Whitlock's 10 NFL truths: Is Chad Johnson a victim?

[Stewie]

Before we get to the 10 NFL Truths this week, let me ask one political question.

If welfare destroyed black America, how can welfare save Wall Street and fix America's economy? I thought we all agreed that welfare was terrible.


10. Matt Millen and Kwame Kilpatrick fired/incarcerated in the same month ... coincidence? Or a sign that Detroit is serious about cleaning up its city?

And who was a bigger embarrassment to Detroit, 50 Text or Phat Millen?

Millen, apparently, had no work ethic. He made so much money in TV doing a bad John Madden impersonation that I'm sure he thought it took very little effort to snow Detroit football fans into believing he was doing a good job of drafting receivers year after year.

Kwame, as we know, worked hard and played even harder. Kwame sported some great zoot suits and threw a few awesome parties. Well, they were great parties as long as your stage name wasn't Strawberry.

Kwame and Millen were equally embarrassing.

I'll believe Detroit is serious about improving its image when the city removes the loiterers and panhandlers from its casinos. The worst thing that could happen to you in Detroit is winning money inside one of its casinos. Pray you make it to your car unscathed.

9. Lions fans won't like this suggestion, but Martin Mayhew should be given a chance to lead the long-suffering franchise.

Last week I was at the same college football game as the best general manager in professional football, Indy's Bill Polian. At halftime of the Kansas State-Louisville game, I picked Polian's brain about young GM prospects. To my great surprise he was extremely high on Mayhew, who was just promoted to assistant GM in Detroit.

Polian is convinced that Mayhew has a deep understanding of personnel and a tremendous work ethic. Mayhew was one of only four guys Polian identified as a future GM.

If you don't know, Polian built the Buffalo Bills Super Bowl teams, the Carolina Panthers team that advanced to the Super Bowl and, of course, the Indianapolis Colts squad that won it all. He knows what it takes to build a winner.

Mayhew might be worth hanging onto for a year or two.


8. At what point is it appropriate to wonder about Tony Dungy's relaxed coaching schedule?

You do remember that Coach Dungy nearly retired during the offseason? Jim Irsay convinced Dungy to stay by offering him the flexibility to spend more time with his family during the offseason and during the season.
The Colts are 1-2 and have lost two games at home. So far, the blame for the slow start is being pinned on Bob Sanders' injury, Peyton Manning's absence during the preseason and Marvin Harrison's decline.

Without Sanders, the Colts can't stop the run. Manning's been a bit rusty. And Harrison is playing like a 36-year-old man who spent the offseason settling disputes at his Philly tavern.

No one, to my knowledge, has spent any time speculating about Dungy's role in this mess.

Let me add, I'm not bailing on my prediction that the Colts will win the Super Bowl. As long as they sneak into the playoffs, they'll be fine. Dungy will figure this out.

7. The more rumors swirl about Al Davis' desire to fire Lane Kiffin the more likely it is that Kiffin will land another great coaching opportunity once he's done in Oakland.

Kiffin is being turned into a major victim. He is handling the situation well. His team should have two victories.

You would think that no one would want to work for Al Davis. But it's really a no-lose proposition at the moment. If the team fails, all the blame is rightfully directed at the crazy owner. If the team has any success — including close losses — all the credit is given to the embattled head coach.

Plus, the head coach picks up a nice paycheck while he's waiting to be canned.

6. It's irresponsible for the Rams to feed Trent Green to the lions this weekend.

Yeah, I know Green still wants to play football. I'm sure he looks good in non-contact drills. But the concussion he suffered at the end of his stay in Kansas City should've ended his career. Things didn't go well in Miami a year ago.

The Rams stink this season. What do they hope to accomplish with a 38-year-old quarterback who will be a sitting duck in the pocket?
Man, I hope Green doesn't get hurt this weekend.

5. The wrestling match for Bill Cowher better include the Kansas City Chiefs.



There are already rumors that the Browns have interest in the former Pittsburgh head coach who now works on CBS's studio show.
This is the second year of Cowher's "retirement." I don't see it lasting a third season. Kansas City is the ideal location for Cowher to return. The Chiefs have a general manager/president, Carl Peterson, who needs to be removed and a head coach, Herm Edwards, who foolishly jumped on Peterson's sinking ship and decided to build a lifeboat (rebuilding) three years after taking the captain's chair.

Cowher worked in Kansas City under Marty Schottenheimer. The Chiefs are renovating their stadium and are losing season-ticket holders as you read this. Cowher would inject some life into the franchise and fill the new stadium while the team recovers from Peterson's incompetence.
Cowher is a perfect fit for Kansas City.

4. The Browns made two mistakes last offseason, and those mistakes should cost general manager Phil Savage his job.

The Browns should've never extended Romeo Crennel's contract or re-signed journeyman quarterback Derek Anderson. OK, that's pretty obvious stuff with the Browns sitting at 0-3.

Crennel and Anderson had career years a season ago. Both lack the intangibles to be sustained, long-term leaders.

Two years ago I asked a veteran member of New England's Super Bowl defenses whether he ever envisioned Romeo as a head coach. The player, who is black, said absolutely not. Crennel never carried himself like a head coach while he was an assistant doing what Bill Belichick told him to do.
This does not mean Crennel got the Browns job solely because he is black and the league is bending over trying to give black coaches an opportunity. White guys get put in positions above their competence all the time, too. Charlie Weis at Notre Dame is a good example. So is Matt Millen as general manager of the Lions.

Anyway, the Browns should fire Savage at an appropriate time and pray that Brady Quinn is a legit starter.



