Suggs and Kluwe have no time for silliness. (US PRESSWIRE/Getty Images)

By Ryan Wilson

ESPN First Take co-host Skip Bayless is known for many things: unconditional faith in Tebowmania, contrarian viewpoints, and TALKING IN A VERY LOUD VOICE when making his case. 

Shortly after Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff honked what would've been the game-tying field goal in the AFC Championship game against the Patriots, Bayless tweeted this:

RealSkipBayless Honestly, I felt sorry for Suggs/Ray/EReed. Fought guts out, lost b/c a nonplayer missed easy kick. WHY I HATE FG KICKING. Ban it! 1/22/12 6:31 PM

Doing away with kickers is a predictably tired argument that pops up every time a game is lost on a botched field-goal attempt. 

On Monday, Cundiff's teammate, linebacker Terrell Suggs, called into First Take to talk about what transpired in Foxboro the night before. Bayless asked Suggs if the confusion leading up to Cundiff's missed kick was because the Patriots were beneficiaries of "home cooking" from the officials.

Suggs was having none of it. In much the same way a grizzled parent dismisses their unruly kid begging for attention, an unemotional Suggs kindly asked Bayless to join him back on Earth.

“Stop that. I know what you’re doing,” Suggs said, chastising Bayless. “Once again, stop it. Be an analyst. Don’t be a d-----bag. You know what I meant.”

(You can watch Suggs calmly put Bayless in his place here.)

A great moment in unintentional comedy, for sure. But it gets better.

Vikings punter Chris Kluwe weighed in on Bayless' "I hate FG kicking...ban it" tweet. (If you're not familiar with Kluwe's work, he's not your typically mild-manndered punter. He has opinions on matters outside football, is smart, and wickedly funny. In short: he's somebody you want to keep on your good side. Just ask former NFL wide receiver Nate Jackson.)

After Suggs scolded Bayless for his over-the-top schtick, Kluwe piled on via Twitter:

ChrisWarcraft Couldn't have said it better myself. T. Suggs to Bayless on First Take: "Skip, be an analyst. Don't be a d-----bag." #wordsofwisdom 1/23/12 1:21 PM

And this, a few hours later...

ChrisWarcraft I'm confused @RealSkipBayless. After Super Bowl XXXVI, you wrote that Vinatieri should be in the HoF. But now kickers are non-players? 1/23/12 6:09 PM

ChrisWarcraft How is Adam going to make it to the Hall of Fame if you abolish his position @RealSkipBayless?! YOUR WORDS MAKE MY BRAIN ASPLODE #factssuck 1/23/12 6:10 PM

So, yes, don't make Kluwe angry. You won't like him when he's angry. The NFL can confirm this (Kluwe has taken great pleasure in mocking the league for, among other things, using season-ending injuries to promote fantasy football and their wishy-washy rules on injuries, fake or otherwise.)

Bayless has yet to respond to Kluwe.

Meanwhile, SportsIllustrated.com's Richard Deitsch, who follows the media closely as part of his day job, offered this frank assessment Monday afternoon:

richarddeitsch ESPN execs have no idea how badly Bayless's flotsam reflects on its network & those at ESPN trying to do good work. 1/23/12 1:56 PM

via Shutdown Corner 

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By Josh Katzowitz

For the hardcore NFL football fan, Twitter is necessary. Sometimes, it’s a necessary evil -- slogging through your timeline to read what some players are eating for lunch or trying to get through multiple RTs of fans who want a shout-out from their favorite NFL star can be quite tedious.

But there are players and executives who get the Twitter thing. Those who can put together a nice one-liner or turn a delicious phrase or break a bit of news. It’s a nice way for NFLers to communicate directly with fans and either inform them or make them laugh. In this day and age, Twitter is important (as much as any social media can truly be important).

That’s why, for the second-straight season, we’ve put together a Top Ten with a Twist list on the best NFL player/executive Twitter accounts. These people brighten our day 140 characters at a time, and since much of Twitter is tasteless swill, these are the people who keep us coming back for more. And that is something to RT about.

