Of course, Manning never winged a football through goal posts from midfield while on one knee, which I imagine made Boller an even more attractive prospect in Billick's mind. Whatever, neither Boller nor Billick worked out in Baltimore and now one is the backup quarterback for the Rams and the other is an in-booth NFL analyst for Fox.
St. Louis will face Manning and the Colts this week, and Boller, for the first time in his career, looks like a Pro Bowl quarterback. Via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Kyle Orton doesn't have Jay Cutler's franchise quarterback pedigree. He was taken in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, two years after the Bears had invested a first-round pick in Rex Grossman. And, from the beginning, his role was clear: a raw, strong-armed talent, who would spend the first few seasons on the bench learning the nuances of what it means to be an NFL quarterback.
That lasted up till the moment Grossman broke his ankle in a 2005 preseason game. At the time, head coach Lovie Smithtold the AP that "I don't know exactly who there is out there but we like the guys we have right now ... Chad Hutchinson is a good player, we feel comfortable starting him, and Kyle Orton continues to shine as far as we're concerned."
In a shocking development, Brett Favre is back in the news. Apparently, it doesn't matter if he's pretend retired or legitimately done with football, he refuses to go away.
Shortly after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided to part ways with head coach Jon Gruden, Buccaneers players from past and present began taking a place in line for an opportunity to sound off on their former boss. The word "scumbag" was used, while several players suggested that he was, for the most part, a two-faced liar that would tell them one thing and end up doing the exact opposite.
Gruden has remained relatively silent on the matter, but opened up in an interview with Chris Harry of the Orlando Sentinel. Among the topics discussed: the spread offense, Tim Tebow and how a person responds to being called a "scumbag."
The New England Patriots are going to have quite a decision to make this offseason regarding the future of their quarterback situation. Tom Brady's knee remains a gigantic unanswered question, while Matt Cassel, his replacement during the 2008 season, is an unrestricted free agent and no doubt has dollar signs dancing around in his dreams.
With Brady's status still uncertain, there's been talk of potentially franchising Cassel -- which would pay him in the neighborhood of $14 million in 2009 -- or, perhaps, even signing him to a long-term contract creating a Joe Montana-Steve Young tag-team duo. Or, they could just put faith in Brady's knee being ready for training camp and wave goodbye to Cassel. Either way, it's a tough call and I'm glad I don't have to make it.
Fresh off an epic fourth quarter collapse against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs are plodding along at a steady 2-12 pace, staring another top-five draft pick right in the face. The man making that draft pick, normally, would be general manager Carl Peterson, who has been running the ship out in Kansas City since the 1989 season.
After this season, that will no longer be the case.
Peterson announced today that he is stepping down from his position, effective once this season ends. Here's a statement from Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, courtesy of Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star:
"On behalf of my family and the entire Kansas City Chiefs organization, I want to thank Carl for his two decades of service to the Chiefs," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. "Both Carl and I agreed that immediately initiating the search for the next Chiefs general manager would be the best thing for the future of the organization, and he will be resigning following the 2008 season.''
Roy Williams, the former Lions first-round pick, was saved from the Debaclement in Detroit earlier this season when the team traded him to the Cowboys. Of course, Williams' brought the luck of the Lions with him because soon after he arrived Tony Romo broke his pinky.
After a fast start, the Cowboys are now 5-4, last in the division and are long shots for the postseason. Romo returns next week, so there's that, but Williams is understandably exasperated after catching just three passes in three games and being used mostly as a third-down receiver.
When you win eight gold medals at one Olympics, you get to do a lot of neat stuff when you get home. SI covers, Corn Flakes boxes, Speedo deals and media demands.
Of course, it is always dicey when an athlete hosts SNL. Some do really well (Peyton Manning) while others have come off bland (LeBron James). Some just stunk up the joint (Lance Armstrong).
Others have had iconic appearances. There was Michael Jordan hanging with Stuart Smalley ... Tom Brady in "Sexual Harassment and You" skit ... and Joe Montana as a chronic masturbator. Let's see what the writers can come up with for the great Olympian.
