4/30/10 A Conversation with Amani:

I think Roger Goddell needs to step into the situation in Miami where Dez Bryant was asked a very inappropriate question by the general manager of the Dolphins, Jeff Ireland. From what I have read, it was also an illegal interview question.

I also think this applies under the NFL’s personal conduct policy so it’s appropriate for the commissioner to get involved.

The executive director of the NFL Players Association DeMaurice Smith said, "We need to make sure the men of this league are treated as businessmen.

"NFL teams cannot have the free reign to ask questions during the interview process which can be categorized as stereotyping or which may bring a personal insult to any player as a man," Smith added. "For the past year, active, former and incoming players have heard me speak about the expectations we have of them as members of this union, their teams, communities and families. It is equally true that the same kind of respect is demanded of their employers."

That makes it pretty clear to me and I really think Roger Goddell needs to get involved in this.

I just heard someone on the radio defending Ireland's actions, saying this was a legitimate question but DeMaurice Smith made it clear that it isn't.

You just can't ask players this kind of question. You can't ask about race, creed or anything like that because it's discriminatory. I just read the law surrounding job interviews and one of the things included was that you cannot ask about a prospect's family status.

I got this from state law saying you cannot ask questions that are not job related. It also said that questions couldn't be used to find out personal information, so it really is discrimination and I'm pretty sure that isn't something with which the NFL wants to be associated.

I'm anxious to hear what Commissioner Goddell will say when he weighs in on this.

Now Ireland has apologized but he defended himself at the same time. I think if you're going to apologize, just apologize without stipulations.

"My job is to find out as much information as possible about a player that I'm considering drafting," Ireland said in a statement. "Sometimes that leads to asking in-depth questions. Having said that, I talked to Dez Bryant and told him I used poor judgment in one of the questions I asked him. I certainly meant no disrespect and apologized to him."

"I appreciate his acceptance of that apology, and I told him I wished him well as he embarks on his NFL career."

To me, that's just not enough.

These players are at a very vulnerable stage. All they want is to get drafted and that's probably why he answered the question. It speaks to the front office not respecting the players as people. They seem to feel that because they pay them a lot of money, they can be treated any kind of way.

You can't circumvent the law just because you're in the NFL and the commissioner needs to do something about this.

4/30/10 Amani Talks About the Giants Selection of Jean Pierre-Paul with the 15th Pick in the 2010 Draft

I just want to talk about the Giants first round pick, Jean Pierre-Paul.

I think he was taken too high. He's a great athlete and a great player but I just don't think you can take a great athlete who isn't field ready. I don't understand how you can take a developmental prospect in the first round.

You know he'll be part of the rotation as a situational pass rusher but, if he doesn't get seven to nine sacks this year, the Giants will be criticized. A first round pick is supposed to come in and make an impact and he isn't going to be in a position to do that. So he may be a great player and a great athlete but he isn't field ready and the 15th pick in the draft needs to be.

I know Osi is unhappy about not being guaranteed a starting job and Kiwi's contract is up after this season, but that still doesn't explain the selection because Pierre-Paul is going to feel he should be on the field right away too because he was selected so high.

I understand that you need strength on the line but the guys they picked up last year should help improve it this year. Also I understand that a strong front four makes everyone else's job easier but still, why would you pick up another pass rusher when you already have more than you can play?

They do have a glaring need at middle linebacker and they could have addressed that with Sean Weatherspoon or, in the second round, Sean Lee.

It's like if I need to buy a pair of jeans because I have a closet full of shirts and shoes. So, if I go shopping and buy a great pair of shoes, the next time I look in my closet I still won't have any pants to wear with my shirts and shoes.

3/24/10 Amani looks at the Giants in free agency and gives his thoughts on draft needs:

I was a little surprised at the Giants signing of Antrel Rolle.  They made him the highest paid safety in the league, and though I think he’s a good, a very good player, I’m not sure he’s worth that much money. He’s no Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu.  Also, safeties don’t usually command high salaries compared to other positions.

I don’t know Kenny Phillips’ status but there still aren’t many players in the league who have had micro fracture surgery, especially of the patella, so I don’t know how well he’ll come back from that injury.  I personally don’t know of any players who have had that  surgery and came back to play as well and some haven’t been able to play again at all. But if Phillips isn’t likely to be ready to start the season, then the Rolle signing makes more sense to me.

Also, I really thought the Giants would go after Karlos Dansby, the linebacker, also from Arizona, because they now have a gaping hole in the middle of their defense with the release of Antonio Pierce.  But since Dansby signed with Miami, I think the Giants will need to look for a middle linebacker in the first round of the draft.

I actually feel that Chase Blackburn is underrated and has played well when he’s started at MLB.  He may have some range limitations but I think he’s more athletic than Goff.

Of course, I don’t know what the Giants think of Goff  but I do feel that if Rolando McClain from Alabama is still available at 15, (the Giants selection) the Giants should take him.

I’ve watched McClain in two games, the BCS Championship game and against Tennessee, and was impressed.

He made a lot of plays all over the field and showed me he was worth the 15th overall pick.  However, if the Giants needed to move up in the draft to secure him, I personally wouldn’t do that.  I don’t think he’s the kind of player you give your draft away for, not even as much as you’d have to give up to move up one or two spots. I don’t see him as any Lawrence Taylor, but as a very good player worth the 15th pick.

If they can’t get McClain or sign someone before the draft to replace Pierce, then I think they should look to fill other needs in the first round and I think they have a lot of needs on the defensive side of the ball.   But in that case, I’d still look for a MLB in the second round if they don’t get McClain.  I don’t think I’d dig deeper than the second round in this draft to fill that position.

Though I believe they have a lot of holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball, I feel they have enough safeties.

The draft is very deep at defensive tackle so the Giants can probably get a very good tackle in the second or third round and I personally feel that they need help at DT.

Robbins has signed with the Rams and Bernard and Canty haven’t done much of anything, though I realize they were injured.  Even Justin Tuck didn’t do much last year but he was also injured in the second game against Dallas and played hurt all year.

I doubt Alford will be ready to contribute much before the sixth game of the regular season so defensive tackle seems like a major need to me and I’d look for a good tackle in the second, or at least the third round.

I also think they need another cornerback because none of them played well last year.

Corey Webster surprised me as he has played so much better but the defensive line deteriorated last year and that puts a lot more pressure on the corners.  So maybe he’ll be back to a higher level of play this year but as someone once said, you’re only as good as the last game you played.  And Webster wasn’t very good that game.

I don’t know what to expect of Ross because he’s had two poor years and one good year-his rookie season.

