Seats Getting Real Hot In NFL

For a usually frigid time in late November, it sure is getting awfully hot in the NFL.

The only problem is that the scorching heat can be felt on many seats that support the behinds of team’s head honchos. This 2010 season is becoming remembered as a season of unfulfilled ambitions and disappointing leadership with head coaches either given the pink slip during the season or possibly getting their pardon papers in the near future.

The changing of the guard during the season is nothing new in the NFL; certain teams underperform in previous years and have sent head coaches home packing early. The difference is that many of those teams were sliding downhill in previous seasons as well.

This year, many of the teams that played well in 2009 started this year with big goals, but were never even close to reaching them as 2010 progressed. Some franchises have already cut ties with their head coaches, while others are nearly ready to sever those bonds soon enough.

Dallas Cowboys: Started With Wade Phillips; Now With Jason Garrett

America’s team appeared ready to return to prominence after last season. With an 11-5 record and first place of the NFC East, the Cowboys rumbled into the playoffs with a big win at home over their rival Philadelphia Eagles, but would come up short against the Minnesota Vikings in the second round.

Owner Jerry Jones’s state-of-the-art stadium was selected to host the 2011 NFL Super Bowl and his dream was to have the team become the first team to play a Super Bowl at home.

That dream soon turned into a nightmare.

Dallas would drop their first two games of the season before finally getting their first win just as their bye week came in week four. They would then go on to drop five in a row, prompting Jones to make a switch at head coach from four-year coach Wade Phillips to offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

Since then, Garrett has appeared to adjust the direction of the ship back in the route Jones expected of his team to head prior to the start of the season. He has won two of the three games in which he’s been at the helm and is holding on to any slim chance of making Jones’s dream come true.

Minnesota Vikings: Started With Brad Childress; Now With Leslie Frazier

After losing an overtime heartbreaker in the NFC Championship game in 2009, this season became Super Bowl-or-bust for the Vikings. With virtually the same team returning from a year ago (including the age-less Brett Favre), Minnesota felt it was their year to be greater than last year and never lose in the playoffs.

The only problem is that they had to actually get through the 2010 regular season first.

The season began with the Vikes playing the first game of the season against New Orleans, the team that beat them out in the overtime championship game, and then against the Miami Dolphins. Both would end in losses. They would finally beat out the Detroit Lions for their first win just before they headed into their bye week.

That week produced a trade for WR Randy Moss, a move that looked to be a shot in the arm for a team in need of a boost. The trade instead became a virus of what was wrong with the Vikings as they would go on to lose three of the next four they played and the waiver of the superstar wideout after only acquiring him a month earlier. They would then go on to win only one of the next three outings and owner Zygi Wilf decided it was time for a change.

That change came in the form of canning head coach Brad Childress and promoting Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier as the interim head coach. Although they won their first game with their new leader, it appears that the Vikings took the bust road for the 2010 season with the hope of a title riding farther off into the sunset.

Coming Up Next For Possible Fired Coaches

San Francisco 49ers: Mike Singletary

Since becoming the coach of the 49ers in 2008, Singletary has become the face and voice of the team with his proclamations and domineering antics. He professes that this team, as well as his ability to coach, will continue to improve and progress with 2010 being the year that they would return to the promise land the organization once owned during the 80s and 90s.

Yet, as the 2010 season got underway, it appeared that the 49ers season appeared to reflect a year in their history that was not a part of those glory decades. San Francisco lost their first five games and got off to their worst start since 1979. A complete 180 for a team that not only believed themselves to be a division winner before the season started, but also a squad others picked as preseason NFC West favorites as well.

Now the 49ers are 4-7 and are hanging on to the ledge of the worst division in football with just a few fingers. Although they were shut out at home for the first time since 1977 against Tampa Bay, they have bounced back with a big win on the road at Arizona.

Will they ownership of the 49ers keep their faith in their extremely vocal leader, or will they kick him to the curb with the feeling that he is just all talk and no substance?

Cincinnati Bengals: Marvin Lewis

The hot seat is nothing new for Marvin Lewis. The eight-year head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals has been the in this same discussion topic since after the 2005 playoff run with no returns to the postseason since. He erased all those doubters with a 10-6 record in 2009 and finally getting back to the playoffs.

During the offseason, the Bengals acquired controversial WR Terrell Owens with hopes of capitalizing on last year’s success with a deeper playoff run this season. With another talented, but loud mouthed WR in Owens on one end, wideout Chad Ochocinco labeled the both of them Batman and Robin.

