By Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer at large-Football Reporters Online

WESTBURY, N.Y. – Over a thousand people were in attendance for the Long Island Association’s 2012 annual luncheon in Westbury, New York last Wednesday.

But, the real treat was the amusing banter between former Super Bowl quarterbacks Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason, and New York Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan, as they joined LIA president and CEO Kevin Law in a panel discussion at the Westbury Country Club.

The day started with a private reception taking place only an hour after Esiason wrapped up his daily morning radio and television show on WFAN (660 AM) and MSG-TV in Manhattan.

After that, Esiason posed for pictures with Simms, Ryan, and Law, before Ryan answered questions from the media on the Jets.

Ryan discussed his meeting with team owner Woody Johnson after the Giants’ Super Bowl XLVI victory, which followed a disappointing season for the Jets, and said,  “We’ve identified things that we have to get better at as an organization. We’re learning from what happened this past season, and hey, we’ve got some scars from it, there’s no question.”

Asked what he learned from the season turning point for both his team and the Giants – wide receiver Victor Cruz’s team record 99-yard touchdown reception in the Giants’ win over the Jets on December 24th – Ryan quipped, “I learned we’ve got to tackle better. The 99-yarder, I don’t know how many more guys you could have covering that guy.”

During the discussion later on, Ryan drew some laughs saying, “We were in triple coverage on that Cruz  touchdown.  I guess we should be in zero coverage.”

He also praised the Giants’ perseverance to go from a 7-7 record prior to that game to closing the season on a six-game winning streak and winning their second Super Bowl in five seasons. “You’ve got to give [the Giants] all the credit in the world. They found a way to get it done and win [the Super Bowl].”

Questioning his own approach with the Jets somewhat, the normally boastful Ryan reconsidered whether his string of Super Bowl guarantees over his first three years as the Jets’ head coach might have done more harm than help, especially this past season.

“Making the guarantee and all that, I thought was going to put pressure on myself, but I also want to send a message to our team,” said Ryan, who reflected on among other feedback, the remarks of Jets’ veteran running back LaDanian Tomlinson.

“The guys know that I speak what I believe to be truth,” he continued. “Now, it never worked out that way, but that’s what I believed. But, after hearing LaDanian’s comments and having some exit interviews, my intent was not to put pressure on our players. I wanted to put pressure on me, and let them play loose and fast… but, maybe there was more pressure. Maybe opponents looked at us differently because of the guarantee that I made. So, I gotta look at all those things.”

Moments later, Ryan confessed to Law that, “Anyone who’s successful has scars. And, we dared to be successful.”

Earlier, Simms began the panel discussion by providing some candid and humorous insight into his relationship with former New York Giants’ legendary head coach Bill Parcells.

When Law addressed the former Giants quarterback by Simms’ first name, Simms recalled how hard Parcells was on him, saying “First of all, thanks for using my first name. I always thought [my full name] was Effing Simms. I used to have to check my birth certificate and make sure my name started with a ‘P’ and not and ‘F.’ And, if I did well, it was just ‘Hey, boy’ or something like that.”

Simms  later divulged that he wanted to leave New York after he was benched early in his career by Parcells.

Telling of when things got better as Simms’ career evolved, Simms said “People would tell me, ‘Hey, you hung in there.’ I was like, ‘What else was I going to do?’ Before that, I told Parcells, ‘Trade me now!’ He tried, but the organization wouldn’t let him.”

As the conversation switched back to the Jets’ head coach, Ryan discussed his team’s tough 2011 season after reaching the AFC title game as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator in 2008 and in each of his first two years as the head coach of the Jets.

“I’m not used to being in this situation,” he said. “Three straight years, I was in a championship game, albeit, I lost all three.”

While the audience responded with laughter, Esiason playfully consoled Ryan by tapping him on the leg.

This year, watching the Jets’ MetLife Stadium co-tenants, the Giants, meet the New England Patriots, the Jets’ main divisional rival, was especially difficult for Ryan, who lightheartedly said, “It was like a cruel joke or something… uhh, let’s see… the Giants… and the Patriots… hmm…”

However, at least the Jets have been much better under Ryan than when Esiason quarterbacked them from 1993-1995.

Although Esiason had a prolific 14-year playing career that included four pro bowls and 37,920 passing yards, other than nearly leading the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl win in his fifth season, Esiason was often one of the National Football League’s best quarterbacks playing on bad teams.

“I played for the Bengals, [Arizona] Cardinals, and Jets, otherwise known as the Bermuda Triangle in the NFL,” Esiason joked.

He added that as a former player, he appreciates Ryan’s approach. “Rex takes the issues away from the player and puts it on himself,” he said.

