Q2:The Most Dangerous Animals in the World: Mammals: Continued: Part 2

Bears- Bears are some of the most deadly animals in the world.  There are eight known species in the world: The Brown Bear, Black Bear, Panda, Polar Bear, Sun Bear, Spectacled Bear, Sloth Bear, and the Grizzly Bear. They are usually carnivores or omnivores (the Panda Bear being the only vegetarian). Just like most animals on the list they are opportunists and will strike when necessary. The biggest being the Kodiak Grizzly Bears which live on Kodiak Island in Alaska and can grow well over 1000 pounds. The smallest bears being the Sun Bear which only tips the scales at 145 pounds.  The thing with bears is that you don’t want to startle them because even though they are very huge animals they are solitary and are startled easily. Here is a tip when you see a bear and you and it lock eyes, running is probably the worst thing possible because they don’t look very fast or agile, but they will run you down. There is that old myth that bears can’t run downhill, but that is very untrue. It doesn’t matter where you are, they will chase you down. They can run just as fast downhill as uphill (about 37 mph). If a bear charges hold you ground because many time charges are just bluffs and if they do attack, just play dead because they will lose interest.

                Wolves/Coyotes/Domestic Dogs- Everybody knows that wolves are dangerous because of their bight force and the fact that they are fearsome looking, but mostly wolves will try to avoid humans. Wolves hunt in packs and were once almost hunted to extinction, but they are making a comeback. Wolves are not as dangerous as they appear, but attacks have happened, in 1960’s France one wolf hunted down and killed 60 people before it was shot and killed. Whenever there are plagues or wars wolves are always there to clean up the messes (being dead bodies), wolves like most “dangerous” animals are opportunists and when they spot an easy meal, they jump at the opportunity.  Coyotes are not really known for being man killers, but they have attacked people before. Coyotes are most dangerous when they are rabid because they will attack just about anything. Everybody knows about man’s best friend, but domestic dogs have attacked people when they have gotten loose. And, yes there have been deaths attributed. Some of the most dangerous dogs include: the huskies, the Alaskan malamutes, Rottweilers, and Pit-bulls.

                Apes- Chimpanzees, Gorillas, and Baboons. What do as these animals have in common other than being part of the Ape Family, there have all been deaths attributed and on record (the only exception being the Gorilla, but there may be some that have happened when people hunted them), but the Chimpanzees and Baboons have killed people or severely hurt them or disfigured them. Many people look at chimpanzees as the harmless animals that could do no harm, but these are not as they seem. One chimp has been recorded at 160 pounds was recorded lifting an 1800 pound object.  They have huge incisors that can do some real damage and have hands that can rip and tear. Chimps are also known to be cannibals to and will resort to eating their own kind. Baboons are small than chimps, but are aggressive and will attack when their habitat is intruded upon. Baboons have some very huge teeth and use them to eat and defend themselves. The disturbing part is that they have been known to steal babies and small children. Everyone thinks that gorillas are these animals that are dangerous and not to be messed with, but really they quite tame and really will attack when they feel like they are in trouble. They have been known to charge, but veer off at the end to hopefully scare the attacker away. Gorillas have gotten this image of being these aggressive animals from the early 20^th century when people didn’t even think they existed, but when people found them they thought they were these monstrous brutes (a.k.a. King Kong). Just remember when we think of ourselves has a higher species, we and all other apes share our DNA with them (Chimpanzee, Bonobo and human DNA share about 98.8% the same DNA, but really one 1.2% is like 35 million differences) and we are really just merely just hairless apes.

Will be continued at Deep Sea Terrors….

Q1: The Impact of Undrafted Free Agents

Once the NFL Draft is over most of the so called “draft experts” focus on the picks that were made during

the draft, specifically the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd rounds, but there is value in the undrafted prospects. Undrafted

 players are good for a lot of things, including:

·         Special team players

·         Buffer the bottom of rosters

·         Developmental prospects, with the potential to become great players

·         Competition

·         “Diamonds in the Ruff”

Many of the best players in the NFL have went undrafted for various reasons, including:

·         Injuries in their senior season

·         Small Schools

·         Underperforming

·         Character issues

·         Drug/alcohol related incidents

·         Size (height & weight)

·         Playing another sport

Whatever the case maybe these players didn’t get drafted, but many times “draft experts” say that it’s better to go undrafted because drafted players are on a rookie wage scale, while undrafted players aren’t. Would you believe that Warren Moon went undrafted? Yes, the Hall of Fame QB that threw for more than 30 miles. The reason, why? His skin color, many so called “experts” didn’t believe that an African American QB could be successful. How about Antonio Gates? Gates was a basketball player at Kent State, he didn’t even play football, rather scouts noticed his talents on the hard wood. Gates has had a prolific career and when he retires he should be a candidate for canton. Everybody knows the Kurt Warner story. Warner played at little known Northern Iowa. Before Warner could even play in the NFL he played in the Arena League (for the Iowa Barnstormers) and then when he was signed by the St. Louis Rams, they Sent him over to play in NFL Europe for Amsterdam. Warner wasn’t even supposed to play, but when Trent Green went down with an injury; Warner stepped in, won the NFL MVP and helped St. Louis win a Super Bowl. Nine years later after being signed by the Cardinals two years prior. Warner won the starting job and help take Arizona to a Super Bowl, but lost on the heels of an amazing catch by Santonio Holmes. Other players like Victor Cruz, Terrell Davis, Wayne Crebet, Adam Vinatieri, Tony Romo, and Arian Foster.

      That is why I will sometimes pay attention to the undrafted guys because you never know who that next “diamond in the ruff”.

