Panthers rookie QB Clausen will compete for starting job

The Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen is not as hot topic as some other quarterbacks from the same round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Being compared to No.1 first overall draft pick Sam Bradford and the most high-profile Tim Tebow, Clausen has always been ignored when people are talking about the most prominent rookie quarterbacks. However, the Brett Favre jersey lover will possibly attract most attention when the regular season begins because he may be the first rookie quarterback of his class to get a starting job.

The Panthers had second-year quarterback Matt Moore replace starting quarterback Jake Delhomme late in 2009 season. While Moore did not make any significant mistake as a replacement, he neither showed much talent in dealing with the starting role. He is too young and has little more experience than a rookie quarterback like Clausen. With Delhomme leaving to put on Minnesota Vikings jersey, the Panthers do not have many choices in starting quarterback, and their best choice is one of the two young quarterbacks. So a competition between Moore and Clausen is inevitable any way.

So Clausen will enter the training camp to compete for a starting job. No matter who wins the job at last, the Panthers will just get a clearer view of both quarterbacks. The winner must be the stronger one and will give the team more chance to win.

JaMarcus Russell still wants to stay in NFL

Although it seems that quarterback JaMarcus Russell has run out of his chances to join a team, the three years veteran still keeps his hope alive for staying with the league. And in order to stay, he even chose to turn down offers from other league, such as the United Football League.

Along with several other unemployed NFL players, Russell is listed on the Omaha Nighthawks' "provisional roster" after he was released by the Oakland Raiders in early offseason. The former first overall draft pick did not prove anything in his three-year tenure with the team. Weight issues and general ineffectiveness on the field caused him to lose favors with all supporters and is not considered one of the biggest draft pick bust. To make things worse, Russell was involved in a legal trouble last week, preventing even more teams from contacting him for possible cooperation.

Russell was last seen in a Brett Favre jersey with his lawyer, who has expressed confidence that the strong-armed former LSU star will be exonerated. Whatever, we will see if he can make it on July 20, when Russell is going to appear on court for a trial.

Dolphins want to bring LB Taylor back to Miami

Although the Miami Dolphins just did not re-sign linebacker Jason Taylor when he became an unrestricted free agent and allowed him to sign with another NFL team that will return in regular season to play against Taylor’s former team, the Dolphins now seem to regret for the wrong decision and showed intention to bring the linebacker back to Miami, to receive the honor of being a member of the team’s Ring of Honor.

It was said by former Dolphins receiver Nat Moore, who will be a member of the selection committee. At least Moore’s words would clear Taylor’s worries on what response he would receive from his former fans when his current team New York Jets visits the Dolphins this September.

"Hopefully, some of the things I've done down here will earn me some equity,'' Taylor said."But it's the Dolphins playing the Jets and I won't expect much. My wife will be there, so she'll cheer wearing her favorite Brett Favre jersey. I've got a few friends I'm going to buy tickets for, so they'll cheer.'"

Besides, there were a lot of fans hoping the Dolphins to resign Taylor during this offseason and they won’t blame Taylor for leaving them. These fans will definitely offer some cheers for Taylor during the game.

Working at home could be hard, too

Many people may think those earning money by working at home could have much easier life than themselves. But not all at-home jobs are easy and cost only brain cells. But considering that you can have your own time schedule so that you will not miss the NFL season and waste your money on Brett Favre jersey, working at home is still a better idea than commuting everyday to workplace.

Self-employed massage therapists should be taken as manual workers and their job really requires of hard physical efforts as well as good techniques. But in modern society, therapists are popular and needed by many people as they can help clients reduce stress, relax overworked muscles and recover from injury through various massage techniques. Still, manual workers earn much less than brainworker and a massage therapists average annual salary is around $40,000.

Comparing to massage therapist, self-employed customer service representatives is even a harder at-home job as we all know dealing with complaining customers is far from easy to do. Besides, companies hire at-home customer service representatives to cut cost so doing such a job means you earn less than those working in company offices. Their average annual salary is about $32,000.

Vikings Coach does not take Twitter trash talk seriously

It’s been quite a few days since the New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper started the twitter trash talks with his former Minnesota Vikings teammates, however, the trash talk could be only for fun, as the Vikings head coach Brad Childress recently said that he was not concerned with the verbal war.

Childress said that the word exchanges in cyberspace was mostly for fun and he know well that Sharper had a good relationship with Visanthe Shiancoe, Sharper’s major rival in the verbal war. Besides, Sharper also used to be Brett Favre’s teammate in the Green Bay Packers, and he could not be serious when saying that Favre’s surgically repaired ankle had been an X Mark to him. “He should be happy for seeing the quarterback wearing back his No.4 Brett Favre jersey,” Childress said. “He was joking about the ankle because he knew that would attract attention.”

Childress did not seem worried at all that the twitter fight could affect Shiancoe’s playing status, even though the tight end missed Wednesday’s optional team practice. Inevitably, Childress was asked about Favre’s playing status, and the coach said that they were still waiting for the quarterback’s final decision.

Brett Favre was told not to retire by former teammate

Brett Favre’s struggle with retirement actually began in 2006 offseason, after the Green Bay Packers finished the previous 4-12. At that time Favre was undecided for real sense and asked his former teammates for advices. He eventually returned as all his most respected teammates told him not to retire.

Frank Winters, Antonio Freeman and Santana Dotson were playing with Favre when he led the Packers to a Super Bowl XXXI championship. They all knew well that Favre loves fishing, hunting, golfing and especially football so much that retirement would cause him to fall into depression. They understood that Favre actually did not like the idea of walking away but he was only worrying about whether he was still able to win as people expected him to do. These former teammates’ advices worked well and Favre eventually work back his Brett Favre jersey for 2006 season as they made him to be more confident with what he could still do at age 37.

Nowadays, Favre needs no more advice from friends or teammates on his decision to retire or return. He has already proved that he could still win at age 40, so he is likely to return for his 20th NFL season, with different teammates. That could be the only thing his former teammates unwilling to see.

Brett Favre wants a salary raise for return

With so many people waiting for his decision, Brett Favre seems to enjoy the attentions paid to him and the discussions about him. We are not sure how longer he will go on with this game, but the real thing he wants is very likely to be more money.

While the Minnesota Vikings said that they had enough patience to wait for Favre’s decision, their patience was actually used for the negotiation on contract modifying. Leading the Vikings to the playoffs last season, Favre proved what he could still do at age 40 and wanted the team to reconsider the original contract terms they signed during the 2009 offseason. However, as we know, heavy investment on an over-aged quarterback is extremely risky and both the quarterback and the team needs long enough time to reach something that is for both sides’ most possible benefits.

What’s odd here is that the Vikings still have two other quarterbacks available for a starting role even if the No. 4 Brett Favre jersey is not to be with the team for the 2010 season, but they still focus on Favre only. If the team really thinks Favre the best starting quarterback they could have, why are they hesitating to make more generous offer? Well, that’s the team’s logic to give less than they could afford unless they lose their advantages.