As for Terrell Thomas, I don’t know if he’ll hold up over the long haul.  I watched him a lot last year and thought that while he made some big plays, he gave up a lot too.

I actually liked Dockery but with the problems on the defensive line his production declined last year too.  But I thought he was a good, aggressive little corner.  Maybe the Giants felt that he was just too small with all the long receivers in the league now.  In any case, he’s gone; he just signed with St. Louis today.So I see corner as a major need.

I also think the Giants need to look for another running back to shake up the backs on the roster where I think maybe some complacency has set in.  If you have serious competition at your position, you just don’t have as many injuries.I know that I’ve come off the field injured and felt I shouldn’t acknowledge the injury because I’ve said to myself, “No way I’m not going back in there.”

The loss of Derrick Ward was significant as he made a major contribution to the run game.  And beyond Jacobs and Bradshaw, both of whom are always injured, I don’t know if they have much.

Rookie Andre Brown was injured all last season.

Danny Ware has been on the roster for a while and I haven’t seen him make much of a contribution yet so I wouldn’t count on him in the future. 

I was also surprised that the Giants signed Perry Fewell as their defensive coordinator since his experience is mostly in the 3-4 but I don’t think the Giants have the personnel to play a 3-4.

I also want to add the comment that I think the rest of the NFL East is moving away from the Giants. 

Dallas was the division winner and went to the playoffs last year, the Eagles are in good position in the East and usually pick up some good players in the draft and the Redskins have made some radical changes.  They’ve hired Mike Shanahan as their head coach, a proven winner, and it looks right now like he’s planning to build the team through the draft.So, the Giants may have some serious catching up to do.

2/06/10 Toomer's Take for Super Bowl Sunday:

It’s awfully hard to pick against the Colts but I’m going to take the Saints. It’s the heart vs. the head.   My head says it will be the

Colts but my heart wants the Saints because it would be such a good thing for New Orleans.

On offense the Saints have the better running game and a key to the game will be whether they can get the running game going.  Once they establish the run, they’re running the clock, shortening the game and keeping Peyton Manning on the bench.  That will force Manning to make his offense that much more perfect.

Defensive end Dwight Freeney is injured and will be a game time decision and, if he doesn’t play, that will have a huge impact on the game. 

One thing that makes that the Colts defense so hard to defend is if they get you in one of those third and long situations, they’re going to put pressure on you with just the front four so you’re not going to have time to get your receivers downfield. 

But if you take Freeney out of the equation it becomes a lot easier to take Mathis, the other defensive end, out because they can roll protections to him.  So, I think this could be a major factor in the game because if you let Drew Brees sit back there in the pocket and pick apart your defense, he’s going to score.

The Saints defense is very opportunistic.  They tackle and strip the ball really well and I feel if the Saints can get two turnovers, they’ll win this game.  I think all they need is a short field a couple of times.

I feel that a big match up will be Jamie Sharper vs. Peyton Manning. I was listening to a Steve Smith interview this week and he said the Saints disguise their coverages very well, which would make it a cat and mouse game.  Sharper and Jonathan Vilma are the Saints two guys that call the shots and adjust the different fronts in the secondary.  So, that aspect will be interesting to watch.

If they can fool Peyton, who adjusts the offense a lot, by keeping the Saints defense vanilla and adjusting at the snap of the ball, without giving any keys to Peyton Manning, and making him guess rather than giving him the blueprint, that will be huge.

I think Gregg Williams is going to constantly rotate the coverages to keep Manning guessing.  If they play one set coverage when it’s third and five for example, Manning will pick the coverage apart just as he did with the Jets.  He’s going to need a whole arsenal of options.  That’s the way the Saints can win the game.

The Saints are an aggressive defense and last week, if Bret Favre weren’t so beat-up, he would have run for that first down.  But the pressure tested his will and determined how he wanted to win that game.

Saints coach Sean Payton always says that when you’re playing someone, you’re hitting the rock.  You don’t know how many hits it will take or what angle the hit come from, but at some point that rock will shatter.

To all the fans who sent me e-mails about the expected birth of our twins,  I want to let you know that Jasmine and Amani Jr. entered the world with a shout on 1/4/2010.      Amani

1/15/10 Toomer's Take for divisional weekend:

Dallas @ Vikings:  I think the two teams are fairly evenly matched but expect the home field advantage will put the Vikings over the top.  It’s a dome and will be noisy and Flozell Adams will jump off-sides because he won’t be able to hear and he’ll take a touchdown or a big play off the board for Dallas.  He’s still considered one of the top tackles in the league but he commits all these penalties that hurt the team.

The Cowboys will have to make a decision whether to keep him after this year though I realize that good tackles aren’t that easy to find.

Arizona @ New Orleans:  I’m going with New Orleans because once again I expect the home field advantage to be big. 

If I’m the Arizona Cardinals I’m not too happy about last week’s victory.  They had 45 points scored against them and they were up 17-0 in the first quarter and the game had to be decided in overtime.You need to have a defense, especially in the fourth quarter. I don’t think they’ll match up so easily against the Saints, who have a better turnover margin.  I believe Arizona is one of the worst teams in terms of turnover margin.

New Orleans has Darren Sharper in their backfield and I think if he gets his hands on a ball and takes it to the house, I think the game will be over.

Jets @ San Diego:  The Jets have a great running game and a great run defense and that travels well and helps teams win on the road.  But I think the quarterback play is going to be exposed this week.  Sooner or later Sanchez is going to have to take the game on his shoulders and win a game and I don’t know that he can do that against a team that has a very physical defense like San Diego’s.

I feel the key to the game is how Darrelle Revis matches up against Vincent Jackson.  One of Revis’ big assets is how big he is for a cornerback and that enables him to match up against a receiver who’s maybe 6’2” but, when you get to 6-5 like Jackson, that’s a mismatch.

I think Jackson will be able to toss Revis around a little bit and I’ll be interested to see how Revis handles that.  Also I don’t think Vincent Jackson gets the recognition he deserves.  I think he belongs in the top echelon of receivers.  If he has a great game against Darrelle Revis, who is highly touted, I think that will put him up over the top and he can become one of those perennial Pro Bowl receivers.

When I look at match ups I always consider who needs it more and Vincent Jackson definitely needs it more to get his due respect.

Sanchez averages over a pic a game and you can’t win with that turnover margin.  And you also can’t win if you aren’t balanced.  As great an offensive line as the Jets have, if all they can do is run the ball, the Chargers can find a way to stop the run and that‘s what I think will happen this weekend.  San Diego will stop the run, force Sanchez to throw the ball, not just to the tight ends but to the receivers as well, and I think that will make the difference.  Sanchez didn’t have much of a completion rate last week.  I think it was 15 or fewer completions. 

