Carson's Corner|The Football Fanatics Blog

Thee Football Fanatics Are Returning!

2007-10-22T20:08:00.000-04:00

After a month long hiatus, the Football Fanatics blog will be back in operation full time.

Only now, multimedia will rule the day. The Football Fanatics Podcast will come back, meaner and more raw than ever. And now it will be on the air three days per week instead of its old slot of once a week.

In addition to the podcast, there will be video, hard-hitting commentary and lots and lots of opinion.

We got a little tame on this blog for awhile, but no more. The podcast will be unedited and in your face. It won't be for the squeamish.

We hope you enjoy the new, improved Football Fanatics Blog.

Take care and God Bless.

Harrison Ordered HGH Before Super Bowl

2007-09-19T22:38:00.000-04:00

In the days leading up to the Patriots' January 2004 playoff game against the Titans, New England's star safety Rodney Harrison was ordering drugs from a Florida wellness clinic that would later become a target of the Albany County district attorney.

According to law enforcement sources, Harrison requested an order by phone and was issued a phony prescription, signed by a doctor, for what was discovered to be human growth hormone, the Albany Times Union reported in Wednesday's editions.

It was reportedly the first shipment of HGH sent to Harrison, who had a standout postseason that year for the Patriots. New England went on to win Super Bowl XXXVIII in February over the Carolina Panthers.

The NFL suspended Harrison for the first four games of the regular season for violating its substance-abuse policy. Harrison, 34, is not being paid during his suspension. He will be eligible to return to the Patriots' active roster following the team's Oct. 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Harrison admitted that he has taken HGH but said he has never taken steroids.

"I want to make it clear," Harrison said before the season began, "that never once did I take steroids. I did admit to the commissioner that I took a banned substance."

The Boston Globe, citing law enforcement officials, reported in August that Harrison made no effort to disguise his name or address when he purchased HGH over the Internet. Harrison is not facing any criminal charges in the case.

Leftwich Close to Signing with Falcons

2007-09-17T22:56:00.000-04:00

Former Jacksonville Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich may have found a new home.

The Falcons were meeting with Leftwich on Monday night to determine whether they want to sign the former Jaguars quarterback.

The Falcons were planning to sign another quarterback this week or next, but Joey Harrington's performance in Sunday's 13-7 loss to Jacksonville may have placed more urgency on bringing in an experienced quarterback.

If Leftwich is signed, he will be the third quarterback behind Harrington and Chris Redman. Falcons coach Bobby Petrino wants to bring in a passer who can be developed in his system and ultimately compete for the job, while at the same time securing the depth behind Harrington.

Meanwhile, the Falcons again are turning to Morten Andersen to solve their kicking woes.

One day after Matt Prater missed two field goals in the Falcons' 13-7 loss to the Jags, the Falcons cut him and signed the 47-year-old Andersen.

Andersen, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and the NFL's career scoring leader with 2,445 points, is also the Falcons' leader with 707. He was Atlanta's kicker from 1995-2000 before coming back for a second stint with the team last year.

Andersen was 20-for-23 in field-goal attempts in 14 games with the Falcons last season, including 7-for-8 from 40 to 49 yards.

Belechick Find, Pats Lose Pick

2007-09-13T23:19:00.000-04:00

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was fined the NFL maximum of $500,000 Thursday and the Patriots were ordered to pay $250,000 for spying on an opponent's defensive signals.

Commissioner Roger Goodell also ordered the team to give up next year's first-round draft choice if it reaches the playoffs and second- and third-round picks if it doesn't.

The videotaping came to light after a camera was confiscated from Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella while he was on the New York Jets' sideline during New England's 38-14 win last Sunday at Giants Stadium. Goodell will not change the outcome of the game.

New England, strengthened by the addition of Randy Moss and two other first-rate wide receivers as well as linebacker Adalius Thomas, is considered one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl for the fourth time since the 2001 season. If the Patriots lose their first-rounder next season they still will have a first-round pick, obtained from San Francisco in the deal that brought Moss from Oakland.

NFL rules state "no video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game'' and that all video or coaching purposes must be shot from locations "enclosed on all sides with a roof overhead."

NFL coaches long have suspected opponents of spying. In the early 1970s, the late George Allen, coach of the Washington Redskins, routinely would send a security man into the woods surrounding the team's practice facility because he suspected there were spies from other teams there.

And coaches like Seattle's Mike Holmgren and Philadelphia's Andy Reid, among others, always cover their mouths when calling plays from the sideline because they fear other teams have lip readers trying to determine their calls.

The action against Belichick is the latest in a series of harsh disciplinary actions taken by Goodell, who took office last Sept. 1, succeeding Paul Tagliabue.

The most notable were the indefinite suspension of Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick after he pleaded guilty to a federal dogfighting conspiracy and the one-year suspension of Tennessee cornerback Adam "Pacman'' Jones after numerous run-ins with police

Everett Moving Arms, Legs

2007-09-11T21:08:00.000-04:00

Kevin Everett might walk again after all.

The doctor who performed the spinal surgery on Everett told Buffalo TV station WIVB on Tuesday that Everett has voluntary movement of his arms and legs and as a result he is optimistic that Everett will walk again.

Dr. Andrew Cappuccino told WIVB that Everett's sedation levels were lowered on Tuesday, allowing him to respond to verbal commands. WIVB also reported that Everett's latest MRI shows only a small amount of swelling on his spinal cord.

Dr. Barth Green, chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the University of Miami school of medicine, agrees with the prognosis.

Green said he's been consulting with doctors in Buffalo since Everett sustained a life-threatening spinal cord injury Sunday after ducking his head while tackling the Denver Broncos' Domenik Hixon during the second-half kickoff of the Bills' season opener.

Everett dropped face-first to the ground after his helmet hit Hixon high on the left shoulder and side of the helmet.

Green said the key was the quick action taken by Cappuccino to run an ice-cold saline solution through Everett's system that put the player in a hypothermic state. Doctors at the Miami Project have demonstrated in their laboratories that such action significantly decreases the damage to the spinal cord due to swelling and movement.

Everett remains in intensive care and will be slowly taken off sedation and have his body temperature warmed over the next day, Green said. Doctors will also take the player off a respirator.

Buffalo's 2005 third-round draft pick out of Miami, Everett missed his rookie season because of a knee injury. He spent most of last year playing special teams. He was hoping to make an impact as a receiver.

Week One NFL Injury Report

2007-09-06T21:52:00.000-04:00

Here you go fantasy football nuts. Here's the week one NFL injury report.

Note: Players in Sunday and Monday games will not be listed as doubtful, questionable or probable by the league until Friday.

Sunday

CHIEFS at HOUSTON TEXANS — Chiefs: No injuries to report. Texans: No injuries to report.

ATLANTA FALCONS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Falcons: *S Chris Crocker (knee); #DT Roderick Coleman (knee). Vikings: *S Mike Doss (calf), LB E.J. Henderson (illness); #LB Vinny Ciurciu (hand), WR Robert Ferguson (ankle), DE Darrion Scott (shoulder), WR Bobby Wade (ankle), S Tank Williams (calf).

CAROLINA PANTHERS at ST. LOUIS RAMS — Panthers: *DE Stanley McClover (thigh), S Nate Salley (knee); #LB Jason Kyle (back). Rams: *WR Drew Bennett (thigh); #G Richie Incognito (ankle).

CHICAGO BEARS at SAN DIEGO CHARGERS — Bears: *TE Greg Olsen (knee). Chargers: Wednesday practice report unavailable.

DENVER BRONCOS at BUFFALO BILLS — Broncos: Wednesday practice report unavailable. Bills: OUT: DE Ryan Denney (foot), LB Keith Ellison (ankle).

DETROIT LIONS at OAKLAND RAIDERS — Lions: *QB Dan Orlovsky (toe); #RB Jon Bradley (shoulder), RB Kevin Jones (foot), DT Shaun Rogers (knee). Raiders: OUT: LB Isaiah Ekejiuba (foot).

MIAMI DOLPHINS at WASHINGTON — Dolphins: #CB Andre’ Goodman (shoulder). Washington: #LB Khary Campbell (hamstring).

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS at NEW YORK JETS — Patriots: #S Rashad Baker (hand), TE David Thomas (foot), DE Mike Wright (knee). Jets: #CB Andre Dyson (foot), RB Thomas Jones (calf), CB Justin Miller (thigh), G Brandon Moore (shoulder), S Eric Smith (thigh).

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES at GREEN BAY PACKERS — Eagles: #DE Jevon Kearse (shoulder). Packers: OUT: DE Mike Montgomery (knee); #WR Donald Driver (foot), RB Ryan Grant (hamstring), RB Brandon Jackson (concussion), T Tony Moll (neck), RB Vernand Morency (knee), S Aaron Rouse (hamstring).

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at CLEVELAND BROWNS — Steelers: OUT: LB Marquis Cooper (hamstring); #QB Brian St. Pierre (toe). Browns: OUT: LB Willie McGinest (back); #S Mike Adams (groin), CB Gary Baxter (knees), LB Andra Davis (ankle), DE Orpheus Roye (knee), T Kevin Shaffer (concussion), G Eric Steinbach (knee), RB Lawrence Vickers (hamstring), P Dave Zastudil (back).

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS — Buccaneers: OUT: DE Patrick Chukwurah (knee); *TE Jerramy Stevens (player decision); #WR Joey Galloway (team decision). Seahawks: Wednesday practice report unavailable.

TENNESSEE TITANS at JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Titans: *TE Casey Cramer (knee), C Kevin Mawae (illness). Jaguars: *DE Reggie Hayward (Achilles), LB Clint Ingram (ankle), DT Tony McDaniel (knee), C Brad Meester (ankle), DE Kenneth Pettway (quadricep); #DT John Henderson (shoulder).

NEW YORK GIANTS at DALLAS COWBOYS — Giants: OUT: RB Robert Douglas (knee), WR David Tyree (wrist), LB Gerris Wilkinson (knee); #T Guy Whimper (ankle). Cowboys: *LB Kevin Burnett (ankle), LB Greg Ellis (Achilles), CB Terence Newman (foot).

Monday

BALTIMORE RAVENS at CINCINNATI BENGALS — Ravens: Did not practice Wednesday. Bengals: OUT: WR Antonio Chatman (hamstring), LB Rashad Jeanty (shin), S Ethan Kilmer (knee), DE Frostee Rucker (hamstring); *WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (knee), CB Johnathan Joseph (foot); #K Shayne Graham (hip), CB Leon Hall (illness).

ARIZONA CARDINALS at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — Cardinals: OUT: DT Ross Kolodziej (knee). 49ers: Did not practice Wednesday.

* Did not participate in practice; # partial participation in practice.

Michigan Plummets Out Of Top 25

2007-09-04T22:16:00.000-04:00

The final fallout from a disastrous opening weekend for Michigan came Tuesday, when the Wolverines dropped all the way out of The Associated Press Top 25, an unprecedented fall from No. 5 to unranked.

Since the AP poll expanded to 25 teams in 1989, no team has taken a bigger tumble in one week.

After an opening college football weekend filled with blowouts and highlighted by Appalachian State's stunning 34-32 upset of Michigan at the Big House, there was little notable movement in the Top 25 other than the Wolverines.

Southern California was voted No. 1 by the media panel, but the Trojans lost some support. USC received 62 first-place votes in the preseason poll. A lackluster 38-10 victory over Idaho led to the Trojans dropping to 59 first-place votes.

No. 2 LSU picked up those first-place votes, receiving five. No. 3 West Virginia received one first-place vote, the same as it did in the preseason.

No. 4 Florida and No. 5 Wisconsin moved up two spots. Oklahoma, tied for fifth, moved up three spots. No. 7 Texas fell three spots after slogging through a 21-13 home victory over Arkansas State.

No. 9 Virginia Tech held its place and plays at LSU on Saturday.

No. 10 California moved up two spots after a 45-31 victory over Tennessee. The Volunteers dropped eight spots to No. 23.

Florida State also fell out of the rankings. The Seminoles were 19th heading into their season opener at Clemson and lost 24-18 in the Bowden Bowl.

Clemson moved into the rankings at No. 25 and Georgia Tech also moved into the Top 25. The Yellow Jackets were 21st after winning at Notre Dame 33-3.

As for Michigan, the Wolverines became the first ranked team from Division I-A, now known as the Bowl Subdivision, to lose to a team from I-AA, now known as the Championship Subdivision.

Before Michigan's fall, Notre Dame held the ignominious record for largest drop in the rankings in the Top 25-era. The Fighting Irish dropped 16 spots -- from No. 9 to No. 25 -- after losing to Northwestern 17-15 on Sept. 3, 1995.

Texas dropped 15 spots in 1997, going from ninth to 24th after a 66-3 loss to UCLA in September 1997. Louisville also fell 15 spots -- 11th to unranked -- in September 2005 after losing to South Florida.

The highest ranked team to fall from the poll after one loss was No. 2 Oklahoma in 1959, when the AP was ranking the top 20 teams. Later that season Army went from No. 4 to unranked.

In 1950, Tennessee went from No. 4 to unranked in October and in 1960 Illinois fall out of the ranking from No. 4.

In the latest poll, No. 11 Georgia moved up two spots and was followed by Ohio State, UCLA, Penn State and Rutgers.

No. 16 Nebraska jumped four places. Auburn is 17th and Arkansas, TCU and Hawaii round out the first 20.

The final five are Georgia Tech, Boise State, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Clemson.

AP Top 25
1. USC (62) 0-0 1,622
2. LSU (2) 0-0 1,511
3. West Virginia (1) 0-0 1,396
4. Texas 0-0 1,375
5. Michigan 0-0 1,371
6. Florida 0-0 1,276
7. Wisconsin 0-0 1,192
8. Oklahoma 0-0 1,166
9. Virginia Tech 0-0 1,148
10. Louisville 0-0 1,031
11. Ohio State 0-0 876
12. California 0-0 790
13. Georgia 0-0 782
14. UCLA 0-0 605
15. Tennessee 0-0 571
16. Rutgers 0-0 560
17. Penn State 0-0 542
18. Auburn 0-0 519
19. Florida State 0-0 392
20. Nebraska 0-0 377
21. Arkansas 0-0 376
22. TCU 0-0 283
23. Hawaii 0-0 256
24. Boise State 0-0 187
25. Texas A&M 0-0 16

Others Receiving Votes
Boston College 126, Missouri 116, Miami (FL) 91, Oregon 90, Alabama 74, Oregon State 41, South Carolina 39, Michigan 39, Brigham Young 27, South Florida 27, Florida State 22, Arizona State 19, Southern Miss 9, Wake Forest 7, Washington 1, Kansas 1.
Dropped From Rankings
Michigan 5, Florida State 19.

College Football Notes Week 1

2007-09-02T10:24:00.000-04:00

If the opening week of the college football season is any indication of what the year may bring, then we're in for when hell of a ride.

Week one gave us what may be the biggest upset in the history of college football when Appalachian State, the defending DI-AA champs, upset fifth ranked Michigan 34-32 at the Big House in Ann Arbor.

The Mountaineers became the first I-AA team to defeat a ranked I-A team in history when Corey Lynch blocked Michigan's FG attempt with just seconds remaining.

Armanti Edwards, the sophomore QB threw for 227 yards and three TDs and rushed for one more. Mike Hart led the Wolverines in the losing effort with 188 yards and three scores.

No. 9 Virginia Tech opened the season with heavy hearts, but managed to hold off a pesky East Carolina squad, 17-7. Hokie QB Sean Glennon connected with TE Sam Wheeler on a 21-yard TD to extend the Hokies' lead to 17-7 in the fourth. Virginia Tech honored the memory of the 32 victims of the April tragedy with a moving pregame ceremony.

The Wisconsin Badgers, ranked seventh in the nation, opened the season in impressive fashion with a 42-21 victory over a tough Washington State squad. Senior QB Tyler Donovan proved he could fill John Stocco's shoes by passing for 284 yards and three touchdowns. he also had a touchdown on the ground.

Matthew Stafford, after an up-and-down freshman season, looked confident, throwing for 235 yards and two TDs to lead No.13 Georgia to the 35-14 victory over Oklahoma State.

Fourth-ranked Texas survived a scare from Arkansas State, but held on for the 21-13 win. Longhorn QB Colt McCoy found Antwan Cobb in the end zone with 2:49 remaining in the first quarter. That score was all the lead Texas would need. RB Jamaal Charles ran for 117 yards and a TD.

No. 18 Auburn rallied for 17 unanswered points, starting with a Wes Byrum field goal in the final minutes of the third quarter, to pull out the 23-13 victory over Kansas State. Auburn forced Kansas State to make mistakes -- including three turnovers and penalties (16 penalties, 144 yards).

The 12th-ranked Cal Golden Bears looked impressive in their 45-31 win over No. 15 Tennessee on Friday. DeSean Jackson had a 77-yard punt return for a score, while Justin Forsett rushed for 156 yards and a score, and Nate Longshore passed for 241 yards and two TDs as the Bears racked up the most points scored against the Volunteers in 12 years to win the opening weekend's only matchup between ranked schools. Erik Ainge had 271 yards passing and three TD throws despite an injured finger for the Vols.

Other scores from the Top 25: No. 16 Rutgers 38, Buffalo 3; No. 10 Louisville 73, Murray State 10; No. 2 LSU 45, Mississippi State 0; No. 24 Boise State 56, Weber State 7; No. 11 Ohio State 38, Youngstown State 6; No. 17 Penn State 59, Florida International 0; No. 6 Florida 49, Western Kentucky 3; No. 20 Nebraska 52, Nevada 10;
No. 3 West Virginia 62, Western Michigan 24, No. 14 UCLA 45, Stanford 17; No. 22 TCU 27, Baylor 0; No. 8 Oklahoma 79, North Texas 10; No. 21 Arkansas 46, Troy 26; No. 25 Texas A&M 38, Montana State 7; No. 1 USC 38, Idaho 10; and No. 23 Hawaii 63, Northern Colorado 6.

Highlight games from week 2 include: Navy (1-0) at Rutgers (1-0); Miami, FL (1-0) at Oklahoma (1-0); Nebraska (1-0) at Wake Forest (0-1); Boise State (1-0) at Washington (1-0); South Carolina (1-0) at Georgia (1-0); Notre Dame (0-1) at Penn State (1-0); BYU (1-0) at UCLA (1-0); TCU (1-0) at Texas (1-0); Virginia Tech (1-0) at LSU (1-0); and Colorado (1-0) at Arizona State (1-0).

Upset In the Big House One For the Ages

2007-09-01T23:12:00.000-04:00

What a way to open the 2007 college football season.

The biggest upset in the history of Michigan football and one of the biggest shocks in the history of the sport occurred at the Big House on Ann Arbor when defending DI-AA champion Appalachian State shocked the world by beating the Wolverines 34-32 on Saturday.

No Division I-AA team had beaten a team ranked in The Associated Press poll between 1989 and 2006, and it's unlikely that it had ever happened before. The Division I subdivisions were created in 1978.

The Mountaineers are not eligible to receive votes in the AP Top 25 poll because they're not in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Mountaineers' win over Michigan was their first over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since their 20-10 win over Wake Forest in 2000.

Appalachian State's win does seem to trump the game second-tier programs used to regard as their crowning achievement -- The Citadel's season-opening win in 1992 over Arkansas that led to the firing of Razorbacks coach Jack Crowe after the game.

Carr will not get fired after this upset, but he might be wishing he had retired after last season when the Wolverines won 11 games before closing with losses to Ohio State and USC.

What the world saw was a blocked field goal in final seconds that gave the little Mountaineers a victory that will be talked about long after we have turned to dust.

Appalachian State 34, No. 5 Michigan 32. Who can believe it?

The team from Boone, N.C., took the lead with 26 seconds left when Julian Rauch kicked a 24-yard field goal. Corey Lynch blocked a 37-yard try on the final play, and the Mountaineers sealed a jaw-dropping upset that might have no equal.

The two-time defending champions from former Division I-AA were ahead of the nation's winningest program 28-14 late in the second quarter, before their storybook afternoon seemed to unravel late in the fourth quarter.

Hart's 54-yard run with 4:36 left put the Wolverines ahead for the first time since early in the second quarter.

One snap after the go-ahead touchdown, Michigan's Brandent Englemon intercepted an errant pass, but the Wolverines couldn't capitalize and had their first of two field goals blocked.

Then Appalachian State drove 69 yards without a timeout in 1:11 to set up the go-ahead field goal.

Appalachian State has won 15 straight games, the longest streak in the nation, and 27 of its last 31. The Mountaineers are favored to win the Football Championship Subdivision, but they weren't expected to put up much of a fight against a team picked to win the Big Ten and contend for the national title.

Games are not won on paper and now Lloyd Carr and the rest of the Michigan players and fans know how true that old cliche really is.

Samuel Signs One-Year Tender

2007-08-28T21:06:00.000-04:00

Asante Samuel ended his holdout and signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots today.

Samuel signed a one-year, $7.79 million contract and reported to Patriots camp eager to get back to work.

He wants to build on last season -- the best of his first four since New England drafted him in 2003 -- when he tied Champ Bailey of Denver for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions and picked off two more passes in the playoffs.

The Patriots received a temporary roster exemption for Samuel then got down to the 75-man limit by Tuesday's deadline by placing wide receivers Troy Brown and Chad Jackson and cornerback Eddie Jackson on the physically unable to perform reserve list, releasing offensive lineman Chris Patrick and putting rookie defensive back Mike Richardson on the injured reserve list with a hand injury, sidelining him for the season.

Samuel arrived in the area Sunday night and took his physical Monday when contract details were being finalized. No details were released on whether the Patriots gave up their right to designate him as a franchise player again next year.

By making him their franchise player after last season, the Patriots prevented him from becoming an unrestricted free agent. But they were committed to paying him the average salary of the top five players at his position. Samuel wanted a long-term contract, but it wasn't worked out before July 17, the deadline for such deals until after the season.

He originally said he would sit out the first 10 weeks of the season.

The Patriots drafted Samuel in the fourth round out of Central Florida. He started all 15 games in which he played the past two regular seasons. Last season he returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown that gave New England a 21-3 lead in the AFC Championship Game in Indianapolis.

But the Colts won 38-34, depriving the Patriots of a shot at a fourth Super Bowl title in six years.

Vick Pleads Guilty Then Apologizes

2007-08-27T22:54:00.000-04:00

And now the apologies start.

Michael Vick apologized to the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons on Monday for "using bad judgment and making bad decisions" and vowed to redeem himself after pleading guilty to a dogfighting charge.

In a statement before the media, Vick said he took full responsibility for his actions. He concluded by saying: "I will redeem myself. I have to."

Sentencing was set for Dec. 10 and Vick could be sent to prison for one to five years. Vick was suspended indefinitely by the NFL last week.

