The Dallas Experiment: Assessing the Damage

In the midst of being sued in a class action lawsuit for the 400 fans who were displaced at Super Bowl XLV, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has admitted full responsibility for the ticket fiasco that caused a large number of fans to be relocated or lose their seats during the biggest game of the year. The NFL has offered compensation to these fans, including multiple options that vary from a future Super Bowl ticket of their choosing to a full refund and limited covered expenses. The new Cowboys Stadium, one of the holiest cathedrals in pro football, was often criticized throughout Super Bowl week, due to the unfortunate winter ice storm that caused confusion around the stadium, as well as the temporary seating assignments that caused hundreds of fans to miss watching the game from a seat they paid for. In many aspects, the Super Bowl experience in Dallas was tainted from the multiple failures the NFL and Cowboys did not take into account. Some even speculate that the disappointing Cowboys season (after much preseason hype) translated to a disappointing presentation by the Cowboys organization on Super Bowl Sunday.

In turn, several venues still vie for the chance to host the coveted Super Bowl L, a momentous milestone that celebrates fifty years of Super Bowl history in the NFL. Obviously, Jerry Jones and Co. would like the Super Bowl to return to Cowboys Stadium, in part to make up for the "accident" the ruined Super Bowl XLV. But do the Cowboys deserve to host one of the NFL's biggest anniversary games? It remains to be seen. Can Jerry Jones do right and fix up the problems that plagued this year's game? Obvious other candidates would include the usual stadiums in Miami, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans, with facilities already established and enshrined in Super Bowl lore. Other possibilities include relatively newer facilities like Houston's Reliant Stadium or Atlanta's new stadium (if it's built in time). One intriguing possibility, however, is the Los Angeles Coliseum. Site of the first ever NFL-AFL Championship (Super Bowl I), the stadium has a lot of historic value in the fact that the game would return to the stadium for the first time since Super Bowl VII (or more recently, the 1993 season, when the Raiders left for Oakland). The Coliseum, although not quite built to host an NFL team year-round, could be a viable venue to host the big game in 5 years. Many other options remain available, but the most recent Super Bowl experience could certainly diminish the chances of the big game returning to The House That Jerry Built anytime soon.

The "Other" Leagues: NFL Europe

In a quest to expand American football to other countries around the World, the NFL created the World League of American Football in 1991. The first season consisted of 10 teams, with 6 from the U.S., one from Canada, and 3 from Europe. After a couple of moderately successful seasons, the league went on hiatus for a year, before returning as an NFL spring developmental league. NFL Europe consisted entirely of European teams, mostly based in Germany (in fact, a team from Germany made every single World Bowl during the league's tenure). The league modeled itself as a wholly "European" league, but in the end, only one team outside of Germany remained (Amsterdam Admirals). The London Monarchs (later known as the England Monarchs) who at one time had a field on 93 yards long, folded in 1998 and were replaced by the Berlin Thunder. The Barcelona Dragons, one of the first teams in the league, folded in 2003 due to lack of fan support and other struggles financially, despite being relatively successful. They were replaced by the Cologne Centurions. The last team outside of Germany, the Scottish Claymores (who played for both Glasgow and Edinburgh), folded in 2004 and were replaced by the Hamburg Sea Devils.

NFL Europe experimented with multiple rule tweaks during its existence. It had a sudden death overtime format, with both teams allowed a possession during a 10 minute period. Only two games would end in ties, one in 1992 and the other in 2006. Another rule change was the fact that long field goals (more than 50 yards) would be awarded 4 points rather than 3. This was put in place to please the already large population of association football fans in Europe. Another rule put into effect was the use of "national" players, or players that were not from the United States. Every team had to have at least one of these players play every down. However, as time progressed, these "national" players came to be used only for kicking duties. NFL Europe was also known for its colorful uniforms, with team logos taking precedence over numbers of the players.

NFL Europa, as it came to be called during its final season, ceased operations in 2007. Since then, however, the NFL has still maintained a presence in the international scene, particularly in London, where the International Series features two NFL teams playing a regular season game at Wembley Stadium (most recently, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos 24-16). Prior to the International Series, the American Bowl was held from 1986 to 2005, to exhibit NFL teams in preseason actions in many different venues, including in Tokyo, Berlin, Dublin, and Sydney. The NFL has continued to show an interest in expanding American football abroad, including possibly planting a franchise in London sometime in the future. For now, though, the idea of having a full fledged football league in Europe has come to an end.

