On the About Football Forum, we discourage unnecessary irritation of others because the trash talk tends to get out of control in an anonymous setting. But let’s be real… part of the fun of being a fan is being able to rub the misfortune of a rival team in the noses of its fans. And there’s a time and place for it as long as it’s all in fun.

So we’ve polled members of our forum and come up with some enjoyable ways to twist the knife in your buddy's back. Read more...

Photo: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images

Football officials... they're the men on the field we all love to hate and complain about. But without these keepers of the rules, a football game could not progress with any sort of structure or sanity.

Officials play a very important role in the game, from keeping things moving along to making sure the athletes don't unnecessarily hurt each other. Officials are responsible for monitoring the game clock and play clock, enforcing the rules of play, and recording all rule infractions.

You often hear them referred to by the general term of referee, but there is actually only one referee on the field during a game. Each official (usually seven in college and NFL games) has his own title and assigned responsibilities. Read more...

And if you've ever wondered what it takes to become an NFL official, we have all the details.

Photo: Eliot J. Schechter / Getty Images

Let's face it. Most football players aren't highly regarded for their intelligence (not to say there aren't a lot of smart guys playing the game). And as a result, the large amount of time they spend in front of a microphone answering questions can lead to some very amusing moments.

In honor of these blunderers, About Football has put together a collection of the more comical quips to escape the lips of college and pro football players, as well as coaches and announcers alike over the years. Read more...

If you thought the feud between Terrell Owens and the Philadelphia Eagles was ancient history, think again. The franchise, Monday, filed suit in U.S. District Court against the mercurial receiver for bonus money he has not repaid the team.

Earlier in the year, Owens was ordered by an arbitrator to repay $1.7 million in bonus money because of his actions in 2005 that led to his suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. The Eagles withheld paychecks he had coming, which covered all but about $770,000, the balance the Eagles are attempting to retrieve.

Since the procedure for handling this type of situation is part of the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players, converting the arbitrators ruling into an official judgement should be a mere formality. Owens, of course, has resisted to date any efforts by the Eagles to collect on his debt, thus the lawsuit.

There should be no surprise in all this though. You didn't really think Owens was going to make this as easy as simply sticking a check in the mail and being done with it, did you?

Photo: Chris Graythen / Getty Images

With multiple teams agreeing to trades, and this year's No. 1 draft pick agreeing to the terms of a contract recently, it seems like agreeing is just in the air these days. So it makes sense that the NFL would come to an agreement with Matt Walsh so that we can finally find out what, if anything, he knows or has evidence of in regards to the Spygate scandal involving the New England Patriots.

Commissioner Roger Goodell is scheduled to meet with Walsh in the league office on May 13 at which time Walsh is to spill the beans as well as turn over any physical evidence he might have. The league and the Patriots have promised not to sue him, and he will be indemnified for any expenses he incurs in connection with the interview.

Mike Florio of Profootballtalk.com got his hands on a copy of the agreement and has posted it here.

Hopefully this interview is the beginning of the end of the Spygate scandal in one way or another.

On the heels of a blockbuster trade between the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs comes news of another deal. ESPN’s Ed Werder is reporting that the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys have finally agreed to terms on a long-rumored trade that would send suspended cornerback Pacman Jones to Dallas.

The question is, will Jones play for the Cowboys in 2008... or ever, for that matter?

Per the report, the Cowboys will send their fourth-round pick in this weekend’s draft as compensation. And they could end up sending additional compensation to the Titans as well, depending on how much playing time Jones gets. If he is still suspended a year from now, however, the Cowboys will receive some sort of compensation in return. But what that will be has yet to be disclosed.

And that's key considering there is no guarantee NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will reinstate Jones for the upcoming season. And if Jones is, in fact, reinstated, there's no guarantee he'll be able to stay out of trouble.

If the Cowboys get something in return near the value of the pick they sent to Tennessee in the event that Jones isn't reinstated or can't stop "making it rain", then this is a low-risk deal for the Cowboys that could work out very well if Pacman cleans up his act. If he gets into trouble again or becomes a problem in the clubhouse, they simply cut him and move on without paying a high price.

