I smell the pigskin

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Yes, football is finally here. We're talking professional football and the New England Patriots.

Training Camp officially opened yesterday and I still can't get enough of reading all the Patriots news from yesterday's sessions.

But the No. 1 concern I have it about, of course, Tom Brady. We all the know the season hinges on him. He's the best QB in the National Football League and that offense if virtually unstoppable with him slinging passes to Randy Moss (how many corners can really cover him and want to cover him?), Wes Welker and new addition Joey Galloway (welcome aboard!).

All indications are Brady is good to go, but he still needs to take a hit to that knee or leg, or even just get his bell rung, to know he is really OK. There's no substitute for live game action and he hasn't experienced that since Week 1 last year when he was knocked out of commission by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Got to hope Brady is close to 100 percent. That offensive line better keep him upright or the season will go downhill fast.

And how about one of the anchors on defense, nose tackle Vince Wilfork? Remember, Wilfork is involved in a contract dispute -- yes, he wants a big payday but he's earned it in my book -- but he showed great character by putting the team first and showing up for camp instead of holding out. Will that equal a nice payday? 

If Wilfork does indeed hold out before the season, at least rookie second-round pick, Ron Brace of Boston College and Burncoat High of Worcester -- can jump in right away. Brace is a force in the middle and has never had an issue with taking on multiple blockers, just like Wilfork does. Either way, Brace should made an impact, even if he's involved in a defensive line rotation this season.

There are plenty of Patriots stories to break down -- position battles, who's hot and who's not, etc. --  and we'll continue to take a look at these throughout training camp. So stay tuned.

Here's the Patriots practice schedule, according to the Patriots official Web site: patriots.com

Practice Schedule
July 31: 9:30am - 11:15am; 3:45pm - 5:30pm
August 1: 9:30am - 11:15am; 3:45pm - 5:30pm
August 2: 9:30am - 11:15am; 3:45pm - 5:30pm
August 3: 9:30am - 11:15am; 3:45pm - 5:30pm
August 4:  9:30am - 11:15am; 3:45pm - 5:30pm

August 5:  9:30am - 11:15am; 3:45pm - 5:30pm.

Big Papi a Big Fraud

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Well, well, well. It looks like Mr. Mango Salsa Man, David Ortiz, isn't such a Beantown Hero is he?

The Boston designated hitter was called out yesterday as being one of the 104 Major League Baseball players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, along with sidekick Manny Ramirez.

Is anyone really in total shock about Papi that he used performance-enhancing drugs? Well, apparently he is, considering he doesn't even know what he took. Ya, sure and I'm the best sports writer in the country.

Isn't this the same guy that has been extremely vocal during spring training about never using and how MLB should throw the book at everyone who is caught using? 

Papi's a fraud, bottom line.

Are those Red Sox World Series titles tainted now since both Ortiz and Manny -- the two feared hitters in that Boston lineup -- were dirty players during that run? That's for you to judge.

The bottom line is he disrespected the game by cheating, even Red Sox fans can't argue that statement.

Will Ortiz be treated just like the other stars who have been caught using and still are playing -- Manny, Alex Rodriguez -- with a steady dose of boos at every ballpark? 

Do Red Sox fans still love Ortiz (based on the standing ovation he got during yesterday's game, they still love him)? Is he forgiven in your book?

How do you view Ortiz now?

It's sad, but Big Papi is a Big Fraud now.

PAC-10 preview: No horses for Trojans to fear this year

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

(As the college football season approaches, I will be breaking down each of the following conferences: The Big XII, the PAC-10, the Big East and the WAC. This week I tackle the PAC-10. If you haven't already, don't forget to check out past previews of Notre Dame and the Big XII.)

In 2008, Arizona State was supposed to be the team to knock USC off its pedestal. This year, there can be no such conversation made about any team in the PAC-10.