3. Anyone else perplexed by the way the media celebrated Boo Weekley's showboating during the Ryder Cup?

Now I understand that many of my media peers also celebrate Chad Johnson's bojangling and Terrell Owens' antics.

But Weekley's horseplay and buffoonery were almost universally praised. He was just a good old boy taking on dem foreigners and showin' some pride in America. It was patriotic.

Yep, Boo Weekley is a patriot and Chad Johnson is a me-first idiot with no home training. Can it really be both?

2. Ball State receiver Dante Love had a chance to post 2,000 receiving yards for the season before suffering a career-ending spinal-cord injury in the Cardinals' 42-20 victory over Indiana.

If you vote for an All-American team, please remember Dante Love at the end of the season. This kid deserves every accolade. Not because of the injury he suffered. Doctors say he will make a full recovery and live a normal life. He'll get over the disappointment of never playing football again and lead a very productive life.

He deserves to be remembered at the end of this season because no college player put more work into preparing for this season than Love. Other than Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, there was no better receiver in the college game than Dante Love.

1. The buzz on Jeff Pearlman's book about the 1990s Cowboys, "Boys Will Be Boys," is so strong that I'd love to see it turned into an HBO drama.

I'm still in post-Wire depression. I've tried "Mad Men" and a couple of other TV shows, and I can't find anything to replace "The Wire." The excerpts I've read from Pearlman's book leads me to believe it could easily be transformed into a great television show.





http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8606014?MSNHPHMA

[Monty]

Originally Posted by FringeNC

I prefer a more wide-open attack than Cowher likes, but Cowher is not incompetent.

The question of GM still remains. There is no evidence that Cowher would be a good GM.

A GM is going to want to hire his own coach, and most likely it will not be an established coach like Cowher. So how does Cowher come here?

Make Marty the GM......I'm know I'm going to receive "negative feedback" for this, but I really think that's the way to go......right now.

But then again, Clark will just sit on his ass and do nothing....so the point is mute.

[Demonpenz]

I like TO OCHO CINCO and Boo's antics. Entertain me, make me forget about life for awhile.

[JuicesFlowing]

Originally Posted by Stewie

[SIZE=1]

Two years ago I asked a veteran member of New England's Super Bowl defenses whether he ever envisioned Romeo as a head coach. The player, who is black, said absolutely not.

Um, alrighty. Thanks for pointing out the race of a player. Because it matters?

[TEX]

Whitlock is 100% CORRECT when it comes to Bill Cowher coaching the Chiefs NEXT SEASON.

[whoman69]

What a change from when Herm was hired and was compared to Tony Dungy at that point.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Stewie

The Browns made two mistakes last offseason, and those mistakes should cost general manager Phil Savage his job

i hope so .... i'd take him as a replacement for Carl is a heartbeat.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by whoman69

What a change from when Herm was hired and was compared to Tony Dungy at that point.

It's amazing how no one saw the decline of the offense coming. Not even Carl Peterson.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Stewie

5. The wrestling match for Bill Cowher better include the Kansas City Chiefs.



There are already rumors that the Browns have interest in the former Pittsburgh head coach who now works on CBS's studio show.
This is the second year of Cowher's "retirement." I don't see it lasting a third season. Kansas City is the ideal location for Cowher to return. The Chiefs have a general manager/president, Carl Peterson, who needs to be removed and a head coach, Herm Edwards, who foolishly jumped on Peterson's sinking ship and decided to build a lifeboat (rebuilding) three years after taking the captain's chair.

Cowher worked in Kansas City under Marty Schottenheimer. The Chiefs are renovating their stadium and are losing season-ticket holders as you read this. Cowher would inject some life into the franchise and fill the new stadium while the team recovers from Peterson's incompetence.
Cowher is a perfect fit for Kansas City.

kill yourself.

[Hammock Parties]

Seriously, hiring Cowher would be completely stupid. We need freshness. And youth.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Claythan

Seriously, hiring Cowher would be completely stupid. We need freshness. And youth.

Allow yourself to live.

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by Claythan

Seriously, hiring Cowher would be completely stupid. We need freshness. And youth.

QFT

We should bring kiffen in for a look

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

QFT

We should bring kiffen in for a look

If Herm gets fired I'd love to see Kiffin in here. Hell, the guy darn near swept Shanahan last season. Not to mention Herm!

[KCinNY]

Wherever Cowher ends up, he's gonna command full control over player personnel and the coaching staff(ala Holmgren and Shannahan).

Personally, I wouldn't mind if the Chiefs gave him exactly that.

[rambleonthruthefog]

Originally Posted by Claythan

Seriously, hiring Cowher would be completely stupid. We need freshness. And youth.

i repeat,


Cowher’s 15 seasons, the Steelers captured eight division titles, earned ten postseason playoff berths, played in 21 playoff games, advanced to six AFC Championship games and made two Super Bowl appearances. He is one of only six coaches in NFL history to claim at least seven division titles.

playoff record of 12-9. playoff appearances in first 6 yrs.

a tough, experienced, proven winner is what we need to lead our young troops into battle.

[Hammock Parties]

That's all well and good, but I honestly question Cowher's motivation at this point in his career. He seemed like a guy who was going through the motions his last year in Pittsburgh.

The guy is basically a Marty clone who stumbled into a franchise quarterback. I'm tired of retreads and we DESPERATELY need fresh blood. Cowher would get Joe Camaro Mullethead all fired up, but I don't see him as an answer.

On the positive side, I bet Whitlock would really irritate him.