Except the only similarities that both receivers have is being a part of a bomb like the 1997 “Batman And Robin” movie.

After a 2-1 start, they have lost eight in a row including losses to 3-7 Cleveland and 2-8 Buffalo. It doesn’t get any easier for the team many thought would be a contender for the AFC North champions as four of their last five games are against teams with winning records.

Now that he is returning back into the hot seat discussion, Lewis can only hope the real Batman and Robin could come in to save this disastrous season and his job.

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Randy Moss Trade Could Transform The Entire 2010 NFL Season

What can Randy Moss do for you?

Apparently, nothing for Bill Belichick. In a bizarre twist of events, Moss became a former New England Patriot after week four in the 2010 NFL season to the team that made him the twenty-first selection in the 1998 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings.

A possibly reason for the trade is Moss entering the final years of his contract with the Patriots.

Maybe the justification for the trade is the press he brought upon himself concerning New England’s unwillingness to negotiate a new contract agreement.

Perhaps they did it because it’s just their way, letting key players go at any time (look at Richard Seymour getting traded to Oakland prior to the start of the 2009 season)?

Nothing could validate the craziness of trading your number one passing threat. This is, of course, the same player who escaped Revis Island to make an eye-popping, one-handed catch for a touchdown.



Aside from his ability, this trade will be the biggest move of the season and change the direction the NFL was headed.

There are some key benefits to this trade that impacts a variety of players and teams.

1) Christmas comes early for Brett Favre

Brett Favre should send Belichick a nice Christmas present because the coach just gave him what he’s always wanted not only now in Minnesota, but throughout his whole career.

Favre has been spectacular without a superstar wideout on his side. All great quarterbacks have had great complementing receivers; Joe Montana and Steve Young had Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman had Michael Irvin, and Peyton Manning had Marvin Harrison (currently he has Reggie Wayne).

Despite having one of the best in Sterling Sharpe, the receiver was only around for six years and left as Favre was becoming the legend.

Moss gives Favre an option he never had before; a player with the ability to stretch the field and throw it deep with faith that the six foot four inch receiver can nab it.

2) Vikings will reap big benefits with Moss trade

Minnesota should call this the Moss effect because his trade ripples throughout the team. The team as a whole now becomes the legitimate Super Bowl contenders they were thought to be as the season commenced and will be deadly if they make the playoffs.

Adrian Peterson is currently averaging around 130 yards per game and over five yards per carry. Defenses will now have to play deeper with the big play possibility of Moss and that means less men in the box to stop Peterson.

Along with more open lanes for Peterson will mean more one-on-one coverage for other receivers.

Percy Harvin can now be the new Wes Welker with the ability to make players miss and great underneath route running. If Sidney Rice can make a return, he will find himself more open than ever before. Visanthe Shiancoe will also find the middle clear of defenders to make easy grabs.

3) AFC playoff hopefuls have a easier chance to leap frog New England

Before the trade, the outlook of New England’s team for the 2010 resembled a song by Rapper Kanye West in comparison to past Patriots teams: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.

With a record of 3-1 after week four, they are sixth in the AFC and sit in the driver’s seat of a car steered towards another playoff run.

They may lose some gas now though with the loss of Moss. At this point, Miami, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Denver and San Diego are all 2-2 and one game behind the Patriots.

Indianapolis will be stronger as the season progresses and Cincinnati remains dangerous as their weapons are on the verge of exploding into something special. San Diego always puts on a late run while the other four teams are continuing to improve.

New England’s loss could be a boost for any, if not all, of these teams looking to bump the Patriots out of the playoff picture.

Now that all those benefiting from the trade were discussed, here are those who will lose out thanks to Moss getting dealt.

1) The last twelve games could be difficult for New England

While the beginning of this season could be summed up by the West track, the rest of the year could be reminiscent of another West track: Welcome To Heartbreak.

The Patriots offense benefited greatly from Moss, even when he doesn’t touch the ball.

Defenses are geared towards containing one of the tallest and fastest players in the league with the jumping ability equivalent to a NBA player with serious hops. Usually a safety will have to work over the top of the wide out with a cornerback glued to him.

How else does a former receiver with no seasons of seventy catches or 1,000 yards come to New England and grab at least a hundred catches and 1,000-plus yards receiving each year in Wes Welker? The only way possible, be teamed up with Moss.

Now Welker will be the focus of all the attention and quarterback Tom Brady will probably see more pressure with safeties playing closer to the line, unafraid of a deep threat because of Moss’s departure.

Good luck stretching the field Patriots.

