Washington Nationals Nab Respect by Outworking Others

Having completed an old fashioned double-header over the weekend, the Washington Nationals get set to complete three games in a 24-hour span.

Sitting at 9-8 right now, a record good enough to sit on top of the N.L. Central, few notice because the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves dominate the N.L. East ink.

Yet the Nationals are playing a scrappy kind of baseball that is old school, where they aggressively outwork their opponents to scrape out wins.

Want to see a double steal? Going first to third? Hit and run play? Having guys you'd never expect much of on the basepaths stealing bags? The Nationals are doing that.

They are also the only team in the National League to have all of their starting pitchers go at least five innings every game thus far. Then a bullpen led by Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen comes on and is lights out.

They have been doing this without the best third baseman in baseball, their leader Ryan Zimmerman. He has been on injured reserve, but is expected to resume playing somewhere in the next 10 days.

The pitching, a nice surprise so far, has not had the services of staff ace Stephen Strasburg all year and it is likely they will not until 2012 because he is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Jordan Zimmermann, coming off his own Tommy John procedure, is showing great promise.

The youngsters are the big reason for the Nationals good start. Rookie catcher Wilson Ramos has quietly been pushing future Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez to the bench by batting .364 and showing off an excellent throwing arm.

But the big boost has come from rookie second baseman Danny Espinosa. Despite batting leadoff lately, he leads the team with 15 RBI's and has shown himself to have a very solid glove. Espinosa and second-year shortstop Ian Desmond are expected to lock up the middle of the Nationals defense for at least the next decade.

Espinosa leads all rookies in RBI's and is tied for the second most in the National League. He is also tied for the most triples in the National League. This all has been done despite the fact many of his teammates bats have not warmed up yet.

With two leading candidates for Rookie of the Year, solid starting pitching, and excellent work from the end of the bullpen, the Nationals are putting baseball on notice that they will not be an easy win this year.

With phenoms like Bryce Harper developing in the minors, the future looks real bright for the Nats. Zimmerman is the face of the franchise at just 26-years old, while flashing the best leather in the hot corner since the days of Brooks Robinson.

Five games in three days was not something Washington expected, but they have shown people that to no longer expect a doormat in the Nations Capitol anymore. They will take chances, but the Nationals will not stop working to get on top of their division after many years spent on the bottom.

NFL Free Agency: 10 Best Free Agent Signings Ever

Johnny Unitas

Unitas was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ninth round of the 1955 draft. He was cut in camp, as the Steelers decided to go with Jim Finks, Ted Marchibroda and Vic Eaton at quarterback.

Finks would later go on to be a legendary general manager who built the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints into winners. Marchibroda became an offensive guru who coached several teams. Eaton, drafted two rounds after Unitas, was out of football after 1955.

Unitas hitch-hiked back home to save money, then worked construction. He kept in shape by playing semipro football for $6 a game.

Weeb Ewbank, the Hall of Fame head coach, asked Unitas' semipro teammate Jim Deglau to try out for the Baltimore Colts. Hearing the Cleveland Browns were interested in Unitas, he asked Deglau to bring the quarterback with him.

Despite the objections of family members, Unitas went to Baltimore. He made the team, backing up George Shaw and Gary Kerkorian. He soon passed Kerkorian, now in his third year of backing up Shaw, on the depth chart.

During camp, Unitas would stay after practice was over and throw balls all night to a wide receiver, Raymond Berry, who had caught just 13 catches the year before after making the team as a 20th-round draft pick. This bond between Unitas and Berry would soon have a tremendous impact on the NFL.

Shaw, who was the Colts first-round draft pick in 1952, broke his leg in the fourth game of the year. Unitas was plugged in and showed some promise.

His next 10 years saw him go to the Pro Bowl and win the NFL MVP Award three times. Baltimore also won the championship twice with maybe the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.

The 1970 season was his last as a starter, where the 37-year old Unitas led the Colts to a Super Bowl win. He played until the 1973 season before retiring.

Unitas left with a ton of records. Many have been equaled or passed as quarterbacks play longer season with rules that help them succeed, but his 47-games streak of a touchdown pass in each game still survives.

College football hands the top senior quarterback of each year the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. The name of the award is fitting, because Unitas is more than the greatest quarterback in Colts history.

He is the best free agent signing in NFL history.




Dick "Night Train" Lane


A story that the movie "The Natural" may have gotten inspiration from.

Lane was found as an abandoned infant in a dumpster, then raised by a kind-hearted lady. After going to a community college for one year, Lane joined the United States Army for four years and fought in both World War II and the Korean War.

After serving, he got a job at an aircraft factory. He disliked the job, so he walked onto the training camp of the Los Angeles Rams seeking a job.

He wanted to play wide receiver, but the Rams already had a set of Hall of Famers there named Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch and Tom Fears. He was switched to cornerback and found his calling.

Lane was a monstrous hitter who could blanket any receiver in the game. In a matter of months, he came from nowhere and was the top defensive back in all of professional football.

Though just 12 games were played in his rookie year, Lane had 14 interceptions. This is a record that still stands today for the most interceptions in a single season.

Yet Lane was dangerous once he got the ball. He returned the interceptions for 298 yards and two touchdowns, while still finding time to record a safety. Despite such incredible numbers, he was somehow left off the Pro Bowl squad even though he had almost twice as many interceptions combined over the players that were chosen.

He did get to the first of his seven career Pro Bowls in 1954. After having been traded to the Chicago Cardinals that season, Lane had 10 interceptions for 181 yards.

After six years with the Cardinals, he was dealt to the Detroit Lions and took part in some of the greatest secondaries in NFL history. Lane played with Hall of Fame safety Yale Lary and Hall of Fame cornerback Dick LeBeau.

When he hung up his cleats in 1965, Lane had 68 interceptions in 14 seasons. It still ranks the fourth most in NFL history, but it is still the most ever by a cornerback. Rod Woodson, who had 71 career swipes, got 24 as a safety.

Lane had 1,207 yards returned off of interceptions, still the sixth most ever. Deion Sanders is the only cornerback who had more.

He loved to hit receivers and often sought out contact. His favorite way to tackle was a clothesline shot, which was legal in the NFL then. It was dubbed a "Night Train Necktie."

There may be no free agent signing on defense more special or important than the day Lane decided to try and play professional football.





Original Cleveland Browns


When the Browns were formed in 1946, head coach Paul Brown had a plan. The fledgling All-American Football Conference would soon get steamrolled by these plans.

Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Dante Lavelli, Lou Groza and Bill Willis are all Hall of Famers that Brown signed as free agents that year. Along with many other great players like Mac Speedie, Lin Houston, Horace Gillom, Frank Gatski and Lou Rymkus who were just a few others that helped Cleveland dominate.

After winning all of the AAFC titles, they jumped to the NFL in 1950 and promptly won a title. Graham, Groza, Gatski, Gillom and Lavelli were all on the 1954 and 1955 teams that won it all.

Several great coaches came from those Browns rosters. Rymkus and Lou Saban won American Football League titles as head coaches and Ara Parseghian won a title with Notre Dame University.

When it comes to free agent signings, the original Cleveland Browns are on a level all by themselves.






Willie Wood


Wood went undrafted in 1960 after a collegiate career where he was the first African-American quarterback for the University of Southern California and the Pacific-10 Conference. He signed with the Green Bay Packers, who moved him to free safety.

