Is it any wonder his teammates hate Cedric Benson?

I mean, sure, Michael Strahan is an idiot, and he was rightly ridiculed in the press for his tirade against a (female) ESPN reporter for the words Strahan himself said. But Strahan is also known as a relatively jovial guy who has a lot of fans, a lot of sacks, and a large following in the Giants locker room. He’s probably not a Hall of Famer yet, but he’s in the conversation.

Who the hell is Cedric Benson? So far, here are Benson’s lifetime NFL stats: 156 runs for 584 yards (a mediocre 3.7 yards per carry), four touchdowns and just over 30 yards rushing per game. Benson probably could have been a more important part of the Chicago Bears offense last season, his rookie year, if he hadn’t stayed out of training camp because he wanted more money. He watched the second half of a preseason game this fall from the locker room rather than on the sidelines, because he claimed he didn’t know it was a rule that he had to be, you know, with his teammates. And he has practically done nothing but complain and act like a full-fledged athlete since the moment Stuart Scott interviewed him in the 2005 Draft, when Scott asked him to compare himself to another recent University of Texas alumnus, Ricky Williams and Benson. he acted like a surly idiot claiming he was nothing like the fickle Williams, when it was well known that Williams was Benson’s hero in college.

Here are Benson’s latest comments, made during a radio interview this week. “My relationship with (Bears starting running back Thomas) Jones has been the same, we’re not friends. My arrival was a difficult thing that he had to deal with in his career. He’s doing well. I really learned that when You get to the NFL, it’s not like high school or college, but the best players don’t always hit the field. “

I ask you: what the hell can you get out of this? Thomas Jones is having his second excellent year in a row. In 2005, he rushed for 1,335 yards and nine touchdowns; this year, he’s on track for 1,375 yards. His rushing yards per carry is 4.0 and last year he posted 4.3. Watch a Bears game at some point – there’s absolutely no question who the most talented running back is. Jones is a tough mop who does anything, he can run in the middle, he can hit outside, he can catch passes and he can block. Benson is a guy who dances and cuts too much, has a good nose for the goal line, but has caught five passes in 10 games and has questioned his blocking skills. There’s no arguing at all that Benson should play more, much less that he’s a “better player” than Jones. So the factual content of the statement is, well, not so factual. But then there’s the “teammate” factor. Why the hell does Benson need to let it be known that he’s not friends with Jones? Or that you are sure you are a better player and you just don’t have a chance to prove it? Who the hell is Cedric Benson?

The Bears locker room has been against Benson since his rejection, and these comments aren’t going to change that. Believe me: there are a lot of rolling eyes and jeers among Chicago players today.

Well that fixes that. USC Strangles Notre Dame and Concerns Ohio State vs. Michigan’s rematch lies down. I mean, that’s what’s going to happen, right? Or does it give UCLA a chance to hit Saturday?

BoDog Bookmakers, BoDog.ws: Well, that’s why they play the games; there are nights when the unthinkable happens. I don’t think UCLA will win this week, because USC is playing great football. The worst that could happen is that Pete Carroll’s team starts looking towards the BCS championship and has a disappointing game, but I don’t think the coach will allow that to happen.

List the AFC teams that are better than all the NFC teams. How many do you end up with?

BDB, BoDog.ws: Colts, New England, San Diego, Baltimore and now that Kansas City has focused on the race, they could cause trouble for any team in the NFC. The balance of power has really shifted, just like in the early ’90s when the NFC Championship game was the “real” Super Bowl; This year’s AFC title game could look the same. The dominance is obvious, with the AFC holding a 32-20 record over the NFC in head-to-head games.

With five weeks remaining in the season, it looks like Detroit, Arizona and Oakland may be the teams that will fight for the number one pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. It’s obviously early, but with the college season fresh on our minds, can we give us an idea of ​​who would each of these teams take if they had the first overall pick?

BDB, BoDog.ws: Detroit could have selected Matt Leinart last year, but turned him down. If they get the number one pick next time, you can bet they won’t make the same mistake and pick a quarterback. Arizona needs a lot of help on the offensive line, but it has been 10 years since an offensive lineman was selected first overall. Like the Lions, Oakland needs a quarterback and Brady Quinn is the best option. Quinn isn’t a typical Raider, but considering how the “typical” Raiders have been playing, that could be a good thing.

What kind of control do you expect for the SEC title game? Big? Enormous? Gigantic? Will it be the biggest play of the weekend for bettors? Is the Big 12 game up to the task? USC? The ACC?

BDB, BoDog.ws: We expect great control of all the games you mention this weekend, not only because they are great matchups, but also because there will only be a handful of games to bet on. The biggest control so far has been in the USC / UCLA game, with the SEC title game a close second. ACC is the only really standout game in the morning, so it should catch the eye of bettors early.