It has been common knowledge for some time that Percy Harvin is not happy at the Minnesota Vikings. Reports have emanated that he is unhappy with the way the Vikings have dealt with his injury; Harvin is currently recovering from surgery on his shoulder. It has been suggested he is dissatisfied with the Vikings’ reluctance to offer him a new contract which more accurately represents his contribution to the team. Whilst none of these rumors have been confirmed, with both Harvin and the Vikings preferring to settle these issues in-house, it has resulted in Harvin officially requesting a trade away from Minnesota.

The first thing that should be assumed in this saga is that the Vikings will not trade Harvin, despite the request. Given that Harvin is contracted to the Vikings for another two seasons, and at a very a reasonable price, it would take an extraordinary offer for Minnesota to even consider trading their number one receiver. Harvin made 967 yards on 87 receptions last season and was by far the most prolific of the Vikings’ receivers, also showing his versatility by playing running back when required, rushing for 345 yards.

That being said, there will be plenty of NFL teams who have sat up and took notice following Harvin’s announcement. At the forefront of this group is likely to be the Miami Dolphins. Stripped of a number one receiver following Brandon Marshall’s trade to the Chicago Bears, the Dolphins are in dire need of top receiving talent, despite their assurances they are happy with their current group. Their receiving corps boasts the likes of Davone Bess, Brian Hartline, Legedu Naanee and recent addition Chad Ochocinco, but none of them have the overall skill set to make them a legitimate contender for the number one receiver role. There is no doubt that Stephen Ross would love to have Harvin as a target for rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but the question remains as to what he would have to give up to obtain him.

Another team likely to be interested is the Washington Redskins, who would also love to have him link up with their rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III. Although the Redskins boast a better receiving corps than the Dolphins, with the likes of Santana Moss, Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon, there is no doubting that Harvin would not only become the number one receiver, but also transform the Redskins’ offense into one which could compete in the challenging NFC East. Given the price paid for the opportunity to acquire RG3, it is debatable whether Washington has the leverage to make a tempting offer to the Vikings, and if they do, would they even be willing to trade away further draft picks.

One team which is perhaps in a position to make a decent offer to the Vikings (the Redskins can be thanked for that) is the St Louis Rams. The plethora of picks they received for their number two overall draft pick in the 2012 draft could possibly be enough to tempt Minnesota into a deal. Whilst the Rams have already added Steve Smith to their receiving corps in free agency, as well as Chris Givens and Brian Quick in the draft, the prospect of an elite receiver like Harvin could be too tempting for St Louis to turn down, who have shown faith in Sam Bradshaw as their franchise quarterback and will look to give him all the tools he needs to succeed.

Essentially these scenarios are very unlikely to come true, with the Vikings likely to wait until next season before trading Harvin when they would probably be able to receive just as good an offer as they could get this season. This would see them get another year’s production out of one of the best young receivers in the league and also give them an opportunity to try and convince him his future is in Minnesota. If the Vikings were to cut their losses on an unhappy player, and avoid any chance of him upsetting the locker room this coming season, it would certainly be one of the more surprising stories from this offseason, but far from the strangest thing that has ever happened in the NFL.

Image Courtesy of  Percy Harvin

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For the latest in the successful coming-of-age franchise American Pie, ‘American Reunion’, everyone’s favorite MILF Guy, John Cho, returns. The performer has gained fame as Harold in the Harold & Kumar films, all written and one directed by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. “When we saw American Pie, we just immediately fell in love with what John Cho did with the MILF Guy role,” says Schlossberg. “It was so distinct and funny.”

“It’s crazy, because John Cho only has one memorable line in the first movie. He’s just like, ‘Dude! That chick’s a MILF!’” adds Hurwitz. “He’s diving into his career at that moment, and we watched it. That’s all it took for us to fall in love with him. We wrote an entire movie because of that one little line. In Harold & Kumar, he plays the straight man, and he has a lot of big laughs. But in this, John gets to be a little bit weirder and bring out more of his unique comic stylings.”

Cho—who was originally a member of the jazz choir and only asked to do the MILF role later—says that after he filmed ‘American Pie’, he went overseas and was unaware of the phenomenon. “When I returned, people on the streets were like, ‘Hey MILF,’ and it was strange. I didn’t know what they were talking about at first.”