P1: Top 10 Quarterbacks of All Time (5-1)

5. Tom Brady- Tom Brady is considered by many as the greatest QB of all time, or at least in the argument. Brady was drafted as a 6^th round draft pick (199 overall) in 2000. Brady took over for an injured Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots never looked back winning 3 Super bowls in 4 years with Tom Brady at the helm. Brady is considered by many as the most clutch QB of, all time, but I reserve that right for Joe Montana. Brady has racked up countless stats and in 3007 he threw for 50 touchdowns a record set by Peyton Manning in 2004. Brady helped take the Patriots to a 16-0 record and they were on the door step of being the only team since the ’72 Miami Dolphins to ever complete a perfect season, but the Pats lost the New York Giants in arguably the greatest upset of all time. The next season in the first quarter, Bernard Pollard (the Patriot Killer) hit Brady in the knee and Brady tore his Anterior Crucial Ligament (ACL) and his Medial Crucial Ligament (MCL). Brady would come back the next season to rack up the NFL comeback player of the year and in the very next year he won the NFL MVP. Since his Super Bowl win in 2004 the Playoffs for Tom Brady have been marred, by upsets, late game collapses, and two Super Bowl losses, both to the Giants. That shouldn’t discount from his career achievements and the fact that he was a 6^th round draft pick and he couldn’t beat out Drew Henson at Michigan. Brady is also probably the greatest draft steal in NFL history. Sometime you can never measure how much a guy wants it.

4. Brett Favre- Brett Favre, the “old gun slinger” because throughout his career he mad people shout and cheer while watching his games on TV. Brett Favre played for 20 seasons or basically two decades (1991-2012). He racked up countless stats and holds every major statistical record in NFL passing history, (yards, touchdowns, attempts, completions and yes interceptions), but maybe the most impressive stat is the record for career starts in row that started in 1992 and spanned 298 games and finally ended when Arthur Moats of the Buffalo Bills blindsided him. The Record rivals even the great record set by Cal Ripken’s 2632 starts. Brett Favre played for the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings. Brett Favre took two trips to the big game, once in 1996 where he beat Drew Bledsoe and the New England Patriots and a year later where he lost to John Elway in one of the greatest Super Bowl Games of all time. Brett Favre would play for the Packers until 2008 where he retired, but later yearned to play, but the Packers had already committed to Aaron Rodgers. Favre later got traded to the Jets because the Packers still owned his rights. The Jets started off 8-3 and looked like Super Bowl Contenders, but in one of the greatest collapses of all time finished 9-7 down the stretch. Favre retired, again, but still wanted to play. He then signed with of all teams the Minnesota Vikings. In week 4 of the ’09 season Favre played his old team in which became one of the most watched nationally televised game of all time. Favre led the Vikings to a 12-4 record where he faced the Saints for the rights to go to a Super Bowl. Brett Favre was beat to death but managed to keep his team within position to win the game. Then in typical “Brett Favre fashion”, he rolled out to the right and instead of running for it, he through it across his body and it was intercepted by Super Bowl hero, Tracey Porter. The Saints won in regulation and Brett Favre only played for the Vikings for one more season, but could never recapture the magic of his ’09 season. Favre will go down as one of the greatest QBs in NFL history and arguably one of the most exciting to watch.

3. Johnny Unitas- Johnny Unitas was the father of the Two Minute Drill and will go down as one of the most clutch quarterbacks of all time.  In the 1958 championship game the Baltimore Colts were down by three points and Johnny Unitas helped lead a drive so that the Colts could kick a field goal to tie the game and send it into sudden death overtime, the first Championship ever to do so. After causing the Giants to turn the ball over, Johnny U led the Colts down the field, where he called ever single play and got the Colts near the goal line where Alan Ameche scored the game winner. Johnny Unitas won two NFL Championships and a Super Bowl in 1970. Johnny Unitas was one of the greatest that ever lived and has cemented himself in NFL lore.  He may go down as arguably the greatest QB of all time.

2. Peyton Manning- Peyton Manning or “The Sherriff” as Jon Gruden calls him. Peyton Manning is arguably the greatest QB of all time and his statistics don’t disappoint. Manning is second all-time in touchdowns and has the most NFL MVPs all time (4). Manning is the most cerebral player on the field and is always two steps ahead of the defense. He is probably the only player in the NFL: right now that has the authority to call his own plays. He runs the no-huddle like no one else before, he even runs its better than the man who used it most famously, Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly. But for all his greatness, Manning’s one daunting statistic is the losing record in the playoffs. In 2006 though, the Season came together and Manning and the Colts won the Super Bowl after being down 21-3 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. In 2003 Manning mad one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history where he and the Colts scored 21 points in under 5 minutes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When Peyton Manning couldn’t play in the 2011 season because of the neck surgeries the Colts, a team that was a playoff team for 10 years straight went 2-14. The season and record proved how much the Colts needed him. After the season, Manning was cut and he signed with the Denver Broncos and helped lead them to a 12-4 record and on Monday Football, Manning and the Broncos were down the 24-0 to the Chargers at the half. The Broncos ended up winning 35-24 and it remains the single largest comeback in Monday Football history. I believe when its all said and done Manning will be the greatest QB of all time and while there will be some dispute about that I’m sticking true to my prediction.

