5 Fascinating Stories About Past Washington Redskins Players

Whatever happened to your favorite NFL football player, after he retired from the gridiron? Particular teams, such as the Washington Redskins, have had a history of success in the NFL. That includes five Super Bowl appearances, three Super Bowl victories, and 10 Division Championships. In fact, the pro football Hall of Fame includes 22 former Washington Redskins players. Have you ever wondered what happened to past players? What did they do after they hung up their helmets and football cleats? Here is where some Hall of Fame Washington Redskins of yesteryear have been, up until today:

1. Darrel Green (Cornerback): 1983-2002
During his illustrious career with the Redskins, Green grabbed 64 interceptions, ran 621 interception yards, and scored six touchdowns. Green founded the Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation, a religious charity, in 1988. He has also been involved with:

Nfl 2012

• Baltimore-Washington 2012 Summer Olympics board
• NFL September 11th Relief Fund
• Presidential Council on Service and Civic Participation
• Wolf Trap Foundation boards

2. Christian "Sonny" Jurgensen (Quarterback): 1964-1974
Sonny Jurgensen racked up an incredible 32,224 passing yards and 255 touchdowns, during his career with the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. Since retiring from football, Jurgensen has served as a color commentator with CBS television. Along with Sam Huff, another Hall of Fame Redskins player, Jurgensen continues to cover Washington Redskins games, on the radio.

3. Art Monk (Wide Receiver): 1980-1993
Monk was certainly one of the greatest Wide Receivers of all time, set an NFL record for the most consecutive games with a catch (183). Today, Monk has been helping people off the field, as much as he helped his team on the field. Along with three teammates, Monk founded the Good Samaritan Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that provides people with job training. Also, a football camp for youngsters bears his name.

4. John Riggins (Running Back): (1976-1979, 1981-1985)
Nicknamed "The Diesel," Riggins rushed for over 11,300 yards during his career, with an average carry of 3.9 yards. Since retiring, Riggins has appeared in "Guiding Light" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" on TV, as well as some "off-off Broadway" productions. Riggins also served as a commentator of "The John Riggins Show," which ESPN Radio aired in the Washington D.C. area.

5. Charley Taylor (Wide Receiver): 1964-1975, 1977
During his career with the Redskins, Taylor pulled in 649 catches, earned 9,110 receiving yards, and crossed the endzone 79 times. After retiring from the NFL as a player, Taylor served as a scout for the Washington Redskins, and then as a receiver coach for the team, from 1981-1994. Since then, Taylor has served as a consultant to the Washington Redskins, has given formal speeches, and has even sold vehicles and boats.

We often wonder what happened to our favorite music, television, and sports stars, after they retired. For instance, many former Washington Redskins players have donated their time and money, to give back to society. Remember those players as you use your NFL merchandise to cheer on your favorite team!

5 Fascinating Stories About Past Washington Redskins Players

Rick Grantham is an avid NFL fan. Most of Rick's articles focus on Washington Redskins Merchandise [http://www.booyahvillage.com/nfl-washington-redskins.html]. Many articles are related to NFL fan gear [http://www.booyahvillage.com/nfl.html] and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village

Oakland Raiders Draft Analysis

The Oakland Raiders have been the butt of many jokes the past few seasons particularly after their last draft in 2009 and after a decade of incompetence on the football field. Known for taking too many risks in the draft and for drafting players merely based on their potential the Raiders changed course this year and probably had their best draft in ages by actually drafting players based on need and not potential. Raider fans have a lot to be excited about based on the Raiders 2010 draft which was their best in years if not decades!

The Oakland Raiders ended the 2009 season as football team that had all kinds of problems stopping the run as well as running the ball themselves. According to head coach Tom Cable the Raiders were to address the line of scrimmage from both sides of the ball. The plan, according to Cable, was to pick players that had years of experience starting in major college football programs as well as to fill positions of need along the line of scrimmage...

Nfl 2012

The Raiders began the draft by picking inside linebacker Rolando McClain out of Alabama. McClain is a run stuffer and started for Alabama for 3 years as well as called an NFL style defense while at Alabama under Nick Saban. McClain was the best middle linebacker coming out of college and is a great pick for the Raiders because he will help them stop the run which was a major weakness for the team last year.

