Moss to the Cowboys? .. Justin Smith overrated?

[MauiRam]

by Jason Whitlock

Jason Whitlock brings his edgy and thought-provoking style to FOXSports.com. He is an award-winning columnist for the Kansas City Star.

After the NFL combine and just a day before the start of free agency, I figured it was good time for the return of NFL Truths. Plus, I have a follow-up for fans of HBO's "The Wire." You can e-mail me at ballstate68@aol.com.


What happens to Tom Brady's productivity and attitude if the Patriots don't keep Randy Moss? (Joe McIssac / Getty Images)
10. Even though the Patriots won three Super Bowls without him and built their reputation on their ability to depart with too-expensive veterans, Randy Moss' potential defection could devastate the New England dynasty.

I'm calling it now: If Moss walks for more money, the Pats go 10-6 next season and get eliminated from the playoffs in the first round. Let me take it a step further: If Moss leaves, the Brady-Belichick combination never reaches another Super Bowl.

New England's run has to end at some point. Now is as good a time as any.

Bad luck — a dropped interception and The Circus Reception — separated the Pats from a fourth Super Bowl championship. Fate is beginning to speak on the New England dynasty.

Washington politicians want it to end. They're pushing Spygate II in an attempt to destroy Bill Belichick. Asante Samuel, New England's best defensive athlete, is scheduled to depart via free agency.

There are too many negative forces working against New England right now. Moss' departure would infuriate quarterback Tom Brady and disturb the delicate chemistry that has helped the Pats do more with less.

Brady has never demanded the kind of contract his production and star power warrant. He's bought into the Pats' management philosophy and the belief that his financial sacrifice makes it easier for New England to put together a stronger overall team.

By letting Moss bounce after a record-setting, 23-TD season, the Pats would look cheap rather than savvy.


Donovan McNabb has 171 career TDs (vs. 79 interceptions), mostly without the benefit of top-shelf receiving talent. (Greg Fiume / Getty Images)

9. If Moss hits the open market and the Cowboys sign him, Philadelphia Eagles fans have my permission to burn down Lincoln Financial Field.

No team on the planet needs Randy Moss more than Andy Reid's Eagles. We've seen what Donovan McNabb and the Eagles can accomplish when they have a legit No. 1 receiver.

The rumors about Jerry Jones wanting to team Moss with Terrell Owens should steam all Philly football fans. The Cowboys already have a strong receiving corps. The Eagles desperately need an upgrade. McNabb deserves the support and would have every right to sue for neglect if the Eagles don't make a strong play for Moss.

8. Why is Matt Walsh, ESPN's Spygate II star, starting to smell like Kevin Hart, the kid who faked a California-Oregon football recruiting war?

Now that Senator Arlen Specter is involved and ESPN.com has wasted lots of cyberspace and credibility on what Walsh may or may not be able to prove about Belichick's spying tactics, I doubt Walsh will cop to a hoax anytime soon.


Off-season Roundup


NewsNiners re-sign NT Sopoaga
Titans agree to deal with WR Gage
Vikings let QB Holcomb go
Redskins release WR Lloyd
Pats cut veteran LB Colvin

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But it's hard for me to believe a Hawaiian golf pro with a spotty resume is going to bring down Belichick. Walsh sounds like a chump who ran his mouth trying to impress friends and unwittingly captured the attention of the media. He's fallen in love with his relative importance and doesn't have an exit strategy.

I could be wrong. But I doubt it. Walsh is closer to Kevin Hart than Brian McNamee.

7. As much as good character counts in NFL draft evaluations, you just know Darren McFadden's 4.33 40-yard dash speed matters far more than the speed in which he fathered illegitimate children.

Run DMC allegedly has two baby mamas in-waiting and another two waiting on DNA results. Yes, it's a sign that McFadden is incredibly irresponsible, but it does not mean he has trouble exploiting holes in a defense.

6. All first-year NFL players should be limited to two-year contracts and an earning ceiling of $10 million.

That's my solution to the insanity of giving unproven, top-five draft picks contracts with guaranteed bonuses and salaries totaling as much as $30 million. Getting a top-five pick is a detriment to your team and your team's salary cap. Teams are forced to give guys who have contributed nothing to the league more money than most of their proven veterans. It's not fair or healthy for the game.

The NBA and major-league baseball don't reward their unproven players foolishly. They let the shoe companies (in the case of the NBA) take care of that.

Make Reggie Bush earn his money rather than get it based on his accomplishments at USC.

5. I was a big fan of Cincinnati defensive end Justin Smith when he came out of Missouri. But any team that pays Smith huge money in free agency is stupid. Smith is not an elite pass rusher or run stopper.

Smith may look like a guy who can do the things that Jared Allen and Patrick Kearney do, but he's never delivered on his immense talent. He's too undisciplined on the field and has failed to develop a full package of pass-rush moves. I don't understand how a sixth-year NFL player with two 2007 sacks can be seen as a free-agent solution.


Michael Strahan might be angling to skip all or most of another training camp, but expect him to be back on the field in September. (Chris McGrath / Getty Images)

4. The Michael Strahan retirement talk is silly. He's playing next year.

Veteran players seem to take great enjoyment in having their futures discussed during the offseason (see: Favre, Brett). Strahan locked up a first-ballot Hall of Fame bid by adding a Super Bowl ring. Now he can take a much-deserved victory lap around the league and recoup some of the money his ex-wife scored in divorce proceedings.

3. Other than his needlessly combative and uncomfortable segments with John Clayton, I enjoyed Sean Salisbury on ESPN. I'm sorry to see him depart.