The freight train that is the USC football program will keep rolling. For those of you keeping score, no team has won more PAC-10 titles, shared or outright than USC. The Trojans have reigned as champions or co-champions for each of the last seven seasons, winning the league outright in three of those years. And there's no reason to think that it's nothing more than a matter of time until they capture their eighth-consecutive title.

For all the talk of how the loss of Mark Sanchez is going to hurt the offense, let's not forget that we're talking about a one-year starter on a program that makes a living off producing top-notch college quarterbacks. And the fact remains that while Sanchez is gone, the majority of the offense that was 11th in the nation in total offense is coming back. The quarterback situation will be one to watch as camp opens, but whoever takes the helm should be someone Trojan fans feel comfortable having under center.

The thing USC fans should be more concerned with is the defense. The second-ranked defense in the land last season returns just two members in 2009 - both in the secondary. USC will have to rebuild its entire front seven, so the unit that was the reason the Trojans were so dominant last year instantly becomes a question mark. Still, the offense still can be one of the best in football, so the defense doesn't have to be unstoppable for USC to find success.

Behind USC, there's a huge drop off with a few teams that should be pretty darn decent, but still have plenty of questions to answer and doubters to win over.

Cal could very well be the second-best team in the conference, thanks largely to early Heisman hopeful Jahvid Best. Best is coming off an outstanding 1580-yard season in which he averaged a whopping 8.1 yards per carry. But beyond him, the offense has a ton of uncertainties. The most compelling of those is whether or not Kevin Riley can shore up a quarterback position that was mired by inconsistency in 2008. The only way he and Best can be truly effective is if the offensive line is up to snuff and that unit is missing key pieces from last year's team. The Bears' strength lies in its defense, which returns eight starters, including a very strong and experienced secondary. Cal faces Oregon and USC back-to-back in its fourth and fifth games this season, so we'll know fairly early exactly where the Bears stand.

Oregon, who some believe is actually a better team than Cal and most certainly boasts a better offense, is also in the mix. Their offense is exciting and explosive with double-threat Jeremiah Masoli under center. LeGarrette Blount, who was one of two Duck rushers to top 1,000 yards last season, also returns. Oregon's problem, however, lies in the fact that the program returns the fewest number of starters of any team in the PAC-10 with five on each side of the ball. The defense is also a liability with a very weak secondary that ranked 111th in the nation in passing defense and doesn't figure to be much better this year.

Possibly the most interesting team to watch in the conference this year will be Arizona. They will have to do without Willie Tuitama's 3,000+ yards, 23 touchdowns and 65 percent completion rate and whoever wins the job has some huge shoes to fill. There are some decent weapons on the offense to help out whoever is decided on at QB, but the defense will have to win games. Arizona had a solid unit last year and has a dominating front four that could push the defense over the top and become a premier unit.

The team that will continue to toil is Arizona State. Last year's 5-7 disaster has to be considered the biggest disappointment in the program's history and one of the biggest in the history of the conference. With stars like Rudy Carpenter, Keegan Herring and Michael Jones, the offense still ranked 100th in the league. How well will they do now without those three? Odds are not very well.

Prediction: USC runs away with the conference with an 11-1 regular-season record. You could maybe consider the Trojans for a possible undefeated season, but with a tough week 2 test at Ohio State, followed later by road games against two other PAC-10 programs that want to prove their legitimacy (Cal on Oct. 3, Oregon on Halloween), there's a big chance for a hiccup.

PAC-10 Projected Final Standings
1. USC
2. California
3. Oregon
4. Arizona
5. Oregon State
6. UCLA
7. Arizona State
8. Stanford
9. Washington
10. Washington State

Lee to Phils, VMart next to go?

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Now that the Cleveland Indians have sent Cliff Lee to the Phillies, it looks even more likely Victor Martinez will be next. Why? Phillies catching prospect, Lou Marson was a key piece in the deal. The Indians did very well in my opinion getting Marson, shortstop Jason Donald, and righhanders Carlos Carrasco and Jason Knapp for Lee and Ben Francisco. The Phillies also did very well, picking up a very good lefthanded pitcher without giving up either Kyle Drabek or JA Happ.