With their second pick in the draft in the second round, the Raiders selected defensive tackle Lamarr Houston out of Texas. Like McClain, Houston started at Texas for 3 years and played against the best college football players in the country. Both players also played in the BCS National Championship game. Houston is known as an extremely quick run stopper with excellent pursuit along the line of scrimmage. For the second straight pick in the draft the Raiders drafted somebody that should help them against the run and somebody that should be able to step in and start immediately something that the Raiders desperately needed on the defensive side of the ball...

With their two first picks addressing the defense many Raider fans began to wonder if all the other weak areas of the team, particularly the offensive line, would be addressed and the Raiders responded admirably.

With their first pick in the third round the Raiders picked Jared Veldheer a mamoth 6'8", 312 lb. tackle from little known, division 2 college Hillsdale. According to coach Tom Cable, Veldheer should compete for the left tackle spot this year so it should be interesting to see how Veldheer makes the jump from a small college to the NFL.

With their first pick in the fourth round the Raiders picked Bruce Campbell, 6'6" 315 lbs, out of Maryland. A lot of experts saw Bruce Campbell as the first round pick for the Raiders because of his impressive physique and his performance at the NFL combine and because of their propensity in past years to pick players based purely on raw talent. For the Raiders to draft this guy in the fourth round was huge because he could potentially start for them at right guard along the offensive line this season.

Also in the fourth round the Raiders drafted a speedster out of Syracuse by the name of Jacoby Ford. Ford is a little guy but the Raiders plan to use him for returning kicks and punts next season which was another huge area of need for the Raiders - a decent return game on special teams.

But the biggest change the Raiders made on the NFL draft weekend was the trade for recently benched Washington Redskins QB Jason Campbell. For the past few seasons the Raiders have started their number one pick in the 2007 draft JaMarcus Russell who has been nothing short of a huge bust - probably the biggest bust ever in the NFL.

Trading for an NFL caliber starting QB in Jason Campbell and giving up only a fourth round draft pick in the 2012 draft capped off a huge weekend for the Raiders and will surely be remembered by Raiders fans as the weekend the Oakland Raiders officially came back!

Oakland Raiders Draft Analysis

To read all of my posts about the Oakland Raiders and for Raiders gear please visit my website at: Raiders Apparel [http://raidersfootballtalk.com/]

Miami Marlins New Stadium, Desired Effect? Let's Hope So!

In the professional sports world there are multiple options considered when trying to "jumpstart" a franchise. This could consist of a new franchise that is trying to build roots. Or a franchise that has been established for years and is looking to boost interest locally. The methods used to attempt a push by these teams and management is numerous. One of the most recent examples of a struggling franchise working towards a revival is the new and improved Miami Marlins. Will their attempt work to their advantage?

The Miami Marlins started out in 1993 as the Florida Marlins. They have had this name since their beginning until 2011. They have had quite a history for a "young" franchise. Merely 19 years old. This is a young baseball franchise considering some of the historic franchises in baseball. (Boston Red Sox, 1901; Chicago Cubs, 1902) They have shared a bit of success as the World Series Champions in 1997 and 2003. They were the wild card team in each of these seasons, but held off the Cleveland Indians in 1997, and the New York Yankees in 2003 to win titles.

Super Bowl 2012

In 2011, the Marlins took on a new face. They will be playing in a new stadium. Their own. They will no longer have to share a stadium with the Miami Dolphins as they have the past 18 years. Dolphins stadium, or Sun Life Stadium, was sometimes considered to be unfriendly to the game of baseball. Their new stadium is a thing of beauty. It will be featured on Opening Day as the Marlins play the St. Louis Cardinals for Opening Night Baseball. It is one of only 6 retractable roof stadiums in Major League Baseball. It is estimated that up to 70 of the 81 scheduled home games will be played under the roof. The stadium will only seat 37,000 people. This is the 3rd smallest venue in MLB in seating capacity.

