The Panthers will find out immediately where they stand this season when they open at San Diego. Carolina looks like a playoff team to me. Once Steve Smith returns in week-3 the offense can operate at full capacity, and without him will have to pound it with the one-two punch of Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Jake's arm looks stronger than ever, Julius Peppers has the "pep" back in his step, and Jon Beason may supplant Brian Urlacher as the top middle linebacker in the NFC.
The Chargers are the trendy AFC pick to reach the Super Bowl pick for those tired of penciling in Tom Brady's Patriots and Peyton Manning's Colts. Of course, injuries to those two could actually slow them down to say 40 touchdown passes each this year. We seldom travel out more than one day before a game for a roadtrip, but we will get an early jump out to San Diego. Tough assignment, as we stay around the corner from Torrey Pines, where the US Open was held. To balance it out, we get two days in Oakland later this season.
Important NFL notes to start your season...Bengals WR Chad Johnson is to officially be referred to by his new legal name, Chad Ocho Cinco. Ocho Cinco actually means "8-5" in Spanish, not "85," but too much trouble to change it again. I guess he didn't take coach Marvin Lewis' suggestion of Ocho Psycho.
While Detroit Lions new running back, Rudi Johnson was meeting with team coaches and management, out-going running back Tatum Bell stole his luggage. This was actually caught by surveillance video cameras at the Lions complex. A woman later returned the Gucci bags, minus Rudi's credit cards, ID and underwear. I guess Tatum is not planning on playing for another team in the NFL and was looking for some parting gifts.
Nice start to the NBA by former Kansas stars Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur. The league throws a four-day transition symposium to acclimate the incoming college stars to the NBA. But Chalmers and Arthur got evicted by commissioner David Stern after being busted for having marijuana and women in their room. Security had to break into their room since the players wouldn't let them in, and one person was in the bathroom repeatedly flushing the toilet. Guess they had to miss the Dennis Rodman lecture by leaving early.
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