each of the last two years with season-ending injuries, and three out of the last five, with the latest being the most severe. No one knows how Donovan’s knee will respond to his rehabilitation or whether he’ll even be ready to go by the start of the ’07 season.

At 30 years old, he most likely has more years behind him than ahead.

Time is running out.

Still, when healthy, he is one of the five best QBs in the game. The window of opportunity for him to win a Super Bowl is still wide open. And ironically, the only way that’s going to happen is if Andy Reid and the rest of the coaching staff realize that winning can’t be all about Donovan McNabb.

For far too long, this franchise has relied too heavily on McNabb to win football games. It took his catastrophic injury last season for the brain trust to realize that a balanced attack and a stout defense are just as important as an incredibly talented QB throwing the football all over the field.

The only way Donovan McNabb will finally be able to break through and pull off what Peyton Manning did on Sunday, and what John Elway accomplished before him, is for the rest of the Philadelphia Eagles; coaches, players and front office, to step up and realize that Donovan McNabb can’t do it alone.

So Mr. Reid, Mr. Banner and Mr. Lurie… hear my cry.

Re-sign Donte Stallworth. Revamp the linebacking corps. Draft a bigger complimentary back to Brian Westbrook. Stay with the balanced offense. Get tougher and bigger on defense. Adapt. React.

Relieve the pressure that squeezes itself around Donovan McNabb’s neck like an anaconda and give him what he needs to finally deliver this town the championship it so desperately craves.

Do whatever needs to be done to aid Donovan McNabb in his quest to win a Super Bowl.

Because perhaps more than any other quarterback in the NFL, he deserves it

As the scoreboard clock ran down Sunday night, and the Chicago Bears ran of their last few plays as an exercise in formality, the great stories that have surrounded the Indianapolis Colts for the last few years came to a conclusion with a mental exclamation point.

Colts head coach Tony Dungy and future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning had both finally won the big one. The win, for Dungy, also represents the first Super Bowl victory for an African-American head coach.

The game started off with a 92-yard kickoff return for a Bears touchdown by Devin Hester. The Colt’s got going with a 53-yard touchdown connection from Manning to Reggie Wayne just past the halfway point of the first quarter. And, although the missed the extra point attempt, the team from Indy never looked back.

The Colts scored 23 more points to the Bears 10, and the rest was history. And, I do mean history, especially when it came to Dungy’s social barrier win. “"I'm proud to be the first African-American coach to win this," Dungy said just after the Super Bowl.

In addition, Dungy is a man a great faith who’s resolve was put to the test last year when his son James committed suicide. He acknowledged his religion, also that of his opposing coach, after the game. “"Lovie Smith and I are not only African-American but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord's way. We're more proud of that."

As for Manning, he’s now gotten the proverbial monkey off his back and will never have to face the ridicule of never winning the big one. But, despite his MVP performance, he was more than willing to spread the credit for this accomplishment that will help solidify his greatness. "It was a great team win. We did it together,” Manning said.