In addition to a new stadium the whole look has changed. The Marlins are no longer the Florida Marlins, but the Miami Marlins. Their logo has changed and is now more colorful to represent the cultural aspect Miami has to offer. See their new logo here. They have changed their uniforms to include an Alternate Red top and hat for the 2012 season.

As though a new stadium, uniforms, and logo were not enough to attract new fans, the Miami Marlins added quite a bit of talent in the offseason. With the additions of Jose Reyes, Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle, and Carlos Zombrano they could be a huge force to be reckoned with. They plugged what were seen to be serious holes in their organization with these offseason additions. Coupled with that, Hanley Ramirez - coming off arguable his worst season, will be back with the team and hopefully once again contributing. On top of all this, the Marlins have added one of the most respected, controversial, and outspoken baseball managers in Major League Baseball. Ozzie Guillen. Former Chicago White Sox manager and the subject of many controversial calls, discussions, and tactics ever heard of from a baseball manager. With all this effort made to ensure success, the new-look Miami Marlins could have a season for the ages.

But will they...?

Take a few things into consideration before you make your decision. The market for sports teams in Miami has never really been there. They Miami Heat can be seen as one of the successful attempts to create a profitable sports franchise in Miami. Also, consider past attendance statistics. For 12 of the 19 years that the Marlins have been established they ranked in the bottom 3 teams for attendance numbers. Since their beginning, attendance numbers have ranged from 3+ million (1993) to just over 800,000 (2002).

Try to imagine a team where bringing in a ton of new talent always worked out well. Since we are talking about Miami, consider the Miami Heat and bringing together the "Big 3". Didn't work out so well for them that year. However, they are moving right along now. Consider the NY Jets, who many considered to be a Super Bowl favorite this past year. Tons of talent, but not quite fluid in their operation. Talent and money can only take you so far. There has to be the will to win and a little help on the way.

I truly believe the only hope for Miami is that they believe this is their time to rebuild. They can utilize the draw of a new and beautiful stadium, the acquisition of great talent, a new manager, and the "hope" that this new and improved team will have success. Am I saying they will flop, No! Am I saying they will be an immediate success and contender for the World Series, No! But I am saying that they are taking a step in the right direction. This is a team and a franchise who is looking forward and not in the past. The future in Miami is bright for baseball. So Miami, will you help them succeed? Or will you become a future "Toronto Blue Jays"? It's up to you and your city. You decide! Choose well...

Miami Marlins New Stadium, Desired Effect? Let's Hope So!

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2012 Baltimore Ravens Offseason Needs

The Baltimore Ravens was playing well enough last season to be in striking distance of the Super Bowl, but a dropped Lee Evans touchdown and a 32-yard missed field goal allowed the New England Patriots to sneak in and win the AFC Championship Game. Now the Ravens' fans have to wonder if Ray Lewis and the defense still have what it takes to make another run at a ring in 2012. With a 12-4 record last year, Baltimore took home the No. 2 seed in the AFC and won the AFC North, but all of that is irrelevant now. What the Ravens need to focus on is putting together a team that can contend in 2012. Here are some of the Ravens' big additions and subtractions so far in the offseason, plus a breakdown of their biggest needs heading into the NFL Draft.

Additions:

Super Bowl 2012

S Sean Considine

CB Corey Graham

Subtractions:

DE/OLB Jarret Johnson

G Ben Grubbs

DE/DT Cory Redding

SS Tom Zbikowski

WR Lee Evans

CB Domonique Foxworth

CB Chris Carr

NT Brandon McKinney

Top 5 Needs:

1. Wide Receiver

The Ravens expected too much from Lee Evans last season and he was a major disappointment. As a result, Evans and the team parted ways this offseason. Torrey Smith emerged as legitimate deep threat but, sadly, he isn't versatile enough for anything else. Veteran Anquan Boldin still has some juice left in his game, but his skills are on the decline. Baltimore needs to really shore up the offense by adding some wide outs. Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill and South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery should really be in consideration in the draft's first round.

