http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/3273 Recent articles about Tony Romo en-us I feel like no one believes that the eagles can win the NFC east but I am going to break it down by position, and that will show they are plenty good enough to win the division QB: This is where i differ from most, everyone LOVES Romo but his numbers were pedestrian both years. He throws too many pics and does not come up when it counts. If Mcnabb can stay healthy I would put them like this 1.Eagles 2.Cowboys 3.Giants 4.Redskinsl RB: At the running back position the clear cut best back is westbrook, and with Buckhalter and Booker backing him up the Eagles take the cake at RB. I love the way marion barber runs the ball, but he is very overrated many people watch espn and see barber and go wow this guys great. However, he only had 975 yards, he needs to be the feature back for a full year and put up bigger numbers then that. People also forget how good Portis is and the redskins have betts too so they are in front of the cowboys, and then i put jacobs and the giants at the back of the pack even though that is very good RB corps. 1.Eagles 2.Redskins 3.Cowboys 4. Giants Wr/TE: This is where the eagles sturggle, they have no number one, can beat double coverage, wide reciever, niether do the redskins, but the giants and cowboys do(Owens and Plaxico). Owens is better then Plaxico and the cowboys also have other option i.e. Witten, and craytons alright too. Then its between the redskins and eagles for three ands four. While I love curtis and the addition of desean jackson they are not great, at least not yet for desean. The redskins do have moss, cooley, and then about 5 number 2/3 wide recievers. so this poistoin goes 1.Cowboys 2.Giants 3.Redskins 4. Eagles OL: This is an interesting position. the O-lines for all the teams have been streaky but i put them like this 1.eagles 2.cowboys 3. Giants 4. Redskins DL: At DL this division is stacked names like, Osi and Jayston taylor, and demarcus ware(I know LB but hes a pass rusher), Trent Cole, Justin Tuck, Greg Eliis. They are all very good or great pass rushers. At DT last year Mike patterson was one of the best in the league leading all D-linemen in tackles. I can't really tell yo how good the years were for the otehr teams DTs but i know the D-lines in general and they go like this, but they are all very good. 1.Giants 2.Cowboys 3.Eagles 4.Redskins LB:I differ here from many people. I know no one knows the eagles linebackers but I think they are going to be playmakerrs all year this year, they are young talented athletic playmakers. The cowboys have very good Lbs, I do not like Zach thomas as much as most, too slow and old, but he is still a geart LB. The Giants have pierce but that is about it ecspecially after losing kawika mitchell, and the redskins have LFB and marcus washington. I rank the LBs, but i think by the end of the season the eagles could have the best corps in the division and for years to come. 1.Cowboys 2.Redskins 3.Eagles 4.Redskins DB: In my opinion this is the most clear cut, the Eagles have the best with three pro bow caliber corners, then the cowboys with a lot of talent at the position, then the redskins, and then I just dont think the giants are very good in teh secondary. 1.Eagles 2.cowboys 3.Redskins 4. Giants Then special teams. this will shock everyone but I think the eagles now ahve the best special teams on the division. Desean jackson is a wizard of return and we all know how good david akers can be, and if you've been to leigh you can see Sav Rocca's potential. Then plus the free-agent signings of the free agent specialist it makes for a great unit I rank um like this. 1.Eagles 2.Cowboys 3.Redskins 4.Giants From thos rankings it is clear that the eagles have the talent to win this division. They just have to put this together on the field. The NFC representitive in the Suber Bowl will be from this division, my opinion I think it will be the Eagles or Cowboys, can not wait to watch those two teams play. As jessica simpson(or Justin timberlake) said at the espys, Romo Romo Wherefor art thouh Romo. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:37:27 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295378 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295378 ALL Right I know this doesn't happen on a consistent basis matter of fact it actually does in one high school in Cali, yeah Hi Skool, lame but its a start. Every new idea has a start and this one I believe is brilliant and should be implemented into college and in the NFL. Though I always fooled around with stuff like this in video games, now some high school out in California is playing with a Two QB set Offense. Krazy yes, but clever. What makes it even more chaotic is the fact that everyone is an eligible reciever including the underappreciated offensive line. The defense now has to worry about two Quarterbacks. Its like dealing with TwoFace's coin deciding ones fate, coin is always heads and win win for TwoFace and lose lose for that persons fate just like for the offense its win win and lose lose for Dfenses. Win Win