Sports Anchor Rafer Weigel

Michael Vick will be back on an NFL roster this year—he just won’t see the field.

Michael Vick is back on the NFL roster. What do you think?

In case you haven’t heard, Vick became a free man today. After serving a 23-month sentence for federal dog fighting charges, Vick will be able to shed his electronic monitoring device and be out of home confinement. Vick’s acts were so heinous it’s hard to get them out of your head. He not only fought dogs but also killed them by drowning or electrocution when they didn’t perform. His sentence though was primarily based on racketeering charges for financing the illegal gambling ring.

With the justice system satisfied next will be Commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell has been known to bring down the hammer, but given that Vick has already been suspended and that he’s out of jail, my guess IS, Roger will let him back. But will a team sign him?

Yes, but in a limited role.

It’s not because of the PR nightmare Vick’s presence might have but that’s part of it. Believe me, if Vick was close to playing at the level at which he used to be, most teams would take that risk. The problem is he’s not. Vick’s out of shape—that’s the real reason he won’t see the field…at least not this year.
He will see a roster though. One team will sign him … but to their practice squad. Each NFL team has an 8-man scout team of players who are there just to simulate plays of the other team. They’re not necessarily good enough to play on Sundays but good enough to pretend to.

While Vick was gone, a new formation sprang up in the NFL—the Wildcat. Miami was the first to use it where a running back lines up in the quarterback position and either runs it himself or hands off. It’s essentially what Vick did his whole career in the NFL but didn’t have a formal name for it.

Someone will pay Vick the minimum NFL salary to run that offense in practice—perhaps a team that plays Miami twice a year like the New York Jets or maybe even Baltimore. Otherwise look to the Raiders to take a gamble on Vick. Owner Al Davis likes to defy convention and do what he wants. Signing Vick would certainly be a bold move.

What do you think? Are you ready to see this man in an NFL jersey?

Does he deserve another chance?

Post a comment below.

Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen

This is the last week of heavy training for the Napa to Sonoma half marathon. I know everybody from Team Challenge is feeling strong, and they should be.

The treadmill: can't live with it, can't live without it.

Bringing attention to Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America by getting ready to run a marathon has been real tough, but totally rewarding. Check out this site to watch a little bit about it.

This past week was hard for me training wise. I had to run 11 miles Sunday, but it was raining hard in Atlanta and it forced me to run the treadmill.

I was stupid, trying to run fast (about 8:30 pace) just to get it over with quicker, and it just about ruined me. I got dehydrated and dizzy, and wanted to quit at mile 8.56, but managed to finish off the 11 miles at a 9:40 pace without firing myself off the back of the mill and through the wall.

I'm happy to kill myself running for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, though. These diseases are being found in children as young as 18 months! An estimated two-thirds to three-fourths of children with Crohn's disease will require one or more operations in their lifetime.

I feel like bringing attention to the foundation is the least I can do when I hear stats like that. If you want to support me by making a donataion to CCFA, please do so here.

This week's training is exceptionally brutal:

Monday: Rest, weights
Tuesday: weights, 5 mile run
Wednesday: weights, 10 1/4 mile sprints with 2 minutes rest between each one
thursday: weights, 3 mile run
Friday: weights, rest
Saturday: 3 mile at 8:20 pace
Sunday: 12 miles (outside this time, no matter what the weather!!)

Sports Anchor Rafer Weigel

Happy Father’s Day. Of all the Hallmark holidays this one by far holds the most meaning for me. The events surrounding it have made me who I am.

Tim and Rafer Weigel.

As a young boy, for my dad and me, Father’s day meant baseball. There were two teams to root for in the city of Chicago, and we took full advantage. We loved the Cubs and the Sox—which is actually a sacrilege. If one team wasn’t in town, then we’d watch the other. We loved being at the park which to us was sacred ground.

I knew every player’s name and number. I scored every game on my scorecard. Every run, hit and error. We were something out of a Norman Rockwell painting: My dad passing his love for the game down to me and I enjoying it so much I chronicled it on paper so I could relive it in my mind over and over again.

My dad loved sports so much that he made a career out of them. He was a sportswriter and sports anchor at the NBC station at that time. But sports were only a small part of who he was. He was a learned man—a man of letters. A graduate of Yale and Northwestern, he was well versed in all the classics. He was also an accomplished pianist and even an enthusiast of the opera. He was a star athlete in college as the starting running back for Yale's football team. He was a true renaissance man.