2. Guard/Center

Although the Ravens were able to bring back center Matt Birk for 2012, they were unable to do the same with left guard Ben Grubbs, as he left for the New Orleans Saints in free agency. Birk could very well retire at season's end, so while the team needs to prioritize a replacement for Grubbs at guard, it also needs to look into adding someone who will be ready to take over at center.

3. Offensive Tackle

Bryant McKinnie is one of the older veterans of the team, as he will turn 33 in September, and his game is now on quite a decline. Right tackle Michael Oher looks to slide back into McKinnie's left tackle spot when the time comes for the Ravens to find a replacement, but the team is in dire need of added depth.

4. Outside Linebacker

When Jarrett Johnson chose to sign with the San Diego Chargers this offseason, the Ravens' need to find an outside linebacker who can put pressure on the quarterback became ultimately more pressing. Terrell Suggs can still be relied upon to do his part, but he needs some help. Sergio Kindle was drafted in the second round of the 2010 with the hopes that he could be the guy, but a freak injury derailed his entire rookie season and he was barely used last year.

5. Inside Linebacker

The Ravens can no longer avoid the inevitable any longer. Although Ray Lewis has played at a ridiculously high level despite coming up in age, the team needs to find a replacement for him at middle linebacker. He missed time due to injuries last year, and he might just miss time again this year if his usage doesn't drop. The Ravens were able to re-sign Jameel McClain, but he isn't the long-term solution. Arizona State's Vontaze Burflict could be the answer that the Ravens need if they are able to pick him in the first round.

2012 Baltimore Ravens Offseason Needs

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NFL Teams to Watch for 2011-2012

Hello my friends..

Those that read my previous article on NFL coaching changes for 2011 also got to bone up on my thoughts on two teams to watch out for that might very well surprise during the upcoming season when it comes to projected regular season wins, the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos. Below you will find my overall final list of teams that I expect to either surpass or fall short of the posted Vegas regular season win totals.

Super Bowl 2012

CLEVELAND: I won't get too detailed with the Brownies in this article as I have already wrote an in-depth piece on them in my previous article, however, with that being said I will indeed lay out a few reasons WHY I fully expect the Brownies to surpass 6.5 wins. First of all, a glance at the final SOS (strength of schedule) from last season reveals that Cleveland actually faced the NFLs third toughest slate of games as evidenced by the fact that the Browns sixteen opponents from last year combined to finish with a winning percentage of .564.

Against last years opponents Cleveland managed to post a record of 5-11 straight up and 5-10-1 ATS, a closer look-see reveals that five of the Brownies eleven straight up losses were by six or less points and lets not forget that Cleveland went into New Orleans and whipped the Saints 30-17, defeated the Patriots 34-14, and gave the Jets all they wanted before losing 20-26.

This year the Brownies are tied with three other teams (Oakland, Giants, Atlanta) for the 19th toughest schedule, in other words, Cleveland is going from playing the 3rd toughest schedule last year to having the 19th toughest schedule this year, is asking Cleveland to win two additional games this year versus last year all that much? I don't think so and especially when considering that Cleveland will get to face the weak NFC West this season in road games at San Francisco and Arizona and will also have fairly easy home dates against the likes of Tenny, Miami, Seattle, St Louis, and Jacksonville.....OVER 6.5 regular season wins.

DENVER: The Broncos are the other team that I have already profiled in my previous article, like Cleveland, I fully expect Denver to surpass the projected regular season win total of 6 that Vegas has set for them. However, unlike the Brownies who have an easier schedule this year versus last year, these Broncos actually have a tougher slate of games this year versus last year.

Denver finished last year with an overall mark of 4-12 straight up and were 5-10-1 ATS, the Broncos faced the NFLs 23rd toughest schedule last year (.488) as computed by league final win/loss results. This year the Broncos are tied with five other teams (Indy, Jags, KC, SD, and Det) for the right to have the leagues 3rd toughest slate of games. So if the Broncos only won four games last year with the 23rd rated schedule, what is it that makes me think they will equal or surpass 6 wins this year with a tougher schedule?