Having said that, if I'm running the Cowboys (and Cowboys fans everywhere should breath a sigh of relief that I'm not) I'm not sure I'd want a guy like Jones in my clubhouse even if the deal comes with little risk. But different franchises have different philosophies in that regard. Some don't want thugs like Jones representing their team while others are willing to take a chance on a player no one else wants if the price is right.

Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn't.

Photo: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

The Minnesota Vikings' pursuit of Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen was consummated Tuesday evening when the two clubs agreed on a deal that will send the Pro Bowl lineman to the Twin Cities in exchange for multiple draft picks. The Vikings paid a hefty price that includes a first-round pick and two third-round picks in this weekend's NFL Draft. They also swapped sixth-rounders with the Chiefs, getting the Vikings higher pick in the round.

The Vikes also made Allen the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. According to Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com, Allen will sign a six-year, $74 million deal, with $31 million in guaranteed money. Based on the cost of acquiring Allen, a double dip that includes both numerous draft picks and a large chunk of change, his stay in the Twin Cities will be a big disappointment if his performance is anything short of spectacular.

Expectations should be high in Minneapolis, though, based on a strong finish to the 2007 season and the additions the team has made during the offseason. With what should be one of the league's top running games behind second-year back Adrian Peterson, and a potential top-five defense, the Vikings appear set for a good-to-great season.

Now if they only had a quarterback.

Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images

After winning NFL MVP honors following the 2005 season and signing a big-dollar contract during the ensuing offseason, not many would have suspected that running back Shaun Alexander would be given an outright release by the Seattle Seahawks just two short years later. But that's exactly what happened on Tuesday night.

Alexander getting the axe doesn't exactly come as a shock, but it does mark the end of a dramatic decline in performance with the club. The signs have been there for a couple months now with the acquisitions of free agents Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett, who come as much cheaper options over a guy who has severely underperformed based on the dollars he has been paid over the last couple seasons.

Injuries and a decline in play on the offensive line can be pointed to somewhat as reasons for the downturn in his production, but it also appears Alexander has lost a step. There were also concerns at the time that once he got his big payday following the 2005 season that complacency might set in, and that could also be a contributing factor.

Photo: Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images

According to numerous media reports, the Miami Dolphins have agreed to a contract with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long, making him the No. 1 selection in this year's NFL Draft. Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports the deal is for five-years and worth $57.5 million with $30 million guaranteed, which is a bit of a coup for incoming Executive Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells considering last year's No. 1 pick, JaMarcus Russell, received more guaranteed money.

With Long already in the fold, the Dolphins don't have to worry about an extended holdout by their top pick, such as the one that kept Russell out of the Oakland Raiders' training camp and behind the learning curve last year. They've also gone a long way toward solidifying their offensive line, which was a disaster in 2007.

Although Long appears to be better suited for the right side, in my humble opinion, the Dolphins insist at this time that he will play left tackle and Vernon Carey will be moved to the right side. Justin Smiley, who signed as a free agent from San Francisco is expected to start at right guard and Samson Satele will return at center. That leaves just the left guard position to address, which the Dolphins may do in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft.

The signing also means the St. Louis Rams, who hold the No. 2 pick, will most likely look in a direction other than offensive tackle when they make their selection on draft day. Our best guess is that they will target a defensive lineman in either tackle Glenn Dorsey out of LSU or Virginia defensive end Chris Long, son of Hall of Famer Howie Long.

Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

Considered by many to be the top offensive lineman in the 2008 NFL Draft, Michigan's Jake Long figures to be a hot commodity on draft day, and rightly so. He's a big, naturally powerful guy who has the potential to develop into a solid starting left tackle or a dominating right tackle.

Long's biggest asset is probably his run-blocking ability. He's a tough guy who plays with a nasty streak. He's not extremely mobile, but does a great job of getting to the second level and finishing off his blocks.

He's also a solid pass protector, but if there is one weakness in his game it's getting to the corner against speed rushers. I believe he may have a problem in this area against some of the better pass rushers in the NFL, which is why I think he would be a better fit on the right side.

Coming from a strong football program that is known for producing top offensive linemen also makes Long attractive to NFL scouts and it's hard to imagine him slipping out of the top ten selections in the 2008 NFL Draft. Boise State's Ryan Clady could challenge him for the honor of being the top offensive lineman off the board, but either way, he won't be around long.

Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images