NCAA record-setting quarterback Graham Harrell has seen his career take some unthinkable twists during these last nine months.
Who could blame Harrell if he felt cursed?
The former Texas Tech quarterback went from being a serious Heisman Trophy contender to not even being invited to New York. It was thought he might be Mike Leach's breakthrough quarterback and perhaps go in the first or second round of April's NFL Draft, but he never heard his name called during the two-day draft.
Doug Flutie and Vinny Testaverde ain't walkin' through that door. Not yet, anyway. It's May, the first round of minicamps are over, and the Patriots are still without a veteran backup quarterback.
Just like the previous two years when Matt Cassel served as Tom Brady's understudy. And last fall when Cassel started 15 games after Bernard Pollard blew up Brady's knee 15 minutes into the 2008 season. But this summer is different; New England traded Cassel to Kansas City and despite a glut of available veteran free-agent quarterbacks, the Patriots decided to keep it in-house.
One of the most intriguing prospects in this weekend's NFL draft is West Virginia quarterback Pat White. A sensational athlete, White dominated the Big East during his college career and enters this weekend as a man without a position. Can he overcome his lack of size and succeed as a quarterback in the NFL? Will he became the latest quarterback-to-wide receiver project and follow in the footsteps of players like Antwaan Randle-El? Or will he bring back the "Slash" position, combined with the recent fad that is the wildcat offense, and become a unique weapon that gives opposing defensive coordinators fits?
One of the unintended consequences of releasing Terrell Owens is that now there's no one around to take the focus off Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips. (On the upside, the offense is now "Romo-friendly," so there's that.) In previous seasons, Phillips' shortcomings were partly overshadowed by anything T.O. might do, no matter how seemingly benign.
At the annual NFL meetings earlier this week, Phillips offered this thoughts on how long it takes to evaluate a head coach. (Presumably, his response is autobiographical, though he could've been speaking in generalities.)
Tom Brady's season ended back in Week 1 and he spent the next four months having knee surgery and mustering the courage to ask for his ladyfriend's hand in marriage.
Good news: SHE SAID YES. Bad news: Brady's rehab is behind schedule, which could complicate the Patriots' offseason quarterbackin' plans. Specifically: what to do with Matt Cassel, Brady's backup who has fared surprisingly well as the starter.
Jason Whitlock and Jeff George go way back. High school teammates at Warren Central in Indianapolis, they took separate paths after graduation (Whitlock to Ball State, and later sports journalism; George to the University of Illinois before being the first-overall pick in the 1990 NFL draft). But through it all, Whitlock has been one of George's loudest -- and most persistent -- supporters.
Take this Page 2 column from October 2002 that begins: "Being Jeff George's No. 1 fan is perhaps the most emotionally draining job in sports." There are otherexamples, of course, which help paint a portrait of a man who really loves George. So much, in fact, that in his most recent Kansas City Star column, Whitlock lobbied for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick to sign his former high school teammate. And he wasn't kidding.
Bill, I'm not crazy. Yes, I'm in the tank for Jeff George. We grew up together on the east side of Indianapolis, and we take loyalty very, very seriously.
He's not perfect. He mishandled his career and talent. But the dude is 40 now and still wants to play. He can get the ball to Randy Moss and stretch a defense.
Matt Cassel can't carry you for a full season. You need a veteran backup who can fill in when Cassel struggles or carry the load for a game or two.
According to Al Michaels during tonight's Sunday Night Football telecast, New England will workout Chris Simms, presumably tomorrow. What this means for Cassel's immediate future is uncertain, but after spending three years in this offense, I can't imagine he'd lose his job in a few weeks to a street free agent. Then again, we're talking about a guy who's been riding the pine ever since he left high school, so nothing's outside the realm of possibility.
No idea if the Patriots will have other quarterbacks in to compete for a roster spot, but, frankly, I'm shocked that Doug Flutie or Vinny Testaverde weren't first on Bill Belichick's "in case of emergency" list. They know the offense, are virtually indestructible, and Flutie can even drop-kick in a pinch.
Oh, and if you haven't heard, Peter King announced on "Football Night in America" that Tom Brady is the NFL. We must find a way to carry on, however; Tom would want it that way, I think.
Remember when that sports blog TMZ broke the news that Tom Brady, in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, was seen limping around New York City in an air cast?
That may or may not have affected his performance against the Giants (the Patriots' o-line's pass-blocking-optional game plan probably didn't help), but here we are, some seven months later, and Brady's foot is still a topic of conversation. The best quarterback this world has ever seen missed New England's preseason opener against the Ravens, and Tommy Terrific won't be traveling to Tampa Bay to take part in tonight's matchup against the Buccaneers.
Brady will remain in New England, presumably to get treatment on his foot, which might be the same one that was troubling him in February. Unless it's the other one.
Brady, whose injured right foot was a hot topic of discussion last January when he was spotted in New York City wearing a protective boot, did not practice on Friday.
It is unknown which foot is now causing Brady problems.
Brady told media members on Wednesday that he was looking forward to playing in the preseason at some point. When asked how he would feel about not taking a snap in the preseason, Brady, who did not play in the preseason opener, said that wasn't an issue because he expected to play.
After Tom Brady's implosion against the Giants in the Super Bowl, the Patriots apparently have more holes to fill than just at linebacker and in the secondary. Bill Belichick hasn't been able to talk Doug Flutie out of retirement, even with the promise of a chance to win a starting job. Sure, Matt Cassel's on the team, but let's be honest, he was a career college backup for a reason: he's not very good.
Which is why the Patriots will look for their next franchise quarterback via the draft. It's no secret that Belichick is unhappy with all of Brady's off-field exploits* and is looking to phase him out of the offense. So who are potential options? Well, New England has the seventh-overall pick and if Matt Ryan's still on the board he has to be a possibility. More likely, though, Ryan will be long gone and the Pats will look for a quarterback in Round 2. And that explains this:
The Patriots recently sent a high-ranking member of their coaching staff to meet with [University of San Diego's Josh] Johnson for a private workout. Scouts often say that Division I-AA players must dominate if they are to receive serious NFL consideration, and Johnson did that [in college].
Public service announcement. Plus the promise of Thursday night college football should stir the insides of any red-blooded American. We're only what, six months away now?
August 28: North Carolina State @ South Carolina & Oregon State @ Stanford September 4: South Carolina @ Vanderbilt September 11: North Carolina @ Rutgers September 18: West Virginia @ Colorado September 25: USC @ Oregon State October 2: Pittsburgh @ USF October 9: Clemson @ Wake Forest October 16: Florida State @ North Carolina State October 23: Auburn @ West Virginia October 30: USF @ Cincinnati November 6: Maryland @ Virginia Tech November 13: Virginia Tech @ Miami (FL) November 20: Miami (FL) @ Georgia Tech November 27 (Thanksgiving): Texas A&M @ Texas December 4: Louisville @ Rutgers
NCAA record-setting quarterback Graham Harrell has seen his career take some unthinkable twists during these last nine months.
Doug Flutie and Vinny Testaverde ain't walkin' through that door. Not yet, anyway. It's May, the first round of minicamps are over, and the Patriots are still without a veteran backup quarterback. 
One of the unintended consequences of releasing Terrell Owens is that now there's no one around to take the focus off Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips. (On the upside, the offense is now "Romo-friendly," so there's that.) In previous seasons, Phillips' shortcomings were partly overshadowed by anything T.O. might do, no matter how seemingly benign. 
Public service announcement. Plus the promise of Thursday night college football should stir the insides of any red-blooded American. We're only what, six months away now?