Enough Lee talk though. The Indians are now in line to pick up even more top of the line prospects by trading Victor Martinez. The most likely landing spot for VMart is the Boston Red Sox, especially if they're willing to deal Clay Bucholtz. There are other suitors, like the San Fran Giants, but the Red Sox makes the most sense. Martinez would be the long term solution at catcher and could play first base the remainder of this season and next. I don't think the acquisition of Adam LaRoche would impact this deal at all.

That's my prediction, let's see what happens.

Stay classy, Nomar. Stay classy.

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Ok, I will preface this blog with this. I despise Nomar Garciaparra. There are no two ways about it. Even when he was here, I knew what he was - a tremendously talented baseball player with a bad attitude and a chip on his shoulder for all the wrong reasons. He wore the red, white and blue of the Red Sox like it was a burden instead of a privilege. And while he has always insisted he loved the fans in Boston and he loved the team, he never did anything to actually show it, leaving his words resoundingly empty.

For all intents and purposes, the yesterday's ceremony to retire Jim Rice's number was amazing, a moment that will stay etched in my mind forever. I really feel truly blessed to have been there to witness it.

But there was a brief moment where I felt nothing but disgust and sure enough, Nomar Garciaparra was in the middle of it.

For those of you who missed it, let me break it down for you.

After a brief introduction, Rice was introduced to the Fenway Faithful and made his entrance from the overhead door in left field, appropriately, and to a rousing ovation walked down the third-base line towards home plate, passing the Oakland dugout on the way. There were several players stretching and prepping for the game and as Rice passed them, Nomar jumped out in front of him with arms extended as if to say, "Come on, big guy, gimme a hug!"

Rice hugged him, but Nomar didn't let go and actually started rocking back and forth in an awkward exchange that looked like a pair of pre-teen middle schoolers dancing together for the first time at the school social.

Does it seem like much? Maybe not. But it's still a case of Nomar trying to insert himself in someone else's spotlight.

I have no problem with Nomar appreciating Rice and wanting to congratulate him. But how many current and former Red Sox players appreciate Rice and have congratulated him? Probably more than a few. How many of them did it in public, uninvited? One. Nomar wanted everyone to see him congratulate Rice. It would have been one thing if Rice made a point to go over to Nomar and give him a hug. It's the fact that Nomar went out of his way.

Maybe he couldn't stand to see the spotlight on someone else. Maybe it was one more way for Nomar to say, "See? I really do like Boston!" in his somewhat successful attempt to show the lemmings he cares and get their love back. Or maybe he and Rice are friends. I don't know their relationship.

But if they are friends, Nomar should have accepted that this was Rice's moment, stood to the side and let him have it. It's not like there wouldn't be other opportunities both inside the ballpark or outside to give Rice a hug, congratulate him, buy him a beer, whatever. And if he couldn't get a hold of him, Nomar could have called up his good buddy Lou Merloni and gotten hooked up.

It was Rice's moment. And it was an unbelievable one - one that I feel extremely lucky to have been there to see. But a part of me will always remember that moment where the man who couldn't stand to be here, couldn't stand the organization and didn't care about the fans made himself a part of history that honored someone who did all the things Nomar never did.

Stay classy, Nomar. Stay classy.

Vick on a short leash

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Michael Vick's back.

Well, sort of.

The National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell granted the dog-killing Vick to a conditional reinstatement to the league yesterday after the all legs and no accuracy former Atlanta Falcons quarterback served two years in prison for his involvement in the dog fighting ring that quickly become national headlines.

Yes, Vick has paid a very steep price both personally and professionally for many giant off-the-field decisions.

Now, he's getting a chance to get back to his sport and his profession, but Goodell didn't cut Vick much slack.

You would think serving time behind bars in prison would be enough punishment, but Goodell, who clearly wants everyone to know he's in charge of the NFL and wants people to fear him based on his iron-fist rulings, put Vick in a ever-so-tight collar with his stipulations to get back into the league.