1. Joe Montana- Right now without any hesitation I can say that Joe Montana is the greatest Qb of all time and I’m not alone in that way. Many have said that Montana is the greatest of all time because he was so clutch in the big game. Montana took 4 trips to the Big game winning all four of them and if that wasn’t enough he was MVP in three of them. Montana emulated being clutch because throughout his career his teammates and coaches believed that they were always in a game because they had “Joe Cool”. One of Montana’s most famous games of all time is Super Bowl XXIV where the Bengals had taken a 16-13 lead late in the 4^th quarter and had pinned the 49ers on their own 8. Montana traveled 92 yards where in the final 30 seconds he rifled a pass to John Taylor in the back of the end zone for the win. Earlier that season the 49ers had a week one match up with the Philadelphia Eagles. Montana was sacked 9 times in the first half and he wore Jerome Brown, Clyde Simmons, and Reggie White for that first half. Even though the 49ers were never down more than 11 points, it proved that Montana had the heart of a lion and that is why it’s calls “Montana’s Finest Moment”. There was never a better big game QB and that is why he sits a top of my board with the destiction as the greatest QB of all time.

Here is a repeat of my first 5 QB's in the Countdown. (#'s 10-6)

Top Ten Quarterbacks of All Time (10-6)

10. Roger Staubach- Roger was the head piece to America’s team. He led them to 2 Super Bowl championships. He captivated the nation like no other quarterback could. He led a team to the Super Bowl 4 times in his NFL career. Roger Staubach came out of Army as a Heisman Trophy. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and he joined the war effort, and didn’t return until he was 29.  When Staubach retired he was the highest rated quarterback. At a time when defense dominated the NFL landscape, Roger could take chuck the rock up and down field like no one else could. Technically when he retired he would have been considered the greatest quarterback of all time.+

9. Dan Marino- Dan Marino was one of the most pure passers of all time. He was not the most agile, but he had the fancy feet to side step in the pocket from defenders. Out of Pittsburgh, Dan Marino was projected to go in the top ten, but he quickly slid down the board. Miami snatched him up and he transformed Miami for the next 16 seasons. In only his second year he had one of the greatest passing seasons of all time; passing for 5081 yards and 48 touchdowns. The record for touchdowns fell in 2003 and it wasn’t until 2011 that his record for 5081 yards was broken by Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Even after all of his accomplishments many view his career as incomplete because he didn’t win a Super Bowl.

8. John Elway- John Elway was viewed as the finest NFL draft prospect in NFL history, until Andrew Luck in 2012. Elway came out of Stanford in ’83 in the same class. During the 1980s John Elway was remembered for the “The Drive”, a 98 yard drive against the Cleveland Browns, but he was remembered also for losing 3 Super Bowls, all in blowouts to NFC super powers; the Redskins, Giants and the 49ers. Some thought that Elway would never win a Super Bowl, but in 1997 and 1998, he defied his critics, and won two Super Bowls. One was against favored Packers, where Elway led a game winning drive that was defined by his helicopter spin to the end zone. The next year he won it again, against the Atlanta Falcons, where he won NFL MVP. Elway was also remembered being a clutch quarterback and having the most NFL comebacks of all time, until that was broke by Peyton Manning.  

7. Bart Starr- No player in NFL history has been more overlooked than Bart Starr. He was selected in the 17^th round by the Green Bay Packers; it turned out to be the right choice. Bart Starr was overlooked merely because he played on a very dominant team and because of their scheme. The Packer of the 60’s weren’t going to spread you out and pass it up and down the field; they were a ground and pound team, only passing out of necessity. The Packers had a legendary team, ranging from; John Taylor to Paul Horning to Ray Nitchske to Forest Gregg, Herb Adderley, Willie Wood, Jim Ringo, and maybe the greatest head coach of all time, Vince Lombardi. While Starr was at quarterback the Packers only lost one Playoff game in his 15 year career. Starr won six divisional, five NFL, and the first two Super Bowl championships. The most famous was the “Ice Bowl” in ’66 the coldest game in NFL history. Starr on the one yard line QB snuck it to win the game. Even after all of the accolades and achievements, Starr still remains synonymous with the terms, underrated and overlooked. For whatever reason we don’t know, but he deserves more recognition.

6. Otto Graham- Not enough can be said about Otto Graham. This man was considered by many as not only one of the greatest NFL players of all time, but also one of the greatest players of all time. In ten years he won ten league titles, a feat to this day that has not been surpassed. Graham was a dual threat, running and passing his way to all league 9 of the 10 years. Many thought that Otto Graham and the Browns would get shown up in the NFL when they joined, but both Graham and the Browns proved more than equal to the occasion. In the Browns' 30-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the 1950 NFL Championship Game, Graham threw four touchdown passes. His finest title-game performance came four years later when he scored three touchdowns and threw for a trio of scores in a 56-10 beating of Detroit. Graham retired after that game but responded to Paul Brown's request to return in early in 1955. In the final game of his career, the NFL championship against the Los Angeles Rams, he ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more in a 38-14 victory.

            Tune in next time for quarterbacks 5-1 and see who tops my list as “Greatest Quarterback of all time”.

O2: My Final Mock Draft...(possibly)

With the NFL Draft only a week away I thought it would be proper for me to make a mock draft of my own. This year’s NFL Mock draft as unprecedented depth at most positions, but does lack the top level talent.  The Draft is always a time for teams to get better and can help shape a team for years to come. And with the first overall pick…

1.       Kansas City Chiefs- Despite having the number one overall pick the Chiefs are in better shape than most teams and look to make a push for the division this year. The Chiefs could go a number of ways, but why not the best player on the board and go with Luke Joeckel, LT, Texas AM.

2.       Jacksonville Jaguars- The Jags need help at a lot of positions and they could easily take Geno Smith with this pick, but they still have confidence in Blain Gabbert. With only 20 sacks as a whole team (JJ Watt had 20.5) and new coach Gus Bradley, they should look at Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon.

3.       Oakland Raiders- Boy do the Raiders need help and like the Jags they could take Geno Smith too, but they just traded for Matt Flynn. The Raiders had one of the worst run defenses in the NFL last season, so they’ll take Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah.

