Many Things to Cover

There's so many things I wanted to cover with today's post. I could have chosen four topics at least. How about all four? You got it!

A long time ago...

First, and most notably, is that former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett wants to attempt a comeback...in the UFL. Reportedly, the Omaha Nighthawks are interested in Clarett. There's one potential snag. If you remember, Clarett was to serve 3.5 years for that whole carrying an assault rifle and guzzling Grey Goose charge. He's out, but still has a bit of tape to deal with. For Clarett to tryout for the Omaha club, he would have to be granted permission from the courts to pursue a possibly illustrious UFL career.

People get second chances. I have no problem there. But what kind of shape is this guy in? Can't be what he was when he was helping the Buckeyes to a National Championship. I label his chances as slim.

Serena during her Wimbledon win.

Next is more of a question. Will you really watch much of the U.S. Open? The defending men's champ, Juan Martin Del Potro won't be there. The women's #1 player, Serena Williams won't be playing either. Two of tennis' biggest names for what is arguably the sports biggest tournament will not be participating due to injuries.

Sure, we might have another Rafa-Fed final. They're the top 2 men's seeds and on separate sides of the draw. The women's draw seems to open for Venus Williams now doesn't it? Not really. The top 2 women's seeds are Caroline Wozniacki and defending champ Kim Clijsters. Wozniacki has played decent in Grand Slams this year, reaching the round of 16 twice (Autralian Open, Wimbledon) and the quarters in Paris.

Will she be a favorite? Wozniacki has won three tournaments this year including last week's Rogers Cup. She is one to watch, but don't overlook Clijsters or Venus Williams.

Under the radar: Men - Gael Monfils. He likes the big stage and where better than in New York. Women - Svetlana Kuznetsova. How can she be under the radar having won it before? Easy. She's not played well for the most part in 2010.

Dark horses: Men - Mardy Fish. He played excellent last week in Cincinnati pushing champ Roger Federer in the final. Women - Flavia Pennetta. Her last three losses have been against Wozniacki, Kuznetsova and Clijsters. She has played well getting into those natches, too.

Young bests Leinart. Familiar?

Was it me or have the Arizona Cardinals emerged as not having a QB again? The troublesome thing, Kurt Warner isn't coming back either. Matt Leinart was handed (again) the opportunity to be the starter. He's not failed, but he hasn't impressed. Derek Anderson was decent last night, but he has been inconsistent.

Leinart's preseason (I know it's only preseason) numbers aren't great. No TD, but 0 INT. A passer rating just above 90. Not bad, but the Cards offense did not show up last evening against the Tennessee Titans. Anderson's are worse, but he's at least had a TD toss. It could be a long season in Glendale.

In case you haven't already had it drilled in your head, Tiger's divorce is final.

Brad Keselowski said Kyle Busch is an ass.

And how can we forget that Albert Haynesworth guy and the newest game of "he said, we didn't know"? I wish I could...

NFC West Primer

The last of the primers has us visiting the NFC West. A lot has changed with defending champ Arizona. Can they repeat?

Can Leinart captain the Cards offense?

Arizona Cardinals
2009 record: 10-6, 1st in division
Head coach: Ken Whisenhunt
Key Additions: QB Derek Anderson, G Alan Faneca, K Jay Feely, LB Joey Porter
Key Losses: LB Karlos Dansby, K Neil Rackers, S Antrel Rolle, WR Jehreme Urban, WR Anquan Boldin

1. Okay. Is Matt Leinart really ready to be "the guy" in Arizona?
We've seen nothing to indicate he is. That being said, Leinart did have the honor of sitting behind a future Hall of Famer in Kurt Warner. If Leinart were to ask for advice, we know Warner will give it. Leinart has lost the job before and the signing of Derek Anderson, no matter how terrible he's played the last two seasons, should serve as yet another form of motivation. It all depends how Leinart approaches things. If he's canned for Anderson, it's high time the Cards move on at the position.

