Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Patriots bringing in Felix Jones for a visit

Free agent running back Felix Jones doesn't have too many miles on him but he's always getting bit by the injury bug. Maybe that's why he's still looking for a team.

Jones has spent his five years in the league with the Dallas Cowboys and the former first round pick is an unrestricted free agent. Among his potential suitors are the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, and New England Patriots.

Even after acquiring LaGarrette Blount last week, the Patriots are bringing in Jones for a visit. Jones has already visited with the Eagles and worked out for the Bengals. With the stable of running backs New England has I don't know if they would have room for Jones. Somehow they always seem to find a role for someone.

Jones has pass catching ability and good speed so that shoud allow him to find his way onto a NFL roster.      

Tommie Frazier says the '95 Huskers would beat Saban's Crimson Tide

In the mid 1990's the Nebraska Cornhuskers had a powerhouse football team. Under coach Tom Osborne's guidance the Huskers won three national championships and was very close to a fourth. No team has come close to that type of dominance until Alabama's Nick Saban led squad has put together quite a run.

The Tide have strung together three national championships and have been the flag bearer for the mighty SEC.

Former Husker quarterback Tommie Frazier was recently elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and spoke about comparing the Nebraska teams of the '90s against the Alabama teams of now. He had a lot to say and when asked who would win he was biased about his pick. He says the Huskers would'v beaten the Tide.

 "They won back-to-back championships. That right there compares," Frazier said. "But it's a different time, different era. There are some good things that they did and there are some good things that we did.

"And there will always be that burning question in everyone's mind, 'Well, which team is better?' Well, in my mind, I already know which team is better. I say it publicly all the time that I don't think there's any team out there that would have beat that '95 team.

"And over a five-year span, I don't think there's too many teams that put up a record of (60-3). Coach Osborne built something special here in the mid-90s. Even though he built something special during his whole career, for some reason those mid-90s into his last game, those were special years. And I think it's going to be hard to duplicate that."

If it wasn't for a missed last second field goal against Florida State we might not b having this conversation. we might not be having it if it wasn't for Shevin Wiggins' kicked ball that allowed Nebraska a share of the title in 1997. We could easily say the same for Alabama. If not for the politics of the BCS they wouldn't be back to back as we speak.

There was no let up in those Nebraska teams and that's where I give them a razor thin edge. despite being a modern day dynasty Bama has gone 61-7 in the same five year stretch.

It's a different era and a different time. We'll always have these debates of who was the greatest and which team was better. But that's what makes sports so great.

Minnesota governor questions Chris Kluwe's release

Chris Kluwe's release from the Minnesota Vikings has stirred up a slight debate. Many are questioning whether the Vikings released Kluwe for being outspoken on a number of issues or was he released because of his punting ability or lack thereof.

One person that seems to be in Kluwe's corner is Minnesota governor Mark Dayton. Dayton finds it kind of fishy that Kluwe was released a short while after the Vikings said there would be an open competition for the punting job between Kluwe and fifth round draft pick Jeff Locke.

“I don't feel good about it,” Dayton, a Democrat, said. “I mean I'm not in position to evaluate the role and their punting abilities. But it seems to me the general manager said right after the draft that they were going to have competition. Well, then he brings the one guy [fifth-round pick Jeff Locke] in, he kicks for a weekend and that's the competition? I mean, I just think sports officials ought to be honest about what the heck is going on. Same way I think public officials should be honest about what's going on. So that bothers me probably as much if not more than the actual decision.”

“If you're going to check and see who's the better kicker under the pressure of an NFL season, seems to me you at least go into the exhibition games and have them both kicking under that kind of pressure,” Dayton said. “If you're to have true competition, that's how I would think you'd resolve it in a straightforward way.

“But that's their decision to make. They don't give me political advice. I don't give them coaching advice.”

I don't agree with the way it all went down, but maybe the Vikings wanted a younger, cheaper option which I find nothing wrong with. It's the way business is done in every way of life. But don't say there is an open competition and can a guy after seeing one guy kick over the weekend.

Dayton can have an opinion, but he's out of his element. Governors should govern and coaches should coach.

"It Girl" of the week: Karli Madaline

This week's "It Girl" of the week is Karli Madaline