Onan’s Opinion:  Players and teams to keep an eye on

By John Onan  |   Saturday, July 09, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

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We'll begin in Minnesota, where coach Mike Tice was recently leveled with a $100,000 fine for scalping his Super Bowl tickets. Well, can you really blame the guy? Tice is the lowest paid coach in the league at around $1 million a year. I won't even get into the "everybody does it" excuse. But, it would be interesting to see what other NFL personalities would've been exposed if Tice lost his job over this. The bigger issue with Tice will come on the field; he will be fired if this team goes into the tank in the second half of the season once again. If the Vikings didn't defeat Green Bay in the Playoffs last season, he may well have gotten his walking papers.

As I reported earlier, those Terrell Owens for Jerry Porter trade rumors are just that, rumors. First off, the move would put Oakland in "salary cap hell". Porter just signed a huge extension. And, yes, Owens looked healthy when he returned for the Eagles' Super Bowl loss, but there are still uncertainties about T.O.'s ankle. He hasn't been on the field because of his holdout to show if he's 100 % or not. And even Al Davis wouldn't want to mix oil and water (Owens and Randy Moss), would he?

As the preseason approaches, one of the intriqing things to keep an eye on is Ben Roethlisberger. Which Quarterback should we expect to this year? Will it be an efficient second year man who guides the team like an all pro, or will he look they way he did in last year's NFL playoffs, a rookie who can't read defenses? Plaxico Burress' departure won't help matters any either.

Speaking of young QB's, this may be the coming out parties for the Texans David Carr and the Bengals Carson Palmer. Both guys have some nice pieces around them on offense, but their NFL postseason aspirations rest on their respective defenses.

If the Packers struggle this season, you can blame one person, Drew Rosenhaus. It would be a real shame if Brett Favre's career has to close out this way. Rosenhaus represents Javon Walker, who has already participated in a spitting match with management. And now Grady Jackson is unhappy. How long before Najeh Davenport (who also wants a new deal, but isn't holding out), becomes discontented because he doesn't get enough touches playing behind Ahman Green? Maybe Favre's biggest fan, John Madden, will step in and put a foot in Rosenhaus' butt.

But, that's just Onan's opinion. I could be wrong.
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