2010 NFL season: A year of change

By Reginald Rogers
Paraglide

The 2010-11 National Football League season is sure to be one for the ages. At least that’s what most of the major networks and sports publications are currently saying.

The New Orleans Saints won Super Bowl XLIV with a 31-17 drudging of the Indianapolis Colts last season in Miami, it marked a changing of the guard, of sorts. Now teams that were considered cellar-dwellers are now considered contenders, while others who reached football greatness a decade ago, struggle to find their places in mediocrity.

Let’s take a look at some of the changes that have taken place in recent weeks that have created the foundation for change.

First off, Brett Favre’s decision, or indecision to retire: Favre has played this record so many times that the scratches are becoming part of the lyrics. How many times can we listen as he decides to call it quits, only to announce his re-instatement to join another team, only to retire again. Truthfully, I stopped listening after his season with the Jets. You should too. Maybe we’ll find out about his latest return just before kickoff of the Minnesota Vikings first game, when he walks down the tunnel to lead the team on the field. He’s such a diva.

Next up, Donovan McNabb’s trade to the Washington Redskins: McNabb, who is arguably the Philadelphia Eagles’ greatest quarterback, was run out of the “City of Brotherly Love” by the naysayers. Their reason — he couldn’t win the big one. The fact that he was able to stay in Philly long enough to win is an achievement within itself. No city has more fickle fans than Philadelphia. If you win, you lose, but if you lose and they like you, you win. What gives? I would say I wish McNabb luck in Washington, but I’m a Cowboy’s fan and we don’t roll like that.

Speaking of the Cowboys, what about the Cincinnati Bengals? Have they not become the Cowboys of the American Football Conference? Remember when everyone talked about how the Cowboys accepted everyone from drug dealers to former dictators and all in between. Well things have changed in Big D and the criminals have gone to C-Block, as in Cincinnati. Now don’t get me wrong, I like the Bengals and all they stand for and I also like Terrell Owens, Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, Chad Ochocinco and the rest of the team. I think they will be a force to reckon with this season. What I don’t like is how the media is trying to play up a rivalry between Owens and “Ocho.” Since Owens report to camp two weeks ago, every reporter has asked, “will there be enough balls for both of you?” To which both receivers, who have been close friends for the past 10 years replied, “Of course, that’s not an issue. We just want to make each other better.” In my opinion, they will. Dallas, my team, was unfair to Owens and in a sense, ran him out of Texas.

With the Cowboys, Owens voiced his opinion, several times, but not nearly as much as he did with the Philadelphia Eagles and he was ostracized for it. When, in actuality, the real problem was with Dallas quarterback Tony Romo … but that’s water under the bridge now, moving on.

The Oakland Raiders will be a force in the AFC this year: The Raiders have gone totally under the radar and re-invented themselves. Not only has fat-boy quarterback, JaMarcus Russell moved on to taste-testing for Wendy’s, but the team has added several key players who are guaranteed to make them better.

The most popular one being former Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell. Campbell, who I refused to like as a Redskin, is a good quarterback coming from a bad situation. In the past four year, he has had to operate under four different offensive schemes, as the struggling Redskins have found it hard to keep an offensive coordinator for more than one season. Despite those obstacles, Campbell has always remained productive. Now that he has the starting job in Oakland and a stable coaching staff, we can all sit back and watch the man work. Also added to the Raiders is quarterback Colt Brennan, who signed three days ago. Brennan watched Campbell for two years as a Redskins backup and should be able to operate just as efficiently. The Raiders also shored up their defensive backfield with the addition of defensive backs Walter McFadden, Jeremy Ware and Stevie Brown, all acquired through the draft. The Raiders also added superstar linebacker and Alabama Crimson Tide standout, Rolando McClain in the first round of the draft. Remember when the Raiders were known as the league’s hardest-hitting team? Well, the pirates are boarding the ship. Land Ho! Aaaargh!

The Giants look pretty good this season and will continue to make the NFC East ultra-competitive, along with the Redskins and Cowboys.

Those are just a few notables that were on my mind as this preseason kicks off. I will surely continue the dialogue as the season progresses. Until next time.

Share