ARCHIVOS MR PLAYBOOK (2008)

ATTENTION TO ALL OUR FANS: AS OF FRIDAY MARCH 28TH, WE ARE CHANGING OUR ADDRESS... NOTHING COMPLICATED, JUST INSTEAD OF BEING GMRPLAYBOOK, NOW WE ARE MRPLAYBOOK, SO TO VISIT US YOU WILL NOW HAVE TO COME TO mrplaybook.blogspot.com WE HOPE THIS IS NOT AN INCONVENIENCE FOR YOU, AND WE HOPE YOU KEEP READING OUR COLUMN.

With not much news going around the nfl right now, one of the hottest topics on everyones mind is the future of star CB Pacman Jones, the following is an extract from an Espn article regarding his situation, you can click on the quote or the pic to go to the complete article:

As of this moment, Pacman Jones is not allowed to play in the NFL. He also might be the most talented player remaining as free agency dwindles into the stage where role players are all that's left.

I recently felt like a plain old guy when I met this young fella from my town of Monterrey... 

The Madden Curse, also known as the Madden Cover Jinx, is a myth involving the video game series Madden NFL, stating that during or after the season, if a player appears on the cover solo, that player will be cursed with either an injury or poor performance.

Prior to 1999, the cover consisted of a prominent image of John Madden, occasionally appearing with some player graphics as a background accent to the cover design. Since 1999, notable NFL players have endorsed the game each year with their image prominently on the front cover of at least one version of the game, and John Madden's association is now largely based in the game series' title.

Players who have appeared on the cover since 1999 have generally failed to reproduce their success of the previous years, for a variety of reasons. Marshall Faulk, Daunte Culpepper, Michael Vick, Ray Lewis, Donovan McNabb, and Shaun Alexander all have suffered significant playing injuries in the season that they appeared on the cover. These performances and injuries resulted in speculation of a curse.

The "Madden Curse" has evolved into a much-reported phenomenon, with several news and sports media outlets referring to it as a phenomenon on par with the fabled Sports Illustrated cover jinx.

In total, the eleven cover players since 1999 had a total of forty Pro Bowl appearances prior to their Madden cover appearances... compared with just four Pro Bowl appearances afterward.

- The Mentor

If you wondered why Bill Parcells is strongly considering on releasing Dolphins Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Taylor it might be because of this:

Jason Taylor is catching dance fever. Taylor will be the first active NFL player to compete on the popular ABC program and is one of a dozen celebrities who have signed on to compete on the next season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Two NFL legends have competed in previous seasons. Jerry Rice was the first former NFL player to be a contestant. Former Cowboy Emmitt Smith followed. Smith won after Rice finished third. The other contestants competing against Taylor include actors Marlee Matlin, Shannon Elizabeth and Steve Guttenberg; tennis champion Monica Seles, magician Penn Jillette, R&B singer Mario, Priscilla Presley, Kristi Yamaguchi and Adam Carolla ABC announced Monday night.

Taylor is this year's NFL Man of the Year Award Winner and last year's NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The six-time All Pro formed the Jason Taylor Foundation in 2004 and continues to be heavily involved throughout the South Florida community. Taylor holds the NFL record for touchdowns by a defensive lineman (7) and is the Dolphins all-time leader in quarterback sacks (117) and consecutive games played (130).

To visit the official Dancing with the Stars site click HERE.

- The Rookie

Have you ever wondered why the Super Bowl Trophy is named The Lombardi Trophy? How about it's size? How much is it worth? Here is a little explanation about it…

I didnt know about this, but apparently the NFL had a whole campaing surrounding this years super bowl, the official slogan was "Who wants it more?" and even in the super bowl trophy ceremony there was a banner behind the giants that said, "We wanted it more".

Well, this years campaign and super bowl logo are already out, and we already have them for you here on MR.

The new campaign slogan is "Believe in Now" im not really sure what they were looking for with this, but their marketing experts and they will know how to really exploit this... I guess with last years finish to the super bowl, they truly made honor to the Who wants it more slogan, and Eli simply did... maybe on this years super bowl the underdog will have to really believe...

Heres an extract of the article from the new nfl slogan:

“Believe In Now” is the season long theme for the NFL’s 2008 NFL campaign. The league introduced the marketing platform, along with the logo for Super Bowl XLIII, to about 300 licensees, team officials and retailers who gathered at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., last week for the sixth annual summit of “hard lines,” or non apparel, licensees.

