Now for comparison, take a look at Barry Sanders Jr’s high school highlight reel from 2009 … including a bonus highlight reel of Sanders’ pro career.  Seems the ol’ apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

Instead of making the trip to Radio City Music Hall, Syracuse OL Justin Pugh hosted a party with friends and family last night at his home in Pennsylvania to take in the proceedings at the 2013 NFL Draft. And as you can see from the video below, being surrounded by the ones you love can make the greatest moment of your life all that much more special.

Watch as Pugh – a lifelong Eagles fan – takes the call from the New York front office informing him that he’s the newest member of the Giants. As family members scramble to find the remote control, Pugh makes pleasantries with new head coach and fellow Orangeman Tom Coughlin, all while barely being able to contain his excitement over the phone. It’s certainly a stark contrast to the intensity and formality of the green room, where your every move is under a microscope for all the world to see. Heck, just ask Geno Smith.

But be sure to stick around to the end of the clip, because the moment he hangs up the phone (1:50) is pure magic, as his friends explode on Pugh in celebration … despite their conflicted feelings as Eagles fans. In fact, check out his buddy to the left at around :20 when Pugh says “That’s done with, I’m excited to become a Giant”.  Poor guy goes from elation to confusion in .3 seconds once he realizes the implications of having to root for the Giants now. Classic.

This type of emotion is what the draft is all about, and if you don’t get goosebumps watching this, I don’t know what to tell you.

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Well, with the NFL draft kicking off tonight in Manhattan, the folks over at Football Nation decided to get in on the act and prank some die-hard football fans waiting in line for the event.  And sure enough, these draftniks – who have theoretically studied up on the eligible players for months – fell for it hard, professing their love for non-existant athletes like Curvin Johnson (Calvin’s brother!) and Buster Highman.

So yeah, people are idiots everywhere.

(via blacksportsonline.com)

JaMarcus Russell is widely considered the biggest draft bust in NFL history.

His precipitous fall from #1 overall draft pick out of LSU in 2007 to an overweight, codine-abusing washout after just three seasons is well-documented (including by us, multiple times), but the one thing that’s missing from most stories about Russell is the human element.  What, exactly, caused someone with the world in the palm of his hands to throw it all way for some fast food and sizzurp? And how could it have all fallen apart so quickly?

This ESPN special, entitled “Jamarcus Russell, Waking Up” provides the most insight yet into the mind of Russell, from his high school days to LSU and through his darkest days in Oakland. It tells about how Russell lost one of his closest uncles – and then another uncle – in the same year (2009), which helped to derail him mentally before his final season with the Raiders. And it shows you a man today who, after three years away from the game, is facing his failures head on and gearing up for a comeback.

Along the way, the feature transforms Russell from a punchline into a sympathetic figure, and one you want to root for. Whether or not Russell will make it back to the NFL remains to be seen (we wouldn’t exactly bet on it), but it’s a reminder that at the end of the day, these gladiators we root for on Sundays are real people too, facing real human struggles. And sometimes we all fall short of the glory, and deserve at least a chance at redemption.

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The Bleacher Report has been following Russell’s comeback attempt closely, and has more exclusive footage of his progress over the past few months, including workouts with former pros QB Jeff Garcia and WR Michael Clayton.

(via snygiants.com)

As the final pick of the 1983 draft out of California, Tuggle was dubbed “Mr. Irrelevant”, and naturally wasn’t expected to make much of an impact in the NFL. But rookie head coach Bill Parcells saw something special in Tuggle, who not only earned a spot on the team, but was names Special Teams player of the year for the Giants in his first year.

“For all the players that I’ve ever coached in my lifetime, there have been a few – John being among them – that had some attributes that you couldn’t see,” recalled Parcells in the documentary. “You had to gain an understanding of this guy’s determination, his will, those kinds of things. Just walking around you don’t gain an appreciation for anything like that. It has to be gained under duress, during times of pain, during times where we all have to go to those dark places and respond.”

Sadly, Tuggle was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 1984, ultimately leading to his death in 1986.  But even though his time was cut short, the impact Tuggle had on his teammates, fans – and particularly on hall-of-famer Parcells – can still be felt today.

WATCH VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP

(via twincities.com)

The Detroit Lions signed Norwegian Kicker Havard Rugland, a.k.a. “Kickalicious”to a 3-year deal worth nearly $1.5 million yesterday … because of course they did.

The Lions have apparently brought Rugland into compete with veteran David Akers based almost entirely on the prowess displayed in his viral trick shot video (see below), which has garnered over 3.1 million views since it was posted in September. Rugland worked out for the Lions last month, and has reportedly been working out with former NFL kicker Michael Husted to prepare him for his tryouts with Detroit and a couple other teams whose scouting departments have devolved into a bunch of people surfing Reddit all day for viral videos (if you guessed the Jets and Browns, you win a prize).