2. Can the Cards defense overcome the losses of Rolle and Dansby?
This is almost as critical as the retirement of Warner. Both Dansby and Rolle were sensational for Arizona. Bringing in Porter is a good move, but I'm not sold on it. Being able to draft former Horned Frog LB Daryl Washington could be just the right fix the Cards linebacking corps needs. The secondary will suffer from Rolle departing. Rolle has great instincts and quickness. I know they still have Adrian Wilson but he can't play everywhere. If Darnell Dockett and Company can bring QB pressure, the lack of depth in the defensive backfield won't be as noticeable.

3. Can Beanie Wells be the guy to take the bulk of the carries?
Wells was bitten by the injury bug when he was at Ohio State. Beanie averaged a good 4.5 yards a carry last year. It's not so much about Beanie being able to be the true #1 back as much as it is can the Cardinals rush the ball with consistency. Wells could get to 1,100 yards with good health and good blocking...and a commitment to run.

Warner's absence will still be the biggest one felt in 2010.

Smith must now show he's an NFL QB.

San Francisco 49ers
2009 record: 8-8, 2nd in division
Head coach: Mike Singletary
Key Additions: QB David Carr, CB Karl Paymah
Key Losses: T Tony Pashos, CB Walt Harris, WR Arnez Battle

1. Are the 49ers as legit as people think?
Tough to really tell. You know the Niners will play defense because of the guy in charge. It's the offense that concerns me. QB Alex Smith has yet to prove he's a starter in the league. The Niners to give Smith a bit of help in the draft by presenting him two excellent lineman (Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati). The recent signing of Brian Westbrook was facilitated with Glen Coffee abruptly retiring. That may be an even bigger plus with Westbrook being a dual threat. And don't forget that WR Michael Crabtree will be around for the whole season.

2. Is too much being asked of Davis and Iupati?
While watching the draft, a couple of "experts" said that Iupati was a bit more of a project than Davis. One Iupati starts downhill, defenders better watch out or it's a pancake. I was a bit taken aback that San Fran traded up to #11 to get Davis. He most likely would have been there at #13. Davis could get thrown in to the fire as the left tackle and the protector of Smith's backside.

3. How much will Westbrook add to the offense?
You can't imagine how big I feel this deal is. If anything, Westbrook can add the experience factor to the team. He can also serve as a mentor to Frank Gore. That's scary. Gore is already one of the best backs in the NFL and Gore has already learned from Westbrook. The Niners consulted with Gore before making the move. Not surprised Gore said yes.

I didn't feel the defense had any issues.

Seattle needed life and found it in Carroll.

Seattle Seahawks
2009 record: 5-11, 3rd in division
Head coach: Pete Carroll
Key Additions: RB Leon Washington, TE Chris Baker, G Ben Hamilton, QB Charlie Whitehurst
Key Losses: WR Nate Burleson, DE Cory Redding, FB Justin Griffith, S Deon Grant

1. Can QB Matthew Hasselbeck stay healthy?
The Seahawks made attempts to bolster the offensive line by drafting T Russell Okung and singing Hamilton from Denver. The retirement of Walter Jones will echo this season, but Okung could be the next great lineman to play in the Emerald City. It also depends on the health of C Chris Spencer. With Rob Sims being dealt, Spencer must now show he was worthy of being a high draft choice.

2. Are the Seahawks ready for Carroll's "rah-rah" attitude?
They better be. In fact, they need it. Infusing enthusiasm is Carroll's calling card. That alone could garner the Seahawks an extra win or two this season. Carroll says he was ready to return to the NFL to give it another go. It may take a year or two and people forget that Carroll had a winning record overall before he went to USC.

3. How deep are the Seahawks at wide receiver?
Very deep. They were hoping to move Deion Branch and his contract, but no one would bite. We'll never see the Deion Branch that was in New England, but this group can flat out play. Mike Williams has been the surprise so far. Branch, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Deon Butler, second round pick Golden Tate and Williams give new offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates and Hasselbeck more than enough weapons at the position.

The Seahawks will bounce back a bit in 2010.