But, Esiason also thanked Ryan for being so outspoken now that he’s in broadcasting. “You have made my job so much easier,” Esiason told Ryan. “There’s always something to talk about.”

Touching on the Giants’ late-season turnaround and the comparative criticism from the media and fans for Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, Esiason said, “They wanted to run [Giants’ quarterback] Eli [Manning] out of town, they wanted to run [Giants’ head coach] Tom Coughlin out of town… and they win [the Super Bowl].”

“Everyone wants you to be [New York Knicks’ point guard] Jeremy Lin or [Giants’ wide receiver] Victor Cruz for that matter,” he added, relating Sanchez to two players who have flourished very early while playing in New York.

“But, it takes time, sometimes… Mark Sanchez gets it,” Esiason said, while pointing out Sanchez’s leadership skills in attempting to diffuse reported earlier issues between Sanchez and Jets’ star, wide receiver Santonio Holmes earlier the same morning.

“He sent out a tweet yesterday (on Valentine’s Day, last Tuesday) to Santonio Holmes, saying ‘Would You Be My Valentine?’ with a picture of a heart-shaped box of cookies.”

At that point, Simms chimed in on discussing social media, joking that if things like Twitter and Facebook were around in his playing days, he “would have had more fines than Rex” and that former Giants’ linebacker great Lawrence Taylor “would have lasted three games in his career.”

Simms and Esiason then detailed how the two blonde-haired former quarterbacks will often get confused for each other in public.

The latest occurrence of that was during Super Bowl week in Indianapolis earlier this month.

“A fan in Indy thought he was me,” Simms said. “And, he asked, ‘Hey Boomer, who will win [the Super Bowl]? And, [Boomer] says, ‘The Patriots!’ He was trying to make me look bad.”

Esiason then told Simms how a fan told him, again thinking that Esiason was Simms, “Eli Manning’s better than you! You suck!”

Of course, Simms actually had a great career that spanned fifteen seasons with more than 33,000 passing yards, two Super Bowl titles, a Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award and a pair of pro bowl selections before he, like Esiason, became successful in broadcasting.

Still, Esiason admitted to Simms, “It’s awesome! It’s so good being you.”

Returning the favor, Simms told a story of how he was mistaken in a restaurant for Esiason, and when asked for an autograph, Simms told the Esiason fan that he charges a hundred bucks for such a courtesy.

Back to the topic of Parcells, Simms said he and his head coach “could say anything to each other.”

Yet, that didn’t mean their dealings with each other weren’t often contentious.

“[People] would ask me, ‘Was it really that bad?’ And, I’d tell them, ‘No it was much worse.’ Every day was the end of the world [with Parcells.] Every day! But, it was a great relationship for eight years,” Simms said.

Moving on to far more serious matters, Esiason spoke of the Boomer Esiason Foundation (BEF), which he founded in 1994 after his son Gunnar was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis a year earlier.

“We just eclipsed $100 million dollars in the fight against cystic fibrosis,” a rightfully proud Esiason declared.

“You know how the Giants said they were ‘All In’ [during their run to Super Bowl XLVI]? You’re always all in for your kids.”

Esiason’s son Gunnar takes medication and other daily treatments for his condition, but he is an extremely active teenager who began attending Boston College in the fall of 2009.

The offices for Esiason’s foundation were destroyed, having been located on the 101st floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower during the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2011.

Thankfully, none of the BEF’s five full-time employees were in the building at the time, but recalling that fateful day, Esiason spoke of Howard Lutnik, who is still the CEO of Cantor-Fitzgerald, one of that day’s most devastated organizations, having lost 658 of its 960 New York-based employees during the attacks.

“Howard Lutnik, my best friend in the world,” Esiason said. “I was trying to come home from a New York Giants game in Denver [as the attacks were carried out]. I actually found Howard on the street [back in New York].”

Others were not as fortunate. About 100 whom Esiason estimated he knew, were killed in the attacks.

Changing gears drastically, the conversation moved back to Ryan and his role as a lawyer and huge Patriots’ fan in Adam Sandler’s upcoming move, “I Hate You, Dad.”

Although he ultimately accepted the part, Ryan thought the offer to play it was a joke coming from his own staff.

“I get a call and it’s Adam Sandler, and I said, ‘Yeah right.’ I thought it was our defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. But, it was Sandler, and I thought there’s no way this kid from Ardmore, Oklahoma with ADD is gonna grow up and get this opportunity again, so I thought why not?”

Having seen a preview of the film, Esiason praised Ryan, saying, “You were great! I don’t know how Jets fans will take to it, but it’s just a movie and you’re just playing a character.”

Law asked Ryan whether a Lombardi trophy or an Oscar award would come first for Ryan, who responded with a grin and a nod, and said, “A Lombardi trophy,” a response that drew a lot of applause from apparently many Jets fans in the house.

