Dawgs By Nature

The United Football League. Officially starting in 2009, the UFL took over the "unofficial" minor league football spot from the bankrupt Arena Football League. It's basically a four team league filled with NFL misfits who just couldn't play up to par in the NFL. Familiar names you might recognize in the UFL are DB Tra Battle and OL Brandon Braxton.

Now, in today's edition of A "Brownie" For Your Thoughts, we'll be looking at personnel in the NFL that should be giving the UFL a serious consideration in the coming years. I'll be naming five personnel of various positions that I think should transfer leagues. The 5th spot is least likely where as the 1st spot will be most likely.

Excluded from this list are rookies, first year starters and high double - digit season personnel (number of seasons will vary). Mainly though, we'll be looking at personnel with starting seasons from at least two years.

5. Reggie Bush - Bush will never go to the UFL due to his status and notoriety. Now, with the way the New Orleans Saints use him, Bush is not a bust nor a UFL player. But for his position in general, he's a bust. He's injury prone as well. He's listed as their starting RB but he's really just their fancy PR/KR. He's guaranteed over $25 million to be a PR/KR. Can the Saints live without him? Yes. Look at the stats you must, or look stupid do I...

• Over 3 1/2 seasons or 47 total games, he's amased 1,827 yards rushing or 39 yards a game. As a receiver, he's amased 1,806 yards or basically 38 yards a game. For both positions, that's not a good game. His yardage averages from 2006 increase from 3.6 to 3.7 to 3.8 but with only 473 attempts, most averages will look decent to good. He has 13 career fumbles in just 3 1/2 seasons. As a RB or a hybrid RB/WR, his numbers don't preach well for him. He was a #2 overall pick; those are not #2 overall pick numbers. For that, he is UFL ready.
  

4. Lovie Smith - Were you reading carefully? I hope you were. If you noticed, I've been using the term personnel, not player. Personnel, in my book, is anyone who receives a paycheck from the NFL. A coach receives a paycheck, right? Now, I'm not saying Smith has to make the transition to UFL coach this season. What I am saying is though, is that if he keeps following this trend, he may want to consider. Don't agree? Check out the stats...

• As "starting" head coach of the Chicago Bears for five full seasons, Smith has coached up a rollercoaster of mediocrity. Out of his five seasons, three have been winning seasons. Out of the winning seasons, only two were double - digit win seasons. Their last double - digit win season ended in a 2007 Super Bowl trip loss to the Indianapolis Colts. After the Super Bowl trip, the Bears went (9 - 7), (7 - 9) and now are presently at (4 - 5). Smith is just nine losses from a .500 career win record as a head coach at 49 - 40. This year is turning out to be a bust even with the biggest trade of the offseason in Jay Cutler. Most likely, I think the Bears finally cut their losses after this year with Smith. He may stay in the NFL but the UFL is going to be right there in his face.

3. Vernon Gholston - "But SpecialBrownie, he's only been in the league since 2008!" And this ignorant line somebody would have said had I not caught them, is completely correct. Sadly, it's been two years of straight crap. Stats people, look at the stats!...

• Gholston came out of OSU as one of the most promising OLBs coming out of college. He was picked #6 overall in the 2008 draft by the New York Jets. In 23 total games with the New York Jets, Gholston has only registered 24 tackles, 11 of those assisted. He has no sacks, no interceptions, no deflections, the list of zeros go on. Now, why wouldn't you sit him if he's not producing? Gholston is guaranteed over $20 million from the Jets. If the Jets were to sit him, they'd be wasting money and would be completely embarrassed. I understand he's only been in the league for two years, but shouldn't he be producing by now? He is just BARLEY over one tackle a game. And he's a starting OLB! I don't want to believe this, but this former buckeye might be calling the UFL his home by his 6th season.

2. The Raiders Franchise - Oh Al Davis, the butt of so many NFL jokes. Do you deserve it? Absolutely. You're freaking crazy man. In 5+ years, you've had some huge questionable moves. The Browns FO might trump yours in ineptitude right now, but if one of these franchises had to move to the UFL, it'd be yours. And remember guys, this isn't the Raiders' first year in the NFL and I said double - digit seasons could vary, so they're fair game for this list. Note: Nnamdi Asomough can stay in the NFL but only if he's traded to the Browns. S! T! A! T! S! Stats! Stats! Stats!...

• Davis has moved the team twice in the Super Bowl era, causing uproars and legal matters. In over a decade, the Raiders have had six head coaches, only two of which had any playoff appearances or winning seasons.Their current head coach, Tom Cable, has been accused of breaking the jaw of an assitant coach and has had past discretions of domestic violence. Also, on the day of his hiring, Davis (alledgedly) stated he had no clue who Cable actually was.He has the Raiders currently at (2 - 7). They have an enept starting QB with JaMarcus Russell (who has now been replaced by Bruce Gradkowski!). Russell, currently, has the lowest QB rating of starting QBs at 47.7 (since DA was knocked off the block, Russell gets to be at the bottom of the cellar.) The whole team is really in shambles. Davis has also been controversial in his high draft picks as of late for not being smart and thorough about who he picks. Heyward - Bey? Were you just trying to start something with the Blackhole? Honestly, this team needs a fresh start in an easier league.

1. Derek Anderson - Is anyone really surprised? What tipped you off? The picture? The bolded name? Or did you just know? Well, it's true and it's only fair. While he was replaced for MNF, he's still considered for this list because of his starts this year (He was already written in at my personal press time for this article also). He was on pace to have one of the worst possible seasons by a QB and he didn't even start the season! We don't need stats for this one since we've seen them countless times. This time, I'll be comparing his last 5 1/2 start stats with a starting UFL QB's last five NFL start stats. That QB is J. P. Losman. (By the way, that half game helps DA in no way, so I figured I'd just keep it in. You can't find 2009 stats without it included.)

• Comp/Att - DA: 66/154; Losman: 63/104
• Comp Pct. - DA: 42.9; Losman: 63
• Yards - DA: 681; Losman: 584
• Yards/Gm - DA: 113.5; Losman: 116.5
• TDs - DA: 2; Losman: 2
• INT - DA: 9; Losman: 5
• Rating - DA: 36.2; Losman: 62.3
• Somebody is in the wrong league. Wanna trade straight up for Losman? Yeah, I don't think they'd do it either (If interleague trading was allowed of course).

Now, as most can assume, the UFL is filled with misfit back - ups, not starting personnel or bad NFL franchises. Bad starters usually drop out of the NFL with enough guaranteed money to retire or become commentators. Back - ups don't have that luxury. Bad franchises move or get better. Most likely, none of these personnel will move to the UFL, I just took that approach to bring up ones that should if they ever finally lost it in the NFL. But it's not uncommom, as Losman shows, that starting personnel of the NFL can go to the UFL.

So do you guys agree or disagree? Let me hear your lists of personnel. Include stats if you want, but obviously it's not as important for you guys to include numerical evidence. Thanks for reading the second edition of "Brownie Thoughts" and tune in next week! Same Dawg place, same Dawg channel!