Where will Shaun Rogers end up?

Perhaps one of the most recognizable defensive linemen in the NFL today is Shaun Rogers. Rogers, known for his tremendous size and strength, has been the inevitable backbone of the Detroit Lions from '01-'07, and the Cleveland Browns for the last two years. Rogers has been to 3 Pro Bowls during his career, and has been an effective nose tackle throughout his career. The only problem is that he's been stuck on some really crappy teams. The Lions and Browns have both combined for only 45 wins over Rogers' tenure with both teams, and surely he feels like he would like to compete. Rogers has visited the Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, and New Orleans Saints. Assuming he'd like to play for a winner, the Saints look to be the best option. The Saints could be losing a lot of players in free agency, and they will need to look for improvement on both sides of the ball. Rogers would be an immediate upgrade to Sedrick Ellis and Remi Ayodele in the front.

Alternatively, Rogers could opt for the Chiefs, with a defense led by former Browns coach Romeo Crennel, who briefly coached Rogers in Cleveland. The veteran NT Ray Edwards has been respectable, but hasn't been as consistent as Rogers over the years. The Redskins could also use Rogers, or anyone, for that matter, considering how badly the Albert Haynesworth situation has turned out. Rogers would be a fair substitute for Haynesworth if he continues to be a distraction. Overall, Rogers would pretty much fit anywhere that his services are needed, if the situation is right.

The NFL in Los Angeles

New York. Houston. Chicago. Phoenix. When you think of the largest metropolitan areas in the US, chances are that those cities have an NFL team (New York, or technically New Jersey, even has two). One city that doesn't have an NFL team, however, just so happens to be the second largest city in America: Los Angeles, California. Recently, a set of plans have been put in place to try and get an NFL team to move to LA, which has been lacking a team since the Rams and Raiders both moved out in 1994. Today we'll look at a brief history of the NFL in Los Angeles, followed by a list of possible teams that could relocate to the city of Angels.

The first NFL team in Los Angeles was the Los Angeles Buccaneers in 1926. Well, technically they didn't ever play in Los Angeles. The Buccaneers were perpetually a road team for their short lived tenure. The first team to actually play in Los Angeles were the Los Angeles Bulldogs, which existed from 1934 to 1948. The Bulldogs were never part of the NFL because of their location, which would have made them the only NFL team west of Chicago at the time. In 1946, the NFL Cleveland Rams franchise moved to Los Angeles due to impending pressure from the upstart Cleveland Browns of the All America Football Conference. In 1979, the Los Angeles Rams reached the Super Bowl for the first time, but even that could not mask the inferiority of the Los Angeles Coliseum, their home stadium. Various issues included size, parking, multiple tenants (USC and UCLA shared the stadium too), and even the fact that it was in a dangerous neighborhood. The team moved to Anaheim Stadium in 1980, and played there until 1994. In 1994, with attendance dwindling and Anaheim unable to finance a new stadium, owner Georgia Frontiere decided to move to team to St. Louis, which made the team a lucrative offer including a new stadium, the Trans World Dome. The Rams moved to St. Louis and currently reside there today.

In 1982, with the Coliseum looking for a new team to showcase, the Oakland Raiders moved into town. Raiders owner Al Davis relocated to Los Angeles in order to benefit from the larger TV market and thus a wider audience. The Los Angeles Raiders enjoyed some success in their new home, winning Super Bowl XVIII and even "winning over" the fans (Los Angeles' colors of silver and black quickly became associated with LAs street gangs). Ultimately, the Coliseum did not prove useful to the Raiders' needs, and the franchise moved back to Oakland in 1994.

And so began Los Angeles' NFL blackout. An NFL team hasn't graced the city since that 1994 season, but recently, several businessman have been trying to lure an NFL team back to the city. A new stadium is supposedly in the works, with the mantra "if you build it, they will come". Here's a list of potential movers to LA:

JACKSONVILLE: The Jaguars don't make it easy to declare them undeniable candidates for the move to LA. Right when it seems like there's no hope, their stadium starts filling seats and the Jags start winning games. Then the opposite happens soon after, and the talk erupts once again. The Jags will have to show whether they can compete in the AFC South or whether they're more suited for the subpar teams in the Western divisions.