"We decided to go with something new that focused on the emotion and passion of the NFL while dialing up the sense of urgency,” Jamie Weston said. “We want fans to feel like they can’t miss a moment, because there might be a ‘now’ moment at any time during the season.”



- The Rookie

NFL IN MEXICO

Its been interesting to see how the General Managers of several teams have been addressing this situation, some teams have already added mexican born players to their rosters, so that their fan base in Mexico can increase, being Marketing geniuses, they know what adding mexicans to their teams mean.

Some examples of mexicans that have already signed lately with NFL teams are Rolando Cantu, who is currently an offensive lineman on the Arizona Cardinals, Ramiro Pruneda, who is also on the O-Line of Kansas City Chiefs (the guys who open roads for Larry Johnson), there was also a well known LB in the Texans Practice Squad, Eduardo Castaneda. So you can already see that teams are making these efforts, and the coaches over here in Mexico are the ones who are also pushing them harder and harder so they become better players for the future, hopefully in the NFL. Coach Frank Gonzalez of Borregos Salvajes is already well known around the league, and teams come to him for advice on mexican players.

I hope that someday we can maybe see an NFL franchise in Mexico, Canada and why not even London?

Here are a few extracts from an article I found on the USA Today about how the NFL is constantly looking to expand its borders, and is currently being heavily attracted to Mexico and Canada.

"For clubs close to Mexico, marketing across the border goes hand in hand with appealing to burgeoning Hispanic communities in their own cities.

"They get almost a double benefit," said Mark Waller, the NFL's senior vice president of marketing and sales. "They grow the fan base in the local market. At the same time, they build a second fan base in the international market."

So many people travel back and forth between the U.S. and Mexico and have family and friends in both places that when a resident of either country starts rooting for an NFL team, it can resonate across the border."

"Of Mexico's population of about 105 million, almost 20 million people are familiar with the NFL, Gonzalez-Soberanes said. There are 3-4 million core fans, who tend to be educated men aged 18-34, many of whom have traveled to the U.S.

Research shows that football is the second most-watched sport in Mexico behind soccer, Gonzalez-Soberanes said. The NFL doesn't expect to overtake soccer in popularity, but it doesn't have to."

We just got word from a friend that GMR has been displayed on the El Norte section of Blogs, so we have oficially gone public and we are very happy about it, we hope all our readers are satisfied with the site and if you have any comments please let us know.

Bienvenidos a todos los regios que visitan este blog de futbol americano, hecho por fans regios de la nfl, para fans de la nfl... espero que les guste la pagina y cualquier cosa por favor ponganos un comentario...

GRACIAS!

- The Staff

Strengths: has the look of a pro-style back. He has the ideal size and strength for the position and is a tough runner with a strong lower body. He is effective as an interior runner showing good acceleration to the hole and also has the power to run through defenders. Above average speed but struggles at times beating defenders to the outside. Labeled as more of a power runner, still possesses the speed necessary to threaten defenses and is a legit home run threat. Has good lateral quickness and cutback ability, but is a bit more of a straight line back.

Weakness: has had a history of being careless with the ball but seems to have improved his ball security. He lacks elite speed for the position but is still effective and plays with good overall game speed.

NFL Comparison: Thomas Jones

Projected Round: Round 1

Note: Some experts believe Mendenhall will be a better back in the NFL than McFadden for a great number of issues, in fact in several draft boards he comes up as the number 1 back so dont be surprised if he comes up in the top 10 on draft day.




- The Rookie

After 11 Years of drafting him in 1997, Warrick Dunn has returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers... We just got word that he signed a 2 year contract worth around 6 million...

A good signing for both of them, maybe he is going back to Tampa to retire where he started, Im sure the fans will be happy about this one...

- The Rookie

Strengths: Big Guy with ideal size, proven to be intelligent and reads the defenses very well. Hes a good character player and a natural leader on and off the field. Has good mechanics with good, throwing technique and pretty good standing in the pocket. He also has the ability to roll out of the pocket and throw very well on the run. He works hard , has experience running a pro-like offense and is a tough competitor.

Weakness: Doesnt have the strongest of an arm and sometimes his throw power has been described as only average. Also has been noted to force the ball a lot causing many interceptions. Also has problems with the deep ball passing. Durability might also be a concern sometimes, although he is a big guy.