Under Goodell's ruling, Vick can partake in training camp (well, if someone wants to sign him and is ready for a media circus throughout the season) and play in the final two preseason games, but can't take the field until Week 6 at the earliest. So basically he's still suspended from the NFL until that time since he can't play in a real game. Well, Goodell could lift that ruling and reinstate him fully before that at any point, but do you really think he will? No, then Goodell will appear soft, and we all know he doesn't want that label like the Indianapolis Colts receivers have.

Is it fair? Personally, I don't think an added sentence is necessary, but Goodell must feel like Vick still has much to prove before he'll let him play again. He's luckier than most, considering he'll still have a job, maybe, right? 

I'm willing to bet Vick knows he's under a microscope and one more bad move and he'll be banned from the league forever. But this structure is what Goodell feels is necessary before Vick can really consider himself back in the league. 

Remember, actions speak louder than words.

There really shouldn't be much complaining from Vick and his camp, considering Goodell could have really been a tough guy and banned him from the league forever. Ask MLB hit dog Pete Rose how it feels to be left out in the cold and banned from the sport he so loves? 

At least for Vick, he is getting another chance.

That leash is tight, but Vick is still breathing!

Agatha Christie is a Jevan Snead fan; SEC preseason picks

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

OK, time to debunk this myth that Tim Tebow is a gift from the Gates of Heaven, and that 22 years ago in Jacksonville there was an Immaculate Conception.

But first, a little trivia...there are two things these guys all have in common. What are they?

-Rex Grossman
-Chris Leak
-Danny Weurffel
-Jesse Palmer
-Shane Matthews
-Kerwin Bell
-Brock Berlin
-Doug Johnson
-Ingle Martin

We in the world of sports media often joke, "must be a slow news week" when something trite, hackneyed or trivial gets blown out of proportion (see: Favre, Brett; Romo, Tony; James, LeBron). As corny as it sounds, this year's SEC Media Day was most definitely a "slow news week".

More specifically, I'm talking about two controversies surrounding Tim Tebow. The first one, in a rather comical moment, involves Tebow channeling his inner A.C. Green. When asked by reporter Clay Travis, author of "On Rocky Top" if he was saving himself for marriage (read between the lines, folks), his quick retort -- with a laugh -- was "Yes, I am...I think you're all stunned right now. I was ready for the question. Y'all weren't."

Of course, it was only a matter of time before the "hey, that's an unethical thing to ask!" wagon got rolling. People, it was a joke question, and it was deliberate through and through. Who cares? Get bent.

The second not-so-mini non-controversy was a whodunit caper. Apparently one of the 12 SEC coaches had the "galls" to pick someone other than Tebow as the first team Preseason All-SEC quarterback.

I, unlike some of our contemporaries in the biz, understand where the heat is coming from. With Lane Kiffin making his hatred of Florida so strong, and so public, the media thought that he was trying to stir things up again. But the story, as many SEC non-controversies tend to do, took on a life of his own.

Let us be reminded here that this is a college football media day gathering, not the sequel to "Gosford Park".

Every SEC coach was asked who he voted for as quarterback. When it turned out Steve Spurrier was the unholy one to commit such a sin, the southern media frig'n lost it. How could such a brash figure be so bold as to NOT agree that Tim Tebow is the best thing to happen to football since Teddy Roosevelt? I mean, this is only GOD'S GIFT TO FOOTBALL. The man preaches at state penitentiaries and does missionary work in the Phillipines. He even once breast-fed an injured flamingo back to full health. You son of a bitch, Steve, you!

Kidding aside, Spurrier handled the controversy about as smoothly as a jackhammer. Rather than man up and say, "Yes, it was me. I'm the one who voted for Jevan Snead, because he's a damn good quarterback who might be the No. 1 overall pick in next year's NFL Draft", he threw his director of football operations under the bus. In blaming his DFB for filling it out, he forgot the part where it's still HIS name on the ballot.

