With today’s edition of the Media Circus representing the first of the NFL regular season, we wanted to take this opportunity to tell you that the Media Circus plans on making a STATEMENT today.  This is a STATEMENT COLUMN.
 
We have much to prove coming off last year’s Super Bowl Circus, and we will not, under any circumstances, become complacent.  All of you doubters and haters who think it was just a lucky streak for the “column that got hot at the right time” can go ahead and continue disrespecting us. 
 
But just know that with this column, we fully intend to make a statement.  

Crap that actually came from somebody’s mouth
“I'm not going to say he apologized because I told him he was wrong for ripping the fans, but it didn't hurt, I'll put it that way.” – John Heyman on Carlos Zambrano 
 
When Heyman apologizes for writing that crap in his column, we’re taking full credit.
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"Up next, Boomer and TJ run the blitz on Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb." - Kenny Mayne

Absolutely no way you’re convincing us the SportsCenter staff didn’t intend to write about Boomer running a blitz on Brett Favre.
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“When you can give a body part to a teammate, you’re a real teammate.” – John Madden
 
This was originally the Raiders creed which Madden posted on the wall above his office door.
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”If you don’t have a (helmet) on, you’re going to get hurt.” – John Madden
 
John reads that sentence on the bathroom mirror of the Madden Cruiser every morning.
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"You can talk all about offensive MVPs - we know it starts with 18!" - Sean Salisbury
 
The past month in Salisburydom would have lead us to say the offensive MVP starts with Carson Palmer (so long as he does that 70% completion rate thing and Chad Johnson does the 2,000 receiving yards thing) --- or Steven Jackson.  Welcome to the club, Peyton.
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”Justin Smith is one of those edge pass rushers.  He won’t go down the middle of (Jonathan) Ogden, he’s going to go on the edge.” – Ron Jaworski

Jaws spent 6 hours analyzing game video to come to the conclusion that Justin Smith couldn’t travel through a 350 lb tackle – and he loved every second of it.
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"Now Rex Welker, he came in there, right... what's his name?  It's not Rex Welker.  WES WELKER.  He scored a touchdown." - Tony Kornheiser

One of your Monday Night Football Analysts, ladies and gentlemen.
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”(Troy Aikman and Carson Palmer) are almost identical… look at them… drop back, arms positioned in the same direction.  Troy grabbed the ball, throws the ball, just look at the launch angle.  The launch angles look just identical.” – Emmitt Smith 

In an interesting twist, every quarterback, professional or otherwise, positions their arms in the same direction as Troy Aikman and Carson Palmer…except maybe Ryan Leaf. 
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Monday Morning Overreaction
One of the favorite days on the Media Circus calendar is the Monday after Week 1, which we’ve unofficially declared “Overreaction Monday”.  This year, the pundits and talking heads upped the ante and started the overreaction on Friday, following the Colts’ rout of the Saints.   
 
"This was the best I've ever seen (the Colts’) defense play PERIOD!" – Sean Salisbury

"I'm telling you, we know the Colts are going to score, Patriots, Ravens, rest of the world better wake up and recognize, if this defense plays like that, and oh by the way, number 21 Bob Sanders is pretty good!  If I'm starting a team, I'm taking (Bob Sanders)!" - Sean Salisbury

“(The Colts) hope he’s Stokley.  So far he hasn’t been.” – John Madden on Colts Rookie Anthony Gonzalez at the 4:46 mark of the 3rd quarter

“Marvin Harrison is even better than he was a year ago…yes it’s the first game of the season but it’s an indicator of what’s going to happen all year long.” – Woody Paige

“If the Colts defense plays like this, I’ll see you in February.” – Sean Salisbury 

"Every year it goes by, I wonder why Bill Polian isn't named Genius of the Year!" – Sean Salisbury
 
Summary: Bill Polian is a genius, Marvin Harrison is better than he was last year, the Colts defense is awesome and played better than they EVER have, rookie wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez didn’t prove anything through 2 quarters and if Sean Salisbury was in charge of a fantasy franchise draft, he’d be taking Bob Sanders number one.  Alright then.  