The dialogue then shifted to how some things in today’s game are different than the years in which Simms and Esiason played.

On the rules changes to keep quarterbacks healthy, Simms drew some laughs from the crowd, saying, “I want to see guys protected, but it’s ridiculous today. Let them hit ‘em! You see guys flopping and they throw the flag. They should fine those guys.”

Regarding today’s NFL salaries, Esiason, admitting that he was privileged to do what he did for a living, still said, “I made 22 million in 14 years… with taxes, and travel and everything else, it gets blown out the window… which is why I still need to work. Coaches get paid more now than [Phil and I] did… but that’s okay, it’s the evolution of the game.”

Speaking about Ryan’s hard-nosed father, former NFL coach Buddy Ryan, Simms said, “I used to psych myself up in the locker room just to yell at him later. I remember cursing at him like you wouldn’t believe, and he just laughed at me, and I thought maybe that wasn’t the best thing to do.”

“That 46 defense [employed by Ryan] was a pain in the neck for us quarterbacks… that was when you had to be tough to play the position,” Esiason said. That remark prompted a collective mix of groans and surprised laughter from the audience.

Buddy Ryan’s son meanwhile, is happy to be in the position he’s in with the Jets, even though he’s well aware that he’s a good head coach in the NFL. “I’m blessed, the younger Ryan said. “There are 32 guys who have this position, maybe a ton more qualified than me.”

A final discussion on Simms’ November criticism of next year’s expected top NFL draft pick, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, on Sirius NFL Radio, gave Simms one last chance to get riled up.

“This is why I hate radio.” Simms said, saying that unlike on television, comments can be taken out of context. “I said 20 great things about [Luck]. I only said I didn’t see the dynamic of him making big-time throws.”

What Simms was questioning was the zip that Luck put on the ball. But, according to Simms, ESPN was going to jump on the negative statements that Simms made about Luck, and decided not to go with the story once the station realized that despite some criticism, Simms was largely complimentary of Luck.

Defending himself to Law had Simms a bit vexed until Esiason stepped in and asked him, “Why don’t you calm down? What is wrong with you?”

At which point, laughter filled the large banquet room, including chuckles from Simms, Esiason, Ryan, and Law.

Finally, Law wrapped the day up by thanking his three panelists and telling them, “You guys have been smart, funny, terrific. You should take this show on the road.”

By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Executive Editor-Football Reporters Online

As many of you who follow us on the website and radio show know, I recently made a big change in my life. Driving cross country, my wife and I re-located from Long Island NY to the Verde Valley region of Northern Arizona for health & lifestyle reasons.  Although the pace is a bit slower here, folks are still passionate about their football. Believe it or not, there are almost as many Giants, Pats, and Jets Fans here as there are in the NY tri-state  & Boston metro/ New England areas!

But try talking about tomorrow’s big game with any native Arizonian and the talk turns to their beloved Cardinals and their own current QB issues. Seems that people are realizing that Kevin Kolb may not be the answer to the long-term situation at QB in the valley of the sun. Hence the rise of  “Peyton Manning to the Cards” rumors, and talk of if John Skelton will ever be a legitimate NFL QB. I’m here to tell you that Skelton will one day be a very good NFL QB. I state my reputation on it. I saw him play enough College Football to know he has the goods.

That being said, Arizona would be a great fit for Mr. Manning should he decide to continue his football career, as he continues to intonate. Will he get to be a starter? As surely as the sun rises each day. Would he get a long term contract (four years or more)?  That’s the tougher question that needs to be answered, along with Manning’s long term heath status.

Saturday’s announcement of the Hall of Fame Class of 2012 revealed some induction surprises.  People almost expected Former Pats & Jets RB Curtis Martin to get elected and he did, but the four linemen who were elected to the hall left little room for other players like Cris Carter, Jerome Bettis, and Will Shields, who were passed over this year, as well as coach Bill Parcells, and former 49ers owner Ed DeBartolo.

Joining Martin in this class are Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Willie Roaf, Dermontti Dawson, and senior selection Jack Butler.

On to todays’ “Big Game.”  So much has been said between the two teams at this point that I’m not sure what or who to believe yet. One thing we know for sure is that it will be a tight, hard fought game that comes down to the last possession.  Everyone sees the key match up being the Giants’ Pass rush against the New England offensive linemen. I also look at the Giants receivers against the Pats’ defensive backs. I’m not so sure about how well the pats can “stick” the Giants  wide outs and slow them down.

I’m also one who watches the Special teams closely as an ex-coach and former kicker.  While the Giants coverage teams have had trouble in the past, that unit improved a bit this year, and I see the specialist’s for the Giants s having the edge.