Bradford may be under pressure to start
immediately. The Rams should ease him
into that role.

St. Louis Rams
2009 record: 1-15, 4th in division
Head coach: Steve Spagnuolo
Key Additions: LB Na'il Diggs, CB Kevin Dockery, QB A.J. Feeley, DT Chris Hovan, G Hank Fraley, LB Bobby Carpenter
Key Losses: T Alex Barron, LB Paris Lenon, WR Ruvell Martin

1. Will #1 overall pick Sam Bradford start on opening weekend?
That's a lot to ask from a kid that missed a lot of playing time last year. I think the Rams made an excellent move by bringing in Feeley until Bradford is ready. Bradford may surprise me and get the nod for the first game. I'd find a way to get both Bradford and Feeley playing with the starters during preseason just to see where everyone fits.

2. More than one win?
No one can predict just one win, but the reality is harsh. I see two games that I think (I stress, think) the Rams might be favored to win (week 7 @ Tampa Bay and week 15 v. Kansas City). They have Arizona in week 1, pay a visit to an improved Oakland team in week 2, host the Washington Redskins in week 3. Tough start to the season. The Rams host Seattle in week 4 and that might be a third game where the Rams could be viewed as a favorite as Seattle historically does not play well in St. Louis.

3. Will RB Steven Jackson have to be the offense again in 2010?
Seems like he's been the Rams offense the last two seasons. If the Rams are to be successful from the offensive side of the ball, the passing game will have to evolve to avoid Jackson getting dinged. No question Jackson is a pure stud. Opposing teams know he's getting the ball and they still can't stop him. Oh, and having the receivers step up will help, too. Jackson also led the Rams in receptions in '09.

Gotta walk before you can run.

1. San Francisco. I'm sold.
2. Arizona. No Warner is a big problem.
3. Seattle. If the offense gets going, the could threaten for 2nd.
4. St. Louis. Just not enthused about them (except Jackson).

From Green Bay to Arizona

Today, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner announced his retirement from the NFL. And the NFL is better for having him among their ranks for a dozen years. But the road to this point was long. Very long.

Warner was an undrafted rookie free agent in camp with the Green Bay Packers. The quarterbacks coach at the time was Steve Mariucci. He saw that Warner had potential, but Mooch also saw the Warner wasn't quite ready for the NFL. That was all Kurt needed to hear. His journey in the world of football was just beginning.

The next stop, and maybe his most famous, was Iowa and the Arena League. For two season, Warner was First-team and led the Barnstormers to the Arena Bowl in both seasons. For only two seasons of work, Warner was named as one of the Arena League's Top 20 of all time, claiming #12 on that list. Oh, and that bit about stocking groceries happened in Iowa, too.

Next stop was actually Chicago. Warner had secured a tryout for the Bears prior to his second AFL season. But it wasn't to be. An injury caused by a spider bite Warner had received while on his honeymoon prevented the tryout from occurring. It was on to St. Louis...sort of.

The Rams were the first NFL team willing to give Warner a real shot. He was allocated to NFL Europe. He led the league in TD and passing yards in his only season for the Amstersam Admirals. After one year in Europe, Warner was summoned back to St. Louis in 1998 as #3 on the Rams QB depth chart.

Two quarterbacks were released following the '98 season (Tony Banks and Steve Bono). St. Louis signed Trent Green to be #1 and Warner was to be #2. Any move up is a good one. But the movement would go even quicker.

In a preseason game, Green suffered a torn ACL and Warner was to be the #1 QB of the Rams. He'd finally made it. He was the guy.

I still hear then Rams head coach Dick Vermeil. "We will rally around Kurt Warner..."

All Warner did in his first real season was lead the Rams to a Super Bowl win and collect a Super Bowl and NFL MVP along the way. He would have another Super Bowl appearance while in St. Louis before heading to the Big Apple.

Although Warner signed a two-year deal, he would only spend one with the Giants. They had this guy named Eli Manning on the roster. Warner was to keep the seat warm until Peyton's little brother was ready. It happened sooner rather than later.

