Do you want to argue with him? (Image via Showtime)

Last week, we discovered this photo of former NFL great Herschel Walker at age 48, in training for his second professional MMA fight this coming Saturday. Upon seeing the picture, the internet pretty much went nuts, with cynics lobbing accusations of steroid use while people familiar with Walker’s career weren’t surprised one bit to see this freak of nature still looking so ripped. After all, Walker has been notorious for his insane workout regimen his entire life, doing thousands of pushups and sit-ups every day to stay in shape. And since Herschel also holds a 5th-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and was a member of the USA Olympic Bobsled team after he retired from football, it’s probably safe to say that his physique is all-natural.

Well apparently, Herschel has more than just mixed martial arts on his mind these days. Recently, Walker told the media that he thinks he could still play in the NFL, going so far as to say he could become “the George Foreman of football”. Currently 8th on the NFL’s all-time rushing list, Walker claims he can still run a sub-4.5 40-yard-dash, and could contribute to a team right now if asked:

“Right now, if you asked me if I can play today, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind I can play football, that I can help a team out,” said Walker, whose spent his final three NFL seasons primarily as a receiver and kick returner for the Giants and Cowboys. “I can 100 percent guarantee you I can help a football team out . . .

“I think I’m a better conditioned athlete right now than I was when I was playing. I’m 48 now, and I’m in better shape now than I was in my early 20s playing football.”

While it’s great to think about the possibility of Walker suiting up again in the NFL, it’s probably not very likely that a team is going to offer a contract to someone closing in on 50. Although, Walker was always a threat as a kick returner, so if nothing else he could probably make an impact in the league that way. Let’s just say I wouldn’t bet against him.

If you’re interested in his latest career, FoxSports.com posted this video of Walker discussing his foray into mixed martial arts. Just take a look at the guy and judge for yourself whether or not he could still play pro football:

VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP

Video: Herschel Walker talks MMA

The former Georgia, USFL & NFL great has been training for his second professional MMA fight, which is set to take place on January 29th against Scott Carson. And if there was any question as to whether or not Walker was taking his training seriously, this picture of the 48-year-old Walker at the gym yesterday should silence the doubters:

No, that's not Herschel on the right (Photo via SBnation.com)

Jebus. I don’t envy this Carson guy for having to go into the cage against that. The former Heisman trophy winner has long been infamous for his insane workout regimens, which have obviously translated over to his new career. I mean, just look at the guy, and then remind yourself that he’s FORTY-EIGHT YEARS OLD!

Walker first made his pro MMA debut with Strikeforce in January of 2010, winning his first fight against an unknown named Greg Nagy with ease. Admittedly, I don’t follow the sport, but apparently Carson is a more established fighter with a 4-1 record, and should give a better indication of Walker’s MMA ability. By all accounts, it seems that Walker is very serious about earning his stripes with this fight, and becoming a long-term part of the mixed martial arts world. But he’s not delusional enough to think he can keep fighting guys 25-years his junior … there are rumors abound that this may be his last fight, and that Herschel would like to become a spokesman for the sport after he hangs up the gloves.

Last week, the Jimmy Fallon show decided to bless the Ducks with something that no college football team has ever had before: their very own power ballad. And they got none other than Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach to do the honors. Quite frankly, we’ve had this song running through our head all weekend. It’s frickin’ incredible, and it makes us want to run through a wall for this team.

So without any further adieu, here it is … “Don’t F*ck With The Ducks”:

And just because of this beautiful ballad, we’re throwing our allegiance behind Oregon tonight. GO DUCKS!!!

Once again, if you haven’t been paying attention to the 2010 FIFA World Cup … what are you waiting for??? Wednesday’s 1-0 USA victory over Algeria, sealed by Landon Donovan’s 91st minute score, was without a doubt the biggest moment in US soccer history.  And as the video above illustrates, Donovan’s goal brought together US fans from all over the world unlike any sporting event in recent history.  Tomorrow’s round of 16 match vs Ghana (2:30pm ET) will be the biggest game the US have ever played on the world stage (except for maybe their quarter final appearance in 2002).  So, uh, now would be a good time to tune in.

Let’s face it – if you don’t get goosebumps watching this video, you a) don’t have a pulse b) hate sports or c) are Algerian.  I personally love the guy at 3:22, and the clip gets extra points for using the inspirational montage music from the film Rudy.

But as you watch these fans going mental for a sport that barely makes a blip on the national radar at the professional level, it’s remarkable to think that just moments prior, the sport of soccer was teetering perilously close to losing American fans for good. Had that Algeria game ended in a 0-0 draw, with the US failing to advance to the next round, soccer as a viewer sport would have never recovered in the states. As it stands, there are going to be a lot of kids born this year in California named Landon.

And even if you choose to cynically dismiss this sudden swell of national interest in USA soccer as fleeting patriotic pride, tomorrow’s game is going to be another historical moment in US sports.  So set up your flip cams and be sure to record your reactions to whatever happens for posterity.

England goalkeeper Robert Green makes the biggest mistake of his life in allowing Clint Dempsey's shot to get by him in yesterday's World Cup match (Photo: Elise Amendola/AP, via Boston.com)

In case you’ve been living in a cave for the past few days, the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Friday, and there’s been no shortage of exciting action in the host country of South Africa this weekend.  Yesterday in group play, the US played England to a 1-1 draw, helped greatly by goalkeeper error (see banner photo).  And earlier today, Ghana scored a 1-0 victory over Serbia, marking the first win for an African team in the first World Cup hosted on African soil.   Needless to say, the energy around Johannesburg is unreal right now.