It was Cho who actually told the directors about American Reunion, and they got the call to work on the project shortly. As well, he came up with the storyline for his MILF Guy role in this film. Cho decided that it would be funny to play him as a realtor who planned the reunion and wanted to make a big impression on his former classmates. “We decided that he had a Cadillac, and then from that came the mustache,” says Cho. “From the mustache came the hair and the white jeans, which is a strong move…”

While we have our old favorites, several new characters have been added to the original cast of American Pie. Schlossberg and Hurwitz say they chose to add new players because they didn’t feel it would be realistic that all of the couples in high school would return years later and still be together. In many cases they paired original cast members with their opposites. Jay Harrington plays Oz’s nemesis, Heather’s boyfriend/cardiac surgeon Ron, while Oz is dating model/gold digger Mia, portrayed by 30 Rock’s Katrina Bowden.

Dania Ramirez was brought aboard as Selena, who has a romantic storyline with one of the East Great Falls friends. Schlossberg says: “We figured you always go back to your hometown and see that one girl or guy who’s just, ‘Wow. They look a lot better than they did in high school!’ That’s why we set up one of the characters with Selena.”

Ali Cobrin plays Kara, who is completely infatuated with the sexually frustrated Jim (and who is also responsible for quite a risqué set piece in the film). Jim comes home to find the girl next door is now a gorgeous 18-year-old. Cobrin jokes that she wore nothing but a thong for two months.

It certainly took guts to bare all in the back of a MINI Cooper. In the scene, Jim rescues the drunk Kara, and is determined to drive her home. “There were stunts, car crashes, swerving,” she recalls. “I felt like I was in every position in that car except for sitting upright with the seat belt on.”

New England Patriots wide receiver (and former Cincinnati Bengal) Chad Ochocinco didn’t have to stretch too far to find his character. He appears as himself. “As a Browns’ fan, I root against him,” Schlossberg dryly notes, “but as an actor, he’s funny. Having Ocho complaining to Chris was a fun scene to shoot.”

Ochocinco sympathized with Klein when the actor had to perform a big dance number in front of the crowd, as the player was a featured performer on Dancing With the Stars. He says he was quite excited to meet the cast. “I was like a little groupie,” he laughs. Discussing his work as Oz’s co-hosting sportscaster, he notes: “Saying ‘Play on player!’ at the end of the sports segment is funny. I had to give Chris a look like, ‘Are you serious?’ That’s what you’re going to say after a sportscast?”

Image Courtesy of   Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

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VH1 has signed “Basketball Wife” Evelyn Lozada and her fiance, NFL superstar Chad Ochocinco for a new series showcasing their upcoming wedding, including all the scheduling, details and drama that lead to their special day. The eight-part series “Ev and Ocho” will premiere September 2012 and consist of eight half-hour episodes concluding with a two-part wedding finale.

VH1 has followed Evelyn’s story through four seasons of “Basketball Wives” ­- beginning with the end of her engagement to NBA player Antoine Walker, to her single life and now her current relationship with Chad Ochocinco. After going through their own set of peaks and valleys in this new relationship together, they are ready to take the next step to “I do” – with cameras in tow. Watch as VH1 presents a behind-the­-scenes look at Chad and Evelyn and their journey to become “Mr. and Mrs.”

Audiences will get a glimpse into all aspects of Evelyn and Chad’s relationship, from the tumultuous times, having to deal with cheating rumors and heartache, to dealing with the often negative and always invasive tabloid press, social media criticism of their partnership and tough family decisions about who’ll walk Evelyn down the aisle.

Viewers will watch Evelyn and Chad work through their dream wedding with celebrity wedding planner Diann Valentine and decide on important details including the cake, the designer dress, the exclusive invite list and more. Preparation will not be easy as these stars battle the balance between their hectic daily schedules and planning a celebrity-studded wedding. Planning “happily ever after” is never a smooth course.

RSVP for this special event and tune in to watch “Ev and Ocho” premiering September 2012.

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When the Jets and Patriots met a month ago, the Patriots handed the Jets their third straight loss and made people question whether the Jets would even make the playoffs, let along make good on Rex’s usual preseason guarantee. Now the Jets have the chance to do the same thing right back to the Patriots.

The Jets have been hot lately, and they are undefeated at home this season. They’ve won the past two meetings at home against New England and on Sunday have a great opportunity to give the suddenly vulnerable Patriots their third straight loss, which would be their first since 2002.

“Both teams are going to be humming for this one, no question,” Rex Ryan said. “You can sugarcoat it all you want, but they know they need it and we know we need it. Both teams are going to be hungry.”

During their three game losing streak the Jets gave up at least 30 points and fell two games behind the AFC East lead. Three wins later and New York is 5-3 and back into a tie for 1^st with Buffalo and New England. The defense looks like the defense of old, circa 09’ and 10’, allowing only 38 points and forcing 8 turnovers in the past three games. Their last win was a convincing one 27-11 over the Bills last week.