The Jets have a very physical defense like the Chargers and they live off confusion but I don’t think they’re going to confuse Phillip Rivers.

It wasn’t so much that the Jets had a great game last week as Carsen Palmer had a poor game. He threw a lot of balls high and if half of those were completions, Cincinnati would have done a lot better.

Baltimore @ Indianapolis:  I think the Ravens will win.  The Colts haven’t learned from past mistakes and they haven’t played a meaningful game in three weeks.  In contrast the Ravens are coming off a big win on the road against the Patriots, a team that’s as highly regarded as the Colts.

Joe Flacco seems to play his best in the playoffs and, along with Ray Lewis and Ray Rice, I think they’re going to be a tough team to stop. 

They’re a very physical defense against the finesse line of the Colts.  And if the Ravens get their run game going as they did last week and can keep Peyton Manning off the field, it will force the Colts to be that much more perfect on every series to put points on the board. They need to keep Manning on the bench.

Video: Amani Toomer on the NFC East insider

1/06/10 Random Thoughts:

I want to comment on a couple teams that aren’t in the playoffs.

The first is Washington.  They fired Zorn as expected but now I think they should keep QB Jason Campbell and give him another chance to develop under the new coach’s system.  I think he’s a quarterback that has showed promise when he’s had a chance.  This year their offensive line was a makeshift line and that didn’t help Campbell but he showed toughness and, considering how hard it is to find a quarterback, I think he has to be given a chance to play under better circumstances.  Give him a year and, then if Allen and Shanahan don’t see the progress expected, move on.

The offense they were running this season was a joke.  Half of the passes they were throwing were within ten yards of the line of scrimmage.  If you’re a receiver in that offense, you’re practically running screens all the time.  They don’t run routes and I thought it was ridiculous.  The Jim Zorn offense never gave Campbell a chance to show what he could do because he’s a big guy with a big arm.

Everyone is drafting first round picks and playing them but most need a little seasoning.  Look at the Jets.  They would have won the division if Sanchez hadn’t had three or four games with three interceptions.

I also want to comment on Josh McDaniels out in Denver.  He started out 6-0 and finished out of the playoffs.  He’s benching players with WR Eddie Royal already out.  He benched Marshall, and I hear it was because he was late for a treatment, and he benched Tony Scheffler, a tight end, reportedly because he complained about not getting a lot of playing time.  McDaniels needs to get out of the way and let his players play.  It seems like he’s trying to be another Bill Belichick. 

I also think it was bad for him to air out the dirty laundry.  If he is going to bench a player it should have been kept private between the coach and the player involved.  Reynaldo Hill admitted that he learned of Marshall’s benching from the scroll on the bottom of his TV screen.  I just think McDaniels is making rash decisions and doesn’t really understand what it takes to be a head coach.

1/05/10 Toomer's Take for wildcard weekend:

Jets vs. Cincinnati—In my mind the final game of the season between the two teams was not a preview of what will happen wild card weekend.  The Bengals were just playing for pride last week and that’s not enough motivation to play well.  They were very vanilla in their game plan and didn’t do a lot of the things they usually do.  It didn’t help that the receivers were dropping a lot of balls and overall they just didn’t seem in sync.  That made me wonder about their preparation for that game.

On the other hand the Jets dominated their defensive front and I’m wondering how the Bengals will counteract that this weekend.

Eagles vs. Cowboys- Another matchup that I think will be a lot closer this weekend than it was last weekend but the Cowboys offensive line was dominant against the Eagles defensive front.  They made the holes and allowed Tony Romo a lot of time to sit in the pocket and pick apart their defense.  I think the Cowboys are going to make history and win their first playoff game in years.

The Eagles are a big play offense and they weren’t getting the big plays last weekend. McNabb overthrew Jackson once and another time the ball went right through Maclin’s hands, things like that.  You’re in a big game on the road and you have to make those plays when you have the opportunity.

One thing that concerned me about both of these teams in terms of advancing in the playoffs is all the penalties they get.  The Cowboys have way too many offsides and both teams are in the bottom half of the league in terms of penalties.  The game is too hard if you’re just going to give away yardage; you just can’t do it.

The Cowboys are going to have to do something with Flozell Adams; he’s just giving the game away.  In the Saints game, Flozell was responsible for keeping the Saints in the game with offsides, holding, hands to the face.  His negative plays just kill drives.

You know what the Cowboys are going for in the next draft but the thing is good left tackles aren’t falling out of trees so that could present a problem for them.

Ravens vs. Patriots-I think this will be a great game.  The question is how good can the Patriots be without their 100+ catch receiver, Wes Welker?  That’s a huge loss and I think overall the Ravens are healthier in key positions than the Patriots are.

The Ravens had a big win in Oakland last week and that’s a tough place to play on the road and I think the Ravens are going to win this game.  The Patriots have an inexperienced secondary and the Raven’s ground game against the Patriots defensive front is an advantage for the Ravens because the Patriots defense just isn’t as good as it has been in the past.

Green Bay vs. Arizona-I think that Woodson has a bad shoulder which will hurt the Packers if he can’t play.  But I also think it will be a totally different game wild card weekend with Warner in there instead of Leinart.

But overall, I don’t have that much faith in the Cardinals.  Last year we just went down there and smashed them.  I think Fitzgerald, Boldin and Breaston are all very good but I think the Packers will win.

The Packers are maybe not getting the respect they deserve and they’re using that to their advantage.  I think Rodgers is going to go out there and have a field day against the Cardinals especially since I don’t think that the Cardinals defensive backfield is that strong without Cromartie who is hurt.

I want to wish a happy holiday season  and a healthy new year to everyone.   Amani

12/17/09 Toomer's Take for week 15:

Jets vs. Atlanta- I had a good time working on the Jets game for FOX.  It was so orchestrated it was almost like a game in terms of the precision of everything.

The Jets need to do something with their rookie quarterback.  They dominated the entire game, defensive line, offensive line and the only thing that kept Atlanta in that game was Sanchez who kept throwing interceptions and giving Atlanta a short field.

It’s hard to criticize special teams when the wind is gusting the way it was.  You just can’t overcome everything so I won’t talk about that today

I thought Matt Ryan was off most of the day.  He didn’t look crisp but I think one thing that was to his credit was during the fourth quarter when the game was on the line and he needed to make a play, he made the play.   But overall, I was very unimpressed with Matt Ryan that game.  Last year he was great in the playoffs and in all fairness I understand he was out for four weeks with turf toe but he still didn’t look good at all.

