Category — Saints

Floyd Mayweather Jr. tops Sports Illustrated’s list of the athletes who have bagged the most coin over the past year. And Mayweather has earned his estimated $90 million without a single commercial endorsement.
SI.com

With “Bounty Gate” blowing up in his face (at least from the standpoint of the Saints’ players who were suspended, but had their penalties thrown out), the timing couldn’t have been better (or worst?) for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to appear on the cover of Time. We’ve got the hard copy, but if you want to link to the story online, you’ll have to pay. But don’t waste your money. Fortunately, I still get the oldest daughter’s copy here at the Ponderosa.
One of the best nuggets from the piece is that Goodell has a history of of being a jerk. From his high school days in Bronxville, N.Y., which is “a wealthy enclave just north of New York City,” according to the magazine, comes this gem:
Even in high school, Goodell enforced a personal-conduct policy. Bronxville High School required athletes to sign a pldege: No drinking or troublemaking, or they’d be booted off the team. The Other players knew Goodell would rat them out for misbehaving.
“They didn’t like to see me come to a party,” Goodell said. “I took that plege seriously.”
Michael remembers his brother’s showing up at one gathering where football players were drinking.
“All of a sudden it was like an alarm went off,” Michael said. “They were running out the back door as he was coming in the front door. It was like Prohibition.”
I can’t even imagine how harshly he would have been dealt with had been a member of the old Boley Bears. I still smile at the thought of how we tossed a naked Eugene Jenkins, bless his soul, in the cold outside a hotel room in Wilburton, Okla.

Chargers just couldn’t put their differences aside and sign Vincent Jackson, 1 of the best receivers in the NFL, to a long term deal. Now Philip Rivers has no big-play receiver and it is killing him.
Nick Canepa is as good a man you’d ever want to meet. He is also a columnist for San Diego’s only rag in town. Canepa, bless his heart, has defended Norv Turner and GM A.J. Smith longer than anyone not named Spanos. But even Canepa can only take so much after the Chargers stubbed their toes again, this time against a Browns’ squad, which had only won 1 game entering Sunday’s contest.
The good knews, though, for Charger fans is the Chiefs will be in town Thursday night. The bad news, though, is this club isn’t built for the long haul. Actually, Canepa said weeks ago Chargers are toast.
San Diego U-T

Bad enough the Chargers gagged away a 24-point halftime lead and allowed the Broncos to score 35 unanswered points in Monday Night’s stunner in San Diego. Worst? The Chargers’ PR director let the fans (almost 69,000 of them, a large contingent of Bronco fanatics also in the house, showed up to witness this meltdown) have it on the club’s website. To say some of the Charger fateful aren’t too pleased about it would be an understatement.
Chargers.com

Cheers greeted NFL officials such as Wayne Mackie working tonight’s Ravens-Browns contest in Baltimore. It was the 1st time the real refs worked a game since the chicken shit NFL and Roger Goodell locked them out.

The odds for week 2 of the NFL schedule. Our weekly special: Ravens (2 1/2-points underdogs) will surprise the Eagles in Philly.
FootballLocks.com

NFL fans, particularly many of the ones in D.C., are all giddy about Robert Griffin III throwing for more than 300 yards and 2 TDs in a victory by the Skins today over the Saints in New Orleans. Already, you’ll hear pundits question why Indy took RG III No. 2 behind Andrew Luck. Talk is cheap (unless you’re an NFL analyst). And 1 game does not make a career. If that was the case, Jets fans would be dancing in the streets regarding Mark Sanchez’ play today. Oh, they are? Never mind.
Still, tip of the cap to RG III.
Washington Post

A Cowboys-Steelers Super Bowl? Now that’s an NFL prediction that surely will make Cowboy fans and their cheerleaders happy.
Route4Sports

The Thunder and the L.A. Kings are the feel good story of the NBA and NHL playoffs, but you wouldn’t know that watching ESPN. Among pro clubs, the Heat are the favorite of the week, while LeBron James is the most popular athlete featured. Surely, that doesn’t have anything to do with the Eastern Conference final being televised on ESPN/ABC and the Western showdown on TNT? Didn’t think so.
Deadspin

The 3rd pick will dictate how the rest of the 1st round goes. The Vikings have the pick and could 1 of 3 ways, including taking USC’s Matt Khalil or LSU’s Morris Clairborn. John Clayton writes about the top 10 factors that could occur.
ESPN.com