Guess who’s back, back again, Chucky’s back, tell a friend

(Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st class Caleb Nunez)

Mark Davis started the press conference on Tuesday by saying, “Raider Nation, this is a big f-ing deal.” You can tell the owner of the Oakland Raiders, is clearly excited – as are we.

Why? Because Jon Gruden is out of retirement and he’s back in black (and silver), people.

(Credit: Instagram/@therealcabbie)

 

Side note: Since when did Davis and Gruden start going to the same barber?

Anyways, Gruden returns to the boys in black after serving as head coach from 1998-2001. And then, every member of Raider Nation remembers what happened next – Gruden headed east to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I remember as a little girl liking to watch the Bucs games simply because Gruden was the coach.

He’s enthusiastic. He’s real. And, as Gruden said one reason why he’s taking on a head coaching position again, is for a reason all teams want to hear.

“Most of all, I love to win,” Gruden said at the press conference.

 

(Credit: Jack Kurzenknabe)

Let’s face it, Gruden is going to go down as a legend. Actually, he already has.

 

There are only four men to-date that have won the Super Bowl in their first season with a team. Per the NFL, here’s the elite to have done so:

• Don McCafferty – Baltimore Colts, Super Bowl X
• George Seifert – San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl XXIV
• Jon Gruden – Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Super Bowl XXXVII
• Gary Kubiak – Denver Broncos, Super Bowl 50. 

And let’s be clear, here – that Super Bowl win is the only one the Bucs have under their belt.

 

Who knows, maybe Sean McVay, the youngest NFL head coach ever (31), will get it done this year for the Los Angeles Rams, but that’s another story.

 

Gruden has taken a seven-year sabbatical from coaching and instead has been going the broadcast route, where I’m sure you’ve see him on Monday Night Football giving his Gruden Grinder.

(Credit: Giphy)

 

But if you’re thinking that his break from coaching will take a toll on his first season back, I’d think again.

 

He’s got a solid caliber team with a young leader of a QB in Derek Carr. He’s got the assets, so why not come out the gates hot?

 

Raider Nation’s thinking it, and I’m just saying it.

Even if you hate the Raiders, admit it – you can’t wait to see the headset-throwing, enthusiastic Chucky back on the sidelines, if only for sheer entertainment.

(Credit: Giphy)

Well, maybe not if it’s your team he’s knocking into the ground.

— Hailey
Instagram/@hschellin

 

 

Ladies, It’s Time to Turn Down… For WATT- JJ is Single & Ready to Settle Down

Photo: JJ Watt Instagram

So the world is freaking out about JJ Watt.

Right now you’re saying, “DUH Hailey.”

It’s no secret that JJ Watt is one of the hottest players in the NFL right now, if not arguably THE BEST player in the NFL. And when I say “hottest,” it comes with two equally important meanings. 🔥🏈

Catch my drift?

Turns out the most current “hot” topic on JJ Watt isn’t about his stats though. It’s about his personal life. More precisely, his difficult, yet hopeful search “to find the right one.” So, yes – you heard me – the whole world (every girl that watches the NFL) is freaking out about JJ Watt.

In his interview with NFL.com, Watt commented on how his dating life has been going lately.

“People [I know] think that I’ve never dated before, or whatever. But I’m trying. I’m trying. I’m just unsuccessful. My schedule’s so crazy and life’s so busy, it just hasn’t worked.”

And now it’s my turn to chime in on the chiseled all-world Houston Texans defensive end.🏆 Did I mention chiseled?💪🏼

Well JJ, you stole the words from my mouth. Like, sorry I’m not sorry for being a career driven woman with a busy schedule! Squeezing in a full-time boyfriend just hasn’t quite fit into my whole “building an empire” schedule yet.💁🏼

And, as all of this hit the internet this week, Watt posted an Instagram to drop the mic.

Oh yes JJ, you are fine. You are doing just fine, I meant. Just keep doin’ you.

But now that I’m thinking JJ, LIGHT BULB💡… We both lead similar lives- You’re single. I’m single.

Hey, just thought I’d throw it out there…😉

XOXO,

– Hailey

Sacks & Give Backs- The NFL Gives Back to the Community

We all watched the ESPY’s, am I right?

Let’s talk about the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is an award based on humanitarianism while being an extraordinary individual on and off the field.

Congratulations to all the nominees, Anquan Boldin from the 49ers, Aaron Rodgers from the Packers and lastly, a huge congrats to the winner, Thomas Davis from the Panthers.

Anquan Boldin, one of the most trustworthy wide receivers in the game plays for the San Francisco 49ers and was runner up for the award. He was nominated for the award due to his mission to give back to the underprivileged youth.

The Anquan Boldin Foundation started in 2004, and just last year, Boldin and his wife gave a staggering $1 million donation to the foundation to expand their impact.

