More photos » by Anonymous - AP

FILE -- This Jan. 26, 1960, file photo shows American Football League president Lamar Hunt, center, flanked by Bud Adams, left, owner of the Houston AFL team, and Harry Wismer, owner of the New York AFL team, in Dallas.

Browse more photos »

John McClain was on 104.5 The Zone yesterday when host George Plaster asked a very interesting question: in 10 years, who will own the Titans?

Now the long established plan has been for Bud's grandson, Kenneth Adams IV, to take over the franchise upon the sad day Mr. Adams passes on.  Kenneth has been working in the front office for years getting  to know the football business.  McClain, who has a long-standing relationship with Bud that goes back for decades, stunned me by speculating that the family would sell the franchise because it's worth a fortune and doesn't mean nearly as much to them as it does to Bud.  

So, who did the well-informed McClain think will buy it?  This guy, James Haslam Jr.  It was this savvy answer that piqued my interest because it almost makes too much sense.  The Haslams are a formidable force in Tennessee, especially in the East Tennessee political machine.  James' son Bob Bill is the mayor of Knoxville and an early favorite to run for governor once term-limited Phil Bredesen is gone.  The family already owns a minority share of the Pittsburgh Steelers, so they're basically pre-approved for franchise ownership by the other NFL owners.  

James Haslam Jr. also made a very public push to get an NFL team to Nashville before the Oilers and Adams ever entered the picture.  He's got a national championship ring he earned 1951 with the Vols under legendary coach Robert Neyland, so we wouldn't have to question whether or not he's a football guy.

Of course this is all pretty much idle speculation, but I wanted to pass along this interesting idea to Titans fans everywhere as it's a question that will come up at some point.

by John Russell - AP

Some tough decisions ahead for this man. (AP Photo/John Russell)

View full size photo »

This was the toughest one yet.  The Titans have until tomorrow at 4 p.m. to be down to 53.

Continue reading this post »

Last season I went through the Titans schedule before the season started and predicted how the Titans would do.  Most people called me crazy, and if I remember correctly, one person even went so far to say he would "crap himself" (You know who you are.  We have yet to see proof) if the Titans started 7-0.  They started 10-0, in case you don't remember.

So with that in mind, I have decided to predict all 8 divisions from top to bottom for 2009.

Continue reading this post »

by David Richard - AP

Buying himself another preseason game. (AP Photo/David Richard)

View full size photo »

Today the Titans will have to trim their roster by 4 players to get down to the NFL-mandated 75 players by 5 p.m. central.  This is the first in two cut down days with the second coming Saturday when the roster has to be at 53 players. 

Click through the jump for predictions on the 4 players cut today and another stab at the 53 man roster by yours truly.

Continue reading this post »

The pressure on defense is the key to this game.  If the defensive line can get after Brett Favre, and I like their chances a lot better with Kyle Vanden Bosh playing, he will throw some balls up for grabs.  We all know what happens when quarterbacks throw the ball up for grabs against this secondary, but if they can't get after him it could be a long day for the Titans' secondary.  I think they will force at least 2 interceptions.

On offense running the ball will not be easy again this week.  Dinger is going to have to find different ways to get the ball to Chris Johnson.  The Jets D is really good against the run (4th in the NFL) but not so good against the pass (28th).  Since we have seen Kerry Collins win multiple games this season, I am not nearly as worried about those numbers as I was early in the season.

The scariest part about the Jets might be Leon Washington returning kicks.  Washington ranks second in the NFL in kickoff return average at just under 30 yards per return.  The Titans kick coverage team has been bad at times this season, but they did a great job against Devin Hester.  Hopefully they have figured out where they were getting gashed earlier in the season.

The Jets are a very good football team.  This game will be close until the 4th quarter, but I see the Titans pulling away to a 31-17 win.  Cortland Finnegan will get a pick 6 to put it on ice.

Leave your thoughts below.. 

Jeff Fisher doesn't worry about changing his clock twice a year for daylight savings time.  The sun rises and sets when Fish tells it to.

There's only one way to reach 8-0: beat the Pack today!

Go Titans!!!

From 1999 through 2003, the Titans went 56-21 with only 2 seasons that ended without a post-season win. From 2004 through 2007 they went 27-37.  It's a tale of two radically different teams, a schizophrenic roller coaster for Titans fans.

