Is It June or September? The latest on NFL QB's Merry-Go-Round-Plus Plaxico Burress (again)

The N.Y. Jets latest wunderkind, QB Mark Sanchez finally got his deal done this week. It's worth 50 Million over 5 years, and with incentives could push 60 million. 28 Million of it is gauranteed money. I guess Woody Johnson will be able to sell off the rest of those PSL's now. Rex Ryan can talk all the smack he wants, butt hey still have to make their RB's happy (Shonn Greene still needs to be signed, as well as Jones and Washington deserving new deals), because they will take the pressure off whomever the starting QB is. Don't just think Kellen Clemens will just roll over and play dead.

A lot of Jets players think it's a great idea for the team to go after Ex-Giant receiver Plaxico Burress. Newsflash: he's going to be in jail for at least a few months if not more. He turned down a plea deal that would have limited his jail time to 60 days, plus 1,500 hours of community service. But Plax balked at the idea because it seems he is deathly afraid of serving time on Rikers Island. Sorry Plax: they don't put player's numbers on the back of correctional facility jumpsuits. The Jets players (and fans!) have yet to factor into the equation that Mr. Goodell will also suspend him for play as well. Just ask Mike Vick, because he'll be playing in the UFL this year. Plax is due in court this coming Monday.(late breaking news-We have reports that the case will be continued until September)

Down I-95, it looks like the Eagles finally have shown Donovan McNabb some love, but only so much. Reports are that he has a multi-million dollar raise(5.3 million), but no extension past 2010. This is surely because of a lack of a new CBA between the players and the NFL. You can be sure no veteran players will earn long extensions until the new deal is in place. Translation: Donovan, you have two seasons to win or find somewhere else to whine about losing.

Out in Minnesota, the Brett Farve waiting game continues. Did coach Brad Childress give Farve a deadline or not? Does it matter? If The "Farvelous" one wants to play, he will. His Agent Bus Cook says "Brett is at a different level then most." Which level is that? The level that he's finally realized he should hang it up for good this time? Or the level that says " i could still make a few dollars and be competative for at least a few games." Earth To Brett, come in Brett: please stop trying to embarrass yourself. We Know you were one of the greatest ever to play the game. the sooner you retire the sooner you get the gold jacket and the bust in Canton.

REX GROSSMAN sighting!! Rex has been spotted in Houston Texas, where it is reported that he will compete for the third string QB job against Alex Brink, and behind Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky. Now you know why half the population of Houston roots for Dallas instead.

In Denver, head coach Josh McDaniels has named QB Kyle Orton the starter during the teams' mini-camp. I had looked like it would be between Orton and Chris Simms as to who would get the nod for the 2009 season. Orton was part of the Jay Cutler deal with the Bears.

Finally, We have reports that Former all pro QB Trent Green Retired late this week after 15 seasons. When interviewed by Foxsports.com Green said "I feel this is finally the right time, I've talked about it with (the family) for a while, especially with the concussions over the last few years. We all felt it was the time to do it." Green returned to the St. Louis area where he was raised for the 2008 season. He also played for the Chargers, Redskins, Dolphins, and
Chiefs over his career.

If you had said to me three years ago that a new professional Football league would start up and play games during the fall, when the NFL and College Football (not to mention High School Football) were in full swing, i would have suggested some sort of substance abuse recovery program. two years ago if you were one of the co-founders of this joint venture and you would have polled veteran sports media types, weather traditional print, or electronic/new media, someone might have said " it might work for a year or two, but it will go the way of the USFL and XFL." Six Months ago I might have said to you "If the economy were different...."

With many in the business world saying that the worst of the financial down turn could be over before the end of the coming holiday season, it just might be the perfect time to launch a new Pro Football league. So today myself and a small but experienced group of football journalists, along with several executives involved with the UFL came together for their first New York based press conference at the Cornell Club in Midtown Manhattan. Commissioner Michael Huyghue opened the media meet and greet with about 6 or so minutes of information commentary, after which he turned it over to the New York franchise' head coach, Ted Cottrell.

Don't let Cotrell's calm business like demeanor fool you. This man is excited to finally have a shot as a head coach, something it looked like he would never get in the NFL, even with 24 years of experience as a position coach and defensive coordinator. To say that he got a raw deal in his last two stops (with San Deigo & the NY Jets) would be an understatement. He warmed up the crowd almost instantly with" Only in NY would a head coach get a round of applause before he's coached a game." He stated that he was truly honored to be in this position.

"If you ask me what kind of team we will have in NY, it will be the kind of team that gives you it's all on the field today."

"I expect to see players playing hard from start to finish, thats what i expect"

Later he told a smaller group of us. " We are trying ti watch the age of the Veteran players we bring in, with the concern that players get worn down"

On Being in NY: " aside from this being the team i was assigned, I love it here. I was here for three years with the Jets, and as an assistant with Rutgers for 9 years, plus i worked in the NFL offices for a year."