Our thanks to Players Sports Bar In Cottonwood for allowing us to Broadcast from their establishment today, and enjoy the Game!

(Listen to the show from 4pm t0 6pm ET at www.blogtalkradio.com/Football-Reporters)

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By Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer at large-Football Reporters Online

As the saying goes in the National Football League, “Any given Sunday…”

That phrase will especially apply on Sunday, when the New York Giants (12-7) and New England Patriots (15-3) reunite in their “Super Sequel,” a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, won by New York, in the final minute, four years ago.

What might happen this time around, in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, will be affected by so many varying factors, that particularly in a game in which the Patriots are only about a three-point favorite, it’s tough to predict the outcome.

The low point spread, especially for a pair of teams that were a significant three seeds and four wins apart during the regular season, is a reflection of how closely the Giants and Patriots seem to match up in several different areas.

However, if the game should come down to which team has been challenged more in recent weeks, New York will hold a clear advantage.

While the Giants played the league’s toughest second-half schedule, the Patriots faced the NFL’s softest slate over that time.

Ever since New York ended New England’s NFL-record 20-game regular season home winning streak with a 24-20 victory in Week 9, the Giants have faced either a tough game, a must game, or both on a weekly basis.

The beginning of that stretch was the low-light of New York’s year, a period that subsequently led right into the best part of the Giants’ season.

Four straight losses and five in six games during a brutal schedule followed the Giants’ win in New England, sending New York from a 6-2 first-half finish, into a sputtering tailspin that had them at 7-7 and just one more loss from missing the postseason.

At that point, the Giants were automatically forced into playoff mode for the remainder of the season. They had to win each game they played to continue their season, and they did.

Regular season wins over the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys gave New York a 9-7 record, good enough to secure an NFC East title and a home playoff game.

From there, the Giants had three straight playoff wins, with the last two coming on the road – the only road playoff victories in the NFL this year – over the NFC’s top two seeds, to reach the Super Bowl, which for New York, will feel like a sixth straight playoff game.

Conversely, for New England, Super Bowl XLVI might seem like only their second consecutive postseason game.

That’s because unlike the Giants, the Patriots have largely cruised through a cupcake schedule ever since the second half of the regular season began.

Finishing the first half at 5-3 with the loss to the Giants marking a second straight defeat, the Patriots haven’t lost since, as they enter Super Bowl XLVI riding a ten-game winning streak.

But, they mostly haven’t played anyone of note over that time either.

New England’s second half began with a three-touchdown road win over the underachieving Jets in what was supposed to have been a much tougher showdown for AFC East supremacy.

After that, the Patriots didn’t face a single winning team to conclude the regular season.

Of all of the teams New England played during the second half, only the Denver Broncos – who backed into the playoffs with a mediocre 8-8 record, despite dropping their final three regular season games – didn’t have a losing record.

The Patriots won that game in Denver by 18 points, and a playoff rematch with the Broncos in New England was even more of a mismatch in a dominating 45-10 New England victory.

While New York has been fighting for its playoff lives ever since Christmas Eve, second-seeded Baltimore, in last week’s AFC title game, is the only good team New England has played since long before Thanksgiving.

A lot can be said for repeatedly confronting and overcoming character-building adversity, especially this time of year, as opposed to cakewalking to football’s biggest game.

It helped the Giants go from 10-6 and a five seed to a Super Bowl win over the undefeated Patriots four years ago, and it aided the sixth-seeded Green Bay Packers’ run from likewise, a 10-6 record, to a Super Bowl title last year.

Perhaps being battle-tested won’t mean much on Sunday.

If it does though, expect the Giants to have a major edge.

Super Bowl XLVI is here. We can’t avoid it, Jets fans.  Regardless of all the promises made and past AFC Championship appearances, we need to get through this Sunday.

Super Bowl 42, the Giants’ historic upset of the then undefeated Patriots was a bit easier to swallow for Jets fans.  I don’t recall many Jets fans, if any at all, cheering the Patriots to cap off the first unbeaten season since the ’72 Dolphins.  Especially since Eric Mangini selling out his former boss in the Spygate scandal sent the Pats on the destroy everything and take no names streak that brought them to the precipice of 19-0. If it took our city rival Giants to knock them off?  So be it, I guess.  Would have been better if it was the Jets, huh?

I may not have been one of the only Jets fans who wasn’t exactly enamored with the fact that the Giants won that game. Here was my rationale: by about Week 14 or so when the Patriots were steamrolling the NFL, I kind of made up my mind that the Pats were going undefeated and winning the Super Bowl. Who thought the Giants, or any NFC contender for that matter,  had a chance?  I had plenty of time to digest it so that when it happened, it wouldn’t have really mattered all that much.  And then when Plaxico Burress caught that pass in the end zone, I thought to myself “Now I have to hear about this from Giants fans the rest of my life.”  The fact the Giants defeated the undefeated Patriots instead of the Jets.