BUFFALO: A move to LA seems unlikely, but it's not out of the question. Buffalo has been miserable for the last decade, ever since the "Music City Miracle" stabbed the playoff hopes of Bills fans everywhere. The Bills have been receiving interest from Toronto (their other home), and it seems that if any move is imminent it would probably be to Toronto so as not to displace the "large" population of Bills fans in the area.

SAN DIEGO: Rumors have been spreading that the Chargers could be the ones to move to Los Angeles. The Chargers are the geographically closest NFL team to the city, and they also played briefly in Los Angeles during their tenure in the American Football League. The Chargers have a solid fan base, but the potential of a Los Angeles market revenue could mean big bucks for the team. It all remains to be seen if the Chargers are willing to gamble.

MINNESOTA: The Vikings Metrodome came crumbling down to finish the 2010 season (well, actually, the roof just tore). However, engineers are saying that the roof will require a new stadium altogether instead, which means that the Vikings could be on the way out. If Minnesota doesn't want to furnish the Vikings a new stadium, a move a la the Lakers could be in progress. Good thing at least the colors will be consistent.

LOS ANGELES: Let's not forget about the possibility (albeit incredibly small) of a new team being fielded. Perhaps from the remains of the UFL teams or even some other entity, a new Los Angeles team could fill a potential void if the new stadium is built. Of course, that would result in the NFL having, among other things, trouble with evenly split conferences (33 teams). A viable solution would be to create the potential London franchise at the same time (talk about long distance expansion teams). Of course, an even more costly solution could be to field two LA teams, like in MLB. One team could be in a new stadium, the other could call the Coliseum it's home. Or create one stadium like in New York (New Jersey). Whatever be the case, the NFL will undoubtedly return to Los Angeles, the only question is when....

2011 Draft Stock: Blaine Gabbert

With the 2010 NFL now in the rear view mirror, the time has come to look forward towards the next stage in the season; the 2011 NFL Draft. We begin looking at this year's draft class by taking a glance at the most important position on the football field, quarterback. In all the prior recent draft classes, there has always been a surefire, NFL-ready signal caller at the top of the board, however, with Andrew Luck's decision to return to Stanford for another year, the 2011 draft is without one. So we chose to to look at one of the guys that could be the first QB called in April, Blaine Gabbert.

Having chosen to forgo his senior year at Missouri, Gabbert has leaped into the conversation as the top QB prospect. At 6-5/235, Gabbert has the ideal NFL frame that most scouts love. In his two years starting in the Mizzou spread offense, he threw for nearly 7000 yards and 40 TDs against only 18 picks. Gabbert is accurate for the most part and has a big arm. Everything sounds positive for this former Tiger, however the issues arise from the offense he played in at Mizzou. Being a spread, Gabbert's stats may just be a product of this system and the QB has taken the vast majority of snaps from the shotgun. Gabbert will have to adjust to the pro-style offense and learn to take the ball from under center. 18-8 as the signal caller for the Tigers, Gabbert has experience as a winner though his inability to win the games will be looked down upon, especially his 0-2 record in bowls. In this relatively weak quarterback draft class however, Gabbert should be the one of if not the first gunslinger chosen. Unless any of the others can step it up between now and April 28th, the future looks bright for this young man.

Pack win Super Bowl; Rodgers MVP

The Green Bay Packers won their 4th Super Bowl title earlier today, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25, and culminating an impressive postseason showing for the 14-6 Packers. Although the Steelers managed to hold their own for the entire game, Pittsburgh proved to be no match for the explosive Packers offense, who did not manage to lose the lead for the entire game (although they came very close numerous times). Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 304 yards, 3 TDs and no INTs, earning the game's MVP.  Both teams lost many key players in the first half, including CB Charles Woodson and Sam Shields, and WR Donald Driver and Emmanuel Sanders. The Super Bowl was a well played and closely matched contest, with both teams managing to perform after rocky starts. The Steelers come off their second ever Super Bowl loss, but their record 8th Super Bowl appearance.

