Durand makes the active roster for Titans

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

There's no substitute for hard work.

A friend of Fan Fanatic Sports, Ryan Durand, is a perfect example of that.

The second-year Tennessee Titans guard, who spent all of his rookie season on the Titans' practice squad, officially made the 53-man roster in his second season.

Obviously, Fan Fanatic Sports would like to congratulate Durand on working hard and getting rewarded with a roster spot.

Durand, who played his high school football at St. Bernard's Central Catholic High School (in Fitchburg, Mass.) and Syracuse University, is listed as the backup behind starter Jake Scott at right guard and the third-stringer at left guard.

The 6-foot-5, 301-pound Durand is an athletic offensive lineman and is known for his tremendous smarts on the gridiron.

Take a look at Durand's bio on the Titans' web site.

Here is the Titans' roster for 2010.

Again, congrats Ryan on a job well done.

Best of luck this season.

PHOTO CREDIT /TENNESSEE TITANS

Pierre Woods proves he's a class act

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Normally, the first reaction when someone gets cut from any team in any league is the player is upset.

Some will blast an organization in the media, others will avoid comment (which means they are ticked off) and some simply don't care because they know they'll get picked up by another team.

In the case of New England Patriots linebacker Pierre Woods, he should be praised for his professionalism after he was released by coach Bill Belichick.

Woods, a solid pro who did his job and was very productive on special teams and in certain cases as a fill-in linebacker, proved to me that he's a stand-up guy and one that actually appreciated the Patriots giving him a job years ago as an undrafted free agent.

Woods' fanfare isn't like the success story of a Kurt Warner (from stock boy, to Arena League to NFL MVP), but he's a guy that's all positive and no negative as far as attitude and willingness to be a total team player.

If you're not familiar with what Woods said about the Patriots organization, take a look here.

Woods appreciated the ride, respected the organization and obviously is leaving on very good terms, even though he was basically told that he wasn't good enough to be on the roster.

Woods could have easily blasted the organization, bad-mouthed players and the fans, but he took the high road. He showed his true character -- a class act on and off the field.

Wish there were more guys like that in the NFL and all of professional sports.

Take a hike Burgess

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Patriots made their final cuts today to get down to the mandatory 53-man roster limit.

And while there weren't many shockers as far as cuts -- not like Arizona releasing quarterback Matt Leinart -- the biggest name to get his walking papers was Derrick Burgess.

The outside linebacker, who was clearly a major bust last season and apparently considered retiring in the offseason, isn't going to be a big loss anyway.

Burgess was brought here to rush the quarterback, but his five sacks last year just didn't and aren't going to cut it. Burgess became a liability anyway, since teams this preseason continually ran to his side and he couldn't do a darn thing about it. Burgess couldn't stop the run and didn't seem to want to for that matter. I can see if he was so outstanding at sacking the QB that holding the edge on running plays wasn't a top priority, but Burgess proved he couldn't do either.

In the end, the Patriots coaching staff knew it was time to cut bait. It really says something about the player when one of the Pats' weaknesses is getting pressure on the QB, and a guy they cut has been known as a edge rusher his whole career.

Well, maybe now you can officially retire Burgess.

The other decent name to be cut by the Pats was Sam Aiken, the Patriots' special teams captain. Granted, Aiken has been a special teams star, but he simply doesn't offer enough (face it, he's not a good receiver) on offense to warrant a roster spot. I love guys that can play special teams and Aiken would get a spot if he was better than any other receiver on the team, but he's not. So, in the end, Aiken was let go but I know he won't be out of work for long.

Check out this link for the complete list of Patriots cuts.

Pats Notebook: Who is the running back in New England?