Vikings vs. Panthers-I think the Vikings are really missing E.J. Henderson because they can’t stop the run at all. What once was the most dominant part of their team, the offensive and defensive lines, aren’t looking good at all.  Even with the addition of Jared Allen, they’re still not getting it done.The Carolina Panthers dominated the Vikings much-vaunted defensive line.  It was almost embarrassing to watch. 

Once Peppers turns it on, he’s unstoppable and I think I’ve only said that about two others players-Michael Strahan and Reggie White and that’s getting into pretty upper echelon territory.

Giants vs. Washington-I was at that game with the ESPN crew and I think I actually picked the Redskins to win but who could have known the Redskins would crack under pressure.  They’ve been dealing with how bad they are all season and then now all of sudden when they have a chance to make a statement and solidify some jobs, they laid an egg.  And they really laid an egg.  It was embarrassing to watch. I was disappointed that they didn’t even show up to play.  That swinging gate (gadget play) was an embarrassment.  It looked like it was a joke but it really wasn’t funny.  People’s jobs hang on these things and they have to make an honest effort.  I think a lot of people are nervous about what’s going to happen to them because they almost seemed shell-shocked.

A lot of good things came out of that game for the Giants defense.  On the first play of the game, they blitzed.  Everybody came and it set the tone for the game. It’s like we talked about last week, the need for getting back to what their players do best.  That’s the coaches job-to get the most out of their players-and this was the first time since those first five games where I thought they did that. Watching the game you thought this Giants defense really is a dominant group. They looked the way the Giants defense always has looked.  The team put their money on the defensive line and linebackers and I have always thought that if you want to know what a team thinks is important just follow the money.

Dallas vs. New Orleans-I think Miles Austin is their No.1 receiver; the Roy Williams experiment is over.  As Austin goes so goes the team.

On the other side the Saints made so many mistakes.  There was one instance where the corner was coming on a corner blitz and the safety rotated over the top on Miles Austin.  Those things usually happen right at the snap of the ball but in this instance the corner, instead of sticking with the cover-2 shell, which is two safeties back and the corners up, they both tipped their hand.  The safety rotated over the top and the corner started down the line of scrimmage toward the QB.  By doing that, they alerted Romo to the play early so when Romo snapped the ball the corner was stuck in no-man’s land.  He came so early and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to keep coming or turn around and try to cover Miles Austin so he ended up stopping.  That put Austin against the safety and that’s not a good matchup.  They just opened a gate for the away team that had been struggling on the road to make a play and gain momentum.

There was also a play action pass with Dallas’ Spencer coming around the end.  Brees carried out the play fake but Spencer came quickly and the running back was asleep at the wheel.  He should have aborted the fake and gotten after Spencer but he carried out the fake and by the time he saw someone was coming off the edge, something he should have seen pre-snap, Spencer had the sack.  The same thing happened the next time and Spencer came in uncontested.  You wouldn’t expect these protection breakdowns from a 13-0 team.

Amani's Picks for week 16:

San Diego @ Tennessee-I think Tennessee is going to win.

Detroit @ 49ers-Niners

Seattle @ Green Bay-Green Bay

Raiders @ Cleveland-Raiders. I’m playing the averages here.  If Cribbs gets another two TDs on returns this week, I’ll shake my head.

Kansas City @ Cincinnati-Cincinnati

Buffalo @ Atlanta-Atlanta

Houston @ Miami-Miami

Carolina @ Giants-Giants.  I will be working again this Sunday with Troy Aikman and Joe Bucks and the rest of the FOX crew.

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans-New Orleans

Jacksonville @ New England-I’m taking Jacksonville for the upset special.

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh-Baltimore

Denver @ Philadelphia-Philly

St. Louis @ Arizona-Arizona

Jets @ Indianapolis-Another upset special.  The Jets beat the Colts.

Dallas @ Washington-Dallas. 

Minnesota @ Chicago-Minnesota

Amani's Picks for week 15:

Indianapolis @ Jacksonville- That’s tonight’s game and I’m taking Jacksonville at home.  There's a lot of talk about whether the Colts will play their starters and, if they do, for how long.  It's at home for Jacksonville and under the lights so I feel they'll win this one.

Dallas @ N.O.-I have to go with Dallas.  They’ve had two bad weeks and everybody is talking about them.  I think Dallas will take the last playoff spot with Green Bay taking the other.  I think this is the week for Dallas.

49ers @ Philadelphia-I go with Philly.

Raiders @ Denver- I’ve got Denver.

Green Bay @ Pittsburgh- I'm taking Green Bay.

Miami @ Tennessee-Tennessee over Miami.  I know Vince Young got hurt last week but I believe he’s expected to play.

N.E. @ Buffalo- New England will beat Buffalo but I want to talk a little about Moss and everything that’s being said about him.  People are saying he’s dogging it but if I were in his shoes I’d be embarrassed about being sent home after reporting late for a meeting.  There was a big storm that day and traffic was terrible. Who knows what happened, Moss may live further away, who knows? 

I think there was a spillover to the game with his production or lack thereof.  I think Belichick has made a lot of mistakes this year with the 4th down situation and I think sending the players home was another mistake.  He’s alienating players and it looks like it’s catching up to him. 

There were a couple of plays in last week’s game where Moss didn’t seem to give the effort you would expect but people don’t realize that football is an emotional game and that’s tied up with how you play.  If you’re out there thinking about anything other than what’s happening on the field, you’re not going to be as effective.  Now they’re talking about deactivating Moss and maybe even cutting him but I think it all goes back to another bad decision made by Belichick.  There’s a fine system for these situations so fine him and move on.  Don’t embarrass him; it was unnecessary.

Arizona @ Detroit-I’m taking Arizona.

Atlanta @ Jets-I’ll be at that game.  I’ll be in the box with FOX, another intern situation.  I’ll sit in on production meetings and see what the next step for me is.  That will be followed on Monday in Washington with ESPN.  I'm pretty excited because the feedback I've gotten so far has all been positive.

I have to go with the Jets because they have a very strong defense.  They’ve been stopping people cold.  I think they have one of the best cover corners in the league with Revis.  I’ve watched Revis play and the only time I saw him beat was against Miami in a Monday night game.

I don’t think he’s that fast but he has good technique.  He reminds me of Ty Law who went to the same high school in Pennsylvania.  He’s very quick and strong.  He’s not slow but not blistering fast either but people don’t get behind him.

Chicago @ Baltimore-I’ve got Baltimore.

Cleveland @ Kansas City-I’m going to go with KC.

Houston @ St. Louis-Houston will win.

