Team USA: Thats right its time for a soccer blog

Its pretty well established that I am something of a soccer nerd. There's a pretty good chance you've steered me away from a conversation about England finding the right compliment to Wayne Rooney, or who should play for what country internationally; heck you may have even heard me name drop some prospects in the U.S. system who I am (probably correctly) tipping as stars of tomorrow.

It's not a boring sport.

The United States announced their Gold Cup roster today. The Gold Cup is a tournament for the right to be called champion of North America. This tournament generally comes down to holding off scrappy central American clubs and proving to the El Tri (that's Mexico) that elbows and bad hair don''t win championships. While it isn't the World Cup, this tournament serves as a great measuring stick for learning where the 'Yanks are at.

The roster includes several shocking additions, and at least one glaring omission that has me going into doomsday mode. I will break it down position by position to let you know the deal.

Keeper: No real surprises here. Tim Howard is probably still the most consistent American player in the world, and leads a solid, scrappy English club called Everton during the season. Howard minds the net, Marcus Hahnemann backs him up. Know more in my neck of the woods for a mediocre flavor saver, big Marcus also starts in England. While he isn't going to be a big part of the future, it's hard to leave a guy with this much savvy off the roster. Rounding out the unit is Nick Rimando, a solid MLS veteran who can play in a pinch.

Defense: Lots of familiar faces here. My dude Gooch Onyewu returns, after a solid season in Belgium. He's not a popular guy in Mexico and should knock some of their goons around. Eric Lichaj, Carlos Bocanegra and Jonathan Spector provide the versatility coach Bradley loves. Old reliable Steve Cherundolo returns for what could be the final stages of a solid international career. Clarence Goodson is another big guy who provides an upgrade over the scrappy Jay Demerit, who has probably run his course. And then there is the inexplicable inclusion of Jonathan Bornstein. Guy is TURRABLE. Whether its advancing too far forward, mediocre crosses, a horrible first touch, constantly being out of position, or untimely cards, I guess you can say he "does it all". I'd rather have a revolving door of people from the Sam's Army getting run than this clown.



What bugs me about this position is the lack of Timmy Chandler. For one thing, according to my own doctrine, he should be playing for Germany. As he isn't officially cap-tied to the states, there is still a chance that the Nuremburg winger could ply his trade for die Mannshaft. (I can't make fun of the German national team's choice of name enough. Maybe it means something in German, but I speak, and more importantly tell jokes, in English) Plus Timmy is a big time talent, I think he has a chance to be team USA's cornerstone on defense for the next 10 years. Why waste time with a retread like Bornstein?


Midfield: Strongest part of the team. Landon Donovan. You know his name, dude is everywhere, without a doubt the best outfield American player on a counterrattack, and maybe our finest offensive weapon ever. Texas boy Clint Dempsey will probably start on the other wing, although neither of these guys really has a position. Landon and Deuce cover a lot of ground on defense, and make runs from all over the field. Both of these guys love making diagonal runs and setting up real chances. Look for Dempsey up top by the end of the game. There's a steaming pile of mediocrity in Robbie Rogers, Sacha Klestjan, and the awful selection of Freddy Adu. You've probably heard of Freddy Adu, and you probably thought Mo Edu was him last summer. Young Freddy has partied himself into the doghouse, bouncing from team to team and failing to endear himself to a single manager. The 21 year old has been tearing up a minor league in Turkey, and still has a lot of 'magic' that the rest of this roster doesn't have. I still don't see it, and I'd rather he develop in peace and return to the Nats as a finished product. German import Jermaine Jones, whose father was a G.I., as well as Michael Bradley start in the center. Two solid players, Jones is an end to end stud and Bradley is equally dangerous on his game. Edu provides depth, and some versatility, as he has some experience on the backline as well.

(By the way, between Jones, Chandler, Fabian Hurzeler, Jerome Kieswetter, Shawne Parker, and Fredo Morales, lets keep up the work in Germany. With the rules being the way they are, and the German's having probably the deepest talent pool this side of Brazil {The Turks start 9 German natives and a Brit, Ghana and Cameroon start multiple Germans, and the Swiss and Austrians wouldn't even compete without getting a fair share.} we may as well reap the benefits!) All of those names, btw are German nationals with either a father who is American or prospects who happened to be born on our turf and moved across the water. It's a game of absolutes and I will take what I can get while our product continues to improve.

