Thought #1

In an interview with ESPN's Sal Paolantonio LaDainian Tomlinson said he would "absolutely" win a Super Bowl title with the New York Jets, thus backing up his move earlier this year of getting the Jets logo inked on his calve.

Of course anytime an athlete comes out with some type of guarantee of a title or of even a victory, everyone jumps on said athlete's tail. Almost everyone, in a weird way, starts to give the player a hard time about being so overly confident, but why? If I'm a fan of the Jets right now, I'm completely geeked that LT has decided we're winning a ring within two years.

Think about it, there's always that one guy who can date girls out of his league. There is always that one guy who can level up and there is always one E who can land a chick like Sloane. Why can he do this? Because he believes he can. He has the confidence no matter how much the odds look stacked again him that he will be victorious.

Now the trick is that the guy actually has to believe in his statement. For Jets fan, if LT absolutely 100% buys into the statement he just made, then you too should be extremely confident in your chances.

Thought #2

One thing I might not be so confident in if I was Jets fan is the team's potential insurance plan under center.

Reportedly the Jets are looking into signing the nearly 300lb QB JaMarcus Russell, who was cut earlier this year by Oakland who paid him over $5 million for each of his seven wins.

Now come on Rex, are you serious about this? You already have Mark Brunell all but locked up as your veteran back up so what would bringing in JaMarcus possibly do for your team aside from giving you someone to stand beside who will make you look thin?

Maybe the Jets aren't as serious about this as everyone is making it seem. Maybe since JaMarcus was planning on being in town this weekend anyway for the Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest, they figured they might as well give him a few snaps. I'm not sure. I am sure though that Oakland wasted a whole lot of time and money thinking dude would eventually get it and they have seven wins and huge tab to pay off at Golden Corral to show for it.

Thought #3

As Mike Vick hits the headlines again in a negative way thanks to a shooting at his 30th birthday bash in Virginia Beach, Va. early Friday morning. Reportedly the person who fired the shots was an old friend of Mike, who he was prohibited from having contact with as part of his probation agreements. 

Now this brings up a story that seems all too familiar when it comes to athletes getting in trouble of the childhood friend getting the star athlete in trouble. You hear people on both sides of the debate, but typically you hear that the athlete just couldn't leave his childhood friends behind.

I don't get this. You know I had a childhood friend named Ronnie who used to drop his pants and flash kids on the school bus. You know who I don't hang out with as an adult? Ronnie. Don't get me wrong, I wish the guy well, but at some point you just have to cut a guy like that loose before he gets you in trouble by looking up creepy porn sites on your computer.

Same thing with pro athletes. You know you friends. You know what's  good about them and whats bad, and if the bad about them out weighs the good, it's time to say, "sorry man, but you ain't dragging me down." At some point you have to make that decision because you surround yourself with, good or bad, is who you will end up being.

Thought #4

As the NBA free agency talks are on the verge of officially starting tomorrow, the only thing certain is that absolutely no one knows how this is all going to shake out. For that reason I'm going to simply look into the magical Back Porch fountain/bird bath/cigar butt pit and tell you exactly what I see going down.

#1 LeBron James and Chris Bosh end up in Chicago, where they also will pick up a Ronnie Brewer and maybe a Nate Robinson to fill in the gaps.

#2 Carlos Boozer joins Dwayne Wade in Miami, where they also bring in Ray Allen.

#3 The Knicks over pay for Joe Johnson, keep David Lee, while also adding J. J. Redick and Tyrus Thomas, thinking they got a steal.

#4 Amare, Pierce, and Dirk all stay put.

#5 Rudy Gay and John Salmons end up in New Jersey, as the Nets clean up the free agency scraps.