What I want to know, though, is why the media's double standard isn't being played up more. Three media members picked against Tebow for first team All-SEC (two for Snead, one for Arkansas' Ryan Mallett), yet nobody seems interested. I mean, wow, Mallett hasn't even won the starting job over Casey Dick, and somebody already wants to give him a crown? Who's voting in this thing, Roger Clinton?

Here's the truth that Tebow worshippers don't want to hear: he's not exactly a lock as the best quarterback even in his own conference.

Seriously.

Why is that such a hard pill to swallow?

Probably because historically, most Florida quarterbacks go on to endure mediocre careers in the NFL...which leads to my trivia answer. All of the aforementioned quarterbacks played at Florida within the last 15 seasons, and not one ever came close to making a Pro Bowl.

Tebow, coincidentally, may or may not project well in the NFL, depending on who you ask. Some believe his throwing motion needs to be tweaked out, and sped up, if he's going to be successful in the pros. Others feel he needs to improve on his accuracy -- the spread option, as Vince Young's career can attest, is not the greatest indicator of throwing ability. Others are skeptical as to whether he belongs at quarterback at the next level. Nobody, however, questions his leadership skills, which may lead to these misconceptions that Tebow is, in fact, God.

Snead, on the other hand, is almost a lock to go in the first 10-15 picks of next spring's draft if he chooses to forgo his final year of eligibilty. He has the tools to be a quality starter in the pros, with better mechanics, better zip on the ball, and a mean streak that rivals Tebow's. Some are even comparing him to another famous Ole Miss signal-caller -- Eli Manning -- minus the part about getting rattled and acting like a crybaby. Everyone sees him as a quarterback, and a starter, if and when he makes it to the NFL.

Not to mention, the Rebels delivered Florida its lone loss last season.

How's that for Deity?

***

The best and worst thing about covering the SEC is that Mike Finebaum and Gregg Doyel also cover the SEC. The good? Endless opportunities to have fun at somebody else's expense. The bad? I now have to read their columns.

I'll have a full breakdown later in the week, but for now let me throw my opinions on a couple other league issues, followed by my All-SEC first and second teams.

-- Sorry for being late to the ball game on this one, but Auburn's hiring of Gene Chizik as its new head coach is questionable -- but it's certainly not racist.

(Deadspin even speculated that Turner Gill wasn't hired because he's married to a white woman, another reason why I'd love to throw down hand-to-hand with A.J. "Classless Clown" Daulerio. I mean, look at this pipsqueak)

I think we take for granted how hard it is to win at Iowa State. First off, the northern Prairie is by no means a recruiting hotbed (which makes what Tom Osborne did at Nebraska all the more special). USC has Los Angeles. Florida has Florida. Texas has Texas. Michigan has Detroit. Notre Dame has Catholics across the country. What does Iowa have, farmers and cornstalks? And not to mention, all the decent in-state recruits end up in Iowa City, not Ames, by virtue of the Hawkeyes' rugged history. Recruting wise, there isn't enough talent to supply two major Division 1 programs.

Second of all, as a defensive coordinator Chizik won a national title in 2005 with Texas and was robbed of one in 2004 with Auburn. He clearly has an idea of what he's doing. Give him a supporting staff and he can make your defense nasty.

Third, Chizik has already assembled a Top 20 class for 2010. While I have no doubt Turner Gill would do very well recruiting in the SEC, what with his Texas roots and the amazing job he's done at Buffalo, Chizik clearly isn't bad, either.

In short, Chizik wasn't a racist pick. Just a safe one. Don't look too far into the racist undertones -- despite Chizik's tenure at Iowa State, he's more qualified than you'd think.

-- Memo to former Tennessee and UNC assistant Paul Gonnella: if you're reading this, call me. Seriously, ever since you left the Vols late last month for reasons still unconfirmed, you've been an absolute ghost. Where are you, Torah Borah?

