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Heard the Footsteps: Mo' Money

Topics: Charlie Sheen | Coffin | RUT | TRB: World Cup | "Q" | Stat

What Does DeSean Deserve?

Desean-jackson_medium

via www.midwestsportsfans.com

Like Charlie Sheen in the movie "Greed", NFL players are always looking for more money. Like Charlie Sheen in real life, $1 million an episode is, according to Sheen, worthy for the actor who built up "Two and a Half.

Currently, the NFL is seeing plenty of young, rising stars demanding that their contracts be renegotiated in order to reflect their exceptional play. Chris Johnson and Derrell Revis have recently (and publically) shown major interest in receiving new deals that pay sums of cash equivalent to the production they exhibited on the field in 2009.

DeSean Jackson had rumors flying about his perceived want for a new contract. Earlier this year, I wrote the following about the subject:

(The quote is in regards to the closest contract that the Eagles have given for a WR)

Desean Jackson's agent is none other than Drew Rosenhaus. The last wide receiver contract Rosenhaus negotiated with the Eagles? Terrell Owen's 7 year, $49 million contract.

I believe that Rosenhaus and Jackson will be asking for something well above those numbers, considering Owens was 31 when he signed that contract in 2004, whereas Jackson will be a mere 25 by the end of next season. Based upon age, Jackson has a significant cause for a larger contract than Owens.

Statistics, however, also play an important role in the process. Owens was already a seasoned veteran and was considered a top 5 WR in the league for years prior to his trade to the Eagles. Jackson had a very solid rookie season and this year exploded into the position of being a top WR in the NFL. Owens posted a statline of 77 receptions for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns in the 14 games he started and played in 2004, prior to his injury against the Cowboys. That was Owen's 9th season in the league. Jackson, in just his second season, posted 62 receptions for 1,156 yards and 9 touchdowns. However, that statline does not include his 11 rushing attempts for 137 yards and 1 touchdown, nor does it include his punt return yards or 2 punt return touchdowns. Something else that must be pointed out is that Owens averaged 15.6 yards per reception , while Jackson averaged an amazing 18.6 yards per reception. Owens' year pales in comparison to Jackson's, especially when you factor in the fact that Jackson tied an NFL record for 50+ yard touchdowns in a season... in only his second year in the league. Jackson could be considered more dangerous than Owens ever was, already.

Based upon all those facts (I'm ignoring divaness because it's almost a push between the two), I think a deal around the likes of 8 years, $75 million dollars would be in order. It would lock up Jackson until he was 33 and would give him the money that top wide receivers in the NFL make, while also showing that the Eagles are paying him more than they did Owens back in 2004.

Obviously the Eagles will not be paying anywhere near 8 years, $75 million for Jackson. However, Jackson is deserving of a new contract... when the new CBA is signed by the NFL and the Players Union. Something in the range of Owen's 2004 contract with the Eagles should be in order if Jackson has another great season in Midnight Green. Jackson, in my mind, deserves the contract he is looking for over Chris Johnson. I, like everyone else, believes Johnson to be the next big thing at running back. But, a big BUT, no running back has had an equally good season after a 2,000 yard year. Only Barry Sanders was able to recover to have a decent season (1,491 yards in 1998). And for that reason, I'd agree with the Titans waiting to reward Johnson. On the other hand, wide receivers typically don't have such success so early and then tail off. Normally a good wide receiver stays a good wide receiver and I believe that Jackson is a good wide receiver.

(Slow news day jokes aside, yes this was one of those times. But I did break my writer's block!)

Coffin Corner

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=134159&title=Boys'%20Athlete%20of%20the%20Year%20-%20Sam%20Tuivailala

This is the first time I've ever heard a sports writer suggest a kid with "enormous potential and freakish athleticism" should become a NFL punter. Add on to that fact that Tuivailala " played quarterback, defensive back and punter. He completed nearly 65 percent of his passes, finished with a couple of interceptions on defense" and "recently signed a contract to play for the St. Louis Cardinals, who selected him in the third round with the 106th pick of the Major League Baseball Draft two weeks ago." This is literally the first time I have ever heard someone suggest a player become a punter. I'm rooting for him in the MLB, no matter how much I enjoy discussing punters. I don't wish punting on anyone (except someone like Sav Rocca. Be consistent, damnit!).

The Rutgers Connection

Rutgers football to schedule Temple?

That's the word according to Greg Schiano at his charity golf tournament. The tidbit comes courtesy of Keith Sargeant's report, which has a lot more on the incoming freshmen, injuries, and other matters.

Temple would be a positive development IF they're replacing an Army-level tam, and are seen as the equivalent of the role Navy used to fill as the third best OOC team on the schedule.

If my family is any indication, there are plenty of Temple graduates who are still in the Philly area. Should be a fun game if it turns out to be true (and it'd be a home game for Rutgers, so I'd get to be there).

The Round Ball

The US Men's National Team got on the wrong end of a bad call in its game versus Slovenia. After playing "down" to its opponent in the first half, the US recovered and seemed to have a rare comeback victory. Teams typically do not recover from 2-0 down in any soccer game, let alone a pivotal World Cup match. The Americans showed their ability to persevere under any conditions.

However, the game did show something that will be troubling for this team if they progress onwards in the tournament. There is no reason for the US to go down 2-0 to a team like Slovenia. While the Slovenians have played admirably throughout the World Cup, the quality of players on the team ust does not compare to a team like the US. As we saw with the end of the second half, the US dominated a team weaker than its own. If the game had been played that way for 90 minutes, the US wouldn't have had to worry about a referee's call ruining what was otherwise an amazing comeback. (I'm not asserting that the US is "a team to beat" but rather that more is expected of these players than what was shown last week.)

On to the Next One: Algeria (Wednesday, 9:30 am, ESPN)

Algeria has played to the best of its ability, yet still finds itself in the cellar of a tight group. Its valiant effort to tie England cannot be forgotten by the US. Though it did not manage to score, the Algerians were able to hold the English to a scoreless draw; something that the US (I'm looking at you, DeMerit) failed to do within the first five minutes versus that very same English side.

My prediction: 2-0 win by the US, with Altidore and Donovan capitalizing on the space that the two will generate in the Algerian defense.

Quote of the Week and Random Eagles Stat of the Week

Well, by our count -- and please correct us and add on if we are forgetting anyone, which is surely possible -- the Vikings' signing of Ryan Moats today means Moats is the seventh member of the 2005 Philadelphia Eagles (yes, Childress' last year with that organization before coming over as head coach of the Vikings) to subsequently sign a contract with the Vikings.

-Michael Rand, "RandBall", www.startribune.com

I kind of realized this fact but it's amazing when you really look at the names. Ryan Moats, Greg Lewis, Koy Detmer, Billy McMullen, Mike McMahon, Lito Sheppard and Artis Hicks.

Everyone but Koy Detmer and Mike McMahon are unsurprising. McMullen was traded to the Vikings, Moats just signed, Lewis had that big catch for them last year, Sheppard recently signed with them, Hicks played a bit for them before moving on to, once again, line up in front of McNabb (in Washington). Detmer apparently wasn't even in Minnesota long enough to record a week's worth of pay and McMahon had a 27.3 passer rating before being cut from the team.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/96409839.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DU2EPaL_V_9E7ODiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU