Rajon Rondo: Has recently helped to raise $76,500 to improving basketball courts in Boston. Through a Red Bull sponsorship, in which $500 was donated every time Rondo made a steal last season, Rondo was able to give some city kids a place to play some basketball so they can learn to be as tough as he is on the court. Osi Umenyiora: Recently underwent orthoscopic surgery on his right knee which will bench the two time pro bowler for 4-6 weeks. The Giants were ranked 29th in defense last year and after weeks of disputing over contract the Giants must... Continue reading

Brandon Jennings: As it looks as if the NBA will be in a lockout even into the regular season, Brandon Jennings doesn't let this fact from keeping him away from the court as he hosts a basketball camp for youths. He even has the time to make a playful jab at Kobe Bryant. Lolo Jones: The American track and field athlete recently underwent spinal surgery, and her doctors report that it went perfectly. Single-lady Jones also talks about a speed-dating episode put on by ESPN, check out the full story here. Jon Vilma: The recent scandal in the Miami Hurricane... Continue reading

Michael Vick: In thee Eagles’ pre-season opener Vick, with 74 passing yards and a touchdown, helped Philadelphia to a 13-6 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Check out the results of other pre-season openers. Dan Uggla: Uggla’s hitting streak makes him one of only thirty five players to have hit in 31 or more consecutive games. Uggla’s improvement from a .185 to a .224 batting average since July 5th may be the biggest turnaround in Atlanta sports history. NFL: It now looks like the second largest market in the nation will finally receive a football team. See if your team may... Continue reading

NFL: Everyone can take a sigh of relief as the NFL lockout has come to an end. However this summer has seen some of the biggest names in football re-sign with a different team. The Patriots once again look like the team to beat with the acquisition of All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and WR Chad Ochocinco. Also, the Philadelphia Eagles have put together what some believe could be Super Bowl contenders; see if you believe the hype of the Eagles “dream team.” NCAAF: The USA Today’s panel of coaches have chosen the Top 25 preseason teams. The Oklahoma Sooners... Continue reading

