Kellen Winslow Jr. looking to have a 100 catch season

Kellen Winslow Jr.'s bark has been more than his bite since he's came into the NFL. He's had some productive seasons but he's not the player he talks himself up to be. In fairness he's seen his share of injuries but if you're as good as you say you are, Winslow would overcome injury and wouldn't be playing on his fourth team in his career.

After last season's one game, one catch performance with the New England Patriots, Winslow signed with the New York Jets and has set some lofty goals for himself. Winslow told the Wall Street Journal  that his goal is to have 100 catches. A very lofty goal indeed. Winslow's career high for catches was 89 with the Cleveland Browns in 2006.

"My goal is to have 100 catches," Winslow said. "Will I have 100? I don't know. I might have 20, you know? But that's my goal. You play this game for something, and I know at the end of the day that's going to help my team win because that's what I do best."

"There's always been questions, every season," Winslow, who signed a one-year contract with the Jets last month for a base salary of $840,000, said Thursday. "Every season, there's something said about somebody, that they can't do something. That's what motivates people."

No one is questioning Winslow's motivation, but it's been a question of his health. He can be a contributor to a Jets offense that needs all the contributions it can get, but 100 catches are out of the question in their offense.

With either Mark Sanchez or Geno Smith lobbing passes all season I highly doubt Winslow will reach his goal. Just concentrate on helping the team win.

Lance Berkman won't retire because the Rangers need help on offense

Texas Rangers DH Lance Berkman hasn't played in a game in four weeks. He's been on the disabled list with an inflamed hip and his knees have given him problems for years. Berkman thought about retirement but has put those thoughts to rest with the Rangers in a pennant chase.

Berkman says he reconsidered retiring because he felt the Rangers needed some help on offense. He hopes to rejoin the team within the next two weeks.

“That we didn’t trade for anybody and that we still don’t know what is going to happen with Nelson [Cruz], I feel like if I push myself and endure a little discomfort, I can get out there and try to do something to help this team win,” Berkman said. “I’ve made up my mind to try and play. This team needs a bat and I’m gonna do my dangdest to make that happen.”  

Cruz is facing a 50 game suspension for his alleged ties to the Biogenesis scandal that has been the news around baseball.

I don't doubt that Berkman loves the game but it's kind of refreshing to see a player that desperately wants to help his team win and doesn't want to sit idling on the sidelines. I don't know how much he can help, but he feels he has enough left in the tank to contribute.  

Giants' receiver Victor Cruz not a fan of the revamped Pro Bowl

The NFL decided to add a new wrinkle to their useless All-Star game, known as the Pro Bowl.

The AFC vs. NFC format is no longer in place. The NFL took a page from the NHL's playbook and will have teams chosen by team captains, with Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders being honorary captains . Fan voting will determine the draft pool.

Additional changes also included: The NFL also said it is having a two-minute warning at the end of the first and third quarters and possession will change at the end of every quarter, giving fans more opportunities to watch teams play in the two-minute drill. There are also a few other changes, such as kickoffs being eliminated, zone coverage by defensive backs being allowed and a shorter play clock.

There haven't been too many known player reactions to the changes but New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz isn't a big fan of it.

"Not the biggest fan of it to be honest with you," Cruz said, via the New York Daily News. "But you know, they're trying to make the Pro Bowl fun again, and I respect it. I like Jerry [Rice] and Deion [Sanders] so it should be some fun interaction between those guys. But it's all good. I'm just worried about doing what I have to on the field. And the Pro Bowl and everything will take care of itself."

Cruz and most of America seem to be in lockstep on this opinion.

Personally I'm with 99% of the NFL fans who are in violent agreement: get rid of the Pro Bowl already!  It's a stupid, no-meaning game designed to make money through entertainment.  It has nothing to do with the serious game of football.  It's just a huge blemish, weighing down a popular sport like an anchor.

"It Girl" of the week: Ashley Alexiss

This week's "It Girl" of the week is Ashley Alexiss.

Florida State football player helps catch burglary suspects

When two burglars decided to break into Florida State cornerback Nick Waisome's apartment they apparently picked the wrong place.

Waisome found two burglars in his apartment on July 5 and I guess he let his emotion get the best of him because he chased them down and managed to catch one of the suspects, 34 year old Tavares Rumph.

According to Tallahassee police, Waisome caught up with one of the men in the rear of the building and knocked him down before then pursuing the second man, calling police, and preventing the man from fleeing in a friend's car.

The second suspect, 23 year old Mario Crawford got away. At least he did that time. About three weeks later Waisome

 "I figured they didn't have a gun because if they did they would've shot me," said Waisome. "But when they started running than I just decided I wanted to get one person at least," he said.

About three weeks later Waisome noticed Crawford and the getaway car at a gas station. Crawford had been wearing a pair of Waisome's shorts he obtained during the break in. Waisome contacted police again, and through his taking the car's license plate number and surveillance video, the suspect was later arrested.

Jimbo Fisher should hope that Waisome would call the police before chasing down criminals before something tragic occurred. He also should hope Waisome is adept at stopping opposing receivers as he is at fighting crime.

Ex-Lion Al "Bubba" Baker says he has a man crush on Ndamukong Suh

For those that can remember back to the late 1970's and early 80's, the Detroit Lions had a pretty good defensive line. Heade by Doug English and the headliner Al "Bubba" Baker, the Lions front four was known as the 'Silver Rush'.

Baker made a special appearance to the Lions training camp and says that this Lions defensive line could be better than the 'Silver Rush' edition. he also admitted to having a man crush on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.   

“I think we all have seen what they’ve assembled here, and the front that they’re in, they have an opportunity to do something,” Baker said. “I think these guys have the ability to break any record we ever had as the Silver Rush — by far.”

"I have to admit I have a man crush on Ndamukong Suh. I've already told my wife," Baker said. "If I had a body like that, I'd still be playing.

"There's no one single human being that can block Suh. He doesn't exist. King Kong, but he's retired."

Baker is the latest defensive lineman to praise Suh and the way he plays the game. Former Pittsburgh Steeler great mean Joe Greene also had some positive words about Suh and both feel the league should stop trying to rein him in so much.

John Rocker says baseball was better with steroids

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker was never one to bite his tongue. If he has an opinion about something he's gonna let you know. If you recall, he didn't make too many fans in New York or the gay and black communities.

Rocker appeared on Cleveland's 92.3 The Fan and spoke rather fondly of baseball's 'steroid era'. Unlike many of the baseball purists and Hall of Famers, Rocker believes that baseball was better with steroids.

“Honestly, and this may go against what some people think from an ethical stand point, I think it was the better game. At the end of the day when people are paying their $80, $120 whatever it may be, to buy their ticket and come watch that game, it’s almost like the circus is in town. They are paid to be entertained. They wanna see some clown throw a fastball 101 mph and some other guy hit it 500 feet. That’s entertainment. You’re paying to be entertained.”

“And was there anything more entertaining than 1998 – I don’t care how each man got there – was there anything more entertaining than 1998?…watching Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire chase 61 home runs?”

“That was a mesmerizing time for every baseball fan out there…the people were getting their money’s worth.”

True, people were getting their money's worth, but would they have paid for it knowing it was a sham. I don't think so because then you're almost getting professional wrestling without a predetermined result.

I personally don't care one way or the other. I can see why players do it. To get a bigger payday and maintain an edge over their opponents. The game was entertaining, but in the end it was cheating. I don't condone it but I understand.

Furthermore I don't think the game of baseball would be better with players putting up video game numbers year after year.