Cincinnati @ San Diego-San Diego will win that one.

Tampa Bay @ Seattle-I’m taking Seattle to win that one.

Minnesota @ Carolina-Minnesota will win.

12/17/09 Toomer's Take for week 14:

I want to talk about five of last week's games.

Steelers vs. Browns: The Steelers defense seems like it just can’t stop the run which is something the Pittsburgh defense has always been known for.  It seems weird that with them only missing one player on defense, Troy Polamalu, that it could make such a big difference.  It’s just incredible but the record shows the Steelers difficulty winning a game when he’s not in there.

I think Joshua Cribbs is the whole Browns offense and, if the team is smart, they’ll sign him right now because without him, the team is really struggling.  I don’t think it’s fair to say how bad Brady Quinn is yet because the whole offense isn’t really functioning.  They have to go with what’s working, I feel.

When Couch Coughlin first came to the Giants, he gave the ball to Tiki and we did that for a couple of years and I think Cribbs can fill that same role.

Reportedly Mike Holmgren was signed as the new GM today and I think he’ll do well there in that capacity.  I know he ran into trouble at Seattle but he was trying to coach and be the GM simultaneously and I think that’s too much for one person to do.  I think as a successful coach, he’s able to evaluate talent.  I think all that coaches should want to have is a good relationship with the GM so he has input and can tell the GM what type of player he’s looking for.

I think it’s an exciting time for the Browns and I think the first thing Holmgren should do is sign Cribbs to a long-term deal. 

I’m hearing that most people in the Browns are happy with the climate that Mangini has developed in the organization and it seems unfair to only give a coach one year.  You make a lot of changes when a new head coach comes in and you don’t want to do it again the next year because it just sets the team back.  Also, you kind of owe it to a coach to give him two years to see if he can make his vision work.


Dallas vs. San Diego:  I actually watched that game at the Giants game.  I feel like the Chargers are just in a different class.  They execute and make big plays at key points.  They make those backbreaking plays that I just don’t see the Cowboys make.  The Cowboys let teams hang around, even teams that aren’t as good, but the Chargers won’t let them get away with that.  The Chargers make the drives when they need to make them.  They have that killer instinct and I think it all stems from Phillip Rivers and the intensity he brings to the offense.  They are a fundamentally sound team under Norv Turner.

Also the Chargers defense is more physical than I expected to see because I don’t see a lot of Chargers games.


Giants vs. Eagles:  I was one of the honorary team captains for this game.  It was a great, high scoring game but I was very disappointed in how the Eagles tackled and I was also very disappointed in how inconsistent the Giants pass rush was. 

Last year the Giants defensive line was the best in the NFL-bar none.  That was even without Osi and this year they have him back.  I just can’t explain it other than by the fact that it’s a different scheme.

I know both tackles had micro fracture surgery in the off-season.  Honestly, I’ve never known anyone who came back following micro fracture surgery and played as well.  The first person I heard of who had it was Charles Way and that ended his career.  Then Howard Cross had it and he came back the next year but didn’t like the pain and he retired the following year.  Jason Sehorn had it and we all know his career went in the opposite direction from where it had been going.  When you hear micro fracture surgery, it’s time to start thinking about your next career.

I particularly remember one play where Celek caught the ball over the middle.  Sam Madison, R.W. McQuarters and I were sitting there watching the game in the box and it was a crucial part of the game.  The Eagles had 3rd and +15 and the Giants had three linemen and dropped eight.  You can’t let McNabb just sit back there with so much time.  There are always holes in zones and the Giants gave McNabb all the time he needed to complete a play.  McNabb is arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the league.  And De Sean Jackson is going to outrun your coverage, it’s just a matter of time.  He had time to get farther down the field than anyone can cover, as he showed twice.

I think you can go back to the Saints game when they gave everyone the blueprint to stop the defense and expose the secondary.  And it’s been the same every week.  The Giants need to change something to get the most out of their players and I think the guys they have are up the field, pass rush guys and they just aren’t as aggressive up the field, cutting running lanes.  The scheme they’re under right now doesn’t seem to suit the players they have.  I think the coaches may be too close to the forest to see the trees.


49er vs. Cardinals:  That seemed like a classic example of a team that really needed it playing a team that just wanted it because the team that needed it came out and played lights-out.  If the 49ers had played that way all year, they’d lead the division.  It’s what I talked about last week when I made my picks.  Arizona had all those turnovers and the 49ers played great.


Washington vs. New Orleans:  I want to talk about this game a little bit.  I’ll be going to Washington Monday with ESPN for the game against the Giants.  I’ll be interning with ESPN for the game so I’m excited to see what will come of that.  I’m expecting to talk about 40 seconds on the matchup.

The Redskins are really improving.  They had a great game against the Saints even though they came up a little short in the end.  They should be able to take some solace about playing the Saints so tight.  For Washington to play New Orleans so closely and then play the Raiders so well in Oakland makes it seem like they’re getting hot, even though I know Gradkowski got hurt. 

I think Ja Marcus Russell is done in Oakland.  People say the situation is similar to Tennessee but Vince Young had some initial success and Russell never has.

But back to the Washington game, I feel that Washington will beat the Giants for one reason alone.  For the first nine games of the season they were allowing three sacks per game but since then they’re allowing an average of 1.25 sacks per game.

They signed Levi Jones in October after he was cut by the Bengals and he started three weeks later at left tackle and has stabilized the line.  Those numbers are supported by the fact that their quarterback, Jason Campbell, has been on a roll the last four weeks.  He’s really emerging now that he has a chance to stay on his feet and I think that is something the organization can build on for the future.  He looks like a totally different quarterback now.

I also know Washington is a tough place for the Giants to play.  We always struggled down there because they really matchup well against us.

Rest in Peace, Hope Johnson

I've just learned about the passing of Hope Johnson.  Along with my family, I want to extend my sincere condolences to her family and friends.

Amani

Amani's Picks for week 13

New Orleans @ Atlanta-I’m picking Atlanta over New Orleans this week.  N.O. is coming down to earth now.  But that strip was a credit to Sean Payton and the rest of the coaching staff.  As a receiver, we don’t know how to strip a ball unless we’re taught to do it.  We just slap at it so I give a lot of credit to the coaching staff because Meachem looked like he knew exactly what to do and that was the play of the game.  But Atlanta is desperate and division rivals play each other tough as they did last time.

Pittsburgh @ Cleveland-I’m taking Pittsburgh.

Washington @ Oakland-That’s a tough trip from the east coast I’m going to take the Raiders.

Denver @ Indianapolis-I think the Colts win this one.