as in the Offense has plethora of ways to confuse the defense with myriad ways of distributing the ball, while the defense i beleive will be on their heels majority of the time wondering what the hell is going on. As hard as it is too sack a QB in the NFL, dealing with two is even worse. Football has become more of a chess game which is cool to see, icing a kicker is not a chess game, more like AD agencies paying coaches so the game can go into tv timeout and show commericals of these ad agencies. This is one smart coach, use the rules to his advantage and just screw the way the games supposed to play. As the JOker says, :Introduce a little anarchy, you upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. And you know the thing about chaos, Harvey? It's fair: Sorry for the Batman references.....Actually I'm not....It is fair, humans just outsmarting one another is all fair game in my opinion just no Cheating Bill Belichick. Its all good you got what you deserved when my Giants beat you in the Superbowl.... ....Sorry Roy Williams this Offense recommends you to sit on the bench when in display. Also Sam Madison take a seat, Ive seen enough of you getting burned on the tube. And Ray Lewis I would love to see how you react to two Qb;s. Im pretty sure you would powerbomb the starter in each game so this type of offense doesnt happen ever but that still has to be seen. See Micheal Strahan knew what was going on, he left at the right time hahha... Now if the NFL has some decent backup QB's to make this happen. I'm too lazy to scan all the backups and where its possible...Be my guest YardBarkians and spread the knowledge.... Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:39:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295194 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295194 I enjoy watching Jeffri Chadiha verbally battle Skip Bayless on ESPN's 1st and 10. I especially give credence to anyone that can hand Bayless his hat in those contrived arguments. However, Chadiha's latest bit of information does not sit so well with me, and it may be the same for other Cowboy fans. Jeffri, a Senior NFL writer for ESPN, gave his list of the 10 most indispensable players in the league. Just as every other top 10 list this off-season, the Cowboys have a contribution. The oft misunderstood but never undervalued Terrell Owens comes in at number three, behind Fly-Guy Tom Brady and the heir to Brett Favre's throne (in the record books), Peyton Manning. Though I am not disagreeing that TO is a commodity that Phillips can ill afford to be without, I would argue that Tony Romo is way more indispensable to the team than "The Receiver." Value cannot solely be measured in touchdowns, but it's a good start. The Real 81 found the endzone 15 times. That accounts for about 42% of the receiving touchdowns and more than a quarter of the total TDs. Those are big numbers, but Tony Romo was responsible for 100% of Owens' scores. He was also responsible for 100% of the team's 36 passing touchdowns. Lest we not forget he ran for two scores and set up countless field goals. Not to say that Brad Johnson couldn't throw the ball deep for Terrell to go up and get it, but think about how many plays The Talented Mr. Romo made with his legs. If Owens goes down (knock on wood) I am supremely confident that our quarterback will be able to manufacture victories. Conversely, If BJ is forced to take the helm we will quickly find out why Mike Morgan thinks we need a "younger backup." It's a great thing to have so much knowledge and experience backing up your budding QB (ahem Favre), but I think Max is the only person that wants to see Brad get more playing time. Out of 16 games, Mr. Owens failed to score in 5 of them. Romo was held to zero touchdowns in only 2 games, and one was the final game of the season where he played about two quarters. 81 is a boisterous leader on the sideline, but Tony can put the team on his back and carry them to the promise land (see the agonizing Buffalo Bills game last year). The Cowboys' number 1 receiver is arguably number 1 in the league, but Tony Romo means more to Dallas right now, and for the future, than the 34 year old Owens. Let's just hope to see much more from the Romo-Owens connection this year. Thank you, Jeffri Chadiha for acknowledging that the Cowboys have one of the most indispensable players in the league, but I beseech you to reconsider whom it is. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:03:06 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294672 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294672 I missed the HBO special yesterday (and I just bought the channel, too), but apparently former Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells says Tony Romo is the reason he left the organization. His comments are probably going to make some fans livid, and others may sympathize with what he has to say, but I have my own [...] Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:11:14 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294438 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294438 USA Today has stated in an article that was based off of Parcells HBO "RealSports" interview that Tony Romo is to blame for his retirement from coaching. In Parcell's interview he makes comments about the simplicity of kicking a field goal and it was the inability of the Cowboys to make that last field goal after going so far as a team that lead to his retirement. However, he never directly says that Tony Romo is the reason he quit. The reporter for USA Today came up with the conclusion all by himself. Tony Romo isn't to blame, it was the disappointment of not being able to put the icing on the cake when it was obvious the cake was theirs to be eaten. You have a great team and you don't take that team the distance, it hurts, it takes a toll on you mentally. That was Parcells breaking point, not when Romo dropped the snap. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:22:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294373 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294373 USA Today has stated in an article that was based off of Parcells HBO "RealSports" interview that Tony Romo is to blame for his retirement from coaching. In Parcell's interview he makes comments about the simplicity of kicking a field goal and it was the inability of the Cowboys to make that last field goal after going so far as a team that lead to his retirement. However, he never directly says that Tony Romo is the reason he quit. The reporter for USA Today came up with the conclusion all by himself. Tony Romo isn't to blame, it was the disappointment of not being able to put the icing on the cake when it was obvious the cake was theirs to be eaten. You have a great team and you don't take that team the distance, it hurts, it takes a toll on you mentally. That was Parcells breaking point, not when Romo dropped the snap. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:22:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294373 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294373 Word from Cowboys personnel and media sources say that Terry Glenn will most likely resolve his contract issues, namely the injury-waiver asked for by the front office, in time to attend training camp in Oxnard, CA.  Camp is set to begin this Friday with a shorts and helmets workout.  An unnamed teammate WR said that he would bet a million dollars that Glenn will be at camp and Head Coach Wade Phillips and OC Jason Garrett seemed very optimistic as well.  With Glenn turning 34 on Wednesday, he might definitely want to reconsider holding out of camp due to contract issues. As for his QB, Tony Romo enters camp at Oxnard as the starter, the last time he was there, he was back-up to Bledsoe but became the starter before mid-season.  He has been focusing on his footwork and mechanics during the OTA's and minicamps and has nothing but high expectations for himself and his team. Like many Dallas Cowboys QB's before him, Romo knows that there's always alot expected of him and his team.  But unlike many of them, he seems the most relaxed and good-natured about it. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:33:37 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294075 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294075 The news appears to be good for the arrival of Chad Henne to the Miami Dolphins training camp this weekend.  According to his agent, Henne will be in camp and they expect a deal to be completed by weeks end.  Henne himself has said repeatedly that he will not miss any time this season. While Henne is talking [...] Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:13:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293961 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293961 It's late July and that can only mean one thing; People are already signed up for fantasy football. Most drafts run in late August, but many looney fantasy owners start researching well before that. This is the first in a string of articles previewing each position from Quarterback to Team Defense. This week, I am going to take a look at the point men for your fantasy football team, the QB. While most fantasy football leagues lean heavily towards running backs, the value of a solid quarterback can not go unnoticed. Here are the top 20 Quarterbacks for the 2008 fantasy football season: 1. Tom Brady NE 2. Peyton Manning IND 3. Tony Romo DAL 4. Drew Brees NO 5. Carson Palmer CIN 6. Ben Roethlisberger PIT 7. Matt Hasslebeck SEA 8. Derek Anderson CLE 9. Marc Bulger STL 10. Donovan Mcnabb PHI 11. Matt Schaub HOU 12. David Garrard JAX 13. Jake Delhomme CAR 14. Jay Cutler DEN 15. Phillip Rivers SD 16. Eli Manning NYG 17. Jason Campbell WAS 18. Aaron Rodgers GB 19. Vince Young TEN 20. Matt Leinart ARZ Now let's take a closer look at this list. At the top of the list, the first 5 guys named are all pretty obvious. While Tom Brady probably won't repeat last year's record-breaking performance, he will have another outstanding year. Manning, Romo, and Brees should put up similar stats with Manning doing slightly better than Romo and Brees. With the addition of Jeremy Shockey, don't be surprised to