First off, the NFL has hired the Pennsylvania state police chief, Col Jeffrey Miller, to head up their new stadium security dept.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL hired Pennsylvania's state police chief for a new position that will cover all aspects of stadium security from fan behavior to signal stealing.
But Col. Jeffrey Miller, who begins work as director of strategic security Aug. 18, said Tuesday there was far more to the job than ensuring no repeat of the episode last year involving the New England Patriots.
"I think it's safe to say that the league is obviously sensitive to any issue which could affect the integrity of the product that they put out on the field," Miller said at a news conference in Harrisburg, Pa. "Obviously, I wasn't in the room when they worked this all out, but it is a new security director position and it's going to cross over a number of different areas."
Those areas will include overseeing pregame security screening, initiated by the league after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as well as fan behavior, an area commissioner Roger Goodell stressed last spring at the annual league meeting.
Does anyone else think this might have just a little to do with all the sabre rattling done by PA senator Arlen Spector this summer? I don't think there's any doubt about it. Reading between the lines here this certainly looks like a case of Spector telling the NFL they need to do something about security and strongly suggesting they look at the PA state police cheif, who you have to assume Spector knows.
That's the conspiracy theory portion of today's post... and now to the computer theory portion. Dave over at Eagle Scout got an advance copy of Pro Football prospectus which lists win projections for all NFL teams. Good news!
Ready for a shock?
The Birds mean win projection is 11.7 - highest in the NFC.
Check out his site for more of the projections... I think it's safe to say that our rivals will be probably be none too happy with Pro Football Prospectus has to say about them...
And I'd be remiss if I didn't direct you to NorthPhillyKid's harrowing and brilliant fanpost today. It's an absolute must read with a twist worthy of another Philly kid, M. Night Shymalan.