But this year isn’t as clear cut. After the Giants won that Super Bowl, it kind of became a Jet town. I know, I know, the Giants WILL ALWAYS OWN NEW YORK YOU STUPID JET FAN. But, the Jets signed Brett Favre for one weird season (they were Super Bowl faves at 8-3, then collapsed) and the Giants lost in their first playoff game after a great regular season. Then the Jets hired Rex Ryan, drafted Mark Sanchez and made two straight AFC Title games while Big Blue missed the playoffs.  Not your typical New Y0rk football seasons, huh?

And while the Jets have no one to blame but themselves for this most recent debacle of a season, everything was made worse by the Giants making the Super Bowl. Not only have the Giants made it again, their run started by essentially ending the Jets’ season in Week 16. Victor Cruz’s 99-yard touchdown reception sent the Jets one way and the Giants the other. The Giants two Super Bowl appearances basically takes everything a Jets fan could hang their hat on these past few seasons and demolishes it.

Then of course there are the Patriots. The last thing I want, as a New York sports fan, is for another Boston team to win a championship. Any agony of the Red Sox’ hilarious September implosion would be softened with another Patriots Super Bowl win. The Pats are the Jets’ chief rival, no matter if they share a city with the Giants. Had the Jets beaten the Patriots in both of their meetings this season, the Jets would have made the playoffs, so they have no one to blame but themselves for not knocking off New England (as Rex Ryan pleaded for the rest of the league to do). And what makes New England being back in the Super Bowl so unbearable for Jets fans is that the Patriots were so beatable this year.

The breaks both the Giants and the Patriots got on Championship Sunday are breaks that us Jets fans seem to never be on the right side of.  Ask any Jets fan and they’ll tell you that if Tynes was wearing green and white, he would have Cundiff’d it. Billy Cundiff is the new Ray Finkle.   Had Ahmad Bradshaw been a Jet, they would have never called his forward progress stopped, and that surely would have been a fumble. There’s no way a punt returner is muffing a kick and fumbling another one against the Jets in a title game. Of course it sounds like sour grapes because that’s exactly what it is. That’s what us Jets fans have been used to for so long.

There are millions and millions of people who would never not watch a Super Bowl, no matter what. For those fans of the Jets who will still watch on Sunday, who do you root for? There’s no such thing as watching a game just to watch it. Sports fans, no matter what they say, have a rooting interest in every game they watch. You either get a pit in your stomach when you watch a player celebrate a victory or your stomach turns. When Sunday’s game is over and either Tom Brady or Eli Manning is raising the Lombardi trophy, you’ll either wish it was the other guy or you won’t. So who do you cheer for?

If you hate all things Boston no matter what, you root for the Giants. If you have nothing but annoying Giant fan friends who you just want to shut up, you pull for the Pats. Maybe you want former Jets Shaun Ellis & Danny Woodhead to win a title.  Maybe you want Eli to win a second Super Bowl so that Peyton can’t stand the idea that anyone will think Eli is better than him, so he decides to come to the Jets to try to upstage his little brother. Maybe you’ll throw some money down and root for that — totally acceptable.

Either way, if you watch Sunday’s game, you’ll have a rooting interest. It’s a no-win situation for Jets fans. I will cheering on the Giants since my wife and her family are Giants fans.  Plus, I’d rather see a team from New York beat a team from New England.  Or you can be like some and not watch. That’s also acceptable.

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By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region
February 3, 2012

National signing day is a big time of year for young men all across the country. Parents get to see their son’s make one of the first big decisions of the lives. Some stay the course with their original commitments, and some give us that last minute change of heart. In some cases, we have the big flip-flop that shocks some.

One of the regular things at this time of the year is the talk from the head coaches. As I listened to Derek Dooley and James Franklin, I could help but notice the same was being said by both. Franklin went on about how proud he was of the best recruiting class Vanderbilt has ever had. He said he was proud of the work his staff had done. He was looking forward to their personal celebration that evening now that the hard work was done. Dooley spoke the same things basically. He talked about how hard this recruiting year was and the pitfalls that have hit Tennessee in the past two years. He mentioned that this was the first time since he has been here that he feels so good about his team. They keep talking and talking, but they better start winning and winning or it won’t mean much.

So, it was time for the kids to make their choices and once agin the SEC reigned supreme. Alabama, Florida and Georgia were in the top five. LSU, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Auburn were in the top 20. Oh, number 21 was Tennessee. In other words, the balance of power in the college football world will not shift in 2012, or the near future. So let’s take a peak at the major players in the conference and how they did.