see Brees leapfrog Romo. As you go down the list it's interesting to see Derek Anderson down at the 8 spot. Most fantasy football experts have him rated 6th or 7th but i do not agree. Anderson was very inconsistent in college and in his first year with the Browns. I wouldn't be surprised to see Anderson struggle a bit this year, especially if one of his top 2 targets, Braylon Edwards or Kellen Winslow, goes down with an injury, which is something both players have a history of. With Orlando Pace healthy, Rams QB Marc Bulger should have a very solid season. Without any protection last year, Bulger struggled and was getting hit from every side imaginable. He threw 15 INT last season, which is something that will not happen again. With RT Alex Barron going into his 3rd season with the Rams, he will have to prove his worth this year by keeping Bulger clean. I expect Bulger to stay healthy for most of the season and for his TD's to go out (11 last year) and his INT's to go down. Jake Delhomme is coming off of Tommy John surgery, but with over a year of rehab and his coach John Fox extremely confident in him, I wouldn't be surprised to see Delhomme have a balanced stat sheet at the end of the year. Oh, and there's this guy named Steve Smith who may have something to say about Delhomme's number this year. As the rest of the list goes down, there aren't really any surprises. Someone left off this list that may surprise some is Detroit Lions QB Jon Kitna. Kitna has been the cause of many fantasy owner's deaths in the past 2 seasons. He has throw 42 INT over the past 2 seasons, and it appears the Lions will be going with a more balanced offense this season, according to head coach Rod Marinelli. Look for Kitna to throw a lot more this year and perhaps have a nice season in terms of yards and TD's. However, don't expect him to play a big role in helping your team make the playoffs. Here are 3 guys who can have surprise breakout seasons: JaMarcus Russell OAK- The number 1 overall pick in last years draft will finally get his chance to start every game for his team. Russell comes in with very little experience, but has a lot of offensive talent around him. Never known to be a pocket passer, Russell will need to use his legs with that make-shift offensive line by the bay. At the skill position, Russell can lean on rookie RB Darren McFadden. McFadden will make a big difference both in the running game and in the passing game. Veteran WR Javon Walker will be another security blanket for Russell to use. Tarvaris Jackson MIN- Another speedy guy who got help in the off-season on his side of the ball, Jackson can become a multi-dimensional threat up in 'Sota. With one of the best O-Line''s in the game, Jackson won't need to worry about who's coming after him. Phenom RB Adrian Peterson is the ultimate plan A, while plan B isn't looking too shabby for the Vikings. WR Bernard Berrian will be the team's go-to guy on the deep ball and will help Jackson more than any receiver helped him last year. Also that defense will help create turnovers like they did last year and give Jackson more opportunities to score. Sage Rosenfelds HOU- I know it's hard to put a backup on this list, but Rosenfelds always delivers when his fantasy owners need him the most. With Schuab having some injury history, it appears Rosenfelds will get some snaps this season. He had 16 total TD in 9 games last year, versus 12 INT, which for a backup isn't too bad. I am not telling you to draft Rosenfelds, I am just giving forewarning that you should pay attention to those Texans in Houston, because i think they will shock people with the offense they are going to put up this season. By the way, keep an eye on that old number 4, just not in green this season… Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:54:13 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293846 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293846 An eyeroll-worthy dedication to Tony Romo and a whiny jab at the tabloids make for great blog foddah, courtesy of Jessica Simpson. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:31:15 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293547 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293547 The Cowboys appear to be primed for another Super Bowl run in 2008-2009. Both sides of the ball are stacked with 13 returning Pro Bowlers from last year's squad. Tony Romo will have what is arguably the league's best all round offensive line to protect him, while he throws to prime targets that go by the names of Jason Witten and T.O. Moreover, the Cowboys aerial attack threat and offensive line should provide for a Marion Barber lead running game that will punish defenses around the league. Some might say that offense is what traditionally powers the Cowboys, but this year they may have, what is shaping up to be, one of their best defenses in my short memory. Let's start with the linebackers, where potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate, DeMarcus Ware, leads a corps that will make Ray Lewis envious. Greg Ellis, Anthony Spencer, Bradie James, and the new addition of