4.       Philadelphia Eagles- New Head coach Chip Kelly looks to get the Eagles back on track. Chip Kelly looks to run is vaunted read option in Philly. They do have Michael Vick, but who’s to say that he doesn’t want his own QB. The Eagles will go Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia.

5.       Detroit Lion- Detroit took a step back last season after making the playoffs. Detroit lost two o-linemen during this off season, but they aren’t going to need to take one in the first round because of the tremendous depth. The Lions will go and take the player with highest ceiling of any player in this draft Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah, OLB/DE, BYU.

6.       Cleveland Browns- Its simple they waited to the 6^th pick to get their guy, Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama, but if he is gone buy then I could also see them trading back in the first round to grab more picks too.

7.       Arizona Cardinals- The Cardinals traded and got Carson Palmer in the offseason, and they need offensive line help now. On the board right now the two best tackle prospects are on the board, Lane Johnson and Eric Fisher. The Cards could pick either player and have get good results. Some see Lane Johnson as the best one of the bunch because he is the most athletic and has only played the position for two years. Now I don’t see in the same light, but I do see the Cardinals taking Lane Johnson, T, Oklahoma, because of his athleticism.

8.       Buffalo Bills- Many could see the Bills taking Ryan Nassib because of the Syracuse connection, but maybe they can wait until the 2^nd round to pick him. Other draft gurus see them selecting a guard, but Buddy Nix recently came out and said that they don’t need a guard, but that could possibly be a smoke screen. It really comes down to two players, Eric Fisher, T, Western Michigan and Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia. If Eric Fisher is on the board then you have to take him because Eric Fishers don’t grow on trees and with that you can move Cordy Glenn over to right tackle where he can become an all pro. The Bills will select Eric Fisher, T, Western Michigan.

9.       Tennessee Titans- The Titans got Andy Levitre to help their o-line, but with Chance Warmack on the board how can you pass that up. Chance Warmack, G, Alabama is pro ready prospect, and can really open holes for Chris Johnson.

10.   New York Jets- The Jets round out the first round and lost a lot during the offseason. They could go pass rusher and take Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU, but they need to help Mark Sanchez (or whoever is throwing interceptions), by getting him some weapons. The Jets could go with Cordarrelle Paterson, WR, Tennessee, to add some speed to a struggling offense.

O1: Black Eyed Children

                Just imagine you are driving down a lonely dark road at night or it’s in the late evening. All of the sudden you see two children that come out of the dark or you open your door and you see these children and they ask to come in to use your phone or are looking for something to eat. They look to be between the ages of 6 and 16. They talk to you in monotone voices that seem to smooth and perfect. First you question them and then they start to get a little bit more aggressive and stop asking and start telling you what they want. You then start to find your hand getting closer to the door or lock and then you realize that these children aren’t normal, but rather that their eyes are completing black with definition of a pupil, cornea, and iris. This phenomenon is known as Black Eyed Children. These children have popped up all over America and there are many accounts of what happened. There are many theories to what they may be, some have speculated that they are extraterrestrials, others say that they are inter-dimensional beings stuck in our dimension, and others say that they that they come from a demonic origin and are vampires by nature. After watching a show on this and doing some thinking, I’m leaning more towards the vampire theory.  One reason is that in vampire lore is that vampire is not allowed into ones domain without permission. Another reason is that many feel when they meet these kids they feel like they are being ambushed ore stalked like prey. Vampires are known as expert hunters.  The good news is that there are no deaths ever attributed to these children, but the scary part is that I can only imagine what would happen if someone let them in because there are no instances where they were let in. It only takes one person to think, “Awe, I should let them in”. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens if anybody does report a death after letting them, but for now we just don’t know.

Most Dangerous Animals in the World: Mammals: Part 1

Throughout our world the mammals number in variety whether it be size, veracity, color, and ways to defend themselves.  Mammals have been found on just about every continent in the world and outnumber us as humans. It’s no reason that we hear stories every year of mammals attacking and killing some of us. As our habitat grows, theirs is shrinking and our paths continually cross. It is not their fault it is more of ours because mammals are not man eaters they are opportunists and will attack and defend when a situation or opportunity arises. So here you go:

·         Tigers- Tigers used to live across the land before the invention of gun powder and territory destruction, they used to live Asia, including Bali, Java and Sumatra, which are Indonesian islands and all the way up into Siberia. The tigers can grow anywhere from 5 feet up until 10 feet. Many times tigers will try to avoid humans, but if a tiger has the opportunity to attack one of us as prey, they will cease the opportunity. Between 1902 and 1907 the same tiger in India alone killed 434 people and it is the Guinness World Book of Records as the most prolific man killer ever.

·         Lions- Much like Tigers lions have been known to attack humans too. Today they are found only in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, except for one very small population of Asian lions that survives in India's Gir Forest. Because we are coming into their habitat, they are forced to cross paths with us. Unlike the tiger, which is a solitary, lions hunt in prides. Lions have been known to take down full grown elephants, giraffes and several other large herbivores. Lions like tigers will attack humans when the opportunity arises and people have been killed before. During 1898 when the British were trying to build a railroad through Kenya and then they reached Tsavo. They knew and heard of the stories of the Tsavo Lions and knew that they were bigger than usual. That year two lions killed and ate 134 people.

·         Hyenas- When many people think of hyenas they think of that “laughter”, but they are no joking matter. Hyenas have the strongest bite force of any mammal on the land. Hyenas will eat just about anything that they can grab a hold of. Many people have these misconceptions that they are these tricksters and will rob graves and kill livestock, but really they are just like tigers and lions, they are opportunists and when it arises they will attack. Hyenas attack in packs and have been known to drive lions and leopards off their kills. Honestly I would be more afraid of hyenas than the previous two because they are ruthless hunters.