Alabama- The Tide live by the reload theory. They do not rebuild in Tuscaloosa, they just get bigger and better. As they say, the rich just got richer. It was another stellar class for head coach Nick Saban.

They got S Landon Collins, 6’0″ 210 lbs., from Dutchtown H.S in Louisiana. He is very good at the point of attack and has a nose for the ball. He was rated the number one safety this year. Next, they got ATH Eddie Williams from Panama City, FL.. from Arnold H.S. He is 6’4″ 210 lbs. and is one of the best athletes in this class. He has the height and size to go with versatility. Still working on his game and has played OLB as well. Looks like he may progress to wide receiver one day. Lastly, there is RB T.J. Yeldon from Daphne H.S. in Alabama. He is 6’1″ 210 lbs. and brings a knack for moving the football. He can run outside as well as inside. He has a good base but will have to bulk up to keep up. He is one of the best running backs, if not the best, in this class.

Florida- It was a season Gator fans would like to forget, but on signing day they hit the jackpot. Head coach Will Muschamp got a lot of criticism for his style and blame for a lost season. This team has been used to living in the penthouse of the SEC East, something they have not enjoyed lately. So in order to get back to the good old days they had to have a good signing day.

They got the fourth ranked class this year and they started with five-star OT D.J. Humphries from Mallard Creek H.S in Charlotte, NC. He stands a pretty big 6’6″ and weighs about 275 lbs. Another kid with great athletic ability to go along with good agility. Needs to master his craft in order to compete at the highest level and with proper coaching will get there. They got another pair of five-star kids at DE to bolster the future of that position. The first, Jonathan Bullard is 6’5″ 255 lbs. from Crest H.S. in Shelby, NC. He plays hard and is very strong. He has the skills and looks to have good hands for his size. He could add more weight for the future to help him become a dominant player. The next one is Dante Fowler from Lakewood H.S. in St. Pete FL. He is 6’3″ and 236 lbs. with all the tools to become a good pass rusher. He is strong and uses his size to his advantage. He is another player that will need to bulk up to be more effective.

Georgia- The Dawgz of Georgia go through their own soap opera every year. They look good on paper, then come up short on the field. This year they finished up the fifth ranked class in 2012 and hope this bunch of kids takes them to the promise land.

They landed RB Keith Marshall from Millbrook H.S. in Raleigh NC. He is 5’11″ 190 lbs. and has game changing speed. He has run the 40 as fast as 4.4 by some. He runs well going low and keeping his base. He is deceptively strong and once in the open field, he is gone. Another top notch player they got was OLB Josh Harvey-Clemons from Lowndes H.S. in Valdosta, GA. He goes 6’4″ 210 lbs. and is a beast on the football field. He is one of those players that is still growing and with work, can project to a great defensive impact player. He has good range and size that he uses well.

LSU- The Tigers were the all the rave while going undefeated in the regular season and making it all the way to the BCS title game. They were loaded and were looking to take out the Tide to prove their earlier win was no fluke. Their defense had given many highlights all year and what they got was a lesson on how to play championship defense. A top-fifteen ranking in this year’s class just isn’t good enough in Baton Rouge. On top of that, they lost highly touted OLB Torshiro Davis to Texas.

They were able to get Jeremy Liggins ATH. from Lafayette H.S. in Oxford, MS. He is 6’3″ 270 lbs. and is one of those players with the ability to hurt you with his arm as well as his legs. He has a big arm but will need to commit to the game if he wants to be QB at the next level. His future looks to project to maybe a DE. OLB Ronnie Feist comes from West Saint John H.S. out of Edgard, LA. He stands 6’1″ 215 lbs. and will not over impress you at first. After awhile his work ethic and ability get you to take notice that he could be effective in the future. Can become a good pass rusher with plenty of work and commitment.

Texas A&M- The Aggies join the SEC for the upcoming season with a class they hope will help them compete with the big boys. They have been looking to part ways with their old conference and build their own identity.

They got WR Thomas Johnson out of Skyline H.S. in Dallas TX. He is 6’0″ 180 lbs. and is one of those game breaking receivers. He will need to bulk up as he is just too small at this time. Has great speed and is very athletic.

Missouri- The Tigers are the other new entry to the SEC and made a statement on this day. They, like A&M, are looking to make a splash in their inaugural season.

They made their case with the signing of the top rated WR Dorial Green-Beckham from Hillcrest H.S. out of Springfield, MO. He is a tall 6’6″ 220 lbs. with great ability and athleticism. He moves well on the field and looks to be a good route runner. He is one of those freak of nature players with tremendous upside.

Tennessee- The Volunteers have been through the fire the last two years. They have not made enough improvement for the fan base and it’s now or never. A big turnover in the coaching staff looked to hinder their class for this year. In the end, they finished in the top 25 and that is not too bad.