NFL Comparison: Ben Roethlisberger

Projected Round: Top 5 pick





- The Rookie

Strenghts: He has the perfect size for his position, plus plays the game relentlessly. Is very quick off the snap and he has above average instincts and technique. He has a strong torso and very good hands. A very versatile player, he can play on different positions, down on the line and has played both 4-3 and 3-4 defensive schemes. Has above average quickness and he works hard to locate the ball, plus he has a strong work ethic so no off the field issues for him.

Weakness: May have some limitations in the NFL where he might be a better player ina 3-4 scheme, also lacks the size to play inside effectively and lacks some speed sometimes as an edge rusher.

NFL Comparison: Almost a clone of Patrick Kerney

Projected Round: Top 3 pick

Note: Son of hall of famer ex Raider DE and Fox Broadcaster Howie Long





- The Rookie

Strengths: Some say he might be the best player in the draft, he has the potential to be a great NFL running back and is really versatile. He not only has talent as a runner, but he is also good returning kicks and can beat you with his hands. He runs hard an fast, and it is almost impossible to bring him down on the open field. Has great speed and an amazing burst, plus, he can accelerate through holes and has great footwork and vision.

Weakness: He has had some off the field issues, which some teams dont accept, and some character questions as well. Also runs a bit high, so he could be exposed to a big hit, this could also be a strong cause for fumbles. He shared the load in college with Felix Jones, so he could be better as a 1-2 punch RB. He didnt run a conventional offense in college and he could improve on his blocking.

There’s has been a lot of movement and big contracts in the NFL this off-season, but let’s see which teams have done the best job in free agency this year.

WINNERS

Cleveland Brows: They signed defensive tackles Shaun Rogers from Detroit and Corey Williams from Green Bay, this should help a lot to their defense. They signed WR Donte’ Stallworth from New England, re-signed QB Derek Anderson and RB Jamal Lewis and with WR Braylon Edwards in the line-up the Browns should have a very prominent offense.

Minnesota Vikings: They signed safety Madieu Williams to help the defense. Signed WR Bernard Berrian from Chicago and FB Thomas Tapeh, to open lanes for RB Adrian Peterson next season, and Berrian should be a deep treat to those teams focusing on stopping the run.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Signed WR Jerry Porter from Raiders and WR Troy Williamson from Minnesota… to help the receiving corps. They added backup QB Cleo Lemon from Miami. At defense they signed CB Drayton Florence to help the secondary.

LOSERS

Chicago Bears: This is where I don’t understand the Bears… the re-signed QB Rex Grossman, a quarterback that has proven to be a mediocre passer and also they release WR Muhsin Muhammad and lost WR Bernard Berrian to the Vikings. They loose RB Michael Turner from San Diego to Atlanta… their only hope to help the much needed offense.

New York Giants: They loose valuable pieces from their defense, safety Gibril Wilson went to the Raiders, LB Reggie Torbor to Miami and LB Kawika Mitchell to the Bills. Also they might loose their defensive leader DE Michael Strahan if he chooses to retire.

For a long time Ive been a fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and I dont know why but one day I thought, why are all the Jaguars Quarterbacks african american??? I did a little research and it seems like a lot of guys had thought about this... I mean I have nothing about the QB race, its just weird, that since brunell, every QB signed is a black QB, and This Guy has an interesting theory surrounding this subject... you can click on the pic to visit his article. Here is an extract from his piece:

"Was Mark Brunell so bad that the Jacksonville coaching staff swore off white men forever? Was he so bad that the entire race of Caucasian quarterbacks have no chance? This is like your girlfriend breaking up with you and turning lesbian. Has Mark developed a complex because of this incident? Has he undergone any therapy?"

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The Jaguars newest addition: Cleo Lemon via free agency...

maybe next year well go for Aaron Brooks or Culpepper...

- The Rookie

We are happy to announce the addition of a new member to our writing staff:

A passionate Bill fan, well known draft expertise, a fantasy football expert, and an official Bill Backers Chapter President:

The Commish

He will try to keep us up with some general NFL news, some expert draft opinions, and some nice fantasy football advice.

WELCOME TO GMR.

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- The Staff

Brett Lorenzo Favre has made his decision to retire from the NFL. Its truly the end of an era in Green Bay, and a really sad day for the fans of this great QB and the NFL in general, this was expected anytime soon, but a lot of people thought that after a great season, Favre would decide to come back again. This is not what happened. Tuesday morning it was announced by his agent Bus Cook that Favre made his decision Monday Night and informed him over the phone.
The 38 yr old Quarterback played for 16 seasons in Green Bay and retiring is one of the hardest decisions hes had to make in his life he said.