·         Elephants- Many people view elephants as docile animals that could really do no harm what so ever, but these animals are killing machines. Once they get going it’s very hard to stop them. The elephant is the biggest land mammal on the planet. They live from Africa in to India. Elephants are endangered right now because of poachers who hunted them for their ivory tusks and hide. Elephants easily can weigh over 1000 pounds and are very territorial animals. Bull elephants have been known to charge for no exact reason. People who have minded their own business and have been trampled to death or impaled because they may have accidentally spooked an elephant. Elephants have been known to trample huts. Hunters have said that a bullet to the head alone may not kill a full grown bull and hunters have shot them in the head and have been charged and killed.

·         Hippos- Hippos have a very well-known reputation of being big lumbering beasts with no coordination. That is completely wrong. Hippos reportedly kill more people a year than any animal in Africa. They are more easily started than elephants. They are also arguably one of the most territorial animals in the world. Mothers will charge to protect her calves and males during breeding season will charge when they see something that is seen as a threat to their dominance. Hippos have flipped boats and have implied people with their massive tusks. They have cut people in have, “reportedly”. They will get spooked if something comes between them and their way to the water.

It will be continued….

N1: That's A Big Wasp!

One of my favorite interests is football, but an interest that is equally my favorite is the study of animals (zoology). From a very young age I have found animals interesting.  Hopefully one day I can become a zoologist.  When many people think of wasps they think of yellow and black, hive makers, annoying, and the fear that they could get stung.  About year ago an expedition to Indonesia led by Lynn Kimsey, discovered a new wasp in little habited and known island, Sulawesi. The wasp is known as Megalara garuda the "king of wasps".  It looks like something out of your worst nightmares and it will make you think twice about being afraid of yellow jackets and other wasps because it is 5 times the size! The wasp is jet black and is the largest known wasp still in existence today at whopping 2.5 inches. That’s about the size of human ring finger.  It has mandibles or jaws that are longer than its legs the jaws are so massive that they drag when it walks.  The problem is that they shrouded in mystery because every specimen that has been found has been found dead.  The wasp could leave a nasty bite because of the huge jaws too, but I bet would be very painful to get stung by one. It just brings shivers to me. By the way even being massive it can still fly.  The image of them is actually quite disturbing because of its appearance and size. This species and other species on the island are in jeopardy because, since 1960 parts of the island have been leveled to plant crops. Hopefully we preserve this mysterious animal to learn more from it. Many people would probably be afraid of this animal, but to me it is very intriguing because it is something that we have never seen the likes of.

M2: Who should the Bills Target in Free Agency?

With the date of March 12^th looming in the next couple of days, the Bills have some money to spend in Free Agency. This year the Free Agency that we all know and love will be entering its 20^th year of existence. It always seems that the Bills have money to spend and this year is no different. After cuts of veteran players like Nick Barnett, George Wilson, Terrance McGee, and the fact that they didn’t resign both Donald Jones and David Nelson leaves the Bills with a lot of money to spend. The Bills could go in any direction, but here some of the players they could be interested in or should think about:

          Greg Jennings- Jennings is a veteran wide receiver who has been a stud for some time now, but injuries have hindered his career in the last couple of years. Jennings is a consistent wide receiver and could help prove his worth with a team like Buffalo who has a need at wide receiver

          Wes Welker/Danny Amendola- The reason I grouped these two guys together is because they are the same type of receiver. They are both smaller guys who are seen as slot receivers and are highly consistent.  The knock on Danny Amendola is the cumulated injuries that have hurt his production thus far. The other Wes Welker is arguably one of the most consistent guys in the NFL. Welker mainly a slot has played the past 5 years in New England and has more receptions than players like Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson Jr., Larry Fitzgerald, etc. Some doubt whether not he can produce the same because of the fact that he played with one of the best of all time.

          Dashon Goldson- The Bills should be very interested in this guy because of the fact that he is one of the best young safeties in the game. Goldson is hard hitting and could help upgrade a defense that is lacking some hit power. He is a free safety, but because of new defensive coordinator’s (Mike Pettine) system there is no designation between safeties.

          Mike Devito- Devito is a 3 technique in a 3-4 defense and is a very solid player and could really help Buffalo. Devito is just a pure runner stopper and could add some power to a defense that is changing schemes again for the 2^nd time in two years. One reason Devito has been ranked is because of new defensive coordinator, Mike Pettine who was his defensive coach in New York.

 Others include:

·         Bart Scott

·         Eric Smith

·         Brandon Gibson

·         Cliff Avril

·         Victor Cruz (RFA) (1^st round tender)

·         Andy Levitre

         

M1: Flacco's Big Pay Day

                At the beginning of the season Joe Flacco was putting himself into the category as Brady and P. Manning, and now after a miraculous postseason where he threw 11 touchdowns and no interceptions, and a Super Bowl MVP he has the largest contract in NFL history. Yes, the inconsistent passer from Delaware has a contract worth 120.6 million dollars. To me that is insane for a QB of his caliber. The specifics were finally released and here they are as follows:

» $29 million signing bonus

» $29 million cap number in Year 4

» $30 million in Year 1

» $51 million through Year 2

» $62 million through Year 3

» $80 million through Year 4

» $100.6 million through Year 5

                Let’s start off with the signing bonus that is GUARANTEEED. When Joe Flacco signed on the dotted line he was immediately given $29 million dollars. Through the first two years he will earn $51 million. The interesting part about year one of the contract is that he gets paid $30 million dollars through year one, but his cap number contradicts this, at $6.8 million dollars which is very cap friendly. This contract should allow the Ravens to keep one or two players that they really want. Maybe Anquan Boldin, Dannelle Ellerbe, or Bryant Mckinne. Paul Kruger will most likely leave the Ravens and make out with a good pay day on the market. Recently Tom Brady got an extension that should keep him as a Patriot for the rest of his career. Their two contracts are polar opposites, Brady on the cheaper end where he got a 3 year $27 million dollar contract extension. Many thought that maybe Brady’s contract would ruin it for Flacco, but I guess not considering now that Flacco is the highest paid player in NFL history. If you look at Flacco’s postseason you would say, “WOW why isn’t he getting paid like an elite”. When you look a little closer at his season as a whole he had the 25^th lowest QBR at 46.8. To put that in perspective Ryan Fitzpatrick the incumbent Bill’s starting QB was ranked 27^th at 45.8. In a game this year Flacco posted one of the lowest QBRs in the past 5 years with a 1.0. The only two QBs to have a lower one in the past 5 years are Kyle Orton (0.8) in 2011 and (0.9) in 2010 and Mark Sanchez in 2009 (0.7). Flacco has been one of the most inconsistent QBs over the past 5 years playing really well at times and then making some very stupid decisions. The Ravens better hope they get the “good” Joe Flacco because they gave him “a lot” of money.

L1: Bills Mock Draft 1.0

          This year the Bills will be yet again drafting in the top ten of the NFL draft and you’d think after a couple of years of drafting this high they’d be a little bit better, but times haven’t changed in Buffalo. The Buffalo Bills have the 8^th overall pick in this year’s NFL draft. At this point the Bills have a pretty well rounded team and really only need a massive improvement in 2 areas, quarterback and linebacker, but that doesn’t mean they can’t surprise us right. They took CJ Spiller while having Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch both on the roster. A questionable pick at first, but Spiller is one of the most explosive backs in the game. If the Bills sign/trade for Alex Smith that could impact whether or not they draft a QB on Day 1 of the NFL Draft, but maybe they do sign/trade for Alex Smith and they still want to go quarterback in the first round the Bills should/could draft Geno Smith (whether or not he’s still on the board at that point), Tyler Wilson, or Matt Barkley. Geno Smith is probably the best quarterback in the draft, but he’s no Andrew Luck or RG3 so there is no use in trading up for him. Smith as a big Arm and has decent mobility. G.Smith is combination of both Donovan McNabb (arm, mobility), and Alex Smith (mobility). If he is there and they do sign/trade for Alex Smith, then by all means draft him because he is the best quarterback in this draft in my opinion. Matt Barkley was poised at the end of last season to be a top ten NFL quarterback, but he decided to stay for one last year at school, he was also poised to be the top QB in this crop this year, but the rise of Geno Smith and the uneven play of him and his team around of him caused him to possibly drop out of the first round. Barkley to me is still a top QB and he could still be drafted by Buffalo at eight or maybe even Buffalo could trade back into the first round to grab him. Barkley has a good work ethic, first in, last out. Barkley was a true freshman at USC after Sanchez left, but I don’t know whether teams, like Buffalo will look at his full body of work or just this last season. The second best QB in the draft is Tyler Wilson. He has a rocket arm and while not being the most mobile he is pretty accurate too. He has a stronger arm than the previous QB, Ryan Mallet. At the end of last year he was seen by some as the best QB in the draft. The Bobby Petrino incident and the fact that he lost a lot of his weapons in the previous draft and that he had a spotty o-line derailed his senior season. He is probably the toughest quarterback in this draft because of what he had to go through. Ryan Mallet has the arm strength that “Fitz” could only get if he was bit by a radioactive Dan Marino. Many Bills executives have said that he has “Jim Kelly” toughness. Here’s how I feel the quarterbacks should be ranked in this draft:

1.   Geno Smith

2.   Tyler Wilson

3.   Matt Barkley

4.   EJ Manuel

5.   Ryan Nassib

 The Bills could use more help other than just the QB position, so let’s just say that they don’t want to go QB in first round. A couple players come to mind on the other side of the ball, Jarvis Jones and Manti Te`o. Jarvis Jones is one of the best players in this draft and can really get after the quarterback. He can set the edge good and he is just what the Bills need as they switch to 3-4 defense, a pass rushing outside linebacker. There are some medical concerns; Jones was diagnosed when he was at USC with spinal stenosis; a condition that has caused some notable NFL players to end their career abruptly, such as Marcus McNeill, a Pro Bowl left tackle who was only 28. The other player is the controversial Manti Te`o who was subject to a “scandal” about his online, fake girlfriend, but make no mistake Te`o is one hell of a talent and in my mind is one of the top 10 players in  this draft. He has great Intuitiveness and can move around well, he should be a top 10 pick in this draft, but you never know. Here is my sleeper pick for the Bills; Cordarrelle Patterson of the Tennessee Volunteers. Patterson has the all the physical attributes you could ask for in a wide receiver, great height and great speed he can get around and is one of the top wide receivers in the NFL draft. Now who do I think the Bills will pick? My gut feeling tells me they’ll go with a QB because Buddy Nix has talked about drafting a QB, but who knows who they will draft because the Bills have done to us before. My feeling is that they’ll draft Tyler Wilson of Arkansas. Buddy Nix has been high on this young man and has a lot of good things to say about him.  Tyler Wilson would be perfect for Buffalo because he has the arm strength that is needed in the weather up here. Well there you have my Bills Mock Draft. There’s a chance that I will update my Blog with new ones.

K1: Which Quarterback the Bills Should Draft if Anyone?