Forwards: Jozy Altidore is a mainstay here, despite slumming it in Turkey, where he is currently on loan from Spanish side Villareal. I'm sure the brass of the Yellow Submarine (remember what I said about team names) are thrilled that they are spending 2.2 mil a season so Jozy can play for other teams. He seems to turn it up for the states, is 21 years old, 6'2 210, and the kind of athlete only America can produce. (BTW how much better are American games with British announcers?) So I am optimistic. Juan Agudelo is the next big thing, a teenager learning from French legend and BAMF Thierry Henry for the New York Red Bulls. Kid has played 3 games for team USA and has notched two goals and drawn a penalty. Juan moved to the 'States from one of my favorite countries, Columbia (shout out to Uribe) as an 8 year old, and brings the flair and aforementioned magic to the game. My only hope is he doesn't follow Freddy and Jozy on the first plane to Europe. Stay here, score goals. The MLS is a better league than people realize and rotting on the bench on a crappy bankrupt team in Portugal or England won't make you better. Rounding out the forward pool is Chris "Wondo" Wondolowski. I'm not even going to get into talking about Wondo, but I know my college buddies are snickering (and to a certain reader it's nothing personal but these are the things that make me laugh). With young guns like Minneapolis' own Teal Bunbury, as well as the continued return to form of Robbie Findley and Charlie Davies rise from the ashes, I feel very good about America taking the worlds sport over.


Overall, a solid bunch with a few warts. As long as Bornstein doesn't ____ ___ ___ (rhymes with hit the lead) against Chicharito I think we can come out of this ok.


(How annoying are youtube ads? Goodnight.

May 22, 2011

Courtesy of a Friend...





Have a great week!

Momo Thoughts

By now you have heard, and if not her is the deal: On monday Arizona announced that Lamont Jones, known both in my apartment and to the world as "Momo", would be leaving school. This was a somewhat sudden, and surprising development given the relationship Momo had developed with the University community over his two seasons in the desert. Reactions have been interesting, as the Harlem native was a divisive figure among the faithful. Here's the thing: Everyone wins, except me.

(Here is a breakdown of how parties involved are "winners")

Brendon Lavender: The much maligned, albeit talented senior gets to keep his ride. Lav has always been an intriguing talent, with the highest vertical leap on the team, a commitment to defense, and a very solid jumper. There's no reason on paper that he shouldn't reach the professional ranks (note: this doesn't mean the NBA. Basketball players are second only to soccer stars in professional opportunities. You can make a very comfortable living in at least 30 countries). However, something has always held Brendon back. Dude plays on eggshells. With one year to take it all in, and cement his role, the proverbial hope that Lav can make the jump from sporadic appearances to key contributor is once again in play for the Wildcats.

Sean Miller: Coach Miller is the man. You can't have him, Maryland (I HATE the Terrapins and always have. Remember, I wasn't raised a Wildcat fan, I contracted that. In Will Hartman's world, as a Duke fan, there was nothing more annoying than "Backsweat" Gary Williams. Whether it was his ruined closet of Men's Wearhouse blazers, or his incessant recruitment of players like Sarunas Jasikaereairfjasdf {it doesn't matter, but this is what his real name is} or Nik Caner-Medley, the Terps managed to surpass the vaunted Tar Heels as public enemy number one. ASU, I'd like you to meet your similarly-mediocre-uniformed counterpart) Anyway, Coach had himself a numbers crunch, courtesy of some old trouble the previous regime had gotten into. He was facing having to jettison a player who had worked hard, wished to remain in Tucson, or was possibly a key contributor. Previously mentioned Lav and European import Kyryl Natyazhko seemed likely candidates. With Momo leaving on his own, 'Zona falls under the 12 rides cap.

Momo: While it may come out that there is much more to the story, lets just trust the information we have. Following his father's brutal murder when he was very young, Jones was raised primarily by his grandmother . Momo is a heady, emotional kid, and really a throwback in my opinion. National Honor Society, engaged to be married, by all accounts the heart and soul of the program. Family comes first, and seeing as how his grandmother has fallen very ill, this is the right thing to do. A couple years ago, a kid named Garland Judkins left Arizona at midseason. Garland was a nothing player, and frankly didn't fit what the program was looking for at all. However, he got to spend 6 months with his terminally ill father, which to me is much more important than solidifying a rotation at a college. Momo is making a smart decision here from an off the court standpoint. On the court I will get to in a bit, but for now just pray for the kid.