By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Here are some quick thoughts about the New England Patriots and the upcoming season.
Preseason is a joke
Thank God the preseason is over. Really, does any player want to have to compete in four preseason games, which are also meaningless to the fans. Every preseason, players drop like flies due to season-ending injuries, and the Patriots felt that with the loss of top cornerback Leigh Bodden.
I want some Maroney
OK, I’m back to defending my man Laurence Maroney. It appears as though he won’t be the starting tailback this season (but he’s still listed as the starter on the depth chart on patriots.com, interesting), at least the numbers say so since he’s touched the ball very little and he hasn’t been starting. Listen, I like Fred Taylor (in his Jacksonville days) and SammyMorris is a nice complimentary back, and Kevin Faulk is the best third-down back in the league, but why is Maroney in the doghouse? Or is he? It seems like it, considering it’s a common theme every year under coach Bill Belichick anyway. Maroney is what he is: He’s not flashy, but he’s proven to be serviceable and effective when given the chance to succeed. Yes, I know he’s had fumbling issues in the past and he doesn’t hit the hole quite as hard as some fans would like to see, but he’s the best back in this group in New England and I’d like to see him get his touches to add a stabilizing force into this running game. I know it’s going to be by committee, but I honestly still believe that Maroney is the best back the Patriots have. I know, if you’re reading this, you think I’m crazy, but look past the jitterbug style Maroney has before he hits the hole because once he gets there he runs hard, puts his head down and tries to lower a boom on a defender. He’s not soft, I’m not buying that. He wasn’t soft in college and he isn’t soft here. What are the coaches looking for as their lead back, anyway? I guess that’s the better question.
More weapons for Brady
Second-round pick Rob Gronkowski, a tight end, appears to be the real deal. Yes, he’s a rookie and it’s natural that he’s going to make mistakes, but he’s a real threat in this passing game. Just watch how he operates and runs past defenders. It’s amazing. And, oh, watch him catch the football – with his hands, no body catches with Gronkowski. This kid is going to be real good. Rookie Aaron Hernandez, if he can stay healthy, also has sure hands and is another coverage nightmare for defenders.
Welker sure looks good
Wes Welker says he’s not 100 percent and doesn’t feel great yet, but from the naked eye I can’t tell that he’s coming off major knee surgery. Welker is a perfectionist and I respect that. Don’t worry about the knee, he’s going to be just fine …I hope.
The cornerback situation is a little concerning. That’s not based on talent, either, it’s more based on a lack of experience with rookie first-rounder Devin McCourty and second-year player Darius Butler. They’ve got the speed to keep up with the best receivers in the game, but they lack wisdom and that always shows against the savvy veterans in the league.
Double trouble
If you want the best duo of young, aggressive and talented inside linebackers with tremendous upside, the Pats have them with Jerod Mayo and rookie Brandon Spikes. Good luck running into the gut of the Patriots defense with those two brick walls. Tight ends getting behind those two for big plays in the passing game, well, that’s a totally different stories.
Great hair
Everyone has an opinion on Tom Brady’s hair, you either like it or want him to cut it off. For me, I don’t care, just don’t throw picks and keep chucking touchdowns. If he’s not vintage Brady, watch the wackos talk about how his long flowing locks are the reason for his so-so play.

The Patriots D scares me

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Patriots defense scares the living heck out of me. I live by the old cliche that defense wins championships. If that is the case, than the Patriots have no chance of winning the Super Bowl. Before any of you out there start yelling at me, I know the Patriots played a "vanilla", or base 3-4 defense throughout the majority of the preseason. I know that, and that's not what I'm basing my opinion on. I'm basing my opinion on several important factors.

1. Proven starters on defense - Vince Wilfork is the only proven starter on defense for the Patriots. You can say what you want about Brandon Merriweather, but if anything he's been a very inconsistent player. He shouldn't have made the pro bowl last year, and I really think he's a bit overrated at this point. That doesn't mean I don't like him, or think he can be a very good player in the NFL. Same thing goes for Jerod Mayo. He showed great promise his rookie season, but was injured a good portion of last season. I'd actually say he's their 2nd best player on defense, but he's still young and untested for the most part.

2. Lack of Pass Rush - I'm not talking about sacks here. I am talking about the ability to put pressure on the quarterback. You don't necessarily have to sack the quarterback, and agree with BB that sacks numbers are overrated. Besides Tully Banta-Cain, who had 5 of his team leading 10 sacks against the Bills last year, who else will provide the pass rush? Derrick Burgess maybe, but don't count on the likes of Gerard Warren, Mike Wright or Ron Brace from the defensive line position.