Yao Ming: The eight time all-star is set to retire. Although he’s only been in 5 games since the 2008-2009 season, almost no one has been a greater symbol to the NBA as Yao Ming has. Check out a look back at his decorated career. Manny Pacquiao: Congrats to Manny Pacquiao for being named the best fighter of 2011 at the nineteenth edition of the ESPY’s. Pacquiao received the same honor in 2011. He beat other boxing greats such as Bernard Hopkins, Sergio Martinez and others to win his second award in this category. Aaron Rodgers: Was able to beat... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent AFC Baltimore ( C ) DC Jimmy Smith is a “character risk” with loads of talent. WO’s Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss will help the Ravens pass attack. DB Chykie Brown could surprise as a DS/DC combo player. DT Pernell McPhee is an underachiever with potential. Buffalo ( B ) Love the idea of taking three Defensive players right out of the gate. DT Marcell Dareus will pay immediate dividends. Thought DC Aaron Williams was overrated but can’t have enough DC depth. OT Chris Hairston and RB Johnny White could both surprise as mid round... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent When building an NFL team, the business approach of “supply and demand” should be the primary thought process of the people in charge. This should really hold true in today’s early rounds of the NFL Draft. When the San Francisco 49ers were building their dynasty in the eighties, they valued certain positions much more than others. QB, DL, OT and DC were the most difficult positions to fill and that is one big reason the team “hit” on future Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott with the 8th overall pick in the 1981 Draft. It was... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent The Arizona Cardinals would love to turn back the clock to April of 2007. That is when the franchise passed on future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson and selected offensive tackle Levi Brown with the fifth overall pick in the draft. It never should have happened. I know. I was there. The Oklahoma running star was the top player on our board that year. An unusual talent. Several scenarios were discussed trying to figure out if Peterson could somehow slip to the fifth pick. He did in fact slip, and instead of taking... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent How is it that NFL teams spend millions of dollars scouting college football players and allow potential "stars" to slip through the cracks and go Undrafted? After spending several years in the NFL myself as a talent scout, I examined a lot of these "steals" and found something in common with most: high production and lack of prototype size. Let's be honest here. Everybody, including me, loves players to be both big, fast and productive. And guess what? Most of these types fly off the Draft Board in the first couple of rounds. What teams... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent Good college football players get overlooked or “missed” each year for a variety of reasons, including lack of size, a medical condition, or even lack of play time due to roster depth. This is what makes NFL Scouting fun, trying to find the next “late round steal” like the Saint's Marques Colston or undrafted gems like Wes Welker, Priest Holmes or Tony Romo. It is impossible to find the “perfect” player. They don’t exist. The following players all have some positive traits to their game but are being overlooked for one reason or another. Most... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent 1. Carolina: Pat Peterson - DC - LSU GM Marty Hurney remains a Jimmy Clausen fan, passes QBs and takes “best player” on Panthers Board. 2. Denver: Marcell Dareus - DT - Alabama Broncos need help badly on both interior lines, opt for the 330 pound behemoth to anchor the Defense. 3. Buffalo: Von Miller - LB - Texas A&M With a 90 year old owner and 70 year old GM, the Bills continue the trend of “reaching” in first, this time taking the overrated pass rusher and sticking with Fitzpatrick at QB in effort... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent Looking back at 8 Draft classes from 2000-2007, I found 44 busts out of a total of 120 Top 15 picks. That is far too many and it is easy to identify the culprit: Red Flags! The two classes with the most “early round” busts are 2003 and 2007 with seven each in the top 15. Ouch! Examining those years, below are the “flags” discussed on each player leading up to the Draft. Some are good players who bust due mainly to medical issues. Several are players with overlooked “red flags.” Almost every single early... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent I have said many times that the first round of the NFL Draft is extremely overrated. It doesn’t take much research to see just how many first round picks never pan out, not to mention top ten picks who bust. Too many people other than the scouts are involved early in the process, like club Presidents and GMs who don’t grade players themselves and wouldn’t know an early rounder from an undrafted free agent. The scouting staff has much more say after the first day and can help identify “hidden gems” later in the Draft.... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent Whatever your fundamentals and beliefs are when evaluating the professional potential of college football players, one simple formula has always been favored by me and has resulted in many more “hits than misses”: The “excitement meter” scale. It sounds very basic and it is. When I put on the tape, just how “excited’ am I at what I am watching? Those of you who have true "passion" for evaluating know precisely what I am talking about. If the excitement creeps upwards on a 1-10 scale then you are likely on to a good football player.... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent Opinions about Cam Newton always seem to focus on his personal life and character. Every “draft guru” I listen to seems to think he has Top Ten ability with character / personality concerns being the big drawback. My view is different. I have no issues with the personality part. The decisions he made at Florida off the field are documented. He seems like a nice enough kid. He likely has “followers” and people that are waiting to “cash in”. That is not entirely new to pro athletes. My biggest concerns with Cam Newton are with... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent The NFL Scouting community owes a great big “thank you” to the Falcons Thomas Dimitroff. After taking over for “lawyer” Rich McKay a few years back, the former scout has turned Atlanta into one of the league’s elite teams in a short period of time while being named Sporting News “executive of the year” twice already. It makes too much sense. Shouldn’t the man at the top of the organizational chart know the value of the potential multimillion dollar investment himself? At last count eleven teams are run by former scouts and most are upper... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent Let it be known that I love Jake Locker’s NFL potential. Opinions are all over the place regarding the former Washington signal caller’s skill set. When I watch him, I see many of the traits Brett Favre possessed coming out of college. The innate ability to make plays outside the pocket is very difficult to find. Many QB’s can stand in the pocket and deliver the ball with good protection. All the great ones, however, can make things happen when protection breaks down by scrambling away from pressure and making big time throws on the... Continue reading

By Dave Razzano, Playmaker Correspondent Unlike last season with QB Sam Bradford possessing all the traits of a star NFL QB, this upcoming Draft is much different as questions surround all potential picks for the Carolina Panthers. Auburn’s Cam Newton and Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert, in my view, are both big time reaches in the first round. It is difficult to draft at the top simply because a lot of it is media and ownership driven. Everyone knows a “franchise” QB is a necessity in terms of winning and that is one big reason so many QB’s become overvalued on draft... Continue reading

Now as we move into next week; next week is a very important week because that is when everything begins to happen. It is the week that you fly into Dallas. It is the week that you feel like when you get off the plane you’re the President of the United States. You walk off the plane and you are greeted by the city and the media. It is when you realize that you are in the biggest show in sport. You will have a chance to perform in front of millions of people worldwide.... Check out the latest @... Continue reading

Interview with Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma by Playmaker Mobile editor Dewey Hammond Continue reading

Veteran NFL scout Dave Razzano breaks down his game of the week: Washington Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles Continue reading

NFL veteran scout Dave Razzano talks about how specific injuries will impact teams this weekend. Who is out? Who is there replacement? What is the impact? Continue reading