"First, I want to apologize, you know, for all the things that -- that I've done and that I have allowed to happen. I want to personally apologize to commissioner Goodell, Arthur Blank, coach Bobby Petrino, my Atlanta Falcons teammates, you know, for our -- for our previous discussions that we had. And I was not honest and forthright in our discussions, and, you know, I was ashamed and totally disappointed in myself to say the least," Vick said.

"I want to apologize to all the young kids out there for my immature acts and, you know, what I did was, what I did was very immature so that means I need to grow up."

Vick said he now has renounced dogfighting and has found religion as a result of the federal charges. "Dogfighting is a terrible thing. I did reject it," he said.

"I totally ask for forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to bettering Michael Vick the person, not the football player," Vick said.

"I take full responsibility for my actions … I am totally responsible."

In Atlanta, the Falcons said they would not cut Vick immediately because of salary-cap issues. The team intends to pursue the $22 million in bonus money that he already received in a $130 million contract signed in 2004.

In his written plea filed in federal court Friday, Vick admitted to helping kill six to eight pit bulls and supplying money for gambling on the fights. He said he did not personally place any bets or share in any winnings.

The NFL suspended him indefinitely and without pay Friday after his plea agreement was filed. Merely associating with gamblers can trigger a lifetime ban under the league's personal conduct policy.

Federal prosecutors recommended 12-18 months in prison for Vick and co-defendants Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips.

NFL Suspends Vick Indefinitely

2007-08-24T19:47:00.000-04:00

The days of Michael Vick playing for the Atlanta Falcons and possibly the National Football League ended today.

The NFL has suspended Vick indefinitely without pay following his admission of guilt in a dogfighting scheme.

On Friday, Vick filed his plea agreement in federal court admitting to conspiracy in a dogfighting ring and agreeing that the enterprise included killing pit bulls and gambling. He denied making side bets on the fights, but admitted to bankrolling them.

Friday afternoon, a letter to Vick from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, in part:

"Your admitted conduct was not only illegal, but also cruel and reprehensible" and regardless whether he personally placed bets, "your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL player contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player."

Goodell freed the Falcons to "assert any claims or remedies" to recover $22 million of Vick's signing bonus from the 10-year, $130 million contract he signed in 2004.

The commissioner didn't speak to Vick but based his decison on the court filings. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Goodell may meet with Vick in the future, but that hasn't been determined.

"You have engaged in conduct detrimental to the welfare of the NFL and have violated the league's personal conduct policy," Goodell told Vick in a letter. "Even if you personally did not place bets, as you contend, your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL Player Contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player."

Falcons owner Arthur Blank supported Goodell's decision.

Bettis Faked Injury In 2000

2007-08-22T23:35:00.000-04:00

Former Pittsburgh Steelers star Jerome Bettis, in a new book to be published in early September, says he faked a training camp injury in 2000 to avoid getting cut by the team.

The book, "The Bus. My Life in and out of a Helmet," includes an account where Bettis came into training camp with a knee that had been surgically repaired the previous summer. Bettis, fearing he would be cut if the team knew how much the knee was injured, didn't say anything. During a short-yardage drill at an early camp practice, Bettis fell down, grabbed his knee and yelled in pain.

Because Bettis was hurt in training camp, the Steelers couldn't release him. He was worried that the Steelers, and especially offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, wanted to give his job to Richard Huntley. Bettis cited a story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette which said that Huntley told his agent that Bettis would be cut.

He rushed for 1,341 yards in the 2000 season. Five years later, he was on Pittsburgh's Super Bowl winning team and then retired.

Bettis also wrote that Steelers coach Bill Cowher was never totally sold on quarterback Kordell Stewart, despite the fact Stewart was the team's most valuable player in 2001.

"For some reason, Coach would never really commit fully to Kordell ... and because of that, we had no consistent leadership from the quarterback position," Bettis wrote.

The book will be released on Sept. 4.

Video: Hardest Tackles

2007-08-21T23:19:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd put a little video on the blog to liven things up a bit. This is a cool 3-minute plus feature on some of the hardest tackles caught on tape.

This is what football is all about - intense, rugged and tough. Enjoy the video.

Vick to Cop a Guilty Plea

2007-08-20T19:33:00.000-04:00

Hello Michael Vick, say goodbye to your NFL career.

Vick agreed Monday to plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, a deal that leaves the Atlanta Falcons quarterback facing up to 18 months in prison and puts his NFL career in jeopardy.

Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend Vick be sentenced to between a year and 18 months in prison according to the Associated Press.

The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson will have the final say on how much time Vick will ultimately spend in jail.

Vick's plea hearing is Aug. 27.

The NFL noted in a statement that Vick's admission wasn't in line with what he told commissioner Roger Goodell shortly after he was initially charged.

"We totally condemn the conduct outlined in the charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael Vick previously told both our office and the Falcons," the NFL said.

The league, which barred Vick from training camp, said it has asked the Falcons to withhold further action while the NFL's own investigation wraps up.

The Falcons said they were "certainly troubled" by news of the plea but would withhold further comment in compliance with Goodell's request.

Vick is charged with conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiracy to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. He had pleaded not guilty last month and vowed to clear his name at a November trial.

The plea deal was announced just a new grand jury began meeting. Prosecutors had said that a superseding indictment was in the works, but Vick's plea most likely means he will not face additional charges.

Three of Vick's original co-defendants already have pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against him if the case went to trial. Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach signed statements saying the 27-year-old quarterback participated in executing at least eight underperforming dogs by various means, including drowning and hanging.

Phillips, Peace and Tony Taylor, who pleaded guilty last month, also said Vick provided virtually all of the gambling and operating funds for his "Bad Newz Kennels" operation in rural Virginia, not far from Vick's hometown of Newport News.

The gambling allegations alone could trigger a lifetime ban under the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Troubles Mount For Vick

2007-08-17T22:19:00.000-04:00

It just keeps getting worse for Michael Vick.

There was no word Friday morning on whether Vick had agreed to a plea agreement with federal prosecutors -- or whether the embattled Atlanta Falcons quarterback would take on the federal government in a jury trial on dogfighting charges.

Vick, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, was widely reported to be considering a deal. His attorneys were still negotiating with federal prosecutors as of Thursday, hoping to strike a deal on a plea agreement.

A report in The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk said federal prosecutors had offered Vick a plea deal that would recommend he serve at least one year in prison on a felony dogfighting conspiracy charge, while a story in The New York Times said the lawyers for the Falcons' quarterback were advising him to accept a deal.

Vick's two remaining co-defendants, Purnell Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, and Quanis Phillips, 28, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Richmond on Friday morning. It had been expected that Vick would make a decision before the two men entered guilty pleas. A third co-defendant, Tony Taylor of Hampton, pleaded guilty to the charges facing him last month and will be sentenced Dec. 14.

A grand jury is expected to convene Monday to consider additional charges in a superseding indictment against Vick, including racketeering charges. Racketeering charges would increase the prison time and financial penalties Vick would face were he to be convicted.

Peace and Phillips were charged with conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture. Sentencing for the two was scheduled for Nov. 30.

Phillips and Peace, in the statement of facts which accompanied their pleas, admitted to killing approximately eight dogs who did not perform well in testing sessions by hanging and drowning them just days before federal authorities first raided Virginia property owned by Vick in April. The indictment of Vick says that property was used for dogfighting.

According to sources, Vick, Peace and Phillips initially hanged all of the dogs in the woods behind Vick's house but at least three dogs survived the hanging attempt. Subsequently, Vick, Peace and Phillips submerged the surviving dogs' heads in five gallon buckets filled with water until they drowned.

While Peace was freed, Phillips violated the terms of his release by failing a drug test and was taken into custody of U.S. marshals.

Collins R. Spencer III, spokesman for Vick's five-member defense team, declined to comment Thursday. Vick is scheduled to go to trial Nov. 26.

Rough calculations based on what is known in Vick's case indicate that a guideline range of eight to 12 months "would not be unrealistic," said Benjamin's law partner, Betty Layne Desportes. The charges -- conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and conspiring to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture -- carry a maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine.

According to the statement signed by Taylor as part of his plea agreement, Vick financed virtually all of the "Bad Newz Kennels" dogfighting enterprise on Vick's property in Surry County, Va.

Taylor's statement and the July 17 indictment also linked Vick to betting on the dogfights, which could result in a lifetime ban from the NFL under the league's policy against gambling. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action until the league completes its own investigation.

Vick Negotiating With Prosecutors

2007-08-16T22:00:00.000-04:00

Embattled Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and his attorneys were still negotiating with federal prosecutors Thursday, hoping to strike a deal on a plea agreement.

The Atlanta Falcons star quarterback pleaded not guilty to dogfighting conspiracy charges last month. But since then, one of his co-defendants has changed his plea to guilty and agreed to testify against Vick, and two others are scheduled to do likewise Friday.

Prosecutors, meantime, have said they will seek a superseding indictment this month. Legal experts say the growing parade of prosecution witnesses and the prospect of additional charges increases the pressure on Vick to negotiate a deal.

Tony Taylor of Hampton pleaded guilty to those charges last month and will be sentenced Dec. 14. Co-defendants Purnell Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, and Quanis Phillips, 28, of Atlanta, will enter plea agreements Friday morning.

According to the statement signed by Taylor as part of his plea agreement, Vick financed virtually all of the "Bad Newz Kennels" dogfighting enterprise on Vick's property in Surry County, Va.

Taylor's statement and the July 17 indictment also linked Vick to betting on the dogfights, which could result in a lifetime ban from the NFL under the league's policy against gambling. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from the Falcons' training camp but has withheld further action until the league completes its own investigation.

The case began with the April search of the Surry County property. Investigators found dozens of pit bulls, some of them injured, as well as equipment commonly used in dogfighting.

The indictment said dogs that lost fights or fared poorly in test fights were sometimes executed by hanging, electrocution or other means. The details have fueled public protests against Vick and have cost him some of his lucrative endorsement deals.

NFL 2007: Indianapolis Colts

2007-08-14T20:23:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. Today we look at the Houston Texans).

Johnson May End Holdout Soon

2007-08-13T23:04:00.000-04:00

Priest Holmes might have to change his plans on being the starter in Kansas City because Larry Johnson's training camp holdout might be over soon.

The Kansas City Star, citing multiple sources, reported Monday that Johnson and the Chiefs have narrowed their differences to the point where a deal might be agreed to this week and have the star running back in uniform for the Chiefs' third preseason game against the Saints on Aug. 23.

Johnson has been a no-show at camp as he seeks an extension to the seven-year contract he inked in 2003, which he can void down to a five-year deal after the final game of the 2007 season because of playing time incentives.

Johnson is demanding compensation in the range of $28 million guaranteed, insisting he be paid as much as league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson. Johnson is scheduled to earn $1.7 million this season, and is being fined more than $14,000 for every day he misses.

After rushing for 1,750 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2005, he gained 1,789 yards and had 17 touchdowns last season. His 2,199 yards from scrimmage accounted for 43 percent of the Chiefs' total offense.

When contacted by The Star, Chiefs president/general manager Carl Peterson wouldn't say a deal was imminent.

"I'm cautiously optimistic a deal will get concluded, but exactly when I can't tell you. I really can't," Peterson told the newspaper. "I would say we're still communicating. Are we real close? Not from where I sit.

"We're still talking pretty much on a daily basis. There are things we're still stuck on and I can't say how long that's going to take."

Stadium To Bear Walsh's Name

2007-08-10T23:21:00.000-04:00

Fans of Bill Walsh paid tribute Friday to the Hall of Fame 49ers coach, describing him as a legend who uplifted the football franchise and the city.

San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom told the crowd Friday the field at Monster Park would be named after Walsh, although the name of the stadium won't change.

"He shared his action, he shared his passion and he made our lives better," Newsom said.

Hundreds gathered at the field at Candlestick Park to celebrate Walsh, who died of leukemia on July 30 at 75. Friday's service included a gospel choir singing "Amazing Graze" and a video recounting Walsh's achievements.

Several of Walsh's former players, including Jerry Rice, Steve Young and Joe Montana, attended the event.

Walsh led the 49ers to three Super Bowl championships and revolutionized many aspects of the game during a decade as the team's coach. Overall, he won 10 of his 14 postseason games and ended with a record of 102-63-1.

NFL 2007: Houston Texans

2007-08-07T22:37:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. Today we look at the Houston Texans).

The Texans, under second-year head coach Gary Kubiak, made a big splash to start the 2007 free agency period by cutting ties with former first round pick David Carr and trading for highly regarded, but little used, Matt Schaub from Atlanta. Schaub has been given the reigns to try and lead Houston to a winning record and playoff berth. Something that's never happened in franchise history. Owner Bob McNair loosened the purse strings and brought in free agents on both sides of the ball. Will it lead to a winning season in Houston?

Offense: Schaub, despite being unproven, was a coveted prospect by many teams. He was languishing behind Michael Vick just waiting for an opportunity to go somewhere else and lead a franchise. Now he gets his chance. Schaub must stay healthy because backups Sage Rosenfels and Bradlee Van Pelt won't scare any opposing defenses.

Ahman Green was brought in from Green Bay to revive the running game. Green is on the decline but his 1,059 yards rushing and five touchdowns proves he can still do a decent job. Ron Dayne (151-612-5), Walli Lundy and Samkon Gado are solid backups. Vonta Leach and converted LB Jon Abbate will handle fullback duties.

Andre Johnson (103-1,147-5) posted big numbers and is one of the unheralded wideouts in the game. Partner Eric Moulds wasn't re-signed, but Kubiak signed veteran Keenan McCardell to be the number two. Kevin Walter, Jerome Mathis, Andre Davis and Charlie Adams will see some playing time as well. Owen Daniels, Mark Breuner and Jeb Putzier are reliable tight ends.

The offensive line as been the curse of this team since its inception. David Carr was murdered on a weekly basis, including being sacked 76 times in one season. The line must improve and protect Schaub or another long season could be in the making. Veteran Mike Flanagan anchors the O-line at center with Chester Pitts and Fred Weary at guard, and Ephraim Salaam and Eric Winston at tackle. Jordan Black was brought in from Kansas City to challenge Salaam and Winston for a starting spot. Look for Steve McKinney, Charles Spencer and Drew Hodgdon to provide depth.

Defense: The Texans needed to improve the interior of the defense and to that end the team signed free agent Jeff Zgonina and drafted rookie Amobi Okoye to shut down the middle. The duo will team with Anthony Maddox and Travis Johnson in the defensive tackle rotation.

No. 1 overall Mario Williams had an unspectacular rookie season and will be under the microscope in 2007. Anthony Weaver starts at the other DE position with N.D. Kalu and Jason Babin in the mix.

2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year Demeco Ryans (155 tackles, 3.5 sacks) anchors the defense from his middle linebacker slot. Morlon Greenwood (109 tackles) and free agent signee Shawn Barber start on the outside. Danny Clark, Shantee Orr and Charlie Anderson are the backups.

Dunta Robinson holds down one corner slot, while Demarcus Faggins will battle Dexter McCleon and free agent Jamar Fletcher for the other starting spot. C.C. Brown and Glenn Earl will hold the fort at safety with Jason Simmons seeing action in nickel packages.

Special Teams: Kris Brown (19-of-25 FG, 83 points) returns at kicker and faces no competition. Chad Stanley (41.6) returns at punter, but will be challenged by veteran Matt Turk (43.5), who came over from St. Louis. Lundy will return kicks and Mathis handles punt return duties.

Outlook: Schaub finally gets his chance to be a starter and he may not like the results. Ahman Green and Keenan McCardell improve the offense for sure, but the offensive line hasn't improved much from what it was in the past. The defense is better in the front seven and should improve. The secondary is a different story. After Robinson and Earl there isn't much.

Prediction: Houston has the right coach in Gary Kubiak and will get better in the future. Unfortunately for Texan fans, the future isn't now. Look for Houston to struggle once again and miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. Record: 6-10.

NFL 2007: Pittsburgh Steelers

2007-08-06T21:39:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. Today we look at the Pittsburgh Steelers).

For a franchise that doesn't like change there sure was a lot of it going around in the offseason. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been owned by the Rooney's since the franchise began and if you're a head coach in Pittsburgh, you tend to stay a long time as well. Since 1969 when Chuck Noll took over, the Steelers have had only one other coach, Bill Cowher. That is until now. The 'Jaw' got tired of Dan Rooney's frugal ways and decided to resign, spend time with his family and wait for a big, fat contract with a new team next year. Enter Mike Tomlin. Not only is he the first African-American coach in Pittsburgh history, he just may scrap the beloved Steeler 3-4 for the 4-3. Change has come to Steeler Land and no one knows what will happen next.

Offense: Big Ben took a step down in 2006 and some feel the motorcycle accident that almost killed him was the cause of it. Whatever the reason, Roethlisberger threw 23 interceptions to only 18 touchdowns and looked antsy and nervous in the pocket. He must rebound this season or the Steelers will be in deep trouble. Pittsburgh has capable reserves in Charlie Batch and Brian St. Pierre.

Willie Parker (337-1,494-13) had a solid season, but wore down near the end and wasn't nearly as effective as he was earlier on. To that end, Tomlin brought in Kevan Barlow from the Jets, and along with Najeh Davenport, will lighten Parker's load. Dan Kreider is a solid blocking fullback.

Roethlisberger's struggles carried over to his receivers. After veteran All-Pro Hines Ward (74-975-6) there wasn't much to look at. Santonio Holmes (49-824-2) figures to be the number two with Cedric Wilson in the slot and Nate Washington the number three. Willie Reid has looked good in camp and could make an impact in 2007. Rookie Dallas Baker and free agent Rasheed Marshall will compete for time. Heath Miller and Jerame Tuman are a nice 1-2 tight end combo.

All-Pro center Jeff Hartings called it a career and now Chukky Okobi and Tampa Bay free agent Sean Mahan will compete for the job. Unhappy All-Pro guard Alan Faneca decided not to hold out and will play what could be his final season in Pittsburgh. Kendall Simmons is back at guard, while Max Starks and Marvel Smith return at tackle. T Willie Colon, G Chris Kemoeatu and T Trai Essex provide depth.

Defense: Pittsburgh will still use the 3-4 as its base defense, but Tomlin is a 4-3 man and look for the switch to happen gradually this season.

Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel start at defensive end with Casey Hampton holding down the nose. Chris Hoke, Nick Eason, Travis Kirschke and rookie Ryan McBean will be part of the defensive line rotation.

Joey Porter went off to Miami, but the linebackers are still the strength of the defense. James Farrior (126 tackles, 4 sacks) and Larry Foote (90 tackles, 4 sacks) control the middle. Clark Haggans (76 tackles, 6 sacks) is at one outside spot, while promising James Harrison takes over for Porter. Clint Kriewaldt, Rian Wallace and rookies LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons will see plenty of action.

The secondary is paced by strong safety Troy Polamalu (76 tackles, 3 INT) and his new rich contract. Ryan Clark is the free safety with Anthony Smith and Tyrone Carter capable backups. Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend start at corner with Bryant McFadden, Ricardo Colclough and rookie William Gay battling for field time.

Special Teams: Jeff Reed (20-of-27 FG, 101 points) returns at kicker and is solid. The punting chores will come down to rookie Daniel Sepulveda or Mike Barr, so the unknown factor is definitely in play. Holmes returns kicks and Reid or Holmes will handle punt returns.

Outlook: The Steelers need Big Ben to bounce back in a big way and a receiver not named Ward to step up if they want to compete in the AFC North. The Ravens and Bengals have better overall talent and veteran coaches at the helm. That could spell trouble with a capital T for Tomlin and crew. Pittsburgh's frugal ways caused Cowher to leave and Faneca could be next. Two big losses for sure. The Steelers still have talent, heck they won a Super Bowl two years ago, but that talent is starting to age and 'Father Time' is against them.

Outlook: Cowher was an icon in Pittsburgh and his presence will be missed. The Steelers are still looking for a leader after Jerome Bettis retired and haven't found it yet. Baltimore and Cincinnati are better from top to bottom, but if Roethlisberger bounces back from the disaster of 2006, the Steelers could and should battle for a playoff spot. Record: 9-7.

NFL 2007: Cleveland Browns

2007-08-05T09:57:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. Today we look at the Cleveland Browns).

Romeo Crennel is on the hot seat in Cleveland and it's not because of the muggy August weather either. The former New England defensive coordinator has gone 10-22 in his first two seasons and ownership is becoming impatient with the situation. To that extent the Browns were aggressive in the draft and free agency with the hopes of getting a winning record in 2007.

Offense: Cleveland's problems start at the top with the quarterback. Some in the organization believe Charlie Frye is the guy to lead them to the playoffs, some disagree, which is why Notre Dame standout Brady Quinn was drafted in the first round. Quinn is in the midst of a long holdout which significantly hurts his chances to make an impact in 2007. Look for Frye to be the starter with Ken Dorsey the number two. Frye must cut down on his TD-to-interception ratio (10-17) if the Browns want to compete at a high level.

The running game was awful last season so Cleveland went out and signed Jamal Lewis in free agency. Lewis is aging, but is still a better option than what the Browns had last season. His 1,132 yards and nine scores proves he still has mileage left. Cleveland is just happy he's not pounding them anymore. Second-year pro Jerome Harrison will serve as backup with Jason Wright at number three. Lawrence Vickers and Alan Ricard will battle at fullback.

Things are a little better at wide receiver with Braylon Edwards (61-884-6) and Joe Jurevicius (40-495-3) a solid starting duo. Tim Carter was signed away from the Giants in the offseason and will be the slot receiver. Josh Cribbs, Travis Wilson and rookie Syndric Steptoe will fight for the number four role. Kellen Winslow (89-875-3) finally shook off two seasons of injuries and emerged as a top tier tight end. Steve Heiden (36-249-2) is a quality number two.

The big addition in Cleveland was all-world guard Eric Steinbach. The All-Pro went to the other side of town leaving Cincinnati for Cleveland and the big bucks. Steinbach immediately strengthens the running game with his power blocking. The Browns drafted Joe Thomas with their first first round pick and the Wisconsin grad will be plugged into the left tackle slot from the get-go. Nat Dorsey will play on the right side and will be a key, especially with incumbent Ryan Tucker suspended for four games to start the season. Cosey Coleman is at guard, while Hank Fraley is at center. Free agent signee Seth McKinney will battle Fraley for the job in the middle. Kevin Shaffer, Fred Matua, Kelly Butler and Lonnie Freidman provide solid depth. Also be on the lookout for LeCharles Bentley, who missed the last two seasons with a knee injury. The former All-Pro has been cleared to practice and faces an uphill battle to regain his form.

Defense: The Browns run a 3-4 defense and the influence of Crennel had this unit making nice strides in 2006. The additions of rookie Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald will help in the secondary, while Antwan Peek was signed from Texas to provide depth at linebacker.