“We definitely have been getting better these last three weeks,” Ryan said. “But we’re going to see how much we’ve improved.” While the defense is playing better they will still face a tough task against Tom Brady and the Patriots who are ranked second in the league averaging 437.3 yards per game.

However in the Patriots past three games they’ve failed to score more than 20 points. Against Pittsburgh two weeks ago they managed only 213 yards total and didn’t score in the first half last week against the Giants. They also committed four turnovers against New York last week which is the third time they’ve done so this year compared to only 1 turnover through their final eight games last year.

Tom Brady isn’t having his best year as he already has 10 interceptions which is the third most in the league compared to only four all of last year. ”Just decision making,” Brady said. “I’ve just got to make better decisions.” The problem for the Patriots though hasn’t been the offense. There issue is the defense which is dead last in passing allowing 314.0 yards per game and is the only team allowing 300+ passing yards in the league.

“I think everybody can do a better job,” Bill Belichick said. “That includes everybody — it includes me, it includes all the coaches, it includes all the players. There’s room for improvement for all of us.” The Patriots cut Albert Haynesworth on Tuesday who they had brought in hopes that he could help improve their defensive front.

They also brought in wide receiver Chad Ochocinco hoping he could give them some sort of a vertical threat, but he hasn’t made a catch in three games. Last week Brady targeted him five times. ”He’s continued to do a great job in practice in his role that he’s really carved out for himself,” Brady said, “and he’s going to continue to be out there and, hopefully, make a bunch of plays.”

The patriots will need him to start making plays to give them a some semblance of a deep threat, because due to his lack of production the Patriots have had to rely extensively on Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski. With Welker likely being matched up against All-Pro corner back Darrelle Revis his job will be even tougher this week.

Welker had a big 73 yard reception in the last meeting against the Jets, it came when he was lined up opposite Revis. He was otherwise held to a very pedestrian day only catching four balls for 51 yards. ”Sometimes I was throwing him on the ground, sometimes he was catching some balls on me,” Revis said. “I call him the ‘Energizer Bunny’ because he never stops — it doesn’t matter what you do to him, he just keeps on coming and coming.”

The key for the Patriots last time the two met was the run game. BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns and the Patriots racked up 152 yards on the ground. The Jets defense has been playing well against the run lately, though they are still ranked 22^nd giving up 123.0 yards per game. They will be getting defensive end Mike DeVito back who is a big part of their run defense so that bodes well for the Jets.

Though the Patriots pass defense is bad, the Jets will continue to rely on their run game as they have the past few games. Shonn Greene has stepped up and the Jets are averaging 130.7 yards over the three game win streak up from 76.2 before. A lot of the resurgence has to do with All-Pro center Nick Mangold fully healing from injury.

The return to the run game has also helped the passing game as Mark Sanchez has 7 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions with a 63% completion rate over the past four games. Sanchez has done well at home against the Patriots posting a 114.5 passer rating and a 2-0 record.

With the recent struggles of the Patriots and the Jets playing well lately and at home the game will be a close one. The Jets should be able to learn from the Steelers and their New York NFC counterparts and be able to keep Brady off balance in the passing game. Unless the Patriots get another big day from the run game the Jets will be hard to beat at home.

When it’s all said and done the Jets should be able to hand the beleaguered Patriots their third straight loss and move into first place in the AFC East. Final Prediction: Patriots 24 Jets 27

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It’s been months since the last football game and finally, the players are back on the field. At 7.30 pm tonight, the Jags will take on the Patriots in Foxborough.

It will be interesting to see how the teams are coming along after a long lockout. Unlike regular season games, preseason is a lot about getting the team back together, improving weak areas, and testing out new players. New England Patriots have obtained quite a few valuable players for both their offense and defense. Good thing is the Pats is the team of the 2000s.

For the past ten years, they won three super bowl titles and only missed two playoffs and for this reason, I have not seen an unhappy new Patriot’s member.

“Every players want to win, and joining a team with such a winning momentum pushes them even harder” said an ESPN analyze.

Take Ochocinqo for example; during a press conference last season while he was still with the Cincinnati Bengals, he expressed an interest in becoming a Patriot. Months later with a new signed deal, a guy will such character is now willing to do it in the Bill Belichick’s way.

Now, let’s get to the point: who will come off with a win tonight?

With one of the best offenses in the league, no team can stop them from scoring. The only weakness about the Pats is their young defense. It would be interesting to see adjustments Belichick made to the team and if the veterans Albert Haynesworth and Shaun Ellis would assist the Pats at all with the receiving game.