"I know I can still play, but it's like I told my wife, I'm just tired mentally. I'm just tired," Favre told ESPN's Chris Mortensen in a voice mail message.

A true legendary player. A true Hall of Famer. Congratulations Brett Favre on a wonderful career.

Some of his records include:

Career Passing Yards .................. 61,655
Career Passing Attempts ............8,758
Career Completions .....................5, 377
Career Touchdown Passes .......... 442
Career Wins as Starting QB ......... 160
Career Interceptions Thrown ........288
Most Career Games with at least 3 tds ......... 63
Consecutive Starts by a Quarterback ....... 253

- The Rookie

Big Ben Roethlisberger has just settled for a new deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers that basically includes a whopping 8 year contract worth 102 million dollars!!! seems like the steelers have found their franchise QB and have given Big Ben the second biggest contract in NFL history... lets hope he stays off the bike...

- The Rookie

The rest of the notorious changes in free agency this weekend were:

Lot of rumors that TE Alge Crumpler has signed for 2 yrs with the Titans
Michael 'The Burner' Turner has signed with Atlanta to be their future RB for 6 seasons, Warrick Dunn is asking for his release from the team

Another juicy rumor: The Eagles and Cards are in talks for a trade involving WR Larry Fitzgerald
No clear news from DeAngelo Hall yet, sources say hes in talks with the Giants.

Keep checking to see who lands Randy Moss.

LB Lance Briggs just signed a 6 year $36 mil deal with the Chicago Bears, after last season having a lot of problems with the organization.
Finally the bears do something right, after basically destroying their offense and the future, with only Cedric benson on the backfield, and resigning Grossman and Orton which was a weird move, they let go Mushin Muhammad to the Panthers and Bernard Berrian to the Vikings, so who will do everything in the Bears next year? Devin Hester, I Guess.

According to the Associated Press:

Briggs had a tumultuous offseason a year ago when he vowed never to play for the Bears again after they made him a franchise player. He relented and joined the team right before training camp.

But in December, Briggs said he hoped to stay in Chicago.

"I can see myself in a lot of uniforms," Briggs said at the time. "But honestly, I can see myself in a Chicago uniform if things work out that way, which I hope they will."

Copyright 2008 AP.

We learned last season that Eli Manning is a championship-level QB. He proved that he is indeed the franchise QB for the New York Giants… and we learned the importance of having patience with a young quarterback.

But with Eli it wasn’t always like this… a lot of people and teammates where questioning the ability of their young quarterback, but coach Coughlin and the Giants had the patience to develop him into a championship QB… and it paid off.

This next season clearly will be an interesting one for a handful of quarterbacks who've endured the kind of adversity that Manning knows all too well. Alex Smith enters his fourth season in San Francisco facing questions about how long he can keep his job. Matt Leinart goes into his third season in Arizona hoping to avoid splitting time with veteran Kurt Warner. Kansas City's Brodie Croyle and Washington's Jason Campbell are among those QBs having to adjust to new offensive systems. And we certainly can't ignore the mind-boggling return of the much-maligned Rex Grossman to the Chicago Bears.

All these teams are hoping that their young QBs can turn on the switch just like Manning did… but we have to see which teams have the patience the Giants did.

- The Mentor

Keeping up with free agency on saturday:

Kicker Josh Brown just signed with the Rams for 5 years
The 49ers have signed DE Justin smith from the Bengals to a six year deal
The Jaguars signed San Diegos CB Drayton Flrence
Jaguars DT Marcus Stroud has signed with the Bills, jags got a 3rd and a 5th roudner for him
Vikings signed Bernard Berrian, I dont know who is going to catch balls in Chicago now...
The Jets have made Alan Faneca the highest paid lineman in the league at 40mil/5yrs
Donte Stallworth has signed with the Browns on a surprise move
Lance Briggs resigned with the Bears after the big fight they had last year
WR Bryant Johnson is also expected to visit Buffalo
Couple of great free agent running backs left, Turner close to signing in Atlanta, no news from Jones yet.
Theres a lot of rumors going around surrounding Randy Moss and Green Bay... interesting

Keep Checking for more upddates