Items of Interest (to me) Around the NFL

Dallas' New Stadium

The Dallas Cowboys will open their new stadium this season, which is built to seat 100,000 fans. I'm sure fans of the Cowboys (the real one's who actually live in Texas) are excited about this new stadium. I'm, sure they think they will have the loudest stadium in the league now.

Don't count on it.

The thing about stadiums this large is that the home team's fans can't fill it - especially in this economy. Just look at FedEx Field. You can't tell me it has anything to do with the fanbase, because there's no denying the Redskins have one of the most loyal and energetic fanbases in the league. No, it's because when you have a stadium this big, fans and/or corporations which have bought the season tickets (and in the Cowboys' case, PSLs) sell their seats on the Internet when they can't, or choose not to attend. Thus, you get hords of fans from the visiting teams taking over your stadium (see: MNF, Redskins vs. Steelers, 2008).

So, while Cowboys posers around the world are waiting with excitement, the new stadium will likely be littered with fans of the opposition. Not to mention that most Cowboy fans are bandwagon fans anyway, and being as they are in quite a playoff drought, many of the current Dallas fans may soon be converting to New York Giants fans, or Patriot fans, or, dare I say, Arizona Cardinals fans...

Redskins Talking to Daniels, Wynn

Huh?

Wait, let me soak this in for a minute. The Redskins cut Jason Taylor, and let Demetric Evans walk without so much as an offer, but they are negotiating with Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn? C'mon!

Listen, Wynn and Daniels are serviceable, at best. In fact, Daniels is still a really good run stuffer. But what are they doing here?

I can understand cutting Jason Taylor considering his passive play last season, his bloated contract this season, and the fact he refused to workout at Redskins Park during the offseason. I get that - cut bait. It was quite a loss, what with the 2nd and 6th round pick Vinny sent down to Parcells last year. But like with any gamble, you win some, but you lose most - and the Redskins (Vinny Ceratto) lost with this one.

But you can't justify letting Demetric Evans walk out of here without so much as an offer when your alternative plan is to negotiate a comeback of Daniels and Wynn.

Just ridiculous.

LaDainian Tomlinson

How quickly the door shuts...

LT used to be the premier back in the NFL. Now, he is in negotiations with the Chargers to come back, though making less than his back up. Well, c'est la vie. This seems to be the way it goes with running backs. They have such a short shelf life.

Personally, I think LT should forget about the Chargers and move on to the Saints. Reporters and bloggers are all discussing his fit in New Orleans, and a nice fit it would be. He'd be reunited with Drew Brees, and he'd immediately be the best running back on the roster (because Reggie Bush is a BUST).

In my own opinion, though, I feel that LT is a bit overrated. He's a good back, definitely. But he is not much of a gamer. He is always hurt in the big games, and both of the past two times his team was in the playoffs, he let them down because he was sitting on the sideline. I actually never thought he was overrated until I heard John Riggins point it out on his old radio show. But after he mentioned it, and I began paying attention, I agreed - LT is vastly overrated.

Redskins Pushing Their Season Ticket Myth

I received a letter in the mail two or three days ago. I was finally at the top of the notorious 200,000+ person Redskins Season Tickets Waiting List...please!

Who do they think they are kidding? I receive this letter almost every other season, sometimes consecutive seasons. There is no 200k+ waiting list. This is a ploy to make you think, "gee, I should buy these tickets now, because if I don't, I may never, ever, ever have another chance to get Redskins season tickets." Well, I'm here to tell you that, yes, you will have many opportunities to buy Redskins season tickets for some time to come.

Much of FedEx Field's lower bowl was originally bought up by corporations - the same corporations that are now going bankrupt due to the failing economy. These companies are selling these tickets, or just defaulting on them all together as they claim bankruptcy.

Not to mention all of the people who have decided not to renew their tickets because they lost their jobs, don't consider season tickets as a necessity, or have just grown tired of the pathetic product fielded year in and year out.

So, to confront the situation, the Redskins have launched an all-out blitz to fill the stadium. They are mailing these "Congratulations, you have reached the top of the list" letters. And worse, they have made a hokey-pokey video to try to push these tickets on you. Click here to see.

Terrel Owens

Okay, Redskins fans, it's okay to exhale now. It's official. TO signed with the Buffalo Bills, thus making it impossible (trade notwithstanding) for Vinny Ceratto to sign him.

I have to admit, TO was a nice, divisive presence on the Cowboys' roster, and I will miss the circus aspect of his presence on their roster. No matter the talent they had, you knew that, with TO on the team, they were going nowhere. Now, that's gone...too bad.

Anyway, I guess when you're a coach in Dick Jauron's position, you have to do anything you can to muster up a few wins. And, honestly, I think he'll get those wins. TO is always obedient in his first season, and that's all the Bills signed him to - one season (though, undoubtedly - as did the Cowboys - the Bills will re-sign him to a 3 year deal after the season).

But, while I doubt the Bills will win their division, I think this move will actually HELP Trent Edwards. I know...everyone is worried about Trent Edwards because of Owens' past with QBs. But, Edwards is a good QB, on the verge of being a very good QB - and I think TO will get him there.

The only problem for TO is that the Patriots signed his nemesis - Shawn Springs. If there's a corner in the league who can shut down TO, it's Springs.

Anyway, now we have a reason to watch the Bills in '09.