Hate It or Love It

I have a love/hate relationship with NFL preseason games. I love em cuz it means that football, no matter how sloppy and uncoordinated, starts in August, not September. It means that I get to take a look at some of my favorite teams before the season starts, find strengths and flaws, and see how the team gels. Preseason gives you a rare look at guys who never take the field in the reg season, backups, guys who wanna make the team, and rookies. Preseason is also the time of unlikely, untimely, unexpected, devastating, too-fuckin-early-ass injuries. EVERY preseason, without fail, players get hurt. Some with tweaked ankles, others with season ending injuries. The New York Giants played the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night and OMG did we feel it! First of all, the Giants didn't look that great, yet they eeked out a 13-12 win. Baltimore's defense is sick!! The Giants lost 5, count em - 5, guys in this game. Back to back injuries, hell, I even got hurt! Some guys look like they'll be ready to go for the season opener, others are DONE for the season.

1) CB Sam Madison – Pulled Hamstring
He injured this same hamstring last season and missed about 4 weeks. Season opener? It's questionable.

2) FS Will Demps – Dislocated Elbow
He said he's had this injury before in is career and he was back in 2-3 weeks. Doctors, however, say the healing process takes more like 4-6 weeks. We'll see, but as for now, count his ass out.

3) WR Steve Smith – Concussion
He scored the only touchdown of the game for the Giants. Eli really threaded the needle with the pass he threw to Smith in the end zone. As he caught it, 2 defensive players converged on him, he caught an elbow to the head, and he suffered a concussion. He returned to practice Tuesday, and he's lookin like he should be ready to go.

4) PR Michael Jennings – Torn Achilles Tendon

Jennings caught a nice ass pass as he was going out of bounds. Somehow, someway during the scramble the shit popped. You already know how I feel about the Achilles. Damn that Achilles!!

5) C Greg Ruegamer – Sprained Ankle
Backup center, hopefully it stays just a sprained ankle.

Not only that, there was another scare on the sidelines. Third string QB Jared Lorenzen ran out of bounds on a play and stepped on RB Brandon Jacobs foot. Big ass 6'4, 285 lb Lorenzen steppin on big ass 6'4, 264 lb Jacobs foot. Jacobs ended up ok, but damn. We cannot afford to have Jacobs injured, missing games with a foot injury. We all saw what happened to Shaun Alexander last season...

For the Ravens, Troy Smith came out in the 4th quarter and as a Big Ten fanatic, it was nice to see him on the field. He looked good, and if there was more time on the clock he might have been able to lead them to a game winning score. He's fightin for the 3rd QB spot against Drew "Who" Olson, and uhh, the Heisman Winner will get it. He was 4-8 for 60 yards. Smith learning from Steve McNair? He did his thing at OSU, and his future, like his past, is very bright.