Ageless one Ted Washington is back for his 17th season plugging the middle at nose tackle. He's not what he once was, but he's still an effective run clogger. Shaun Smith was signed from the Bengals to provide relief. Simon Fraser and Robaire Smith start at defensive end, but look out for rookie Chase Pittman to see plenty of playing time. DE Orien Harris will see action as well.

Kamerion Wimberly proved his first round draft status was no fluke with a solid rookie season that saw him collect 11 sacks and 62 tackles from the outside backer position. OLB Willie McGinest is slowing down some, but his leadership abilities are worth much more than his stats on the field. Andra Davis racked up a 100-tackle season in the middle and he'll be paired with either Leon Williams or Peek in the starting lineup. Chaun Thompson, Matt Stewart and Nick Speegle are the reserves.

The coaching staff wasn't happy with the play of the cornerbacks last season which is why Wright and McDonald were drafted, Daylon McCutcheon was released and Kenny Wright was signed over from the Redskins. Incumbent Leigh Bodden, along with returnees Gary Baxter and Daven Holly will compete for a position that's in a state of flux. Fortunately for the Browns, safety isn't a problem. Brodney Pool, Sean Jones (111 tackles, 5 INT), Mike Adams and Justin Hamilton make up a strong group.

Special Teams: Usually reliable Phil Dawson (21-of-29 FG, 88 points) struggled last season, especially from 40-49 where he was 6-of-12, and needs to find his consistency in 2007. Dave Zastudil (44.0) is a solid punter. Cribbs handles punt returns and Wilson kickoff returns.

Outlook: The Browns had a solid draft and did a nice job in free agency trying to improve the team. That's the good news. The bad is the quarterback position is shaky and the secondary is thin. Combine those two and you have problems. Jamal Lewis will have to stay healthy and run like he did during his 2,000 yard campaign for the Browns to be competitive. He must hold up or all could be lost. The jury is still out on Frye. If he can cut down on the interceptions, the Browns may surprise. That is speculation though. The truth is Cleveland is weak at the most important position on the field and the secondary will get burned quite a bit this season.

Prediction: Cleveland doesn't have the tools to compete with the power brokers in the AFC. Inconsistency at quarterback and the secondary will give Crennel his third straight losing season, but the wins will improve from 2006. Record: 7-9.

2007 Hall Of Fame Capsules

2007-08-05T09:12:00.000-04:00

GENE HICKERSON Guard, 6-3, 248

• 1958-1973 Cleveland Browns. 15 seasons, 202 games.

Selected as future choice in seventh round of 1957 draft. . . . A tackle in college, was shifted to guard. . . . Was lead blocker for three Hall of Famers: Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell and Leroy Kelly. . . . First-team All-Pro five consecutive seasons (1966-1970). . . . Voted to Pro Bowl six straight times (1966-1971). . . . During Hickerson's tenure, Browns never had a losing season. . . . Before Hickerson joined Browns, only seven runners in NFL history reached 1,000 yards rushing. With Hickerson as lead blocker, Browns posted 1,000-yard rushers in nine of his first 10 seasons. . . . Cleveland featured league's leading rusher in seven of those 10 seasons. . . . Chosen for NFL's all-decade team of the 1960s.

MICHAEL IRVIN Wide receiver, 6-2, 207

• 1988-1999 Dallas Cowboys. 12 seasons, 159 games.

Cowboys' first-round pick (11th overall) in 1988 draft. . . . Became the first rookie receiver to start a season opener for Dallas in more than 20 years. . . . Led league with 1,523 yards on 93 catches in 1991. . . . Had 1,000-yard seasons in all but one year from 1991-1998. . . . In 1995, Irvin had his finest season: 111 catches for 1,603 yards. He also established an NFL record with 11 100-yard games and scored 10 touchdowns. . . . Cowboys made four straight appearances in NFC championship game (1992-1995) and won three Super Bowls. . . . Finished career with 750 receptions for 11,904 yards and 65 TDs. . . . Selected to five straight Pro Bowls. . . . Picked for NFL's all-decade team of the 1990s.

BRUCE MATTHEWS Guard, tackle, center, 6-5, 289

• 1983-2001 Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Titans. 19 seasons, 296 games.

Selected by Houston in first round (ninth overall) of 1983 draft. . . . Regarded as one of game's finest offensive linemen for nearly two decades. . . . Played in more games than any positional player in NFL history. . . . Started 292 of 296 games he played and 15 playoff games. . . . Played at every position on line. . . . Most starts came at guard (99 on left side, 67 as right guard) and at center (87). . . . Also had 22 starts at right tackle, 17 at left tackle. . . . Voted to first of 14 consecutive Pro Bowl teams (nine at guard, five at center) following 1988 season, tying Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen for most ever. . . . Was voted All-Pro nine times. . . . Selected as guard on NFL's all-decade team of the 1990s.

CHARLIE SANDERS Tight end, 6-4, 230

• 1968-1977 Detroit Lions. 10 seasons, 128 games.

Selected by Detroit in third round (74th player overall) of 1968 draft. . . . Was only rookie selected to play in Pro Bowl in 1968. . . . Was voted to seven Pro Bowls. . . . In second season, caught 42 passes for 656 yards and three TDs, earning first of three consecutive All-Pro honors. . . . Made 30 or more receptions in a season seven times and had more than 500 yards receiving in six seasons. . . . At retirement was Lions' career receptions leader (336); his career yards receiving (4,817) ranked second. . . . Was Lions' leader or co-leader in receptions six of his 10 seasons. . . . Chosen for NFL's all-decade team of the 1970s.

THURMAN THOMAS Running back, 5-10, 198

• 1988-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Miami Dolphins. 13 seasons, 182 games.

Selected in the second round of the 1988 draft. . . . A key part of Bills' unprecedented run of four straight Super Bowl appearances. They lost all of them. . . . Led NFL in total yards from scrimmage four consecutive seasons. . . . In 1991, gained over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and was voted league's MVP. . . . At time of retirement, ranked sixth all-time in career yards from scrimmage (16,532). . . . Rushed for 12,074 yards. . . . Only Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders ran for more yards in the 1990s. . . . One of only three Hall of Fame running backs (Walter Payton and Marcus Allen) to have more than 400 receptions and 10,000 yards rushing. . . . Selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls. . . . Chosen for NFL's all-decade team of the 1990s.

ROGER WEHRLI Cornerback, 6-0, 190

• 1969-1982 St. Louis Cardinals. 14 seasons, 193 games.

Selected in first round (19th overall) of 1969 draft. . . . In 1970 picked off career-high six passes (a feat he matched in 1975) to earn first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. . . . Led or tied for lead in interceptions for Cardinals four times. . . . Registered interception in all but two seasons and amassed 40 career interceptions, two for touchdowns. . . . Intercepted three of Roger Staubach's passes during key 31-17 win over division rival Dallas, Dec. 7, 1975. . . . In 1981, was moved to left cornerback. . . . Recovered 19 fumbles during career. . . . Voted to NFL's all-decade team of 1970s, was first-team All-Pro five times (1970, 1974-1977) and made Pro Bowl seven times.

Source: Pro Football Hall of Fame

NFL 2007: Cincinnati Bengals

2007-08-04T16:23:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. Today we look at the Cincinnati Bengals).

The Cincinnati Bengals stumbled last season, thanks to numerous offseason arrests and a defense that gave up too many yards and points. All that led to an 8-8 record and a playoff no-show. Head coach Marvin Lewis is looking for a bounce-back season from his club. In order to have that the defense must step up in 2007.

Offense: Palmer is the best quarterback in the league not named Peyton Manning. He came back from a knee injury during the 2005 playoffs to throw for 4,035 yards and 28 TDs last season. He's one of the best in the game and his health is of the utmost importance to Lewis, because Doug Johnson and rookie Jeff Rowe are the backups.

Rudi Johnson had another solid season in the high-powered Bengal offense. The Auburn product ran for 1,309 yards and 12 touchdowns. Capable Kenny Watson and rookie Kenny Irons will spell Johnson. Jeremi Johnson is a solid, rough blocking fullback.

Cincinnati is blessed with two top tier wideouts in Chad Johnson (87-1,369-7), who outruns horses for fun, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (90-1,081-9). After that, things get dicey. Reggie McNeal, Skyler Green and Glenn Holt will have to pick up the slack until oft-troubled Chris Henry (36-605-9) returns from his eight game suspension. Reggie Kelly starts at tight end, but he's mainly a blocker.

The offensive line must protect Palmer and luckily for Lewis, the Bengals have a nice group in the trenches. Eric Ghiaciuc is at center, Andrew Whitworth and Bobbie Williams man the guard spots, while Willie Anderson and Levi Jones are top-flight bookends. Stacey Andrews, Alex Stepanovich and Scott Kooistra provide quality depth.

Defense: Cincinnati's Achilles' Heel has been on the defensive side of the ball. If the coaching staff can shore it up, another playoff berth is in the cards.

The biggest problem for the Bengal defense was stopping the run and to that end Lewis brought in DT Michael Myers from Denver and drafted Matt Toeaina. Myers will pair with Domata Peko, an impressive second-year pro, to shore up the interior. John Thornton and Toeaina will be part of the tackle rotation. Justin Smith (81 tackles, 7.5 sacks) and Bryan Robinson start at defensive end with Robert Geathers (10.5 sacks) coming in on passing downs.

Selecting middle linebacker Ahmad Brooks in last years supplemental draft is looking more smarter every day for the Cincinnati brass. With David Pollack's career over and Odell Thurman gone for the year, Brooks will start and be factor in the success or failure of the defense. Landon Johnson and Caleb Miller will start on the outside with Rashad Jeanty coming in on passing situations.

The secondary was strengthened in the draft with CB Leon Hall and safeties Nedu Ndukwe and Marvin White. Deltha O'Neal and Johnathan Joseph start at corner and Madieu Williams and Dexter Jackson at safety. CB Keiwan Ratliff and S Ethan Kilmer will see time as well.

Special Teams: No problem here. Shayne Graham (25-of-30 FG, 115 points) is one of the top five kickers in the league. He's almost automatic from 49 yards in (he was 23-of-25 in 2006). Kyle Larson has a big leg as evidenced by his 44.5 yard per punt last season. Watson is back to handle kickoff returns, while Houshmandzadeh returns punts.

Outlook: The Bengals have one of the most potent offenses in the National Football League and show no signs of slowing down. The key to Cincinnati's success will come down to the effectiveness of the defense. Ironically, the defense has been the weak link in Marvin Lewis' tenure with the Bengals. If Cincy can buck up against the run, a Super Bowl appearance is possible.

Prediction: The Bengals will score big-time points and the defense, thanks to the new additions, will be more stout against the run. Look for Cincinnati to battle Baltimore for the AFC North title. Record: 12-4.

Trojans Set Atop Preseason Coaches Poll

2007-08-04T16:11:00.000-04:00

It's been a familiar place for USC this decade.

Southern California picked up 45 of a possible 60 first-place votes and is easily the No. 1 team in the initial USA Today Top 25 coaches' poll released on Friday.

The Trojans, 11-2 last season but loaded as 2007 approaches, picked up 1,481 total points, easily outdistancing No. 2 LSU (1,372 points) and No. 3 Florida (1,278 points). The Tigers picked up four first-place votes and the defending national champion Gators grabbed nine.

Texas is No. 4 (1,231 points), with Michigan -- which received two first-place votes -- fifth (1,218 points).

The remainder of the top 10: West Virginia (1,205), Wisconsin (1,114), Oklahoma (1,026), Virginia Tech (1,005) and Ohio State (919). The Big Ten has three teams in the top 10 -- the most of any conference.

The Southeastern Conference has six teams in the initial top 25, including No. 13 Georgia, No. 14 Auburn, No. 15 Tennessee and No. 20 Arkansas.

Here's the complete coaches poll.

USA Today Poll
1. USC (45) 0-0 1,481
2. LSU (4) 0-0 1,372
3. Florida (9) 0-0 1,278
4. Texas 0-0 1,231
5. Michigan (2) 0-0 1,218
6. West Virginia 0-0 1,205
7. Wisconsin 0-0 1,114
8. Oklahoma 0-0 1,026
9. Virginia Tech 0-0 1,005
10. Ohio State 0-0 919
11. Louisville 0-0 836
12. California 0-0 763
13. Georgia 0-0 604
14. Auburn 0-0 595
15. Tennessee 0-0 583
16. Rutgers 0-0 466
17. UCLA 0-0 454
18. Penn State 0-0 440
19. Nebraska 0-0 388
20. Arkansas 0-0 360
21. Florida State 0-0 301
22. TCU 0-0 233
23. Boise State 0-0 222
24. Hawaii 0-0 214
25. Texas A&M 0-0 209
Others Recieving Votes
Boston College 150, Georgia Tech 150, Miami (FL) 91, Notre Dame 90, South Carolina 90, Wake Forest 71, Missouri 58, Oregon State 52, Brigham Young 47, Clemson 30, Oregon 30, South Florida 26, Texas Tech 20, Alabama 16, Oklahoma State 15, Southern Miss 14, Iowa 12, Kansas State 8, Memphis 5, Houston 4, Arizona 1, Duke 1, Kentucky 1, Washington State 1.

NFL 2007: Baltimore Ravens

2007-08-02T22:16:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. Today we look at the Baltimore Ravens).

The signing of Steve McNair last season paid huge dividends as the formerly anemic Baltimore offense scored enough to lift the Ravens to a 13-3 record, the AFC North title and a playoff berth. This offseason, head coach Brian Billick and company went out to upgrade the offense even more, signing Willis McGahee from Buffalo. With Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in the same division, the Ravens need to maintain the improved play from 2006.

Offense: McNair brought immediate leadership to the Baltimore offense and the team responded. The Alcorn State product threw for 3,050 yards and 16 touchdowns. Former starter Kyle Boller is a capable backup and Heisman Trophy winning QB Troy Smith is the heir apparent at number three.

Longtime Raven Jamal Lewis was sent packing to Cleveland and McGahee brings a new dimension to the Baltimore rushing attack. McGahee ran for 990 yards and six touchdowns last season, yet surprisingly Buffalo released him. Former 1,000 yard rusher Mike Anderson is the number two and P.J. Daniels is the third-down back. Justin Green serves as the fullback.

Up-and-comer Mark Clayton (67-939-5) and Derrick Mason (68-750-2) comprise the starting receiving corps for McNair. Demetrius Williams, Clarence Moore and rookie Yamon Figurs will see time as well. Todd Heap (73-765-6) is one of the top receiving tight ends in the league and serves as the perfect safety valve for McNair. Daniel Wilcox is the number two.

LT Jonathan Ogden contemplated retirement but the Ravens breathed a sigh of relief when he decided to play another year. Despite his age, Ogden is still one of the premier left tackles in the game. Adam Terry holds down the right tackle slot, while Mike Flynn is set at center. Keydrick Vincent and Jason Brown are returning starters at guard, but will be pressed by two rookies - top pick Ben Grubbs and Marshall Yanda. Chris Chester and Steve Edwards are capable reserves.

Defense: For years the strength of the Ravens has been the defense and this year is no exception, despite the huge loss of LB Adalius Thomas. Baltimore experimented with the 3-4 and will use it from time to time, but the base defense is the 4-3.

Trevor Pryce (47 tackles, 13 sacks) is an ageless wonder at one defensive end spot, while Terrell Suggs (64 tackles, 9.5 sacks) is a force at the other. Jarret Johnson and Dwan Edwards will be in the DE rotation. Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg are space eaters up the middle. Atiyyah Ellison, Kenny King and Anthony Bryant will battle for playing time also.

Ray Lewis has a lot of tread on his tires, but even an aging Lewis is better than most middle linebackers in the league. Ray Ray posted another 100 tackle season (103) and recorded five sacks. Fast rising Bart Scott (103 tackles, 9.5 sacks) and Gary Stills, who must replace Thomas, man the outside positions. Dan Cody, Mike Smith and rookies Antwan Barnes and Prescott Burgess, are capable reserves.

Baltimore may have the best starting defensive backs in the league with Ed Reed (59 tackles, 5 INT) and second-year stud Dawan Landry (69 tackles, 5 INT) at safety and Chris McAlister (47 tackles, 6 INT) and Samari Rolle (52 tackles, 3 INT) at the corners. Safety Gerome Sapp and corner Corey Ivey will come in on nickel packages.

Special Teams: Kicker Matt Stover had another solid season, making 28-of-30 field goals and scoring 121 points. Look for more of the same in 2007. Sam Koch averaged 43 yards a punt last year. Cory Ross returns kicks, while B.J. Sams or Figurs will handle punt return duties.

Outlook: The Ravens are an aging, but solid team capable of duplicating last seasons 13-3 mark. McGahee gives them a better alternative than the one-dimensional Lewis and Clayton, Heap and Mason are decent receivers. The defense is strong and the special teams are top notch. The keys to the season are the durability of McNair and finding someone to pick up the slack at linebacker with Thomas in New England. If McNair stays healthy Baltimore is a playoff team. If he doesn't, the bottom could fall out.

Prediction: The Ravens will play solid football all season and challenge the Bengals for the AFC North crown. Record: 11-5.

NFL 2007: New York Jets

2007-08-01T20:57:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. Today we look at the New York Jets).

Eric Mangini exceeded all expectations during his first season at the helm of the Jets by leading the team to a 10-6 record after going 4-12 in 2005. Mangini, the Bill Belichick protege, installed confidence and a strong belief system into a young Jets team which translated into a playoff berth. It also helped that Mangini had a healthy Chad Pennington last season. His veteran presence kept a young New York offense together. Now with some new blood added through free agency and the draft, look for the Jets to be playoff contenders once again.

Offense: Pennington bounced back in a big way in 2006, throwing for 3,352 yards and 17 TDs, leading the Jets to the playoffs. Kellen Clemens and free agent signee Marques Tuiasosopo are the backups.

The big addition to the Jets in the offseason was RB Thomas Jones. The former Chicago standout rushed for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns last season leading the Bears to the Super Bowl. Chicago decided to go with Cedric Benson full time and New York scooped up Jones right away. Second-year pro Leon Washington (650-4) will serve as the number two and Cedric Houston the number three. Darian Barnes is the starting fullback.

The Jets have a solid receiving corps with Laveranus Coles (91-1,098-6) and Jerricho Cotchery (82-961-6) starting with Justin McCareins in the slot and Tim Dwight set at number four. Chris Baker mans the top spot at tight end with Sean Ryan backing him up.

The offensive line returns almost intact with D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Anthony Clement at tackle, Nick Mangold at center, and Brandon Moore at right guard. Veteran Pete Kendall wants out of New York and is thinking of retirement. If he goes, Wade Smith or Adrien Clarke will battle for his spot.

Defense: The defense returns all eleven starters and has a fine mix of veteran leadership and hot blooded youth in its 3-4 scheme. Shaun Ellis (58 tackles, 5 sacks) and Kimo von Oelhoffen start at defensive end, while Dewayne Robertson mans the nose. Free agent David Bowens, Kenyon Coleman, Michael Haynes and Sione Pouha provide depth.

As in most good 3-4 defenses, linebackers are the strength of the Jets defense. Victor Hobson (100 tackles, 6 sacks) and Bryan Thomas line up on the outside and Jonathan Vilma (103 tackles) and Eric Barton stuff the run on the inside. Brad Kassell, Anthony Schlegel and rookie David Harris are solid backups.

Andre Dyson (62 tackles, 4 INT) and Justin Miller start at corner with Drew Coleman, David Barrett and rookie Alphonso Hodge in the mix. Kerry Rhodes (98 tackles, 5 sacks, 4 INT) is a solid free safety and Eric Coleman had over 100 tackles from his strong safety slot. Rashad Washington and Eric Smith serve as backups.

Special Teams: Entering his third season, Mike Nugent (24-of-27, 106 points) is fast becoming one of the top kickers in the league. Ben Graham (44.2) handles the punting chores, while Miller and Dwight return kicks and punts respectively.

Outlook: The team took to Mangini's style quickly and emerged as a playoff caliber franchise. The addition of Jones makes the offense stronger. The lack of a big-time running game was a huge reason the Jets went one and done in the playoffs. The ability of Pennington to stay healthy is key to New York's success. If he goes down, fortunes change, because Clemens and Tuiasosopo aren't exactly world beaters.

Prediction: Mangini has sold the players on the Belichick system and the talent is coming together to place the Jets as a future elite team. New York is still a few players away from being a Super Bowl contender, but they are good enough to get back to the playoffs once again. Record: 11-5.

NFL 2007: New England Patriots

2007-07-31T19:19:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. Today we look at the New England Patriots).

The New England Patriots have been a model of consistency during the decade. Head coach Bill Belichick has developed a system that everyone brought into the organization must abide by. The formula has worked. New England has captured three Super Bowl titles and were within an eyelash of going to a fourth Super Bowl in seven years. This offseason, the Patriots, never one to spend big time bucks on free agents, threw the baby out with the bath water and went on a spending spree that brought in Adalius Thomas, Wes Welker, Donte Stallworth, Tory James and Randy Moss. The Pats are picked by many to go all the way in 2007.

Offense: New England lives and dies by the leadership and passing arm of Tom Brady. The three-time Super Bowl winner had gaudy numbers in 2007 despite the lack of big play receivers. Brady, who threw for 3,529 yards and 24 touchdowns, looks to do even better in 2007 with an improved receiver corps. Ageless wonder, Vinny Testaverde, returns for a 21st season and will provide backup. Matt Cassell is the number three.

Laurence Maroney takes over as the starting tailback after Corey Dillon retired/left New England. Maroney ran for 745 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. Impressive numbers, but there are questions about his durability. Kevin Faulk and Sammy Morris provide depth. Heath Evans and Garrett Mills are solid fullbacks.

The biggest change from last season is at wide receiver. New England went out and grabbed Stallworth, Welker, Kelley Washington and the big prize, Moss. Randy the Dandy will look to rebuild his career after two lackluster seasons in Oakland. Throw in holdovers Reche Caldwell, Troy Brown and Chad Jackson, and you have the makings of a potentially stellar group. Benjamin Watson is the pass catching tight end, while Kyle Brady was signed from Jacksonville for his blocking.

A solid O-line returns intact with Matt Light and Nick Kaczur at tackle, Stephen Neal and Logan Mankins at guard and Dan Koppen holding down the fort at center. Russ Hochstein, Ryan O'Callaghan and Wesley Britt provide depth.

Defense: The strength of the team has always been on the defensive side of the ball and this season should be no different. Thomas was the big catch during free agency and his 83 tackles and 11 sacks will fit in nicely with New England's 3-4 scheme.

The defensive line returns intact with Ty Warren and All-Pro Richard Seymour at end and Vince Wilfork at nose tackle. The Patriots are blessed with one of the best front sevens in all of football and with Thomas and Roosevelt Colvin on the outside and Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi in the middle, that unit is even stronger. Barry Gardner, Eric Alexander and Larry Izzo backup at linebacker, while Jarvis Green, Mike Wright and Santonio Thomas provide depth on the line.

