Recently ESPN The Magazine had an incredible article on the medicine ball and how it is one of the mainstays on the training circuit still despite all the technology improvements over the years.

The Power Med-Ball offered on Touchdownskills.com is a great product that falls right in line with the information that was presented on ESPN.  The balls come in weights ranging from 2-30 pounds and include a program for how to use the ball for best use. 

Recently i started training with an 8 pound medicine ball and i can feel the results in my legs, back, core and abs without a doubt.  Just simply by tossing the ball in the air and catching it you are working your muscles. 

I encourage everyone to click the link to the ESPN article about the medicine ball because it will convince you to try one if you haven’t already.

I have terrible knees and terribly weak legs and I have always believed that they went hand in hand.  Recently I went to a doctor about my knee condition because it just didn’t seem to be ever getting better and every morning was a pain to get out of bed.  When I went to the doctor he told me what I knew already which was my knees were bad, that I probably needed them to be scoped but that my knee muscles were underdeveloped for someone who played as much sports as I do.  I agreed completely with him and asked him what I could do.  He mentioned that I needed to strengthen to my legs and that by doing that the muscles around my knees would become stronger and it would have a very positive effect.  I paid the hundreds and walked out knowing that I would rather work harder to get my legs in shape than have to get surgery

One of the tools that was mentioned was a power sled, comparable to the sleds that we pushed around in high school.  This sled wasn’t as big and can be purchased for under 200 dollars.  You simply place the weights on the machine and hook on the harness and you are set to go.  For some of us running has a profound effect on our joints but nothing compared to this.  The next morning my knees hurt, hips hurt, quads…you name it.  I was sold because after consistent use I didn’t hurt to go up the stairs anymore or down the stairs.  It has had a profound effect on how I feel physically.  I immediately wished I would’ve have had it and used it in high school so I could take advantage of the benefits.  It isn’t just for lineman but anyone who wants to strengthen legs and improve leg drive.  I love it.

Each year a top pick is taken and signed and sets the bar for the others and this year that guy is Matt Ryan who was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 3rd pick.  Ryan signed a 6 year 72 million dollar deal with a reported 34.75 million of that guaranteed.  That is crazy.  The guy hasn’t played a down yet and doesn’t have to work the rest of his life.  QB’s are busts in the NFL all the time and it is a joke that players get this much money having proven nothing against the best competition in the world. 

You might be asking or saying “Jake Long signed before the draft didn’t he set the bar?”  Well yes and no.  Since he technically signed before the draft it usually doesn’t have the same effect as Ryan’s will.  By Ryan signing where he did it will give teams a great idea where to start in their negotiations with players taken through the 10th pick I believe.   You will just see deals going much quicker especially from players who are getting anxious and want to agree and not miss camps and fall behind. 

The interesting part to the deal is that it was signed before the owners opted out of the labor agreement which runs through 2011.  Because of that the Falcons were able to get 6 years where if they had waited until after the opt out had taken place they couldn’t have gotten the full time they wanted.  The labor deal is a completely different topic that I’ll tackle another day.

Enjoy your money Matt Ryan and enjoy a successful career in Atlanta.

In case you haven’t heard, OJ Mayo is in the news again for ‘allegedly’ receiving gifts while enrolled at USC.  Wen the news came out yesterday I wasn’t surprised at all.  This kid was one of the top 5 kids coming out of high school and if they NBA didn’t adopt the wait a year from high school policy he would’ve come out this year.  Instead he chose to go to USC and as a result might do more harm than good for his college.

Then I got thinking, if the allegations are true, who got more stuff or money while in college was it Reggie Bush or Oj Mayo?  After the report came out last night on ESPN, most people would strongly have to look at Mayo as the winner of the battle.  He was reportedly getting paid for a long time dating back to his endless time in high school.  We are talking about a kid here who wasn’t your typical freshman.  Like Derrick Rose, Mayo is a very old freshman having pushed the high school age rules to the limits.  From the time he was 15 years old he was regarded as a can’t miss kid who is bound for NBA greatness.  Some placed him on a level with Lebron James as a high school player.  He’s no Lebron but he’s a lottery pick in the draft. 

Reggie Bush ‘allegedly’ got his money and benefits after he was a near sure thing while at USC.  He supposedly got in the hundreds of thousands but this one hasn’t been finalized yet so we don’t know all the numbers.  My money is still on Bush because of the guaranteed money a top 5 pick in the NFL draft would get as compared to an NBA deal for the first 3-4 years.  I mean that someone would pay Bush more knowing they would get more money back because of the amount and timing of the contract.  Sure I’m speculating here but there might be some merit to it.

What happens to OJ Mayo?  Nothing really.  He didn’t violate a law if we was receiving gifts.  He won’t go to jail or anything like it.  He’d be the latest of many who have taken gifts while in school and all that are hurt are the programs that are left behind.  Since Chris Webber and the Fab 5 left Michigan where have they gone?  They left that program with a wake of problems that they are still recovering from.  Is USC next to go through it?  I hope not because there has been no proof of their involvement in the deal but maybe they should have been more on top of things.  Who knows at this point? 

The only thing I know is that Mayo is a lottery pick regardless and that his agent of choice is the one that is reportedly behind the whole deal.  Not surprising to me.