While mainly returning punts, a duty he did much of his career, the rookie was mentored by Hall of Famer Emlen Tunnel. Tunnel retired at the end of the season, so Wood was named starter and held that spot the next 11 years.

He played on teams that went to the championship six times, winning five. Not only was he excellent at returning punts, he became a ball hawk. In 1961, he scored twice off of 14 punt returns.

He led the NFL with a 16.1 yards per return average. Wood led the NFL with nine interceptions in 1962, while becoming one of the best free safeties of his era. Green Bay relied on him as their last line of defense, and he seldom ever let them down.

When he retired after the 1971 season, Wood had intercepted 48 passes, scored four times, and went to eight Pro Bowls. Only Forrest Gregg and Brett Favre have gone more for the Packers.

After having been a finalist nine times, Wood was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

He is easily the best free agent signing Green Bay ever made.






Dick LeBeau


LeBeau was a fifth-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns in the 1959 draft. He was the 58th player picked overall, but did not make the Browns team and was cut in training camp. He would then be picked up by the Detroit Lions as a free agent and played six games in his rookie year, mostly on special teams.

He did recover the first fumble of his career that season. In 1960, LeBeau earned the starting job at cornerback opposite newly acquired Hall of Famer Dick "Night Train" Lane.

The Lions defense also had Hall of Fame MLB Joe Schmidt, Hall of Fame Safety Yale Lary, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Alex Karras and Pro Bowl safety Terry Barr. LeBeau picked off four passes. The next three seasons, LeBeau and Lane formed the best cornerback tandem in the NFL.

LeBeau picked off three passes in 1961, then four in 1962. He scored the first two touchdowns of his career that year, by interception and fumble recovery. In 1963, LeBeau picked off five passes and returned them for 158 yards. He also returned one interception 70 yards for a touchdown.

LeBeau would then make his first of three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in 1964. That season also marked Lary's last in the NFL, and Lane played only seven games. LeBeau still managed five interceptions that year. The 1965 season was the last year for both Lane and Schmidt. LeBeau picked off seven passes and returned one for the last touchdown of his career.

The 1966 season would be LeBeau's last Pro Bowl season, when he intercepted four passes. LeBeau stayed steady the next several years. He picked off four passes in 1967, opposite of Hall of Fame cornerback Lem Barney under new coach, and former teammate, Joe Schmidt.

LeBeau and Barney would then team up for the next three years as one of the best CB tandems in the league. LeBeau had 20 picks over that time. At 34-years old in 1971, LeBeau would intercept six passes.

The 1972 season would be the last year as a Detroit Lion for LeBeau and Schmidt. LeBeau was moved to free safety that year, and would not intercept a pass for the first time since his rookie season. He did recover the last fumble of his career that year.

LeBeau only retired from the NFL as a player after 1972. He went into coaching in 1973 for the Philadelphia Eagles as their secondary coach. He stayed with the team until 1975. He then held the same duties with the Green Bay Packers from 1976 to 1979.

In 1980, he moved to the Cincinnati Bengals. He served as a secondary coach, and as defensive coordinator with the Bengals until 1991. LeBeau then served as the defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1992 to 1996.

This is when LeBeau would gain notoriety for inventing the now commonly used "Zone Blitz" defense. The Steelers defense featured such greats as Hall of Fame cornerback Rod Woodson, Pro Bowl linebackers Greg Lloyd, Hardy Nickerson, Levon Kirkland, Chad Brown, Kevin Greene, Jason Gildon and strong safety Carnell Lake. They would go to the Super Bowl after the 1995 season.

In 1997, LeBeau returned to the Bengals as a defensive coordinator. He would then be named head coach of the Bengals in 2000 and held that job until 2002.

LeBeau then worked for the Buffalo Bills in 2003. He returned to the Steelers in 2004, and is still the defensive coordinator of the Steelers today. In 2005, the Steelers won Super Bowl XL. Pittsburgh also won Super Bow XLIII in 2008.

Dick LeBeau is one of the most respected coaches in NFL history, obviously, and is called "Coach Dad" by his players. He is a member of the Detroit Lions Legend and his 62 interceptions are the most in the history of the Lions.

He is the first player from the 1959 NFL Draft to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is the best free agent signing the Lions ever had.




Don Maynard


Maynard was drafted by the New York Giants in the ninth round of the 1957 draft, but did not make the team.

He tried again the next year and made it, mostly being used as a punt returner. The Giants cut him again, so he played in the Canadian Football League in 1959 for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

He left the CFL to become the first player signed by the expansion New York Titans of the fledgling American Football League. He caught a career best 72 balls his first year. Yet he also teamed up with Art Powell to be probably the best wide receiver duo in the AFL.

The tandem became the first professional football players to gain over 1,000 yards on receptions in a season. They duplicated that feat again in 1962. Despite this dynamic duo, the Titans attracted few fans and were struggling financially.

They changed their name to the Jets in 1963, but business did not pick up until 1965. That year saw them draft, then outbid the NFL for the services of a brash quarterback named Joe Namath.

The future Hall of Famer had a chip on his shoulder, but an arm to back it up. Maynard quickly bonded with Namath and the team started to get better each year.

New York reached the AFL title game in 1968, where Maynard would carry the Jets to victory. Facing the Oakland Raiders and Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown, Maynard caught six balls for 118 yards. He scored the Jets' first and last touchdowns, and the last one sealed a 27-23 win.

It capped off a wild series between the Jets and Raiders that year. Six weeks earlier, the teams made history in the infamous "Heidi Game" incident. The game was taken off the air by television executives with 65 seconds to play and the Jets leading 32-29. Oakland then stormed back and won 43-32.

The Jets went into Super Bowl III as tremendous underdogs. No one expected much from them outside of the Jets organization and fans. This led to Namath's now famous guarantee of victory.

Maynard was covered by Johnny Sample, an extremely tough player who knocked many men out of many games in his career. Maynard got shut out, but his bookend George Sauer caught eight balls for 133 yards.

That, along with a stingy defense and 121 rushing yards by Matt Snell, led the Jets to a 16-7 win over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts. It is the game that convinced the NFL to merge with the AFL. Maynard and Sauer both had 1,000-yards receiving together twice.

While a precision route-runner, Maynard was incredible at getting deep and stretching defenses. When he retired at the end of the 1973 season, he had an excellent career average of 18.7 yards per reception. His 88 touchdown receptions over 15 years show he was also a threat in the end zone.

Don Maynard, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, was the Jets first and best free agent signing.






Warren Moon


It still is an amazing fact that Moon went undrafted in 1978. Despite leading his college team to a Rose Bowl win the year before, some NFL teams wanted him to switch positions. His refusal was followed by an apparent blacklisting.

Instead, he joined the Canadian Football League and stayed there until 1983. He led his team to an unprecedented five titles and is now a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

The NFL couldn't keep on their blinders any longer, and a bidding war began for his services.

Bud Adams, the owner of the Houston Oilers, gained an upper hand by hiring Hugh Campbell as head coach. Campbell had coached Moon in the CFL.

Moon started setting team records for the Oilers almost as soon as he donned their uniform. Houston had an explosive offense, led by Moon, but always seemed to just fall short of reaching a Super Bowl.

After 10 years and six Pro Bowls, Moon was traded to the Minnesota Vikings before the 2004 season. He lasted three years there, making the Pro Bowl twice.

At 41-years old, Moon signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent. He went to the Pro Bowl again. He joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 1999, retiring after two years at 44-years old.

Moon was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, making him the first Canadian Football Hall of Famer, first undrafted quarterback, and the first African-American quarterback to achieve this.

His free agency signing wasn't just great for the Oilers, NFL or football, but society as well.






John Randle


Randle went undrafted in 1990, so he tried to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because his brother Ervin was entering his fifth season with them. The Buccaneers though he was too small, so they declined. The Minnesota Vikings then gave him a try out and was impressed.

Randle made the team and earned a starting job midway into his second season. He was a quick player who was excellent at rushing the passer.

Starting in 1992, he had eight straight years of double-digit sacks. From 1993 to 1998, he went to the Pro Bowl.

His 1997 was probably his best. Randle led the NFL with 15.5 sacks and had a career high 58 tackles.

He became a free agent after the 2000 season, so he joined the Seattle Seahawks. He scored the only touchdown of his career, off a fumble recovery, in his first season in Seattle. He also had 11 sacks, but missed the first game of his career in what would be his final Pro Bowl season.

Randle missed four games the next year. His five games missed with Seattle were the only games he missed in a 14-year career. He would retire after the 2003 season.

His 137.5 sacks are the sixth most ever, and the most ever by a defensive tackle. Steve McMichael is second with 95.

For a player nobody wanted, the Vikings sure were lucky and blessed to sign this free agent that got inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.





Gary Zimmerman


Zimmerman was selected in the first round of the 1984 Supplemental Draft by the New York Giants, but he chose to join the United States Football League instead. When the USFL folded two years later, he was a free agent.

The Minnesota Vikings signed him and plugged him in at left tackle right away. Zimmerman stayed with the Vikings for seven years, going to the Pro Bowl four times. At the end of the 1992 season, he became a free agent again.

He signed with the Denver Broncos, who needed someone to protect Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway's blind side. Though still mobile at 33-years old, Elway was slowing down some after years of hits.

Zimmerman was the glue of an excellent offensive line, and one of the most important pieces to the Broncos attack. In his five years with Denver, he was a Pro Bowler three times.

He made his last Pro Bowl in 1996 despite missing the first two games of his career. He missed two games again the next year, but Denver would go on and win Super Bowl XXXII. He retired after that.

Zimmerman is on both the 1980s and 1990s NFL All-Decade Team, one of just a few players to make two teams. He is also on the USFL All-Time Team.

Inducted into Canton in 2008, Zimmerman is one of the very best free agent signings for both the Vikings and Broncos.




Reggie White


The Philadelphia Eagles made him their first draft pick in the 1984 Supplemental draft. Steve Young, Mike Rozier and Gary Zimmerman were selected ahead of him.

All decided to go play in the United States Football League. White was named the USFL Man of the Year in 1985, and he is a member of the USFL All-Time Team.

When the USFL folded after 1985, he joined the Eagles. He played eight seasons for them, going to the Pro Bowl each season except his first.

He was widely known as the best defensive end in all of football, and he was dubbed the "Minister of Defense" because he was also an Evangelical minister.

He became a free agent after the 1992 season, and a bidding war started to attain his services. The Green Bay Packers won by giving him an airplane to use whenever White desired.

In his six seasons as a Packer, White went to the Pro Bowl every year. He led them to Super Bowl XXXI, where the Packers defense and special teams carried them to victory.

After being named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1998, he retired. But the Carolina Panthers coaxed him out of retirement in 2000, the only year of his career he was not a Pro Bowler except for his first year. He retired for good after that.

His 198 sacks are the second most ever since the stat started to get recorded in 1982. He retired as the Packers leader in sacks, but now ranks second. He still heads the Eagles list.

Not only was his free agent signing good for the USFL, but Green Bay's signing him won them a championship.

Inducted into Canton in 2006, almost two years after his unexpected death, White is one of the truly great free agent signings in NFL history.

NFL Free Agency Speculation: Top 10 Best Situations for Nnamdi Asomugha In 2011

Nnamdi Asomugha is a free agent that any NFL team can try to sign whenever business resumes for the league.

It was a startling move when the Oakland Raiders decided to let the best defensive back in the NFL hit the market despite coming off his third Pro Bowl and second First Team All-Pro season in 2010.

Every team could certainly use a player of his caliber on their squad, but few will be able to afford him.

Plus the team interested should have Super Bowl dreams because most of Asomugha's years in the NFL have been with losing teams.

What sets him apart from most others is his philanthropy. He helps orphans and widows while trying to provide a higher education to students in need of extra help. He won the 2009 Byron "Whizzer" White Man of the Year Award for his work.

Whenever the lock out ends for the NFL, Asomugha will find his phone soon ringing off the hook with teams trying to recruit him. This probably will include the Raiders as well.

Here are 10 teams he might best fit for various reasons, though it is impossible to guess where he might be headed yet.


Dallas Cowboys

While the real problem of the Cowboys pass defense in 2010 was a subpar pass rush by anyone not named DeMarcus Ware and pretty mediocre safety play.

Adding Asomugha could allow Dallas to move Terence Newman to free safety and replace Alan Ball. Newman had a career best 79 tackles and five interceptions last year.

That is 34 more tackles than Ball, a converted cornerback, had last season. It is also 10 more tackles than what strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh provided.

Newman will turn 33-years old during the 2011 season, so Ball could battle Bruce McCann for a roster spot while Mike Jenkins handles the other cornerback and Orlando Scandrick mans the nickle back.

Asomugha also has free safety experience, having played there in college.

Asomugha's addition would allow Dallas concentrate on bolstering the trenches in the draft, an area of need.

They have three picks in the first 71 selections, so grabbing a defensive end, offensive tackle, and safety can be hit on with cornerback now taken care of.

Cowboy's owner Jerry Jones has never been shy at tossing extra money to get what he wants. Getting the best cornerback on the NFL is something he should want.




New York Jets

Imagine Asomugha and Darrelle Revis bookending each other.

OK, now wipe the drool from your chin Jets fans.

A combination that could potentially be the greatest cornerback duo in NFL history is a thought the Jets should think about.

It could possibly bring Rex Ryan that Super Bowl ring he keeps talking about.

With the pair of excellent young cornerbacks Dwight Lowery and Kyle Wilson in reserve, they could match any package a pass happy team tries to throw at them. It would force opponents to run the ball more, an area the Jets defense is very stout.

The Jets probably can't swing this signing because they have a lot of important free agents to sign. Receivers like Braylon Edward, Santonio Holmes, and Brad Smith are needed, so it may force them to re-sign cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

If they could coerce Asomugha to take less for the prospect of winning a Super Bowl, then the Jets would instantly become the favorites to win it all.

Any team attempting a pass on Asomugha and Revis would be near suicidal.




Oakland Raiders

Asomugha is said to like the recent direction of the Raiders and wants to see things through.

He has all of his business set up in Oakland, so uprooting might not be an option he wants to explore.

Still, it was odd to see the Raiders give six-year cornerback Stanford Routt $31 million, with $20 million guaranteed, while declining to pick up the option on Asomugha's contract despite the fact Routt has spent four seasons as a reserve and was coming off a pretty mediocre 2010 campaign.