Jacksonville Jaguars, on the other hand, is not a bad team. Last season, they were 8-8. Even though this is a preseason game and anything can happen, I still don’t think the Jags would surprise the Pats.

Moreover, as a result of QB David Garrard’s injury rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert will start for the team, which means there’s still room for error. Most might say rookies will push to the limit to prove themselves. I agree but the “want” and the “experience” are two very different things, though when combined, can create an outstanding player. He will be great. Everyone takes time.

My final verdict: the Patriots.

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The AFC North division is one of the most competitive and entertaining in the NFL from top to bottom. Every team has a fierce rivalry with each other. Every game is played with 100% intensity and effort, making watching these games an incredible experience for fans. For a while now Baltimore and Pittsburgh have been the clear frontrunners here. That being said, Cincinnati is perennially a tough team to beat, and usually on the verge of the playoffs come the later weeks in the season. Also Cleveland, who had been at the bottom of the barrel for a while now, has injected some new young talent, and is looking to start their turnaround. The 2011 season could see an even more balanced AFC North than fans have seen in years.

Cleveland Browns: The Browns are at a crossroads. They have a quarterback in Colt McCoy who seems as though he’s ready to lead this team. McCoy has shown both the skill and the intangibles to be a very solid quarterback immediately, and maybe more in the future. I remember watching their game against the Jets last season, seeing Colt drive the ball down field with ease using both his arm and his legs to shred one of the better defenses in the NFL. At that moment I knew that this team was on their way up. McCoy isn’t alone either. He has a stud in the backfield in Peyton Hillis who had an absolute breakout season last year. Hillis racked up 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns, not to mention countless highlights of him leaping over one defender and running over the next. With Rob Ryan running the defense, this team is only a few weapons and some experience away from being a serious contender in this division.

Cincinnati Bengals: Inconsistency is the word. From the playoffs in 2009 to a four win season in 2010, there was a serious drop-off in Cincinnati. The Carson Palmer era seems to be over, and the Andy Dalton years are just beginning. Rumor has it that the starting job is already his. That being said, something about this franchise just screams under-performance. Ochocinco apparently wants out and nobody knows if Terrell Owens will be able to come back from off-season surgery and perform at a high level. If Dalton is relying on Jordan Shipley to be his number one target, there will undoubtedly be another rough season. Even off the field this team can’t win. Every time fans turn around their beloved Bengals are back in the news shining a negative light on the franchise for one thing or another. Maybe new leadership under center will turn things around, but it will take some time. Prepare for some rebuilding years Cinci fans.

Baltimore Ravens: Anquan Boldin came on the scene in 2010 and made a serious impact on this offense. Joe Flacco added a serious weapon to his already bolstering arsenal, and immediately showed good chemistry with Boldin, connecting down-field game after game. I’m shocking myself in writing about a Ravens offense first, but it’s catching up to their powerhouse defense that we have known and loved for years. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed might have some mileage on them, but nobody’s worried, they’re still some of the best in the league at their positions. There really aren’t very many weak links in this Raven’s team, they’re ready now. Year after year Flacco gets better, and fans are just waiting for the year where they can overthrow the Steelers. Could 2011 be the year? I’ll leave it at a maybe, but it’s going to take some big game performances to get the deal done. Their time will come as long as they can get it done before they lose their veteran leaders to retirement. Expect to see them back in the playoffs, and from there you never know.

Pittsburgh Steelers: What’s to say here? Sure, they lost in the Super Bowl, but they were beaten by an excellent team that was on an incredible roll. Mike Tomlin has a resume at 39 that most coaches never will have in their entire career. Big Ben is one of the best clutch quarterbacks in the league no matter how ugly his stats or mechanics may be. The defense is back to the days of the “Steel Curtain.” I could probably go through every single player on the defensive side of the ball and rave about them, but I’ll spare readers the extra words and just tell you they’re all really, really good. They’ve got youth, they’ve got offense, defense, special teams, veterans, coaching, experience, rings…they’ve got it all. I refuse to believe I’ve seen the last of Ben Roethlisberger or Troy Polamalu in the Super Bowl. When it’s all said and done, this team might rival some of the great Pittsburgh teams of the past.

The Steelers are going to be tough to overcome for a long time, but getting out of this division might be their hardest task. Fans better believe that they will be given a run for their money as this division begins to balance out. Hard hits and clutch plays are the name of the game in the AFC North. If you haven’t been watching these divisional games in the past few years, start. Great football, great players, great moments. Whoever is able to come out of this division on top will surely be ready for anyone that gets the tough task of meeting them in the postseason. Be ready for some battles.

Ken Durden / Shutterstock.com

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