DeMaurice Smith: "Voice of the Players"......or not.

There’s nothing better than sitting back and watching a “fresh approach” to something go horribly wrong.

Unfortunately, this new way of doing things, otherwise known as DeMaurice Smith, is directly impacting me -- an NFL fan who thoroughly enjoys the sport 365 days a year.

In 2009, upon the sudden passing of Gene Upshaw, Smith was elected president of the NFLPA.  It was seen as a surprise by many, a solution to the union’s sudden need for a change.

So much for that change being positive.

What the NFLPA got was a Washington-based attorney, a trial lawyer who represented Fortune 500 companies, rubbed elbows with President Barack Obama, and knows his way around Capitol Hill with his eyes closed. What they didn’t get was someone who had even the slightest clue about the world of the NFL, let alone the mind of a professional football player.

It was obvious that his business experience trumped his football experience.  Unfortunately for players and fans the ramifications of his hiring are being showcased loud and clear right now.

Surprisingly enough, I’ve stayed fairly quiet regarding my opinions on the current lockout.  I’ve kept an optimistic view that the two parties shared one common goal:  to get back to playing football. But after seeing Smith’s comments Monday it’s clear to me that this poor excuse for a leader is largely responsible for the lack of football in my life.

Someone might want to warn Mr. Smith that it’s really not a wise choice to get in the way of me and my football.

Smith is out of his league.  Last I checked he’s no labor attorney.  He’s a trial lawyer with no labor law experience whatsoever. If Upshaw could walk out of his grave right now I bet he would.  Upshaw had a great relationship with NFL owners and commissioner at the time Paul Tagliabue.  Don’t think for one second that the efforts put into establishing that relationship weren’t a key reason why the last labor fight was a short, less dramatic one.

The NFLPA is now in more of a mess than their “fearless” leader even cares to realize.  It’s obvious that Smith cares more about good sound bites and extra face time on national television then actually facing the reality of the situation at hand. The man wants to make his mark in NFL history and he thinks that trudging this matter in courtroom after courtroom is the way to do it.  I don’t need law experience to know that new collective bargaining agreements don’t get done in courtrooms.

Smith needs to stop making things personal.  Enough already with the redundant, arrogant and hard-balled rhetoric that has completely undermined any efforts to reach a new deal.  Cut the asinine “This is war” comments and go back to Capitol Hill where you belong.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the players, themselves, are questioning whether this man has their best interests in mind, but it’s too late now.

So, to quote the man of the hour himself: “Congratulations,” DeMaurice. You are singlehandedly turning off many fans that were once favoring the side of the players and have ruined what was once one of the best player/owner relationships in all sports.

Unfortunately, I’m not holding my breath for a new deal anytime soon -- that is as long as I continue to see your mug behind that podium

How the NFL Lock-Out Potentially Helps the New York Jets in the 2011 Draft.

Believe it or not, the NFL lockout in one very small way has actually helped some teams, including the New York Jets.

Maybe I’m suffering from a chocolate bunny overdose, or desperately trying to find something good in a time of such turmoil in the NFL. Either way, this is a scenario we as fans cannot afford to ignore.

It’s a pretty easy concept when you think about it.

It’s finally draft week, and not too much has changed. There will still be three days, seven rounds and a green room filled with anxious soon-to-be NFL players at Radio City Music Hall.

This year is first time in NFL history that the draft will be held before free agency. An offseason with no trades and no free agent signings has taken away one of the primary ways that teams fill their needs for the upcoming (knock on wood) season. The only avenue teams currently have is to wager parts of their futures on the unproven.

The lockout has done wonders for hockey and basketball fans, but it has also benefited some college prospects, too, namely quarterbacks. There are only six or so teams desperate for a quarterback and approximately five more that are in the market for one.

In any other year a handful of these teams would have already signed players like Marc Bulger, Donovan McNabb or Alex Smith, leaving their draft picks to fill other holes. But without the freedom to sign veteran players, these QB-needy teams will be stretching to grab the next Mark Sanchez as early as possible. I mean why wouldn’t they? Last I checked a quarterback is one of the more necessary parts of a football team.

Or in the case of this bizarre NFL offseason, desperate times should call for desperate measures.

Players who in any other year would be drafted during the second round are going to be celebrating Thursday night. “Over-drafting” and “quarterback” are two words that will go hand-in-hand this year. Players will be drafted higher due to need, not talent. It’s notion that you won’t hear the Kaepernicks, Malletts and Daltons of the world complaining about.

What does this mean for the Jets?

I wouldn’t expect Mike T. -- aka “the Draft King” -- to move up unless there is a player available that Rex & Co. simply cannot live without. The more quarterbacks drafted early in the first round will mean more players dropping down, giving the Jets more options with the 30th selection.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

By the middle of Round 1, I fully expect to see greedy teams starting to make some moves. Bidding wars and trades will start to come fast and furious in an attempt to put war rooms in their places.

Get used to that little bell sound and team logos changing on the screen quickly as moves are made, or, more specifically, quarterbacks are selected.