former Dolphin, Zach Thomas, make for a hell of a supporting cast. The defensive line does not boast the star power of its linebacker corps brethren, however, they are an above average unit that is led by Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff, Marcus Spears, and the gun wielding Tank Johnson. The 6'7, 300 pound Canty will be playing for a contract this season, so I expect him to improve on his break-out season of last year. Similarly, Tank has shown tremendous progress this off season according to the Cowboys defensive coaches. The defensive line and the linebackers will see their sack totals rise thanks to the drastic improvement of the secondary (pending Pacman's reinstatement). Last year the secondary was a glaring weakness for the defense and it proved to be worse than expected due to the injuries of Henry and Newman. So, bolstering the depth in the secondary was Jerry Jones's primary concern going into 2008-2009. Jerry answered the call by acquiring the infamous rainmaker, Adam Jones, plus drafting 2 gifted corners in Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick. Also, maybe just as important to the acquisitions is the return of former Cowboys head coach, Dave Campo, who will be in charge of the secondary unit. Campo will be expected to make the most of his unit's talent, while finding a way to resurrect Roy Williams's playmaking abilities. Special Teams play looks to be improved upon from last season as well. The kicking tandem of Nick Folk and Mat McBriar is stellar. The additions of Adam Jones, Felix Jones, and Mike Jenkins will help bolster last season's lack luster return game. If you have read this far then you are probably expecting to see a win/loss prediction for the Cowboys. After peeking at the schedule, I predict an 11-5 regular season finish. Cleveland will more than likely beat up on the Cowboys newly assembled secondary for a close win. Green Bay will get their revenge from last year when the Cowboys head to Lambeau in September. The Giants are likely to take one of the 2 games played, and probably will be in Texas Stadium. Likewise, the Redskins and Cowboys always seem to split their series no matter how good or bad either team may be. Finally, watch for the Cowboys to concede their final game to the Eagles, since that at this point the game will likely be meaningless for the Cowboys playoff credentials. Bet on this year's NFL football season at www.betsportsweb.com. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:30:12 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293383 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293383 I'm proud to say that I've known Brad Johnson since he was bow-legged middle school kid in western North Carolina. His ride has been a wild one…from losing his starting job at Florida State to Casey Weldon, by the way, where is Weldon now, seriously, anyone?? Back to Brad now… he showed patience in Minnesota until has opportunity finally arrived, then the neck injury which put his career in jeopardy. He overcame this to have great success with the Redskins (didn't really like him for a couple of years) and after his escape from DC, he won a Super Bowl in Tampa and now he's our backup in big D. Had a chance to spend some time with Brad earlier this year at an auction in Asheville, NC. He told a great story about his oldest son Max who wanted to know why daddy wasn't playing more. Brad asked Max a few questions about quarterbacks who have won Super Bowls, like Aikman, Montana, Favre and even himself. He asked his son how many Super Bowls has Tony Romo won. The answer of course was none. Then Brad said these words, "you see son, I'm here to help Tony Romo win a Super Bowl." It brought tears to my eyes! I know we need a younger backup but we also need a guy like Brad Johnson in the meetings, at practice on the sidelines doing exactly what he told his son, trying to help Tony Romo win a Super Bowl! Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:57:54 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293230 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293230 NFL vs. Dark Knight The Air Assault Begins: 7/21/2008: www.passitdeep.com Summer is about the -ions. By -ions of course I mean Relaxation and Anticipation. The kids are out of school, and most likely are just mentally rotting with all the partying they are doing and all the Wiffle Ball they are playing. The company you work for most likely has gone to a nice, relaxed dress code and you and your spouse have saved up your vacation time for the week long trip your taking to LBI or Hawaii if you're so blessed. Summer is the time of year that flat out makes people's lives worth while. Everything is more laid back, everything is just relaxed. But another thing happens during the summer, when a strange smell begins to form in the air. What's that smell you ask? Football. The countdown to Week 1 has begun and we, as loyal sport's fans, are sick with anticipation. Colin Cowherd would contend, with sharp objection to Antonio Vivaldi, "There are two seasons a year: Football season, and waiting for Football season." There's