This year the Bills are “looking” for that franchise quarterback. Ever since Jim Kelly has retired the Bills have had a long line of pitiful quarterbacks come here. The only quarterback that had any sense of relief was Doug Flutie because he helped lead the Bills to the playoffs.  The Bills have been looking for that quarterback ever since. Last year there were two guys that were considered heads and shoulders above the rest, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III (RGIII). Ryan Tannehill while not making the playoffs like the other two did show he could be the franchise QB. The one that Bills fans and Bills personnel have to be kicking themselves about is Russell Wilson. The 5’10” product of Wisconsin was sitting there on the Board when the Bills were up to pick and they drafted T.J. Graham. Wilson helped lead the Seahawks to an 11-5 record. This year the quarterbacks are much different. There are no “true” franchise quarterbacks and they could all use a year of sitting on the bench, but teams will reach high for the guy that they want. Many project that the best of the bunch; Geno Smith is projected to go anywhere from 1-7 and many project that he will be off the board before the Bills draft. Many speculate teams like the Chiefs, Eagles, and Cardinals will have their eyes on him. If Geno Smith gets past those teams to the Bills, then that is the number quarterback that they need to draft because he is the best there is in the draft, but that is all theoretical and I don’t want to get into that. Here is a list of the top QBs other than Geno Smith:

·         Matt Barkley, USC

·         Ryan Nassib, Syracuse

·         Tyler Wilson, Arkansas

·         Mike Glennon, UNCS

·         Landry Jones, Oklahoma

·         Tyler Bray, Tennessee

·         EJ Manuel, Florida State

Those are the top QBs other than Geno Smith and three of them and have been really the subject of the draft in Buffalo; Mike Glennon, Ryan Nassib, and Tyler Wilson. I’ll tell you right now one QB that is catching my attention is EJ Manuel out of Florida State. He was the MVP of the Senior Bowl and proved he has all the tools to be a great NFL quarterback. Now let’s be theoretical here (yes I will contradict myself here), the Bills want to draft a QB in the first round and truly the only “first round” grade that a qb should receive is Geno Smith. Geno is a big strong quarterback, with a big arm and decent mobility. Geno passed for 42 tds and only 6 int. and was an early Heisman candidate before West Virginia fell apart. The truth is that the Bills probably shouldn’t trade up to draft him even though he is the best QB in this draft, because you saw the ransom the Redskins had to pay St. Louis to draft RG3 (3 1^st round draft picks and two 2^nd round draft picks), and Geno Smith is nowhere near that good of a quarterback. The best thing for the Bills to do is to wait until the 2^nd or 3^rd round to draft a QB because they have some other needs to fill ahead of a QB.

K2: Is There Anything Left in Vick's Tank?

Today in the NFL the new hit thing are quarterbacks who are mobile and move around like, Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson. These guys are supposed to be the next big thing. What if I told you about 11 years ago there was QB that was supposed to be that. Michael Vick was supposed to be that QB, Vick had speed that transcended the game and was “lightning in a bottle” for the Atlanta Falcons. Vick used his athleticism to make the Falcons a team to be reckoned with. He is currently the only quarterback in NFL history to rush for 1000 yards in a single NFL season. In 2007 Michael Vick was convicted on dog fighting charges and sentenced to 21 months in jail and got in 19 for good behavior. Vick was later reinstated back into the NFL in 2009 and was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles, Vick spent 1 season as the Eagle’s backup, until Donovan McNabb was traded to the Washington Redskins. Kevin Kolb was presumed to be the starter until he received a concussion in week one of the 2010 NFL season. Vick took over and he made the Eagles a very Dangerous NFL team. He took them to the playoffs, but was bounced in the wild card round by the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. Vick won the Comeback Player of the Year award. That offseason Michael Vick became the 1^st NFL QB to receive two100 million dollar contracts.  He received his first one with the Falcons in 2005. Vick in the next season and the following received multiple concussions that forced him to miss a lot of games. This offseason the Eagles fired their longtime head coach, Andy Reid. When that happened it was presumed that Vick’s tenure in Philadelphia was over. Chip Kelly was hired and some thought that maybe Vick would fit into Chip Kelly’s read option offense because of his athletic ability. Some people around the league believe that even with this offense that Vick still wouldn’t be part of the new plan and that Chip Kelly would want to start fresh. Vick says that he believes that he can still start in the NFL. When Michael Vick is released some will wonder where he might land, well the only teams that were interested in Vick other than the Eagles were the Bengals and the Bills. The Bengals now have their franchise QB in Andy Dalton, and that leaves the Bills as the only other possible team, but who knows if the Bills are still interested in him. Michael Vick’s career is like a candle, he shined brightly early and then as the injuries occured his career (candle) began to flicker and die. Now in the twilight of his NFL career one must wonder how much Vick has left.

J2: Jam Jam on His Way Back?

                The year is 2007 and the Oakland Raiders have the first overall draft pick in the first round and they draft “The Big One”, Jamarcus Russell, who was thought to have a great upside and possibly be a great quarterback, but to their dismay, Russell got paid his 52 million dollars in guaranteed money and just stopped trying.  In an NFL draft that had, Adrian Peterson, Joe Thomas, Patrick Willis, Calvin Johnson, and Marshawn Lynch, the Raiders drafted Jamarcus Russell, arguably the biggest draft bust in NFL history.  Six years later the year of the Rookie Quarterback has come with three rookies leading their respective teams to the playoffs, Peyton Manning has a new team, Eli has won two Super Bowls, Brett Favre has finally retired, the 49ers and the Ravens are in the Super Bowl, and the Raiders are still the Raiders. In a year filled with so many story lines, one is starting to catch headway; Jamarcus Russell is trying to make an NFL comeback after being out of the NFL for 4 years, after Al Davis cut him. My question is, Why Now? You had 4 years to make a comeback and you finally get the itch to play again. Do you need some cash, because the last time I heard anything about you was that you were broke. Does he still deserve a chance to play again? I would probably say yes. In a sports league were comebacks are regular and because I personally believe that everyone deserves a second chance. Resently a report surfaced that Jamarcus Russell started his comback by dropping from 320 to 308 pounds. Well I guess that's a start. A trainer can work with Jamarcus Russell on getting in shape again and improving his mechanics, but the one thing that he can't improve or change is his "want" or his desire to play because Jamarcus has to change that on his.
              