Green Bay @ Chicago-Green Bay is going to win that game.

Detroit @ Baltimore-I’d say Baltimore is going to win that game.

Seattle @ Houston-I’m taking Houston because I think they’re a more talented team.

Miami @ Jacksonville-I’ll have to go with Jacksonville, just because they’re at home.  They’re a much better home team than they are on the road.

Jets @ Tampa Bay-I’m taking the Jets.

Buffalo @ KC-I’m going with Buffalo. I feel that KC’s secondary is giving up a lot of big plays, like they did last week.  Even though Buffalo came up a little short last week, they still have Terrell Owens and Lee Evans.

Cincinnati @ Minnesota-This is a tough one but I’m going with Minnesota to bounce back.

Carolina @ NE- I think New England will win at home.

St Louis @ Tennessee-Tennessee at home will win.

San Diego @ Dallas-I expect Dallas to win at home.
  SD has won seven games in a row and they’re due to lose.  Also, I think SD has less to lose than Dallas.

Arizona @ 49ers-I’m going with the 49ers.  I think the Cardinals are riding high and SF is coming off a tough loss.  Also, I think SF matches up very well against Arizona.

12/09/09 Toomer's Take for week 13:

Giants vs. Dallas:  I think this was a good win for the Giants but I don’t think it’s anything to get too excited about when Romo had 400 yards against them.  This week they need to stop the pass.  They don’t need to stop the run; the Eagles will stop the run by themselves.

I think this is a huge game and will be the deciding game of the NFC East.  I think the Eagles will end up winning the division because they have a more consistent defense than either the Giants or Cowboys.

New England vs. Miami:  I just feel that the Patriots are losing too many games because their head coach isn’t putting them in a position to win with the 4th down situation.  I don’t think the team is as good as it used to be where they can afford to give points away and still win. 

If I were a player on that team, that sort of thing would drive me crazy.  You can’t say anything to the coach but you know and, everybody else knows, that he’s taking unnecessary chances with his team and it’s costing him games.

Indianapolis vs. Tennessee:  When we played the Colts, we knew we needed to score every time we got the ball because you knew Peyton Manning would.  So, it was almost like a shoot-out.

The Colts defense is built to make big plays but they give up big plays too.  So when Nate Washington, a 5th year receiver, has a chance to make a wide-open play, he has to make it.  He goes streaking down the sideline and drops the ball.

When we had a young quarterback, as Tennessee has, we knew we had to make every play so the quarterback would develop confidence in us.  When you lose a ball that way, the QB is going to look for someone else the next time.

There was the goal line stand and the fumble at the goal line.  In this particular instance I commend the coach for going for it.  You’re on the road against a good team and you have to try it.

Pittsburgh vs. Oakland:  It shows you just how important quarterback play really is.  Guys in the league love players like Gradkowski and Tom Brady.  A lot of guys come into the league with a lot of fanfare and they may or may not be good  but the guys who bounce around and finally make it, everyone respects them.  It’s the American dream.  You have to love that. 

Now the question is just how good is Oakland?  If they hadn’t started JaMarcus or he really came to play, would they be a playoff team?  The season is too far-gone to tell now.

I’ve gone into Pittsburgh and it’s a hard place to get a win because the players get so much energy from the crowd.  You know when you go there, you have to be focused.

Minnesota vs. Arizona:  That was really the first time I’ve seen Minnesota give up on a game. I think Arizona’s defensive line played so well that set the tone for the whole defense.  They took away the run game and made Favre uncomfortable in the pocket.   The D-line was doing such a good job that Favre was giving the receivers a little less time. 

And as great a season as Bret Favre is having, when you make a team one-dimensional, they’ll struggle.

Amani's Picks for week 13

INDIANAPOLIS vs. Tennessee-It’s really hard to pick against the Colts but I’m taking the Titans this week.  I think this could be the best game this week. The Colts have had too many close games.

Jets vs. BUFFALO - I’m going with Buffalo since it’s at home.  Plus Sanchez is throwing far too many interceptions.

SEATTLE vs. 49ers - I’m going with the 49ers.  They're looking like a well coached team.

PITTSBURGH vs. Oakland-This is my lock pick of the week.  Do I even need to say which team I’m picking? 

Denver vs. KANSAS CITY-I think Denver will beat KC.

JACKSONVILLE vs. Houston-I’m taking Jacksonville over Houston.

ATLANTA vs. Philadelphia-I’m going with Philly.

CINCINNATI vs. Detroit- Cincinnati should win this one.

WASHINGTON vs. New Orleans- I’m taking New Orleans.  Washington has been playing competitively the last few weeks but I still have to take N.O.

CAROLINA vs. Tampa Bay-I go with Carolina.

CHICAGO vs. St. Louis-I’m going with Chicago.

San Diego vs. CLEVELAND-I have to go with S.D. ARIZONA vs. Minnesota-I think Minnesota is the most impressive team I’ve seen this year so I don’t think it’s going to matter whether Leinart or Warner plays.  I’m taking the Vikings.

GIANTS vs. Dallas- Oh, I can’t pick against the Giants but I think I’m going to have to because I believe Dallas is going to win.

New England vs. MIAMI-I’m going to go with Miami because it’s at Miami.  And the Patriots looked so bad last week, I can’t pick them until they show me something.

GREEN BAY vs. Baltimore-I’m going with GB.>


On Concussions :


I was watching TV the other day and seeing all the helmets flying off and I was thinking that helmets don’t fit as they should for a variety of reasons.

I think a big part of the problem with concussions starts in the equipment rooms.  You see guys with helmets falling off all the time and that’s unacceptable.  They’re no good when they aren’t properly fitted or don’t have the proper amount of air.

I think the NFL needs to look into helmet shape because I think a lot of these injuries could be prevented with properly shaped helmets.

Another problem involves the players with long hair and dreadlocks.  All that hair directly prevents the helmet from fitting as it should.  I had two concussions with long hair so I shaved my head and never had another concussion.

The low straps on the helmet have been proven not to work but you still see guys wearing them.   You need the high straps to get the good tight fit that’s needed to protect the head.

Whenever you see a helmet flying off, it’s for just one reason-and that’s because the helmet doesn’t fit properly.

A few years ago a new helmet came out and I wore it a few times right after my concussion.  But I thought it looked funny and I quit wearing it.  So, vanity has to be factored in as well. You see guys with one strap down because they think it looks cool and that’s not helping matters.

I really think the NFL will need to intervene and ensure that the helmets are the safest possible and, even more importantly, that they fit properly and are worn properly.