something different about 2008 though. You see, something else happens during summer time every year. Summer marks the release of the mega blockbusters, namely the comic book, fantasy hero movies. Most of them are stupid, overhyped sequels that spend way too much money and make you so angry you stayed up until midnight on a Thursday to be the first to see it. But 2008 is different. As the NFL lingers, with all the fascinating stories popping up as training camp grows near, the only thing on my mind 24 hours a day is an animal. But it's not a Dolphin, a Bear, a Bengal or any other animal for that matter that is so well represented by various NFL teams. Damnit, I've got Bat Fever! Just admit it. The Dark Knight looks like it's going to be the best movie you've ever seen (ever). I've already put the trailer for it in my Top 6 favorite movies ever (Somewhere in there around Punisher, Rocky IV, 300, Rock star and Super Troopers). By the way, what does it mean when a consistent component of my favorite movies is either Mark Wahlberg or the half naked muscle man factor? Ehh, better forget I said anything. Any who, you can't tell me that you haven't had flashbacks to yourself at age 13 when you experience all the "changes" your body goes through when you watch that trailer. God, this article is full of Freudian slips. I better balance this out... Jessica Alba is hot! Megan Fox is super hot! Oh the things I would do to Carrie Underwood! Okay. That should get me back in good with the Catholics. Here's the dilemma. What should you be more excited for? Let's break it down. We'll compare the upcoming NFL season with The Dark Knight by sorting them into several key dramatic categories. Whichever wins the most categories gets the nod. Let's hire that computer girl who only will show her fire red lips on screen as she does the announcing for the MTV Movie Awards. She's so Resident Evil she's the only person that can scare me when she says, "Best Female Performance." BEST VILLAIN: NFL: Bill Belichick. Bill Belicheat, the evil mastermind of the NFL. He runs parallel with the typical Mob Boss villain, but he's also a criminal genius. You know the type. He commits his crimes in plain sight of everyone but does just enough so that people still think he's a good guy. South Park put it best: "This is Bill Belichick, coach of the New England Patriots. He's won three Super Bowls. How? He cheated. He even got caught cheating, and nobody cared." Belichick is one of those villains that never seem to go away. You think you've beaten him, but he just comes back bigger, better and meaner. Dark Knight: The Joker. He's the most notable and most recognizable Batman villain. His one and only goal is to kill the hero. He is dark, mysterious, and sadistic. The guy flat out has a screw loose. A very complex character that takes a truly Class A performance to pull off. To date we haven't been disappointed. Advantage: Tight one, but I have to go Belichick and the NFL. The Joker is great, but I tried to keep how remarkable Heath Ledger looks as the Joker outside of my judgment. I guess the real tipping point is the morality tale angle. In the movies, the bad guy can't win, good has to triumph over evil, but in the NFL, even though he got knocked backward this year, you know Belichick is going to win in the end. His evils transcend the arts. BEST MARQUEE EVENT: NFL: The Super bowl. The Super bowl is the biggest event in all of American sports. It's the ultimate showdown. The Super bowl is littered with celebrities, $1 million commercials, epic video packages and Joe Buck. It's a week long event that's always in a hot climate and makes January in Miami look like Spring Break in Cancun. Each night is highlighted with a different rapper's party and Bill Belichick spends the whole week taping practices regardless of if he's participating or not. Dark Knight: I was torn on which event to talk about. I had to decide between the premiere and the opening night Midnight showing at your local theatre. I guess, since it is tradition, I have to go premiere. It's the opening night extravaganza, the cast and crew as well as all the A-List celebrities will be out for a Monday night of fun in New York. You roll out the red carpet. Access Hollywood, Inside Edition, and E!, they'll all be there. No doubt they'll be some pointless activist group out there trying to protest something the Director did wrong, maybe cruelty to bats and Ferrari's. Don't worry, no one will be listening to them, they will just get in the way of paparazzi trying to sneak in. Afterwards, there is sure to be an all night after party none of us have any chance of ever getting into and the viewing of the masterpiece is going to be watered down with Cristal and Cocaine bought on Lindsey Lohan's tab. Advantage: NFL again, jumping out to a big lead early. Nothing compares to the Super bowl. Though I personally will get more enjoyment out of seeing the nerds dressed up like Batman and Joker while I wait in line for the Midnight showing, disgracing the Super bowl is in fact a sacrilege and God will show no mercy on my soul. LEAST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THE