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GRID IRON…I don’t know how good the aging New England Patriots will be this year, but it is clear that Tom Brady is a man on a mission. Whether he’s disgruntled at being usurped in the headlines by young guns like Drew Brees and Matt Schaub, or just embarrassed after some genuinely timid displays last year, Brady is playing with the confidence and verve that characterized his Superbowl runs…

…a bombshell from Baltimore; Ed Reed, expected to be out for the first six to eight weeks of the season, is now suggesting he will be ready for week one. The Ravens are desperate for help in their secondary and a healthy, maniacal Reed, one of the greatest safeties of his generation, propels the Ravens to the front of the AFC line…

…it’s St Louis, right? Playing an excellent match last night against the Pats, spirits rising etc, wideout Donnie Avery suddenly blows out his knee and could be gone for a very long time. The Rams have no depth at receiver and will now look to rookie Mardy Gilyard to fill the vacancy. Oh…that’s when Gilyard recovers from the myriad of injuries that have kept him on the sidelines…it’s always raining in the Gateway City…

…so, Green Bay running back Ryan Grant suffers a “minor” concussion about two weeks ago. But there he is, toiling away last night against Indianapolis when, suddenly, WHACK, he’s spilled by the vicious, and wholly reconstructed, Bob Sanders. What would you do? What would a reasonably cognizant human being do with the vitally important Mr Grant? Somehow leaving him in the game, giving him the ball on the next play and allowing him to get smashed again so hard he fumbles, just doesn’t seem to be the correct answer…

…”quiet” teams that could be poised for very good years include Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Francisco, Miami and Tennessee…

…not a fan of Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck? Tune in Saturday night when Minnesota’s Jared Allen will line up against, well, whoever the Seahawks can find at left tackle. Should be ugly, early…

…the New York Jets two “free” games last year were against Oakland (38-0 win) and Cinci (37-0 win). Those slots this year are filled by (at) Denver and Houston. The Jets were 3-1 against the AFC South, but this year draw the AFC North, where 2-2 is a far more likely result (losses to Pittsburgh and Baltimore?) This team has a more difficult road to travel this season and, considering they were a tremulous 9-7 last year, it is a matter of extreme importance to get Darrelle Revis back in the line-up…

…forgotten man this year?  New Miami Dolphin defensive co-ordinator Mike Nolan, a successful tactician used to turning defences around fast…

ICE…Bill Guerin, 39 but still able to pot 21 goals last season, will likely find work in the NHL this year. The Pittsburgh Penguins decided to cast the veteran adrift, somewhat surprising given Guerin’s status as a power play mainstay…

…rumours won’t stop from San Jose indicating the Sharks are close to coming to their senses and on the verge of signing Antti Niemi. Current plans have the perpetual wallflowers starting Antero Niittymaki between the pipes…

PUG LIFE…Antonio Margarito has his Texas boxing license, no hearing required. The Mexican simply submitted 20 bucks and waited a few days and, bingo, he’s approved. Kind of makes the suggestion by others that a Pacquiao - Margarito fight was in danger of cancellation a bit laughable, non?…

…can this be true? Obviously frightened by the prospect of selling zero tickets, Evander Holyfields promoters are in negotiations to bring David Tua to Detroit for a November 5^thfight. Well, this will certainly attract the attention of fight fans. Both battlers are well past their primes but their names certainly carry heft in boxing circles. The winner would be in line for a significant bout…okay, probably not, but the Real Deal and The Tua Man promise a good old fashioned slugfest, ages be damned…

…it’s all out war between boxing fans and MMA fans in my social circles. I’m going down with guns blazing; until I see one of these square ring rejects actually defeat a legend like James Toney, I’ll continue to relegate the Octagon to nothing more than human cockfighting between the indigent and the clueless. Don’t get me wrong, I know and socialize with two MMA fighters (praying to God they don’t read my blog) and they are pretty much socially retarded bullies. We get on okay but, listen; one of the dudes has never won a fight. He still is used as fodder at events, including a recent fight with a high profile GSP sparring partner, but he continues to get pummelled for what he thinks is a “fantastic” thousand dollar payday. The other dude “zones out” during conversations and suddenly asks you, hey, how would Mike Tyson have done against the Great Gazoo (from Flintstones fame). I can’t imagine a James Toney losing to these reprobates…and of course I wouldn’t miss this fight for the world…I expect to go home smug and satisfied, with James turning the Lights Out within a couple of minutes…