They were able to land JUCO standout WR Cordarrelle Patterson out of Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. He goes 6’3″ and 205 lbs. He looks to be an immediate impact player and playing alongside Justin Hunter won’t hurt his chances to make the next level. Tennessee has also signed three other 4-star wide receivers to its 2012 class—Drae Bowles, Alton Howard and Jason Croom. The three will help the Vols get much deeper at the receiver position.

Vanderbilt- The Commodores just finished a good season, even with a 6-6 record. They played the most inspired football in recent memory. Their new head coach James Franklin has ignited the fan base. Now it was time to see if he could produce a good class. What he did was produce the best class in school history.

They worked hard and landed Memphis East RB Brian Kimbrow, 5’9″ 165 lbs. He fell just short of 2,000 yards rushing and is expected to make an immediate impact as runner and slot receiver in Nashville. One other kid they got was DE Caleb Azibuke from McGavock H.S. in Nashville. He is a big guy at 6’4″ and 240 lbs. He has a nose for the ball and is a strong kid. He will be a great help to the Vandy defense for the next four years.

All in all, it was another banner year for the SEC. They went out and just got better and made it harder for the competition to play catch up. The impact of this class will not be felt for a minute, but the work and commitment start now. Each team must evaluate and re-evaluate to see who becomes the real players for the future of their team. Well, now it’s time to go to work on the 2013 class because my work never ends. Until the opening week of the 2012 season, see you soon at a game near you.

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By Jon Wagner-Sr. Writer at large-Football Reporters Online

Between 2003 and 2009, Indianapolis Colts fans watched their team produce an NFL-record seven straight seasons with at least twelve regular season victories, a Super Bowl victory, two Super Bowl appearances, three conference title game appearances, and four league MVP’s for future hall of fame quarterback Peyton Manning.

The second of those two Super Bowl visits came just two years ago, and although the 12-win streak ended last season, the Colts still made the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season.

So, it was a pretty safe bet that when the National Football League named Indianapolis as the host city for this year’s Super Bowl, the Colts would have more than a decent chance at becoming the first NFL team to play a Super Bowl in their own stadium.

Especially, when Manning was the NFL’s reining iron man with 227 straight starts.

That’s when Manning’s debilitating neck injury caused him to miss the entire season this year, and the Colts suddenly plunged to a record of 2-14 (tied for the worst mark in the league), their poorest season in two decades, when Manning was still honing his skills at the high school level in his native New Orleans.

Yet, with their season up in smoke, and with their hated rival and Manning’s little brother arriving in their city for Super Bowl XLVI, resourceful Colts fans had a backup plan – support another Manning.

As far as Indianapolis is concerned, Lucas Oil Stadium might as well feel as much of a home to the New York Giants as it does to the Colts.

All throughout the city this week, there’s a huge sentiment against quarterback Tom Brady and his New England Patriots in favor of Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning, who will seek to make his older brother proud by winning his second Super Bowl and his first in the House That Peyton Built.

There’s even an “Indy for Eli” website selling t-shirts in full support of Peyton’s brother.

Right under the slogan, “NOT IN OUR TOWN, TOM,” is a message pointed directly at Brady and the Patriots, saying:

As we said on the home page, Indianapolis is soon to be filled with some unwelcome “guests”… and simply put, we’re all about supporting the guy that can make sure they go home empty handed…again.

We may not be participating this year… but it doesn’t mean we still can’t make a statement.

Let’s make sure our visitors know exactly where we stand… Indianapolis is for Eli… without a doubt.

And, if you need to e-mail the fledgling company, you can send inquiries to the amusing e-mail address of denytom@IndyForEli.com.

It makes you wonder what former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, the father of both of the current NFL Manning quarterbacks, thinks while seeing the football city of one of his older son adopt his younger son as a sort of football stepson for a couple of weeks.

No doubt, it should make him very happy, as long as it causes Eli and the Giants to feel at home enough to reward the “Indy For Eli” movement with what they want – sending Brady and the Patriots back to New England without another Super Bowl title.

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Huyghue has served as Commissioner of the United Football League since its inception and oversaw all three seasons of on-field competition in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

“I am proud of the quality product we were able to put on the field and the overwhelmingly positive fan response,” said Huyghue.  “While new professional football leagues have struggled to find a niche historically, I believe the UFL exceeded those other attempts.

“The UFL has experienced funding issues and at this juncture it seems most prudent that I step aside while the owners work to raise the necessary funds to conduct a fourth season.”

UFL owner and founder BILL HAMBRECHT said: “We are greatly indebted to Michael for taking an idea and turning it into a reality against very challenging circumstances.  We remain committed to taking the league forward and are moving ahead to fund a fourth season, but we would not be here today without his steadfast leadership.”

