The dog days of summer

By Doug Graham Sports Central Columnist

Are we in the dog days of summer yet? Or does that officially happen after the NBA draft?

With a lackluster NBA playoff season, with the exception being the second-round that was filled with NBA: It's Faaaaaaaantastic levels of excitement, well, simply put, football season just needs to get here.

Complaints are filed year after year about the pre-season schedule having four games on it rather than two. Sure, that makes complete sense. The players probably only need two games to get ready to go. But, a two-game pre-season means an extra two weeks of waiting around for football season to start.

Do we really need to pay attention to who isn't making a deal for Carlos Beltran of the Kansas City Royals? He has an agent that wants dollar bills, no team is going to give up talent for the guy and he will either wind up like Vlad Guerrero from last season or end up on the Yankees for Drew Henson.

Somehow.

We need the National Football League. We love the National Football League. We love how backwards the instant replay system is, just because it means that Brian Billick is going to be on NFL Films getting bleeped out about one hundred times in a three-minute piece.

The season is a long way away, but stories are already beginning to develop nicely. Especially in the NFC East.

Return to Power

Joe Gibbs is back, so the NFC East must be, as well. It's some sort of unwritten law. So of course pieces fall into place to send Champ Bailey to Denver for Clinton Portis, with the Redskins filling the secondary void quite easily. Shawn Springs isn't Champ, by any means, but you've still got Fred Smoot on the other side blanketing a receiver. Then there's the draft selection of Sean Taylor.

You can really just leave that last sentence hanging out there. Just waiting for some sort of conclusion and never seeing the one that it wants. Kind of like how a quarterback will unintentionally leave their receiver hanging out to dry as Taylor comes from literally nowhere to jar a ball loose. Philadelphia has a game-changing safety, now the Redskins, do as well.

Plus, Clinton Portis is no doubt bringing his heavyweight championship belt for the boys to dance around after touchdowns are had.

The Cowboys got better, sort of (maybe?), with the addition of Marcellus Wiley and by default because of their second year under Bill Parcells. Everyone's favorite overrated wide receiver is now in Big D, Keyshawn Johnson. Johnson should be required by Dallas law to wear mink furs to random court appearances of Dallas citizens. Just to bring back some semblance of their Glory Years (the '90s version).

The Giants think that they've gotten better. Which is always comedy waiting to happen. Seriously, axing Kerry Collins for Kurt Warner? Please. Eli Manning is going to start by Week 4, so why even pick Warner up? To teach Eli? Sure, take the kid to Manhattan, find him a lady with a short haircut that won't shut the hell up, but how's that going to help them win football games?

We haven't even gotten to the Philadelphia Eagles and the atrocities that will unfold if Terrell Owens hauls in 15 touchdowns this season.

And we won't. If you willingly want to read about Mr. Sharpie and his new head coach making bets that would potentially have Andy Reid wearing a pair of warm-up tights, well, there is something wrong with you.

So the Eagles picked up Owens and Jevon Kearse, will that put them over the top? For their sake, it better. There isn't too much that can be said about this team. You know how the Eagles play. You know how Owens will play. You know Kearse will float around the injury bug all season and try his best to avoid one. Last year was put up or shut up. This year is do or die.

The Most Exciting Team

The Detroit Lions. They kept it close a lot. Sure, close means less than nothing in the NFL, but this team is going to be an exciting football club. Which does mean something.

The NFL is an all or nothing league more than any other in sports. The Lions will likely be an exception to that. With Joey Harrington at quarterback, surrounded by Charlie Rogers and Roy Williams at the receiver spots, this team is going to take strides down the field. Both receivers are bonafide playmakers. Then you have Kevin Jones in the backfield, running around as if he is the second coming of Barry Sanders, with the ego to back it up even if the play isn't there.

Of course, the whole lack of offensive and defensive line stability is going to kill them, but again, this is where exciting comes in to play. As long as he doesn't seriously run into spinal damage, it's great to see someone coming blindside on Harrington as he releases a wounded duck.

Ahem...

Oh, yeah. Mr. Vick is back. Providing he doesn't find himself on the cover of Madden 2005 Collector's Edition, Vick should get a full season with Peerless Price.

The over/under for amount of times that the Atlanta Falcons run two-play touchdown drives that consist of a 40+ yard Vick-to-Price pass and 30+ yard Vick run is at six. Take the over.

Go Ahead Now, Young Fella

The AFC North is ripe with young quarterback talent. Kyle Boller down in Baltimore, Carson Palmer with the Bengals, and Ben Roethlisberger in the Steel City. Boller has the experience edge thus far, Palmer should overtake Jon Kitna this season, and watch for Roethlisberger next year.

The Ravens swear that Boller is progressing nicely as an NFL quarterback, which they'll have to show to the rest of the league. Palmer is itching to show what he has, and Roethlisberger and the Steelers appear content to rebuild.

Jake Delhomme Dollars

In four years, the Carolina Panthers are going to beg for that $12 million dollar signing bonus back. What are they thinking? Delhomme isn't a talented NFL-level quarterback. Don't let that Super Bowl appearance fool you like it did the cap-geniuses in Carolina.

They couldn't have saved that money and just found another Delhomme? You know, an average QB with a bit of a story behind him that just plain wants it. Would that have been so hard?

The plus side to all of this is you know there are people out there that come August are going to pencil him in as a high fantasy football pick.

Saving the Best For Last

The New England Patriots will field a fairly adequate team this season.

Go figure that the next football dynasty would be in New England.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.