Super Bowl Prediction

In Super Bowl XLV, the 6^th seeded Green Bay Packers will go head-to-head with the #2 seeded Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers are only the second 6^th seed in history to ever make it to the Super Bowl while the Steelers are only two seasons removed from being the world champs. Led by two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a shutdown defense, the Steelers head to the big game with loads of confidence. The Packers are a team mixed with play-making veterans and youngsters who are eager to pull off the big upset in Dallas. So who’s going to be holding the Lombardi trophy at days end? The Packers offense sputtered in their last game against the Bears and it was their defense led by Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews that held the Bears offense in check. If the Pack hopes to win this game, their offense led by Rodgers must be spectacular. James Starks and Brandon Jackson must also provide sparks in the running game so the offense will not become one-dimensional. Green Bay has perhaps the most talented receiving corps in the game today but they will be challenged heavily by the Steelers defense. The Black and Yellow are led by an array of highly talented stars on defense including names such as James Harrison, Lamarr Woodley, Brett Kiesel and their heart and soul, Troy Polamalu. Throw into the mix Big Ben and his Super Bowl escapades and the Steelers seem to be the odds on choice. The most prolific matchup will be between the Packers offense and the Steelers defense, however the most crucial showdown will be whether the Packers D can stifle Big Ben and Rashard Mendenhall as they did the Bears two weeks ago. This matchup beckons back to Super Bowl XLIII in which the Steelers squeaked out a win against the offensive-minded Arizona Cardinals. Can they pull it off again? Lets take a closer look at the position comparisons for the teams.

QUARTERBACK: PUSH

This battle comes to Big Ben’s experience vs. the pure talent of Aaron Rodgers. Roethlisberger has already been there and done that with his two Super Bowl wins while Rodgers has been nothing less than sensational since taking over the starting gig in Green Bay. Ben is no slouch but in terms of straight ability, Rodgers has the edge. However experience in the big game is also incredibly crucial. These two advantages for each QB cancel each other out and leave this matchup a tie.

RUNNINGBACKS: STEELERS

Rashard Mendenhall is a workhorse stud of a running back that can take the ball on all snaps for the Pittsburgh offense. Green Bay sports a tandem in the backfield of James Starks, Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn. Mendenhall had more yards rushing (1273) than all three of the Packers backs combined. Green Bay has lacked stability at this position the entire season since losing 2009 leading rusher Ryan Grant early on. Clear advantage Steelers.

WIDE RECEIVERS: PACKERS
Both quarterbacks will have plenty of weapons to work with in this game on the outside. Pittsburgh stars Hines Ward and Mike Wallace cancel out Pro Bowler Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. The real competition will be between the third and fourth receivers, Emmanuel Sanders and Antwaan Randle-El for the Steelers and James Jones and Jordy Nelson for the Pack. Nelson and Jones are both highly talented guys that could easily be starters on other teams. Randle-El is a veteran and former college quarterback that could be used for trick plays while Sanders is a rookie who hasn’t done a whole lot this season. The Packers unit is just more complete and deep giving them the edge.

OFFENSIVE LINE: SLIGHT ADVANTAGE PACKERS

Neither of these the units for either team has been stellar this season. The Packers line has improved as of late but struggled two weeks ago against the Bears leading to some big hits on Rodgers. The Steelers may be without Pro Bowl Center Maurkice Pouncey, which would leave a huge gap in the center of the line. The game may come down to which of these units can perform against their respective pass rushes.

DEFENSIVE LINE: PUSH

The Steelers have experience on their side with veterans Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel, while the Pack have quickly blooming youngster BJ Raji and veteran Cullen Jenkins on the line. The Packers line will most likely be tested more with Pittsburgh’s focus on the run game and using Rashard Mendenhall.

LINEBACKERS: SLIGHT ADVANTAGE STEELERS

The Steelers have a spectacular group of linebackers led by heavy-hitter James Harrison. Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior and Lamarr Woodley are also highly talented and have played in the Super Bowl prior. The Packers sport one of the league’s best pass rushers in Casey Matthews and have solid complement in A.J. Hawk. The injury to Nick Barnett detracts from the talent of the Packers unit and so the advantage must go to the experience and immense talent of the Steelers.

CORNERS: PACKERS
The Steelers have veterans Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden anchoring the outside of the defense while the Pack counter with 2009 Defensive Player of the Year, Charles Woodson and youngster Tramon Williams. Williams has come on strong in the postseason with a crucial game-ending pick in the Wild Card round against the Eagles. Taylor and McFadden have both been on this stage before, however the sheer talent of Woodson and Williams is too much to ignore. Pack gets the point here.