Without getting too in-depth here (read my other article) with regard to the changes that have taken place in Denver, let it suffice to say that having a new sheriff in town (John Fox) will make all the difference as Denver lost four games last year by seven or less points due to fielding a defense that gave up a monster 471 points on the season, which needless to say was the most points allowed by any team. Look for defensive-minded skipper John Fox to have the cure for what ailed last seasons 32nd ranked defense.

In the big picture Vegas isn't stupid, the odds maker knows Denver faces a tougher slate of games this year versus last year, he knows that Denver only won four games last year but yet he sets Denvers regular season win total this year at 5.5 only to have the sharps almost immediately take the number up to 6. New Skipper John Fox likes to play a more conservative game by running the ball more and playing strong defense, this approach by itself will surely help the Broncos turnover margin from last season (- 9) and could mean the difference in a couple of close games.....OVER 6 regular season wins.

MINNESOTA: The Vikings are one of eight teams this season to have a new skipper directing traffic, however, new HC Leslie Frazier with Minny, along with new HC Jason Garrett for Dallas, are the only two new guys that were actually interim HC hold-overs from last season when Minnesota and Dallas both fired their headmen prior to the conclusion of the regular season. This means that both Frazier and Garrett will have a leg up on the other new skippers and especially when it comes to player relations and scheme implementation.

What I pointed out above really doesn't have diddly to do with how each team will actually perform within their own division because no other team within the Vikings or Cowboys division had a head coaching change. The time and place to take advantage of head coaching changes should be based on what spread Vegas places on events that involve teams with new skippers. Never lose sight of the fact that its all about public PERCEPTION.

Joe Public sees a Viking team that finished last year with an overall mark of 6-10 straight up and 5-10-1 ATS, ole Joe views the Vikings as a team influx with regard to last years very distracting Favre saga and the eventual goodbye to HC Brad Childress prior to the seasons end. Ole Joe sees this year the Vikings will have no Favre, no QB Tarvaris Jackson, no WR Sidney Rice, and no DT Pat Williams. Ole Joe is drinking the media koolaid and hearing all the hoopla of how the Vikings divisional rivals will be sooooooo good this year with regard to Green Bay probably going to win back to back Super Bowls, of how both the Bears and Lions are teams to look out for.

Yada yada yada...I also see a Viking team that was in turmoil last year, however, I also see a Viking team that won 13 games the season prior and was a Favre interception away in OT from going to the Super Bowl. I see a pretty good veteran QB in Donovan McNabb donning purple who has something in Minny that he did not have in either Philly or Washington and that is a bonafide upper tier running back to hand the ball off to which will make the opposing team respect the play action passing game even more.

Last season the Vikings faced the leagues eighth toughest schedule and this year are tied with Miami and Houston for having the NFLs tenth toughest schedule based on opponents wins/losses from last year. With all the turmoil going on last year Minny still managed to post a record of 6-10 with three of their losses by five or less points and what I like most is the fact that Minny managed to overcome everything, with regard to the Favre issue and the ouster of HC Childress, to go 3-3 straight up coming down the stretch which is something to build on.

The Vikings three seasonal win tallies prior to last season were 13, 10, and 8 games which is an average of 10.3 wins per year, if we include last years result in a four year average we see that Minny still averaged over 9 wins a year in a four year span and was a playoff team in 2008 and 2009. There is way too much talent and pride on this Viking team to not want to rebound from last year, look for new QB McNabb to protect the ball better and improve on Minnys -11 turnover ratio from last year.....OVER 7 regular season wins.

NEW ENGLAND: The Patriots had a darn good season last year in finishing with an overall mark of 14-3 straight up and 10-6-1 ATS, however, if the truth be told a lot of New Englands success last season was built on simply having the right bounces at the right time going their way with regard to finishing the season with an almost unheard of mega +28 turnover margin.

I wanted to see how teams historically have performed the next season following a season like New England had with regard to finishing with +18 or more in turnover margin and found some startling results. For example, since 1990 there have been a total of 19 NFL teams to finish with a turnover margin of +18 or more, 14 of those 19 teams went on to win less games the following season, meanwhile, three teams had a better record and two teams had the same record as the previous year.