3. Defensive Secondary - Long term I love the Pats secondary. After hating the Devin McCourty pick, I think he looks like a legit NFL corner. I love his size, his toughness and nose for the ball. I also realize how hard it is to play corner in the NFL as a rookie. I like Darius Butler, but having a rookie and 2nd year man at the corners scares me. Merriweather is a good safety, but needs to be consistent with his play. After struggling to start his rookie season, I really like the strides Patrick, don't call me Eugene, Chung has made. Ultimately the lack of pass rush will lead to struggles for the secondary. I do expect them to improve as the season goes on and they learn to play together.

Even with all that, I predict the Patriots to go 10-6 this season and narrowly win the AFC East yet again. I'm not sold on the Jets, and actually think the Dolphins may be a bigger threat in the division. The offense will be so good they'll help win games when the defense lets them down. Unfortunately, you might see the same thing happen in the playoffs as last years debacle against the Ravens. Because I try to be a positive guy, I want to end on a high note. The Pats have made some very good draft picks on defense in the past two years. I like Butler, Chung, McCourty and Spikes. I look forward to seeing what Jermaine Cunningham can do when he gets healthy. He may be able to add some help to the pass rush. Ron Brace, after being a disaster his rookie season, really showed us something this preseason. Just like the secondary, the Pats defense could return to their glory days in the years to come, especially since they have 2 first round and 2 second round picks next season.

All we can do now is hold on for the wild ride of the NFL season.

Here's What I Have To Say

By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Here's what I have to say about the world of sports.

1. Man, the New England Patriots look pretty good so far. I know it's only preseason and I shouldn't put much stock in it, but the Pats appear to have some pretty nice pieces in place, including rookies and young guys that are being counted on to produce in order for them to be a playoff team, or better yet a Super Bowl contender.
2. Roger Clemens, guilty or innocent? Wonder if I'll be able to visit the Rocket when he goes behind bars? Still love the guy, however. Best pitcher I'll see in my lifetime.
3. Tim Tebow, like him or hate him? Better questions is: Will he be a good pro quarterback? You know my stance, still.
4. Shaq wearing Green. I like it, but aren't we all wondering just how much the big man has left in the tank? If his minutes are monitored, I still think he can be productive in the low post. It's not like anyone can move him out of the way, either.
5. Who's your preseason pick to win the Vince Lombardi trophy? I'm still not waivering with my Baltimore Ravens pick.
6. Brett Favre might be all about himself, but there aren't many other quarterbacks that are better than him currently in the league (Brady, Manning, Brees, Rivers and Rodgers, no doubt are).
7. I still don't believe that the Red Sox are toast. With the staff they have, you can't bury them yet. Or can you?
8. Yankees or Rays? Who will win the AL East? Stay tuned. If the Yankees can get Andy Pettitte back in the rotation pretty soon, I'm saying Yankees. If not, Rays win the division and Yanks will be the wild card.
9. No. 1 pick in all Fantasy Football Drafts should be Chris Johnson from the Titans. But he's also my burnout player of the year candidate because he got worked over last year. Remember the Dirty Bird himself, Jamal Anderson, who blew out his knees after toting the pigskin way too much in one season for the Atlanta Falcons. I don't wish injuries on anyone, but Johnson owners might be a tad worried this season.
10. Can anyone explain to me how the Cowboys are the sexy pick to win the NFC crown and potentially win the Super Bowl? Romo is still the signal-caller on the 'Boys, right? Enough said.

Thank God football is finally here

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Excuse me if I had a little bit more spring in my step all day long.

Well, football will do that to me.

Just think about it. If I'm jumping around like a jack rabbit about watching preseason football, imagine what I'm like when the regular season begins?

Anyway, just like Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll always likes to say, right now I'm "Pumped and jacked."

Granted, I love Major League Baseball, but there's just something about that pigskin that puts an instant smile on my face.

These offseasons just get longer and longer, don't they? I know they're not, but it sure seems like that when you wish 12 months out of the year featured the NFL.

Watching the football get thrown around by Tom Brady last night quickly got me into the holiday spirit. Yes, football season is a holiday. Some like Christmas (so do I), but I also get giddy over football.

The ball is currently in motion. Now, I'm already thinking fantasy football, checking out patriots.com for the latest gear being sold, and I'm already thinking regular season.

The season is almost here, and it might seem weird to some, but I'm already counting down the days until the opening kickoff on Sept. 12 at home vs. Terrell Owens and the Bengals.

I am pumped and jacked. I know Pete Carroll knows how I feel.