SAFEITIES: STEELERS

Troy Polamalu. Enough said here. Just recently named the 2010 Defensive Player of the Year, Polamalu is a force to be reckoned with even if he isn’t at 100%. Polamalu at 50% would be good enough to start on the majority of teams in the NFL.

PREDICTION: PACKERS 24-17

Both teams sport tenacious defenses and explosive offenses. The possible loss of Maurkice Pouncey is huge as the Steelers line will be under pressure the entire afternoon. My feeling is that the pass rush will get to Big Ben causing him to make mistakes. The Packers offense will have to perform as they did against the Falcons if they hope to win. My guess is that they will and squeak this game out by a touchdown.

Super Bowl Prediction

With Super Bowl XLV only a mere couple of days away, the culmination of another exciting NFL season will come to a close. The Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers will face off in what is to be an epic battle of two stunning teams, with both having major implications on past and future legacies. Here’s an in-depth analysis at my prediction for Super Bowl XLV:

First, let’s look at the Steelers. The Steelers, with a steady defense and an agile offense, has been to the Super Bowl twice in the last 5 years (not including this year). They have won it both times, and developed an incredible resume in big playoff games. Ben Roethlisberger, the famous (or shall I say, infamous) quarterback of the Steelers seems to be the most dangerous player on the Pittsburgh offense. He can run, pass, and in general make a play. Of course, he has equally tantalizing weapons in his arsenal. Running back Rashard Mendenhall has turned into a workhorse for this team, replacing the vacancy left by Willie Parker and perhaps even Jerome “The Bus” Bettis. Mendenhall joins a list of receivers that include the speedy Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown along with vested veteran Hines Ward (Super Bowl XL MVP). Don’t forget about tight end Heath Miller, who may have a breakout game after an underperforming season. The offensive line must win the battle up front against the Packers’ imposing defensive front, without center Maurkice Pouncey. Outstanding right tackle Flozell Adams hasn’t lost a beat, and hopefully this offensive line will find some inspiration from the long time veteran.

The Steelers defense is still the same solid defense that was featured in Super Bowl XLIII. The only difference this time will be the possible loss of Aaron Smith at defensive end. The Steelers’ front line still remains strong with nose tackle Casey Hampton and defensive end Brett Keisel filling the load. Linebackers LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior, and James Harrison will be as intimidating as ever to the Packers’ quick underneath routes. The secondary features familiar faces in Ryan Clark, Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, and Troy Polamalu. Polamalu, the Defensive Player of the Year, will especially make it hard for Rodgers to find deep post routes open. Overall, this defense is solid and unique.

Special teams includes kicker Shaun Suisham and punter Jeremy Kapinos, with Antonio Brown returning kicks. Suisham has been impressive this year, playing in only 7 games but only missing one field goal and 0 PATs. Kapinos has done well in punting duties. Antonio Brown is a speed demon that can easily take one to the house. Overall, special teams should do their job, but could easily be the scapegoats in a Steelers loss.

Now on to the NFC team. The Packers are one of an increasing trend of wild card teams to make it to the big game in recent years. The Packers possess one of the NFL’s most potent offenses, with the prolific Aaron Rodgers at the controls of an attack that features a receiving combo of Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, with Jordy Nelson and James Jones to clean up. The biggest question this season has been at running back, but Green Bay’s prayers seem to have been answered in a three headed rushing attack lead by James Starks, John Kuhn, and Brandon Jackson. The Packers pretty much abandoned the tight end position after Jermichael Finley got injured early in the season, but Andrew Quarless and Donald Lee have filled in nicely. The offensive line will be looked upon to block against the pass rush but also open holes for the running game when needed. The Packers must be able to complement their pass attack with their running game in order to move the football with the clock in mind.

The defense is stout as ever, featuring Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji, and Cullen Jenkins up front, a mobile but strong group of linemen. In the middle stands an explosive linebacking core, especially on the left side with Clay Matthews and A.J. Hawk. Complementing Matthews and Hawk are the under observed but still talented Desmond Bishop and Erik Walden on the right side. The defensive backfield provides a safety blanket for the front seven, including the impressive tandem of Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. Also in the back will be safeties Nick Collins and Charlie Peprah.

On special teams, the duo of Mason Crosby and Tim Masthay combine to make a consistent kicking attack. The returners don’t really matter, as long as they’re fast and have good hands (Sam Shields and Tramon Williams will be designated for those duties). The Packers offense should be able to make up whatever yards the returners can’t.

