ESPN article

[ZapRowsdower8]

"NEW YORK -- Randy Moss' new Oakland Raiders jersey was the best selling shirt in the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles led the league in merchandising sales as they reached the Super Bowl for the first time in 25 seasons.

Moss, traded by the Minnesota Vikings to Oakland, led individual sales -- not unusual for a high-profile player who joins a new team and has his number changed (84 to 18). That his new team is the Raiders, a traditionally strong seller, adds to the appeal.

As usual, several first-round draft choices were among the top 25, led by Tampa Bay running back Carnell Williams, who was eighth. Alex Smith, the first pick in the draft by San Francisco, was 12th; Cleveland's Braylon Edwards was 13th; Miami's Ronnie Brown was 15th and Chicago's Cedric Benson was 23rd.

At the same time last year, the New York Giants' jersey of Eli Manning -- the first pick in the 2004 draft -- was seventh, even though he hadn't taken a snap in the NFL. His brother Peyton, the league's co-MVP for 2003, was 20th. Neither Manning is in the top 25 this year.

The No. 2 jersey belongs to Atlanta's Michael Vick for the second straight year. The other top 10 players, in order: Tom Brady of New England; Donovan McNabb of Philadelphia; Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh; LaDainian Tomlinson of San Diego; Byron Leftwich of Jacksonville; Tampa Bay's Williams; and Jeremy Shockey and Tiki Barber of the Giants.

In team sales, the Eagles were followed by Super Bowl champion New England, runner-up for the second straight year. The rest of the top ten: Pittsburgh, Oakland, Green Bay, Dallas, Denver, Chicago, the Giants and Kansas City."

Only one thing really stands out to me... why does Jeremy Shockey sell so well. I understand that he is in NYC and runs around with models and what not, but on the field he's not that great. Anything stand out to anybody else?

[officeglenn]

I find it a little weird that Carnell Williams is in the top 10 already. With Eli Manning, he was abel to sell well despite not having played a game because he was so highly touted. Maybe it's just me, but I had never heard of Carnell Williams until draft day. Maybe the TB fans or the Auburn boosters are getting behind him.

[lost_limey]

Who was #1 Last year? TO Eagles?

[WSU151]

I find it a little weird that Carnell Williams is in the top 10 already. With Eli Manning, he was abel to sell well despite not having played a game because he was so highly touted. Maybe it's just me, but I had never heard of Carnell Williams until draft day. Maybe the TB fans or the Auburn boosters are getting behind him.

Don't want this to come across as rude, but rather just an inquiry - do you follow much college football? Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and Ronnie Brown were the dynamic duo at Auburn the last couple of years.

[EagleFan344]

Eagles

[Plaid Paint]

Only one thing really stands out to me... why does Jeremy Shockey sell so well. I understand that he is in NYC and runs around with models and what not, but on the field he's not that great. Anything stand out to anybody else?

Link??

In regards to Shockey, there are a couple of reasons, the biggest one being that he plays in NY, and the press both there and on ESPN whore him out at every single opportunity.

If he was playing for say, Arizona, he wouldn't be nearly as popular.

The other thing is that he has that "dangerous" quality about him. Surely you recall the bigoted, homophobic anti-gay and lesbian remarks he made a year or so ago. Sadly, that made him a hero in may sports fans eyes, no doubt Dirty Curty is among them. He did the whole apologize without really apologizing thing, and was hyped up even more.

And he is one of the top tight ends in the NFL, and the most recognizable.

Plus he's made at least one pro bowl, though I do agree that the press and ESPN have hugely over-hyped him.

[officeglenn]

I find it a little weird that Carnell Williams is in the top 10 already. With Eli Manning, he was abel to sell well despite not having played a game because he was so highly touted. Maybe it's just me, but I had never heard of Carnell Williams until draft day. Maybe the TB fans or the Auburn boosters are getting behind him.

Don't want this to come across as rude, but rather just an inquiry - do you follow much college football? Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and Ronnie Brown were the dynamic duo at Auburn the last couple of years.

Yeah, I guess U.S. college football doesn't really get a whole lot of play up here north of the border. I heard names like Matt Leinart, Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Adam "Pac-Man" Jones, etc., from time to time over the season ? mostly from watching ESPN programming on TSN ? but the most I heard about Auburn was the team as a whole and how they were getting the shaft from the BCS formula.