Fantasy Football

So we took a day off, we couldn’t be bothered to fill this blog with another day of minutia, it just didn’t seem relevant. Ninety percent of what we would have posted would be nothing more than regurgitated op-ed, and more than four days a week of that isn’t good for anyone. That’s why we took the day off. With that said, we’re posting some more regurgitated op-ed. Sorry, it’s all that seems pertinent the Thursday before the Super Bowl: NFL news unrelated to the Super Bowl. This is what happens on a two week layover.

Actually, a couple Super Bowl related observations. As mundane as these weeks tend to be leading up to The Game, the past few days have been exceptional. People are now speculating if the lack of trash talk is some sort of mind game between the two teams. I think we’ve now reached a boiling point in non-news sports journalism. If Ben Roethlisberger sneezes inordinately someone will pen a cover story wondering if he has a staff-infection.

Basically, every journalist is waiting for a player to pull a Eugene Robinson or Brent Robbins so they have a topic. I just hope they’re not holding their breath. See, this is why people like the Cowboys, there is always something off the field to discuss. Not so much with the Cardinals. That’s why no one has mentioned them in a column for the past fifty years. That, and they’re one of the worst franchises in the history of American sports.

But overall, outside of the women from the South American news station, no one seems much interested in anything that took place on media day and even then we can’t find any pictures, so obviously no one was too enamored. When asked about a prediction for the game on Sunday, Michael Wilbon said, “there’s a lot of time between now and then”. That was yesterday. Ten days after the last NFL game was played. I hate to keep harping on this, but given the over-saturation of the NFL the Super Bowl really needs to be played, like, a day or two after the conference title games. When pundits only have one game to focus on, they just do not have enough material to occupy the down time.

Injury/non-injury updates: Heinz Ward missed practice while JJ Arrington has returned. I will say the one good aspect to the two week layover: Anquan Boldin gets the opportunity to return fully healthy. Based on how maligned he’s been ever since he displayed a human reaction to something that was completely understandable (This is a bit of a faux-pas in the NFL), we find ourselves rooting for him, despite how he decimated us twice during the fantasy football season.

Anyhow, around the league we have a myriad of news to focus on. For starters, after pondering the decision for an agonizing two weeks, Jon Gruden has decided at the ripe old age of forty-five that yes, he would like to coach football again. Its been a long journey, but I think he’s ready. I really can’t argue with the dismissal by the Bucs, but does anyone remember five years ago when he was considered one of the better young coaches in the league? And now, what? He’s a has been? What is he, a running back? If I’m a Browns fan or Chiefs fan, I’m considering Jon Gruden a significant improvement and a welcomed addition.

One team that isn’t in the market for a new coach, surprisingly, is the Oakland Raiders. They have decided to keep their interim hire from earlier in the 2008 season. Personally, I don’t see a better option available. For starters, no notable hire would ever consider taking the position. Not to mention that the Raiders — more specifically, JaMarcus Russell — started to play like actual professionals. Giving someone more than five games with a young team that’s never accomplished anything is a step in the right direction for a franchise that has less hope than a team that just finished the worst season in the history of the NFL.

That’s pretty much it, we’ll be back with an actual game preview tomorrow.