            "My first year out, I couldn't watch football but after a while, I couldn't keep the TV off. I got that itchy feeling but now I gotta watch it, gotta watch,” Russell told Yahoo! Sports.

                   Jamarcus Russel in 2010 was attempting a comeback, when the Dolphins reportedly were inviting him for a "tryout" after they lost Chad Pennington and Chad Henne on the same day, (talk about bad luck), but nothing really materialized, just like Jamarcus' career. If Jamarcus is serious about this comeback it looks like he is getting involved with the right people, he reportedly reached out to Jeff Garcia and Marshall Faulk. I would like to see Jamarcus Russell make the comeback because I am all about giving people a second chance and I think it'd be a great story; to think that maybe his career could rise from the ashes.

J1: What Defines The Clutch Quarterback?

Throughout NFL history, the most important position has evolved over time. For most of NFL history the most important position on the field was the running back because of the belief that you had to establish the run. That started to change in the 80’s when Joe Montana and the 49er’s emerged as an NFL superpower. Today the most important position on the field is the quarterback. Brad Johnson may have been the last NFL quarterback to take a back seat to the rest of the team. Today you cannot win without a quarterback. This is many reasons why teams like the Browns, Cardinals* (*excepting them from the years Kurt Warner was there), Chiefs, Jaguars, and Bills have all been real bottom feeders in the NFL for the past ten years. On the contrary teams like the Colts, Patriots Steelers, Ravens, Falcons, Packers, Texans, and Giants have all excelled due to upper echelon quarterbacks. The term clutch in the NFL refers to a player usually a quarterback who has excelled in crunch time. Throughout history QBS like Joe Montana, John Elway, Johnny Unitas, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Bart Starr, Dan Marino, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, and Troy Aikman have all defined themselves as being clutch in some way. To many those QBS are the greatest of all time, well that’s the point, the greatest QBs of all time are usually clutch. Joe “Cool” (Montana), never lost a Super Bowl and never through an INT in one either. Johnny Unitas invented the “two minute drill” in the “Greatest Game Ever Played”. John Elway for the longest time held the most 4^th quarter comebacks in NFL history, and had his signature game “The Drive”, where he led his team 98 yards for the tying score. Terry Bradshaw won four Super Bowls. Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach won a combined 5 Super Bowls, and their teams were never out of it. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have been widely regarded as the two most clutch QBs in the game today. Tom Brady always keeps his team in the game and Peyton Manning can read a defense faster than he can a sentence.. One example of this is the Dallas Cowboys and Tony Romo, and how they have yet to really make a deep playoff run because of Romo. Recently one player has really stood out and it has been Joe Flacco. Flacco has helped take his team all the way to the Super Bowl and has beaten the likes of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. I believe that quarterbacks must be at a certain level of  being clutch because how can you depend on the most important position in football if they haven’t ever been really clutch before.

January 8, 2000- 16 seconds are left and the Bills kick only needing to recover the kick to preserve an upset. What happened next will live in NFL history, Lorenzo Neal laterals the ball to tight end Frank Wycheck and the Titans would end up scoring on one of the most miraculous and controversial plays in NFL history.

Now let’s fast forward 13 years. The Bills have not played the playoffs since that day and have gone through 5 head coaches since that day, Gregg Williams, Mike Mularkey, Dick Jauron, Perry Fewell (interim), and Chan Gailey. To get back to the playoffs the Bills hired Syracuse Alum and Head Coach, Doug Marrone. Doug was the head coach for 4 years; racking up two Pinstripe Bowl victories. He helped fix a program that was in shambles and helped it return to respectability. Marone spent 7 years in the NFL, 4 as the offensive line coach for the New York Jets and 3 as the Offensive Coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. Marrone is from the Bronx and he knows the area pretty well. Marrone has already made an impact with the Buffalo Bills, hiring his Offensive Coordinator, Nathanial Hackett, who worked with him at Syracuse as their OC and Mike Pettine the Defensive Coordinator for the New York Jets.

            I have been listening to news recently, and also have been watching NFL Network and ESPN, and nothing, but good things have come up about Doug Marrone, from Jon Gruden to Brian Billick. Many fans have showed their support in this decision as well. Recently I caught up with some people in Alden,

            Leyton Miner- “I would have preferred if they would have chosen someone from the NFL, but anyone who can help is okay.”
            Alex Darrow- “I was skeptical at first, but now I am just waiting to see what he does, whether or not he will draft Nassib.”

Phil Zobrest- “I don’t know, I really don’t really pay attention to Syracuse football.”

Austin Zelasko- “I was skeptical of it at first, he didn’t have a winning record at Syracuse, and I think the Bills went with the cheapest option.”

Brian Stoldt- “I’m a huge fan.”

Raeanne Over- “I don’t know, but I guess it’s good.”

Jordan Meyer- “He’s a good head coach, and was successful with Syracuse.”

Mr. Foss- “I don’t know about it.”

Sam Mietlowski- “I think it’s a great hire. He knows how important this is to us.”

            My opinion, I was skeptical at first, but now I actually think it’s a pretty good hire. Hopefully he drafts Ryan Nassib, because Doug Marrone knows his strengths and weakness well. My anticipation is that he can help bring a certain discipline and toughness to this team that we have been missing for some years.