$20.4 Million Guaranteed

Imagine knowing that no matter what happens, you're getting paid $20.4 million dollars over the next 5 years.

And the odds are you're going to get quite a bit more than that. As much as $36 or so million.

I'd be down with that. Like Antonio in the photo above, I would definitely wear a flowy, unbuttoned, light blue dress shirt, with white pants, and strut around smiling.

I'd probably also get a nice house in La Jolla or Del Mar, nothing too flashy, but comfortable, with a view of the ocean.

Then I'd get an apartment in Manhattan for weekend trips to the Apple, just a small place of course, and a villa in either Spain or Italy. Not a huge place, like Clooney's pad on Lake Como, but something modest and nice, with a view of the mountains or a clear body of water.

I'd buy a car too. Probably a Mercedes SUV or a Range Rover. Nothing flashy like a Ferrari or Porsche. I wouldn't want to overdo it.

Of course I'd need to take a vacation to celebrate the fact I'm making all this money. Nothing extravagant. I've heard Brazil is nice, and I've always wanted to see Tibet and Thailand, but I'm not talking a Grand Tour with baggage handlers and sherpas and red carpets. Though that would be nice. I should check on the going rate for sherpas.

All in all, knowing you're making up to $7 million a year for the next 5 years wouldn't be a bad thing.

As long as you don't get all crazy with the spending.

Gates Will Be Ready On Sunday, As He Was In Jan '05

When the Jets last played the Bolts in a playoff game it was January 2005. Guys with names like Marty Schottenheimer, Keenan McCardell, Roman Oben, Steve Foley, Eric Parker, Donnie Edwards, Terence Kiel and Drew Brees roamed the Bolts sideline. LT was in his prime. Philip Rivers was on the roster but inactive for the game. It was a different Chargers team.

That particular game didn't end too well for the Bolts, but the sad outcome was not the fault of one Antonio Gates. He hauled in the tying TD pass from Drew Brees with 16 seconds left in regulation, making the leaping grab you see above. Antonio finished the game with 6 catches for 89 yards, not an epic performance but a solid performance nonetheless.

My guess is Antonio at least equals that performance this Sunday.

Scouting The Jets - Bungles Game

Spent the late afternoon scouting the Jets - Bengals game at the Village Pourhouse on Amsterdam Avenue up near Columbia's campus (not the one pictured above, that's in the actual Village). Father D.P. McGillicutty, a notorious Jetsies fan, showed up and helped me house some angus beef sliders, hot wings and numerous Bud Louie's.

Based on the Jets 24-14 victory, I note the following in a potential Bolts-Jets matchup:

- the Jets defense is strong but Rivers could throw up and over their smaller corners to the likes of Antonio, Malcolm and Vincent;

- Shon Greene and Thomas Jones would be difficult to stop, assuming Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer continues his creative play calling (the counter-pitch to Greene that went for a touchdown in the first half was choice);

- Dustin Keller, the Jets TE, would likely be able to exploit the Bolts LB core and pick up some big gains underneath and on bootlegs, as he did today against the Bengals; and

- LT and Sproles would have some daylight to pick up yards in the ground game, in theory opening up Philip even more for some deep tosses to Vincenzo, Antonio and Malcolmo.

We'll know tomorrow after the Pats-Ravens game whether the Bolts will indeed play the Jets, or if there will be a Bolts-Pats rematch from the 2006 playoff debacle.

Oh my.