Chairman of the UFL owners group BILL MAYER added: “I want to personally thank Michael for providing the steady leadership needed to launch the UFL and take it to it’s current position.  It was not an easy task.  The owner group is committed to go forward with the league and play our fourth season this fall.”

Prior to joining the UFL, Huyghue was CEO and founder of Axcess Sports & Entertainment, where he represented a number of NFL, NBA and PGA TOUR players. The Sports Business Journal has twice named Huyghue to the “Forty Under 40″ Top Sports Business Executives.

At the age of 29, he became the youngest general manger in professional football when he joined the NFL’s World League in 1989.  Huyghue joined the Detroit Lions as Vice President and General Counsel, before becoming Senior Vice President of Football Operations for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the team’s inaugural NFL season.  During Huyghue’s tenure with the Jaguars, the team became the winningest franchise in expansion history, achieving two AFC Central Division Championships and an unprecedented two AFC Championship appearances.

About The United Football League: The UFL provides high-quality professional football during a traditional fall season while embracing innovation and fan interaction. The UFL serves its local communities with pride and dedication, and aims to provide every fan with an exciting and memorable game experience. The inaugural 2009 champion Las Vegas Locos won a second championship in 2010, lifting the William Hambrecht Trophy with a second win over the Florida Tuskers. The 2011 season champion Virginia Destroyers defeated the Locos in the Championship Game.  The four-team competition featured the Locos, Destroyers, Omaha Nighthawks and Sacramento Mountain Lions. The UFL is funded by a consortium of private investors.

The New York Jets controlled the big apple during the post season over the last two years. In fact, Jets fans like myself anticipated that the team would finally be the Kings of New York instead of the Giants. After all, since 2008 the Giants hadn’t come close to returning to the Super Bowl, while their former weak sisters nearly went there twice.  The Jets had control for once in New York.

But a whole new season can make a really big difference, considering where New York’s two teams are right now. Not only have the Jets free fallen into the murky abyss, they may have lost their chance to seize control of New York permanently at this rate while the Giants approach another Super Bowl.  Both teams were in control of their destiny this season.  The Giants took control while the Jets let control slide from their hands.

The beginning of the end can be traced back to the Jets-Giants showdown on Christmas Eve, when both teams were battling for the playoff fate.  A win for the Jets would have put them back on track for a postseason berth and another road run towards the AFC championship – while the Giants would have been doomed with a loss and probably cost Tom Tom Coughlin his job.

But the second that the Giants wrapped up a 29-14 victory, the two haven’t stopped going in the opposite direction. The NFC‘s New York team won the NFC Championship & a win away from another Super Bowl victory that would give the Giants control of New York.  Meanwhile, the AFC’s New York squad has been revealed as the most dysfunctional in the NFL and is remaining home during its utter collapse.

While the Giants prepared to face the San Francisco 49ers for  the NFC championship on Jan. 22, the Jets were dealing with yet another headline on their horrific chemistry in less than two weeks time. This time LaDainian Tomlinson, who already is halfway out the door, told Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” that the Jets had as bad a locker room as he’d ever seen and put the fault on both Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum.  It seems Rex is not the only one who wants to let their voice be heard.

Now, Giants fans proudly wear their NFC Championship merchandise.  One more win and they have their Super Bowl merchandise as well.  Giants fans proudly support their NFC Champs while Jets fans have been waiting too long to be able to wear any form of championship merchandise.  Promises have been made but no delivery date has been set for Jets fans.  Somewhere in Kenya people are wearing Jets AFC Championship merchandise from 2010 and 2011.

Fortunately for them, New York is getting numb to all these ramblings about how bad the Jets were behind the scenes and it has the Giants to focus on. Right now, the Jets are the weak sibling and virtually irrelevant as anything but gossip fodder and a punch line – just like they have been for most of the last few decades. Ryan looked ready to finally turn it all around in the last two years, but now he is imploding right as Tom Coughlin and the Giants have rescued themselves from the brink.  Something the Jets have tried to do but never accomplished.

The Giants had no rally before their first post season game, which was a home game.  Something the Jets have done the past two seasons.  The media hype for the Giants was not as prolific as it has been for the Jets the past few seasons.  The Giants know their mission and what they need to accomplish on the field.  Big Blue didn’t need as much media hype or public events like the Jets have had in order to rally fan support.

The Jets made a nice run at New York supremacy, but it is a Giants town because it actually delivers championships and doesn’t fall to pieces quite like their cross-town rivals do. Right now, the only thing that can turn it around for the other New York team is if they actually land Peyton Manning (Vegas odds have it astronomical), or if the Giants get blown out by the Patriots. Other than that, it seems like the natural order is right back into place in the Big Apple.