Yet the Raiders are expected to continue their recent improvement after firing Tom Cable and replacing him with Hue Jackson as the head coach.

It is possible they sign Asomugha for less than expected to keep the NFL's top cornerback on a team he has spent the last eight years trying to turn into a winner.




Baltimore Ravens

This is not typically the type of signing Ravens general manager Ozze Newsome does, but the Hall of Famer always is looking to help his team get better.

Baltimore has had 2010 starting cornerbacks Josh Wilson and Chris Carr become free agents, as well as starting strong safety Dawon Landry. Domonique Foxworth is returning after missing the entire 2010 season because of a knee injury.

Newsome has a huge pile of free agents to sift through on his team alone. But the thought of Asomugha teamed with future Hall of Famers Ed Reed and Ray Lewis behind the immensely talented Haloti Ngata would certainly be a force to be reckoned with.

The Ravens haven't had a lot of stability at cornerback since Chris McAlister left after 2007 following a nine year run as a starter. McAlister's three Pro Bowls are the only time in Ravens history a cornerback has accomplished that feat.

Asomugha might end that drought, but he certainly would bring the team an immediate and much needed upgrade to their suddenly thin secondary.




San Francisco 49ers

Shawntae Spencer is a fine cornerback, but he doesn't exactly strike fear in opposing receivers.

Nate Clements is the Niners top cornerback and has had a fine career, but he will be 32-years old soon and might work best now as the second corner.

Going to San Francisco is a very short drive from Asomugha's home, so his lifestyle would go uninterrupted.

He and Clements would instantly become one of the best duos in the NFL, if not the very best.

The 49ers could upgrade other areas of the team with the addition of Asomugha while making them a favorite to win the NFC West. A pair of solid veteran cornerbacks could take them a long way.





San Diego Chargers

This move would infuriate Raiders fans because the Bolts have had a rivalry going with Oakland since 1960.

It intensified when Hall of Famer Al Davis left the Chargers to join the Raiders in 1963 and started a tradition of excellence that just won baby!

The Chargers offer Asomugha a reason to stay in California near his charities, friends, and family.

If the Chargers lose free safety Eric Weddle to free agency, they could move physical cornerback Quentin Jammer into his slot and have Asomugha bookend the up and coming Antoine Cason.

This is a very unlikely scenario since San Diego has a long list of free agents and we saw how they treated stars Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill much of 2010.




Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell is famous for having a tight wallet, yet he sometimes shocks people.

Arizona has a ton of free agents to re-sign, but their cornerback situation needs help.

Dominique Rogers-Cromartie is their top cornerback and a 2009 Pro Bowler. The other corner is Greg Toler, who could move to nickle back status if Arizona grabs Asomugha.

Signing him also gives them the opportunity to draft linebacker Von Miller to help with the pass rush.

A duo of Asomugha and Rogers-Cromartie would be downright scary for the rest of the NFC West. Their ability to blanket receivers will also help the pass rush, an undervalued aspect.

Some expect the Cardinals to struggle on offense in 2011, so a big time defense could lead them to a division title.

It would also allow Asomugha to stay relatively close to his home base to monitor his charities.





New England Patriots

An unlikely scenario to some who expect the team to use at least one of their nine draft picks on a cornerback, six of which come in the first three rounds.

Yet their needs are in other areas and head coach Bill Belichick has never been adverse to adding a proven veteran to his roster.

What New England is adverse to, for the most part, is giving huge contracts to players.

Devin McCourty is coming off a great 2010 rookie campaign, but the other cornerback slot was a defensive weakness most of the year. Darius Butler has been a disappointment and the other cornerbacks on the roster are nothing worth mentioning.

Asomugha would immediately cure that woe for the Patriots while getting to mentor a young secondary.

Getting the ball in the hands of quarterback Tom Brady as often as possible is the Patriots best path to success.

Asomugha's addition to the New England roster would certainly give Brady more opportunities to win his fourth Super Bowl, an area for quarterbacks that only Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana have reached.




Chicago Bears

"Da Bears" were one win away from the Super Bowl last year.

They head into 2011 in pretty good shape as far as free agency goes.

They do have four starters on defense to re-sign. Defensive tackle Anthony Adams, strong safety Danieal Manning, linebackers Nick Roach and Pia Tinoisomoa are all unrestricted free agents Chicago will have to consider bringing back.

The team could use an upgrade in the secondary. Asomugha could replace an average Tim Jennings in the starting lineup, forming a very nice tandem with Charles Tillman.

The Bears are stout against the run and have maybe the best pair of passing rushing defensive ends in the league. Asomgha and Tillman would force opponents to run the ball more and give Julius Peppers and Israel Adonije even more time to hit the quarterback.

When you get so close to winning it all, sometimes you need just a little extra push to reach the pinnacle of success.

Asomugha would make an already excellent Bears defense even better.

The one question is if he would go to the Windy City. He has played under the warm California sun most of his life, so a move to Chicago would be more than just a culture shock.




Washington Redskins

With the Redskins set to lose Carlos Rogers and Patrick Buchanon to free agency, as well as already being thin in a secondary that was picked on much of 2010, this would seem a good signing on paper.

DeAngelo Hall is now Washington's top cornerback, and he actually played with Asomugha in 2008.

Hall got $8 million for eight games before being cut because he struggled in the Raiders man-to-man coverage schemes.

While the Redskins ran a zone scheme in 2010 that Asomugha can easily play, he may prefer to play in man coverage to best accentuate his abilities.

He will also cost a lot to sign, and Washington's roster just has too many holes to fill.

Being with the Redskins means Asomugha could rub elbows with politicians as he runs his charities. Yet he does this anyways, so that angle seems less enticing.

Asomugha wants to be on a winner and the Redskins are rebuilding. This is the big money signing Redskins owner Dan Snyder has been known to make, but "The Dan" may want to let this one go.

NFL Free Agency 2011: The Best Value Signings Available

As the NFL lock out continues, no one really knows what to make of free agency for the 2011 season.

This includes the players, coaches, general managers, and owners.

Will those being called restricted free agents right now still be restricted if a collective bargaining agreement is reached? That is one of just a few questions everyone will have to wait for an answer on.

Some teams are heading into the 2011 draft in reverse. Some like to fill their biggest holes with the upper echelon free agents, go draft, then fill the rest of the roster with what is left over in the free agency pool.

Since it appears very likely an agreement won't be reached before the draft, along with the confusion of the 2011 definition of free agency, NFL teams will be in a frenzy, whenever this lock out ends, while scurrying to gobble up the talent available as quickly as possible.

The free agency pool of 2011 is a lot like the 2011 draft pool. There is a lot of mediocrity, especially at certain positions. Safety and middle linebacker has few draft prospects, if any, to get excited about. The free agency market is also thin in those areas.

Like the draft, there are quite a few excellent offensive linemen available. If your favorite team has a defense that is already strong in the middle, then the positions your team seeks to fill could very well be solved with good talent.

That is, of course, if the 2011 free agency market is run like it has been for several seasons.



Nnamdi Asomugha


Far and away the top free agent out there this year, if not in many years.

Asomugha appears he could be headed to Canton and truly defines the expression "lock down defender."

He will be 30-years-old when the season starts, but that should not prevent many teams from trying to sign Asomugha to an expensive long-term deal.

