The Week After aka The Worst Sunday Ever

Well this is it, the worst Sunday of the year is here. With the ending of Super Bowl XLIV the 2009 NFL season is over. So now what? Normally we would all be awake early this Sunday morning pumped up for some football. If your team is playing a home game you may be up as early as 5AM packing up food and drink and getting ready to head out to your favorite tailgate party spot. If your team is on the road no worries it is time to get up and watch NFL Network, followed by some ESPN GameDay, and possibly some Fox Pregame with good ole boy Terry Bradshaw before your squad takes the field. Your biggest concern is are the wings defrausted and is the beer cold?

Well that was then and this is now, the first Sunday after the season, also known as the worst sunday of the year. To compound matters the cruel trick of this being Valentine's Day is really like a kick to the groin. As fate would have it we can't even sleep in, we have new honey do lists, and a romantic day to plan. I ask the football Gods how can this be?

I have to blame someone on a day like this, so I have selected Roger Goodell for my wrath. Roger I don't care about the NFL Pro Bowl but how could you move it in front of the Super Bowl? We have all lost our buffer which was the Pro Bowl after the Super Bowl, another week to see our stars and imagine how great next season will be. Way to go Roger!

We now all face six LONG months without NFL football. Well never fear, as all true NFL fans know the NFL season is never over. The NFL Scouting Combine will be starting next Wednesday February 24th in Indianapolis. Over three hundred of the very best college football players will be on NFL Network all day long everyday for a week. This will quickly be followed by the start of free agency. The free agent period will lead to the 2010 NFL Draft in late April. From there we will wait for our teams to sign the newly signed stars and have some OTAs. This is a great time to start getting your 2010 fantasy football draft plans in place. From there we will head into training camp in late July followed closely by preseason football in early August. Can't you almost smell the brautwurst cooking already, I can!

The Steven Jackson report on 101 ESPN

Every week Steven Jackson will do a call-in feature on “The Fast Lane” at 5pm CST on 101 ESPN. I was able to catch the show tonight. The hosts Bob Ramsey, Randy Karraker, and DeMarco Farr will ask Steven questions about the St. Louis Rams previous game. I will summarize below:

On the chippy play and conflicts with Aaron Curry, Steven Jackson said it was the 1st game, and it was just guys being competitive.

About the hit on Bulger, Jackson was quick to say this team will not lay down, they will fight to the end. The Rams want to focus on 2009, not the 5-27 over the previous two season.

What happens in the huddle when all of the false starts and personal fouls are happening? Jackson basically said nobody gets yelled at they just say come on team or come on Rams we know better we need to play smarter. He said they don't want to step on individual toes in those situations. I don't know why it is apparent someone needs to talk to Richie Incognito.

On the O-line performance, Jackson simply said the Seattle Seahawks were prepared.

About the hit on Mark Bulger, Jackson said they are not going to let another team try to intimidate them, and they will protect their QB. A few first downs would have protected him better if you ask me.

On his off day (Tuesday) he likes to spend time with his family and just do normal things.

They asked about his running style and if there was any daylight on the running plays. Jackson again just pointed out that Seattle played well.

When asked a dumb question about how the loss of Brian Urlacher from the Chicago Bears would affect their defense, Jackson said he is worried about Albert Haynesworth and the Washington Redskins.

101 ESPN's Salute to Black History

St. Louis' newest radio station, 101 ESPN, will be marking Black History Month in February with special programming honoring African-American athletes, their legacy and contributions to the history of Sports.

"101 ESPN's Salute to Black History" will spotlight the 10 most influential African-Americans in Sports History. The series' three segments will air from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm on Sundays, February 8, 15 and 22, 2009.

The series will be hosted by St. Louis American Editor Alvin Reid and 101 ESPN's Brian Stull. Other 101 ESPN on-air hosts will contribute to the series as part of the roundtable panel, including St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports columnist Bryan Burwell, KSDK Sports Director Rene Knott, and former St. Louis Ram D'Marco Farr.