Jeff Hart: Friday Linkfest for February 10, 2012

By: Jeff Hart | Posted: February 10, 2012

As the post-Super Bowl week wraps up, we find the world of the NFL undergoing some big changes. It isn’t just the cuts and retirements preceding free agency that are altering the look of the league, it’s also our changing perceptions. For instance, a lot of outlets have spent considerable time calling Eli Manning “elite” this week. Maybe we should be having that next level conversation about Tom Coughlin instead. Should Coughlin now be considered a better coach than Bill Parcells?  

And, after listening in as he pretty much orchestrates his squad’s defeat, should we reassess our view of The Hoodie an infallible football tactician? (Probably not.)

Want to talk about times changing? When was the last time you read one of these “most intimidating player in the NFL” lists and Ray Lewis wasn’t holding down the top spot? Personally, I can’t imagine why anyone would find this guy more intimidating than old Ray-Ray, but whatever.

The era of Ochocinco is over. With his playing days likely waning and with a new normal-name-deserving wife on the horizon, Chad Ochocinco will once again become Chad Johnson. It’s a sad day, indeed.

Speaking of retirements, I’d like to once again call attention to the departure of Ricky Williams. When will another player’s career so effortlessly be tied into the writing of John Keats? It’s a good weekend to go track down that Ricky Williams documentary.

What major changes will your team undergo in the coming weeks? Prepare yourself with Pete Prisco’s comprehensive ranking of the Top 50 free agents. Although some of these guys will most assuredly get re-signed of franchise-tagged, that is still a stacked list. And it doesn’t even include a certain bionic-necked QB.

Finally, if all the change in the air frightens you, perhaps you’d like to escape to a world of fantasy. Might I suggest “what if Alan Thicke and OJ Simpson owned a Canadian football team together?” I know it’s what I’ll be thinking about all weekend.

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