Teams like Dallas and Washington are known to spend big on free agents and both need help at the cornerback position. Unless he gets hurt, signing him will be the best value out there because a defense can leave Asomugha alone on an island and worry about other issues at other positions.

Carlos Rogers, Ike Taylor, and Chris Carr are all unrestricted free agents who have started many games.

Carr's 2010 was his first as a full-time starter after having spent much of his five previous seasons as a return specialist.

Taylor has been with the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2003 and has been a starter since 2005. He has earned two Super Bowl rings. Though he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, he will soon be 31-years-old.

Ever since the Washington Redskins drafted Rogers in the first round of the 2005 draft, some fans have spent most of that time lamenting his small amount of interceptions. He has eight in his career and has never had more than two in a single season.

Yet Rogers is solid in run support and has the ability to cover just about anyone in the NFL. Washington is thin at cornerback, so losing Rogers will be a big blow unless they have a replacement in line.

A starter his entire career, Rogers will get offers once the lock out ends. His return to Washington is questionable, but he would immediately upgrade a questionable secondary if he does.

Josh Wilson is a restricted free agent who is excellent on special teams, even if the Baltimore Ravens rarely used him there after acquiring him in 2010. He did help upgrade the Ravens secondary and quickly became a starter.

Wilson returned an interception for a touchdown in his third straight season. He grew up in Maryland, attending the University of Maryland like his dad did. Wilson has stated he would like to return to the Ravens, but he will get many offers if they choose to not bring him back.

Johnathan Joseph, Brent Grimes, and Brandon Carr are all restricted free agents expected to stay with their current teams.







Jammal Brown


The 2010 season was one of frustration for the two-time Pro Bowler, especially after having missed all of 2009 because of injury. Though Brown started 14 games, he played much of the season dinged up with nagging injuries while playing right tackle for the first time since his rookie year.

The Washington Redskins allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent despite the fact their offensive line needs a lot of help. Brown is just 29-years-old, but 2011 might be a make or break season as far as being a starter.

Though Washington might try to bring him back, Brown's history of excellence will warrant quite a few offers. Offers that the Redskins may fail to match, thus depleting the offensive line even more.

Matt Light is coming off a Pro Bowl year, his third, for the New England Patriots. He has started at left tackle for the Patriots since 2001, but will be 33-years-old before the 2011 season begins.

Though it seems unlikely he will leave, especially with unrestricted free agent guard Logan Mankins certainly going, it is doubtful the unrestricted free agent is offered anything but a short-term deal. If a team offers more years, Light might leave a team he has won three Super Bowls with.

Tyson Clabo had an amazing journey to becoming a 2010 Pro Bowler. He went undrafted in 2004, then bounced around on practice squads until he signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2006. He earned a starting job as a guard in his rookie year, then moved to tackle. Clabo plays with a mean streak that teammates like, and he had good size and mobility.

Despite the late start on his career, he will be only 30-years-old in 2011 with little wear and tear on his body in comparison to others his age. An unrestricted free agent, he will get offers but might not want to leave the one organization that gave him a chance to play.

The 2010 season was the first since 2000 where Alan Faneca failed to go to the Pro Bowl. He will be 35-years-old this season and the unrestricted free agent is said to be contemplating retirement. The Arizona Cardinals, with whom he played with last year, has stated they want him back.

Faneca is probably headed for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, but there is a chance a team entices him with an offer to suit up in 2011. While he might not be the same player he was in his prime, he is still a starter and better than many others.

Davin Joseph and Carl Nicks are a pair of young and excellent guards who are restricted free agents.

Joseph and Jeremy Trueblood anchor the right side of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive line and both are free agents. Losing either one could be devastating to a young team like the Bucs. Both will be 28-years-old in 2011 and were drafted in the first and second round of the 2006 draft to become mainstays.

Joseph has been named to the Pro Bowl once as well. Nicks has just three years under his belt. His 2010 season saw him go to the Pro Bowl. The New Orleans Saints are said to want to re-sign Nicks to a long-term deal.

The Atlanta Falcons could be in trouble in 2011 with the prospects of losing the right side of their offensive line. Harvey Dahl, like Clabo, went undrafted. After barely playing for the San Francisco 49ers in 2006, he joined the Falcons in 2007 and earned a starting job the next year.

Dahl is known as maybe the meanest and nastiest offensive lineman in the NFL. He got in a shouting match with 49ers ex-head coach Mike Singletary in 2009. The Hall of Famer purportedly became so enraged that he spit on Dahl.

He is a restricted free agent and it is rumored the Falcons are intent on keeping both him and Clabo. If they cannot, there are always several teams looking for a guy who brings character to the locker room.

Lyle Sendlein is a restricted free agent, but he is the only center worth mentioning in the free agency pool. The Cardinals would prefer to keep the fourth-year undrafted player who has started the past three seasons.

Yet there are no great centers in the draft or in free agency. Sendlein is far and away the cream of the crop and that might entice a big bid for his services.






Cullen Jenkins


The 29-year-old Jenkins is about to get paid large. In a fairly weak free agency class, the defensive line is deep in mediocrity and sparse in guys who are able to make the big play.

Though the 2011 draft has a few defensive tackles ready to go in the first round, Jenkins might head the free agents list. An unrestricted free agent, he can play anywhere on the defensive line.

Jenkins is average defending the run, but he can get after the quarterback. He played just 11 games, yet still got a career high seven sacks in 2010. His 29 career sacks show a consistent force no matter where he lines up.

The defending champion Green Bay Packers would love to keep Jenkins, especially since the reserves are youngsters C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn. Matching the offers he is expected to receive might be an issue.

Jason Babin is an unrestricted veteran who was looking like a journeyman who flopped as a first round pick until last year. Selected by the Houston Texans in 2004, he had played for four teams before signing with the Tennessee Titans in 2010.

He got 12.5 sacks last year after getting 19.5 in his previous six years. Tennessee has expressed interest in signing him to a long-term contract, but Babin might test the waters as well.

When the Carolina Panthers used a third round pick on defensive end Charles Johnson in 2007, then-head coach John Fox brought him along slowly so he could learn behind veterans like Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker.

Johnson was used as a pass rusher his first three years, but was inserted into the 2010 starting lineup after Peppers joined the Chicago Bears. He responded with career best totals of 11.5 sacks and 62 tackles.

Now a restricted free agent, it will be interesting to see the language of the new collective bargain agreement whenever the lock out ends.

If Johnson is set free, Carolina will need to decide if they should sign him to a long-term deal or watch other teams bid for Johnson's services.

Shaun Ellis will be 34-years-old when the 2011 season starts. He has a lot of mileage on him, but Ellis did earn a Pro Bowl bid in 2009. Though he isn't quite as an effective pass rusher these days, Ellis has always done a decent job against the run. Veterans like him are always welcome on a roster, so the unrestricted free agent won't have to wait long for an offer. His leadership skills just make him more valuable.

Barry Cofield is a restricted free agent who has started since the New York Giants drafted him in 2006. He has said he will request a trade unless he is offered a long-term deal.

Coming off his best season, Cofield has nose tackle ability as well. If the Giants decide to go in another direction, he should find himself very much sought after.

Paul Soliai and Brandon Mebane are restricted free agents.

Soliai is a nose tackle who excelled in his first year as a starter in 2010. Since there are only a few nose tackle prospects in the draft, he could be highly sought after. The Miami Dolphins put their franchise tag on him, so it appears unlikely he will go anywhere.