The secondary is aging, but still has some chops, especially with the signing of free agent Tory James from Cincinnati. James (41 tackles, 4 INT) will compete with Ellis Hobbs at one corner, while disgruntled All-Pro Asante Samuel (64 tackles, 10 INT) holds down the other slot. Ray Mickens will see action in nickel packages. Ageless Rodney Harrison is back at strong safety and Eugene Wilson and Artrell Hawkins will compete for the free safety spot. Look for top draft pick Brandon Merriweather to see plenty of action as well. The secondary is the one so-so position on the roster. CB Chad Scott is out for the season and Samuel is in the beginnings of potentially long holdout.

Special Teams: Stephen Gostkowski is no Adam Vinatieri but he had a solid rook season nonetheless. Gostkowksi made 20-of-26 attempts and finished with 103 points. He should be a year older, wiser and better. Punter Josh Miller (43.0) is one of the leagues finest. Faulk and Welker will handle kickoff and punt return duties.

Outlook: New England is one of the top teams in the league and have a legitimate chance at another Super Bowl berth. The additions of Moss, Stallworth and Welker should provide even more weapons for the always dangerous Brady. Belichick has built a world class franchise that should compete with the Colts, Chargers and Bengals for the AFC crown.

Prediction: Moss will regain some of his old luster, thanks to Brady, and the Patriots will win another AFC East crown and battle for a Super Bowl berth. Record: 12-4.

Bill Walsh (1931-2007)

2007-07-30T19:39:00.000-04:00

A living legend of the gridiron has passed away.

Bill Walsh, the groundbreaking football coach who won three Super Bowls and perfected the ingenious schemes that became known as the West Coast offense during a Hall of Fame career with the San Francisco 49ers, has died. He was 75.

Walsh died at his Woodside home Monday morning following a long battle with leukemia.

"This is just a tremendous loss for all of us, especially to the Bay Area because of what he meant to the 49ers," said Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, the player most closely linked to Walsh's tenure with the team. "For me personally, outside of my dad he was probably the most influential person in my life. I am going to miss him."

Walsh didn't become an NFL head coach until 47, and he spent just 10 seasons on the San Francisco sideline. But he left an indelible mark on the United States' most popular sport, building the once-woebegone 49ers into the most successful team of the 1980s with his innovative offensive strategies and teaching techniques.

The soft-spoken native Californian also produced a legion of coaching disciples that's still growing today. Many of his former assistants went on to lead their own teams, handing down Walsh's methods and schemes to dozens more coaches in a tree with innumerable branches.

Walsh went 102-63-1 with the 49ers, winning 10 of his 14 postseason games along with six division titles. He was named the NFL's coach of the year in 1981 and 1984.

Few men did more to shape the look of football into the 21st century. His cerebral nature and often-brilliant stratagems earned him the nickname "The Genius" well before his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Walsh twice served as the 49ers' general manager, and George Seifert led San Francisco to two more Super Bowl titles after Walsh left the sideline. Walsh also coached Stanford during two terms over five seasons.

Even a short list of Walsh's adherents is stunning. Seifert, Mike Holmgren, Dennis Green, Sam Wyche, Ray Rhodes and Bruce Coslet all became NFL head coaches after serving on Walsh's San Francisco staffs, and Tony Dungy played for him. Most of his former assistants passed on Walsh's structures and strategies to a new generation of coaches, including Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Brian Billick, Andy Reid, Pete Carroll, Gary Kubiak, Steve Mariucci and Jeff Fisher.

Walsh was diagnosed with leukemia in 2004 and underwent months of treatment and blood transfusions. He publicly disclosed his illness in November 2006.

Walsh started his coaching career in 1954 at Fremont High School. Walsh was coaching in Fremont when he interviewed for an assistant coaching position with Marv Levy, who had just been hired as the head coach at California.

After Cal, he did a stint at Stanford before beginning his pro coaching career as an assistant with the AFL's Oakland Raiders in 1966, forging a friendship with Al Davis that endured through decades of rivalry. Walsh joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968 to work for legendary coach Paul Brown, who gradually gave complete control of the Bengals' offense to his assistant.

Walsh built a scheme based on the teachings of Davis, Brown and Sid Gillman - and Walsh's own innovations, which included everything from short dropbacks and novel receiving routes to constant repetition of every play in practice.

Though it originated in Cincinnati, it became known many years later as the West Coast offense - a name Walsh never liked or repeated, but which eventually grew to encompass his offensive philosophy and the many tweaks added by Holmgren, Shanahan and other coaches.

Much of the NFL eventually ran a version of the West Coast in the 1990s, with its fundamental belief that the passing game can set up an effective running attack, rather than the opposite conventional wisdom.

Walsh also is widely credited with inventing or popularizing many of the modern basics of coaching, from the laminated sheets of plays held by coaches on almost every sideline, to the practice of scripting the first 15 offensive plays of a game.

After a bitter falling-out with Brown in 1976, Walsh left for stints with the San Diego Chargers and Stanford before the 49ers chose him to rebuild the franchise in 1979.

The long-suffering 49ers went 2-14 before Walsh's arrival. They repeated the record in his first season. Walsh doubted his abilities to turn around such a miserable situation - but earlier in 1979, the 49ers drafted quarterback Joe Montana from Notre Dame.

Walsh turned over the starting job to Montana in 1980, when the 49ers improved to 6-10 - and improbably, San Francisco won its first championship in 1981, just two years after winning two games.

Championships followed in the postseasons of 1984 and 1988 as Walsh built a consistent winner and became an icon with his inventive offense and thinking-man's approach to the game. He also showed considerable acumen in personnel, adding Ronnie Lott, Charles Haley, Roger Craig and Rice to his rosters after he was named the 49ers' general manager in 1982 and the president in 1985.

Walsh left the 49ers with a profound case of burnout after his third Super Bowl victory in January 1989, though he later regretted not coaching longer.

He spent three years as a broadcaster with NBC before returning to Stanford for three seasons. He then took charge of the 49ers' front office in 1999, helping to rebuild the roster over three seasons. But Walsh gradually cut ties with the 49ers after his hand-picked successor as GM, Terry Donahue, took over in 2001.

He is survived by his wife, Geri, and two children, Craig and Elizabeth.

NFL 2007: Miami Dolphins

2007-07-26T20:32:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. Today we look at the Miami Dolphins).

Changes abound in Miami during the offseason. Nick Saban left after two years to head up the program in Tuscaloosa and in comes Cam Cameron, fresh off an impressive run as offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. Also expunged is the Daunte Culpepper experiment. After two injury-filled seasons, Culpepper was let go and veteran Trent Green was brought in. Cameron took a lot of heat drafting Ted Ginn Jr in the first round and Miami fans are showing their impatience and frustration early.

Offense: Green is 37 and may be staring down the slippery slope. A vicious hit to the noggin left him out for eight games last season. He finished with 1,342 yards passing with seven touchdowns and nine picks. Cleo Lemon and rookie John Beck will serve as backups.

Ronnie Brown (1,008 yards, 5 TDs) took a step back last season under Saban, but should thrive under the reigns of Cameron. Rookie Lorenzo Booker will be the backup with Corey Schlesinger, a free agent pickup from Detroit, providing a solid blocking fullback for Brown.

Chris Chambers (59-677-4) and Marty Booker (55-747-6) are a solid, if unspectacular, starting combo. Joining them will be free agent Az-Zahir Hakim, Derek Hagan and rookie Ginn Jr. Randy McMichael bolted to St. Louis and left a big hole in the Dolphins red zone attack. David Martin, acquired from Green Bay, and Justin Peele will look to pick up the slack.

Center Rex Hadnot, guard L.J. Shelton and left tackle Vernon Carey return to lead an offensive line that will feature some new parts in 2007. Guard Chris Liwienski (Cardinals) and tackle Mike Rosenthal (Vikings) were brought in to shore up the line. Look for rookie guard-center Samson Satele, guard Kendyl Jacox and tackle Anthony Alabi to battle for starting positions.

Defense: The strength of the Miami club is the defense and this year should be no different. Age is starting to catch up to these guys, but they are still one of the top units in the NFL.

The defensive line is lead by defensive MVP, Jason Taylor. The All-Pro defensive end collected 60 tackles and 13.5 sacks last season. On the other side is promising Matt Roth, while Keith Traylor and Vonnie Holliday man the middle. DT Rodrique Wright, rookie DT Paul Soliai and ends Abraham Wright and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila serve as backups.

The venerable Zach Thomas (165 tackles, three sacks) returns to lead the defense from his middle linebacker spot. Newcomer Joey Porter had a down year in Pittsburgh with seven sacks and the Dolphins hope a change of scenery will invigorate him. Channing Crowder (103 tackles) operates at strong side linebacker and is solid. Donnie Spragan, Keith Adams and Derrick Pope provide depth.

Will Allen and Andre Goodman are back at corner, while Renaldo Hill and Yeremiah Bell return at safety. That may not be a good thing. The four combined for only three interceptions last season and the Dolphins had a franchise low eight picks last season. Look for 2006 number one pick, Jason Allen, to make a bid for a starting spot at either corner or free safety. Safety Travares Tillman and CB Travis Daniels will play in nickel and dime packages.

Special Teams: Gone is long time kicker Olindo Mare, who was sent packing to New Orleans, and in comes Jay Feely from the Giants. Feely scored 107 points and made 23-of-27 field goals last season. He's solid and Mare shouldn't be missed. Punting is a different story. Donnie Jones, who signed a three-year deal with the Rams, is out and in will be rookie Brandon Fields or second-year pro Ryan Flinn. Ginn Jr. will handle punt and kick return duties.

Outlook: The Dolphins will once gain rely on their defense to keep them in games. The offense, unfortunately, is the same as last year with the exception of Green. The offensive line is shaky and Green may be fighting for his life each and every Sunday. Cameron will really miss the weapons he had in San Diego.

Prediction: Miami should be better with Green at the helm, but the defense is like aged Parmesan and the offense doesn't have enough firepower to keep up with the better teams in the AFC, including division rivals New England and the Jets. Look for the Dolphins to battle Buffalo for third in the AFC East. Record: 6-10.

NFL 2007: Buffalo Bills (Re-post)

2007-07-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. We start in the AFC and the Buffalo Bills. This is a re-post of a previous article.)

The Bills managed a 7-9 mark last season in Dick Jauron's first year at the helm. Better than most imagined. Major house cleaning was done in Buffalo during the offseason as London Fletcher, Takeo Spikes, Nate Clements and Willis McGahee are all gone. To top it off, the Bills have failed to reach agreement with DT Darwin Walker, who was traded to them from the Eagles for Spikes and Holcomb. This is a squad that has taken a step back in the AFC East.

Offense: J.P. Losman grew into the role of number one quarterback and looked more and more comfortable leading the Bills as the season went along. He threw for 3,051 yards and 19 touchdowns to go with 14 interceptions. Losman needs to stay healthy and keep improving if Buffalo wants to have a decent season. Kelly Holcomb is gone and that leaves Craig Nall and rookie Trent Edwards as the backups. Not good.

Willis McGahee took his 990 yards and nine touchdowns in a trade to Baltimore, which means rookie Marshawn Lynch will be asked to carry the load for the Bills. Veteran Anthony Thomas (378 yards, 2 TDs) provides depth, while fullback Damion Shelton is a solid blocker. The development of Lynch will determine how potent the Buffalo offense will be.

Lee Evans (82-1,292-8) leads a receiving corps that is weak at best and possibly a disaster in the making at the worst. After Evans, there isn't much. Josh Reed (34-410-2), who has never lived up to his rep, is the number two man with Peerless Price (49-402-3) in the slot and Roscoe Parrish (23-320-2) is the fourth receiver. Robert Royal (23-233-2) returns at TE. Watch out for Kevin Everett, who returns from a season-ending knee injury in 2006, to make a statement.

Jauron has completely rebuilt his offensive line by adding guards Derrick Dockery (Redskins) and Jason Whittle (Giants) and left tackle Langston Walker (Raiders). They will pair with holdovers Melvin Fowler at center and Jason Peters at right tackle. Chris Villarial, Duke Preston and Aaron Merz will battle for playing time.

Defense: The Bills were hit hard on defense. Fletcher, Clements and Spikes combined for 286 tackles and three sacks and will be missed. Fortunately, the defensive line, the strength of the defense, returns intact.

DE Aaron Schobel had an All-Pro season with 53 tackles and 14 sacks in 2006. He will be paired with Chris Kelsey, who came through with 61 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season. Anthony Hargrove serves as a capable backup. At tackle, Tim Anderson, Larry Tripplett and Kyle Williams are strong. The position will be even stronger if 2006 first rounder John McCargo can bounce back from injury. If they can sign Walker, the Bills will be tough to run on.

All is not lost at linebacker despite the loss of Fletcher and Spikes. Angelo Crowell (82 tackles) and Keith Ellison (65 tackles) return on the outside with rookie Paul Posluszny manning the middle. Mario Haggan, Coy Wire and John DiGigorio provide depth.

The loss of Clements hurts the secondary but there are some decent pieces in the Buffalo puzzle. Donte Whitner had an excellent rookie season at strong safety with 104 tackles. Ko Simpson (76 tackles, 2 INT) is the free safety with Jim Leonhard backing up both spots. Terrence McGee is at one corner with Jason Webster and Kiwaukee Thomas battling for Clements' slot.

Special Teams: Rian Lindell (102 points, 23-of-25 field goals) and Brian Moorman (43.6 avg) make up a strong kicking game for the Bills. McGee (26.1) is the kick returner and Parrish (11.4) returns punts. The strength of this team is the special teams.

Outlook: The Bills are solid on the defensive line and special teams, but Jauron has lost too much on both sides of the ball for this team to improve much from last season. McGahee's absence means a rookie must lead them. Losman, while improving, doesn't have the best targets to throw too and will be running for his life, thanks to a rebuilt offensive line. The defense lost too much experience and talent to be better than it was last season.

Prediction: Buffalo has dropped back a bit in the AFC East compared with the Patriots and the Jets. Look for the Bills to battle Miami for third. Record: 6-10.

Martin Announces Retirement

2007-07-24T21:46:00.000-04:00

One of the all-time greats has called it a day.

Jets running back Curtis Martin, the fourth leading rusher in NFL history who hasn't played since the 2005 season, will make it official this week and announce his retirement from the NFL.

The news that an announcement is imminent was first reported by The New York Post.

The Jets open training camp Friday and are expected to hold a news conference before camp begins to announce the running back's retirement.

Last month, Martin re-worked his contract for a second straight year to provide the team more salary cap room.

Martin tore cartilage in his right knee in Week 2 of the 2005 season against Miami, and aggravated it two games later against Baltimore. He played through the pain, but ended his season after the Jets' 12th game.

The five-time Pro Bowler said the knee became a "bone-on-bone" situation when the damaged cartilage was surgically removed in December 2005. He was slow to recover and was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list before training camp so he could rehabilitate the knee and did not play last season.

Martin spent his first three seasons with New England, and came to the Jets as a restricted free agent in 1998. His best year was his last healthy season in 2004, when he led the league in rushing with 1,697 yards and tied Barry Sanders' record of 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons to start a career.

Martin, 34, has carried 3,518 times for 14,101 yards and 70 touchdowns in 168 games. Only Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Sanders have compiled more rushing yards.

After using three different starters at tailback in 2006, and finishing 20th in the league in rushing offense, the Jets acquired Thomas Jones in a trade with the Chicago Bears this spring, and he is the projected starter.

Here are the all-time leading rushers:

Emmitt Smith 18,355
Walter Payton 16,726
Barry Sanders 15,269
Curtis Martin 14,101
Jerome Bettis 13,662
Eric Dickerson 13,259
Tony Dorsett 12,739
Jim Brown 12,312
Marshall Faulk 12,279
Marcus Allen 12,243

NFL Preview for 2007 to Begin Wednesday

2007-07-23T20:02:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the Michael Vick situation and some issues going on with the Fanatics blog, the 2007 NFL previews have been put on hold for the past couple of days.

We are going to start running them, absolutely, positively for sure on Wednesday. We will post previews of one team each day, starting with a re-posting of the Buffalo Bills preview.

Sorry for the delay.

Goodell Tells Vick to Stay Away

2007-07-23T19:58:00.000-04:00

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has ordered Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons not to report to the team’s training camp pending the completion of an NFL review of his recent indictment by a federal grand jury in Richmond, Va., for allegedly participating in an interstate dog-fighting enterprise.

Goodell informed Vick that the review would be completed as soon as possible and that Vick’s full cooperation is expected.

In a letter to Vick, Goodell said: "While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy."

Vick will not forfeit his preseason pay during his excused absence from training camp.

The commissioner also directed the Falcons today to withhold any contemplated team discipline regarding the Vick matter until the NFL review is completed.

NFL, Falcons May Ask Vick to Take Paid Leave

2007-07-20T22:25:00.000-04:00

(The Fanatics will be return to its NFL preview Saturday, right now we want to talk more about the poster boy for PETA, Michael Vick).

The NFL wants Michael Vick to take a vacation for awhile and apparently the NFLPA and maybe even Atlanta owner, Arthur Blank, do as well.

In what has quickly evolved into a collaborative effort that includes input of officials from the NFL, NFL Players Association and Atlanta Falcons, embattled quarterback Michael Vick could be urged to take a voluntary leave of absence to focus his energy on the legal challenges from a federal dogfighting indictment confronting him.

There are, however, two critical components that must be resolved: Falcons owner Arthur Blank must be on board with a plan that has generated considerable discussion at the league level the past two days. And Vick, who might be reluctant to accept even a paid hiatus from the game, might have to be convinced that the leave could be his best option.

Blank and the Falcons might also be considering other options.

Under the leave-of-absence scenario, and given the projected timeline of any trial that could ensue from the federal indictments brought against the quarterback Tuesday, all parties would enter into the agreement, if it is consummated, with the expectation that Vick would probably miss the entire 2007 season.

As incentive for Vick to consider a leave, the union is hopeful that Blank will offer to guarantee the player's $6 million base salary for 2007. That could be a sticking point in negotiations. No one will try to bully Vick into accepting the leave, but he might be reminded that while the league and Falcons are inclined for now to allow due process to play out in the courts, that stance is not an unalterable one, and unfolding events could possibly change the approach of Blank and commissioner Roger Goodell.

Intensive talks continued Thursday with Goodell, Blank, Falcons team president and general manager Rich McKay and Upshaw. They discussed the various options available to them, and those discussions are expected to continue Friday.

If convicted on all counts, Vick could face a prison sentence of six years.

NFL 2007: Buffalo Bills

2007-07-19T20:17:00.000-04:00

(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2007 season. We start in the AFC and the Buffalo Bills.)

The Bills managed a 7-9 mark last season in Dick Jauron's first year at the helm. Better than most imagined. Major house cleaning was done in Buffalo during the offseason as London Fletcher, Takeo Spikes, Nate Clements and Willis McGahee are all gone. To top it off, the Bills have failed to reach agreement with DT Darwin Walker, who was traded to them from the Eagles for Spikes and Holcomb. This is a squad that has taken a step back in the AFC East.

Offense: J.P. Losman grew into the role of number one quarterback and looked more and more comfortable leading the Bills as the season went along. He threw for 3,051 yards and 19 touchdowns to go with 14 interceptions. Losman needs to stay healthy and keep improving if Buffalo wants to have a decent season. Kelly Holcomb is gone and that leaves Craig Nall and rookie Trent Edwards as the backups. Not good.

Willis McGahee took his 990 yards and nine touchdowns in a trade to Baltimore, which means rookie Marshawn Lynch will be asked to carry the load for the Bills. Veteran Anthony Thomas (378 yards, 2 TDs) provides depth, while fullback Damion Shelton is a solid blocker. The development of Lynch will determine how potent the Buffalo offense will be.

Lee Evans (82-1,292-8) leads a receiving corps that is weak at best and possibly a disaster in the making at the worst. After Evans, there isn't much. Josh Reed (34-410-2), who has never lived up to his rep, is the number two man with Peerless Price (49-402-3) in the slot and Roscoe Parrish (23-320-2) is the fourth receiver. Robert Royal (23-233-2) returns at TE. Watch out for Kevin Everett, who returns from a season-ending knee injury in 2006, to make a statement.

Jauron has completely rebuilt his offensive line by adding guards Derrick Dockery (Redskins) and Jason Whittle (Giants) and left tackle Langston Walker (Raiders). They will pair with holdovers Melvin Fowler at center and Jason Peters at right tackle. Chris Villarial, Duke Preston and Aaron Merz will battle for playing time.

Defense: The Bills were hit hard on defense. Fletcher, Clements and Spikes combined for 286 tackles and three sacks and will be missed. Fortunately, the defensive line, the strength of the defense, returns intact.

DE Aaron Schobel had an All-Pro season with 53 tackles and 14 sacks in 2006. He will be paired with Chris Kelsey, who came through with 61 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season. Anthony Hargrove serves as a capable backup. At tackle, Tim Anderson, Larry Tripplett and Kyle Williams are strong. The position will be even stronger if 2006 first rounder John McCargo can bounce back from injury. If they can sign Walker, the Bills will be tough to run on.

All is not lost at linebacker despite the loss of Fletcher and Spikes. Angelo Crowell (82 tackles) and Keith Ellison (65 tackles) return on the outside with rookie Paul Posluszny manning the middle. Mario Haggan, Coy Wire and John DiGigorio provide depth.

The loss of Clements hurts the secondary but there are some decent pieces in the Buffalo puzzle. Donte Whitner had an excellent rookie season at strong safety with 104 tackles. Ko Simpson (76 tackles, 2 INT) is the free safety with Jim Leonhard backing up both spots. Terrence McGee is at one corner with Jason Webster and Kiwaukee Thomas battling for Clements' slot.

Special Teams: Rian Lindell (102 points, 23-of-25 field goals) and Brian Moorman (43.6 avg) make up a strong kicking game for the Bills. McGee (26.1) is the kick returner and Parrish (11.4) returns punts. The strength of this team is the special teams.

Outlook: The Bills are solid on the defensive line and special teams, but Jauron has lost too much on both sides of the ball for this team to improve much from last season. McGahee's absence means a rookie must lead them. Losman, while improving, doesn't have the best targets to throw too and will be running for his life, thanks to a rebuilt offensive line. The defense lost too much experience and talent to be better than it was last season.

Prediction: Buffalo has dropped back a bit in the AFC East compared with the Patriots and the Jets. Look for the Bills to battle Miami for third. Record: 6-10.

NFL News and Notes

2007-07-18T19:03:00.000-04:00

(The Football Fanatics NFL Preview will begin on Thursday).

The Atlanta Falcons were hoping that beleagured quarterback Michael Vick wouldn't have to deal with the courts until after the season....wrong!

