5 Pre-Season Positives

No, this is not about drug tests! I have been sporadically watching games and sports shows all week and am excited by many of the players I have seen.

Jimmy Clausen - I realize it is a little early to start making proclamations, but I like his swagger a lot better at Carolina than I did at Notre Dame. He seemed to have dropped what I saw as a whiny and cocky attitude and traded it in for a quietly confident presence on the field. His game face is pretty intimidating too. I do not know if he will take the QB spot from Moore, but it does have that Sanchez-Jets feel of last season. Plus, I love watching a good rain-game!

Tim Tebow - I am glad he shaved off the Friar Tuck 'do. I have now idea why I want this guy to do well. I have always disliked the Bronchos, McDanials is a chip off the ole' Belichick, and anyone who knows me knows I do not participate in evangelical worship or public displays of do-gooding. I just plain like a guy who has an honest conviction, a willingness to go with the flow, and an eagerness to change what is familiar for the betterment of self and team. Watching him is entertaining, especially since he can play rough and tumble.

Victor Cruz - Was it 3 one-handed catches? I lost count. There is something extra-special about an undraft stud working his heart out at camp for a job. If the Giants do not take this guy, they have lost their minds. I combine Cruz with the Giant's win at Meadowlands 2.0 into the same positive pre-season moment since he is largely responsible for the inaugural defeat!

Tony Dungy - Calling out Rex Ryan's bombastic, obscenity-laden, and attention-seeking behavior in Hard Knocks specifically may sound sanctimonious and hypocritical to some, but the cursing and showboating is annoying to many people in the league. Since Dungy is not coaching anymore and is an analyst, he has the freedom to speak his mind. Plus, his opinion resulted in Rex's daddy getting defensive and showing his own insecurities by insinuating Dungy is a nobody. Sunrise, sunset.

Lost Treasures of NFL Films - We stumbled across this show one night and it is an amazing 5-part documentary from 1999 about the evolution of NFL films and football from the 1960s. The footage had never been shown before because the films had been accumulating dust in a storage room for a couple of decades. They compiled other "Lost Treasure" seasons and you can find some of them on Hulu, otherwise they have this On Demand on the NFL network.