Overall, this will be an exciting Super Bowl featuring two very exciting and explosive teams. The Steelers may have a unit built on Super Bowl experience, but the Packers won’t be taking this game lightly. Both teams will want this one, but I’ve got a feeling the Steelers will want it more. The Packers will come out firing on all cylinders, but even a large lead early doesn’t mean the Packers are safe. The Steelers are excellent in adjustments made during the game, and the Steelers will undoubtedly win a defensive struggle up front. I predict both teams taking shots downfield, but the Steelers will have a better chance to win since they’ve had a knack for closing tight games.

PICK: PITTSBURGH OVER GREEN BAY, 30-24

The "Other" Leagues: The All America Football Conference

The All America Football Conference, or AAFC, was a national professional American football league that began play in 1946. Although it folded only 3 years later, its legacy would be of great importance to the future of the NFL.

The AAFC began in 1944 when Arch Ward, the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune, brought together a group of millionaire football enthusiasts to put together a competitive post-war football league. The orginal eight teams consisted of the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers, Buffalo Bisons, Miami Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Rockets, Los Angeles Dons, and San Francisco 49ers. The NFL took a hard stand against the new rival league, primarily Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, who declared that the "worst team in the NFL could beat the best team in their league". The NFL was already the older and more experienced league, even though professional football was not the most popular sport at the time (baseball and college football already had that locked up). Several teams even shared names with the local baseball team. It would become a question of whether there was enough interest in such a sport around the country. Although the NFL clearly had its advantages when competing against the AAFC for an audience, the AAFC certainly had its advantages as well. Many owners were richer than their NFL counterparts, and a general sense of well-being and post war gaiety prevailed throughout the country. More college players were willing to turn pro, and many former pros had returned from war service. The AAFC also brought in at least one prestigious coach in Paul Brown, who would coach the Cleveland Browns.

The AAFC got off to a strong start, showcasing a matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Miami Seahawks to open the 1946 season (in front of a record crowd). The score was a 44-0 Cleveland win, beginning the legacy of Paul Brown. The score did, however, prove to be a coincidental, yet ominous, sign of things to come, as there was a clear cut between the elite teams and the average/poor teams in the league. The competing salaries with NFL players also proved to be a hassle for the new league, with only the champion Cleveland Browns (who won the title against the Yankees, 14-9) making a profit.

The league enjoyed a moderately successful second season in 1947, but the gap between mediocre and elite teams continued to be a problem. For the second straight year, the Browns won the title, beating the Yankees 14-3. The 1948 season featured the two strongest teams in the league, Cleveland and San Francisco, facing off in a game of the unbeatens on November 14. The Browns won, 14-7, and again beat the 49ers later in the year to clinch first place in the division. The unbeaten Browns, now 14-0 on the season, faced the winner of the subpar Eastern Division, the 8-7 Buffalo Bills. The Bills were predictably annihilated in the title game, 49-7. The Cleveland Browns thus completed the first perfect season in the history of pro football (aside from the 1937 Los Angeles Bulldogs). However, with both the AAFC and NFL struggling, a merger was in sight, but was not quite set in stone just yet.

The 1949 season began with a major realignment of the AAFC. With teams folding and merging, the league came down to only 7 teams to start the 1949 season. With only 7 teams and one division, the league struggled to find an audience. The gap between good and bad teams didn't disappear, as the Browns and 49ers met in the league's final championship game (Cleveland won 21-7). With that, the league folded, and the NFL readily admitted a few of the AAFC's teams. Cleveland and San Francisco were obvious choices, with the Browns being so dominant and the 49ers being powerful as well as a good West Coast rival to the NFL's relocated Los Angeles Rams. However, the NFL also admitted the Baltimore Colts (not related to the later NFL team or current team in Indianapolis), which raised a lot of questions. George Preston Marshall (remember him from earlier?) didn't want another team in the Washington DC area competing for an audience, but later reconsidered his argument and figured the two teams would make for good intrastate rivals. However, the Colts turned out to be a financially unstable team, and folded after only one NFL season. The Buffalo Bills, another AAFC team, were disappointed that they had been spurned by the NFL. The NFL feared that the weather in Buffalo wouldn't be great for audiences, but they did not explain their decision to admit an odd number of teams, which forced one division to have more teams than the other. Nonetheless, the Bills folded along with the other AAFC teams, and their players were sent to other NFL teams or released (Ralph Wilson eventually revived the Bills franchise for the 1960s American Football League).

