Ranting With Rizzo Podcast For 3-17-12

In case St Paddy's day got in the way of you
tuning into the show on Saturday, here is the
podcast for all you missed, and all you need.
Enjoy !



Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Who Are These Arkansas Paperbacks, errr Razorbacks?

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Arkansas

In the 2008 NFL Draft the Arkansas Razorbacks had the
honor of having a trio of running backs drafted and
eventually start for three different NFL franchises.
Darren McFadden became the stud back for the Raiders,
Felix Jones was drafted by the Cowboys and has been a
starter for them as well, and Peyton Hillis who was
originally drafted by the Denver Broncos, and was
later traded to the Browns is currently their starter
and leading rusher.

Now to my headline. As previously mentioned, one or
all members of this trio are either the starter for
their team or at have been, but it isn't because of
performance that more often than not that they aren't
the starter. Coming in to 2011 all three were either
the feature back or soon became that, but they cant
stay on the field, they are constantly on the injury
report. In a combined 45 games so far this season,
these three backs have managed to play in a total of
30 of those games, a mere 67%. Darren McFadden is the
biggest culprit of all having missed the all but seven
this season and is listed as out this weekend against
the Chargers. Peyton Hillis has been out for such
things as Strep Throat, and advice from his agent to
not rush back too soon and get hurt. In the last game
Felix Jones had just four rushing attempts in what was
a blowout loss to the Eagles, and was kept out in order
to ensure he would be healthy for this weeks must win
game against the Giants. Three weeks ago he had just
six attempts against the Cardinals in another expensive
loss by the Cowboys.

Jones is a probable this week, Hillis should play in what
is now a meaningless season finale for the Browns, and
McFadden is all but out for sure in a game the Raiders
must have in order to ensure a possible playoff birth.

Going forward can these three be counted on? Hillis is
holding out hope that he will "get paid" this off season,
but how big an investment would you make in him if you
were the one paying? Felix Jones is actually in jeopardy
of eventually losing his starting job, and maybe even his
roster spot. One thing for sure in the NFL is that no one,
including Peyton Manning is beyond that sort of speculation.
You can't be the starter if you can't play. McFadden is
clearly the biggest fish here, and the safest to stay, but
after huge splashes of brilliance last year and a great
start to this season, can the Raiders depend on him to stay
on the field? All three of these backs are obviously very
talented, and lots of questions remain, but my question is
something more along the lines of: Was there something in
the water at Arkansas? NO, I am not implying PED's, though
no one is immune ti that. I just wonder what the heck has
gone wrong with these three.




Tweet

Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Tebow, Hillis, & James: The 3 Must C Rears

Courtesy: Sam Laughlin

So Tim Tebow is the starter in Denver now,
hmmmm. Ever think that it's going to take
more than some good quarterback play to get
the Broncos back to winning again? I guess
my next question winds up being, what will
the fans in the Mile High city say if they
still get the same results? Just asking.

So Peyton Hillis asked for a second opinion
on whether he should play or sit? I know he
was born and went to school in Arkansas, and
there are plenty of jokes to be made there,
but I'm sure they had doctors there by the
time he got all grown up and all, did he
think to ask one of them? This is why guys
like him get payed to play and not think,
especially with all the head trauma they
end up with by the end of their careers.

I'm not sure I can give LeBron too much grief
for this, but can we get off this thing about
LeBron' tweet or mention of, that he could be
a wide receiver in the NFL during the lockout?
Really?, Was it a slow news day or something?


Thank You Al Davis ! Tweet

Around the Leagues

So there was this story on MSNBC's Today
Show page discussing relationships and it
somehow ventured into the "Bro Code".
Don't know what the "Bro Code" is you say.
Well they show a video clip of Toronto
Raptors guard Leandro Barbosa holding hands
with teammate Reggie Evans just after a game
in the tunnel on the way back to their locker
room. From there they had thoughts and
opinions on what is and isn't acceptable
with teammates before venturing into possible
homosexual assumptions. Check it out, and
you make the call.

Another NBA item has us looking at Lakers
bad boy Ron Artest and his winning the NBA
Citizenship Award. Now I am all for second
chances and am certainly glad that he has in
so many ways changed his ways, but the
Citizenship Award? REALLY? Is this the same
guy that helped his sister defraud the welfare
system out of thousands of dollars while all
the while she was getting substantial amounts
of my from her brother Ron?, and is this the
same dude that tells a story where he may or
may not have killed an individual by stabbing
him with the broken off leg of a table in a
schoolyard in Queens growing up?, and You thought
I was gonna mention Pistons Pacers incident,
didn't you? I'm just saying.

The NBA is so much fun that perhaps we'll do one
more. Remember the Decision?, Ha! who doesn't?
well it looks like that the money raised from
that fiasco, and no I don't mean LeBron's contract,
I mean the money raised from the ESPN special,
was actually put to good use, and about 60
Boy's and Girls clubs across the country will
benefit from this. Heck why should comedians and
sports talkies get all the fun.

OK, now football.So Peyton Hillis is on the
cover of Madden 2012, WHY? Seriously, why?
So they can ensure this guy will follow the
trend make sure that he ends his season early
with and injury or mishap, like so many past
honorees have? The way this guy runs he is
a lock to get injured or not finish the full
season anyway. Let's be fair he is no better
than Mark Van Eeghan (one of my very favorites
by the way) was in the 70's, and they never
would have put Van Eeghan on the cover of
Madden any year, and Madden was his coach!
And oh yeah, he beat out Michael Vick for this
honor. This I can only believe is due in large
part to the deep pockets of Andy Reid??? Hmmm,
Maybe there isn't going to be football this
year after all.

In Europe this is also called football, so let's
roll with it shall we? The other day Dutch
Football(Soccer) Club VVV-Venlo signed 1 year
old Baerke van der Meij to a contract, yes they
signed a one year old to a contract. Now this
was seen as a publicity stunt, and it was, and
they didn't deny it either. BUT below is a video
of this kid taking shots on "Goal", and even
though the contract was more honorary than real,
I'm not sure sure they shouldn't lock him up to
a futures deal anyway. Check It Out !!!!!