Throughout Boldin’s career, 11 students have accepted four-year scholarships. Alone in 2014, four students received $10,000 scholarships to start their college careers. Boldin travels to third-world countries to lend personal aid and fight for political issues. Seriously? That’s how he spends his off season? What. A. Guy.

Now I don’t care if you’re a Bears fan or a what, here’s another player you have to show some respect for: Aaron Rodgers.

Photo: NFL

Rodgers the star quarterback for the Green Bay Packers was also a runner up for the award. He was nominated due to his constant and ever-giving attitude to children and young adults.

Rodgers has worked directly with Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer and Make-A-Wish. Just recently he surpassed giving back $1.5 million of his personal efforts such as events and campaigns. He also has co-created an organization called www.itsaaron.com that works directly with charities and builds support in making a difference nationwide. Literally so presh. Shout out: Aaron, we love you!

Thomas Davis, linebacker for the Carolina Panthers received the Walter Payton Man of the Year award at the ESPY’s this year. And he deserved it.

Photo: Panthers

Davis and his wife founded the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation, a non-profit that was established to enrich the lives of underprivileged children and families. This organization provides mentoring programs and community outreach programs that include holiday activities and meals for children and women in Charlotte, North Carolina.Not only has Davis found his niche in giving back to the community, the Panthers have proved as well that they are fit for task as well by donating $100,000 to victims of the Charleston shooting victims.

Respect.

Not only do individuals of the National Football League give back, but full on NFL teams participate within the community as well, and contrary to popular belief, not because they’re forced to.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers put on “Bucs Cut for a Cure” where players such as the No.1 draft pick Jameis Winston sat in a chair and let children with cancer shave their heads in an effort to fight pediatric cancer.

Photo: WFLA

The Carolina Panthers put on a “Moms’ Safety” clinic designed to help women who have children who play football. They teach them the safety of proper gear, hydration and how to make it a family and team effort to make sure that safety is a priority on the field.

The Houston Texans hosted the world’s largest kids triathlon that was present by Texas Children’s Hospital in an effort to educate children about staying active and healthy.

The Kansas City Chiefs hosted a Play 60 celebration for local elementary school students which honored children for their commitment to exercise, sports and a healthy lifestyle.The Indianapolis Colts teamed up with country music star Garth Brooks in celebrating the opening of the Child Life Zone at Riley Hospital for Children.

Photo: NY Daily News

Country music and charity? Game on.

These are just a few small examples of how much the NFL does in fact, give back to their surrounding communities. So maybe it’s time we take a page out of their book and do a little help ourselves?!

Not going to lie, I’d love to watch a little guy shave off Tom Brady’s luscious locks just to see the look on his face once they were gone. What? That was only for Tampa Bay? Whatever, a girl can dream can’t she.

– Carly

Let the DeflateHate Come in Full Force Because Tom Brady is FREE… For Now

Photo: Patriots Twitter

Let the DeflateHate come in full force because Tom Brady is headed back to the football field. Oh yeah.

Thursday morning it was announced that the judge (who we now all know his name- Richard Berman) has nullified the judging of Tom Brady’s four game suspension to start the 2015 season. Naturally this stirred up everyone and had the internet going on a rampage of hate or happiness.

ESPN Insider, Adam Schefter, said this was an embarrassment to the NFL…

"That's an embarrassment for the NFL." – @AdamSchefter #LIVEonSC

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 3, 2015

Cough, cough- They should.

SportsCenter anchor, Steve Levy said he even heard an announcement over the loud speaker in a Boston hospital that “Tom Brady is free.”

HAHA.

Upon hearing the news the Patriots, who were fined $1 million and docked two draft picks as part of the league’s initial punishment, tweeted…

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/639445470230614018/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

And of course Gronk tweeted about it…

https://twitter.com/RobGronkowski/status/639447047129694208/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

And Trump…

Congratulations to Tom Brady on yet another great victory- Tom is my friend and a total winner!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2015

And Barry Bonds.. Wait- Uh, awkward? Wonder what they have in common…

Congratulations to #TomBrady on today's decision. Best of luck this season, Tom. 🏈

— Barry L Bonds (@BarryBonds) September 3, 2015

Not to mention Dunkin’ Donuts all along the East Coast rejoice…

https://twitter.com/pachecostacey/status/639487034856468480/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

But, were we too quick to jump to the conclusion that Brady’s suspension would actually pull through? I mean, there is the fact that there really was no hard evidence against Brady that was brought forth in court… Even though we all know he def deflated some balls. What? Who said that?

But don’t worry the drama continues- NFL Commish Roger Goodell announced later Thursday that they will be appealing the judge’s decision.

OMG. How many times is this going to happen? For real though.

