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.