According to a summons issued Wednesday, the Falcons' quarterback is scheduled to make his first court appearance after being indicted by a federal grand jury on July 26. Vick faces multiple charges related to an alleged dogfighting ring at a home he owned in Virginia. July 26 is the same day the Falcons are scheduled for the initial on-field practice under first-year coach Bobby Petrino.

So instead of being in the huddle for the first training camp practice of what many NFL observers contend is the most crucial season of his career, Vick will be in a Richmond, Va., courtroom.

The quarterback is to appear for a 3:30 p.m. bond hearing in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Dohnal. That will be followed by a 4 p.m. arraignment before U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson, who would likely be the presiding judge if Vick goes to trial.

The Falcons are scheduled to practice at 3 p.m. The court proceedings are expected to be brief. Bond will likely be set, and Vick will pay it and then be released. The expectation is that he will rejoin his teammates for the Friday practice, which is scheduled for 8:30 a.m.

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Daunte Culpepper finally has what he asked the Miami Dolphins for weeks ago - a chance to start over with a new team.

Miami released the former Pro Bowl quarterback Tuesday, wrapping up a contentious split between player and team. The move came one day before a breach-of-contract grievance filed by the NFL Players Association on Culpepper's behalf against the Dolphins was scheduled to be heard, and after Miami unsuccessfully tried for weeks to trade the 30-year-old.

Culpepper became expendable once the Dolphins made a trade six weeks ago with Kansas City for Trent Green, who'll be Miami's starter entering this season.

With training camps set to open in the next couple days, Culpepper -- who, in 84 games as a starter, has completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 21,091 yards and 137 touchdowns -- will be moving quickly to find a new club.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are thought to be among his potential suitors; coaches there told quarterbacks Byron Leftwich and David Garrard earlier this offseason that they would consider acquiring him before training camp if he was available. Culpepper had his best NFL seasons with the Vikings under coach Mike Tice, now an assistant head coach in Jacksonville under Jack Del Rio.

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Despite his continuing unhappiness with his contract status, six-time Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca will report to the Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp on time next Monday afternoon, for what he reiterated will be his final season with the franchise.

The Steelers' top lineman, a team captain and a fixture at left guard since moving into the starting lineup midway through his rookie campaign, Faneca is entering the final year of his contract. Barring an extension, Faneca will be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2007 season. It is doubtful the Steelers would use the franchise tag to retain Faneca's rights.

The nine-year veteran skipped all of the Steelers' organized team activities (OTAs) sessions under first-year coach Mike Tomlin this spring. He did attend the mandatory minicamp in mid-May. But he missed one practice of that weekend session when he became upset at a comment one Pittsburgh official reportedly made and left the team's complex. Faneca then returned to the minicamp after a chat with Tomlin but made it clear he would not be back with the club until it convened for training camp at St. Vincent College.

Faneca said he will not allow his contract situation to become a distraction.

Vick Indicted In Dogfighting Probe

2007-07-17T22:34:00.000-04:00

The Michael Vick Experience could be grinding to a crashing hault.

Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on charges of sponsoring a dogfighting operation so grisly the losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot.

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback and three others were charged with competitive dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines.

The operation was named "Bad Newz Kennels," according to the indictment, and the dogs were housed, trained and fought at a property owned by Vick in Surry County, Va.

The 18-page federal indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges the 27-year-old Vick and his co-defendants began the dogfighting operation in early 2001, the former Virginia Tech star's rookie year with the Falcons.

The indictment states that dogs fought to the death -- or close to it.

If convicted, Vick and the others -- Purnell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor -- could face up to six years in prison, $350,000 in fines and restitution.

Vick and the others are accused of "knowingly sponsoring and exhibiting an animal fighting venture" and conducting a business enterprise involving gambling, as well as buying, transporting and receiving dogs for the purposes of an animal fighting venture.

About eight young dogs were put to death at the Surry County home after they were found not ready to fight in April 2007, the indictment said. They were killed "by hanging, drowning and/or slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."

After a police raid on the property in April, Vick said he was rarely at the house, had no idea it may have been used in a criminal enterprise. He blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity.

On Vick's Web site, he lists his birthplace as Newport News, "a.k.a. BadNews."

Purses for the fights ranged from hundreds of dollars to the thousands, and participants and spectators placed side bets, the document said.

At the start, authorities seized 66 dogs, including 55 pit bulls, and equipment commonly used in dogfighting. About half the dogs were tethered to car axles with heavy chains that allowed the dogs to get close to each other, but not to have contact -- an arrangement typical for fighting dogs, according to the search warrant affidavit.

The indictment said dogfights were held at the Virginia property and dog owners brought animals from six states, including New York and Texas.

In a search warrant executed July 6, the government said the fights usually occurred late at night or in the early morning and would last several hours.

Before fights, participating dogs of the same sex would be weighed and bathed, according to the filings. Opposing dogs would be washed to remove any poison or narcotic placed on the dog's coat that could affect the other dog's performance.

Sometimes, dogs weren't fed to "make it more hungry for the other dog," it said.

Redding Gets Big Contract; Briggs, Samuel Don't

2007-07-16T22:10:00.000-04:00

Last week, Indianapolis Colts DE Dwight Freeney signed the richest deal in NFL history for a defensive end. Actually, it was the richest for a defensive lineman, period.

Now comes Lions DT Cory Redding setting financial records as well.

Last year, Rod Marinelli moved Redding from defensive end to defensive tackle. The move was a good one.

On Monday, the Lions made him the highest-paid defensive tackle in football. Redding, the team's franchise player in 2007, agreed to a seven-year, $49 million contract that included $16 million in guarantees, including $13 million in signing bonus and roster guarantees.

Redding will receive a little more than $20 million over the first three years of his contract.

Now, he will be present for the start of camp and will work with Shaun Rogers in what should be one of the more dominating interior defensive lines in football.

The Redding deal tops the five-year, $33.24 million contract given to Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams.

The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Redding was taken in the third round of the 2003 draft and started nine games as a defensive end as a rookie. In the past three years, he had 48 starts. Last year, he had career highs in tackles (47) and sacks (eight).

Also, neither New England cornerback Asante Samuel nor Chicago weakside linebacker Lance Briggs reached a contract agreement before Monday's 4 p.m. deadline for franchise players to sign multi-year deals. Now, the two standout defenders are limited by league rules to signing just a one-year tender.

The one-year tender for Samuel is $7.79 million, and for Briggs it is $7.206 million.

Once a player signs the tender, the money becomes guaranteed. A team can also rescind the qualifying offer, but there have been no indications the Bears or Patriots plan to do so.

There were seven veterans designated as franchise players this year. Three of those players -- Indianapolis defensive end Dwight Freeney (six years, $72 million), New Orleans defensive end Charles Grant (seven years, $63 million) and Redding -- signed long-term contracts. Cincinnati defensive end Justin Smith ($8.64 million) and Seattle kicker Josh Brown ($2.078 million) signed the one-year tenders for their respective positions.

The List: NFL Service Time

2007-07-14T09:09:00.000-04:00

ESPN is reporting that Vinny Testaverde will return for a 21st NFL season, agreeing to a one-year deal with the New England Patriots.

Testaverde becomes only the eighth player in NFL history to play 20 or more seasons in the league. Below are those eight.

Most Service Time:

1. George Blanda, QB/K, 26 years
2. Morten Andersen, K, 24 years
3. Gary Anderson, K, 23 years
4. Earl Morral, QB, 21 years
4t. Vinny Testaverde, QB, 21 years
5. Jim Marshall, DE, 20 years
5t. Jackie Slater, OT, 20 years
5t. Darrell Green, CB, 20 years

Freeney Laughing All the Way to the Bank

2007-07-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

He who laughs last laughs best.

It's a great old saying, don't have clue who came up with it, but I know one man who's having a glorious last laugh.

Indianapolis Colts DE Dwight Freeney, who many said was too small to play in the NFL, is now the highest paid defensive lineman in history after signing a six-year, $72 million contract with the team Friday that includes a $30 million signing bonus.

Freeney was drafted in the first round in 2002 and developed into one of the game's most disruptive defensive players. Freeney registered 56½ sacks during his first five seasons with the Colts and has forced 27 fumbles during his career.

Freeney and the Colts had until Monday to hammer out a long-term deal. Had that not happened, Freeney and the Colts would have been forced to settle for the one-year tender at $9.43 million, which would have left Freeney to decide whether or not to hold out.

The question is, does he deserve the money? Based on his first five seasons, yes. Based on last year, no.

Freeney is still young at 27, but his production fell significantly last year. In 2006, he recorded only 29 tackles with a career low six sacks. His size (6-1, 268) is a concern. As he gets older, the possibility of wearing down increase.

But the Colts are willing to overlook last season and write it off as an aberration. Freeney, when on his game, is a prolific pass rusher and an expert at disrupting the quarterback. He is the leader of the defense. The glue that holds the unit together.

In the end, the Colts did the right thing. You can't let a premier pass rusher move on. That's tantamount to committing franchise suicide.

This deal will have a significant impact on other top pass-rushers in negotiations to re-sign with their teams. New Orleans Saints DE Will Smith, Carolina Panthers DE Julius Peppers and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs are premier pass-rushers who were waiting to see how Freeney's negotiations turned out.

A Super Bowl ring and now a big, fat, record-breaking contract. It must be nice to be in Dwight Freeney's shoes.

Football Fanatics NFL Preview Begins Next Week

2007-07-13T12:47:00.000-04:00

Just a short note today to let everyone know that starting next week, Monday, July 16, the Football Fanatics blog will preview all 32 NFL teams for the upcoming season.

The Fanatics will preview two teams per day, starting with the AFC East, and end with our annual predictions for each division, championship game and Super Bowl.

Last year, this blog took the Colts over the Panthers in the Super Bowl. Hey, we had two out of three right and that's not bad.

Also, the Football Fanatics Fantasy Football Guide will be available as a free, that's free people, for download on either July 31 or August 1. The guide is jam-packed with all sorts of goodies, just you wait and see. BTW, the same strategies I teach in the draft tactics section, have allowed me to win my fantasy league five times in seven years. They work people, trust me. There's gold in this here guide.

In August, we will be running down our annual college previews and predictions as well. We start with the major conference projections and work our way to who will be playing for the national championship in January.

In case you're wondering, we selected West Virginia last season. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

Overall, we have an exciting month ahead of us here and we hope you join us as we prepare for another exciting season of pro and college football.

Two Selected In Supplemental Draft

2007-07-12T19:48:00.001-04:00

Georgia corner Paul Oliver and Maryland tackle Jared Gaither were the only winners in this years supplemental draft.

Oliver was selected in the fourth round by the San Diego Chargers and Gaither was picked by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round. Both teams will have to surrender a draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft in the same rounds that Oliver and Gaither were selected.

Oliver, who left Georgia early because of grade problems, was expected to be one of the top corners in the 2008 draft.

His recent 40 time in the high 4.5s may have scared away a couple teams, but the Chargers were looking for depth at the cornerback position. Starting cornerback Drayton Florence is a free agent after this season.

The Chargers liked the player skills. They recently did a background check and liked what they learned.

The Ravens worked Gaither out right before the draft. They liked his size and speed. He's around 6-feet-9 and 325 pounds. He ran well at a workout Tuesday, timing around five seconds.

Mark Washington, a DE/LB tweener from Texas State, wasn't selected in the supplemental draft but did sign a two-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers after the draft.

The 49ers want to use him at linebacker instead of end and believe he has the ability and size to challenge for a position as a strongside outside linebacker.

Supplemental Draft Is Risky Proposition

2007-07-12T12:57:00.000-04:00

The supplemental draft is the ultimate risk-reward game. It's high stakes gambling for NFL franchises and just like playing the odds in Atlantic City or Vegas, sometimes you hit the jackpot and other times you go broke.

The supplemental draft began in 1977. It was set up for players who, for one reason or the other, lost their remaining eligibility in college.

Since its inception there have been many more busts then gems, but some true diamonds have been found and that's what keeps the supplemental draft intriguing, NFL clubs never know when gold will be found so they keep prospecting looking for those nuggets.

The results have not been outstanding to say the least.

Of the 34 prospects from the supplemental drafts between 1977 and 2005, nine never played a single snap in a regular-season game and 16 never started. Only four made a Pro Bowl appearance. Just five carved out careers that included 100 or more games. The average career span for those 34 players is 44.1 regular-season appearances, the equivalent of less than three full seasons in the league.

None has been elected to the Hall of Fame, although wide receiver Cris Carter, who ranks second in NFL history in career receptions, should become the first in the next few years. A fourth-round choice of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1987 supplemental draft, Carter is a rare success story from the summertime lottery.

There are 10 prospects in Thursday's supplemental draft. From that group, there probably are three viable candidates -- Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver, and offensive tackles Jared Gaither of Maryland and Nebraska's Chris Patrick -- to be selected. Any team that uses a pick in the supplemental draft must forfeit its corresponding choice in the April 2008 draft and be able to fit the player into its 2007 rookie pool allocation.

It is, for sure, a dicey proposition.

For every great pick (Carter, Bernie Kosar, Rob Moore, Mike Wahle or Jamal Williams) there are many more Manny Wright's or Brian Bosworth's.

That's the chance you take in the supplemental draft. You roll the dice and hope for seven or eleven, but sometimes you get a 2, 3 or 12 instead.

Signing Darius Makes Oakland Stronger

2007-07-11T09:49:00.000-04:00

The Oakland Raiders defense got even better with the signing of safety Donovin Darius on Tuesday.

Darius, who was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars for salary reasons, makes an already impressive Raider secondary even stronger in 2008.

Despite a 2-14 record last season the Oakland defense finished third in the league statistically, including a number one ranking in pass defense.

Darius, who turns 32 next month, had been a mainstay in Jacksonville's secondary since he was the club's first-round pick in the 1998 draft. But the Jaguars released him in June as they try to get younger, cheaper and faster on defense.

The Raiders are set at corner with youngsters Fabian Washington and Nnamdi Asomugha. Michael Huff mans the strong safety spot, while Darius will challenge incumbent Stuart Schweigert at free safety.

The offense is still the weak link of this team and the defense will have to keep Oakland in games for most of the season. One thing is for sure, the addition of Darius should allow the Raiders to maintain their number one pass defense.

Darius finished his career in Jacksonville with 614 tackles, 14 interceptions, eight forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and two sacks. He has had injury problems recently - missing 14 games in 2005 with a torn knee ligament and six games last season with a broken leg.

NFL News and Notes

2007-07-10T15:52:00.000-04:00

Some news, notes and rumors around the NFL....

Kansas City Chiefs QB Brodie Croyle appears to have the edge over veteran Damon Huard after the summer minicamps. Croyle has looked good and is throwing the ball with zip.

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Chicago Bears WR Mark Bradley has been particularly impressive this offseason and Lovie Smith is looking to give the former Oklahoma standout more playing time, provided he can stay healthy.

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Trade rumors in the air: It appears the Rams are still interested in Carolina Panthers DT Kris Jenkins, despite how late in the offseason it is. St. Louis is moving top draft pick Adam Carriker inside, but with the trade of Jimmy Kennedy, the Rams are very thin at nose tackle.

Also, the Denver Broncos are looking to strike a deal for Kansas City CB Greg Wesley. The Broncos need help in the secondary and the Chiefs, who have good looking prospects in Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page, would love to unload Wesley's $2.7 million salary.

Finally, word out of Vikings camp is that head coach Brad Childress is interested in picking up Kelly Holcomb from Philadelphia for a 2008 pick. The Eagles are going with Donovan McNabb, A.J. Feeley and rookie Kevin Kolb, so Holcomb is the odd man out. Minnesota has unproven Tarvaris Jackson starting with Brooks Bollinger backing up. Holcomb would be a nice addition for the Vikings.

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The Rams have been very pleased with free agent signee Lenny Walls in the offseason. Walls is a big corner who performed very well with the number one unit during minicamp, while Tye Hill was out with a staph infection.

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The Cowboys are hoping Greg Ellis gets healthy in a hurry because the coaching staff hasn't been too impressed by the play of top pick DE Anthony Spencer.

Football Fanatics Fantasy Football Guide

2007-07-09T20:21:00.000-04:00

Just a little post today to announce our first annual Football Fanatics Fantasy Football Guide.

The guide will be released online on July 31 as a PDF downloadable file. The guide is jam-packed with winning fantasy strategies, draft day tactics that guarantee a winning team, cheat sheets and player rankings and team analysis.

Best of all the Football Fanatics Fantasy Football Guide is 100% absolutely, positively free!

You heard right, no money needed. Zip, zilch, nada.

Details for downloading the guide will be available soon as well as a complete description of all the stuffed to the gills information inside.

Vick May Not Be Indicted After All

2007-07-06T18:22:00.000-04:00

It appears Michael Vick is out of the hot seat after all.

Federal authorities have filed court documents outlining an alleged dogfighting operation at a property owned by Vick, The Associated Press reported Friday. Vick is not named in the documents.

Sources have told the AP and ESPN that Vick will not be indicted because of a lack of evidence. The law enforcement authorities have privately told league and team officials that at least three people are expected to be indicted but the identities of those individuals were unknown.

The filing comes on a day when federal agents searched the wooded property Vick is currently selling in southeastern Virginia on Friday. Fifteen vehicles were on the property, including a rental truck and a Virginia State Police evidence collections truck.

According to the documents, dog fights have been sponsored by "Bad Newz Kennels" at the property since at least 2002. For the events, participants and dogs traveled from South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Texas and other states.

Members of the venture also knowingly transported, delivered and received dogs for animal fighting, the documents state.

Fifty-four animals were recovered from the property during searches in April, along with a "rape stand," used to hold dogs in place for mating; an electric treadmill modified for dogs; and a bloodied piece of carpeting, the documents said.

The property was used as the "main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved in the dog fighting venture," according to the filings.

The documents said the fights usually occurred late at night or in the early morning and would last several hours. The winning dog would win from "100's up to 1,000's of dollars," and participants and spectators also would place bets on the fight.

Before fights, the participating dogs of the same sex would be weighed and bathed, according to the filings. Opposing dogs would be washed to remove any poison or narcotic placed on the dog's coat that could affect the other dog's performance. Sometimes participants would not feed a dog before the fight to "make it more hungry for the other dog," the documents said.

Fights would end when one dog died or the surrender of the losing dog, which was sometimes put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution or some other method, according to the documents.

Members of "Bad Newz Kennels" also sponsored and exhibited fights in other parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and other states, the filings said.

Vick has claimed he rarely visits the home and was unaware it could be involved in a criminal enterprise. He also has blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity. Vick's cousin, Davon Boddie, was living at the home at the time of the raids.

College Football Notes

2007-07-05T18:17:00.000-04:00

Police have labeled as "suspicious" the death of a former University of Florida cornerback whose body was discovered inside his car Thursday morning.

Avery Atkins, 20, was a notable player in Florida coach Urban Meyer's first recruiting class. Police are awaiting the results of an autopsy Thursday to determine the cause of death.

"Any death of a young, healthy man 20 years of age is going to be deemed suspicious," Port Orange Sgt. Wayne Dorman said. "This is a new and ongoing investigation.

"It doesn't appear anyone else is involved at this point," Dorman told the Orlando Sentinel.

A relative who lived with Atkins made the discovery and immediately called 911 for assistance, according to details of the police report. Responding officers performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but Atkins never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at 9:24 a.m. at Halifax Medical Center.

According to the Sentinel, Dorman said there were no visible signs of trauma to Atkins' body. The car was parked in the garage of his home and the garage door was open, Dorman told the newspaper.

Atkins was arrested Monday in Ormond Beach and charged with possession of crack cocaine, the Sentinel and the Gainesville Sun reported. The Sentinel said Atkins had been arrested three times -- twice for drugs -- in the past three months.

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Former Notre Dame quarterback Zach Frazer will transfer to the University of Connecticut, his father Dave said Sunday.

Frazer chose UConn over Cincinnati.

A strong-armed, 6-foot-5, 226-pound redshirt freshman, Frazer was considered a blue-chip recruit after passing for 3,647 yards and 27 touchdowns as a junior at Mechanicsburg (Pa.).

Last month, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis announced true freshman Jimmy Clausen, redshirt freshman Demetrius Jones and junior Evan Sharpley would compete for the starting position in the fall.

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The Big Ten Network will launch Aug. 30 with a highlight show and follow two days later with its first football games.

The network will go on the air at 8 p.m. ET on a Thursday. On Saturday, there will be regional coverage of Appalachian State-Michigan, Youngstown State-Ohio State, Florida International-Penn State and Northeastern-Northwestern.

The conference Monday also announced distribution commitments for more than 75 local cable systems serving viewers in the eight states in which there are Big Ten schools.

The Big Ten also has an agreement with DirecTV. The conference has been feuding with Comcast over whether the cable provider, which has 5.7 million subscribers in the eight states, will carry the network.

Happy July 4th!

2007-07-04T14:16:00.000-04:00

Football takes a back seat to celebration today.

I'm writing just a short little post wishing everyone a happy, healthy and safe Independence Day celebration.

This is a time for friends, family, barbecue and reflection.

Reflection on the sacrifices our Founding Father's made to create the personal freedom, opportunity and liberty we have here in the United States.

So, forget your problems and anxieties, at least for today, and enjoy the many freedoms this country brings us.

Happy Fourth of July everyone.

Rhodes Suspended Four Games

2007-07-03T23:40:00.000-04:00

The Oakland Raiders suffered a blow to their ground game on Tuesday when Domenic Rhodes was suspended by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Rhodes will miss the first four games of the season.

The league does not disclose reasons for substance abuse suspensions, but Rhodes pleaded guilty in the offseason to reckless driving charges in Indiana after prosecutors agreed to drop drunken driving charges against him.

Rhodes, who spent his six years in Indianapolis, signed a two-year contract in the offseason with the Raiders that could be worth up to $7.5 million. He is expected to split time with last year's starter LaMont Jordan as the Raiders try to improve a running game that averaged 3.9 yards per carry in 2006.

Because of the suspension, Rhodes will forfeit $352,941 of his scheduled $1.5 million base salary for 2007.

Rhodes started all 16 regular-season games last season, rushing for 641 yards and five touchdowns. After backing up Edgerrin James since entering the league, Rhodes shared the job last season with rookie Joseph Addai. He has 2,274 yards rushing in his career.

Rhodes had one of his best performances in the Colts' Super Bowl win over the Chicago Bears, rushing for 113 yards in Indianapolis' 29-17 victory.

Rhodes will be able to participate in training camp and in all preseason games. His suspension will begin Aug. 31, the day after Oakland's final exhibition game, and he will be eligible to return Oct. 1, following the fourth game of the season against Miami. Rhodes will also miss games against Detroit, Denver and Cleveland.

Rhodes was pulled over by an Indiana state trooper in February for driving 81 mph in a 55-mph zone. He was originally charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit.

Rhodes pleaded guilty in March to reckless driving and was sentenced to 180 days in jail. But 178 were suspended and he received credit for two days.

