More Football Comments

A few words about Super Bowl XL scheduled for February 2006 in Detroit, Michigan. (That’s SuperBowl 40... not Extra Large!) The host committee for this event is at this point way out in front of the same committee that was in charge in Jacksonville for Super Bowl XXXIX. This year the Detroit committee actually has useful information on its web site. This time last year it seemed the bubba-officials, and I use the term endearingly, were floundering around tryin’ to remember when the NFL was scheduled to hold its big game in their fair city. (Did you know Jacksonville is "the biggest little city in America" area-wise that is?)

I wonder why the NFL thinks it’s important to enlist the participants in the small business initiative so early in the game? Nothing else is ready by the deadline they always impose. Usually they want the applicants, female and/ or minority owned enterprises to be front and center for scrutiny by the end of March the year before the SuperBowl. I wonder why that is. By March of this year there was no official host city web site on the Internet. Things that make you go….“Hmmmm”

The Eagles lost to the Steelers last night-38 to 31. Ah! It's only preseason. I'm looking forward to the continuing soap-opera that is Terrell Owens. Owens and the Philadelphia Eagles organization in dispute over his contract is a non-story that the sports media has pumped up into a mega non-story. It must be a real slow time for sports news. I wonder what kind of spin the press is gonna put on the Philadelphia preseason loss to Pittsburgh? I wonder how many sports reporters are hovering around Owens home in New Jersey or at Eagles training camp on the campus of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania as they await his return? They wait in anticipation. I'll bet they've already fashioned their sensationalized versions of what will happen upon his return on Wednesday. Stay tuned.

Though I am dismissive, along with many, of preseason footbll, because it doesn't count toward anything except to get the real fans revved up for the real NFL season, which opens September 8th at 9PM EDT with the Raiders and the Patriots in Foxboro, Mass; it does showcase new talent. It also brings injuries. For example: Chicago Bears' quarterback Rex Grossman broke his left ankle during the second quarter of the game in the Bears' preseason loss to the Rams on August 12 . It's been reported Grossman will be sidelined three to four months. This is Grossman's third injury in as many seasons. The young QB lost the majority of 2004 with a knee injury and missed the end of 2003 with an injured hand. Now they'll have to rely on running the ball.

General manager Jerry Angelo isn't sure when the quarterback will return. " ...We're not here lamenting over Rex Grossman. It's unfortunate. We have a contingency plan. The only thing I'm disappointed in is we're having to get to the contingency plan. We have a lot of confidence in our quarterbacks and (offensive coordinator) Ron Turner." Chad Hutchinson is now the starter, with rookie Kyle Orton and veteran Jeff Blake backing him up. Blake is a former All-Pro signed by the Bears to a one-year agreement.