Mebane has started since he was a third round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2007. While his 10 career sacks show he is an average pass rusher, many teams like Mebane's ability to defend the run.

Kedric Golston earned a starting job as a rookie for the Washington Redskins in 2006 after being chosen in the sixth round. He was moved to defensive end last year when Washington switched to a 3-4 base defense.

He is a plugger who clogs the lanes and allows his linebackers to clean up the leftover mess. Golston is a high character guy with good strength, so teams looking to upgrade the interior of their defensive line will look hard in his direction.






Plaxico Burress


Burress will soon be released from prison after having served 20 months for weapons violations. Despite the fact he will be nearly 34-years-old, teams will look into signing him.

Some look how well Michael Vick played in 2010 after having spent two years in jail. Burress has stated he will play again and has been working out four days a week in preparation.

He is 6'5", so a tall receiver like him will always garner interest. Before his sentencing, his inconsistent hands frustrated many though four of his nine seasons saw him gain over 1,000 yards.

There may be a bidding war for his services, though the thought of teams avoiding him because of his past is certainly fathomable. The question of 34-year-old legs after years on inactivity will certainly bring skeptics.

With older receivers like Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Laveranues Coles, Santana Moss, Brandon Stokley, Brian Finneran, T.J. Houshmanzadeh, and Dennis Northcutt out there looking for jobs, taking a chance on Burress seems like a fine decision







Quintin Mikell


Mikell was a Pro Bowler in 2009 who happened to be even more productive last year. The strong safety is not only very good supporting the run defense, but he has done an excellent job defending the pass.

The Philadelphia Eagles would love to bring him back, but the unrestricted free agent will get a ton of offers. Considering how the Eagles are trying to re-sign quarterback Mike Vick, the scenario of being outbid is certainly possible.

Mikell also has free safety experience, yet he will be 31-years-old whenever the season starts. He spent his first four years on the bench before earning a starting job in 2007. He has 328 tackles and nine interceptions the last four years.

Donte Whitner is coming off the best season of his five years in the NFL. Some say he has never shown the Buffalo Bills a reason why drafting him in the first round of the 2006 draft was a good idea, but he did get 138 tackles last year.

Buffalo would like him to return, but the unrestricted free agent has started since he came to the NFL and that type of experience makes the 26-year-old desirable.

Dawan Landry and Eric Weddle are restricted free agents. Weddle has already stated he wants to stay with the San Diego Chargers but would "leave the team in a heartbeat" if contract talks do not go well.

The Chargers have three safeties up for free agency, but Weddle is the most important. The free safety has scored a touchdown in each of the last three years while showing solid all-around play.

With the 2011 draft having almost no NFL-caliber safeties, free agents at this position have their importance doubled. Especially Weddle, the best free safety in the pool.

Landry has been the starting strong safety of the Baltimore Ravens ever since they lucked into him during the fifth round of the 2006 draft. He missed most of 2008 from an injury, but Landry has scored a touchdown in three of his other four years.

Coming off a career high 108 tackles in 2010, Landry will be sought after if the restricted free agent tag is removed and he is allowed to sign anywhere. The Ravens would prefer to keep Landry, who is one of their most important players on defense.







Michael Bush


Bush was drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 draft by the Raiders even though they knew he was recovering from a broken leg and couldn't play until 2008.

Since 2008, Bush has shown exactly why Oakland selected him. He has increased his rushing attempts and yards each year, and he scored a career best eight times in 2010.

He offers the power back feature that compliments Darren McFadden's slashing running skills. Bush would start on many teams, but he has been forced to back up McFadden. Though the 2008 first round pick has battled injuries much of his career, Oakland seems committed to McFadden as the starter.

If a team wants a guy who would do anything to win, even if it means being a blocking back, Bush is worth a look. His being pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving a few months ago might force Oakland to part ways with the restricted free agent.

With recent rumors of the Raiders being interested in drafting Shane Vereen, Bush's days as a Raider could be ending. If this happens, there are a ton of teams that will vie for his services and possibly get a 1,000-yard rusher in return.

Joseph Addai and Tim Hightower are a pair of running backs who are restricted free agents expected to re-sign with their teams.







Rocky McIntosh


McIntosh is not flashy, but he is very productive. After spending the first four seasons of his career as an outside linebacker, the Washington Redskins moved him inside last year and got a career best 110 tackles.

But he also had 180 tackles as an OLB the previous two years, showing McIntosh can stop the run wherever you plug him in. While he has shown good blitzing ability, the Redskins did not ask that from him often.

He is not great in pass coverage, so McIntosh usually was replaced by extra defensive backs in obvious passing situations.

He has also shown durability and toughness, willing to play injured. Washington already has huge depth issues at linebacker, let alone much quality past Pro Bowlers London Fletcher and Brian Orakpo.

The free agency market does not appear to have anyone better than him right now, so re-signing McIntosh could be a Redskins priority once the lock out is resolved.

Graybeards Mike Peterson, Julian Peterson, Mike Vrabel, Scott Shanle, Keith Bulluck,and Takeo Spikes should all have no trouble finding a training camp because there are few linebackers out there whose production can be relied upon. None are what they once were, but they have the savvy to still do the job.

James Anderson and Prescott Burgess are restricted free agents who will garner interest.

Anderson has the size and finally seemed to put it together in 2010 after four less-than-stellar seasons for Carolina. He had 126 tackles and 3.5 sacks. A SLB who certainly will help on run support.

If the term "restricted free agent" is dissolved in the new collective bargaining agreement, he possibly becomes the top outside linebacker available.

Burgess has played special teams for the Baltimore Ravens in his three seasons, something he does a good job at, but he also has learned under the wing of Ray Lewis. That alone should draw interest.

Dhani Jones, Barrett Ruud, and Paul Posluszny are all veteran inside linebackers. The 32-year-old Jones is the only unrestricted free agent of the group.

After playing outside linebacker in his first seven seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals moved him inside and Jones has collected 352 tackles the past three years. His consistency and versatility will get him an offer, let alone the experience from being a starter in nine of his 10 seasons.

Ruud is said to be irked over his contract situation with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though many think he will stay because Ruud is one of the leaders on a young team.

Posluszny is coming off the best season of his four-year career. He had 151 tackles, despite missing two games, and has 371 in his last three years.

What scares teams about Posluszny is the fact he has missed games because of injury in three seasons. The 19 games missed in his career should make any offered contract laced with incentives, which is a bargain if he fulfills them.







Bruce Gradkowski


Gradkowski is a restricted free agent, but it remains to be seen if the Oakland Raiders bring him back now that Tom Cable is gone.

Oakland was the third team he played for in his five seasons, but Gradkowski developed a small fan following when 2007 first round pick JaMarcus Russell flopped and lost his starting job. Gradkowski took the starting job from a struggling Jason Campbell last year, but got hurt and was lost for the season.

Campbell seized the opportunity by helping Oakland have their best season in many years. Though he has plenty of starting experience, Gradkowski could be replaced for a backup who costs less.

If that happens, Gradkowski might soon be on the verge of starting again with the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, or Minnesota Vikings, all non-committal on who will handle the snaps in 2011.

A gritty but injury-prone player, he shows the leadership skills one likes from a quarterback.