Michael Phelps is a bit of an unknown. Aside from the fact that he's a ridiculous swimmer, we don't too much about his personality. I guess we'll find out in a few weeks.
During his senior season at Concord De La Salle High School last fall, quarterback Nate Montana didn't exactly set the world on fire. He was the third-stringer, and he finished the season 12-of-19 for 166 yards and one touchdown passing, plus 33 yards on 17 carries running.
But when your dad is Joe Montana, maybe the greatest quarterback ever to play the game, people look at you and see potential. So 30 years after Joe Montana's senior season at Notre Dame, Nate Montana is following in his footsteps and will be a walk-on for the Fighting Irish. Joe says there was no pressure on his end:
"In the end I told him, 'Look, don't go to school for me, don't go to school for mom, you got to do what you got to do and go to the school you'll be happiest at if football doesn't work out,'" Joe Montana says, "and he chose Notre Dame."
Although some Notre Dame fans will be excited just to see the name "Montana" on the roster, it's certainly not realistic to think that Nate can be the kind of player his father was, and it's probably not even realistic to think Nate will play in anything more than mop-up duty. Then again, Joe Montana came to South Bend as the seventh-string quarterback. Things turned out OK for him.
Kim Moses, the ex-wife of Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, recently auctioned off several personal possessions that once belonged to him, and now things like their marriage certificate; a letter he wrote her on a Ziggy card; an "I Love You" note; and a letter Montana wrote to Moses's parents detailing his first year playing for Notre Dame are available for everyone's perusal on The Smoking Gun.
Montana, 51, claims that the sale of the assorted items--which were auctioned last weekend by a Dallas, Texas firm--violated his copyright and privacy rights. In a U.S. District Court complaint, Montana names Kim Moses, his first wife, and Heritage Auction as defendants.
Montana has been a private person since his retirement, and it's understandable that he's mad that his ex made a nice chunk of change from memorabilia collectors. But all of those possessions belonged to her, which is why, unless there's something specifically in their divorce decree prohibiting such sales, he's likely to lose this case.
Seattle Seahawks' Matt Hasselbeck throws a pass as the Seahawks opened mini-camp at the team's practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' Matt Hasselbeck throws a pass as the Seahawks opened football mini-camp at their facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, left, calls signals during football mini-camp at the team's practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck stretches as the team opened mini-camp at their football practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck watches as the team opened mini-camp at their football practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' linebacker Julian Peterson, left, and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck run through drills as the NFL football team held minicamp at the team practice facility in Kirkland, Wash., on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, center, prepares to throw as the NFL football team held minicamp at the team practice facility in Kirkland, Wash., on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
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** FILE ** In this July 27, 2006 file photo, Cleveland Browns linebacker Willie McGinest stretches during morning practice at the Browns football training camp in Berea, Ohio. Browns linebacker Willie McGinest says the 2008 season will be his last. McGinest told SI.com for a story Thursday, May 8, 2008, that he wants to finish his career on one last playoff run. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)
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Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, left, puts his helmet as they opened mini-camp at the team's football practice facility in Kirkland, Wash. on Friday, May 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
AP
** FILE ** This July 26, 2007 file photo shows Michael Vick leaving the federal courthouse in Richmond, Va. A federal judge ordered imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick to repay more than $2.4 million to a Canadian bank for defaulting on a loan, Wednesday May 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, Pool, File)
This is what Brian Billick had in mind when he traded back into the first round of the 2003 draft to take Kyle Boller: the next Peyton Manning. 
Kyle Orton
Shortly after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided to part ways with head coach 
The New England Patriots are going to have quite a decision to make this offseason regarding the future of their quarterback situation. 
When you win eight gold medals at one Olympics, you get to do a lot of neat stuff when you get home. SI covers, Corn Flakes boxes, Speedo deals and media demands.
During his senior season at Concord De La Salle High School last fall, quarterback Nate Montana didn't exactly set the world on fire. He was the third-stringer, and he finished the season 12-of-19 for 166 yards and one touchdown passing, plus 33 yards on 17 carries running. 
Kim Moses, the ex-wife of Hall of Fame quarterback 