Jordin Mayes, Josiah Turner, Kyle Fogg: With Jones out of the picture, the backcourt picture makes a lot more sense. On the court, Momo was a solid hooper without a true position. With the arrival of a heralded, potentially program changing talent like Turner, minutes were going to be harder and harder to come by. Fogg is a 3 year starter at shooting guard who was probably facing starting senior night on the bench. While I don't buy the message board sentiment that Jordin had already passed Momo on the totem pole, roles have now been solidified, and if nothing else we can see what the sophomore is made out of in more extensive action. The days of 4 minute runouts have ended for Jordin. These guys now have 5 months to develop a rapport together and create a cohesive and deadly backcourt.

(*I didn't include Nick Johnson because I think this kid is going to turn Tucson on its head in the best way possible. I see "Bunnies" as the wild card in the mix, using his raw athletic ability to embarrass the Chanse Creekmur's of the conference while his body builds up to the collegiate level. Did I mention he owns the rivalry already?)

And now for the one loser.


Myself: While all the information above is fantastic, and I have faith that Arizona is going to be an outstanding club, this irks me. As I stated earlier, I saw Momo as the glue that held the Wildcats together the past to season. Keep in mind that he hosted Josiah, Jordin, and several other prospects who shared his position during his four semesters. I look at the 19 year old kid who was so thankful that his backup had bailed him out, who got himself immortality in "one shining moment" videos, and who led the team through the Zona Zoo after the Washington game, and I really want to see an all-time great. Maybe not as a player in the Steve Kerr/Jason Gardner mold, but the kind of guy who never has to buy lunch in Arizona again (still doesn't if I run into him fwiw), who gets a heroes send off on Senior Day at McKale, and who gets an embrace from Assistant Coach Richardson (btw Momo's godfather) after he cuts down the last of the net in two years. I really wanted this kid to come full circle.

The bottom line is that I hope you all appreciate a kid who put everything he had into making my school, the greatest college/institution not named the United States of America, a brand name again. Momo will continue to be a Wildcat, and I hope he gets the understanding, prayers, and perspective from Wildcat faithful that he has rightfully earned. I'm rooting for you bud.



In other news, I managed to go this entire season without watching a Timberwolves game. That trend will continue indefinitely if Derrick Williams isn't on the roster next season. Between the Vikings, Twins, and Wolves, lets just say I have watched a lot of soccer. SOCCER, folks, and as great of a soccer writer as I may be I'd rather not wake up at 6am on weekends to listen to 19 year old kids break FCC regulations across the pond. Step your game up, homestate teams.

The Aftermath; What Does It All Mean?

Alright, I wanted to wait a while before I took a look at this topic. As most of you know, I went to school in Tucson (along with the bulk of my readers). Many friends and colleagues of mine grew up there, still call it home, or at the least have very fond memories of the place. Some of them even worked for Congresswoman Giffords over the past few years. Needless to say, this one hit pretty close to home for me.

Right from the get-go a big part of me wanted to see how people reacted. That same part of me is what has kept me from bringing this up any earlier; The fiery reactions, vitriol, and political saber-rattling were all things that I wanted to steer clear of when tackling such an emotional current event.

I am not going to rehash events, what I am going to do is look at the media coverage, the twitter/facebook reaction, and the general mood of people near and far in the hangover of the tragedy. I will say this. I hope Loughner gets whats coming. Read between the lines, and draw whatever conclusions you may, but I want justice.

The knee jerk reactions were not surprising, I would prefer to use the term disappointing. Immediately, moments after shots had been fired, the facebook status updates and tweets coming from all over the world provided an array of predictable finger-pointing, taunting, and incoherent ranting. It seemed that some members of the political spectrum were taking advantage of the state of Arizona being the epicenter of a big, evil Right Wing-fueled disaster. Here's a tip folks: Nothing is going to get done in this country unless the blame game ends. There is a pretty good chance that you and I disagree, possibly on every subject imaginable. It takes a lot for me to get offended, but if somebody I don't see eye to eye with is going to insist that my beliefs are the root of all evil, I am probably not so apt to compromise with said person. Meet in the middle, accept dialogue, and create solutions. That goes for righties too. As much as hipsters and Alec Baldwin suck, they really aren't the bane of civilization. Lets pull our heads out and fix things. (And, for the record, this needs to happen regardless; I can't emphasize enough how much I don't want this incident to become some sort of martyr or symbol. It shouldn't take disasters to solve problems.)