The Jets aren’t the only team looking for the next great pass rusher this week. Fourteen teams run a 3-4 defense and four of those teams will be drafting alongside the Jets in the last seven picks of the first round. If you’re a Jets fan, the hope is more teams move into this slot to grab a quarterback.

If the infamous draft pick hoarder, Bill Belichick, takes the bait from a team like Denver or San Francisco and moves out of the 17th or 28th spot it will only help the Jets.

On the other hand, if players the Jets are targeting get taken right before they are scheduled to select, Tannenbaum may begin fielding offers in preparation to make moves himself.  I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if the Tennessee Titans or Denver Broncos trade into the Jets spot to grab a QB, leaving the Jets with a second round pick and an additional third.

If not, and the Jets trade down for extra picks in round three or later, Tannenbaum would put his talents to use and find a way to trade some of those and land a spot back up in the second round.

The possibilities are endless, making it one of the best and worst parts of the draft.

Any situation that makes a draft unpredictable, with the potential for lots of movement, usually means good things for the Jets. That’s precisely what could begin to happen on Thursday night.

One thing is highly recommended: don’t walk away from the television or channel surf for too long because anything – and I mean anything -- can happen.

And usually does.

The No Fun League Strikes Again

Anyone new to American sports would think that football was a relatively new sport created in the 1980’s.  With all the recent implementation of new rules and changes to existing ones, one would never believe the sport has been around since 1879.

First the infamous “Tuck Rule” in 2002 thanks to my favorite ponytail wearing quarterback. Then came the changes to the overtime rules after old man Favre suffered a dreadful NFC Championship game loss in overtime.

As if the current news regarding the NFL couldn’t be annoying enough, today’s biggest story aside from Bill Belichick sleeping through breakfast involved yet another rule change.

Jason La Canfora of NFL.com reports:

“NFL kickoffs will take place at the 35-yard line -- not the 30 -- under a modified kickoff proposal passed by the league's owners at the NFL Annual Meeting on Tuesday, according to a league source. The proposal keeps touchbacks at the 20 and continues to allow the two-man blocking wedge.”

Saying that Devin Hester should be on suicide watch may be a little bit extreme, but this rule change most definitely has an effect on an important aspect of the game.

Fans can definitely expect to see a lot more touchbacks than previously.  In 2010, 927 kicks landed in the end zone or farther.  509 of them were returned, and 416 were touchbacks.  There’s no question that with the implementation of the new rules, the percentage of touchbacks will increase greatly giving kickers the advantage, and will take away the threat from kick return specialists.

In 2010, players like Josh Cribbs, DeSean Jackson, Leon Washington, Brad Smith racked up 23 touchdowns all from kick returns.  It’s one of the most exciting yet overlooked parts of the game.

What Jets fan didn’t love shouting “Leee-onnnn” at every kick-off?  Or used to sit at the edge of their seat waiting for Chad Morton to return yet another one in the end zone?

Let’s face it, a kick-off return for a touchdown can sometimes be the most memorable play of a game. 

Last year, kickers like Sebastian Janikowski would routinely kick the ball one to two yards into the endzone with a good possibility of it being returned. 

Ed Hochuli will be swinging his arms at his sides a plenty this year because that same kick will be six to seven yards deep with players kneeling in the end zone for yet another touchback.  

Excuse me while I yawn.

The fact is players get paid millions because they are most dangerous at returning kick-offs and getting great field position for their team. 

Leon Washington should be thanking his lucky stars he signed his new contract or else he’d be seeing his value drop like Darren Sproles and Brad Smith are as we speak. It’s even safe to say that players may no longer be drafted purely because of their great return abilities.

So who benefits?

Aging kickers like Ryan Longwell and Adam Vinatieri do.  These guys have accuracy and no longer have to worry about losing some leg strength.  A kicker’s accuracy will be valued more than a big leg. 

Of course as I type I have to think about Nick Folk.  I don’t consider him a big-legged kicker or a very accurate one.  In fact he’s really just a pain in my…….I digress.

I expect to see teams treat kick-offs like punts.  Special teams coaches will use sky kicks and emphasize hang-time.  Kickers will get air under the ball for a 5 second hang time, let the coverage team get under it and force the returner to call a fair catch inside his own 10 yard line……..or else he’ll get killed.  

No fun for Brad Smith and when you think about it even less fun for players like Lance Laury, Jamaal Westermann and John Conner who are dying to get their hands on the little fast men.  They can’t even line up at the 20 yard line anymore and only have five yards from the kick off to get a running start.

Aside from the Rutgers tragedy, I personally can only recall news of two concussions suffered last year during kick-off returns.

I’m all for the NFL Competition Committee implementing rules that will increase players’ safety, but this newest rule could potentially effect an entire phase of a team’s offense.   

When the league implemented increased fines and punishment for “big hits” they weren’t necessarily changing the game, but rather sending a message to the players.  In the end, the players could still play the game the way they always have.

The new kick-off rules are different in that they actually change how the game is played, no matter how slightly.

My new optimistic side says hey….it’s better than having them take away kick-offs completely.

Vikings, Packers and Lions fans will sleep better tonight. 

Who knows?  Maybe now my nightmares of there ever being another Ted Ginn Jr in the AFC East will finally end too.