For the uninitiated, let me warn you that I might be a little bit of a homer for Gonnella. When I was first hired to cover football at the Globe, he was a young, eager ball of energy heading a Cambridge High team that, in most years, is Godawful. Not to mention, being in the Greater Boston League you have to play Everett every year.

We immediately clicked, and over the fall he became one of my best sources and closest confidants. While other high school coaches had other commitments keeping them asleep at night like, oh, teaching, Paul and I were up til midnight, sometimes 1, chatting about all sorts of football-related stuff -- who's good, who's overrated, and why the spread is the greatest thing ever.

Gonnella ended up sending four kids D-1 in his three years there, including Josh Adams (UNC) and Ray Doucette (Bryant), before hopping aboard at UNC. I like to believe he also had a big hand in Catholic Memorial's Brennan Williams scratching Michigan off his official visit list and picking the Tar Heels.

He then came over this past January to Tennessee, and for some reason we started talking less and less. Word is he had a falling out with Lane Kiffin. And with that, Kiffin lost a good recruiting connect up here (not that there's much talent in Massachusetts to begin with, but still...I mean, they did offer Blake Barker from Wellesley last March).

So anyways, that's my friendship with Paul. But dude, if you're reading this, freaking call me.

Even if it's 2 a.m.

PRESEASON ALL-SEC PICKS

First Team Offense

QB - Jevan Snead, Jr., Ole Miss (Yep, I'm calling it)
RB - Mark Ingram, Soph., Alabama
RB - Chad Scott, Sr., LSU
WR - Julio Jones, Soph., Alabama
WR - AJ Green, Soph., Georgia
TE - Aaron Hernandez, Jr., Florida
C - Ryan Pugh, Jr., Auburn
OL - Maurkice Pouncey, Jr., Florida
OL - Mike Johnson, Sr., Alabama
OL - Ciron Black, Sr., LSU
OL - John Jerry, Sr., Ole Miss
ATH - Javier Arenas, Sr., Alabama
K - Joshua Shene, Sr., Ole Miss

First Team Defense

DL - Terrence Cody, Sr., Alabama
DL - Malcolm Sheppard, Sr., Arkansas
DL - Jermaine Cunningham, Sr., Florida
DL - Antonio Coleman, Sr., Auburn
LB - Brandon Spikes, Sr., Florida
LB - Rolando McClain, Jr., Alabama
LB - Jamar Chaney, Sr., Mississippi State
DB - Trevard Lindley, Sr., Kentucky
DB - Myron Lewis, Sr., Vanderbilt
DB - Eric Berry, Jr., Tennessee
DB - Chad Jones, Jr., LSU
P - Spencer Lanning, Jr., South Carolina

Second Team Offense

QB - Tim Tebow, Sr., Florida
RB - Michael Smith, Sr., Arkansas
RB - Bryce Brown, Fr., Tennessee
WR - Dexter McCluster, Sr., Ole Miss
WR - Brandon LaFell, Sr., LSU
TE - D.J. Williams, Jr., Arkansas
C - Ben Jones, Soph., Georgia
OL - Clint Boling, Jr., Georgia
OL - Mike Pouncey, Jr., Florida
OL - Lee Ziemba, Jr., Auburn
OL - Reilly Lauer, Jr., Vanderbilt
ATH - Brandon James, Sr., Florida
K - Leigh Tiffin, Sr., Alabama

Second Team Defense

DL - Geno Atkins, Sr., Georgia
DL - Carlos Dunlap, Jr., Florida
DL - Dan Williams, Sr., Tennessee
DL - Jeremy Jarmon, Sr., Kentucky
LB - Eric Norwood, Sr., South Carolina
LB - Micah Johnson, Sr., Kentucky
LB - Rico McCoy, Sr., Tennessee
DB - Joe Haden, Jr., Florida
DB - Major Wright, Jr., Florida
DB - Rashard Jones, Jr., Georgia
DB - Dennis Rogan, Jr., Tennessee
P - Chas Henry, Jr., Florida