What actually disgusted me was the media's handling of January 8th. First it was the reports that Gabby had died. Does anyone confirm anything anymore? One of the biggest reasons why I dropped out of journalism was an underlying emphasis on finishing first, rather than writing the best story. Editors and managers spend a lot more time hustling writers, scurrying over details, and spitting things out on the air in order to 'win' than to make a well crafted, finished product. Increased competition often is criticized for diluting the talent pool; take a look at Major League pitching, and you have a compelling argument for that hypothesis. I guess it is just disheartening to me that the Walter Cronkite's don't really come around anymore. The more I watch the major news networks, the more I long for real, hard hitting, honest, wholesome reporting.


Ultimately, the final thing I would like to touch on, is the framing of Arizona as some racist, lawless, cowboy and Indian shootout. We have real problems, sure, but I don't think that's exclusive to my adopted state; most of my Midwestern readers would jump at the chance to live out here. I read a lot of things depicting Tucson as a city with a firm white/hispanic dividing line, like there was a major cultural clash and it was some sort of Balochistan. Look, I'm sure some parts of town are whiter than others, but what city in the country isn't like that? Any city with a million people is going to have a city core, and suburbs, and if you don't think those places (as well as the type of personality that resides in one quarter or another) are different from one another you are out of your mind. This is nothing new, and grasping at thin air. I would say that all factions of Tucson blend together pretty organically (the nonexistent freeway system notwithstanding) and the de facto segregation isn't nearly as pronounced as places like Detroit, Hartford, Boston, or any host of other cities nationwide. Those of us out here live in a great state, with nice people, plenty of culture, oh and did I mention that we don't have to wear gloves to work???


If you get anything out of my opinions, take this: Do your homework. Jumping to conclusions is unhealthy and doesn't do anything besides incite people's insecurities, and cause nasty ideological arguments. (People believe what they believe by the way. CHILL OUT) Unless your a creep that likes to stir the pot, take time to formulate opinions, and things will get much more civil, both in Washington and out here in the 'wild west'.

BCS Thoughts

As everyone and you're mother now knows, the BCS National Championship Game will be played here in the Phoenix valley tomorrow night. While the game may be played in faraway Glendale, my own adopted home 'dale has also gotten in on the party. It has been a zoo of ducks fans, Tiger faithful, and the people watching in Scottsdale's Old Town quarter has been nothing short of spectacular. Everything you have heard about SEC football fans is true, these people are dressed to the nines at all times; American Junkie probably will never see this many tucked-in Oxfords again. I even saw multiple Augusta National floppy hats. Oregon fans, meanwhile, find their own clever ways to combine obnoxious with creepy. It's been an interesting week, and I hope everyone get an opportunity to take in an event of this magnitude, whether its a Final 4, Super Bowl, World Cup (where the cultural differences between competing factions are probably not as pronounced) or whatever. Its not every year (in Arizona's case, its every 4) that sporting events of this magnitude get to happen in my backyard, so short of spending a months wage on tickets, I am doing everything I can to embrace it. Here are a few thoughts on my rooting interests, as well as who I pick to win.


Southern belles > Pasty hipsters
*Retort with Oregon's cheerleaders all you like, but I really don't think they actually attend school up there. They just can't
Old Southern Money = Trust Fund Babies
Paying your quarterback > Running backs who hit girls
Red State > Blue State
War Eagle > That stupid O hand gesture
A quiet, unassuming coach > A sarcastic, smug jerk (I held back so much here Chip)
My opinion > Anything Ted Miller writes

Look, Oregon to me is right there with Arizona State. I'm not a PAC-10 guy. Based on the meltdown in Arizona's season, and our recruits looking elsewhere, we don't need our rivals to look good on TV. We need the opposite. All things considered, I would rather the PAC resemble the late 90s in hoops, where it was Arizona, and a bunch of little brothers chasing after them. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Here is the thing though. Oregon is winning this game. You can feel it in the air. For as much as I don't like coach Chip, keeping your players focused in the hotel with a curfew, and treating the game like a business trip is a much better formula for winning an actual game. Just ask coach Stoops, who let his players party before last years Holiday Bowl; Cam Newton running the show at Axis Radius or wherever doesn't win you titles.