Raiders Lawsuit Finally Ends

2007-07-02T20:07:00.001-04:00

After more than two decades, Al Davis' suit against the NFL is over.

The Oakland Raiders lost their case in highest court in the state of California after contending in a lawsuit that the National Football League sabotaged the team's effort to build a stadium at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles.

The case dates back more than 20 years, when Davis accused the league of purposely not doing enough to help the team move from the antiquated Memorial Coliseum to a new stadium complete with revenue-generating luxury suites.

The Raiders returned to Oakland in 1995 after spending 13 years in Los Angeles.

The NFL won a 9-3 verdict in 2001, but Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Richard Hubbell ordered a new trial amid accusations that one juror was biased against the team and Davis, and that another juror committed misconduct.

A state appeals court overturned that decision, and the California Supreme Court unanimously ruled the verdict against the Raiders stands.

The ruling was the last of several lawsuits the Raiders had outstanding against the league and its stadium landlords.

In November, the Raiders and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority ended a decade of legal acrimony by dropping existing lawsuits and ending the seat-licensing plan known as personal seat licenses or "PSLs."

Now the Raiders will try to put this behind them and rebuild the product on the field. Last season, Oakland finished 3-13, the worst record in franchise history.

NFL Europa (RIP 1991-2007)

2007-06-29T16:07:00.000-04:00

It had many names. The World League of American Football, the World League, NFL Europe and NFL Europa.

The developmental league of the NFL also lost money hand over fist and now it's no more.

After 16 seasons the National Football League pulled the plug on it's European venture, citing lack of interest (except in Germany) and the fact the league was losing $30 million per season.

The announcement came less than a week after the Hamburg Sea Devils beat the Frankfurt Galaxy 37-28 in the World Bowl title game in Frankfurt before a crowd of 48,125. Five of the league's six teams are based in Germany, with the other in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said the NFL will focus on bringing regular season games to the continent, in particular, Germany and England. The league also will have games in Mexico and Canada.

NFL team owners decided in October to play up to two regular-season games outside the United States. The first such game is Oct. 28 in London between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants.

The European league began in 1991 as the World League of American Football, with 10 teams from the United States and Europe, spreading from Scotland to Spain. After closing for two seasons in 1993 and 1994, the league returned with six European teams and retained the same format until the end.

The league was used by NFL teams to test young talent and produced players such as quarterback Kurt Warner, who led the St. Louis Rams to the 2000 Super Bowl championship and won two NFL Most Valuable Player awards; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme; and star Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri.

In its latter years, the European league became far less a laboratory for player development and more an excuse for exemptions into NFL summer training camps. Teams that allocated players to NFL Europa received exemptions that permitted them to bring more guys to training camp every July, and to keep them around longer.

The other reality is that NFL teams stopped sending quality players over. Most head coaches in the NFL prefer to have their players participating in their own offseason conditioning programs, rather than several thousand miles away under the tutelage of another staff. So a lot of the players allocated to Europe weren't even fringe guys.

And that coupled with rising costs and debt spelled the end for NFL Europa.

Impact Rookies: Defense

2007-06-28T20:16:00.000-04:00

(This the second of a two-part series focusing on the top six offensive and defensive rookies who will have the biggest impact in the NFL this season. Today we look at offense)

Which rookies will have the biggest impact on the field in 2007? The Football Fanatics gives you the answers right here. This is our prediction for the top six (everybody does top five so I wanted to be different) defensive rookies who will have the greatest impact this upcoming season.

1. Patrick Willis, LB, San Francisco 49ers: Willis has a chance to become the fifth consecutive linebacker to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The former Ole Miss standout is a team leader on and off the field. He can play inside or out and is very athletic and strong. Is solid against the run and pass. He's a hard worker who will play hurt. Everything you want in a linebacker. Has Hall of Fame potential.

2. LeRon Landry, S, Washington Redskins: The complete package at safety. Has size, speed, strength and instincts to play the run and pass. He will be a difference maker for the Redskins. Had 315 tackles and 12 interceptions in college. A terrific matchup safety who will form a solid 1-2 tandem with Sean Taylor.

3. Adam Carriker, DT/DE, St. Louis Rams: Strong, athletic player who can handle both defensive tackle and end duties. The Rams will move him inside where his toughness will be much needed. Carriker has bulked his 6-6 frame to 315 pounds and looked very good at the Rams minicamp last week. Has a solid work ethic and dominated at the Senior Bowl. Should be an excellent pro.

4. Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets: The best cover corner in the draft. Revis is an excellent athlete, a good playmaker and has the skills to fit well in Eric Mangini's Cover 2 scheme. Great size and speed combo who also is a deadly return man. Will thrive under Mangini.

5. Gaines Adams, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Has the skill set and the bloodlines to be an effective NFL pass rusher for many, many years. He has all of the makings of a dominant pass-rushing force, with tremendous speed and cat-like quickness off the ball. Will make an immediate impact in an aging Bucs defensive line.

6. Lawrence Timmons, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers: Will be counted on to replace the departed Joey Porter. The Steeler defense has developed solid linebackers in the past and Timmons will be the latest. He is an exceptional athlete. His considerable athleticism and versatility are what the Steelers need for a defense that, under new coach Mike Tomlin, will likely incorporate both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes. The Steelers need to get better up front, and Timmons can help them do that regardless of the alignment.

Impact Rookies: Offense

2007-06-27T12:10:00.000-04:00

(This the first of a two-part series focusing on the top six offensive and defensive rookies who will have the biggest impact in the NFL this season. Today we look at offense)

Which rookies will have the biggest impact on the field in 2007? The Football Fanatics gives you the answers right here. This is our prediction for the top six (everybody does top five so I wanted to be different) offensive rookies who will have the greatest impact this upcoming season.

1. Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Ohio State: Gonzalez will be a perfect fit in the Colts offense, taking over for the departed Brandon Stokely in the slot. He's quick (4.44) and has decent hands. Ted Ginn Jr. got more headlines at Ohio State, but Gonzalez was and is the better receiver. With Peyton Manning as your quarterback and Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Joseph Addai around, look for Gonzalez to have a big rookie season in 2007.

2. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings: Peterson is the real deal provided he can stay healthy. Despite having to share time with Chester Taylor, running backs usually make the biggest impact as rookies. Peterson runs like Eric Dickerson and will be counted on right away. Second-year quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and a weak Viking receiving corps will mean plenty of touches for Peterson.

3. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions: Johnson is a physical freak at 6-5, 239 pounds, while running a 4.3 in the 40. He catches everything thrown at him and now he'll be playing in an offense designed by the madman himself, Mike Martz. You know Martz had to be drooling when the Lions selected him second overall. Mike Furrey caught 98 passes for Detroit last season, so imagine what CJ can do in this system. Sorry Jon Kitna, the Lions won't win 10-plus games this season, but you have every right to be excited about a weapon like Johnson.

4. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Buffalo Bills: For a rookie to have an impact he needs playing time and that's something Lynch will get plenty of in Buffalo. Willis McGahee was sent packing to Baltimore leaving Lynch to battle Anthony Thomas for the starting spot. While Thomas is a former 1,000-yard rusher, he is a straight-ahead runner with not much burst or movement. Lynch is a consistent big-play threat and has the makings of a prime time player.

5. Ben Grubbs, G, Baltimore Ravens: Grubbs is a 6-3, 311-pound blocking machine who should jump into the starting lineup and stay for the next 10-12 years. Grubbs is very competitive and intense and moves well for his size. he's the perfect combination of size, strength and intensity you want in a guard. He also played center, tight end and defensive line in college, showing his versatility. He will be a great one.

6. Greg Olsen, TE, Chicago Bears: The perfect place for Olsen to end up was in Chicago. The Bears needed a pass catching tight end to take the pressure of inconsistent QB Rex Grossman. Now Grossman has an outlet if he's in trouble. Olsen (6-6, 254 pounds) will allow Lovie Smith to run two tight end sets with Desmond Clark and open up the boring Chicago offense. Olsen is a big, strong physical receiver who will be dangerous underneath.

Kitna Falls Victim To Joe Namath Disease

2007-06-26T08:42:00.000-04:00

Ever since Joe Namath predicted his underdog New York Jets would defeat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, it seems every year an athlete opens up his mouth, inserts foot and makes a bold prediction.

This year the affliction, which I have named Joe Namath Disease, has caught hold of Detroit Lions QB Jon Kitna.

Kitna recently told a Detroit radio station that the Lions would win more than 10 games in 2007. Here's a little snippet of the Kitna spiel.

"I'll keep to myself what I think we actually will win. But it's more than 10 games. I don't like putting a lot of pressure on people, but Calvin Johnson, to me, will have about the same impact that Reggie Bush had in New Orleans," Kitna said. "He's everything that they said he was and more. ... I mean he's 235 (pounds), runs a 4.3 (40-yard dash), he's got tennis rackets for hands. ..."

Whoa Jon, I'll have some of whatever your smoking.

History has proven that teams can go from 3-13, what the Lions were last season, and make the playoffs. Take a look at New Orleans last season. The Lions are in good shape with Rod Marinelli and offensive coordinator Mike Martz, but to win more than 10 games this season is a little far-fetched.

This is a team that has a record of 24-72 with Matt Millen as GM and hasn't had a 10-win season since 1995. Any offense will be solid under Martz, that's a given. Except when he runs it only five or six times in a game and throws it 45-50, ripping the hearts from the Detroit faithful.

The defense lost Dre Bly and will be dangerously thin in the secondary. The front seven is getting better, but needs to be more consistent. The offensive line is shaky and Kevin Jones may not play this season.

The Lions are improving and should win six or seven games this season. Kitna may prove us all wrong and actually achieve his goal, although I doubt it. The difference between Namath and all the others who have come after is "Broadway Joe" backed up his words with action.

Now it's time for Kitna to do the same.

Johnson Cut By Bears

2007-06-25T22:45:00.000-04:00

Who would have thought that being fast would mean the end of the tank in Chicago?

Tank Johnson was released Monday by the Chicago Bears, who are "embarrassed" by the defensive tackle's legal troubles and say he "compromised the credibility" of the team.

Johnson was waived three days after he was pulled over by police in Arizona. He already had been suspended for the first eight games of the 2007 season for violating probation on a gun charge. He spent two months in jail and was released in May.

"We are upset and embarrassed by Tank's actions last week," general manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement. "He compromised the credibility of our organization. We made it clear to him that he had no room for error. Our goal was to help someone through a difficult period in his life, but the effort needs to come from both sides. It didn't, and we have decided to move on."

Police in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert said Johnson was stopped for driving 40 mph in a 25 mph zone at 3:30 a.m. Friday and the officer made observations that led him to believe Johnson was impaired.

Sgt. Andrew Duncan, a police spokesman, said Johnson was arrested for "DUI Impaired to the Slightest Degree" but was released without being booked or charged.

Johnson released a statement Monday evening through his Chicago attorney Lorna Propes:

"I want to thank the Bears organization and fans for their support during a difficult time," he said. "I regret that I have to leave Chicago under these circumstances and wish my friends at the Chicago Bears nothing but the best."

Last December, police raided the 300-pound defensive tackle's suburban Chicago home and found six unregistered firearms -- a violation of his probation on an earlier gun charge.

That charge stemmed from Johnson's 2005 arrest after a Chicago nightclub valet reported seeing Johnson with a handgun in his SUV. He subsequently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge.

Two days after last December's raid, Willie B. Posey, Johnson's bodyguard, was shot and killed in an early morning fight while he and Johnson were at a Chicago nightclub.

Johnson was suspended by the Bears for one game for being at the club. He played in the Super Bowl as the Bears lost to Indianapolis.

In March, Johnson began his two-month jail stint and during his time he was visited by numerous teammates and members of the Bears staff.

Johnson was chosen by the Bears in the second round of the 2004 draft out of Washington. He played in 46 games, starting 15.

For his career, Johnson has registered 63 tackles, nine sacks, one forced fumble and two passes defensed. The departure of Johnson further weakens a tackle corps that has suffered plenty of attrition this offseason.

Veteran tackles Alfonso Boone (to Kansas City) and Ian Scott (to Philadelphia) exited the Bears as unrestricted free agents this spring. The team's top tackle, two-time Pro Bowl performer Tommie Harris, is rehabilitating from hamstring surgery that cut short his 2006 season and was only recently cleared to return to the field.

That means Chicago may have to rely on young and untested tackles, like second-year pro Dusty Dvoracek, a third-round choice who missed his entire 2006 rookie season because of a foot injury, to fill the void. The Bears did sign one unrestricted free agent, four-year veteran Anthony Adams, formerly of San Francisco.

Because he has accrued only three seasons toward the NFL pension plan, Johnson is subject to waivers, but it is unlikely, given his circumstances, that the former University of Washington star will be claimed by another club. If he is not, Johnson will become a free agent able to sign with any team.

Johnson, 25, had two seasons remaining on his original rookie contract with Chicago, at base salaries of $510,000 for 2007 and $548,750 in 2008.

Disabled Players Will Get Benefits Faster

2007-06-21T12:48:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the efforts of Mike Ditka, Harry Carson and others, disabled NFL Players will get their benefits faster.

The NFL will speed up the process of getting benefits to disabled former players by using the Social Security Administration's standards for defining disability.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Players Assn. Executive Director Gene Upshaw agreed that any retired player who qualified for Social Security disability benefits will be automatically approved for NFL disability

Players previously had to wait for as long as two years before receiving benefits, and league records show 284 former players last year received disability payments, totaling less than $20 million, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law scheduled a Tuesday hearing to examine whether former NFL players are receiving adequate financial assistance from the league's benefits program.

Potential witnesses include former Oakland Raiders guard Curt Marsh, who had a foot amputated after his playing career ended; Hall of Fame player and coach Ditka; and Hall of Fame linebacker Carson.

Those two, along with Hall of Fame offensive lineman Joe DeLamielleure, have complained that the league's pension plan provides insufficient help to disabled former players.

They've also said Upshaw isn't doing enough to help retired players, charges that Upshaw denies.

Pacman Jones Facing Two Felony Chargers

2007-06-20T17:57:00.000-04:00

The saga of Adam "Pacman" Jones continued today.

Jones, vying for the title of stupidest man to play professional football, will face two felony charges in a strip-club melee that preceded a triple shooting in February, Las Vegas police and the Clark County District Attorney's office said.

Two other people previously identified by police as friends of the troubled Tennessee Titans cornerback also will face felony charges in the fracas inside the Minxx club, police said in a statement.

Since Jones was drafted by the Titans in April 2005, police have interviewed him in 10 separate incidents. He has been arrested five times; he hasn't been convicted of any crimes.

Jones was being sought by police this week for questioning about a shooting early June 18 involving members of his entourage after a fight at an Atlanta strip club.

No one is named in the Las Vegas shooting that occurred later outside the club and left a bar employee paralyzed and two others with minor injuries, police Capt. James Dillon said.

Warrants were issued for the arrests of Jones, Robert Reid of Carson, Calif., and Sadia Morrison of New York, Dillon said.

Police said the Feb. 19 fracas broke out inside the club, Minxx, several blocks off the Las Vegas Strip when dancers on stage were showered with thousands of dollar bills near the end of NBA All-Star weekend.

Jones is also being sought by police for questioning about a shooting that occurred early Monday morning involving members of his entourage after a fight at an Atlanta strip club.

The Las Vegas allegations were the 10th time Jones had been questioned by police, which also included an incident in April 2006 when police identified him from surveillance video diving for cover after shots were fired at a Nashville gas station.

Jones has been arrested five times. Two arrests he did not report to either the Titans or the NFL, leading NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend Jones in April for one season. But Jones has not been convicted of any crimes since being drafted in 2005.

Jones has done little to help his case since being suspended.

The cornerback agreed last week not to appeal the suspension. The 23-year-old player could be reinstated after 10 games for good behavior if he adheres to conditions set by Goodell and is not arrested again. Missing the entire season would cost him his entire 2007 salary.

Note to Pacman: dump your entourage and stay the hell away from strip clubs!

It's really pretty simple, but obviously either Jones doesn't get it or he just doesn't care. Either way, he may have flushed his NFL career right down the toilet.

Indiana Coach Hoeppner Dies From Tumor

2007-06-19T10:54:00.000-04:00

Sad, sad news today coming out of Bloomington.

Indiana football coach Terry Hoeppner died Tuesday of complications from a brain tumor. He was 59.

Hoeppner, who had two brain surgeries in the past 18 months, spent the last four months on medical leave. He died at 6:50 a.m. at Bloomington Hospital with his family at his side, school spokesman J.D. Campbell said.

Hoeppner, who went 9-14 in two seasons, had taken three medical leaves since December 2005. He hadn't been seen publicly since late February. Late last week, the school said assistant Bill Lynch would replace him as coach for the 2007 season.

In December 2005, doctors removed a tumor from his right temple a year after Greenspan hired Hoeppner

In September, a CT scan revealed another cancerous growth in the same area of Hoeppner's brain.

Hoeppner was hired in 2004 to rebuild Indiana's football program. He soon nicknamed the Hoosiers' home field "The Rock'' and then had the giant limestone boulder added to Memorial Stadium to reinforce the message.

In eight seasons as a head coach, six at Miami (Ohio), Hoeppner was 57-39, and he took Miami to consecutive bowl games in 2003 and 2004. Before that, he spent 19 seasons as an assistant at Miami (Ohio).

After the September surgery, the energetic coach, whom players often called younger than his age, returned sooner than expected. Three days after surgery, he sneaked into Indiana's coaching box at Memorial Stadium and watched the Hoosiers lose to Division I-AA Southern Illinois. Two weeks later, he resumed coaching.

Hoeppner later inferred that test results from the second surgery showed what doctors removed was only scar tissue, not cancerous, and university officials never acknowledged Hoeppner had been suffering from a terminal illness.

Hoeppner is survived by his wife, three children -- Amy, Allison and Drew -- and four grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Our prayers go out to the Hoeppner family and the University of Indiana football program.

Cops Want To Question Pacman About Shooting

2007-06-18T11:15:00.000-04:00

Trouble seems to be a constant companion for Adam "Pacman" Jones. Even when he's not actively searching for it.

Jones was being sought by police for questioning about a shooting early Monday involving members of his entourage after a fight at an Atlanta strip club.

The Tennessee Titans cornerback is on suspension following a melee and shooting at a Las Vegas strip club, his group and three other people got into a fight, apparently over a woman, at a club around 4 a.m., officer Ariel Toledo said.

After everyone involved left the strip club -- the three people in one car, and Jones and his entourage in three other cars -- someone in Jones' group shot at the car, and the others returned fire, Toledo said.

Toledo said Jones was not present when the shots were fired.

"We believe he knows some of his entourage who were involved in the shooting," Toledo said. "On himself, we do not have any charges on him. He wasn't there when the shooting occurred."

One person who was outside the vehicles and not involved in the dispute was injured by debris in the shooting and was treated by emergency medical technicians, Toledo said.

Authorities have also been investigating what role Jones had in a February shooting outside a Las Vegas club that left a bar employee paralyzed and two other people wounded.

The Las Vegas allegations were among a series of arrests and encounters with police that led NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend Jones for one season.

Jones agreed last week not to appeal the suspension. The 23-year-old player could be reinstated after 10 games for good behavior if he adheres to conditions set by Goodell and is not arrested again. Missing the entire season would cost him his salary of nearly $1.3 million.

Jones is turning out to be the poster boy for character accounting for much when NFL teams draft players. If he doesn't wise up soon, Pacman may have played his last game in the National Football League.

Former All-Pro Indicted For Fraud

2007-06-15T12:58:00.000-04:00

Sometimes life isn't that rosey for former NFL players. Case in point, former NFL ALl-Pro DE Sean Jones.

Jones pleaded not guilty Thursday to bank fraud charges alleging he and four others ran a scheme to pocket portions of more than $42 million in mortgage loans.

Jones, handcuffed and chained at the waist, didn't comment during or after the arraignment aside from entering his plea. The other men in the case also entered not guilty pleas, and bond was set for $100,000 for all five.

Jones, now a 45-year-old sports agent living near Houston, played with the Los Angeles Raiders, Houston Oilers and Green Bay Packers from 1984-1996. According to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday, the men face 12 counts of bank fraud, which carry a penalty of up to 30 years in prison.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Smith set an Aug. 6 trial date.

Prosecutors contend the men defrauded three Houston banks by acquiring mortgage loans far in excess of the properties' value and then diverting the money for personal use.

Also charged were Jerome Karam, an attorney and real estate developer; Tommy Jay Trammel and David Ranostaj, former loan officers with Southwest Bank of Texas, Bank of Houston and Whitney National Bank; and Jay Westrick, a real estate appraiser.

The indictment charges the men with colluding from 1999-2001 to acquire more than $42 million in loans based on false appraisals by Westrick and then divert the money to their personal accounts at closing.

Jones, Karam, Trammel and Ranostaj set up shell corporations to disguise their role in the enterprise, according to the indictment.

Federal officials say Trammel's and Ranostaj's role in the scheme was unknown to their supervisors at the banks.

Each of the men faces a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million.

NFL News and Notes

2007-06-14T13:46:00.000-04:00

Five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Armstead signed a one-day contract Wednesday so he could retire as a New York Giant.

To make room for Armstead on the roster, the Giants placed starting fullback Jim Finn on season-ending injured reserve. Finn had shoulder surgery Monday.

Taken in the eighth round of the 1993 draft, Armstead played nine seasons for the Giants, helping them reach the Super Bowl in 2000.

A special teams standout for his first three seasons, Armstead became the starting weakside linebacker in 1996. He had five straight seasons of more than 100 tackles, including a career-best 134 in 1997 when he first made the Pro Bowl.

Armstead was released by the Giants in 2002 and signed with Washington, playing with the Redskins for two seasons. He signed with Carolina in 2004 but was placed on injured reserve with a biceps injury.

*****
The Jaguars apparently wouldn't mind seeing Daunte Culpepper join them this season, even though they already have two capable quarterbacks in Byron Leftwich and David Garrard.

Leftwich and Garrard both said Wednesday that the Jaguars have told them they have interest in acquiring Culpepper -- that is, assuming the disgruntled Miami quarterback gets the release he's seeking from the Dolphins, who are trying instead to trade him.

Culpepper, acquired by Miami before the 2006 season, had his best NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and coach Mike Tice -- now an assistant head coach in Jacksonville under Jack Del Rio.

Culpepper, who serves as his own agent, obtained permission from the Dolphins last week to talk to other teams.

Miami began trying to trade Culpepper -- still rehabbing from a serious knee injury in 2005 -- last week after trading for Trent Green with the Kansas City Chiefs.

****
Plenty of news involving Jacksonville,

First, defensive end Bobby McCray re-signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday.

