The NBA has established itself as the most successful league to integrate itself with social media. The league itself is one of recognizable stars, so it only makes sense that these players further their personal brands through means like Twitter and... ahem... UStream. It's a great opportunity for players to connect with their fans in a meaningful way, on their own terms. As long as they use it responsibly and don't do anything to draw undo negative attention to themselves, it's nothing but a win-win.
In completely unrelated news, Michael Beasley did something that doesn't look too bright right now. Why, do you ask?
Retired NFL quarterback Trent Green is the first-ever guest columnist of MMQB, filling in while Peter King is on vacation. Green provided an interesting read on subjects relating to the league's personal conduct policy, concussions and the expanded season. And of course it wouldn't be a MMQB without a healthy dose of Favre thrown in for good measure.
Two years ago, Drew Bennett was one of the most heavily touted targets of a pretty lackluster free agent wide receiver crop. The Rams managed to outbid several other teams for the ex-Titan, snagging the big receiver with a six-year, $30-million deal.
In hindsight it was one of the dumber moves the Rams have made in a while. The Rams let Bennett go on Wednesday, even though it will save them only $50,000 on the salary cap. In essence, St. Louis decided that it would be better off without Bennett, even though it would have cost them very little to keep him.
Scott Pioli is tasked with turning around the Chiefs, a franchise that backed into the playoffs in 2006 but has since won just six times in 32 tries.
There are reasons for optimism, however; Kansas City's 2008 draft class was one of the best in recent memory; Dwayne Bowe is quickly becoming one of the AFC's best wideouts; and Tyler Thigpen, a draft-day afterthought with the Vikings in '07, played like a legit NFL quarterback for most of the season. And, of course, Pioli is now running the show.
Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds. Here's Week 12 at a glance, where we point out the horses destined for the Kentucky Derby and jeer those headed to the glue factory.
Studs
Matt Cassel and Randy Moss, New England (8 connections, 125 yards, 3 TDs) -- This team is starting to look a lot like 2007 if you ask me. Cassel has become comfortable, and is riding the huge wave named confidence to victory after dominating victory. Moss put out 100 percent on his routes, caught some beautiful passes from No. 16, who had himself a pretty decent game. Cassel has thrown for 815 yards and six touchdowns, and ran for one, in the last two weeks. I know Varsity Blues is a movie but if Gisele ends up leaving Tom Brady for the USC product I wouldn't be the least surprised. "Hey Tom ... I don't want, your life."
I don't care if the Lions go 0-16 -- and they probably will. There is no way they are worse than the St. Louis Rams. The Chicago Bears dominated every facet of the game this week, but the Rams are getting pretty used to being embarrassed, as this is the third straight week they've faced a deficit of at least 21 points at halftime. The score could have been much worse, but the Bears completely shut it down in the second half.
I believe the overall futility of the team was nicely summed up at the 11:15 mark of the fourth quarter. The Rams were trailing by 24 points, and faced a 4th-and-2 from the Bears' 28-yard line. It would have done very little to impact the game if they tacked on three points. Regardless, Jim Haslett sent out the field goal unit. The crowd booed quite loudly -- it was actually the most noise made by Rams' fans all game -- so Haslett reacted and sent the offense back out on the field. Only now they didn't have enough time on the play clock to run a play, so they had to use a timeout.
After the timeout, the Rams did gain the first down, but then threw an interception a few plays later.
Sunday, after the game, Jim Haslett wondered aloud whether or not he'd move forward with Marc Bulger or Trent Green as his quarterback. You can't blame him, I mean, they had just been administered an embarrassing beatdown at the hands of the Jets. On the flip-side, he shouldn't blame the media for following up with him about the possible QB swap. Apparently, though, he was not happy about it:
There will be no changes at the quarterback position for the Rams this week. And coach Jim Haslett almost seemed insulted by the question Monday.
"Marc will start," Haslett said, referring to this week's game at San Francisco.
Has a change been discussed?
"Who do you want me to discuss it with?" Haslett replied. "There was no discussion."
Either way, it would appear Bulger's going to keep the quarterback job in St. Louis for the rest of the season (too bad they don't still have this guy). Not that it even matters at this point. After winning Haslett's first two games as their head coach, the Rams have crumbled in the ensuing two contests. They currently sit in a three-way tie for second place in the atrocious NFC West at 2-7, a four-game deficit to the now mighty Cardinals.
Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds. Here's Week 10 at a glance, where we point out the horses destined for the Kentucky Derby and jeer those headed to the glue factory.
Studs
Thomas Jones, RB NY Jets (26 carries, 149 yards, 3 TDs) -- Three weeks ago the Jets looked absolutely dreadful, losing their third of four games and having people question just about every decision they'd made (i.e., Brett Favre). Well thanks to Jones, who has scored in three straight, all victories, New York looks like they could sneak in the playoffs and play the role of team you wouldn't enjoy seeing on the opposing sidelines. In the largest victory in Jets history, Jones found holes in a pitiful Rams defense and decided to hang out in the end zone three times. Mr. Jones, how does it feel to be the AFC leading rusher?
It didn't take long for new Rams interim head coach Jim Haslett to reverse the biggest decision that the recently fired Scott Linehan made this season.
Linehan made the surprise decision last week to replace Bulger with Green, a decision that was immediately ripped by many of the players in the locker room. Haslett apparently agrees with the dissent that was voiced by Rams players.
The bottom line, though, is that this is a bad football team for reasons other than the play of the quarterback position, and neither Bulger nor Green is going to make the Rams a good team. Haslett can put the deck chairs back where they were, but he's still the captain of the Titanic.
The word from Peter King this afternoon on the NBC halftime show -- where craziness ensues, apparently -- is that the Rams plan on firing Scott Linehan if the Rams lose to the Bills on Sunday. (Via Bills.com)
On the Notre Dame halftime show on NBC this afternoon SI's Peter King reported that if the Rams lose to the Bills on Sunday that Scott Linehan is expected to be given his "walking papers" as King put it.
A few thoughts run through my mind when I hear that. First of all, well, wow! Shocking! Or not. The Rams are horrible. They haven't been remotely involved in a close game yet this season, and they had Pacmanopenly mocking them after the first week of the season.
On the other hand, well, maybe this isn't really fair. Wait, forget I said that. Linehan is the guy who thinks benchingMarc Bulger in front of Trent Green is the right move to bring this team out of the funk. I suppose that losing to the Bills -- a clearly superior team -- is kind of a silly and unfounded way to judge whether he keeps his job (why not just fire him now?) but, hey, it worked for the Raiders.
The NBA has established itself as the most successful league to integrate itself with social media. The league itself is one of recognizable stars, so it only makes sense that these players further their personal brands through means like Twitter and... ahem... UStream. It's a great opportunity for players to connect with their fans in a meaningful way, on their own terms. As long as they use it responsibly and don't do anything to draw undo negative attention to themselves, it's nothing but a win-win. 
Retired NFL quarterback 
Two years ago, 
Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's 
I don't care if the Lions go 0-16 -- and they probably will. There is 
Sunday, after the game, 
Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's 
It didn't take long for new Rams interim head coach 
