I want a contract ... this ... big ...

Jaguars Mike Sims-Walker and Titans Chris Johnson held a question / answer panel here at the Interactive Sports Conference in Vegas.  It was a welcomed change from the mobile applications and fantasy sports blogging sessions that have been driving a spike right into my hangover.

Athletes getting paid to show up at a conference to take pictures and answer some softball questions usually doesn’t reveal anything interesting.  But today the head of EA Sports and maker of the Madden video games happened to be in the audience, which lead to some amusing jockeying for player scores.

“I’m the only player with 68 catches last year and only one drop.  My hands rating should be 100 this year.”  Mike Sims-Walker poked.  The response from EA was that he was the top player last year for in-season improvements, so don’t worry about getting some respect.

“My speed should definitely be at 100.”  Chris Johnson added “and on the cover.  No one else deserves to be there but me.  I set the record.”  While I like the bravado, somebody needs to tell him that he’s not in the running as one of the official 3 finalists (Jared Allen, Reggie Wayne, Drew Brees).

Also troubling to Titans fans could be Chris talking about needing a raise.  He said “even though I signed a 5 year contract, nobody has done the things I’ve done in the first two.  Running backs don’t have a long life in this league.  I want to be the top paid offensive player in the league.”  Those are strong words and make it clear that some renegotiating is probably already going on in the background.

I may have been drinking a little too much last night, thank you Evan Williams and Squirt, but the Colts offense was very Chicago Bears like last night.  Conservative play calling, shoddy defense, and bad wide receivers.

How does Jim Caldwell concede the first half by trying to run out the clock and give the Saints another 3 points and confidence going into the locker room?  Did you seem to notice that the guy on the opposite side lines is going for it on 4th down, onside kicking it, and coaching straight from his nut sack?

Rewind a few hours and one of the best tidbits gleamed from the 28 hours of pregame nuttiness was that Sean Payton, while drinking last January, agreed to pony up $250,000 of his personal money to bridge the contract gap and sign defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as a fresh new voice for the team.  Good decision.  This guy is getting an entry right next to Bruce Campbell in my cool book.  A very un-Bears thing to do.

The best receiver in the game, Reggie Wayne, looked average at best last night.  It’s kind of like watching one of your favorite bands of all time show up 40 years older to play the Super Bowl halftime like a wrinkled karaoke version of themselves.

If Pierre Thomas would have gotten one of those late touchdowns he might have pulled down that MVP hardware.  Bookmakers put that at +800 ish before the game, could have been a big payday for some degenerates in Vegas.

Drew Brees is now in the Hall of Fame discussion.  With those big stats the last couple years and now a first ever Super Bowl for New Orleans, he’s building a bullet proof case.

So now everything football related is going to be retarded shouts of “Who Dat?” and fake creole accents.  Ugh.

Nine days until pitchers and catchers report.

Pretty much sums it up.