Behind The Scoreboard - Claude Vinson


Thursday, August 4, 2011
Community \| Obits \| Editorial & Columnists \| Society \| Sports \| Education \| Classified Ads \| Calendar of Events \| Features \| Newsbriefs \| Legals \| Archives \| Subscriptions \| Photo Gallery

Behind The Scoreboard
By Claude Vinson

NFL alive

Now that we are assured that there will be a season in the NFL, we can take a look at how things are shaping up for teams and some players. The team which appears to have garnered most of the media conversation during the past week was the Philadelphia Eagles. This was due in large part to the Eagles’ camp stating that they were interested in having some dialogue with Brett Favre. Yeah, you heard right, Brett Favre.

Barry (Burleson, our editor and publisher) said he had remarked to his son Andy about a week ago that the NFL season couldn’t properly start without a good Favre story. And, of course, it is history that for the last four or five years, Brett, the prolific quarterback of the retirement ploy, has created this stir. There is no doubt that it serves as good media fodder whether or not it serves Favre. Chances are it will never be known if the Eagles’ publicity people were grabbing attention with the statement or if they were really serious in hiring Favre. The new primary Eagle signal caller (Michael Vick) said he would relish having a man like Favre as his backup.

The Eagles changed the scheme last week, going in a different direction and putting together what the media is dubbing a “dream team” for the season. Notably, they released Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb and hired Vince Young from the Titans. They also picked up Nnamdi Asomugha (not highly rated in my personal playbook, but what do I know). Young will be the backup for Vick. The Eagles, who went 10-6 last season, had defensive deficiencies which they were trying to remedy. They were scored on over 78 percent of the time by Red Zone pass plays, the worst in the NFL and gave up 31 TD passes, second worst in the NFL.

Other players getting a lot of press were Peyton Manning and his new deal with the Colts which makes him the highest paid NFL player of all time. His five-year contract is for $90 million and he can’t even practice yet because he is on the PUP list. Nothing to do with immature canines, it means that he is physically unable to perform at this time. The contract has to be a testament to the faith which the Colts’ hierarchy has in Manning.

Plaxico Burress, who was the bane of the Giants a few years ago, has now become the hope of the New York Jets. Burress, who did a two-year stint up the river, was signed by the Jets to a one-year contract for a cool $3 million. More than a few teams were interested but Burress did not perform any workouts.

Momma McNabb will have to bundle up her chunky soup-making apparatus and hie herself to the upper Midwest. Son Donovan has become a Minnesota Viking, signing a four-year deal. He stated that he was glad to join a team which will get him to the Super Bowl. I wonder if Mr. McNabb is fully aware of the Vikings’ Super Bowl history.

Report News: (662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
Questions, comments, corrections: south@dixie-net.com
The South Reporter
P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
©2004, The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.

Web Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter

Back | Top of Page