10. Shawn Andrews (@imshawnandrews): He was my No. 1 selection on last year’s list, but after he was released by the Giants in the offseason, Andrews is out of football. His Twitter account, though, remains look-worthy. If you’re a foodie, Andrews is for you, especially as he tries to appease the weight-watching angel on his shoulder while ignoring the devil who wants him to binge. Recent tweet: These Chick Fil A Chicken Strips In The Mall Taste Like They Been Dipped In A Lil Fish Grease!!! I Like It!!!!! ***Crunch***

9. John Elway (@johnelway): You’ve got to love it when the executive vice president of football operations for the Broncos breaks news on his Twitter account about team signings and coach hirings. Elway has been more transparent about his team’s front office moves than anybody I can remember, and doing it on Twitter is a really smart way to keep the lines of communications open with Broncos fans. His in-season account hasn’t been quite as entertaining as it was in the offseason, but still, give Elway credit. It has been a novel idea. Recent tweet: Tim's doing a great job leading our offense, coming through when we need him the most. He's a winner who gets better every day.

8. Darnell Dockett (@ddockett): The Cardinals defensive end is the definition of the athlete who just doesn’t give a crap what he says or how it might affect him in the future. Which is what makes his account awesome. His best Twitter moment of the year came when he did real-time play-by-play of a traffic stop. His topper, though, was when he refused to allow the police to search his car, and they simply had to let him go. Dockett can be offensive, but there’s little doubt he’s entertaining.  Even if his obsession with hooking up with Oprah is a little disturbing. Recent tweet: I'm going to sleep I'm so tired! I'm gonna dream about @Oprah and them thick chocolate thighs tonight. We gonna get back together soon!

7. Greg Aiello (@gregaiello): A return to the top Twitter list for the NFL’s top PR spokesman. Aiello answers questions from fans in his brusque manner, and he saves scribes e-mail queries but releasing league statements directly to the masses. Plus, his mini-feuds with some scribes during the lockout were interesting to watch from afar, and his haikus are not to be missed. Recent tweet: No. Hemingway. RT @giantspathanlon: Haiku? RT @gregaiello: A man in a good mood as the sun also rises. RT beautiful sight as the sun rises!

6. Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay): You just won’t find an NFL owner who is so in touch with his fans (and maybe not an sports team owner anywhere outside Mark Cuban). Irsay is delightfully weird, posting deep album cut lyrics by classic rock bands, and he made multiple jokes about going after Brett Favre at the beginning of the year when it was clear Peyton Manning couldn’t play. Lately, he’s been less funny and more soothing to an upset fan base. That doesn’t make him any less delightful. Recent tweet: Woke up this morning,with an arrow thru my nose..there was an indian in the corner..trying on my clothes.... .He said "Get lost" and walked towards his Cadillac..and I chopped down that palm tree..and it landed on his back....” (editor’s note: it’s a Neil Young lyric)”

5. Chad Ochocinco (@ochocinco): The Patriots receiver was more fun when he was still a Bengals receiver, and he (we assume) wasn’t hemmed in by Bill Belichick. But he’s still funny and still outstanding to his fans. Somehow, during the worst season of his career, he’s become much more likeable. Recent tweet: I remember when @evelynlozada kicked me out of the house for cheating.......... She takes #Monopoly way to (f------) serious.

4. Faux John Madden (@fauxjohnmadden): For me, parody accounts are hit or miss. Mostly misses, actually. Faux John Madden hits much more than it misses, though. And when you’re crawling through your timeline on a lonely Friday night, that is much appreciated. Recent tweet: If you need something to keep you awake while watching this Falcons-Jaguars game.. Call Sam Hurd.