Miracles

In September of 1999 the Tennessee Titans were wrapped in newness: new name, new uniforms, new stadium, new fans and a new chapter in franchise history.  They filled every seat in Adelphia Coliseum, and treated those grateful followers to an undefeated season at home and a 13-3 record overall.  

Then came the Music City Miracle.  Then came the epic win over Jacksonville.  Then came the most exciting Super Bowl in NFL history (that's science people).  There was the record smashing rise of the Freak, and the retirement of Bruce Matthews.  The Titans were the toast of Nashville and the envy of most serious NFL followers for their consistency.

Tricks

By 2004 the Titans were getting old.  The injuries were piling-up, and so was the salary cap number.  Back-loaded contracts and veterans in decline were sprinkled all over the roster.  After a rough 2004 season the core of the team was blown-up, and Steve McNair's departure after the 2005 season ended the only real 'era' Nashville had seen in professional sports.  From 2005 through 2007 the team we see today was assembled, though they struggled to learn how to win again. 

Also, there was this one guy who came in for a year or two.  He was great at returning kicks, putting strippers through school and keeping cops all over the country busy.

Last year the franchise we'd known was reborn.  After years of being undermanned (causing Fisher to call more trick plays, onside-kicks and fake punts than I've ever seen from any other NFL coach) the talent on the field graduated from learning how to play to learning how to win.  Vince Young electrified, the running game pounded and the Haynesworth led defense terrified.  The Titans defied the naysayers by making the playoffs a year before most though we would be ready.

Treats

So what's the point of all of this?  We're back!  The Titans are a team others hate to play again!  Our defense is stocked with Pro Bowl-caliber talent, the offensive line is dominant and the thunder and lighting duo of White and Johnson can grind teams into submission before snapping off huge plays.  The roster is stocked with too many hard-nosed players to list hear.  They play with ferocity and intensity every weekend.  When things go wrong they circle the wagons and stay focused on winning.  Nobody pops-off to the media.  Nobody tries to steal the spotlight.  Even our uniforms finally look awesome.  

If it weren't for VY's headline-ready issues I doubt many people would notice that we're 3-0... and even that didn't distract this team!

We Titans fans endured a seriously ugly team for a few years there, but I'm here to tell you this Titans team is built right, and they aren't going anywhere but up.  Sure they're flawed in some spots, but I couldn't think of a group of guys or a coaching staff -- even my former personal nemesis Jim Schwartz -- who are more rewarding to root for than these Titans.

So, am I alone in feeling like 3-0 is just the beginning?

By the end of the day tomorrow the Titans will have to trim the roster to 53 players.  Here is the way I see it:

Locks (41)

QB- Vince Young, Kerry Collins
RB- LenDale White, Chris Johnson, Ahmard Hall
WR- Justin Gage, Justin McCareins, Lavelle Hawkins
TE- Alge Crumpler, Bo Scaife, Craig Stevens
OL- Michael Roos, Jake Scott, Kevin Mawae, Eugene Amano, David Stewart, Daniel Loper, Leroy Harris
DL- Kyle Vanden Bosch, Albert Haynesworth, Tony Brown, Jevon Kearse, Jacob Ford, Mookie Johnson, Jason Jones, Williams Hayes
LB- Keith Bulluck, David Thornton, Ryan Fowler, Stephen Tulloch
DB- Cortland Finnegan, Nick Harper, Michael Griffin, Chris Hope, Vincent Fuller, Chris Carr, Eric King, Calvin Lowry
P- Craig Hentrich
K- Rob Bironas
LS- Ken Amato

Probable (10)

RB- Chris Henry, Casey Cramer
WR- Brandon Jones
TE- Dwayne Blakely
OL- Mike Otto
DL- Dave Ball
LB- Stanford Keglar, Colin Allred
DB- Donnie Nickey, Reynaldo Hill (as much as I hate it, Fisher loves guys with experience)

That leaves us with 2 spots.  One of those spots might go to John Vaughn temporarily if the the Titans are satisfied with where Bironas is coming off the injury.  Let's assume they have to temporarily keep Vaughn, that leaves one spot for Roydell Williams, Biren Ealy, Quinton Ganther, Sean Conover or Tuff Harris.

It doesn't really look like there are too many tough decisions to be made.  Some people have called this one of the deepest teams that the Titans have had, but I really have trouble coming up with 53 guys that deserve to be on an NFL team.