He said he left because the network didn't properly value his contribution because he was just a mediocre player during his playing days. There may be some truth in that. But Salisbury never tailored his persona to make clear that he represented the perspective of the rank-and-file professional athlete.

Most professional athletes are not big stars. Salisbury could've carved out a niche. Instead he blustered on air like he had Deion Sanders' resume. It didn't bother me, but it prevented Salisbury from carving out a brand with significant value.

[HUbison]

I enjoyed Sean Salisbury on ESPN. I'm sorry to see him depart.

Trebek: The answer is: An overblown fringe QB whose total brain cells are equal to the number of real breasts in Hollywood.

HUb: Who is Sean Salisbury?

Trebek: Correct.

HUb: I'll stay with "Crap I Couldn't Give A Flying Fornication About" for $500, Alex.

[MauiRam]

Trebek: The answer is: An overblown fringe QB whose total brain cells are equal to the number of real breasts in Hollywood.

HA HA HA HAHAHAHA !!!!!!

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

5. I was a big fan of Cincinnati defensive end Justin Smith when he came out of Missouri. But any team that pays Smith huge money in free agency is stupid. Smith is not an elite pass rusher or run stopper.

Smith may look like a guy who can do the things that Jared Allen and Patrick Kearney do, but he's never delivered on his immense talent. He's too undisciplined on the field and has failed to develop a full package of pass-rush moves. I don't understand how a sixth-year NFL player with two 2007 sacks can be seen as a free-agent solution.

I too am confused by the Justin Smith hype. I was looking at the Bengals sack leaders and only 1 guy with 3.5 sacks had more...3 had 2, and the team as a whole only had 22. could it be there entire line stinks and if Smith was in a good system with good players around him he could succeed? He was 3rd on the team in tackles with 78, so that's something.

[RamOfDenmark]

Moss to the Cowboys? Wow that would be crazy. That would put Tony Romo in consideration for the first overall pick in next year's fantasy drafts in my opinion or at the very least top 3.

[Nick]

3. Other than his needlessly combative and uncomfortable segments with John Clayton, I enjoyed Sean Salisbury on ESPN. I'm sorry to see him depart.

He said he left because the network didn't properly value his contribution because he was just a mediocre player during his playing days. There may be some truth in that. But Salisbury never tailored his persona to make clear that he represented the perspective of the rank-and-file professional athlete.

Most professional athletes are not big stars. Salisbury could've carved out a niche. Instead he blustered on air like he had Deion Sanders' resume. It didn't bother me, but it prevented Salisbury from carving out a brand with significant value.

It's funny to hear Salisbury whine about being second fiddle to other analysts because they were NFL superstars, when all he did was hold his former time in the league over John Clayton's head as some kind of evidence to his superiority. I really don't care for the guy, and I'm glad to know that on the off chance I flip through ESPN and they're covering football, he will no longer be apart of the segment.

[Mooselini]

Moss and Owens on the same field...wow thats a deadly combo. Also...Rams play Dallas next year. :O

[MauiRam]

It's funny to hear Salisbury whine about being second fiddle to other analysts because they were NFL superstars, when all he did was hold his former time in the league over John Clayton's head as some kind of evidence to his superiority. I really don't care for the guy, and I'm glad to know that on the off chance I flip through ESPN and they're covering football, he will no longer be apart of the segment.

What I find amusing is that Sean always tried to come across as a real "tough guy" -- and now he'swhining -- what happened to mr tough guy ??

[TekeRam]

Well, does anyone know what Mr. Salisbury did before he got his cushy gig on ESPN? He was an announcer for Comedy Central's Battlebots, with such talent around him such as Carmen Electra and the Sklar brothers. I'm amazed that he dug himself out of that pit in the first place. Maybe we'll find him next on some cheesy celebrity Survivor or something.

[Rambos]

Salisbury, I hope he is not coming to the NFLN, it's low key. No one screams over they other guy tryuing to get their two cents in.

"I want to thank ESPN for 12 great years of talking football on TV and the radio. I have grown as much as I can at ESPN and decided to expand my horizons. I have created a brand and it's time to expand into other opportunities in TV, radio, Internet, publishing, movies and public speaking, among others. My resume speaks for itself as a football analyst, and I believe I can talk all sports with the best of them."

[Rambos]

I found this on a blog, don;t hold me accountable
for it. But it's classic.

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If Sean Salisbury Asks You To Look At His Phone, Don't Do It
Sean Salisbury briefly disappeared from the ESPN airwaves earlier this year. Pro Football Talk noted that Salisbury had been suspended (scroll way down), but the Worldwide Leader gave no reasons for his absence, in fact, they never mentioned it at all. And on December 27th in a column at CBS SportsLine, Mike Freeman gives a "media entry" for his "All-Selfish" team:

The NFL analyst who shall not be named that took a picture of his ***** with a cell phone camera and has shown it to numerous, uncomfortable women, then was suspended by his network for it. Absolute true story. Please make sure to clean off the mirror when you are done with it.
And The Big Lead learned this morning that the analyst in question was ESPN's Sean Salisbury.

First of all, you can relax, because I don't have the photo. Also, thank God it was Salisbury and not Berman, because those "You're With Me, Leather" t-shirts might have had to look completely different. And I doubt that they'd have sold very well.

I'm also wondering what Harold Reynolds could have done that was much worse than this. What did Reynolds do, run around showing people pictures of Peter Gammons' junk

Sean Salisbury: If Sean Salisbury Asks You To Look At His Phone, Don't Do It