For him sports weren’t a distraction. They were a way of life (literally) that taught invaluable life lessons. They were about discipline and drive and the pursuit of excellence. They were avenues for achievement and those who excelled were to be admired and respected. Sports were something to be passionate about because to be successful at them you had to have passion.

The irony was, as he got more successful as a sportscaster it became harder for us to go to games. In Chicago, local anchors were rock stars. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Anchorman” it was just like that. People came up to him constantly because he was “kind of a big deal” and our intimate moments suffered.

So instead we went to the press box: He with his briefcase and notepad, and I assisting him any way I could—gathering stat sheets, getting coffee, whatever—just to take in the game together at the park or stadium. In many ways, those moments were even more memorable because that’s when I started learning the job.

The other irony is, I later lost my father on Father’s day. Eight years ago to cancer. That was another defining moment in my life. It was when I chose to follow in his footsteps into this career. Now that passion he once shared with me, I now share with you.

What memories do you have associated with this holiday? What father/son, father/daughter traditions do you remember or would like to share? I’m going to be a father myself in a couple of months and I could use some more suggestions—other than baseball of course.

Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen

It's amazing to me how many people have Crohn's disease or Colitis. Everytime I mention that I'm the honorary Chairman for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, somebody says they know somebody that has the disease.

What songs help you keep your feet moving? Inspire Bob as he trains for his half marathon!

It's a tough one to talk about, no doubt. That is why I am honored to try and spread some awareness of the diseases by running in the Napa to Sonoma half marathon in July. Check out my prior blogs for the info!

So far, my training has been going well. Every time I train for a half marathon, I end up losing about 10-15 pounds (mostly muscle!).

So this time I have been lifting weights just as hard as I used to, and I am still around 200 pounds, my 'fighting weight'. That's good, since I hate losing muscle that takes me so long to develop in the first place.

Anyway, here's the training schedule for this week, remember the race is July 19th!

Monday: weights, no run
Tuesday: weights, 4 mile run
Wednesday: weights, 8 quarter mile sprints (with 2 minute jogs in between the sprints)
Thursday: weights, 3 mile run
Friday: weights, 9 mile run.

Also, I'm looking for some new IPod music to listen to while running. Here's a partial list of the stuff I have on my "Bob's Run" Playlist:

Salute your Solution, the Raconteurs
Strange Times, The Black Keys
A-Punk, Vampire Weekend
Rusty Cage, Johnny Cash version
Whiskey in the Jar, Metallica
Cobrastyle, Teddybears
Riot in the city, White Light Parade
I'm shipping up to Boston, Dropkick Murphies
Gimmie Shelter, Rolling Stones
Vagabond, Greenskeepers

It's a little mix, but if you have anything that would push me through the many walls I encounter during runs, I would appreciate some suggestions! Just leave the name of the song and the artist in the comments field. Many thanks.

Also, if you'd like to donate to the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America, please do so here.

From Writer Keith

We just got news this morning that Patriots safety Rodney Harrison will be retiring today to continue his career as an analyst on NBC to add to their pre-game team that now includes Tiki Barber, Salem barber Dick Simard, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, Paul Lynde, Carrot Top, Charles Nelson Reilly, Dick Butkus, Merlin Olson, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson, and Orko from the “He-Man” series.

Harrison, #37, goes in for a big hit.

As a lifelong Patriots fan I have a few simple words. Thank you, Rodney Harrison. Sure, lots of people thought you may have been a “dirty player” every time you hit some wide receiver out of his shoes. They were just jealous. It’s like you were the basketball equivalent of Danny Ainge.

Everyone hated him unless he was on your team. I’d rather have 52 players with Harrison’s heart than some of these primadonnas. It’s like one sports radio person said: Would you rather have one T.O. or 2 Wes Welker’s? Personally, I’d rather have the guy who will give his all than the guy who cares about himself.

And that is Rodney Harrison. He won a Super Bowl in 2003 and 2004. His first Super Bowl win, he broke his arm and returned to the field to see the last plays. Trainers begged him to stay off of the field, but to heck with that: Rodney would be on the field.

Did he hit a little bit hard in certain situations? Sure he did. But what would you rather have … a safety that pulled back or a guy that would knock the numbers off of someone?

So thank you Rodney Harrison. You’ve helped the most dominant stand in Boston sports history.