Wanting to refine the results a little further I went back and checked on how teams fared the following season after finishing with +20 or more turnovers in a season, I found that over the same span since 1990 there have only been 8 NFL teams to finish with a +20 or more turnover ratio. All eight teams that finished with a +20 ratio lost more games the next season and 4 of the 8 teams finished with a record of 8-8 the next season and here's the kicker...no team since 1990 that had a +20 turnover ratio or more has gone on to win more than 10 games the next season.

New England won a total of 14 games last season, however, four of their fourteen wins were by four or less points. The Patriots will find the going a little tougher this season with out of division road games at improved Oakland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Denver as well as home dates against San Diego, Dallas, Giants, and Colts. New England usually fields one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and this year will be no different, however, that doesn't change the fact that this is a unit that is getting a little long in the tooth.

To add some depth along the offensive line as well as to start transitioning to new members, the Patriots drafted OT Nate Solder out of Colorado in the first round with the 17th overall pick and then snagged former TCU Horned Frog OG Marcus Cannon with the 138th overall pick. If for some reason Patriot QB Tom Brady goes down and misses any game time the Patriots will be forced to go with third year undrafted free agent back up Brian Hoyer which would not be a good combination with a New England defense that finished last season ranked a shoddy 25th overall and 30th against the pass..translation is that New England needs to score to protect their defense and if Brady goes down I don't think Hoyer has Tom Bradys skill set.....UNDER 11.5 regular season wins.

ATLANTA: The Falcons won the NFC South last season after finishing 13-3 during the regular season, Atlanta also earned a first round bye and homefield advantage for last years playoff round, however, that didn't help them one iota as Green Bay came to Atlanta and exposed the Falcons in a 48-21 drubbing that wasn't even as close as the score might indicate as Green Bay had more first downs 28 to 15, more total yards 442 to 194, and won the TOP (time of possession) battle by a whopping 38:19 to 21:41 difference.

Atlanta was an enigma last year as they somehow managed to finish 13-3 with the NFLs 14th ranked toughest slate of games, however, a closer look-see reveals that these Falcons must have had lady luck shining on them all season long with regard to winning six games by 6 or less points and doing so with a middle of the pack offense and a middle of the pack defense that both finished with a middle of the pack 16th overall ranking. Final regular season statistics show that the Falcon offense averaged 341.19 total yards per game while the Falcon defense allowed on average 332.44 total yards per outing.

How does a team win 13 games during the regular season when their offense only gains 8.75 more yards per game on average than their defense allows? By getting the bounces, thats how. Atlanta finished the regular season with a +14 turnover ratio which allowed them to win games they probably should have lost. During their opening playoff game last year against Green Bay these Falcons didn't get the bounces as they lost the T/O battle 4 to 1 and got smoked 48-21.

Divisional rival New Orleans should re-take this division this season, the Tampa Bay Bucs are on the rise after posting a 10-6 record last year, however, Tampa Bay was another team that had lady luck shining on them with regard to having exactly half their wins (five wins) coming by 3 or less points and finishing with a +9 in T/O ratio. Carolina has to improve on a 2-14 season as they have nowhere to go but up. The Falcons have tough out of division road games at Chicago, at Detroit, at Indy, and at Houston along with tough out of division games when they host Philly, Green Bay, and Minnesota. I really can't see these Falcons winning any more than nine games this season.....UNDER 10.5 regular season wins.

Take care and be well my friend.

Jim

NFL Teams to Watch for 2011-2012

Jim Campbell runs http://www.FootballForecastor.com which has been an internet based sports handicapping service since 1997, you will be hard pressed to find another handicapper that has had the kind of success Jim has had, over the past twelve years he has maintained one of the very best winning percentages of any sports handicapping service.