LOSS OF A STAR: NFL: The NFL lost two big stars after last year, Michael Strahan and Brett Favre. Favre might return, but it's doubtful he will be with the Packers. So, for the first time in like 45 years the original jewel of the NFL will have another QB under center. The league will survive, but it's definitely taking a hit from this. Favre can throw 5 interceptions in a game and The Packers could lose by 40 and he'll still be a more compelling story than Spy gate or Pac man Jones. Dark Knight: Most of the surviving cast is returning, with the exception of Mrs. Tom Cruise. I'm actually going to go out on a little bit of limb here and say that the movie takes a hit because of this. I thought she was perfect for the role. She has that whole nice, loveable, girl next door quality to her and she's certainly the hottest girl to ever climb a ladder into a bedroom overlooking a creek. At the same time, she's a scientologist so you know she can go Travolta on your ass and Saturday Night Fever all over your face until you Grease her all of your money. Advantage: Dark Knight. Missing Holmes I think is being overlooked in the pre-release hype of Dark Knight, but the NFL lost its biggest hero here, on top of losing the creator of the "Ballin'!" sack dance. LEGEND MAKING POTENTIAL: NFL: There are very few stars left in the NFL that have the opportunity to turn in their first legendary performance. Of the four big contenders, the Pats, Colts, Cowboys and Giants, three out of the four quarterbacks have already made their mark. Brady and Peyton are two of the best QB's of all-time and they already have their rings. Eli got his ring by beating Brady and overcoming his big brother's shadow, so the only legend left to write really would be Tony Romo actually winning a playoff game with a hot blonde there to see him. He's 0-2 so far, I think this year should be Britney's year, she's getting better (I guess?). Dark Knight: This one is easy. Heath Ledger, who's always been a shared spotlight or B-list actor, straps on the Joker's boots once filled by Big Jack himself. Not only that, Ledger died soon after filming was completed. And now it's looking like he's going to clean up post mortem at the Oscar's, Golden Globes, and even the Valhalla TV Lifetime Achievement Awards live from the Pearly Gates. Ledger could join Bach, Thoreau, Van Gogh and Emily Dickinson on the short list of people whose work achieved legendary status after death. Advantage: Dark Knight by a mile. Seeing Ledger as Joker is what I'm most pumped about. Somehow, after the performance Christian Bale turned in for Batman Begins, people are more excited about seeing Heath Ledger. Sorry Romo, go cry with your face in Jessica Simpson's large bust, which is an acceptable consolation prize I feel. MOMENTUM BUILT FROM HOW LAST EPISODE ENDED: NFL: Super bowl XLII ended as sort of a culmination of sorts. We got to see one of the greatest upsets in professional sports history. I mean come on, there were people saying that the Giants couldn't beat the Bills in Week 16 just to get into the playoffs. They lose by a nose to the Pats in Week 17, then turn around and win three road games, two of them in Dallas and Green Bay, and my God the "Little Giants that could" are in the Super bowl! And it didn't stop there. Those "Little Giants" overcame all odds and actually beat the De Facto best team to ever play on the game's biggest stage. You can't write that any better. Here's the problem. The story plays like the end of an epic movie, one of those movies you don't make a sequel for. It's like if they made a sequel to Miracle, the first one was such an inspiring true story that the second one would have no chance to compare. There's no doubt that this year's NFL will be suspenseful, that's what a salary cap does, but I'm really not working off anything that happened in 2007. Dark Knight: Batman Begins was set up as a typical first installment of a comic book series. You give the background of your hero, cover all the bases established by years and years of comic books, make him question what his purpose is, and then just throw him right in with an enemy that he dispatches relatively easily. Comic book movies are the best at setting up sequels, and I thought Batman Begins did its job, but I wasn't super pumped for Dark Knight until I saw what Ledger looked like as the Joker. Advantage: Push. Neither of them spent too much time or had anything spectacular happen that set up the sequel. Sure, the Joker card was sick at the end of the movie, but you weren't even sure they were going to make another one. And the NFL, well NFL Films always finds a way to get you pumped for the next season. GREATEST CHANCE OF LEAVING ME WANTING MORE: NFL: There is one thing about professional sports that you sometimes wish you could change: Everything is symmetrical, nothing carries over. I mean, the media will definitely play up story lines in between seasons and build up rivalries with pure here say, but the players don't care. If you win the Super bowl, you do your celebrating on the field, and then in the locker room, then