Bears fans have to be excited with the talk that has surfaced in Denver over the last few days that star wideout Brandon Marshall wants to be traded. Of course, Marshall isn’t the first WR to ask for a trade this off-season, and we saw how that worked out. While the odds are slim he is moved, never say never.

If you are the Bears, do you call Denver one more time, with hopes that you can recreate some of this magic?

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Photo - AP

Stallworth, who signed a 7 year, $35 million dollar contract with the Browns last summer, was able to benefit from the victim’s family wishing to put the matter behind them and receive closure from the whole ordeal. According to reports, Stallworth also came to terms with a financial settlement with the family, though the actual amount is unknown. After his release from jail, Stallworth will spend 8 years on probation and have 2 years of house arrest.

Stallworth, who had nowhere near the celebrity status of Michael Vick, killed a human being, and odds are, he will be catching touchdowns from Brady Quinn by Halloween. Maybe it’s me…but are lives of people valued less than animals in 2009?

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On the same day Michael Vick was granted his release from the Atlanta Falcons, rumors around the blogosphere are picking up about the potential of Michael Vick ending up as a Patriot next season. Vick, of course, is interested in going somewhere he can compete for a starting job, but the odds of that happening seem slim right now. The best case scenario for Vick right now is to get on board with a team that has a solid system in place, and zero tolerance for any B.S. Going to New England may also help him when he goes to apply for reinstatement into the league.

NFL Commish Roger Goddell is aware of the possible public relations backlash that could occur if and when Vick is on a NFL field this fall. The only other potential options for Vick to compete for a job this fall seem to be in St. Louis and Minnesota. The Vikings are still hoping and praying Brett Favre decides to come out of retirement though.

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I recently sat down with one of my favorite NFL players, and a fellow Central Michigan alum, Joe Staley, Left Tackle for the San Francisco 49ers.

Mr. Staley may not be a household name just yet, but true football fans appreciate what he has accomplished and he will be an elite offensive lineman before you know it, if he isn’t one already.

Here’s how the interview went down:

-You were a dominant Tackle in the MAC; how hard has it been to adjust to the NFL?

JS: “At first it was crazy. My head was spinning everyday. I think the biggest adjustment at first is the speed the game is played at this level. After you get used to that, the mental aspect comes into play. The blitz schemes, all the different plays and various packages you run them out of, and just grasping what it is to be a professional everyday. I am still working on being more mentally strong as well as technique and the physical aspect of the game.”

-In your rookie season you played with one of the all-time great O-Linemen in Larry Allen. What kinds of things did you learn from him?

JS: “Larry was a man of few words, but when he spoke everyone listened. I learned how to approach practice and as well as the physical nature you need to have to be successful. He was in his last season and he still showed up everyday, would ask questions and work on different little things. That impressed me because he is one of the best to ever play and he was always striving to get better.”

-What is is like playing for Coach Singletary? What are the best aspects?

JS: “Singletary is a very focused and driven coach. He has the respect of every guy on the team and I think that is huge for a head coach. He has played the game at a high level and understands what it takes to be successful. He is very demanding and challenging and I am really looking forward to playing for him.”

-Who is the toughest guy that you have had to block thus far in your career?

JS: “Michael Strahan my rookie season. Although I really struggled against him, I learned a great deal from that game. I got a quick lesson on what it means to be completely prepared for an opponent and the mental makeup it takes every Sunday to succeed. You must go into every game with the mindset that you are superior to anyone you play and almost need to be cocky. I have gone into every game after that believing that if I do what I do best, no one in the NFL can beat me.”

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ProFootballTalk.com broke a story that I thought was very interesting. The Houston Texans franchise are looking into ways to generate more revenue, and have been in talks with Zero Tolerance Entertainment, an adult entertainment (porn) company, to advertise on their jerseys.

Many doubt the offer from the porn developer would be taken seriously, but what if Houston did do it? The Texans would actually be known from something other than Andre Johnson.

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Our first “Quote of the Week” post on SportsOnDrugs.com goes to Chad Johnson (Ocho Cinco), who said he spoke with Carson Palmer Monday for the first time on the phone since the season ended. His quote to the media regarding the convo follows…

“I know people are trying to say we’re mad at each other and all that, but we’re good. We’re like Brokeback Mountain. I’m going to be with Carson so much in July that I’m going to be the nanny (for his new twins).”

I’m glad to see the guys all happy and stuff, but we will see if the tune is the same in Week 6, when the Bengals are sitting in the cellar of the division (again).

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I thought this was a joke when I first read this. Former Falcons Wideout Andre Rison believes he is the greatest to ever play his position. Seriously. Rison, who had as many highlights on the field (15 touchdowns in 2003) as he did off the field (mansion burned down by the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes), was certainly an attention grabber, but G.O.A.T? Check out my unedited, off the cuff, top 40 receivers better than Andre Rison after the jump…

Note: This list is in NO PARTICULAR ORDER, and was literally made with no research or additional prep time.