12/01/09 Toomer's Take:

Patriots vs. Saints: I think the Patriots had a great game plan going in with trying to run the ball because I feel the Saints’ run defense is their Achilles heel.  I think the Saints have showed a little weakness there and I think that a team with a great defensive line, a team that plays sound zones and has a good running game, like the Vikings, will give the Saints trouble.  And for that matter, though I think the Saints played a physical game last night, I think the Vikings are, in general, a more physical defense. 

Dallas vs. Oakland:  All I want to say about that game is that I feel the Cowboys are one of the hot teams in the league.  I also think that the experiment of trying to make Roy Williams the No.1 receiver should be over.  Miles Austin has clearly surpassed him.  It’s no surprise that their offense has struggled the last two weeks because Austin hasn’t had a lot of touches.  Increase his touches and the offensive production goes up.

Giants vs. Denver: The next two weeks will tell the Giants everything they need to know about their season because both games are division match ups.  Now, especially with Manning having a stress reaction, the season is really at risk.  And if they don’t win this game, I anticipate them resting him for the rest of the season. I’m not even certain at this point that he’ll play this week.

I don’t see how he can keep playing.  The team gave him $100 million so it’s not like he’s just another guy on the field and I don’t think they want Eli to need foot surgery.  That’s just me but I don’t think they’d want to take that risk.

Arizona vs. Tennessee:  I don’t think Vince Young ever impressed me as much as he did in this game.  I think he’s becoming a quarterback.  Even on that last play, he ran toward the line of scrimmage and kept looking down the field instead of automatically trying to win with his feet.  He reminded me of how he played at Texas.  

He was regressing before he was benched.  Then, he was using his legs too much and only doing the easiest thing.

Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh:  I was definitely impressed with Dixon.  He was playing so well and making so few mistakes that I think in overtime they decided to “let ‘er rip” a little bit.  That bit them but Dixon still played very well both with his arm and his legs.  

The Pittsburgh secondary was absent.  They couldn’t stop the pass or the run.  They missed a lot of tackles and I think they need to address their secondary.  Of course, Polomalu was out for the game but still the rest of the players needed to step up and they didn’t

Miami vs. Buffalo: It looks like it was time to change the head coach and the quarterback in Buffalo because the team is playing a lot better now.  Terrell Owens is getting back into the flow and they weren’t going to him so much earlier in the year.  This shows me that the team isn’t as bad as their season would indicate.

Letting the coach go now also puts Buffalo in the driver’s seat for next season.  Shanahan seemed very upbeat after his interview but I don’t think Shanahan would go there.  Buffalo needs to pick up the next good young talent, someone with a lot of energy who eats, drinks and sleeps football-someone like Sean Payton, who I think is the best evaluator of quarterback talent that I’ve known.  

When Tom Brady was coming out, nobody thought much of him.  But Sean Payton, who was our offensive coordinator at the time,said," I've met with him and talked with him and I like him.  I think he's going to be a player."

11/16/09 Toomer's Take:

I just want to mention the Jaguars-Jets game because of Maurice Jones-Drew taking a knee at the one-yard line to keep the clock running with one minute left in the game.  That gave Jacksonville first and goal.  I think that’s one of the most selfless acts I’ve seen in a football game in years.  It tells me Jones-Drew doesn’t care about the big statistics or contracts but is all about team.

But the Jets seem to be moving backwards.  Mark Sanchez seems less crisp than earlier in the year- like he’s playing not to make a mistake rather than to win.  He needs to get back his earlier mind set, even his body language looks different now than earlier in the season. 

I know he’s being criticized now but when he gets his act back together, everyone will jump back on the bandwagon.

In the Cincinnati-Pittsburgh game, Cincinnati showed itself to be the surprise team of the year.  They went into Pittsburgh and were the more physical team.  They sacked Rothlisberger four times and I think that’s the way to beat the Steelers-get pressure on Rothlisberger and take him out of his game.

Cincinnati has a sweep of the series for the first time since 1998 and, despite the fact that the Steelers are known as a physical team, the Bengals out-physicaled them in their own stadium.

I liked Palmer’s statement after the game when he said that the team isn’t a Super Bowl team right now.  I don’t know if he was talking about the team or his own game.  He was 18-30 for 157 yards and, though I’m not criticizing him, that isn’t a Super Bowl effort.  There’s room for improvement there.

The St. Louis-New Orleans game showed me that Spags is getting these guys to play every week.  Teams with their win-loss record are often coasting by now.  For N.O. it was a tough game because you never want to play a team with one win.  There’s no real fear of losing and that affects the team’s preparation during the week.

I think St. Louis is showing signs of life but at the end of the game, Bulger just didn’t show any sign of urgency.  He wasted so much time on the field.  I don’t know what he was thinking but it reminded me of the saying that, “more games are lost in the NFL than won.” That win would have been huge for them.

Sunday night’s game between the Colts-Patriots was great.  Brady and Moss looked as explosive as ever and the defense got Manning off balance a little bit.  The Patriots stopped the Colts’ run game and made them one-dimensional.  But the Patriots deciding to go for it on 4th-and-2 with 2 minutes left, probably cost them the game.

I think Belichick sometimes gets too arrogant.  Even in our Super Bowl, he went for it on 4th down and gave us the chance to win that game.  There are reasons why you punt at times; you don’t always have to hit the home run.  You can go for the safe play sometimes.

I also watched the Dallas-Green Bay game.  Dallas didn’t look like they came to play until the fourth quarter which was a surprise to me because they’ve been playing well.  I had been thinking they were among the hot teams in the NFL but maybe it’s a case of some teams not being able to handle success.

If you looked at the body language of both teams, it seemed the Packers just wanted it more while Dallas loafed till the fourth quarter.  They approached it like they did the game against Kansas City without seeming to be aware that Green Bay is a better team than K.C.

The turnover issue with Tony Romo, along with his fumble, was a big factor in the loss and Charles Woodson made that great interception to seal Dallas’ fate.  They also had far too many penalties and, though I think they’re a talented team, they aren’t talented enough to win with all those penalties. 

Playoff teams usually have two things in common; their turnover ratio is very low and they don’t have a lot of penalties.  Right now, the Cowboys aren’t meeting either criteria.

In the Eagles-Chargers game, it looked like the Eagles were sleepwalking for the first half , too.  Maybe they don’t travel east to west very well but they have to figure that one out. They had that big loss to the Raiders in Oakland.  If that’s a problem, maybe they need to go out a day early so the players will be fresh.

Brian Westbrook had his second concussion in three weeks and that’s a huge loss to the Eagles’ offense. He’s been a great player for years.  If I were Westbrook, I’d want to sit out the rest of the season and seriously think about my whole career.