you have your parade, get your keys to the city and move on to the next season. There is very little carryover from year to year. And with free agency, you usually see massive turnover from championship teams from year to year. It's times like this that you wish the NFL could take a page from the WWE, and just be a little scripted every now and then. Dark Knight: One of the cool things about movies is: they are scripted. It's funny; there are always two sides to these things. In another column I might say, "One of the cool things about sports is: it's not scripted." It's one of those little tricks you can use to make your points sound better, it's all about context. Anyway, Dark Knight is obviously scripted. And you know that if the movie does well, which it's guaranteed to do, Warner Brothers will be foaming at the mouth to pump out a third. So, you know the ending is going to leave you saying, "Holy sh**! When is the next one coming out?" And then two years of anticipation begins and reaches its pinnacle when that first teaser trailer comes out. From there, you openly weep with passion and you furiously try to find your DVD of the Dark Knight that you haven't touched since you watched it the day it came out. Advantage: Dark Knight. I'm going to get home from this movie at 3am and not even think about the fact that I have to leave for work in three and a half hours and try to stay awake for a lunch with the COO of the Fortune 500 Company I work for. Well, at least I have another year of college to find a job. Moving on… LOWEST DISAPPOINTMENT POTENTIAL: NFL: Even if the Super bowl is the Seahawks vs. the Steelers, and you spend the whole time playing Ping Pong and eating Wings that will take you months to work off (true story), there is always something that makes your religious following of the NFL worth while. It's all about the journey in the NFL; your overall enjoyment doesn't rest on the Super bowl. That's the great thing about sports whose playoffs are single elimination. You're almost guaranteed to see a game you'll never forget. You're almost guaranteed to see a team win a game they had no business winning. In the NFL, a team just winning a playoff game is an accomplishment that can make a career, so every time you turn on a football game, you're in for something special. Dark Knight: I know for a cold hard fact I'm way too excited about Dark Knight. It's nearly impossible for it to amount to everything I think it will. Now, I know Heath Ledger is going to be amazing, and there's no doubt Christian Bale is great, and Michael Caine as Alfred was some of the most brilliant casting I've ever seen. But, I've set the bar so high not just for the movie but also for how crazy the Midnight showing is going to be there's a really good chance I'm going to be disappointed with some aspect of the movie. Prediction on disappointment: Maggie Gyllenhaal. Advantage: NFL. There are a few things in life that are for certain. Death, taxes, Patriots going undefeated (whoops), USA Basketball winning the Gold (let us pray) and the NFL season not disappointing. Alright, well, we seem to have a good old fashioned, communist tie. There are three categories for the NFL, three for Dark Knight and a push. Well, at least we can find solace in the fact that you don't have to choose one over the other. Hell, I have 2 TV's in the same room of my apartment. I could watch them both at the same time when Dark Knight comes out on DVD! Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:36:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293172 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293172 It is highly doubtful that Tom Brady will crack the 50-touchdown mark for a second successive season. However, you cannot ignore his remarkable statistics from the 2007 season. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:27:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293163 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293163 Ouija Boards, magic eight balls, tarot cards. For centuries, man has looked for supernatural ways to try and get answers. We here at Bruno Boys Fantasy Football are no different. Always looking for an edge for the upcoming fantasy season, we look to higher powers and turn to our magical crystal ball. The article below is the seventh of many that will reveal what we have seen. This time our look into the future is focused on the likes of Dallas Cowboys' running back, Marion Barber III. 2007 In Review: We wouldn't call Marion Barber's 2007 season a breakout season After all, the Dallas Cowboys running back did have 16 total TDs in 2006. But, 2007 did see Barber take that next step in the realm of fantasy football. No longer is Barber simply a match-up back, his 2007 totals of 1,257 yards (975 rushing and 282 receiving) and 12 total TDs ensure his status as an every week play going forward. In fact, they pretty much ensure his status as one of the league's top 10 fantasy backs. To read more, click below: Sun, 20 Jul 2008 21:46:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292976 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292976