Rolling in horse sh...

-- There's been a debate in the recent past about whether Willie Colon can really hold down the RT spot for the Steelers. Debate over, because he's done for the season. Colon tore an Achilles' tendon while working out on Monday and is expected to sit out the entire coming season. The likely hood now is that Trai Essex will have to step in at RT. -- Pat Kirwan produced an article for NFL.com talking about spread sets and how great they are at stopping the blitz etc compared to six and seven man protections, because of hot routes and spreading blah, blah. Now don't get me wrong, spread sets can be useful and if you know what you're doing then that's fine. But what I hate is Kirwan, like many others, telling me that it's so much easier with the spread set etc and that you'll never get sacked and you'll never throw interceptions. Tell that to all the QBs who've been taken down last year by surprise blitzes from defenders coming off of a slot receiver. And let's not forget that receivers in a spread set are just as vulnerable to being jammed at the LOS as receivers in an I-Formation. I get that people like spread sets and I get that you've been told how wonderful they are by someone that uses them, and I even get that you've trawled a Defensive Coordinator out from a team that uses spread sets in its offense and he's said how difficult they are to defend etc, but I'm not buying it. It's an offense, just like a lot of other offenses. It's not the cure fro cancer. It has its strengths, it has its weaknesses. Neutralise the first, attack the second. When someone puts a baguette in front of me and tells me its a revolution in the culinary arts, I say "no it's not, it's just a loaf of bread but in a different shape". And I resent being told otherwise like I'm some kind of idiot. Pat Kirwan officially goes on my list of B***sh*t peddlers, along with homeopaths, psychics and water dowsers. -- DeMaurice Smith has been addressing the rookies at this years rookie symposium and from what I can tell the indoctrination has already begun. Smith went to great lengths to explain to the rookies that football players make the NFL what it is. And he's right to an extent. But Mr. Smith should also remember that there are thousands of undrafted college players, AFL and CFL players, and several fringe players at teams already, who would take the chance to play at the drop of a hat and would do so for less money than is already being spent on wages. He would also do well to remember that the NFL got where it is today through investments in stadiums by owners and by aggressive marketing and clever negotiations with TV stations. The game has always been played by great players that people want to watch. But it became a multi-billion dollar industry thanks to the league and the owners. Never forget that. Have a great day everyone.