I loved using the heavy basketball when I was younger and I saw a lot of the benefits of using it so when I saw the heavy football I was very excited to give it a try. 

There is a word of caution that comes with the football saying that it is something that shouldn’t be caught only thrown but it really isn’t that big of deal.  I wouldn’t recommend to play catch with small children with it but it is just comparable to catching a pointed lighter medicine ball so it isn’t that big of deal.  Outside of that, I love this thing.  It weighs twice as much as a regular football with the same shape so it is very similar when you hold it in your hands.  You can feel the difference right away so don’t push yourself.  Just like I don’t recommend people using the heavy basketball for shooting long shots in basketball, I don’t recommend people using the heavy football for long throws.  My reasoning is that it messes with your mechanics a little bit and can force bad habits.  I say that because you will try to do different things with your body to get it to go the distance you want it to go and that’s not good. 

Use the ball for it’s intent which is to build arm strength and that can be done at shorter distances.  Focus on correct footwork and arm angles and the ball will do wonders for you.  If you start to notice your arm dropping or you are short arming your throws then throw to a shorter distance until your arm is strong enough to handle distances without compromising your technique and fundamentals.

My recommendation is to give the Heavy Football a try despite it’s obvious and boring name.  It is a product that will only help you build confidence and arm strength.

We get a lot of requests for lists of the best videos or training videos that are in the market right now.  I thought I would put together a list of some of my favorites or ones that I wished I had when I was a young quarterback.  You have a lot of choices and some are much better than others.  I hope that you can go through my list of favorites and find something for yourself.

QB Fundamentals by Dan Werner is an excellent place to start when learning the fundamentals of the QB position. I learned more about the position than I thought possible and I played the position for years. This is a great starting point and you’ll be amazed how much your legs and feet and posture play into throwing the ball. Great video for anyone wanting to learn the position and perfect for coaches.

Mastering the Football Combine is another one that is highly recommended because of the information it provides. Athletes know exactly what is expected of them when they get to the combine and they are up against some of the best in the world. Any sort of leg up on any level can help and this is no different. This video is in high demand and it should be. Joe DeFranco has had over 30 players end up being drafted and that’s nothing to laugh at.

The 40 yard Dash Training is one that we are asked about a lot and are proud to promote. You can improve your speed and it can make all the difference. Kids with speed can get college paid for and if you can improve from a 4.7 to a 4.5 in the 40 it can mean all the difference in the world. What if your fast but you have a slight flaw in your form that could be corrected? That’s what this is about and I think it is great. Another set I wish I would’ve had when I was younger. Great for coaches who want to work on their team speed.

That’s all I will cover for now, but please let me know if you have any questions about the videos that we offer.

Cedric Benson is as good as gone in Chicago after a run in with police in Texas.  I know more than about anyone that there are two sides to every story and Benson is saying the complete opposite of what the police are saying but it won’t matter because Benson is going to be out as a Chicago Bear. 

If Benson had lived up to any of the hype at all coming out of college this wouldn’t be an issue, but he’s coming off a broken ankle and a career 3.8 yards per carry average and you can’t tell me that doesn’t play a role.  The Bears can cut him based on his behavior and play and not even get second guessed for it and that’s makes it the best time to cut ties. 

Benson was a top 5 pick coming out of college and I was very happy when the Bears took him.  I thought he would be the next great Bear tailback but that hasn’t happened at all.  Instead he’s gone the way of Curtis Enis, Rashaan Salaam and a whole bunch of other screw ups so let’s all move on.  The Bears have the ability to get a good back via trade, maybe go after Kevin Jones from Detroit.  Can he be worse than Benson? 

All I know is the Bears need someone to carry the load because Rex Grossman is going to see 8 man fronts all next year again until he proves he can do it.  Either way, the best thing to do is let Cedric ride into the sunset or go try to play for the Cowboys or Texans because of his love for Texas.

I know you all have probably heard of this but let me recap what went down.  UCLA football has a long standing tradition of taking a spring practice and having all the seniors ditch practice by first stretch like every practice, get in a huddle and then take off toward the field wall where it is scaled and they miss the practice.  Funny right?

Rick Neuheisel played at UCLA.  He was a participant in this type of behavior and yet he was stunned when the seniors did it.  He claimed to be proud of the team by showing ‘good solidarity’ but he was obviously upset.  Reportedly what made him most upset was the fact that he had many recruits there to watch practice with some of their families yet no practice took place.  What was he thinking?  He knew it had to be coming, didn’t he?

USC websites and other California Universities are floating stories about going to UCLA to get recruits to see real practices but I’m not sure I buy it.  I wouldn’t put it past them but I dont’ buy it personally.

I guess what I think is most funny is the pride that Neuheisel showed during the ordeal.  I think he believed his presence would change their behavior.  I think he thought that since he was the coach nothing like this would happen.  Rick Neuheisel will win at UCLA I’m sure of it and it is because of his pride he will be successful.  He fits in the mold of Rick Pitino that loves to hear himself talk and places himself on a higher plane than others.  He’s won at every stop he’s been so far and UCLA will be no different. 

That’s the entire reason I think this is so funny.  I’ve seen photos on competing university websites with UCLA coaches standing around with nothing to do and it couldn’t happen to a cockier, arrogant coach than Rick Neuheisel.