Today is the 4th of July. July 4th, 2008 — also known to Americans as Independence Day. Most of the younger generation think it is because Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum kicked ass on some alien booty but the real story goes a bit further back.
But this blog is not for teaching history, no matter how badly needed.
Still on this special day of indenpendence it is fitting we look to those we will be cheering or jeering in the fall and see whose story might relate well to today’s historic significance.
Jared Allen tops my list of those for whom today holds a special meaning. I mean to escape the Chiefs and land on a team that could be competing for the NFC title has to be a great feeling. But Allen is far from the only NFL player that has escaped an intolerable situation to find themselve in the 2008 version of the Promised Land.
WR Jerry Porter escapes the Black Hole and lands with the playoff contender Jaguars. Lest we forget this is the same player that scored nine TDs in both 2002 and 2004 and had a decent 2005 before landing in a doghouse so deeply that he was inactive for 12 games in 2006. Now he finds himself playing with a quarterback that is accurate and on a team that has a solid running game that will force an honoring of the play action pass. Today must have special meaning for Mr. Porter.
Bernard Berrian also has to be filling that life is good. Even if his personal numbers go down, he is much more likely to get a playoff check in Minnesota than he ever was in Chicago. And I am one that believes Tavaris Jackson will improve this year — at least enough to allow Berrian to match, and likely exceed, his career high numbers achieved on a dysfunctional Bears team in 2007.
So, on this day of independence, let us give thanks to opportunities to win — which, after all, is (according to Herm Edwards) why we play the game!
Tags: Chicago Bears, Fantasy Football, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders
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