McCray, a 2004 seventh-round draft pick from Florida, had previously refused to sign the one-year offer and had been skipping minicamp. Because McCray was not under contract, the team couldn't fine him. McCray is entering his fourth season with the Jaguars.

McCray, 25, had 97 tackles in his career and had a career-high 10 sacks last season.

In a surprising move, the Jaguars on Thursday abruptly released starting strong safety Donovin Darius, a nine-year veteran who started more games on defense than anyone in franchise history.

Darius, 31, is still rehabilitating from a broken right ankle that limited him to 10 games last season. Although he was unable to participate in the team's offseason program this spring, as he continued his recovery, it was believed that Darius was making good progress and was on pace to be ready for training camp.

Darius was the Jaguars' first-round choice in the 1998 draft and the former Syracuse star became an immediate starter with the team. He appeared in 115 games, all starts, and had a franchise-record 846 tackles, along with two sacks, 14 interceptions, 35 passes defensed, eight forced fumbles and six recoveries.

Dolphins Not Doing Right By Culpepper

2007-06-13T11:47:00.000-04:00

Daunte Culpepper isn't a happy camper.

He wants out of Miami in the worst way and will seek help from the NFL Players Association to expedite matters.

Just three days after threatening to bring the union into the matter, the NFLPA filed a grievance Tuesday on Culpepper's behalf.

The grievance is similar to one filed by the NFLPA last year against the Tennessee Titans after the team barred Steve McNair from working out at its facility. McNair was eventually traded to Baltimore for a fourth-round draft pick.

Culpepper -- who started at quarterback for the first four games for the Dolphins last season -- asked to be released last week, shortly after Miami acquired Trent Green from the Kansas City Chiefs. The Dolphins told Culpepper they wanted to trade him; Culpepper, who is owed $51.5 million over the remaining seven years of his contract, said he wants a release and vowed to block any trades.

In reality, a injured quarterback with a fat contract is not the type of trade bait teams salivate over. Culpepper would have to restructure his contract for the Dolphins to even get a low round choice for him.

Culpepper, being his own agent, won't do that. He wants to be released so he can land with a team that will give him a chance to start and runs an offense similar to what he had in Minnesota. The obvious choices being Baltimore and Jacksonville.

Culpepper was among five quarterbacks taking part in individual drills when a minicamp began last Friday; about an hour into the first of five scheduled practices over the weekend, though, Culpepper walked off the field, escorted by a member of the team's security staff. Afterward, Culpepper said quarterbacks coach Terry Shea told him he was barred from team drills.

It was a dirty tactic when the Titans did it to McNair and it's even dirtier now that the Dolphins are doing it to Culpepper.

The whole situation boils down to greed on the part of the Dolphins organization. It's obvious Cam Cameron and GM Randy Mueller don't want Culpepper around. Yet they're willing to hold onto him to see if someone will toss them a bone. It's not going to happen. All it's doing is keeping Culpepper in limbo.

Culpepper is an All-Pro quarterback who's trying to regain his form after a devastating knee injury almost ended his career. In 84 games as an NFL starter, Culpepper has completed 64.2 percent of his passes and thrown for 21,091 yards and 137 touchdowns.

He deserves a chance to put his career back together and if Miami doesn't want him, the franchise should let him go, instead of displaying this low-brow, no-class attitude.

Culpepper did the right thing in filing a grievance. Now it's up to the NFLPA to do its part.

McNabb Back On Field Early

2007-06-12T13:36:00.000-04:00

If you're a Philadelphia Eagles fan, you have a reason to smile. As does head coach Andy Reid and owner Jeff Laurie.

Donovan McNabb is back on the field, earlier than expected, as the the Eagles opened up their mandatory minicamp on Monday.

The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback participated in non-contact drills in his first action on the field since he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last Nov. 19.

"It felt great to get back out there on the field with all of the guys," McNabb said. "It's just part of the rehab process and hopefully good things will continue to come. It's important to continue to monitor my progress, but also be smart about the whole situation."

McNabb rehabbed vigorously since his latest injury ended his season early for the third time in five years. He had been throwing on the side for weeks and simulating practice movements, but hadn't been expected to take part in drills with the team until training camp opened next month.

McNabb even stayed on the field after individual drills to work with the first team offense.

That's good news for Reid, who despite having veterans A.J. Feely and Kelly Holcomb in the fold, would love to see McNabb line up under center on opening day. Also in camp is second round draft pick Kevin Kolb.

"He's where we hoped he would be," coach Andy Reid said. "He worked very hard to get to this spot, so we let him test it out. We didn't give him too much. We want to make sure he can move around tomorrow, if possible. So we gave him a few shots and got him back to the ice tub. I thought he did a nice job. He looked strong."

The Eagles will practice three more days before breaking camp until July 27. McNabb's status for the rest of the week is day to day.

McNabb was having one of the best seasons of his career before he was injured against the Tennessee Titans, throwing for 2,647 yards and 18 touchdowns for a quarterback rating of 95.5 in 10 games.

If McNabb is 100 percent by September and stays healthy, something he hasn't been able to do in recent seasons, the Eagles are legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

Walker Could Be Headed Back To Philly

2007-06-11T13:38:00.000-04:00

Darwin Walker is a man without a football team.

It's looking more and more like Walker, traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Buffalo Bills for Takeo Spikes and Kelly Holcomb in March, will not be going to Buffalo after all.

Walker is holding out for an extension on the two years he has remaining on the contract and it appears his money demands are more than the Bills are willing to fork over.

Talks continue but general manager Marv Levy said the ultimate decision to report to the team rests with Walker, who is under contract, and has been advised he's subject to being fined.

"We'd like to have him," Levy said. "But if he's not going to be here, we'll go on without him. That's all it amounts to."

The team minicamp begins today and Levy has stated that Walker will be fined everyday he's a no-show. Doesn't sound like a budding relationship is happening between the two does it?

Negotiating a new deal was a condition the seven-year NFL veteran placed on the Bills when the trade was made.

The Bills can return Walker to Philadelphia if he doesn't report by Aug. 5. Buffalo would receive a sixth-round pick in next year's draft as compensation. The Bills would keep the fifth-round selection that the Eagles gave them in March.

If that happens, it would be a huge loss for the Bills, who are trying to rebuild the interior of the defensive line. Last years number one selection, John McCargo, is recovering from a broken foot that cost him most of last season. That leaves Larry Tripplett, Tim Anderson and solid second-year pro Kyle Williams manning the DT spots.

Walker not signing with Buffalo would leave them with two lower draft picks for 2008, while losing an All-Pro performer like Spikes and a solid veteran in Holcomb. Not something to smile about if you're a Bills fan.

Walker is a penetrating tackle who can pressure the quarterback and is a good fit in the Bills defensive scheme.

He had eight sacks in 17 games -- including playoffs -- last season, and has 26½ sacks over the past five years, fourth best among defensive tackles during that span.

Culpepper's Probable Destination; Kennedy Traded

2007-06-08T12:42:00.001-04:00

Where will Daunte Culpepper, who will soon be released by Miami, end up in 2007?

If you look at the situation, it's fairly easy to tell where his destination point will be this season.

Culpepper is still trying to recover from a devastating knee injury that sidelined him for most of 2005 and 2006. He'll have to take a dramatic pay cut and most likely accept the fact his role will be a backup one in 2007.

Culpepper needs to reinvent his career and he probably needs a little time behind the scenes to help him return to the form he had in 2003-2004 when he threw 64 touchdowns to just 22 interceptions, while converting 50 percent of his third-down attempts.

He would also like to go to a place where he's familiar with the offense, the coach and have a chance to start in 2008, when he hopes to be 100 percent healthy.

That leaves just two teams in the mix - the Baltimore Ravens and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Culpepper knows Billick's offense thanks to his years in Minnesota. Billick didn't coach Daunte, but Mike Tice ran Billick's offense with the Vikings during Culpepper's tenure.

Also, Steve McNair is 34-years old and despite leading the Ravens to a 13-3 record last season, doesn't have many years left. Baltimore QB coach Rick Neuheisel is an excellent teacher and Culpepper could regain his form and be a starter in 2008.

The Jaguars are another possibility, thanks in part to Tice being an assistant coach in Jacksonville. Byron Leftwich is in the final year of his contract and doesn't have a very good relationship with head coach Jack Del Rio. Culpepper could come in, get healthy behind Leftwich and David Garrard this season and emerge as the go-to-guy for the Jags in 2008.

In the end, look for either the Ravens or Jaguars to be the most enticing spots for Culpepper to land.

****
The St. Louis Rams, upset by four lackluster seasons from former first-round pick Jimmy Kennedy, decided enough was enough.

The Rams traded the former Penn State star to the Denver Broncos for what is believed to be a sixth round pick in next years draft.

Kennedy was counted on by St. Louis to be a run-stuffer, but it never panned out that way. St. Louis now has LeRoi Glover, second-year player Claude Wroten and three rookies (Clifton Ryan, Keith Jackson and No. 1 pick Adam Carriker) in its tackle rotation.

This marks the second DT signed this week by the Broncos, who wanted to get bigger on the interior. Sam Adams (6-3, 345 pounds) signed a few days ago. Kennedy is 6-4 and weighs 325 pounds.

NFL News and Notes

2007-06-07T10:28:00.000-04:00

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Melvin Oliver tore a ligament in his right knee during organized team activities this week.

Oliver, a sixth-round pick from LSU in 2006 who started 14 games for the 49ers last season, was injured during a non-contact drill Tuesday. Team doctors discovered the torn medial collateral ligament Wednesday.

Oliver made 50 tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown last season, but his role was expected to diminish this season in San Francisco's 3-4 defensive alignment. The 49ers signed free agent Aubrayo Franklin, and former Eagles defensive lineman Sam Rayburn.

****
Saints first-round draft choice Robert Meachem has had a rough first month as a pro.

Head coach Sean Payton says it's better that he goes through it now than during the season.

Meachem, will spend the next month to six weeks rehabilitating his right knee following an arthroscopic procedure to clean out some loose cartilage and repair his medial meniscus.

This comes after he showed up for rookie camp -- in his own and Payton's evaluation -- overweight and out of shape, then sprained his left ankle.

"I kind of feel discouraged a little bit because I want to show the coaches what I can do and you can't show them what you can do when you're hurt," Meachem said Wednesday. "For me, it's going to be a time I've got to keep praying and just stay focused -- don't let the knee injury get to me."

The Saints knew that Meachem had undergone surgery on the same knee in 2003, when he sat out a season as a medical redshirt for Tennessee. But Payton said there was no evidence in medical reports that team officials saw or in Meachem's performance at the NFL's scouting combine in Indianapolis that Meachem had any serious problems.

****
People have told investigators that Michael Vick was involved in a dogfighting operation at a house he owns in Surry County, the sheriff said Wednesday, and Vick will be charged if investigators can find evidence backing those claims.

Sheriff Harold D. Brown, who is leading the investigation, said he hopes members of a task force that have been gathering evidence in the case can meet by sometime next week to see how credible the evidence is and how best to proceed. At least one of those informants wrote from a prison in South Carolina.

"People are saying that he was there, Michael Vick was at the residence, and that he was involved," Brown said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I don't want to get into details of the case right now, but that's what we're looking at. If he was there, then we're going to charge him, also."

Brown said the task force involves five or six people, including a representative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Virginia State Police.

Vick, a registered dog breeder, has refused to comment directly about the case, saying his attorney "has advised me not to talk about the situation right now." Vick has claimed since the investigation started that he rarely visits the home, and he has blamed family members and others for taking advantage of his generosity.

On April 25, a search of the house owned by the Atlanta Falcons quarterback and inhabited by his cousin, Davon Boddie, uncovered drug paraphernalia and 66 dogs in the backyard. A search warrant affidavit said some of the dogs were in individual kennels and about 30 were tethered with "heavy logging-type chains" buried in the ground.

The chains allowed the dogs to get close to each other, but not to have contact, one of myriad findings on the property that suggested a dogfighting operation.

Others included a rape stand, used to hold non-receptive dogs in place for mating; an electric treadmill modified to be used by dogs; a "pry bar" used to open the clamped-down mouths of dogs; and a bloodied piece of carpeting the authorities believe was used in dog fights. Carpeting gives dogs traction in a plywood fighting pit.

Green Finally A Dolphin; Culpepper Future In Doubt

2007-06-06T09:27:00.000-04:00

It finally happened. Former Kansas City QB Trent Green is now a member of the Miami Dolphins.

After the two teams bickered back and forth for months, the Chiefs finally agreed to receive a fifth round pick (they wanted a fourth) and sent Green to the team that wanted him.

The deal gave Green a new lease on life and spelled the end of Daunte Culpepper's brief stint in Miami.

Culpepper was told right after the Green deal by Dolphin officials that they would like to trade him instead of just releasing him outright. The question is, will he ever be the same as he was and will any team take a chance on him?

Culpepper -- who is due to make $5.5 million this season -- played in only four games a year ago because of knee problems and is still trying to recover from major surgery in 2005. He also intended to take part in this weekend's minicamp, after receiving clearance from orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews to resume football activity earlier this week.

Green is expected to undergo a physical in South Florida on Wednesday. If he passes it, the long-awaited deal between the Dolphins and Chiefs will be completed. If completed, Green will be at the Miami minicamp on Friday.

In 5½ seasons as Kansas City's starter, Green threw for 21,459 yards -- an average of 244 per game -- and 118 touchdowns while completing 62 percent of his passes. He missed eight games last season because of a concussion suffered in the season opener, and didn't believe he'd have a chance to fairly compete with Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard for the starting job in KC in 2007.

Green was throwing the ball well at a recent Chiefs minicamp and will move in immediately as the Dolphins starter. They also drafted BYU QB John Beck and have Cleo Lemon as backups.

Green still has some years left in his arm and with his long relationship with Cam Cameron (he was quarterbacks coach when Green was in Washington in 1995-96) the offense should click right away with Green at the helm.

Culpepper will have to wait and see what develops in the trade market. Most teams will be hesitant to pull the trigger on Culpepper until they see if he's a hundred percent back. It could be awhile before the former All-Pro learns his fate.

Samuel Won't Report To Camp

2007-06-05T10:51:00.000-04:00

It's deja vu all over again for the New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick.

Another year, another disgruntled player holding out for a new contract. Last season it was Deion Branch. Now CB Asante Samuel is threatening to hold out all the way through mini-camp, training camp and up until week 10.

Samuel, upset after being assigned the team's "franchise" tag, was a no-show at the Patriots Charitable Foundation golf tournament on Monday at the The International Golf Club in Bolton, Mass. Reached by phone afterwards, he told The Boston Globe he is unhappy with the lack of progress in contract talks with the team.

"I'm not coming to camp," he told the newspaper. "I'm not showing up until the 10th week [of the season]. I feel unappreciated. The way they're treating me is just wrong."

Samuel has yet to sign the one-year, $7.79 million contract he was tendered when the Patriots franchised him, so he is technically not under contract and cannot be fined for missing minicamp. Under the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the players union, if a deal isn't reached by the afternoon of July 15, he can sign only a one-year deal and cannot have his contract extended until the regular season ends.

If he shows up for Week 10, Samuel will receive a pro-rated portion of that $7.79 million salary. If he sits out the entire year, he'll get nothing -- and the Patriots will be able to put the franchise tag on him again for 2008.

Samuel had a breakout year in 2006 with 10 interceptions and 65 tackles. Even so, the Patriots are a tough team to play hard ball with.

Belichick's teams and players are interchangeable. It's his system that has brought all the success to New England. The only untouchable on the team is Tom Brady. Players have come and gone and the Patriots have still won.

New England doesn't need superstars to win. Hell, the Pats went to the AFC title game last season with Reche Caldwell and Troy Brown as their starting receivers.

Samuel may be serious about holding out until week 10, but the Patriots are just as serious about playing without him if they must. Belichick has never allowed distractions like this to interfere with his gameplan and he isn't about to do so now.

Despite the fact the Samuel feels underappreciated, the truth is he had a great season, but he's only done it for a year. What he should do is prove he can perform at a consistently high level and then the money will come. One All-Pro year is not enough to deserve the kind of contract he wants.

The franchise is already reeling after the death of Marquise Hill and now Samuel's intentions have really put this team on the ropes. But if anyone can overcome this adversity, it's Belichick and his Patriots.

So a potentially long wait begins and the only question remaining is where will Samuel be in 2007?

Tank Is Shut Down For Eight Games

2007-06-04T17:53:00.000-04:00

The Chicago Bears suddenly thinning defensive line just got thinner.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell came down with an eight-game suspension on Bears defensive tackle, Terry "Tank" Johnson.

Goodell gave Johnson a chance to reduce the suspension to six games if he complies with certain conditions. The league notified Johnson he could reduce the suspension by two games if he has no further adverse involvement with the law, follows all the league requirements and doesn't participate in any practices or organized team workouts during the suspension.

Johnson will be allowed to be at the Bears facility during the suspension for counselling sessions and other approved activities, including physical treatment or individual workout sessions.

Johnson stands to lose $255,000, based on his salary for next season of $510,000, if the suspension lasts the entire eight games.

The suspension is not as severe as Pacman Jones of the Titans, who is expected to miss the entire season despite not having any previous convictions. It's the same length as Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, who had a few incidents that led to convictions.

This is a good call by Goodell. Johnson came up with his own 10-point plan on how he would clean up his behavior and presented it to the commissioner. The document shows his admittance of past mistakes and his willingness to change.

Jones and Henry have had many more run-ins with the law and have yet to show any kind of remorse or willingness to change their behavior.

The Bears are obviously happy he isn't done for the season, but suddenly a once strong position is compromised depth-wise.

Tommie Harris is coming off a severe hamstring injury that caused him to miss the final eight games and the playoffs. Starter Ian Scott and reserve Alphonso Boone are gone. That leaves the Bears with Harris, free agent signee Anthony Adams, Antonio Garay and rookie Dusty Dvoracek manning the tackle spots.

Johnson is eligible to participate in the team's offseason workout program and will be allowed to participate in preseason games.

Adams Signs With The Broncos

2007-06-04T14:24:00.000-04:00

Run-stuffing defensive tackle Sam Adams, who was let go by the Cincinnati Bengals last month, is unemployed no more.

The 13-year veteran signed a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos today. Financial terms were not yet available.

Adams also visited St. Louis and Houston before signing with Denver. The move is good one for Mike Shanahan and company. He is an elite run stopper, a classic two-gap player, who will take two blockers on, freeing up his teammates.

His stay in Cincinnati, where he played only one season of the three-year contract that he signed last spring, was surprisingly short-lived, given his relationship with coach Marvin Lewis. But the Bengals wanted to get younger at defensive tackle and there were some concerns about Adams' health and age, despite the fact that he has never missed more than four games in a season in his career.

Denver has been very aggressive in free agency this offseason, acquiring RB Travis Henry, WR Brandon Stokely, TE Daniel Graham, G Montrae Holland, DT Alvin McKinley, CB Dre' Bly and now Adams.

A former Texas A&M star, Adams was a first-round draft choice of the Seattle Seahawks in 1994, the eighth player chosen overall that year. In stints with Seattle (1994-99), Baltimore (2000-2001), Oakland (2002), Buffalo (2003-2005) and Cincinnati (2006), he has appeared in 195 games, with 166 starts, and has registered 452 tackles, 44 sacks, six forced fumbles, five recoveries and 32 pass deflections.

Troubles Continue For Vick

2007-06-01T14:21:00.000-04:00

The problems just keep mounting for Michael Vick.

AirTran Airways has ended its relationship with Vick, who has been a pitchman for the airline since 2004, but whose image has been tarnished in several off-field incidents.

"Michael's contract expired May 8, and we advised him then that we would not renew it," AirTran spokesman Tad Hutcheson said Thursday.

Hutcheson said Vick had appeared on five billboards and did radio commercials under a one-year contract, which had been renewed twice before. He said AirTran has Falcons running back Warrick Dunn under contract, and other sports celebrities in other cities.

Most recently, Vick's name has been dragged into a Virginia investigation of dog fighting after authorities confiscated dozens of dogs at property owned by Vick and said they found evidence related to fighting.

Among Vick's other publicity problems, he was sued by a woman who claimed he gave her herpes, he made an obscene gesture to spectators while leaving the field after a game, and security screeners at the Miami airport stopped him from boarding an AirTran flight in January with a water bottle that turned out to have a hidden compartment. Vick said he used it to store jewelry, and police found no evidence of smuggled drugs.

Especially stinging to AirTran, though, was that Vick's publicist blamed the airline when the quarterback known for his quickness failed to arrive in Washington to speak before Congress. AirTran said Vick had ample opportunities to get to his destination on AirTran but chose not to.

Cuban Wants To Challenge NFL With New League

2007-05-31T12:25:00.000-04:00

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is the newest member of the "Billionaires With too Much Time and Money on Their Hands Club."

Cuban is part of a group considering formation of a football league that would compete with the NFL for players drafted lower than the second round.

The league, still very much in the preliminary stage, would play its games on Friday nights. The NFL does not play then because of the potential conflict with high school football.

On his blog, Cuban explained how the new league, dubbed the UFL, would actually be good for the NFL.

"The NFL wants and needs competition," Cuban wrote. "They have grown so big and powerful that every move they make is scrutinized by local or federal officials. A competitor allows them to point to us and explain that their moves are for competitive reasons rather than the move of a monopoly."

Time to wake up Mark. Reality check please.

Going up against the NFL is fruitless. They are a monopoly, a juggernaut if you will. Just ask the WFL, USFL and XFL if you don't believe me. The XFL even tried to use sex to sell its league and couldn't do it.

Football as a market is saturated. It was easier for the AFL to challenge the NFL back in the 60s because they were the only ones competing. Today, you have the CFL, Arena, Arena 2 and NFL Europa. People can get a football fix in winter, spring, summer or fall.

Cable TV has expanded the reach of the sport. Back in the day, you had the Big Three networks, period. Cuban as a business owner should know what happens to an organization that comes into a over-crowded market with a dominant player already established - you lose. It's the nature of markets.

Playing on a Friday is not a great idea either. High school football is more popular than ever and people really don't want to stay in after going through the work week. Friday night is the time when many go out to eat, catch a movie and things of that nature.

I admire Cuban for his confidence and tenacity, but just as Donald Trump and Vince McMahon have learned, the NFL is a league you don't want to go up against. Football, in particular the NFL, is our national pastime and it has been for a long, long time. Individuals fear change. They like to stay in their comfort zones. The National Football League is one of those zones.

Even if Cuban can get some of the star players away from the NFL, will it really matter? The USFL had Jim Kelly, Steve Young and Herschel Walker and the league folded in three years. A kid grows up dreaming of playing in the NFL, not the USFL, XFL or the soon-to-be UFL.

The National Football League is in the public consciousness, and once inside, it's almost impossible to remove. Just ask Pepsi in its long battle with Coke. Pepsi may taste better, but Coke is still number one.

