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TOPICS: football nfl terrell owens michael vick matt ryan tom brady jay cutler josh mcdaniels
As the preseason unfolds, here are five of the biggest stories to keep an eye on before week one on September 13.
This week, all 32 teams across the National Football League opened up preseason camp in preparation for the 2009 season.
How long will T.O. behave?
When the Buffalo Bills acquired the troubled, yet talented Terrell Owens early in the off-season, season ticket sales went through the roof.
Owens brings a game-breaking ability from the wide receiver position the Bills have not had since Andre Reed left in the late 1990's.
Owens' last stop prior to Buffalo was Dallas, as a member of the star-studded and paparazzi-infested Cowboys' franchise.
Owens surely made enough headlines for his actions both on and off the field.
His 38 touchdowns in three seasons with Dallas made him worth the large paycheck, but his knack for untimely dropped passes drew stark criticism.
His disputes with both quarterback Tony Romo and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett towards the end of his Cowboys' career drew him more attention than anything else.
Over the years Owens has been known as a huge distraction within organizations and might be better at dividing clubhouses than catching passes.
However, in every stop during his career, from San Francisco to Philadelphia to Dallas, Year One of the T.O. experiment has been an all-in-all happy one, and Owens has been a productive player.
That being said, history indicates that his first season in Buffalo will have few speed bumps and Bills quarterback Trent Edwards should enjoy an all-pro receiver without any headache.
They will need an even-keeled Owens in 2009 if they hope to contend in the loaded AFC East.
Where will Michael Vick end up?
Without taking a snap in over two years in the NFL, Mike Vick has arguably been the most-talked about pro football player in America during that time.
The former Virginia Tech legend is ready to garner more attention for his on the field antics rather than off the field.
Since his return home from federal prison in May, Vick has been mentioned in virtually every broadcast of Sportscenter, and every other of the talking-heads shows on ESPN.
He has finally completed his sentence, and even been conditionally reinstated to the NFL by commissioner Roger Goodell.
The next step is finding a team to play for.
Last week it was reported that Vick had said he was "close" to signing with a team, but did not specify which team it was, or whether it was even in the NFL.
There are a handful of teams who have not ruled out signing the former All-Pro quarterback, and that includes the Steelers, Ravens, Patriots, Vikings, and Raiders.
The Ravens, Steelers, and Patriots seem to be the best fits for Vick.
All three of those teams are led by disciplined head coaches and already have very well established leaders with a no-nonsense approach.
All three also have a proven quarterback who would not have to be concerned for his starting job if Vick signed on.
Whichever team Vick ends up signing with will have to be ready for the onslaught of media attention and the eyes of the entire NFL fan base squarely on its back for pretty much the entire season.
Those three teams seem to be the franchises best equipped to handle such pressure.
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I wonder how many "free to good home" ads are answered in order to collect the "bait" animals to train fighting dogs? Standard practice for training fighting dogs is to get a puppy or stray dog and tape their mouth shut. This is done so the fighting dogs (With no resistance) can attack and tear, getting a taste for blood with out getting injured. Mr. Vick had everything in the world going for him, still again and again he chose cruelty. This man is not going to punch a time clock and work on an assembly line in some factory. He is a sports figure with adulation and endorsements. That means he is looked up to. But in reality he is a piece of refuse that so happens to be a talented athlete. The NFL has sold its soul. Is everything short of murder their guideline for reinstatement? What a standard. No wonder our young people are confused between what is right and wrong. This nasty human will now make millions of dollars in front of a cheering crowd. The message? It must be OK to participate in the brutal rampant practice of dog fighting. In our society money is reward, lets give a standing ovation to the reinstated thug. Good luck to the team that takes him. As a Felon Vick cannot vote or sit on a jury he cannot be admitted to a state bar (become a lawyer). But he can play football in the NFL.
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