While “soccer” (as it’s known here) has never really caught on at the pro level in the states, pretty much everyone has played the sport as a kid, and you simply can’t deny that the World Cup brings together fans from around the globe like no other event, save possibly the Olympics.  So, apologies if this offends any American football purists out there, but for the next month, much of our attention will be focused on the “other” football being played in South Africa.

Don’t worry, we’ll be keeping an eye on NFL mini-camps for any exciting news … just be sure to let us know when Favre decides whether he’s playing or not.

Oregon has just suspended Blount for the season. Hout was not disciplined by Boise State.

Blount made this apology: “It was just something that I shouldn’t have done. I lost my head.”

Oregon University president Richard Lariviere made this statement: “We do not and will not tolerate the actions that were taken by our player. Oregon’s loyal fans expect and deserve better. The University of Oregon Athletics Department is reviewing the situation and will take appropriate action, reflecting the seriousness of the player’s behavior.”

Here’s what happened:

Brandon Jacobs would not be pleasant to face in the ring

Tim Smith of the New York Daily News tells us that Giants RB Brandon Jacobs has been pursuing one of his other passions in his free time: boxing.

Jacobs, who is known for pummeling defenders on Sundays in the NFL, spent time as an amateur boxer in his home state of Louisiana, and has never lost his love for the sport.  But rather than enter the ring himself and risk his primary source of income, Jacobs will be getting into the business side of the sport as a manager:

“I’ve been wanting to get into the business after I was done playing,” Jacobs said. “If I didn’t fight, I wanted to get into the promotion business, but I hear from people that’s a lot of headaches. So I wanted to do something that was more personable with the fighters.”

Jacobs’ first management client is his long-time friend, and former WBO junior welterweight champion, Kendall Holt.  Showtime recently did a feature of Jacobs & Holt, as a preview to one of Holt’s championship fights. Pretty good stuff:

Jacobs and Holt

Interestingly enough, not only did Holt lose his title to Timothy Bradley in that match (bringing his record to 25-3), but since then he plead guilty to a money laundering charge in New Jersey.  The laundering charge stemmed from drug deals made by his previous manager, Henry Cortes, so if nothing else, Jacobs should at least be a better influence on Holt’s career than Cortes was.  As you can tell from the clip, the man loves his money!

Despite Holt’s issues, Jacobs has developed ties with Top Rank Promotions, who – as the vulture boxing promoters they are – see the potential income from an NFL tie-in.

From the Daily News piece:

Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions said if Jacobs helps the Giants get to another Super Bowl this upcoming season he will do a boxing promotion the day before the game.

“I’d love to play in the Super Bowl and then I’d love to fight for a (boxing) title the next day,” Jacobs said.

Allow me to just say that I wouldn’t want to face Jacobs in the boxing ring.

FoxSports.com has a nice feature on Matt Leinart‘s off-season training regimen – and specifically, his recent Mixed Martial Arts training. Apparently Leinart is not interested in joining the UFC (like every other washed-up NFLer is doing these days), but rather he’s doing it to strengthen his mind and body, to give himself an edge in the NFL.  Looks like he’s working hard … who knows, maybe he’ll even be able to beat out 38-year-old Kurt Warner someday.

The biggest revelation for me from this piece is that Jay Glazer is an MMA trainer, who also works with Jared Allen and other NFL players!  That just blew me away.  I thought he was just another out-of-shape shmuck reporter, but it turns out that not only does he train, but he regularly announces MMA matches, and has even fought himself!  Wow.  I’m genuinely impressed.

You think NFL Athletes are going to John Clayton and asking him for tips  to increase their flexibility and quickness?  Not likely, huh?

Your Tuesday Morning Links:

• Ex Giant Tiki Barber is a forgotten man at NBC [NY Daily News].  As a Giants fan, I can’t tell you how warm and fuzzy this story makes me feel
• Rodney Harrison just retired, and is already trying to make his mark as a broadcaster.  Apparently Rodney thinks the game is turning into a “pansy sport” [Peter King's MMQB]:

“This is football in the National Football League. I hit a guy with my forearm in his throat or his chest area, and they’re trying to fine me. It’s football! [...] Football now is turning into a soft, pansy sport. This is not volleyball! This is not tennis! This is some of the biggest, fastest, strongest men in the world. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

State Farm has been running a commercial for a little while now that features Lebron James in a dream sequence where he signs with the Cleveland Browns and becomes a star in the NFL.

According to Randy Moss, that dream might not be far off from reality. Moss said in an interview with ESPN that he believes Lebron is one of those rare athletes who could succeed as a 2-sport athlete, and could even do better than Antonio Gates – who played basketball in college – in the NFL:

“I see his power and his explosion,” Moss said. “It really translates to the football field. Basketball was my first love. I just chose football because I was able to excel at that a little bit quicker than basketball.

“But looking at him and evaluating his skills and things like that, I don’t think it’d be a problem for him to make the transition from basketball to football.

“I believe that he could be a star in this game.”

Moss might not be too far off. James was an all-state receiver as a sophomore and junior at St. Vincent-St. Mary High in Akron, OH. He quit football as a senior to focus on basketball, and clearly, that has turned out pretty well for James.  But he has said that he still misses the game of football “every day”.  And at 6’8″, and with his freakish combination of size, speed and athleticism, it’s not hard to imagine James beating smaller DBs off the line, and out-reaching them for jump balls in the endzone.

So while everyone is focused on the NBA Playoffs, and hoping for a Lebron vs. Kobe showdown in the finals, it isn’t too much of a pipe dream to envision a future with James lining up against Troy Palomalu, and wondering who would get the better of that match-up.

After the jump, the director’s cut of the “Lebron-as-a-Brown’ State Farm commercial.