And that was just following one game.  Imagine the possibilities when there are 13 of them in one day…
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"They looked 19-0 worthy." - Michael Wilbon on the Patriots

“For now, it's fair to say the hype was right in New England. The Patriots are as advertised, and the race in the AFC is on”. – Don Banks 

"Offensively,( the Patriots) reinvented themselves." - Jay Mariotti
 
Summary: Hey, the Patriots had a damn good game.  One game.  Against the Jets.  And now they’re apparently ready to go 19-0.
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"Thomas Jones hasn't figured out how to run in (Jets offense) offense." - Bill Plaschke

"The Bears have no running game!" - Jay Mariotti
 
"Jerry Angelo gave away the (Bears’) best offensive player and they have no running game!" - Michael Wilbon

Summary: According to Wilbon and Mariotti, the Bears have no running game with Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson, and former Bears running back Thomas Jones doesn’t know how to run for the New York Jets.  Somehow, it never occurred to these gentlemen that perhaps the Chargers’ and Patriots’ defense had something to do with the one-game “failure”.  Maybe just a little, perhaps?
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"Terrell Owens is not a distraction whatsoever." - Jay Mariotti

"Yes, I'm buying Roethlisberger being back." - Tim Cowlishaw

"(Mario Williams has) more touchdowns than Reggie Bush." - Jay Mariotti

“If we're not looking at the 2007 Offensive rookie of the year in (Adrian) Peterson, I'm going to be stunned.” – Don Banks 

“I know it's a stretch, but on that last drive when Denver absolutely, positively had to make a play ... yeah, Jay Cutler reminded me of No. 7.” – Clark Judge, Sportsline

Summary: One game into the season, T.O. has proven he’s matured past a 2nd grade level, Ben Roethlisberger is “back” even though he completed a shade over 50% of his passes against the Cleveland Browns, the Texans weren’t stupid for skipping on Reggie Bush, Adrian Peterson is the rookie of the year, and Jay Cutler plays like John Elway when he has to.
 
And you people wonder why we insist that this column writes itself every week.

Media Rant – When the Scouts speak, We Should Listen
In the weeks and months leading up the NFL season, every magazine, website, newspaper and TV show lays out their “preview” editions telling us fans what we can expect.  Many times, they leave the heavy lifting to “scouts” who, thanks to their proprietary access to the inner workings of the league, can provide analysis that non-insiders couldn’t even think of duplicating.

Right? 

Sports Illustrated released their NFL Preview edition on September 3rd and for each team, an anonymous opposing scout was quizzed to see how they stack up.  Some truly riveting insight resulted. (Disclaimer: as easy as it would have been to do so, none of these are partial quotes pulled out of context to sound any more ridiculous than they did in the magazine)

On the Ravens…
“On offense Steve McNair is on the downside of his career, but he’s still better than a lot of guys.”

On the Steelers…
“Mike Tomlin’s biggest problem as a rookie coach will be getting players who are just getting to know him to lay everything on the line for him.  That’s not always easy.”

On the Titans…
“At running back, I wouldn’t count on LenDale White.”

On the Eagles…
“It comes down to how good is Donovan McNabb going to be?  If he’s real good, they’ll be fine.  If not, they won’t go anywhere.”

On the Redskins…
“I liked (Jason Campbell) coming out of Auburn, but this is the NFL and we just don’t know what he’s going to be yet.”

On the Bears…
“…no one knows what kind of full season you’ll get out of Rex Grossman.”

On the Saints…
“You come down to it, this is just a better offensive team than a defensive team.”

On the Detroit Lions…
“Mark my words (Ernie Sims) will be the next Derrick Brooks.” 

So there you have it people.  The Scouts have spoken, and they’ve told us, amongst other things, that Steve McNair is better than a lot of people, not to count on a second year running back who has weight problems, that the Eagles will be “fine” if McNabb is “real good”, the Saints are better offensively than defensively and - our personal favorite - a request to “mark the words”…of a scout who just gave an anonymous interview.  
 
The Two Way Street
We just spent 1,500 rampaging words on the overreaction of NFL media members after the first week.  In doing so, we had to have made 10 phone calls, read and exchanged 50 e-mails and sent out 300 or so text messages.  Why?  Because this was the greatest freaking Media Circus of all time.  The Media Circus has somehow reinvented itself after making it to the Super Bowl last season.  If we were starting a publication, we're taking the Media Circus #1.   

This just in: the Media Circus is the real deal!

The Media Circus is written by Josh Bacott and Pat Imig.  They swear this stuff is real.  Email them at info@joesportsfan.com