Goodell said in a statement Thursday:

“We are grateful to Judge Berman for hearing this matter, but respectfully disagree with today’s decision,” Goodell said in a statement. “We will appeal today’s ruling in order to uphold the collectively bargained responsibility to protect the integrity of the game. The commissioner’s responsibility to secure the competitive fairness of our game is a paramount principle, and the league and our 32 clubs will continue to pursue a path to that end.”

Despite the appeal, Brady will see the field for his Thursday debut against the Steelers only because the league didn’t seek an emergency stay, freeing Brady to play while an appeals court considers the case, which likely will take months.

Photo: ESPN

If I were a Steelers fan man would I be pissssssed…

Or how about if you already drafted for fantasy? Brady moved from 24^th among quarterbacks to 6^th. Thank the heavens our TCD draft is tonight. MUAHAHA

So after seven months of declarations and appeals, is this it? Is Deflategate over? Not quite.

Hell, at this point I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama felt the need to hold a press conference on this matter even though eight police officers have been killed in the past nine days and nobody seems to care about that…

Our world is pretty messed up man.

 

Stay posted and we will fill you in as details continue to come to us on all this Tom Brady drama…

-Courtney

Why Johnny Manziel Should Be Cleveland’s Starting QB

Let me start out this article by saying that I am a diehard Cleveland Browns fan and I will be for life.

Just to give you an idea of this fandom I have for my team, here’s a quick story about the photo above. I went out and bought that jersey in Times Square in NYC on my first payday Friday at my first job post grad. I changed in the bathroom and wore it around work all day because it was “casual Friday.”

I grew up cheering for the Brownies and even “attended” many games in the DAWG POUND via my mother’s womb. So you can say we go back pretty FARR 😉

As a team, we have gone through 23 quarterbacks in my 23 years of life.

The most recent? Johnny, Johnny, Johnny.

Here’s my case for why Manziel deserves to be the starter, after just two preseason games:

1. Josh McCowan is downright awful. Sorry, but someone has to say it. Literally terrible. Old. He threw two interceptions in his dismal preseason performance.

2. Johnny Manziel has matured. He has learned from his lessons, and is continually learning.

3. He brings a competitive fire, an ability to scramble and excitement to the fans and the front office.

4. Cleveland had a solid run game last season and adds upon it this season with Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson (*great under the radar fantasy RB pick up*) and Terrance West. Johnny is a running QB, and one of the best of ’em.

5. Throughout the preseason, Manziel has gone 17 for 20 for 160 passing yards and a touchdown.

6. Most importantly, the game has appeared to slow down for him. He’s making better decisions on and off the field. He looks more poised in the pocket. And he wants to win.

The issue may be that his temporary long term elbow soreness may be caused from his throwing motion and could result in longer term issues.

“He does change his arm angle a lot, and quarterbacks that tend to drop their elbow on some throws will have a tendency for this to happen,” Pettine said earlier Monday during an interview with ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike.

The team believes that rest and maintenance can take care of the issue and the Browns expect Johnny Manziel to play on Saturday in the third preseason game in Tampa.

Now it’s time for the Browns to make the right decision and start their first round draft pick, now and for the rest of the season. It’s what the people want.

And that’s not just me saying it! 😉

-Morgan

Why NFL Preseason 100% Does Matter

NFL Preseason.

I’m not going to lie, I do go back and forth on whether or not it really matters. I mean, the Seahawks lost to the Broncos two weeks ago and then to the CHIEFS. BY A POINT… Yeah, that hurt. And when games like that happens it makes me want to be like oh whatever, it’s just preseason. BUT at the end of the day, let me put it this way: Preseason absolutely does matter, 110%. Here’s why.

It not only gives coaching staff the opportunity to look at how their second and third string players play in a real life game situation as opposed to practice walk-throughs, but it in turn gives second and third string players a chance to prove what they’ve got.

Obviously each player is on the team for a reason. Each player works their butt off to get where they are. But nothing is ever handed to you, as it shouldn’t be. And preseason is the perfect time to give it all you got.

Off the field, key players also play an important role.

Photo: Richard Sherman Instagram

Take Richard Sherman for example, during the Hawks game against the Broncos.

Did you see him sitting around on the side lines cracking jokes? No sir! He was out getting into it (in a playful, supportive manner, of course) with his teammates. He was pumping them up and talking to them, just as he would if he was in the game.

Just because he was not able to be on that field and playing, he was still making an impact. And that’s exactly what coaches are looking for. No coach wants a kick a$$ player who’s lazy AF!

And let’s not forget about another main reason preseason is CRUCIAL. For those of you who watched the Packers vs. Steelers game Sunday or made the horrific mistake of drafting Jordy Nelson to your fantasy team this season, then you already know.

INJURIES.

Uhm, HELLO! Jordy Nelson tore his ACL in the game against the Steelers Sunday and will now most likely be out the entire season for the Packers. That’s not chill and I don’t even like the Packers. An injury like that has the capability to make or break your team’s season. Like that really SUCKS.