From Copy Editor Renee

Alright, I have a theory about why more female tennis players are grunting, and grunting LOUDER during play ...

Venus: The baddest dame in the game.

My theory is pretty simple: Venus & Serena Williams.

Everybody knows they are some of the most powerful players in tennis, among men OR women.

I mean ... Serena's serve has broken records; one was clocked at 129 mph.

Before them, women didn't have to smack the livin' daylights out of the ball just to get it back across the net!

So ... other female players have had to step up their game.

Do you remember ever hearing about Monica Seles or Jennifer Capriati going to the gym to build up muscle???

It's not enough to just play tennis anymore, pro women players are hittin' the gym ... trying to come up with the power to stand a fighting chance in a game that keeps upping the ante.

And when you have to put your ALL into hitting the ball ... you grunt, you holla, you do whatever it takes.

So blame Venus and Serena for all the noise!

Sports Anchor Rafer Weigel

It was the dream match-up so many wanted. Kobe versus Lebron. The league wanted it. TV nation wanted it. Sponsors like Vitamin Water and Nike wanted it. The shoe giant fantasized about it so much it literally made them into puppets.

Even King James couldn't conquer all by himself.

But that dream was deferred thanks to a magic act by the surprise Orlando Magic who ousted James and the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals. It reminded us who were rooting for the star-studded dramatic ending something we knew but forgot:

When it comes to getting an NBA title, it takes two to make a thing go right.

Lebron James is the best player in the game. He’s better all-around than Kobe. He can score, dish, block shots, rebound and hit shots from outside the gym. But the King has left the building because you need TWO elite players to win a championship.

Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen. Magic Johnson had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Larry Bird had Kevin McHale. Kobe won three titles with Shaquille O’Neal and is back again because Pau Gasol has emerged as the second-best big man in the league behind Dwight Howard.

As for the aforementioned Superman, the Magic’s magic re-appearing act came together thanks to another guy named “Rafer”. After Orlando lost All-Star point guard and team leader Jameer Nelson to injury count me as one who thought they were done. But a mid-season trade for Rafer Alston gave Superman his Lois Lane (my apologies to Alston. It was either that or Miss Tessmacher). While he’s not necessarily “elite” Alston has been good enough to get others involved like Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. It won’t be enough to beat the Lakers but it’s enough to face them.

But who did the “Chosen one” have? Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mo Williams, and Delonte West—fine role players but the NBA equivalent of Larry, Darryl and Darryl. They didn’t show up when James needed them and couldn’t provide enough help when they did. If the Cavs are going to win it, the King needs help in his court.

Lebron knows it too. His quick exodus without talking to the media spoke volumes. The good news for them is there are several soon-to-be-available players who could get him there. The bad news is, the Cavs already have one of the highest payrolls. But James himself will be a free agent in 2010. If Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry doesn’t pony up to get him a prime-time playmate, James will likely take his ball and go play somewhere else.

For now, the beleaguered burg of Cleveland stays championship-starved another year. Hopefully the Forest City though can see the forest through the trees. Lebron and the Cavs are close and he is only 24. Jordan didn’t win his first title until he was 28. But until James gets some help … put away the puppets.

Sports Anchor Rafer Weigel

Vick’s possible return to football is an even more hotly debated topic than American Idol’s Kris Allen or Adam Lambert … or so I’m told. It’s certainly much more divisive. And it should be. Vick’s crimes were so gruesome most animals lovers can’t get it out of our heads.

Michael Vick left jail for house arrest. His next step? Trying to get back in the NFL.

But, Vick has served his time and under the rights of the law deserves a chance to turn his life around.

But should he be allowed back in the NFL? Is playing football professionally a privilege or a right?

My opinion will probably upset both sides.

Let the man come back and make a living. Give him the same rights we all deserve after paying our debt to society. Let him turn his life around be a productive member of society and even try and educate others about his mistakes.

Just not in my backyard.

I don’t want to deny a man’s right to work. Just don’t make me root for him on the football field. Don’t put his jersey for sale in my team’s stadium and don’t put that distraction in my team’s locker room—which is the selfish nature of being a fan.

At least I’m being upfront about my double standard.

What do you think about Vick’s possible return to football?

Sports Anchor Larry Smith

For the first time, the NCAA has banned teams from the postseason for failure to make progress in the classroom.

Time to start tossing out some A's along with those spirals.

