James Harris Out for Jags; Bengals GM Postion Open!!

James Harris, who was a key member of the Baltimore Ravens personnel staff before their Super Bowl run, and who helped Jacksonville become one of the strongest teams in the NFL.

The Bengals need a GM. James Harris is the best available man for the job. I want Cincinnati to keep Marvin Lewis as its coach and to sign James Harris as its GM.

Harris was a scout at Tampa Bay from 1987 to '92. He was assistant GM for the Jets from 1993 to '96. He then moved on to the Ravens as director of pro personnel from 1997 till 2003, when he moved to the Jags as the vice president of player personnel.

Let's look at the record. TB never was good while he was there. And several of the draft choices were not that good. But, there were productive, outstanding, and long-lasting choices as well. Vinnie Testaverde, Paul Gruber, Broderick Thomas were the first-round picks in the first few years, and they provided a lot of years. But there were misses as well. Of course, as a scout, no one knows how much Harris was involved in the ultimate choices.

The Jets also weren't any good from 1993 to '96. But the drafts were, as with TB, productive. And they also started to show a trend: Bigger, stronger, tougher, from bigger schools.

In 1997, Baltimore picked up several contributors, Peter Boulware, Jamie Sharper, Kim Herring, Jeff Mitchell, and Cornell Brown. The next year they found Duane Starks at the top of the draft. They were able to find Priest Holmes as well. The next year, Chris McAlister, Brandon Stokley, and Edwin Mulitalo. And they picked up Rod Woodson. In 2000, they drafted Jamal Lewis, Travis Taylor (eh), and, in the sixth round, Adalius Thomas. At tight end, they picked up Shannon Sharpe and Ben Coates, and at defensive tackle, they took Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa. The Ravens won a Super Bowl. After that, there was Todd Heap, Ed Reed, Ed Hartwell, Anthony Weaver, and Chester Taylor.

With Jacksonville, he did a great job. Byron Leftwich, Rashean Mathis, Vince Manuwai, and George Wrighster drafted the first year. Reggie Williams (eh), Daryl Smith, Greg Jones, Ernest Wilford, Josh Scobee, and Bobby McCray the next. OK, Matt Jones the next year (but ... Kahlif Barnes). Marcedes Lewis, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Clint Ingram last year.

I'm ready. Let 'er rip.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Bill of Rights Day is Dec. 15

Bill of Rights Day is Dec. 15 ... today. It's a good time to sit back and reflect that the Bill of Rights is the document that protects our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, our right to bear arms, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and freedom from cruel and unusual punishment -- among other things. The U.S. Constitution was in jeapordy of not being ratified because it didn't protect basic rights adequately. The Bill of Rights was introduced by James Madison and championed by Thomas Jefferson. So please, PLEASE, don't let lesser statesfolks mess with your fundamental rights ... the Bill of Rights ... without you taking a huge part in it. I am a big fan of that First Amendment. I know that there are many folks that are very very concerned with the Second Amendment. Whichever is the Amendment that you are concerned with, make sure that whoever is going to mess with it does so with the utmost care. I happen to think that the Bush Administration fell far short in this regard.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Greg Maddux Column, by Gene Wojciechowski

Greg Maddux retires, and Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN (formerly of the Chicago Tribune, but they let him get away ... huh, wonder why they are in trouble?) writes a great tribute column about the Mad Dog. My favorite Maddux saying has always been, and I paraphrase, "The only thing I worry about is making a good pitch." His entire career summed up in that sentence. He was always only concerned with the next pitch, and all he wanted to do with that pitch is make a good pitch. [[NOTE: Here are some quotes that are close to what I'm talking about that I could find on the Internet Machine. Maddux saying: "I just think about what I have to do to make good pitches. That's it." or “The key tonight?” [Maddux] says. “The key was making more good pitches than bad ones.”]] See ya around, Mad Doggie. The great old picture of Greg Maddux is from spring training 1987 from Woolis.com, a site that all you Cub fans should visit.

Joe Nuxhall Finalist for Ford Frick Award, Announced Dec. 9

Joe Nuxhall is one of the finalists to be named as the Ford Frick Award winner for 2009, which will be announced today. Again, not to say anything to the past several winners of this award, but it would have been nice if Nuxy won the danged thang before he died. Just like it would have been nice if the veterans on the veterans committee would give Ron Santo his due. Nuxy richly deserves the Ford Frick Award according to the criteria. Let's just hope that they give the thing to him.

George Foster, slugger of the Big Red Machine, Turns 60 Dec. 1

George Foster was an amazing slugger, and I was at an early age when I became a big fan of his. It is hard for folks to remember when hitting 50 homers was a landmark event. In 1977, Foster hit 52 homers. It was the first time that someone had broken the 50 mark since Willie Mays in 1965. The runner-up to Foster in 1977, Jeff Burroughs, had 41 homers. Mike Schmidt won the homer crown in 1976 with 38 dingers. In 1974, Schmidt led the league with 36. So when I was young, 52 seemed awesome. He was this skinny guy with a higher than average voice and a huge baseball bat colored jet black named "Black Beauty." He was awesome. Of course, you contrast those numbers with 2001, when Barry Bonds had 73 homers, Sammy Sosa had 64, Luis Gonzalez had 57, and in the A.L. shortstop Alex Rodriguez had 52 homers. Oh well. Foster's 52-homer season is tied for 25th all-time. There are only two guys in baseball history with a 50-homer season who don't really seem to belong ... for one reason or another. I would put Luis Gonzalez in that category, along with Brady Anderson and his 50 homers in 1996. But Foster belonged, and how.