So yes, at the end of the day, preseason is preseason. You win some, you lose some. The outcome of the game doesn’t necessarily matter. But from kick off to the final whistle, that’s where all the important stuff goes down. The score may be just a score, but what happens during the game can determine the rest of the season.

– Alexa

Here’s a Jawbreaker- Geno Smith is OUT

Photo: Geno Smith Instagarm

Geno Smith is OUT. And the reason why is a jawbreaker… Literally.

IK Enemkpali “sucker punched” Smith in a locker room altercation over something described to be something you might see in “sixth grade” leaving Smith with a broken jaw (two fractures) and a seat on the bench for 6-10 weeks.

According to coach Todd Bowles,

“It was nothing to do with football. … It was very childish,” coach Todd Bowles said. “He got cold-cocked … sucker punched, whatever you want to call it, in the jaw. He’s got a broken jaw, a fractured jaw.”

Let’s go over that again.

I’m sorry, but if you are Enemkpali, you are described as a MARGINAL player and you’re going to SUCKER PUNCH the to be STARTING QB. In what world did that seem like a good idea? Needless to say, Enemkpali was released immediately after the altercation.

“It was something very childish, something sixth-graders could’ve talked about,” Bowles said. “It had no reason to happen.”

For REAL.

But don’t worry NY Jets fans. Your precious pony boy is in high spirits. Smith channelled his inner Arnold Schwarznegger posting this selfie saying “ILL BE BACK!”

So now the question we’re all wondering about… Who’s stepping up to the QB plate now?

The Jets have Ryan Fitzpatrick and Bryce Petty to work with now, but really were not planning on using them this soon. Just months ago we had coach Bowles over and over reassuring Jets fans Geno Smith would indeed be there starter. But hey, this is sports- In other words, be prepared for anything. Like a marginal player sucker punching your season’s future in the face. Fabulous.

Just before the altercation occurred coaches were telling media how pleased they were with Smith’s performance in practice heading into the season. Until Monday, Smith hadn’t even thrown an interception. That’s not to say the back up QB’s are not prepared or qualified to take over. After all, let’s not go over Smith’s past season records…

Veteran back up QB Fitzpatrick will take over for the Jets, but Bowles did indicate they may be adding another QB into the mix. Cue Bryce Petty. Although Petty hasn’t been giving the best performance we’ve seen during camp, the kid is still talented.

But back to Fitzpatrick.

This is NOT a bad deal for the Jets at all. Yeah, I said it. Numbers never lie folks… Last season with Houston, Fitzpatrick killed it for the Texans and frankly, shamed Smith’s numbers.

Last season Fitzpatrick accumulated a career-high 56.7 Total Quarterback Rating on the strength of a 63.1 completion percentage and a touchdown-completion ratio (2.12) that ranked No. 13 in the NFL. Compare that to Smith, whose 1.0 touchdown-interceptions ratio ranked No. 30 in the league. Smith’s QBR of 44.3 ranked at a low No. 26.

See what I’m saying here? Not a bad deal at all.

Smith is one of the most inconsistent QB’s in the league. Yes, the Jets franchise is trying to prove a point as to making a decision in whether Geno is their go to guy moving forward, but it’s not too far off to say the Jets just got blessed by an angel with this jawbreaking news…

– Courtney 

#99 Problems & Drinking is One

Aldon Smith has been released by the 49ers due to his most recent hit and run DUI arrest.

Smith, the former number seven overall pick in the 2011 draft certainly has talent, but legal issues have derailed his career.

Smith’s arrest last Friday was his third on suspicion of drinking and driving since entering the league in 2011 as a first round draft pick out of Missouri. Smith has accrued four seasons in the NFL-meaning he played in at least six games a season and is now automatically a free agent after the 49er’s released him.

Former 49er and now Hall of Fame inductee Charles Haley, told ESPN’s Jim Trotter,

“He needs help and I am not going to give up on him.”

 

At one point Smith was averaging nearly one sack per game. He totaled 33.5 sacks in his first two seasons with the 49ers, but just 10.5 over the past two years as he battled off field issues that limited him to just 18 total games.

Now will any other team give him a second chance? (Third, fourth or fifth, if you’re accounting arrest 😬).

Accounts against Smith include vandalism, hit and run and DUI, raising issues under both the substance abuse policy and the personal conduct policy. Given that Smith was suspended nine games last year under both policies, it makes more sense for teams to wait and see what happens with the league before making him an offer. 

Intriguing spots that Smith may end up are other teams in the NFC West like the Seahawks and Cardinals. After all we all know Pete Carroll loves a little controversy. 😉

But is Smith really worth the risk? Tweet us your thoughts @coachsdaughters !

-Morgan