The AAFC has had a long lasting impact on the NFL. The AAFC contributed two teams towards the NFL, the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers, that still exist to this day. The Cleveland Browns, in particular, played a key role in the development of the NFL. The Browns had signed two black players in 1946, the first to be signed by a professional team since before the war. The Browns also forced the Cleveland Rams to relocate to Los Angeles so as not to compete for an audience. Paul Brown, the head coach of the Browns, would go on to become one of the greatest pro football coaches of all time, changing many facets of the game itself. Browns quarterback Otto Graham is revered by many old-timers to be one of the greatest quarterbacks who ever lived. The AAFC may have been short lived, but it provided a large influence on the NFL that would only be rivaled by the American Football League about a decade later.

The Future of Vince Young

With the departure of 16-year head coach Jeff Fisher, the Tennessee Titans appear ready to move forward without the 3rd overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft. Vince Young has been a polarizing figure throughout his tumultuous five years in Tennessee. While Young's lack of work ethic is "legendary" around his team, there is no denying that he has a successful NFL quarterback. Titans owner Bud Adams has reinforced the idea that the team that Young will not be on the 2011 roster. Young has long overstayed his welcome in Tennessee and a change in scenery might just be the best case scenario for him. People tend to quickly forget that the Titans were 30-17 when Young played over his Titans career as compared to 15-18 when he did not. Having been selected to the Pro Bowl twice in only five seasons, Young will be competing with Kevin Kolb (assuming the Eagles aim to trade him) as the premiere quarterback on the market. These teams seem to be the best fits for Young:


MIAMI:
The Dolphins took a step backwards a season ago with second year starter Chad Henne at the helm. The majority opinion is that Henne is not a legitimate in the NFL and the Dolphins will look into finding a signal caller in the draft. However, Young seems to be a fine fit for the fins. His mobility would mesh well with the Wildcat running game. It seems more likely though that the Dolphins will stick with Henne for another season and perhaps draft a develop a quarterback in the draft such as former University of Washington gunslinger Jake Locker.

JACKSONVILLE:
Another potential landing spot for Young is the Jags who finished 8-8 a season ago. With current quarterback David Garrard being more of a caretaker and with his being 32 years of age, the Jags are searching for their franchise man. Will it be recently acquired Trent Edwards? Probably not. The starting gig might be Young's for the taking. However, Garrard did perform admirably a year ago and so the Jags may find their man in April's draft.

OAKLAND:
The Raiders surprised the rest of league in 2010 by finishing 8-8 while having a carousel of starting quarterbacks. Young would bring stability to the role and compliment the multiple weapons the black and silver have on offense. With talented players at each skill position, Young would have plenty of weapons at his disposal and would not have to do it all himself.

CAROLINA:
The Panthers are weak in many areas, quarterback included. However, Young is not a real fit here as the Panthers don't have any weapons on the outside apart from an aging Steve Smith. Carolina will be hoping for one of the few elite quarterbacks in the April draft to be a future NFL stud.

MINNESOTA: Finally rid of all the Brett Farve drama (we think), the Vikings have a gaping hole at quarterback without any viable options within the organization. A team that made it to the NFC Championship team two seasons ago, is still overflowing with talent but the window is closing. The Vikings may just be a quarterback away from the Superbowl with the kind of talent they have at receiver and Adrian Peterson in the backfield. A proven winner in Young could be just what the doctor ordered.

Kevin Kolb Trade Speculation

Recently, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb has voiced his displeasure on being a backup to Michael Vick, and wishes to be the starter, whether it be in Philly or elsewhere. Assuming Kolb doesn't stay in Philly (even though coach Andy Reid would like to have him back), what other options are there for Kolb? Let's go through a list of possible suitors:

MIAMI- It's simple to say that Chad Henne's actions determine the fate of the Miami Dolphins. When Henne's good, he's good, but when he's bad, it's ugly. Henne may not be the long-term solution in Miami after all, but it's hard to imagine Kolb being a direct upgrade to Henne. Both are pocket passers, with Kolb performing only slightly better than Henne in his short starting performance last year. The Dolphins may make more sense than most teams, but giving up a first round pick for Kolb may be a stretch.