The Road to Expansion in the MLS

In March 2009, Major League Soccer (MLS) commissioner, Don Garber, announced the addition of two new expansion teams to the MLS soccer program. Vancouver, Canada and Portland, Oregon were the latest additions. The expansion of MLS in the Northwest was met with both excitement and dismay. While seven cities vied for the two 2010 expansion slots, the decision came down to two teams in the same region, the PAC-NW. Some critics felt that the addition of both teams in the Western division creates an unfair advantage for the Western division with 10 teams on their roster vs. the 8 in the Eastern division. Others feel that the addition of these two teams is a way to create rivals, thus increasing competition and fan base. Both expansion teams would have rivals with Seattle and Toronto already in the league. Regardless of the supporters and critics of the expansion, it is clear that the MLS is pushing ahead with expansion.

Major League Soccer, the top level soccer in the US and Canada, was established in 1993 with ten teams. America had hopes of hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup but lacked one requirement, a professional first division league. Since the collapse of the North American Soccer League in 1985 due to over expansion and lack of revenue, the US had been without a professional league. The MLS initial ten teams were chosen carefully and in cities believed to have an already strong soccer market in place according to little league soccer rosters, support of soccer secondary and post-secondary institutions, and sales of soccer equipment and gear. The goal of the MLS was that the ten teams would create a strong core for the league with the ten teams serving as the backbone of the league. Expansion into other cities could be considered after the initial ten teams had a chance to create solid foundations for the MLS. The teams chosen included the Columbus Crew, DC United, NY/NJ Metro Stars, Tampa Bay Mutiny, New England Revolution, Colorado Rapids, Dallas Burn, Kansas City Wiz, Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Clash. By using American Football Leagues stadiums, the league officially began play in April 1996.

Nfl 2012

In 1998 the MLS expanded from ten teams to twelve, adding Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion to the league. After what appeared to be a great start to the league, the MLS experienced problems with fan base, revenue, and floundering attendance. It was also felt that the small number of owners of the twelve teams prevented further expansion. The league responded by replacing MLS Commissioner Doug Logan with Don Garber. Garber came after 16 successful years with the NFL. His first concern was that the MLS needed stadiums of their own. In 1998 not one of the soccer clubs had their own stadiums. He placed an emphasis on the construction of soccer-specific stadiums (SSS) for existing and future teams. In fact, the ability to create an SSS became a requirement for any teams considered for expansion in the following years. Within ten years nearly all MLS teams had a stadium of their own with additional stadiums in the works.

Unfortunately, the financial strain on some of the clubs was too great and in 2002 both Florida teams, the Miami Fusion and the Tampa Bay Mutiny withdrew from the MLS, taking the MLS from twelve teams back to ten. In 2002, the US national team surprised fans with their successful showing at the 2002 World Cup. They reached the semi-quarter finals and played well against soccer giants from around the world. This sparked a renewed interest in soccer at a national level and the MLS saw a spike in game attendance. Cities began showing interest in hosting their own MLS teams and the MLS began its goal of expansion once more.

In 2004 the team announced the addition of two new teams for the 2005 season. Los Angeles became the first city to host two teams with the addition of Chivas USA. This team hoped to gain the support of the Hispanic community and had close ties to the Mexican soccer powerhouse club in Guadalajara, Club Deportivo Guadalajara. The addition of Chivas USA also introduced the first cross-town rivalry, allowing for a local derby game held at the Home Depot Center between the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA. Support for the local derby game was phenomenal and the MLS found a gold mine in rival play. Salt Lake Real was the second expansion team added to the 2005 season. The Real was owned by Dave Checketts, a sports businessman who had helped the Utah Jazz and the New York Knicks make a name in the NBA. He was also the president of Madison Square Gardens.

In 2005 the San Jose Earthquakes were suspended due to lack of an SSS. The MLS relocated them to Houston, Texas where they became the Houston Dynamo. The franchise adamantly declared their resolve to return to San Jose and did so in 2008. The Houston Dynamo was disbanded after the 2006 season and The San Jose earthquakes were reformed in 2007 and played the 2008 season.

In 2007 the MLS expanded into Canada with the Toronto FC. It was initially feared the UEFA, the governing European soccer board, might block this jump across national borders. The UEFA had no objections and the Toronto FC became the first Canadian team in the MLS. Expansion continued and in 2009 the Seattle Sounders were added and in 2010 the Philadelphia Union.