It looked over but Warner, as he always did, landed on his feet and was on his way to Arizona. But in his second season, there was yet another rookie quarterback looking to knock Warner off the #1 spot. Like the situation in New York, it looked like Warner was to serve as a mentor and groomsman. It would take Warner three seasons to totally convince the Cards that he was their guy and Matt Leinart wasn't.

Warner would lead the Cards to their only Super Bowl appearance, and if not for a Ben Roethlisberger pass to Santonio Holmes in the game's last minute, he would have had a second Super Bowl ring.

All of Warner's NFL stops have had one thing in common...he wasn't never meant to be the starter for long. Six years in St. Louis and five in Arizona shows you the grit he's made of.

Here's some things to consider. Warner has been in more Super Bowls (3) than Brett Favre (2), Dan Marino (1) and Peyton Manning (2). All three are considered to be among the best that have ever played the QB position. Wanrer has as many wins as Favre and Manning although Peyton can change that next Sunday. Marino left the game without a ring.

To me, there's is little doubt that Warner will one day grace the halls in Canton. He'll do so with his usual class and humility. That would be the end of his football journey.

A long road from Green Bay to Arizona.

Warner will set out on another trek.

Don't be surprised if he's successful at that, too.

More NFL Playoff Football!

Only the Packers/Cardinals game provided any form of excitement during the NFL's Wild Card Weekend. Maybe we'll be treated to bit more this coming weekend with the Divisional Round. Here's a quick look at the games being played on Saturday.

NFC: Arizona @ New Orleans; 4:30 PM ET, FOX (Kenny Albert, Darryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa)

Most will watch: Cards QB Kurt Warner and Saints QB Drew Brees.
How could you not want to watch these two? Warner absolutely lit up the Packers last week. Warner had more TD (5) than incompletions (4). There's no sign of him slowing down one bit. Warner has excellent postseason numbers. There is the rumor that Warner will retire after this season. I look for the Cards to do all they can to postpone that. If you have any doubt that this guy will end up in Canton, you're simply crazy.

But Saints fans believe they have the league MVP as their QB in Brees. Brees was second in the MVP voting and that vote has many in Louisiana up in arms. There's no question that when Brees gets it going, there's not any QB that's better. He has many so weapons at his disposal. That may have been why he didn't win the MVP.

You should also watch: New Orleans at the beginning of the game.
It's been almost a month since the Saints have played a real game. This is not the time for rust to set in. A quick start is paramount even though we know the Saints have the offensive firepower to come from behind, but so does Arizona.

If New Orleans wins the coin toss, you might see them take the ball first. Get that offense on the field early and see how they react. That side of the ball has not actually performed too well as of late.

But don't forget: the Saints ground attack.
The newest three-headed monster of Pierre Thomas, Mike Ball and Reggie Bush has given New Orleans even more cause to be optomistic. The lack of a running game was viewed as a significant weakness with the Saints offense. Not anymore. Establishing the run would open the passing game even more for Brees. A big benefit for the Saints.

One last thing: the crowd.
We know balls will fill the "air" of the Superdome. The indoors atmosphere, in itself, does not favor either team. It will be how much the crowd stays behind their Saints. If the Cardinals can score early and often, the life of the crowd would immensely diminish. Playoff games don't come around New Orleans too much. The crowd must holdfast and make a difference.

Bottom line: Despite being favored, it almost feels like people are doubting the Saints. With all that's been made of their late season swoon, it's hard to believe that the switch can flipped on. But what can we make of a Cards defense that blew a 21-point lead to the Packers? When Aaron Rodgers had to throw, he did so and he did at will. Brees operates the same way. Neither defense can stop the run and neither defense can stop the pass. The Saints can run while The Cardinals struggle with their running game.

Saints 37, Cards 28...both Warner and Brees pass for over 300 yards but the turnover bug bites the Cards.

AFC: Baltimore @ Indianapolis; 8:15 ET, CBS (Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)