CINCINNATI- Carson Palmer has voiced his displeasure (does that sound familiar?) with the Bengals organization, but don't expect him to leave just yet. The Bengals probably hope to get a long-term replacement for Palmer, who turns 32 in December. The likelihood of Kevin Kolb ending up in Cincinnati is not great, since the Bengals will probably draft their guy anyway. But is it possible? Who knows...stranger things have happened in Cincy.

JACKSONVILLE- The rumors were strong in Jacksonville about a year ago, but have since died out a little. Even though Jacksonville surprised many last year, they haven't had a franchise quarterback since Mark Brunell nearly 8 years ago. The Jaguars could use a new face, but they could also use a lot of other things they need to improve on. Plus, with the addition of Trent Edwards, a starting quarterback may not be as important this time around.

TENNESSEE- With the Titans already ousting long time coach Jeff Fisher and preparing to trade/release quarterback Vince Young, the new head coach (presumably Mike Munchak) will want a new face of the franchise as well. Unless that face be the 38 year old Kerry Collins (or, alternatively, unproven Rusty Smith or Brett Ratliff), a new guy will come into town. Will it be Kolb? Or someone from the draft? The Titans may want to take the safe route and develop someone, but with the Vince Young experiment being an obvious failure, you never know.

MINNESOTA- Could Minnesota hold the keys in the Kevin Kolb sweepstakes? Their only quarterbacks currently on the roster are Rhett Bomar and Joe Webb (with Tavaris Jackson and Patrick Ramsey as unrestricted free agents). Ramsey and Bomar are most likely backups if anything, which leaves Jackson and Webb. Jackson has performed okay in cleanup duty, but has never really looked like a starting quarterback. Webb performed admirably in his start against the Philadelphia Eagles, but may not be suited to be an NFL quarterback just yet. The Los Angele---er, Minnesota Vikings may want to take a chance on Kolb, but it's more likely they'll sign a veteran to play a few early game snaps or even draft a quarterback. However, if Leslie Frazier doesn't like what he sees, Kolb could be the perfect fit.

CAROLINA- The Panthers are looking desperately for a quarterback, and Kolb could be the answer they're looking for. However, it remains extremely unlikely. The Panthers possess the first pick in the draft and certainly aren't willing to trade it. Despite the decision by Andrew Luck to stay at Stanford, the Panthers still look likely to draft a quarterback somewhere instead of trading for someone like Kolb.

ARIZONA- Arizona is one of the reasons why a good quarterback is necessary to any team. After Kurt Warner retired, the Cardinals suffered from having no backup plan to succeed Warner (Matt Leinart was just plain awful). While rookie quarterback John Skelton performed somewhat reasonably at the end of the season (compared, at least, to the carousel of Derek Anderson and Max Hall), the Cardinals NEED a quarterback to fill in the hole that Warner left. Kolb may be the answer, but Arizona may also bring in a veteran instead, to show a little direction to the young guys in the group. Either way, the Cardinals will have a new quarterback next year, whether it be Kolb or not.

SAN FRANCISCO- New coach? Check. Explosive franchise players on offense and defense? Check. Big Expectations? Check. Quarterback who can lead them back to the promised land? Um.... The San Francisco 49ers hate to admit it, but Alex Smith has been average at most over his tenure there. Jim Harbaugh will need to bring in a new quarterback to develop. Last year it was a flip flop between Thing 1 and Thing 2 (Alex Smith and Troy Smith). Next year, with only David Carr guaranteed to be back (if anything) the quarterback situation will undoubtedly need to be addressed. Kolb might be a solution, if the Eagles are willing to bring down the asking price. The 49ers may be desperate enough to pull the trigger.

SEATTLE- With Matt Hasselbeck an uncertainty for the future, it seems that younger talent can be brought in. With Charlie Whitehurst and J.P. Losman historically underperforming for most of their careers, could Kolb come into town? It seems like a possibility, but if anyone comes to town it will probably be Matt Leinart, Pete Carroll's old student back at USC (or perhaps, in the future, Carson Palmer?). Seattle seems unlikely to bring in anyone anyway, with Carroll committed to resigning Hasselbeck.

So where might Kevin Kolb end up? It's an uncertainty if he'll even be traded this season, but if he is, some unexpected team could make a jump on him, even one with a vested signal-caller. After all, it was the Eagles who made the jump on Vick when Kolb was already the heir-apparent.