With veterans like Marc Bulger, Alex Smith, and Billy Volek amongst a deep free agent pool of average quarterback with starters experience, Gradkowski could be the guy who is the most successful.

NFL's Five Biggest Clubhouse Cancers the Washington Redskins Could Trade For

Chad Johnson


Once called Ochocinco, the 32-year old receiver was pretty productive in 2010 with 67 receptions.

He accomplished this on a bad team with a weak-armed quarterback and a wide receiver who also demanded the ball each snap.

There is the fact that he wants to move on to another team, but hiring him is like hiring an eccentric clown from the circus. Does Johnson truly want to win or just pad his ego?

This is a question that has followed him most of his career. Not much more than a fifth-rounder should be given for him, only if free agent Santana Moss signs elsewhere.

But he is an accomplished veteran, one who finally seems to have worn out his welcome in Cincinnati.

If not him, go after Dwayne Bowe of the Kansas City Chiefs if free agents like Vincent Jackson and Sidney Rice have signed elsewhere. Though a bit of a head case, Bowe is full of size and talent.

Though it is doubtful he has worn out his welcome yet, the Chiefs might look to sign Rice or Jackson and dump Bowe.





Derek Anderson


Anderson has a contract the Arizona Cardinals would love to get rid of, especially since he was benched in favor of two rookies in 2010 and was seen yukking it up on the bench while his team was losing big one game.

Still, he is better than Rex Grossman, even if it appears Anderson will never again regain his 2007 Pro Bowl form.

He is a tall quarterback with a big arm, yet he makes big mistakes when flustered. Given the immense offensive line woes the Redskins have suffered the past few years, he certainly would expect defensive pressure from the opponents.

Offering more than a scrub might be too much, but Anderson does offer experience. Whether that is enough to warrant a trade remains to be seen.




Reggie Bush


Bush has been no real issue for the New Orleans Saints, though the recent Heisman debacle has this first-round flop looking foolish. Washington shouldn't offer more than a sixth-round pick for him.

Yet, Bush is a better pass-receiving running back and punt returner than anyone currently employed by the Redskins.





Carson Palmer


Palmer wants out of Cincinnati, like anyone in their right mind would.

Problem is, Palmer has made Billy Kilmer look like Dan Marino since he hurt his arm in 2008.

Quite simply, the guy has nothing left and most of the fans in the bleachers have a better arm than Palmer.

Still, he is far and away better than Rex Grossman.

Though Cincinnati says they will hold onto him and the Redskins should not offer more than a bag of unwashed socks for him, he could be used for a year or so while the Redskins draft and mold a quarterback of the future.




Albert Haynesworth


Trade for? You betcha! Trade for anything!

A few used and soiled jock straps...ANYTHING!

Haynesworth doesn't want to be in Washington and no one associated with the Redskins wants him there either.

The $100 million man is impossible to move, but cutting him is a losing proposition.

Another season of 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks, his amazing 2010 statistics, may be on the Redskins horizon with a guy giving 50 percent effort while expecting 100 percent pay.

Dignity After Football

Those who have read this blog know my feelings about the NFLPA, an organization as greedy, underhanded, sleazy, and willingly blind like the NFL itself.

An organization presided for year by former player Gene Upshaw, who screwed over his brethren at every opportunity. Even his own teammates that helped him win championships and other personal glories.

When Upshaw died, few tears were shed by former players.

Now the NFLPA is being run by an ambulance chaser who point blank told a former Redskin, a team he supposedly is a fan of because he grew up in the District of Columbia, that things would be "business as usual".

This means thousands of people who dedicated their lives to the game are basically brushed aside and forgotten. The same people who made professional football a billion dollar empire that has so much power, it had their blackout rule pass through Congress, the House of Representatives, and White House in one day.

You don't even see declarations of war get done that quickly.

Yet there are brave people who have tried to let the public know the sordid side of the NFL, even knowing that the machine would be there to try to block them at every turn.

Men like the Joe DeLamielleure and Mike Ditka are Hall of Famers who have long been vocal about the lack of support their brethren get medically, financially, and spiritually.

Bruce Laird, Jack Kemp, Tom Addison, Ricky Harris, and many more, have also tried to get the NFLPA to at least give respect to those who made the game what it is today.

While there is a lock out, the NFL is giving lip service about player safety for the first time since the league was born in 1920. The countless amount of players who left the game permanently damages and forgotten by the NFL would take more than just a calculator to recall.

When I was calling ex-players to garner support for Chris Hanburger's induction into Canton last year, I was astonished to find many players suffering for Lou Gehrig's Disease.

It seemed the amount of gridiron legends stricken with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was far more prevalent with NFL players than any other sport or other lines of work.

As we learn more about head injuries with the advances of science, we start to understand better the hell men like Mike Webster, Jim Tyrer, Andre Waters, and others went through just before their deaths.

I also encountered many ex-players with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in my Hanburger quest. While some players were unable to converse, some lit up at the mention of the game they love and held lucid discussions recalling the time they sweat and bled for the NFL.

This is why the work DeLamielleure, Laird, Ditka, and others are so very important and MUST be supported by anyone who claims to be a fan of football.

But I want to tell you about the work of BRENT BOYD.

Boyd is a former offensive lineman with the Minnesota Vikings for seven years. He has testified before the House Judiciary subcommittee on how this former starter is a single father who found himself homeless because he suffers from brain injuries brought on by several concussions.

He still suffers today from depression,headaches, dizziness, and fatigue from his post-concussion disorder. But it has not stopped Boyd in his fight to get the NFL and NFLPA to take care of their own.

http://www.dignityafterfootball.org

He runs Dignity After Football, an organization that tells the stories of players like him still hurting after retiring.

DeLamielleure, Kenny Easley, Wayne Hawkins, Dave Pear, Ed White, Jeff Nixon, Delvin Williams, and Jerry Shirk are just a few ex-players supporting this mission and offer their own stories on this site.

The work Boyd is doing is needed. The NFL pockets every penny possible, which is tax-free. The NFLPA is their puppets who have never shown interest in former players. Boyd terms it "Upshaw Thugocracy", and this mode is still running today.

"The bottom line is I don't work for them. They don't hire me and they can't fire me. They can complain about me all day long. They can have their opinion. But the active players have the vote."

This infamous quote by Upshaw is exactly the mission DeMaurice Smith continues. Smith never played the game and he recently pulled a stunt by decertifying the NFLPA because of the lock out, yet he has shown the Upshaw message remains.

The message of a puppet working for team owners who seemingly treat players like product instead of human beings. Product used to fill their pockets by any means necessary, even if it costs lives.

Please visit Boyd's site and sign his petition. Even if you have no interest in a player once he leaves the game, much like the NFL and NFLPA, then do it because you are a fan of the game.

A game that has cost humanity much more than mortality can acknowledge.



If you want a taste of how the NFLPA works against even their own employees, then read this letter from someone who spent years working for scum like Upshaw.

I am a former employee of the NFLPA (1983-1988 and 1999-2003). I worked in the Special Events/Licensing (1 yr), Research(4 yrs), Legal Departments (4 yrs) and the Financial Advisers Program (detail 6 action. I would not accept intimidation and pursued my rights. 10 years of administrative and legal maneuvers followed. I was reinstated to my job in 1997 - NFLPA refused and in 1999 I returned via court order. I worked on the 7th floor but could only get access up to the 6th floor because the NFLPA refused to give me an elevator key and office keys.