Jerry Rice
Marvin Harrison
Terrell Owens
Art Monk
Chris Carter
Tim Brown
Torry Holt
Isaac Bruce
Keyshawn Johnson
Andre Reed
Mark Clayton
Michael Irvin
Randy Moss
Steve Largent
Lance Alworth
Chad Johnson
Lynn Swann
Steve Smith
Larry Fitzgerald
Don Hutson

That’s 20 names off the top that are, or will be, better than Rison when it’s all said and done.

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I hope we won’t have to get to a point where every day ESPN or SI.com drop stories like this. The unhealthy media obsession with Favre should be dying down, especially with no news in weeks from the Vikings or Favre’s camp. But we are only in June. 2 Months from now, when teams are in camp preparing for the start of the NFL season, I will guarantee the Favre story will get be brought up once again. Other than the fact it’s good for ratings (People love or hate him) why report on a retired player?

Perhaps constantly bringing him up will make him reconsider his statement, like he has many times before, and have him return to the league, once again. As someone who once enjoyed watching Favre compete in Green Bay, last season was bittersweet. His heroics against the Patriots in New England were legendary, but his massive amount of interceptions and awful passes down the stretch were pitiful.

It’s time, The Vikings, The NFL, and Brett himself, put this story to rest for good.

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We often spend so much time praising the sports franchises that “get it” and run a successful business year after year that we often don’t shine a light on the ones that make their fans go crazy year after year. Sports On Drugs takes time out to highlight the top 5 franchises that are completely inept at putting a winner on the field/court.

5. Los Angeles Clippers
It doesn’t help the Clippers that they are in the second largest media market in the country and share an arena with the Lakers. The fact is that no one in Hollywood cares about them, no matter what free agents they overpay. Their luck may hopefully turn around with the selection of Blake Griffin (we presume) with the first pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, but odds are they will still be lottery bound next year too. The Clippers are the oldest NBA franchise to never appear in the NBA Finals, and one of only four (Bobcats, Thunder, Grizzlies) to never win a title. The other three teams are probably closer than L.A is.

Sad Franchise Fact – 0 NBA Titles, 0 Conference Titles, 0 Division Titles

4. Kansas City Royals
The Royals have gone almost 25 seasons since they tasted postseason success, and in today’s big market free agent era, that streak may not end anytime soon. Since the days of George Brett, KC has had it’s share of young stars, such as Tom “Flash” Gordon, Bo Jackson, David Cone, and Jermaine Dye. Most of their talented young stars left KC and ended up becoming All-Stars. While the Royals often boast one of the smallest payrolls of any team in the big leagues, they haven’t had the same success that another team has had in that same philosophy (Tampa Bay Rays).

Sad Franchise Fact

The Royals had an opportunity to get away from the Yankees, Red Sox and rest of the American League in 1997, when the expansion of MLB occurred. KC declined to switch to the National League, opting to take on more 100 loss seasons at the hands of the Goliaths for another decade.

3. Detroit Lions

In a city desperate for some flair of hope and inspiration, the people of Detroit haven’t found it from the Lions in a long time. The Lions have a storied history as a franchise, if you are old enough to remember their last NFL Championship in 1957. It’s been a decade since Detroit has appeared in the playoffs, and 16 years since the Lions won a division title. The selection of Matt Stafford is the latest in moves made by Lions management to resurrect the franchise. For the sake of Detroit, I hope this one works out.

Sad Franchise Fact – The 2008 Lions completed the first 0-16 season in NFL History, which is a feat we may (thankfully) never see again in our lifetimes.

2. Pittsburgh Pirates – The last time the Pirates won a World Series, I was five months away from entering the World. For fans in Pittsburgh, they luckily have two very well run franchises in the Steelers and Penguins. Pittsburgh has become the premier farm system/minor league-major league team in baseball, as they have carved a niche for developing young talent, letting them blossom, and then trading them away for next to nothing. Ever since their game seven losses in the 1991 and 1992 NLCS, Pittsburgh hasn’t been the same. After that year, the franchise decided winning with established talent would not be their forte’, and the youth movement (and losing) began.

Sad Franchise Fact – Last World Series Title – 1979

1. Oakland Raiders

If Donald Sterling is the worst owner in the NBA, Al Davis has become the worst owner in all of professional sports. Unlike the other four teams on this list, the Raiders have experienced mild success in this decade. Their appearance in SuperBowl XXVII was the highlight of the 2000’s thus far, and their 48-21 beat down at the hands of the Buccaneers began the roll of bad luck to fall on the franchise. Whether it was the lopsided trade that sent Randy Moss to New England for a fourth round pick, or the head coaching fiascos over the past five years, or even the questionable NFL draft selections, Oakland is a team with no identity. Friends of mine tell me there is only one team that matters in California these days, and they play on Saturday (USC Trojans).

Sad Franchise Fact – The once proud Raiders franchise now ranks among the lowest valued NFL franchises, according to Forbes Magazine.

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