2) NFC playoff hopefuls may see trade as a dagger that slits their playoff hopes

While other AFC potential playoff teams see the trade as a benefit for them, other NFC teams are probably sounding the alarms on their playoff hopes.

The Vikings are currently 1-2 and on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. The new acquisition of Moss could bring long-term dividends for getting back into the playoff picture, especially if Moss can quickly be asserted into the offense.

For teams in the playoff mix, they can only hope that Moss implodes the team’s chances rather than explode the team towards the post season.

Teams, such as Tampa Bay and everyone in the NFC East and West (except San Francisco at this point) now can add the Vikings as a threat to their playoff hopes. Many of those teams are currently 2-2 and will need to remain winners to stay in the post season discussion.

Their division will also now have to place Minnesota back on their radar as a possible missile that could sink their hopes of winning the NFC North.

Green Bay and Chicago are both 3-1 at this point, but both have yet to play the Vikings with Moss on the squad. Both teams will also face Minnesota later in the season (week seven for Green Bay and week ten for Chicago), which will allow Moss to get acclimated with the team when they face their division rivals.

While Belichick and New England believe that Moss is insignificant enough to trade (they only received a future third round pick in the trade), the receiver’s tank is still plenty full of greatness. Favre and the Vikings should be glad to line up Moss on the outside of their offense.

This trade makes one thing clear, another team’s trash is another team’s treasure.

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The Most Important Question In The Tangled Web Of The Brett Favre Saga

In the whole unraveling of the Brett Favre saga, many questions were tangled together since his Vikings lost to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game. Despite all the speculations, there is only one important conundrum that will be haunting Favre since he announced his return.

Can Favre be better than last year and bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Minnesota?

There’s one important understanding to this question: Favre must do more than last year in order for his second stint in Minnesota to have value. That means there’s only one ending for the Vikings or else bringing him back was pointless: a Super Bowl title.

The first place to look at is comparing last season’s opponents with this season.

When looking back on the 2009 season, the Vikings schedule appears quite lax in obtaining a 12-4 record. The team only faced off against five opponents who went to the playoffs and eleven teams who couldn’t even qualify.

This year, the mountain to climb back into the postseason has a bit higher of an incline. Minnesota will have half of their sixteen games against opponents who participated in the postseason last year. In their first eight weeks alone, they have to face six teams who made the playoffs in 2009.

Here’s a look at each team the superstar from the college of Southern Mississippi will face in 2010:

Week One: New Orleans Saints

New Orleans might be one of the worst passing defenses in the league (26th last season in passing yards allowed), but they were third in the league in interceptions (exactly how they beat Favre on his last pass in the 2009 championship playoff game).

Week Two: Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins was one of the worst defenses in the league, allowing 24.4 points per game last season. Despite that, they do well at pressuring the quarterback (tied for third in the league with sacks at 44) and hitting Favre is one of the most important things a defense can key in on.

Week Three: Detroit Lions

The Lions gave up the most points per game on average by any team in 2009. On top of that, they gave up the most passing yards and got beat by the deep ball the most as well. The other way to look at it though; they can only get better in 2010.

Week Five: New York Jets

His former team from 2008 was the stingiest defense in 2009, allowing the league best 14.8 points per game. They hit, they cover, and they are nasty.

Favre will have a big challenge in this one.

Week Six: Dallas Cowboys

After going up against the best defensive team, the Vikings go one to face the second best defense. The Cowboys only allowed 15.6 ppg and is one of the best at getting to the quarterback (seventh in the league with 42).

Week Seven: Green Bay Packers

Probably the game Favre has circled on his calendar, his former team doesn’t allow many points (18.6 ppg) and was the best last season at picking off the other team’s quarterback (30 interceptions).

Favre has got to be careful to not be his usual trigger-happy self.

Week Eight: New England Patriots

For the fourth straight week, the Vikings face a team that allowed less than 20 points per game last season (New England allowed only 17.8). This is always a smart, veteran team that might be trouble for Favre and his Vikings.

Week Nine: Arizona Cardinals

Favre will go up against the 2009 NFC West Champions this week and has to deal with a team that ranked in the top ten last year in interceptions (seventh with 21) and sacks (sixth with 43).

This won’t be a cake walk for the Vikings to get through.

Week Ten: Chicago Bears

Although not one of the elite defensive or playoff teams that the Vikings will have faced from the earlier weeks, the Bears are still a middle of the pack team in terms of a variety of defensive statistical categories. Favre will still need to play well to get by Chi-town.

