Is it any wonder his teammates hate Cedric Benson?

I mean, sure, Michael Strahan is an idiot, and he was rightly lampooned by the press for his tirade against a (female) ESPN reporter over 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 lot of supporters 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 rushing for 584 yards (a mediocre 3.7 yards per carry), four touchdowns and just over 30 rushing yards 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 been left out of training camp because he wanted more money. He watched the second half of a preseason game this fall from the locker room instead of the bench, because he claimed he didn’t know it was a rule that he had to be, you know, with his teammates. And he has done virtually nothing but complain and act like a proper 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 sullen jerk who claimed he was nothing like the mercurial 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 more or less the same, we’re not friends. My arrival was a heavy thing for him to deal with in his career. I support him, all because of him 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 get on the field.”

I ask you: what the hell good can come of this? Thomas Jones is having his second straight magnificent year. In 2005 he rushed for 1,335 yards and nine touchdowns; this year, he’s on the road for 1,375 yards. His career 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 as to who the more talented running back is. Jones is a tough mofo who can do 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, he has a good nose for the goal line, but he has caught five passes in 10 games and his blocking skills have been questioned. There’s no arguing at all that Benson should play more, let alone that he’s a “better player” than Jones. So the factual content of the statement is, well, not that 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 he’s sure he’s a better player and just doesn’t get a chance to prove it? Who the hell is Cedric Benson?

The Bears’ locker room has been against Benson since his absence, and these comments aren’t going to change that. Trust me: There’s a lot of eye-rolling and jeering among the Chicago players.

Well, that settles it. USC strangles Notre Dame and worries about an Ohio State vs. Ohio State matchup. The Michigan rematch is put to sleep. I mean, that’s what’s going to happen, right? Or do you give UCLA a chance to hit on Saturday?

BoDog Bookmakers, BoDog.ws: Well, that’s why they play; There are some 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 to the BCS Championship and has a disappointing game, but I don’t think the coach will let that 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 give any team in the NFC trouble. The balance of power has really shifted, much 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 way. The dominance is obvious, with the AFC holding a 32-20 record over the NFC in head-to-head games.

With five weeks to go in the season, it looks like Detroit, Arizona and Oakland may be the teams to square off for the top pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. It’s obviously early days, but with the college season fresh on our minds , can you give an idea of ​​who each of these teams would pick if they had the first overall pick?

BDB, BoDog.ws: Detroit could have drafted Matt Leinart last year, but passed him up. If they get the No. 1 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’s 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 “typical” Raiders have been playing, that could be a good thing.

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

BDB, BoDog.ws: We expect a great handling 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. So far, the biggest control has been in the USC/UCLA game, with the SEC title game in second place. The ACC is the only really standout game of the morning, so it should catch punters’ attention early on.