11/05/09 Toomer's Take:

Of the games that were played last weekend, I think three were really big. Those are:

Minnesota Vs Green Bay: The Vikings vs. Green Bay game was huge. It was a division game and emotions were high. I felt Bret Favre did a very good job and I think that speaks to his current maturity level. In the past, he would have been more emotional and thrown a lot of PICs but he stayed cool and in control and overall that looks like a very good team. Percy Harvin is proving to be a big asset both as a return man and as a receiver. Bernard Berrian, despite injury, is playing well as is Sidney Rice and Ashante Shiancoe.
That defense always gave us trouble when we played them. They have the two big run stoppers in the middle, Kevin and Pat Williams. They do a great job and the addition of Jared Allen was huge. They were playing without their best corner, Antoine Winfield, in last week's game too but it ultimately didn't matter. But I think it came down to Bret Favre with his maturity outplaying Aaron Rodgers. I realize Green Bay is having problems on the offensive line but that's not the whole story because Rodgers was holding the ball way too long at times. Favre just flat out outplayed him.

Giants vs. Eagles:Another big game was the Giants vs. Philadelphia, another division game. As a result of losing that game the Giants have dropped out of first place so they have no margin for error anymore.

On offense, I think Steve Smith is playing great, Manningham is a talented young player but he's having some growing pains right now. Hixon has been injured and in general there have been a lot of minor injuries among the receivers. These are guys, except for Smith, that Eli hasn't played with a lot and when they're injured, he doesn't have a chance to work out the timing with them and it's showing. The Giants offense began to run into trouble against the Saints when the Saints came out determined to stop the run and make the Giants win through the air. So, I'd say unless the Giants can really get the run game going effectively, they're going to be in trouble offensively.

I don't see anything in Eli's mechanics since he injured his foot so I think that's just coincidence that they started to lose then.

The defense is another problem. C.C. Brown is taking a lot of heat for missed tackles and people are saying, "If only Kenny Phillips were back" but he's not coming back and they need to make it work with what they have. I don't think it's the defensive scheme because any scheme can be successful if the players execute it. I think the line needs to generate more pressure and I don't see why they aren't with all the talent they have up front. I know Justin Tuck is injured but they still have Osi and Kiwi, Fred and Barry. That's top-level talent. So, the Giants need to figure out what's going wrong and do it in a hurry or the season will be lost.

Atlanta vs. New Orleans:The third game I want to briefly cover is Monday night's game with Atlanta and the Saints and that game was never in question as I saw it. The Saints were always in complete control and the game wasn't nearly as close as the final score indicates because Atlanta gained some points when the Saints were in garbage time. I think Matt Ryan is a good young cornerback but I don't think he's really been tested yet so I'm not ready to say he'll be in the top tier of quarterbacks in a year or two. Drew Brees on the other hand is there now and that game never looked to be in question.

10/29/09 Interview with Amani:

You’ve recently made some guest appearances on ESPN commenting on games.  Is that something you’d like to do full-time professionally or would you rather just do it on an occasional basis?

Amani:  Yes, I’d like to work as a commentator on football on a regular basis during the season.  I’ve made some guest appearances on ESPN, hired an agent and there seems to be a lot of positive response.  I have 13 years of experience involved in the game as a player so it looks like that counts for something.


Would you consider working out for any team at this point in the season?

Amani:  No, I wouldn’t.  I’m excited about the possibilities of furthering my opportunities in the media.


Are you still building playgrounds as part of your foundation or is that on hold right now until you see what shapes up for you long-term?

Amani:  It’s on hold right now while I decide what to do with the remaining money in the foundation.  There’s only a couple of hundred dollars left so I may just turn it over to a school to use at their discretion.


Do you support the partnership group’s decision to eliminate Rush Limbaugh as a potential owner in their bid to buy the Rams given his oft-stated racist remarks?

Amani:  Absolutely!  I don’t think there’s any place in the NFL for the kind of remarks he makes.  There was his recent comment about the NFL looking like the Bloods and the Crips and his earlier comment about McNabb. It’s disgusting! 

I know I certainly wouldn’t want to play for any team he was involved in and I’m sure some other players feel the same.   It would be a huge black eye for the NFL if he were an owner of the Rams or any team.


How are you filling your days?

Amani:  I’m doing a lot of yoga to keep my body in shape.  I have investments that I personally manage every day, some of them with my brother, and I have some real estate investments.  I thought I might have nothing to do when I finished playing but I’m as busy as I’ve ever been. 

I’m also taking care of my fiancée, who is pregnant with twins.  She’s 24 weeks pregnant and twins are a high-risk pregnancy so we need to get to 34 weeks or ideally to 37 weeks.  But she feels great now. Everything is going well and we’re both very excited about it.


Have you thought about what direction you want to go with your web site?

Amani:  I think I’d like to begin doing a commentary or a round up of the most important of the weekend games.  I’ll try to get that started next week after Monday night football.

9/14/09 Interview with Amani:

Do you know why Kansas City released you?

Amani:  I just think it wasn’t a good fit for either of us.  I wasn’t there for the whole off-season so I didn’t have a chance to make much of an impact though I thought I played pretty well while I was there.  It’s hard to come in at the start of training camp with one month with the team and expect to make the team.  That’s a tall order and I don’t play special teams so that may have been a factor too.

Then too, the offensive coordinator was let go and an offense always changes somewhat when you get a new coordinator so I think it was several things that all happened together.  It just didn’t work out through no fault of either KC or myself.

Kansas City is doing its best to turn it around and I can appreciate that.  It just didn’t work out for the team or me and that’s the way it goes sometimes.

I’m working out and watching my weight so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens now.


Are you expecting to get picked up by some team as injuries begin to occur to a team’s receiving corps?

Amani:  Who knows?  It could go either way and I won’t be upset no matter what happens.  I definitely want to keep on playing but right now we’ll just have to wait and see.  I can’t really predict what will happen.


Are you following the NFLPA regarding negotiations for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement?

Amani:  Yes, it sounds to me like there’s a problem between the small market teams and big market teams but that’s for the teams to decide, not me.


As a member of the NFLPA are there some changes you would like to see happen?

Amani:  There’s a lot I’d like to see.   I’d definitely like to see guaranteed contracts; I think that would be a good thing for the players. 

Benefits for retired players have been a hot button issue but there are arguments that can be made for both sides.

8/18/09 A Message from Amani:

This is just a quick shout out to all the great Giants fans who have written to wish me luck with Kansas City-except when the Giants play KC, of course.

Your support is and always has been very much appreciated.

Amani