The football teams from Jacksonville State and University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and the men’s basketball program at Centenary will not be allowed to take participate in the postseason next year. Jacksonville State is appealing the ruling.

None of the teams posted winning records this season and the two football schools compete in the lower Football Championship Series, meaning they are not considered among the “big-time” programs. If they fail to make improvements, their Division One membership could be in jeopardy.

While it’s not a perfect program, the five-year old Academic Progress Report is a step in the right direction. It judges programs over a six-year period and the three receiving this severe punishment were all consistent underachievers. One coach has compared this to “taxing the poor”, and his argument has merit.

The bigger the school; the more revenue generated. The more money in the coffers; the more support services and facilities.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that there were 85 Division One men’s basketball and football teams that were punished, but only ten of them came from the six Bowl Championship Series conferences; the biggest and most powerful (and richest) in the land.

Sports Anchor Rafer Weigel

The NBA Playoffs this year are like an "old-school", pre-1990 action movie, i.e. "Die Hard," "First Blood" or "Death Wish." Great films, but they put you through 45 minutes of "character development" before getting to the good parts.

'King James' hopes to take his team all the way.

For this year's playoffs, just like with those movies, let's fast forward to the good part.

Yeah, there are 16 teams, all vying for that Larry O'Brien Trophy. Good for them. Let's got to the big inevitable finish. Kobe vs. LeBron, in what should be the most anticipated finals' match up since Bird vs. Magic.

No city is more starved for a championship than Cleveland. The last time "The Cleve" saw a pro team hoist a trophy was the Indians winning the World Series in 1948. That's over 60 years folks! That means over half of the people who live in that greater metropolitan area have NEVER experienced a championship.

The Forest City fan bases have had their hearts ripped out so many times it's a wonder they can still find the strength to cheer. From Michael Jordan’s famous shot over Craig Ehlo in the '89 playoffs to John Elway's "The Drive" over the Browns two years earlier.

They call LeBron "The Chosen One." Maybe it's time for him to lead his people out of the sports desert?

Then there's Kobe salivating over proving his critics wrong and finally winning a title without Shaq. "Zen master" Phil Jackson is not-so-Zen about the possibility of becoming the all-time winningest head coach in NBA history. One more ring puts him ahead of legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach with 10 titles.

Unlike the NHL playoffs where getting there will be just as fun (Go Blackhawks!) sadly the NBA's first three rounds look like a waste of time.

No two teams can match up with Cleveland and LA–who both won their first games in their opening rounds this weekend. The Cavs have the best record in the NBA and LA–alone atop the Western Conference–just got even better with center Andrew Bynum back from injury.

Sorry Boston Fans. Part of my accused "anti-Boston agenda" (tongue is in cheek here). Your star forward Kevin Garnett is not healthy and without him you may not get past Chicago. The Baby Bulls surprised everyone by taking game one in the Gah-den Saturday—their 13th win in their last 17 games.

Point guard Derrick Rose is blossoming while becoming a thorn in the Celtics side. He tied Kareem Abdul Jabar for the rookie record for most points in a playoff game at 36. But Kareen didn't have 11 assists.

San Antonio? Sorry kids, but you're not kids anymore. Tony Parker is the only legitimate starter under 30 now that Manu Ginobili is out. Dallas was able to outlast the former world champs with a deeper bench. The Spurs may be put out to pasture after one series.

Portland celebrated just GETTING to the playoffs. After ending their regular season Wednesday, confetti streamed from the stands and a rally was held. A rally?! You can't win if you don't act like you've been there before. Which is why Houston–who has been there before–spanked them in game one.

Orlando's Dwight Howard is probably the third-most exciting player in the league today. But with point guard Jameer Nelson out with a shoulder injury "Superman" doesn't have enough help. Right now, he's "Superman II" going against Zod, the mute guy and the British chick with the go-go boots. The Magic's meltdown in game one against Philly is not a good sign for them.

Denver could make it interesting out West. Chauncy and Melo's 113-84 stinging of the Hornets in game one shows they are on a mission. And it's possible they could take the Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference Finals.

Doesn't the action hero always have to be tested and torn to the brink before coming back victorious?

And when it's all over, the Lakers probably do have the edge over Cleveland. They are the only team to have beaten the Cavs on their home floor this year. And they have more finals and playoff experience.

That's the final battle, the climactic ending. Highlander vs. Highlander. John McClane against Rambo.

That's the one that'll have me saying, "Yippee Ki Yay."