3. Jim Schwartz (@jschwartzlions): By far, the best NFL coach on Twitter (hell, off the top of my head, I can’t think of another coach who’s actually on Twitter). Mostly, he taps out updates of the Metallica songs he’s inputting into his head (or tweeting a picture of Raiders fans flipping him the bird), but you have to appreciate a guy who takes a little time out from watching film and game planning all day to remind us all what James Hetfield had to say in 1987. Recent tweet: #nowplaying on the way to Oakland stadium: Babylon AD "Bang Go the Bells", Metallica "Blackened", Deep Purple "Highway Star"

2. Chris Kluwe (@chriswarcraft): As his Twitter handle implies, the Vikings punter is big into role-playing games. So, you have to wade through some of that, but Kluwe makes his tweets so damn funny, it’s nearly impossible not to be entertained by his musings. He’s a guy who knows how to make great use of the hashtag. Recent tweet: Remember Saints fans, if you're planning on bringing feminine hygiene products to the game to throw at me, please ensure they are unused.

1. Arian Foster (@arianfoster): He’s not only one of the top running backs in the league, he’s also a Zen master on his Twitter account. Foster is one of the game’s most interesting thinkers, and his tweets aren’t the usual athletic bluster. They’re deep and interesting and funny. Which is why he’s the No. 1 NFL tweeter around. Recent tweet: I smile at our potential, but weep for our actions. May the light you see tonight fill your heart with what it needs. I love you all.

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(NFL.com)

Posted by Ryan Wilson

In the days leading up to the regular-season opener, Texans running back and defending NFL rushing champ Arian Foster, upon finding out that fans were only interested in his well being because it had huge implications for their fantasy football team, tweeted "You people are sick."

But it's not just the fantasy players who suffer from this affliction, it's the fantasy providers, too. Take, for instance, the front page of NFL.com (see the photo to the right), which found a way to not only promote its fantasy offerings, but revel in the grave misfortunes of others while doing so. Specifically, Chiefs' running back Jamaal Charles, whose season is over after blowing out his knee last Sunday against the Lions.

To recap: the fantasy football player who drafted Charles is the victim here. How dare Jamaal ruin their season.

No need to worry, though! You can "start again" because "it's not too late." Well, unless you're the real Charles. Then again, he now has a whole bunch of free time to play fantasy football. So in that sense, everybody wins.

So while this isn't as egregious as the NFL getting all sanctimonious about illegal hits and then selling photographs of said hits, it's close. Either way, Vikings punter Chris Kluwe (and friend of the Pick-6 Podcast) is unimpressed.

via SB Nation

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Vikings punter Chris Kluwe is unimpressed with your pretend ailments. (AP/US PRESSWIRE)

Posted by Ryan Wilson

There's so much more to Chris Kluwe than professional football punter. In addition to his day job with the Vikings, he's also in a band, and avid gamer (we're going out on a limb: based on his Twitter handle he's really into World of Warcraft … and check), brutally honest, a great writer and, in general, hilarious.

Last October, after the league started cracking down on illegal hits and fining just about anything that moved (they even sent around a handy "Here's how you tackle properly!" video that was universally mocked), Seahawks punter Jon Ryan got absolutely obliterated by Bears wideout Earl Bennett. To which the league said: "Bravo! That's what we're talking about. Perfectly legal!"


This prompted Kluwe to consult the Vikings' locker room whiteboard (click the image to enlarge):


Well, ten months later Kluwe and the whiteboard are back, this time warning of the dangers of fake injuries. Here's a tweet from Thursday:


Deon Grant has no idea what you're talking about, Kluwe.

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Posted by Eye on Football Staff

Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, who you may remember as one of the only players to call out four of the named plaintiffs in the Brady v. the NFL lawsuit, joins the podcast to talk about -- what else -- his lockout comments.

Kluwe also weighs in on his band, Tripping Icarus (you can download their music from iTunes here and listen at their Myspace page here), giving up his No. 5 to new Vikings QB Donovan McNabb, and the fact that we now have actual football.