Besides, the Ducks offense is just sick. People forget that Darron Thomas had beaten Jeremiah Masoli for the starting job in 2008 before a car accident. Two seasons later, one of which was a redshirt year, we are seeing a savvy veteran who knows a tricky offense inside and out. Look for Lamichael to show Heisman voters that awarding the trophy before the season is over is just foolish. And watch Jeff Maehl. I swallow my pride on this one- Maehl is one of my favorite players. Hands like glue, makes big plays, loves to block, and suffered through a heartbreaking, life-changing event a few summers back, which he has overcome and then some. I look for the senior to end his Ducks career on a high note, and propel himself into the upper rounds of the NFL draft.

I promise I will start writing more. Giffords stuff coming soon. Keep fighting Gabs, we need you.

The Jake Locker Myth

If you follow college football, you have no doubt heard many talking heads, bloggers, and 'experts' who have done nothing but shower Washington senior quarterback Jake Locker with hype. You may have heard that he is a potential number one draft pick. You may also have heard he is the single most talented athlete of all time. Well, I am here to present the other side of the coin to you. Locker isn't any good. A raw talent, yes, but from where I am sitting the senior has done nothing (like appear in a bowl, even if its the Magicjack.com Classic) to warrant the hype he gets.

Myth #1: Locker is the victim of a poor supporting cast. This one has always irked me. The Washington Huskies feature sophomore Chris Polk. A former USC commit, Polk is probably one of the more underrated players in the nation, rushing for 1,100 yards as a freshman in 2009. He is on pace to reach a grand again this season, and has three 100 yard games. Anytime you get a consistent, physical running back, this affords even the most porous quarterbacks a great luxury.
When Jake looks to throw, he can call on James Johnson, a 2009 freshman all-American, as well as Jermaine Kearse. The junior Kearse, who I shed light on about 15 months ago, is also touted as a future first round draft pick, possessing the size, speed, productivity and physicality (a buzzword that really seems to be popular at ESPN) necessary to succeed at the next level. With these types of weapons at his disposal, one would think that Locker would be among the most productive quarterbacks in the country with his alleged 'talent'.

Myth #2: Jake is a 'game-changing' talent: The fact of the matter is Jake is at his best when he can roll out and extend plays with his legs, whether on the ground of via the air. The ability to scramble is certainly an attribute that coaches love, and while he can be effective on the run, take a look at his rushing totals. With the exception of a standout freshman season back in 2007, Locker has been a fairly pedestrian running threat. I'm sorry that I am not impressed by 3.5 yards per carry. If the guy really was a great dual threat quarterback, wouldn't he have slightly better rushing numbers? Look, I'm not asking for Eric Crouch, but if the guy was really much of a runner he would probably have markedly better rushing statistics than Adam "mediocre" Weber up at Minnesota.

Myth #3: Jake is a great leader and plays with moxie: We hear about this one quite a bit with 'less talented' athletes. So far, I really haven't seen him showcase his leadership at an elite level. Look, I don't watch every Washington game, but consider this: after he was knocked out for the season a few years back, a chubby Locker was seen on the sidelines stuffing his mouth with a pretty fat hunk of dip. Conveniently, the YouTube clip no longer exists. Lets compare that to Arizona's own Nick Foles, who has been known to jump into the defensive huddle to get his guys fired up. Which one would you like in your foxhole?

Myth #4: Locker's Arm strength is among the tops in the NCAA: There isn't a whole lot of basis for this proclamation, or for that matter to dispute it, as there is no competition allowing for college Qb's to have arm strength contests. I've spent a fair amount of time watching football on Saturdays, as well as combing through YouTube to find a basis for Lockers 'arm strength'. Based on what I can see, Locker has a good, not quite great arm and is pretty good at lowering his shoulder. As a matter of fact, many of his longer throws are quite wobbly and the receivers have to come back to the ball. Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PbienS_enY, and then watch these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OurYaWeYlQw, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7UUuIvBof8 (skip to 4:30 so Rodney Gilmore's 'analysis' doesn't tire you out), and finally http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol_I_g_jeGs. Ryan Mallet, Blaine Gabbert, and Stanford's Andrew Luck, to name a few, all possess far superior arms to Jake's.