Thus, I was required to walk up the public stairwell without a choice for approx. 20 months. (morning, noon and afternoons) I received an e-mail that the reason for no keys was because of my Title VII litigation and union activity.

I was fired in 2003 after my mother died suddenly and unexpectedly. NFLPA mgt. actually expected me to call or come to work on the day of the funeral.

You will be astonished to hear the details of my plight. They sued my 1st arbitrator and boycott the hearing.

NFLPA mgt. refused to honor the decision and retaliated against me through work conditions, monetary considerations, etc. (judge, jury, prosecutor) The 2nd arbitrator was the former executive secretary and past chairman of the NLRB. The NFLPA has the largest settlement against the NFL in the history of the NLRB. NFLPA mgt. and its representatives distorted the truth during arbitration, to EEOC and the US District Court. NFLPA mgt. denied receiving documents that I had confirmation receipts, denied receiving phone calls that I have phone records ofs.)

I have been involved in 20 years of litigation with the NFLPA regarding Title VII violations and Union activity. In 1988 I was reduced in force and told that I would be fired if I filed grievances or took it, distorted the context of conversations - that I have documentation for, disparaged the reputations of the arbitrator, medical professional, sued and taxed the finances of the union that represented the staff and burdened the attorneys that represented me. Thereby stressing my relationships with my own representatives.

Effectuated unfavorable decisions against me through unfathomable misrepresentations. I was entitled to Family Medical Leave but received no assistance during my family crises. I was fired for excessive and unexcused absences when my job should have been protected like the professional organizations that extended that consideration to my 3 siblings.

It's no wonder that I didn't have permission to deal with my loss and overwhelming grief. I didn't have the NFLPA's permission to return to work in 1999.

In Feb. 2002, until satisfaction thereof, the NFLPA had to pay over $400,000 in Title VII fees to my attorney (not me). My firing in April 2003, and the subsequent fiascos - grievance meetings, arbitration, EEOC and Federal Court - were done in retaliation and were discriminatory.

The actions that I have experienced are unethical and unprofessional at best and at worst - well look at how you all and Congress are being treated. Deja vu.

Litigation is pending - the judge allowed discovery, subpoenas were issued, deposition was held, status - waiting for trial date. The union (Local 2) is not responding.

I am not surprised by their exodus - after all - how could this union have allowed me to walk up a public stairwell for 20 months?


Regretfully submitted, I hope to have a favorable resolve to the moral indignation that I have experienced from this "professional and caring" organization. NFLPA mgt. has spent money in order to destroy my life. It is vindictive and unacceptable.

I returned to work at the NFLPA with the expectations of professionalism. NFLPA mgt. purposely created a hostile environment. My career in sports and union affiliations have been derailed.

I have a Master degree in Urban Planning, Paralegal certificate and years of experience in many areas. I am a wife and mother of two children (11 and 15).

Your support is welcome.

2011 NFL Draft: John Clay Looks to End Wisconsin Badgers Backs' Bad NFL Luck

John Clay, known as "Gumby" to his teammates, went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008 as one of the most heavily recruited running backs in the country.

He became just the third Badger ever to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2009.

He decided to forgo his senior year to enter the 2011 NFL draft after missing three games in his junior year with a MCL sprain. Despite the lost games, Clay was named one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award.

Clay ran for over 3,400 yards and scored 41 times in his three seasons. In college, he measured at 6'1", 255 lbs. and drew comparisons to ex-Badger Ron Dayne, the 1999 Heisman Trophy winner who still holds the NCAA record for most rushing yards in a career.

Though Clay carried the ball 342 times in his freshman and junior years combined, he did lug the ball 277 times as a sophomore. That is more attempts than Dayne had in two years with Wisconsin, where he ended up toting the ball an amazing 1,115 times in four years.

Though Dayne was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2000 draft, some critics fear all the tread on his tires were worn off at Wisconsin. In his four seasons as a Jint, Dayne never started more than seven games, and his rookie season on 770 yards on 228 carries was his best season with them.

Dayne joined the Denver Broncos in 2005 but was rarely used. He joined the Houston Texans the next two years, where he had arguably some of the finest years of his career. After gaining a career-best 773 yards in 2007, he was out of the league.

Clay was built a lot like Dayne (5'10", 250) in college, and both players are big running backs known for being nimble on their feet. While Dayne was not exactly a speed merchant, Clay ran a disappointing 4.84 40-yard dash at the combine despite recently shedding 25 pounds.

With his slow time, Clay's draft prospects have dropped immensely. Before he hurt his MCL at Wisconsin, there were rumblings that Clay might get tabbed in the second round. Those murmurs, as well as the fact he was being asked to carry the ball too many times in the Badgers' run-oriented attack, might have helped propel him to turn pro.

There is a good chance no one drafts Clay this year. There are big backs like Mikel Leshoure, Daniel Thomas, Jamie Harper and Stevan Ridley gaining more interest from NFL teams right now.

Then there is the history of Badgers running backs in the NFL.

Wisconsin has sent 37 running backs to the NFL. Just four have gone to the Pro Bowl, and just one ran for over 1,000 yards in a single season. Three were fullbacks, led by Alan "The Horse" Ameche. Ameche was the 1955 Heisman winner and 1958 NFL Rookie of the Year.

Ameche ran for 961 yards as a rookie, which would stay a record for rookie runners until Cadillac Williams broke it in 2005. Ameche is also known as the man who scored the winning touchdown in "The Greatest Game Ever Played."

Pat Harder and Ed Jankowski were the other Badger fullbacks to go to the Pro Bowl, but Michael Bennett is the only halfback. Bennett gained 1,296 yards in 2002, the only full season of his injury-filled career.

Hall of Famers and Green Bay Packers legends Curly Lambeau and Arnie Herber saw time at running back in the NFL, but Herber is mostly known for his work at quarterback, and Lambeau is best known as the legendary coach the Packers named their home field after.

Clay will be battling history, concerns about his speed and maybe even his 619 rushing attempts over three college seasons as he looks for a job with an NFL team. Despite being strictly a power back only suited for running between the tackles, he does have certain skills that translate at the next level.

He won't change directions quickly or offer a lot on special teams or in the passing game, and he has had ankle issues. Clay's 29" vertical was the worst amongst running backs at the combine, and scouts feel he is stiff in the hips and has questionable vision.

Scouts want him back up to his collegiate weight despite his running a 4.7 at Wisconsin's pro day. He has a tremendous stiff arm and really packs a wallop upon impact. He is also a patient runner, using his nimble feet to wait for the hole to open before he runs through it.

Clay has said his reason for early entry is because he knows running backs can have short careers. He does not want to be a fullback, preferring to be an every-down type. If he improves his pass blocking and catching, as well as puts to rest concerns over his ankles and ball security abilities, Clay could add an intriguing dimension to a depth chart.

You can't teach size, something Clay has plenty of in supply. If he packs on more weight again, some think he could be a Pete Johnson type. Johnson was a 1,000-yard back for the Cincinnati Bengals and scored 12 or more touchdowns in three of his seven seasons. He stood 6'0" and weighed 252 pounds, so the comparison could be fair.

If Clay has half the career Johnson did, he will be a steal for anyone who drafts him or signs him as a free agent. It would be a career that most former Badgers running backs would be envious of.