Co-hosts Will Brinson and Ryan Wilson then break down Randy Moss' retirement, the various free agency comings and goings around the league, whether the Eagles are the "Miami Heat of the NFL," and if Chris Johnson is worth "Adrian Peterson money."

Talking starts below. (Just hit the play button and don't forget to Subscribe via iTunes.)

Posted by Josh Katzowitz

We’ve written the past day or two about the labor negotiations from the perspective of the plaintiffs in the Brady v NFL case and what they might want individually in return for settling the lawsuit against the league.

For example, Patriots G Logan Mankins and Chargers WR Vincent Jackson apparently are asking for $10 million apiece. Which naturally led to Vikings P Chris Kluwe calling the two of them, plus Saints QB Drew Brees and Colts QB Peyton Manning, “douchebags” on his Twitter account Tuesday.

The reason for Kluwe’s ire against Brees and Manning? The reports that they want a lifetime exemption from the franchise tagging system.

Brees, on his Twitter account, said to be wary of media reports on this subject, writing, "All media claims about me wanting a personal reward for this deal are false. I hope you all know me better than that." The Boston Globe’s Greg Bedard tweeted that Brees, Manning and Jackson have softened their stances in regards to individual lawsuit compensation.

Meanwhile, it seems like Jackson is willing to return to the Chargers and sign the $11 million franchise tag for 2011 (if there actually is a tag system in the new CBA), according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Still, he’d (obviously) like a long-term contract and not the one-year tag money, but this way, I don’t see how Kluwe could be mad at him.

UPDATE 11:41 P.M. ET: According to the Boston Globe, the NFLPA's executive committee will recommend that the plaintiffs receive no special considerations as part of the lockout's end.

Writes Ron Borges: "It was determined it would be too cumbersome to try and work out individual deals. Since the bulk of plaintiffs were well-placed NFL veterans, the best way to go, it was decided, was to stick simply with the larger deal negotiated between the NFLPA and the league’s owners."

As far as "well-placed NFL veterans" go, I imagine Broncos rookie LB Von Miller would beg to differ on that point.

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Posted by Ryan Wilson

This morning we noted that, as two of the 10 plaintiffs in the Brady v. the NFL case, Vincent Jackson and Logan Mankins could each ask for $10 million in compensation. At the time, the thinking was that the other plaintiffs wouldn't seek similarly high payouts because they either weren't in position to (free agents, already under contract, retired, etc.) or, as elite quarterbacks, already had all the leverage they needed.

Turns out, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are also looking for settlements of their own. CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman writes that "Multiple sources say that Manning, one of the named plaintiffs, wants immediate free agency in order to settle the lawsuit. Those sources also say Brees wants to be a free agent next year. The sources say lawyers for the NFLPA have asked NFL owners for those two things in addition to the reported demands from Mankins and Jackson."

So, yeah, tying a nice little bow on a new collective bargaining agreement doesn't seem as close as it did just a few hours ago. That said, Freeman is confident a deal will get done this week.

So while all hope isn't lost, Viking punter Chris Kluwe is wholly unimpressed with the news that four of the 10 named plaintiffs (who, by the way, are supposed to be representing the other 1,896 NFL players) appear to be cutting their own deals. So, naturally, Kluwe took to Twitter to voice his displeasure.



That doesn't leave much room for interpretation. The problem, of course, is that, as Freeman pointed out this morning, a new CBA can't be agreed upon unless all the plaintiffs settle the case.

That's much easier when some of them aren't looking out just for themselves.

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Posted by Andy Benoit

Back in December when the Metrodome roof collapsed and the NFL moved the Vikings’ Monday night home game to the University of Minnesota’s outdoor venue, Chris Kluwe took to Twitter and spoke out harshly about the unsafe frozen field conditions. He was asked by some faction of the powers that be to pipe down.

With the NFL players locked out, the Vikings punter is at it again. And, obviously, there’s no one to tell him to stop this time.

Kluwe took to Twitter to post his paraphrased version of Roger Goodell’s letter to players:





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