Myth #5: No other quarterback possesses the highlight reel that Locker has. This is a Ted Miller special, courtesy of the ESPN.com's blog network. I'll spare you the links, but go on YouTube and look up Darron Thomas, Luck, Mallet, Christian Ponder, Josh Nesbitt, Kellen Moore, Terrelle Pryor, or our very own Nick Foles. Then get back to me.

By no means do I have a problem with Jake Locker. If he is anything like his dad, he is a hell of a guy. He is a pretty talented athlete, and I'm sure he would have better statistics, most notably in the wins and losses department, had he ended up at a school with a stable coaching situation. However, all the great quarterbacks make their teammates better, and that is something I just haven't seen from Jake at this point. He may still end up being a top 5 pick, but just ask Washington natives how that works out; Rick Mirer was pretty terrible for the Seahawks and Ryan Leaf is one of the biggest disappointments in NFL history. Jake is a solid player, but the bottom line is that I haven't seen anything of substance that tells me his is a winner or once in a generation talent.

The Sky is NOT Falling

Greetings folks, thanks for reading again. It is nice to see that my following continues to grow. Please continue to provide any feedback that you feel is necessary, much of my content is written based on requests.

For those of you that bleed red and blue in any fashion similar to me, last night's game against mighty Oregon State was certainly frustrating. However, this doesn't mean Arizona 'sucks', our offense isn't 'awful', and there don't need to be any changes within the coaching staff or athletic organization. Last night we saw a young quarterback come into his own and make clutch plays to put his team in position to win. Arizona's defensive scheme kept the safeties stacked close to the line of scrimmage in an effort to stop 'Quizz Rodgers, which also took them out of the game to defend the pass. When the tiny Texan is held under 100 yards, the Beavs have traditionally struggled to win. While the 'Cats were successful in containing the younger Rodgers brother (you may have heard that he has an older brother on the team) this left Arizona cornerbacks in a precarious spot.

You may have noticed #2, Michael Turner, and #5 Shaquille Richardson, making stops and being around the ball a lot. You might also recognize that both Turner and baby Shaq are backups. This is because starters Rob Golden and Trevin Wade were injured early, and didn't return until late. While Richardson has a lot of potential, and Mikey has made several great plays on special teams during his 4 year career in Tucson, both of these guys are backups for a reason, and based on this were not capable of handling such an enormous responsibility within the scheme. Credit Mike Riley and Oregon State for exploiting a weakness that developed during the course of play and adjusting accordingly.

The fact of the matter is that Arizona wasn't going to go undefeated. We also may have been ranked a little too high for where we are as a team right now. I certainly won't be complaining, the top 10 is always fun, but the Pac 10 is going to be a dogfight this year and expecting our boys to make it through unscathed is probably a little unrealistic. We're going to be ok, and the rest of the season will be one to remember.

Juron Criner can ball. I've been a fan of his for a long time. Way back in 2007, Arizona had a commitment from Gerell Robinson, a highly decorated and nationally ranked athlete from Chandler, Arizona. Young G-Rob wasn't pleased with the apparent lack of progress in our football program, and opted to take his talents to that commuter school in Tempe. When Robinson jumped ship, the Wildcats looked to Las Vegas, digging up a 6'4 former basketball player, who in his second year of organized football had caught 28 touchdown passes. To put that in perspective, the leading receiver in the state of Arizona caught 13 in 2009. Needless to say, I was intrigued and the fact that he has panned out makes me pretty happy. Juron has had at least one play of 44 yards or longer every game this season, and simply cannot be covered by collegiate corners. By contrast, Robinson, who has developed a reputation for being soft, not running very enthusiastic routes, and dropping the ball, finally caught his first career touchdown pass last week. Sometimes what sounds the best at the time isn't the right answer in the long run. With 6'4, 230 pound former Texas starter Dan Buckner waiting in the wings, Arizona has put itself in a position to be almost completely unstoppable on offense next season. Lets all keep our fingers crossed that Juron and Nick Foles opt against the NFL next season.

Stay tuned, I'm working on a few projects (some of which have been in the works for well over a year) that you will all really enjoy. In a few weeks, if conditions permit, I am going to tackle the Jake Locker myth, and I am finalizing some other ideas that you should all really enjoy.