Week Eleven: Green Bay

*See Week Seven*

Week Twelve: Washington Redskins

The Redskins are another team comparable to the Bears that the Vikings cannot sleep on. Washington is good at giving up little in the passing game (tied for eighth with 207.2 passing yards per game) and can hit the quarterback hard (tied for eighth with 40 sacks in 2009).

Week Thirteen: Buffalo Bills

The Bills are a rebuilding team in 2010, but they can play a little bit of defense as well. They were ranked sixteenth in points allowed on average last season (20.4), but this is a team that can change momentum with interceptions (second in the league with 28 in 2009).

Week Fourteen: New York Giants

The Giants may not have been a playoff team last year, but this was the same injury riddled team in 2009 who upset the Patriots in the 2007 Super Bowl and made the playoffs in 2008. They will be back at full strength this season and that might be trouble for Favre.

Week Fifteen: Chicago Bears

*See Week Ten*

Week Sixteen: Philadelphia Eagles

Another playoff team last year that the Vikings will face, the Eagles are always dangerous with the ability to make defensive plays and inflicting pain on the quarterback. They ranked fourth in the league with 25 interceptions and was tied for third in the league in sacks with 44.

Week Seventeen: Detroit Lions

*See Week Three*

Despite the hard road ahead, Favre is one of the greatest players of all time when it comes to rising to the occasion. Minnesota fans are breathing a sigh of relief knowing he will be back to lead the way.

Now, all Vikings fans can do is chant: “I think Favre can…I think Favre can”.

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Two NFL Fan-Made YouTube Music Videos, (Shakes Head)

There are many ways to describe both of the fan produced YouTube music videos below but I think it's better to pass your own judgement.

The NFC Championship will pit the Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints and these fans decided to show their loyalty by producing bad music videos.

Very sadly, one of these "Super-Fans" will have to deal with the agony of defeat while the other one will be pumped up and replaying this on loop in their house until the Super Bowl.

In the end, does anyone really win thought?





(Courtesy of Kissing Suzy Kolber)

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Prince likes the "Purple Rain" of Minnesota

There are not enough words to describe the awesomeness of music legend Prince taking in a Minnesota Vikings game but I'll let the picture speak for itself.


Dude is like a wax figure, his facial expressions never change.

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Minnesota Vikings; do not suck. Song Disproven

The Minnesota Vikings had a rather easy time defeating the Cleveland Browns by the score of 34-20 in their week one affair. At this point, we can at least concur that the Minnesota Vikings do not suck with Brett Favre at the helm.

However, one intrepid songwriter during the NFL off-season asked the question, “Will the Vikings suck this year?”

Meanwhile, I think the real question should be at this point, “How much does it suck to be Sage Rosenfels right now?”

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Brett Favre’s first practice with the Vikings…sorta

After Brett Favre’s first full preseason game for the Minnesota Vikings, I think it is a good time to reflect on Brett Favre’s first practice with the team.

The guys over at Landline.tv present us with this video of Brett Favre’s first practice with the Minnesota Vikings. Let’s just say that Favre was a little rusty and unsure about his abilities.

Also, I did not know that Brett Favre had “ginger pigment replacement surgery." Cartman would be so super-pissed at that.

(Courtesy of With Leather)

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Only "True Packer Fans" Understand the Enigma that is Brett Favre

Football fans were already eagerly awaiting the start of the 2009 NFL season but Brett Favre definitely upped the antes, coming out of retirement a second time to join the Minnesota Vikings. Fans of the Green Bay Packers (where Favre spent nearly his entire career, worshiped like a god) were guaranteed to be upset with Favre playing for anyone, much less with the Vikings, one of their chief division rivals.

Favre only stoked those angry fires at the press conference he held to announce his return to football and the Vikings, claiming that he didn't understand why Green Bay fans would feel betrayed or be angry, as "true Packer fans" would understand his decision. The first time Favre "retired" was bad enough for Packer fans, as he then later changed his mind and tried to strong-arm the team into welcoming him back. When they didn't, he pouted and ran off to play for the New York Jets, only to "retire" again after one unsuccessful season with the Jets, only to once again change his mind and come back to play for the Vikings.

Who knows how the Brett Favre saga will turn out and if the gambling move to sign him will work for the Vikings, but at least one former team leader in the video below is fed up with the Brett Favre prima donna act:

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He's Back, Brett Favre is a Viking after all

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the NFL water sans Brett Favre. He is almost officially back as it being reported by NFL Fanhouse that Favre is traveling to Minnesota where he is expected to sign with the team.