On Being a 3-4 Defensive Guru and innovator: "well, this year we will run the 4-3 based on the fact that we want to change things up a bit."

On his assistants: "I had to find a group of guys i could trust, guys i knew well. with the exception of one coach, everyone on this staff has worked with me before.

On His Offensive coordinator: "Wes Chandler" (thats good enough for me!)
Chandler played 11 seasons in the NFL, and was a big part in the 1981 "Epic in Miami" playoff game (6-106-1TD on a 56 yd. punt return). His Coaching career includes stops in NFL Europe, and in the NFL with Dallas, and most recently with Cleveland.

We also Heard from the NY franchise Owner Bill Mayer, the Founder of Park Avenue Equity. Probably the most interesting thing Mr. Mayer let drop is that he was a former NY Jets season ticket holder, and that after a few years of traveling to New Jersey for games He was just plain fed up. "This team will play somewhere east of the east river" said Mayer. Hmmmm...do the math. The New Facility at Citi field would be perfect, but it's playing surface is just not set up for football. That leaves...Hmmm...That college in Hempstead Ny when the Jets used to hold their training camp and practices. We think Hofstra would be a great place, but we will have to wait for a formal announcement.

Final Notes: Every good sports endeavor needs a good P.R. person, and the UFL has a very good one In Rachel Gary. She was fantastic today, and so far in every contact this reporter has had with her. It was also my pleasure to meet and report today with fellow examiner Andy Kossak who is the National Pro Football examiner.

From THE AP:

Ex-NFL players lash out at union seeking support
By OSKAR GARCIA, Associated Press Writer

LAS VEGAS (AP)—Retired football players angry with the NFL Players Association over disability and pension benefits said Sunday that the executive director of the union may be ahead of himself in seeking their support during upcoming contract talks with the league.

The informal group of former football players lashed out at comments made by NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, who said Saturday that retired player benefits would be reduced if there is an uncapped year in 2010 or a lockout by owners in 2011.

Several players meeting in Las Vegas about their problems with the union said their benefits are protected by law—lockout or not.

But the union says its supplemental disability payments would be cut in an uncapped year, and all payments would expire in 2011 if there is a lockout.

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Smith also said Saturday at a meeting of the NFLPA Retired Players Organization in Palm Springs, Calif., that he represents all NFL players, active and retired. He wants the retiree groups behind the union in negotiations to extend the contract that expires after the 2010 season, with talks scheduled to start Wednesday.

Owners opted out of the current deal last year.

“I think he might be putting the cart before the horse,” said Marvin Cobb, a former defensive back who played six years in the NFL for Cincinnati, Minnesota and Pittsburgh, and won two NCAA national championships with USC in 1972 and 1974.

Cobb said Smith must understand the rocky relationship between the union and former players who feel it turned their back on them after they stopped playing football.

“Mr. Smith has quite a lot on his plate,” Cobb told The Associated Press. “He may prioritize his to-do list differently than I would prioritize it.”

Smith in March replaced the late Gene Upshaw, who often clashed with retired players over benefits and other matters. Smith’s spokesman George Atallah said Smith has reached out to retired players, including many who met in Las Vegas over the weekend.

Several former stars, including Hall of Fame members Mike Ditka, Green Bay’s Herb Adderley and Buffalo’s Joe DeLamielleure have been increasingly critical of the union’s health benefits and pension plan, which pays some retired players only hundreds of dollars a month.

Cobb said he makes about $500 a month in pension and has had problems getting disability payments because he had to work other jobs.

“I think the verdict is still out on DeMaurice,” Cobb said. “I don’t know that we can trust him any more than we could trust Gene (Upshaw).”

Retired players are also angry over the union’s appeal of a $28.1 million federal judgment, which the union was ordered to pay the players for allegedly cutting them out of lucrative marketing deals.

The lawsuit was filed in 2007 by Adderley on behalf of 2,056 retired players who contend the union failed to actively pursue marketing deals on their behalf with video games, trading cards and others sports products.

Cobb said he didn’t think any of the players represented in the lawsuit would support the union if it goes through with its appeal.

“The easy thing for (Smith) is to write the check,” Cobb said.

The players didn’t form a formal group at the Las Vegas meeting or align themselves behind one of several groups for retired NFL players. They said they planned to reach out to active players and further push the league for support and the player’s union for more money.

Bob Grant, a former linebacker who played for the Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins from 1968-72, retired players would likely need to win litigation to gain influence with the union that controls the money.

“We don’t have a seat at the table right now,” Grant said.

But Grant told other players Sunday that he thought the union might be more willing to listen to retired players under its new leadership.