Welcome to Season 3 @ Gridiron Goddess!

hey Football Fiends!

Welcome back!!! I can’t believe this is the 3rd season of football coverage here on my humble little website. I’m looking forward to USC dominating again this year (of course) and to seeing how my Bears and Chargers fare in the NFL this year.

I’ll be updating the USC Schedule and the NFL Schedule over the next week. I’m preparing a column about why I love college football so much and why the sport as we know it is in jeopardy. BCS conference previews will start in about 2-3 weeks. So far the SEC and Pac-10 are handled. I’d really love for fans of the other BCS conference to tell the Gridiron Goddess audience about their conference. So ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and Big East fans — drop me a line at amy at gridiron goddess dot net if you want to write a conference preview.

I’ll be doing some sort of NFL preview – that’s largely still TBD.  Separated at Birth will return this season. My Facebook page will play a big part in this season’s festivities here on Gridiron Goddess.

We’re going to have a lot of fun this season Football Fiends! Any particular features or subjects you’d like to see here on Gridiron Goddess? Drop me a line. I am always open to new ideas.

And now, let me introduce you to the official Mascot of Gridiron Goddess, Sally Bananas:

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL??! I know I am!!

-Your Gridiron Goddess

I’m back..well, almost!

hey Football Fiends!!!

Are you enjoying your summer? I’ve had a good break and am all rested up and ready to attack the 2009-10 NCAA and NFL season.

On July 1st I will kick off Gridiron Goddess’ 3rd season of BCS/NCAA and NFL coverage.  How and what I’ll kick off with are TBD. I’ll be doing some conference previews, some divisional previews and likely a whole lot of speculating on just what kinds of QBs Aaron Corp and Jay Cutler will be for my Trojans and my Bears.

In the meantime – are you a fan of mine on Facebook?  What are you waiting for? Facebook will be an integral part of GG.net’s 3rd season. Perhaps there will even be giveaways and contests and such. You’ll have to tune into GG.net and my FB fan page for all the details this season!

See you next week!!!!

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Check out this great NBA Blog!

Hey Football Fiends,

While I am enjoying a little break from this site,\I thought I’d refer you to a great NBA Blog with a Lakers focus (of course).

Check out The No Look Pass.

I’ll be back soon. I’m figuring around June 1 I’ll resume semi regular posting.

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Hey Lakers fans!

I just discovered Silver Screen and Roll, a basketball blog focusing on the Lakers. Give it a read, I’m enjoying it immensely, especially this post:

Making Sense of These Lakers

-Your Gridiron Goddess

A Gridiron Goddess Administrative Note: Coming soon…

Hello Football Fiends!

I’m going to take maybe another month off before I start writing and posting the BCS and NFL previews for 2009.

I may come back with thoughts on the draft, or on the Lakers in the Playoffs or of how the Cubs are doing, but in general this site will be fairly quiet until June 1st when I unveil my 2009 Pac-10 preview.

Your Gridiron Goddess

The Dawn of a New Era In Chicago

Football Fiends,

It goes without saying, that I am excited about Jay Cutler being a Bear. Are there questions to be asked and answered? Sure. But this is exciting for so many reasons not the least of which is that the Bears, since winning the 1985 Super Bowl, have had 21 different QBs.  21 QBs in 23 years.

The Bears have made huge mistakes in the past few years–getting rid of Thomas Jones but keeping  non producer Cedric Benson. Letting Berrian go and throwing their past support behind Grossman and Orton. Time for them to get their heads out of their asses with a QB who can produce  — and Cutler is 13-1 when the defense holds the opposing team to less than 21. And Chi can do that. D has never been their problem.

And holy God the siege of bad QBs in Chicago is a long one. QBs since Super Bowl winning team’s Jim McMahon:

Tomzack

Harbaugh

Willis

Furrer

Kramer

Walsh

Kreig

Mirer

Stenstrom

Moreno

Matthews

McNown

Miller

Chandler

Burris

Cordell Stewart

Quinn

Hutchinson

Griese

Grossman

Orton

That is the worst list of mediocrity like EVER right there.

Now if the Bears can get a decent 3rd-4th round WR… LOOK OUT!

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Jay Cutler now a CHICAGO BEAR!

Football Fiends,

I can hardly believe my poor beleagured Bears made such a savvy move!!!

I AM STOKED!!!!!

Jay Cutler is a BEAR!!!!!!!

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out Sex Cannon…

Oh holy Hell Football Fiends-

There’s been a lot of news lately for sure. Signing day, Free Agency. So many things to go over. But for now, I have just ONE thing to say:

HALLELUJAH, REX GROSSMAN IS NO LONGER A BEAR.

My prayers have been answered.

Or, you know, half way. Because they still need a QB.

Baby steps, people. Baby Steps.

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Cassel traded to the Chiefs

Matt Cassel was tagged with the franchise player tag early in February and guaranteed a minimum of $14.65 in salary for the 2009 season.  But for this deal to take effect, the New England Patriots had to offer this former Trojan backup a contract.

They didn’t.

The Pats traded Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel  to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2nd round draft pick.

Um, OK.

Look, Cassel did a  BANG UP job of stepping in for the injured Tom Brady this past season. He finished 11-5, with 3,693 yards passing, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. And I am trying to understand this trade. Not being a Pats fan, I’m not so up to date on what’s going on in their front office. Clearly, IMO, they have someone(s) in mind for that 2nd round pick (Clay Matthews perhaps?)

The only thing I can think is that Cassel was given the franchise tag to keep him as an asset to trade as they saw fit.

From NFL.com:

• UFA (Unrestricted free agent) A player who has completed four or more accrued seasons and whose contract has expired.

• RFA (Restricted free agent) A player who has completed three accrued seasons and whose contract has expired.

• EFA (Exclusive restricted FA) A player whose contract expires at a time when he has less than three accrued seasons.

• Franchise A restricted free agent who has been designated as a franchise player.

Matt Cassel is now a Chief. He  immediately replaces Tyler Thigpen as the #1 QB on the depth chart.

I guess the question is: Will the KC OL offer Cassel enough protection for him to perform at the level he did this season with the Patriots? I don’t know. I need to take a look at what’s going on in KC. My gut says No.  Sure, Cassel now has a team to call his very own and is free of being Tom Brady’s backup (and Matt Leinart’s and Carson Palmer’s before that), but how smart is this trade for both Cassel, Vrabel and the Patriots?

I guess what I am trying to  understand is why give him the franchise tag only to trade him weeks later.

Football fiends, I am confused and off to do more research I go. I’ll be back later when I’ve wrapped my brain around this situation.

Be sure to check out how the free agent trades are affecting betting and fantasy leagues over at Sports Intensity.

-Your Gridiron Goddess

Sports Intensity

Hey football fiends!
Have you had a chance to check out my pal’s site Sports Intensity yet?  Sports Intensity aggregates the info of all the best online sports books into one easy to check out place.

I’ve got tons more to say about this fantastic site, will update with all the details tomorrow!

-Your Gridiron Goddess