That Brett Favre got us again when he issued his retirement a couple weeks ago. The Vikings who had the equivalent of people quarterbacking their team named "Tarvaris" and "Sage", I think Brett Favre is an upgrade on some level.

I think the Brett Favre saga has taken alot out of us as NFL fans and well, let's be honest the hoopla is continuing to be furthered by the media (including us) and Favre himself. Could you tell me that "fake retirement" was just elobarate ruse? Does Favre have any real idea what he really wants? Can the Vikings trust him to play the entire season?

Favre is only hurting his own legacy by continuing his career. Most of us will probably remember Favre as a guy kept hanging onto the NFL, much like John Unitas, Joe Namath, and a slew of others. Sometimes you just need to know when to hang it up, Favre has yet to see that light. Although, having something taken away from you that you have toiled at for over 15 years is difficult, you have learn eventually to let it go.

Congrats Minnesota Vikings fans, you got your quarterback but in the end I think, Favre has really got you.

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Brett Favre = Michael Myers from Halloween

The Brett Favre saga has been a never-ending journey for the past couple of years where we have seen him retire to only un-retire, flirt with four different teams, and then again walk off into sunset. Or at least that’s what we thought when he decided to hang it up after being a member of the New York Jets for one season.

There has been word that he has been talking with Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress about possibly returning to quarterback the Vikings in the upcoming season. Seriously, the world needs Favre coverage, right? Matt Clapp of Sharapova’s Thigh recently had an interesting post on Favre giving him the title, “America’s Biggest Drama Queen”

I laughed for at least a minute or so until I got thinking about how the Brett Favre story will never die. He’s the NFL’s version of Michael Myers from Halloween. Every time we assumed that Michael Myers died, he just kept coming back.

The Favre saga will continue to never end or die as long as Brett Favre has an ability to throw a pass. Remember how many times, we assumed that Favre was going to end his legacy in Green Bay. That almost seems like ages ago, now most of us cannot stand Favre’s act anymore.

Can Favre still play? Of course, he had a solid Pro Bowl season and had the New York Jets in the driver’s seat for the AFC East division crowd. However we also have to keep in mind that Favre could not win the last couple of games to get them to the playoffs and the issue with his “cannon-arm” late in the season.

ESPN probably right now is praying the high-heavens since this period of time that they need a “Favre Fix” more than ever. To be honest, ESPN is to be blamed for this saga that Favre is currently in as much as Favre is. Wendy Nix and Rachel Nichols are probably dreading the evitable trip to Minnesota to talk about the possible move of Favre to the Vikings.

Probably the real thing that is hurting now is Favre’s reputation around the league and with fans outside of Green Bay. The iconic image of Favre in a Packers uniform probably should have been the last thing that we all got to see. However by the graces of Favre himself, he decided to go play for the New York Jets.

I understand why athletes decide to hold on for that last bit of the game, Michael Jordan with the Wizards, Willie Mays with the New York Mets, and Joe Namath with the San Diego Chargers. The love of the game sometimes becomes the only need and to be honest, I feel sad for Brett Favre that he just cannot let go of football life and move onto a different life.

For now, Favre will continue to irritate us all until he finally ends his career. Then he will have to answer the question, “Was it worth it?”

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Larry Fitzgerald: The Ballboy?

Apparently this amazingly gifted WR was once a Ballboy for the Minnesota Vikings, which I never knew. Pretty cool video of Cris Carter and Larry Fitzgerald talking about the past and both being amazing WRs.

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Visanthe Shiancoe does a porno

Just when you thought you heard everything, something new comes to dazzles the minds of us sports bloggers. Recently FOX had to make a apologize for the showing a naked member of the Minnesota Vikings who ended up being TE Visanthe Shiancoe.

Well, the brilliant business of the adult entertainment industry has offered Shiancoe a job in their next porno flick. Here is how the story goes,

"From what we’ve seen, there is definitely a career for Visanthe in the adult industry, if he’d like one,” said Black Ice general manager Tony Santoro. “We would welcome an opportunity to align ourselves with a world-class athlete of Viante’s stature."

Black Ice publicist Scott Stein said the company is unaware of any morals clause in Shiancoe's contract that would prevent him from accepting a contract with the makers of Bubble Butt Barbecue 2."

Well, this might be the first time that a pornography company has ever offered an NFL player to become part of "Bubble Butt Barbecue 2." From the above picture it wouldn't be an issue for some scenes for Visanthe due to this mere strength. I always thought that the Vikings sex boat operation was just a smoke and mirrors situation anyway.

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