With the addition of the new 2011 teams, the MLS will have eighteen teams. They have also announced their long-term goal of having 20 teams by 2012. Atlanta, Birmingham, Detroit, Miami, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, and St Louis are all teams hoping for one of the two spots in the 2012 expansion. St Louis, Ottawa, and Montreal are the most likely contenders for the slots; however, St Louis has presented some concern over financial backing. New York is a close contender as well, looking on and hoping for one of the slots. Some feel that adding two new teams so close on the heels of the 2011 expansion may be bad for the MLS, adding a financial burden to the league. MLS star player David Beckham, as part of his contract with the MLS, would have the option of owning the 20th team.

Regardless of expansion wars and bids, it is clear that the MLS has found a home in the United States and a fan base to match their enthusiastic goal.

The Road to Expansion in the MLS

Nicole Wardell writes for Gregg Sports in her spare time from being a mother of four. Gregg Sports includes sports gear and apparel for Baseball, Basketball, Soccer and Volleyball.

The Best Draft Picks by the Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are one of the more storied franchises within the NFL. The Colts were founded in 1953 as the Baltimore Colts and moved to Indianapolis in 1983. While in Baltimore the franchise won four NFL Championships and since relocating to Indianapolis the team won Super Bowl XLI in Miami in 2007. There have been a number of great players drafted by the Indianapolis Colts. The best players drafted by the Indianapolis Colts are Marvin Harrison, Raymond Berry and Peyton Manning.

No. 3: Marvin Harrison, WR, (1996 - 2008)

Nfl 2012

Marvin Harrison spent his entire career with the Colts, having been drafted in 1996 with the 19th selection of the first round. The player is described as one of the best catchers of the football and an extremely productive wide receiver. He broke the single-season reception record in 2002 with 143, and is one of four players to record over 1,000 career receptions. He ended up with over 1,000 yards in eight consecutive seasons and he and quarterback Peyton Manning became one of if not the most lethal WR-QB combinations. During his career he was named to eight Pro Bowls and was a six-time first team All-Pro selection. He amassed 14,580 yards receiving, with 1,102 receptions and 128 touchdowns.

No. 2: Raymond Berry, WR, (1956 - 1967)

Berry was selected in the 1956 draft in the 20th round and is what you would consider a sleeper of the draft because he turned out to be a tremendous asset for the Colts and a consistent target for quarterback Johnny Unitas. Berry won two championships with the Colts, becoming a regular starter in his second season. In his career, he led the league in receptions on three occasions. He practiced with Unitas on a constant basis, and preparation and toughness were characteristics for which he was noted. Berry went to six Pro Bowls and retired in 1967 with a then-career reception record of 631. The Hall of Famer will be remembered for the Championship game of 1958, catching 12 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown.

No. 1: Peyton Manning, QB, (1998 - 2011)

Some will consider Peyton Manning in the running for the title of the best quarterback in NFL history despite the current doubt surrounding the future of his playing career. Peyton Manning was drafted first overall by the Colts in the 1998 draft, and the Colts drafted their franchise quarterback of the future with that selection. The former Tennessee player is the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and brother of fellow current NFL quarterback Eli Manning. Peyton Manning holds numerous records for the Colts franchise. These records include career passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass attempts, career wins and pass completions. This great player is the holder of four MVP Awards and 4,000-plus passing yards in consecutive seasons. Peyton Manning's passer rating is ranked in the top four all-time of any NFL quarterback, and he made the second-most consecutive starts in the NFL. He defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI, bringing the first championship to the city of Indianapolis. A player selected to 10 Pro Bowls and five All-Pro first teams, he currently has more than 52,000 passing yards, more than 350 touchdowns, a career completion percentage of 64.9% and an impressive passer rating of more than 90.0.

Peyton Manning basically created who the Indianapolis Colts are today and the whole team has flowed through him ever since. He will be moving on after missing the 2011 season due to injury and being released by the Colts, who will hold the first pick in the 2012 draft and are seeking their next franchise quarterback. Peyton Manning is the best player drafted by the Indianapolis Colts.

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