Clearly this is a PR stunt by Detroit, but regardless of what comes of Rugland’s NFL career, the video itself is pretty impressive to watch:

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(via Reddit)

(H/T Reddit/r/nfl)

(via cbssports.com)

As we know, the Tuck Rule was made famous in 2001 when Tom Brady lost the ball after starting a passing motion – but while bringing the ball back down toward his body – during a snowy playoff game against the Oakland Raiders. It allowed a fumbled ball that is moving forward in the hand of a quarterback to be ruled an incomplete pass … an interpretation that flew in the face of common sense every time it was applied. Well after more than 11 years, reason has finally prevailed, and the rule was eliminated by a 29-1-2 vote.

For their part, the victims of that call – the Raiders – have responded to the rule change via Twitter, en Espanol:

Adios, Tuck Rule.

— OAKLAND RAIDERS (@RAIDERS) March 20, 2013

Here’s the full text of what we’ll call the “Helmet rule”, as it is written, which seems to leave plenty of room for interpretation by the officials:

“It is a foul if a runner or tackler initiates forcible contact by delivering a blow with the top/crown of his helmet against an opponent when both players are clearly outside the tackle box (an area extending from tackle to tackle and from three yards beyond the line of scrimmage to the offensive team’s end line). Incidental contact by the helmet of a runner or tackler against an opponent shall not be a foul.”

While many critics are decrying this rule as the end of football as we know it, the key phrases in this rule are the “top/crown of the helmet”, “delivering a blow” and “outside the tackle box”.  Ostensibly, runners will still be able to lower their shoulder and lead with the facemask and hairline in the open field. Proponents say that the rule is designed to eliminate only those plays where the runner drops his head and drives the crown of his helmet into a defender. And this vote also passed overwhelmingly, 31-1 in today’s vote — a  reflection of the league’s commitment to player safety … well, at least putting forth the outward appearance of caring about player safety.

It was a productive day in Phoenix where the owners also voted to amend the rule regarding the illegal throwing of a challenge flag on scoring plays (which are automatically reviewed). The so-called “Jim Schwartz Rule” will penalize a timeout for an illegal challenge, but the play will still be reviewed.

So overall, the owners have basically have eliminated one controversial rule while adding a brand new one for people to freak out about.  Good times.

On Thursday, Seahawks “All-Pro Stanford Graduate” cornerback Richard Sherman went on an epic takedown mission of ESPN’s First Take’s resident loudmouth, Skip Bayless.  And it was as glorious as it was awkward to watch.

(via gamedayr.com)

For years, Bayless has been goading players from the comfort of his First Take pulpit, and with the program becoming more and more about drawing guest athletes into name-calling contests for the sake of ratings, it was only a matter of time before a player decided he had heard enough. And Sherman, known for his on-the-field trash talk, appeared up for the challenge.

After Steven A. Smith opened the interview by asking Sherman how good he really thinks he is, Sherman seemed laser-focused on taking down Bayless, coming at him with a barrage of prepared remarks including “you’ve never accomplished anything”, and culminating with this rant:

“I’m the top of my field. I’m All-Pro. I’m one of the best 22 players in the NFL. You’re going to brush it off, but I don’t think you’re the best 22 anything. In sports. In media. In anything. I think you think more of yourself than you actually can prove. I’ll put it like this. In my 24 years of life, I’m better at life than you.”

Bayless initially attempted to take the criticism in stride and deflect the comparison to Darrelle Revis, but Sherman clearly wasn’t finished with Bayless yet, going on to call him an “ignorant, pompous, egotistical, cretin”, and saying “I’m going to crush you on here in front of everybody because I’m tired of hearing about it.”

It really is worth watching the full exchange below.

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Internet reaction to the incident has been swift, with Bill Simmons tweeting that it was “awful and embarrasing for everyone involved”. But this is exactly the type of thing that Bayless and the First Take producers live for. And even though Sherman tried to keep his cool, at points, he seemed on the verge of tears because he was getting so emotional.  So clearly, Bayless had struck a real nerve here, which is why it was almost painful to watch this unfold on live television.

But for my money, the key quote from this video comes at the end when Sherman tells Bayless he loses credibility when he says that Sherman’s abilities aren’t in the same class as Revis, because he has no facts to back up such a statement. Showing his true colors, Bayless replies, “No I don’t. I gain it!”

And that sad thing is that in his warped view of the world, Skip truly believes that.

(Photo: USA Today via SBNation)

Yes, it’s that time again. Time for the annual the NFL combine … where this year’s crop of top prospects participate in the “underwear olympics” to show their stuff for NFL scouts.

This weekend, the big boys were under the microscope as the offensive linemen took to the field, providing some of the more compelling displays of physical ability you’ll see anywhere, as these 300+ pound behemoths move their bodies in ways much lighter men would be envious of. Don’t laugh - Arkansas-Pine Bluff tackle Terron Armstead set a combine record on Saturday with an unofficial 4.65 40-yard dash. At 6-foot-5, 306-pounds.

Fortunately for us, the good folks over at SBNation compiled this remarkable video of linemen running the 40 yard dash … in slow motion … set to “Chariots of Fire”. Yeah, it’s as good as you’d expect:

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And fortunately, everyone kept their shirts on.