The NFL is experiencing the same problem with the Europa League. The league hoped it would establish a significant presence in Europe and cut into the viewership of soccer. No such luck.

Soccer is Europe's number one sport and nothing can compete against it. That's a lesson that Mark Cuban and the rest of the new UFL will have to learn - the hard way.

How To Really Piss Off Your Coach

2007-05-30T10:28:00.000-04:00

That should be the title of LenDale White's first book, should he ever write one.

White, the second round pick last year by the Tennessee Titans is going to turn Jeff Fisher's hair grey when all is said and done.

The former USC star reported to camp overweight and barely got on the field in 2006 with knee and hamstring injuries. Fast forward to 2007 and what you have is an eerie replay of 2006.

White reported to the Titans offseason conditioning program weighing a not very svelte 260 pounds and then suffered a hamstring injury. Now in his latest effort to stay permanently entrenched in Fisher's doghouse, White failed to show up for Tennessee's OTA's (organized team activities) on Tuesday.

As expected, Fisher was not pleased.

"Everybody else managed to make it back," Fisher said. "He didn't, so I don't know, I guess he had things that are more important to him than what we're doing. I would assume he would be back at some point today.

"I've been on record with being disappointed with him right now. I hope to have him back on the practice field Thursday. But again, everybody else was here, he wasn't. I'm anxious to hear what kind of excuse he has."

Doesn't sound like a vote of confidence does it.

The Titans are relying on White becoming the player they thought he was in college. With Chris Brown and Travis Henry gone, the backfield is now comprised of an overweight, gimpy and troublesome back and Arizona rookie Chris Henry. And with the weak receiving corps, this offense hasn't given Vince Young many weapons or options.

To make matters worse, former GM Floyd Reese, who now writes for ESPN.com, admitted in his recent column that he wanted to take Devin Hester with the Titans second round pick in 2006, but Fisher and the coaching staff wanted White. Big mistake. At least that's the way it looks so far.

White had the reputation coming out of college as a guy who hated working out and constantly struggled with his weight. The Titans ignored those red flags and now are paying the price for their decision.

If you want a textbook case on how to piss off your coach, look no further than the exploits of one LenDale White.

Informant Says Vick a Heavyweight in Dog Fighting

2007-05-29T10:27:00.000-04:00

The case against Michael Vick and his involvement in dog fighting got much stronger over the Memorial Day weekend when an unidentified informant told ESPN that Vick is a heavyweight in dog fighting circles.

The source, who has been breeding pit bulls for 30 years, told "Outside the Lines" that Vick fights pit bulls and "He's one of the ones that they call 'the big boys': that's who bets a large dollar. And they have the money to bet large money. As I'm talking about large money -- $30,000 to $40,000 -- even higher. He's one of the heavyweights."

If this informant is telling the truth, and apparently he is, Vick will most likely stand trial. Dog fighting is a felony in the state of Georgia.

Staring with the Ron Mexico incident, followed by the middle finger salute to the Atlanta fans, the airport water bottle fiasco and now this, Vick is learning the hard lesson that character goes much farther in life than athletic ability.

And while I disagree with almost everything PETA does, dog fighting is sick, cruel and has no place in modern society. Getting your kicks out of watching dogs tear each other to bits is neither entertaining or sport - it's cruel and unusual punishment.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has to play the waiting game before any action can be done. You're still innocent until proven guilty in this country and the NFL can't really do anything until the case against Vick has been proven in court.

The lasting damage has already been done. Vick's image has been damaged to the point where he may never get it back. He was one of the brightest stars in the NFL just a few short years ago. Now he's a black eye to the league.

This is another example of an athlete who thinks he's above the law and beyond reproach. It's a hard lesson that must be learned. And Michael Vick will have to pay the price.

Marquise Hill Dies After Lake Accident

2007-05-28T20:52:00.000-04:00

Sad news in the football world this Memorial Day.

The body of New England Patriots player Marquise Hill was found Monday, a state official said, a day after he was reported missing following a jet ski accident on Lake Pontchartrain.

Hill's body was discovered by searchers about a quarter-mile from where the former LSU star and a female companion were involved in the accident, Capt. Brian Clark of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department said.

"The family will have to make positive identification," Clark said, "but the body we found was that of Mr. Marquise Hill."

The Coast Guard was called Sunday night, Petty Officer Tom Atkeson said. The search began immediately, using boats and helicopters.

By the time the body was found, the Coast Guard, Wildlife and Fisheries, the New Orleans Police Department and Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department were involved, Clark said.

Hill's body was taken to the Orleans Parish Coroner's office, but phone messages left there were not immediately returned.

Hill's agent, Albert Elias, said he had been told Hill and a young woman were jetskiing Sunday in the lake when both of them went into the water, which had a strong current. Elias said the woman was able to make it to a pylon and hang on until she was rescued, while Hill was last seen floating away from the scene.

Hill played on LSU's 2003 national championship team and was a second-round draft pick by New England in 2004.

The woman, whose identity was not available Monday morning, was rescued and sent to Tulane Medical Center where she told them Hill had tried to keep her calm as the two were drifting away from each other.

Neither Hill nor the woman wore a life preserver, Atkeson said.

"It's so important to have a life jacket and a signaling device," Atkeson said. "One keeps you afloat and the other helps us find you."

Elias said Hill, a defensive end, spent much of his time since Hurricane Katrina helping family members rebuild their homes.

After going to the NFL, Hill continued to do much of his offseason training at LSU's Baton Rouge campus, about 80 miles up the Mississippi River from New Orleans, and was known and admired by current Tigers players.

NFL To Aid In Vick Investigation

2007-05-25T09:17:00.000-04:00

Who let the dogs out?

That's the question Virginia investigators and now the NFL want to know. NFL Security has offered its help in the probe of illegal dogfighting at a property owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, an unidentified source close to the situation told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Investigators have spoken to, or are in the process of contacting, persons who purport to have information regarding dogfighting at the property, the person told the AJC.

NFL Security personnel said they can't comment on the specifics of their involvement in the case. Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesman, told the AJC that it is routine protocol for NFL security to get involved in legal matters with players and other league personnel.

Investigators have not interviewed Vick, according to Gerald Poindexter, the Surry County Commonwealth's attorney, the prosecutor in the investigation.

"Not to my knowledge," Poindexter told the newspaper.

Vick flew to Virginia after completing an offseason team practice on Thursday at the Falcons training camp at Flowery Branch, Ga.

Poindexter still doesn't have solid evidence linking Vick to dogfighting. He said there are no eyewitnesses who say they saw dogfighting at the home where 66 dogs were seized along with equipment that could be associated with dog fighting. The discoveries were made during a drug raid at the home on April 25.

Police also found items associated with dog fighting, including treadmills and a "pry bar'' used to pry apart a dog's jaws. Poindexter has said they also found a bloodied carpet and blood splatters on the floor in a room over the garage.

Vick, a native of Newport News who starred at Virginia Tech, is a registered dog breeder. He said he let a cousin, Davon Boddie, live at the house, and that he didn't know a large kennel on the property could be involved in criminal activity.

It's good that the National Football League is getting involved and taking an interest. While I'm not a PETA supporter, cruelty to animals is sick and if Vick is involved, the NFL should come down hard, despite the irresponsible comments of one Clinton Portis.

Did Vick let the dogs out? The NFL may find out very, very soon.

Herm Edwards Deals Out the Spin

2007-05-24T08:59:00.000-04:00

There was so much spin, thanks for the word Bill O'Reilly, coming out of Kansas City yesterday I almost thought Chiefs coach Herman Edwards was running for political office.

It was day two of Chiefs mini-camp and all eyes were on disgruntled QB Trent Green.

Here's a sampling of what Edwards had to say.

"We're making a big deal out of nothing," Edwards said. "We're making a big deal out of competition. For me, it's competition. All that other stuff, I don't deal with."

Hold on there's more.

"Are you kidding me? This is the offseason," he said. "We've had one practice and all of the sudden we think it's a distraction? It's not a distraction by any stretch of the imagination. We will have a starting lineup when we go to Houston, 46 guys will dress. And they'll be the best 46 guys, in my opinion, who can help us win games."

Sorry Herm, I'm not buying it. Green being on the practice field is a major distraction. If not to the players, definitely to the front office.

The reality is the Chiefs big shots don't want Green and his $7.2 million salary in Kansas City and Green wants to be in Miami, where he will immediately be inserted as the starter over the still injured Daunte Culpepper.

Kansas City GM Carl Peterson and Edwards want to go with Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle. Edwards feels Croyle is the future of the franchise, but he's a year away. Until then, veteran Huard, who signed a three-year contract in the offseason, is the stop gap.

Green understands this. He also knows at 37 he still has the talent to start, but not much sand is left in the hourglass.

He started 80 straight games before being knocked unconscious in the 2006 season opener against the Bengals. From there, it's been nearly a year's worth of questions about quarterback controversies and whether Green can return to the old form that carried him to three straight 4,000-yard passing seasons.

Green and his agent have already worked out a deal with Miami, but the sticking point is over compensation. The Chiefs want a fourth round pick and the Dolphins have offered only a sixth rounder.

Neither team has budged, both are waiting for the other to blink.

Make no mistake, the advantage is on the side of Miami. Kansas City is in a quandary because they know if Green gets hurt in camp, the team is responsible for his salary. The Dolphins know the Chiefs front office doesn't want Green around and are willing to wait until July 1, when Green most certainly will be released.

Miami controls the gameboard and is playing its hand to the hilt. If you had a chance to get a Pro Bowl quarterback for next to nothing wouldn't you play the waiting game?

Edwards can put all the spin on the situation he wants, but the truth is clear. Trent Green is a distraction to the Chiefs, who have few cards left to play in this little drama. In the meantime, the Miami front office will be patient, content in knowing that Green will soon be a Dolphin on its own terms.

Johnson Retires, Will Try TV

2007-05-23T12:53:00.000-04:00

Keyshawn Johnson decided that 11 years was enough in the National Football League.

Johnson declined an offer from the Tennessee Titans and his agent, Jerome Stanley, has said that Keyshawn will hang up his cleats and try his hand in television working for ESPN.

The wide receiver, who also will receive an offer from the Oakland Raiders, is expected to announce his decision at a Wednesday afternoon news conference at his alma mater of USC.

"The timing of it was just right," Stanley said of Johnson's decision. "There were a couple of slots open in broadcasting. He was either going to retire this year or next year, but the timing just turned out to be right now."

Johnson, one of the best possession receivers in NFL history, was cut by the Carolina Panthers this month after the Panthers drafted USC's Dwayne Jarrett in April. He had 70 catches for 815 yards and four touchdowns for Carolina in 2006.

Johnson, the No. 1 pick in the 1996 NFL draft, has started 162 of 167 games in his 11 NFL seasons that spans stints with Carolina, Dallas, Tampa Bay and the New York Jets. He retires with 814 career receptions for 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns.

The time for him to retire was the right decision, even though he still has some tread left in the tires. An aging possession receiver who never played as a slot receiver, which is where he would end up with most teams, was not something Johnson really wanted to do.

And while not living up to the status expected of a number one pick, Johnson still had a solid and consistent career.

ESPN is expected to announce Keyshawn's hiring immediately after he announces his retirement.

Some Players Will Never Learn

2007-05-22T12:28:00.000-04:00

Despite the fact that NFL commish Roger Goodell recently unveiled a tougher conduct policy, which resulted in a one-year suspension for Adam "Pac-Man" Jones and eight games for Chris Henry, some apparently didn't get the message.

Last weekend, three NFL players were arrested and two others could be facing some serious face time with the commissioner as well.

Cincinnati Bengals LB A.J. Nicholson, who's been in legal trouble since his college days, was arrested for domestic violence and subsequently released by the Bengals. Meanwhile, New York Jets CB and return man, Justin Miller, was arrested in a night club for allegedly punching a woman in the face.

Not to be outdone, Denver Broncos wide receiver David Kircus was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault at a weekend party. Throw in Michael Vick and his dog fighting mess, the report that Henry may have failed another drug test and you can see that Goodell has his hands full.

It will be interesting to see what he does now?

Chicago Bears DT Tank Johnson will know his fate soon and if Henry did fail a drug test, he could be gone for a long, long time. Miller and Kircus will most likely be handled by the union and face a game or two suspension.

The interesting decision for the commish will regard Vick. If the dog fighting allegations are true, coupled with his previous troubles, how far will Goodell go when faced with the suspension of a superstar player? Here you have a first round draft choice who's been in the media spotlight since his days at Virginia Tech.

If Goodell backs down on him, it would send the wrong message to the rest of the league and it's fans.

In the long run, no matter how tough Goodell gets on conduct, some players are just too immature, don't care or just plain stupid. In this modern era of the game where young 20-somethings get instantly rich, even though mentally they may not be able to handle it, you can expect to see more off-the-field incidents making headlines in the near future.

Montana State Coach Fired

2007-05-21T12:33:00.000-04:00

Montana State fired football coach Mike Kramer on Friday, several days after another former Bobcats athlete was arrested on drug charges.

Kramer was 40-43 in seven seasons at the Bozeman school, including an 8-5 mark last year. He led the Bobcats to three Big Sky Conference titles and three NCAA playoff appearances.

Former wide receiver Rick Gatewood was arrested this week on drug charges and is accused of using his athletic scholarship money to traffic cocaine from California in the Bozeman area. His brother also faces drug charges.

Gatewood is the sixth former Montana State athlete arrested or charged with crimes involving drugs or murder in the past year.

Gatewood, a Richmond, Calif., native, was an all-Big Sky Conference wide receiver in 2004 and 2005. He signed with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent last summer, but didn't make the team, and was expected to try out with baseball's Philadelphia Phillies this month.

Montana State cornerback Andre Fuller pleaded not guilty in March to charges he sold cocaine to a confidential informant last June. He was suspended from the football team while the case is investigated.

Former wide receiver Edward Sullivan of Carlsbad, Calif., and Derrick Davis Jr., a former cornerback from Santa Monica, Calif., also have been charged with selling drugs.

And last June, former redshirt football player John Lebrum and former Bobcat basketball player Branden Miller were charged with murder and kidnapping in the shooting death of suspected drug dealer Jason Wright. They have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled for trial in the coming months.

In October 2004, former assistant head football coach Joe O'Brien was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy.

Montana State opens its 2007 regular season Sept. 1 at Texas A&M.

The Bobcats posted their first postseason win in 22 years when they beat Furman 31-13 in the Division I-AA championships last fall, and finished the season ranked 10th in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. Montana State was beaten 38-17 by eventual champion Appalachian State in the I-AA quarterfinals.

Johnson Set to Meet With Titans

2007-05-18T13:26:00.000-04:00

Former Panthers wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson has accepted an invitation by head coach Jeff Fisher to visit the Tennessee Titans over the weekend.

The Titans, which need an experienced receiver to help Vince Young, said Thursday they are interested in Keyshawn Johnson. But the veteran has made it clear he has no intention of being a cheap rental.

Johnson has been waiting for the Raiders to make him an offer. After taking a week's vacation, Johnson has been communicating with about six teams who have shown interest in him. The Titans will be the first team he visits.

The Carolina Panthers released Johnson, who turns 35 in July, earlier this month after drafting Dwayne Jarrett. He had 70 catches for 815 yards and four touchdowns last season and became the 16th player in NFL history with 800 career catches.

His 70 catches for 2006 easily tops the receptions of all the receivers currently on the Titans' roster who played in the NFL last year.

Johnson's relationship with Fisher goes back to Southern California, when the coach played for the Trojans and Johnson was a ball boy.

David Givens is the Titans' only receiver with more than five seasons in the NFL and the only one with more than 65 career catches (166). But he had a second surgery on his left knee seven weeks ago and isn't expected to be ready for the start of the season.

The Titans' receivers include Justin Gage, a four-year veteran signed as a free agent who has 64 career catches; a trio of players drafted in 2005 led by Brandon Jones with 27 catches in 2006; and another trio of draft picks last month -- none taken before the third round.

Compare that to the 6-foot-4 Johnson, who was the No. 1 pick in the 1996 draft. He spent last season with Carolina after being released by the Dallas Cowboys to free up enough salary cap space to sign Terrell Owens.

Johnson said last year he wants to play a couple of more seasons to reach 1,000 career receptions. But productivity has never been his problem.

He clashed with Jets teammates and wrote the book "Just Give Me the Damn Ball" after his rookie season.

Johnson helped Tampa Bay win a Super Bowl in 2002, only to be deactivated for the final six games the next season after feuding with coach Jon Gruden.

The Best QB You Don't Know

2007-05-17T12:26:00.000-04:00

He doesn't make the headlines. You won't see his name in the papers for his latest arrest, his newest Hollywood girlfriend or his exciting dog fighting business.

You'll here nothing about him during the off-season. He won't be uppermost in the public consciousness.

His name is Marc Bulger and he's the best quarterback in the NFL not named Peyton Manning.

Bulger is the unassuming leader of the St. Louis Rams, who has slowly but surely proven to the world and the NFL that he is more substance than the flash (in the pan)and glitz of Michael Vick.

He won't be featured in any magazines, news shows, or celebrity gossip rags. You'll be lucky if anyone mentions him at all. Too bad, because he's the best quarterback you never heard off.

Don't believe me? Well, numbers don't lie.

Last season, Bulger threw for 4,301 yards, only Manning and Drew Brees had more. He had 24 touchdown passes with only eight interceptions, as well as a 63 percent completion percentage.

Not bad when you consider he was learning a brand new offense under first-year coach Scott Linehan last season.

For his career, Bulger has thrown for 16,233 yards with 95 touchdowns and 59 interceptions for a 91.3 passer rating and a career 64.4 percent completion percentage. Not bad for a guy who was a sixth round draft pick.

For comparison, Manning has a 64 percent completion percentage and a 94.4 passer rating. Not much difference is there?

He doesn't have the Super Bowl rings of Tom Brady or Manning, nor the arm of a Carson Palmer, but he has the heart of a lion and the determination of a Hannibal, leading his soldiers over the Alps. Bulger won't let adversity stop him.

He was considered too small in stature and arm strength coming out of West Virginia. How did he answer the critics?

All he's done is go to two Pro Bowls, winning an MVP in one of them, while leading the Rams to the playoffs three times in his five years as a starter. Bulger may have had a Super Bowl ring on his finger by now if the Rams defense would have been sturdier.

His accuracy is tops in the league. Most of the other quarterbacks would agree with that. He can hit a receiver in stride without breaking his rhythm. He's a silent leader who does his talking on the field. Simply put, he's the best quarterback no one knows about.

His name is Marc Bulger and he's one of the best of his generation. Maybe someday he'll get the respect he so richly deserves.

Goodell May Shorten Draft Time Limits

2007-05-16T16:37:00.000-04:00

In what we could only hope happens, NFL boss Roger Goodell is considering shorting time limits for making selections in the first two rounds of the draft.

The subject may be brought up when owners convene next Tuesday in Nashville for the league's annual spring meeting. The main focus of the one-day get together will be what city will host the Super Bowl in 2011.

This year's draft included the longest first round in history, at six hours and eight minutes. It also had the longest first day, with the first three rounds stretching 11 hours, four minutes.

The current time limits are 15 minutes for the first round, 10 minutes for the second, and five minutes for the final five rounds. The competition committee is expected to recommend time limits of 10 minutes for the first round, seven minutes for the second, and five minutes for the remaining rounds.

Because the draft falls under the auspices of the commissioner, a formal vote technically isn't necessary to enact changes in the lottery, but Goodell is not inclined to act alone on the matter. Instead, the owners could reduce the time limits by simply affirming a recommendation from the competition committee.

Part of the reason for the reduction is that Goodell and NFL owners would like to get at least the first round in prime time televison. The NFL Draft has grown by leaps and bounds and prime time equals prime dollars for the league.

I for one don't care about that. I love the draft, but 11-plus hours is way too long even for the most die hard draftniks. The owners, coaches, personnel men and scouts have had months and months to evaluate the players. Why should it take them 15 minutes to make a decision after all that preparation?

Here's hoping the Goodell and the owners have the good sense to shorten the time lag.

McNabb Should Be Ready For Training Camp

2007-05-15T13:30:00.000-04:00

Barring any setbacks, Donovan McNabb should be ready when the Philadelphia Eagles open training camp in 2½ months.

The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback has rehabbed vigorously since a knee injury ended his season in Week 11 last year. He's running and throwing and is on course for a complete return when players report to camp on July 27.

"He's been throwing once a week, and he looks good in that area," coach Andy Reid said Monday after the team completed its first minicamp. "Progressively, he'll be given more days where he can get out and throw, and he'll continue his rehab. The closer we get to camp, he'll be back to full speed. So, we're expecting him, when camp starts, to be able to participate."

McNabb is spending a lot of time at the team's practice facility, but also will rehab at his home in Arizona part of the summer. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last Nov. 19. It was the third time in five years that McNabb's regular season ended in mid-November.

When the Eagles hold their first practice of training camp, it'll be exactly eight months to the day McNabb had reconstructive knee surgery. The season opener at Green Bay on Sept. 9 will be 9½ months post-surgery.

McNabb was having one of the best statistical seasons of his eight-year career before he got injured. He finished with 2,647 yards passing, 18 TDs, six interceptions and a passer rating of 95.5.

The Eagles surprised quite a few people, including McNabb, by picking quarterback Kevin Kolb in the second round with their first selection in last month's NFL draft. However, there is no quarterback controversy. McNabb is the starter for as long as he stays healthy.

Both Favre, Packers In The Right

2007-05-14T15:09:00.000-04:00

The Brett Favre/Green Bay Packers drama that played out in the media over the weekend is a case of both the player and the team being in the right.

This isn't a black and white issue. There is no hero or villain. Each side has a valid argument and both are correct in their rationales.

In case you missed all that happened, Favre expressed his disappointment that the Green Bay brass could have gotten Randy Moss but wouldn't give up a fourth round pick to get him.

Favre talked to Moss all off season, they have the same agent, and Moss expressed an interest in playing with the Pack.

Moss ended up going to New England and Favre vented his frustrations at his annual celebrity golf tournament in Mississippi on Saturday.

"It is disappointing," Favre said on Saturday. "We could have gotten him for less money than New England did. He wanted to play in Green Bay for the amount of money we would have paid him. It [was] well worth the risk."

"The last thing I want to do is start any [controversy]," Favre said. "But I think he would have been a great addition. You throw Randy Moss, you throw [current starters] Donald Driver and Greg Jennings on the field at the same time, and go three-wide receiver set ... and I think it's pretty intimidating. And we lost out on that, and I think that it's a shame, because I know we could have had him."

Rumors of Favre asking to be traded were unfounded of course. As he made clear today.

"I was frustrated a couple weeks back when Randy Moss was traded to New England. I never wanted to be traded and I don't want to be traded. I want to be in Green Bay," Favre said Monday in a statement posted on the team's Web site. "I want to finish my career as a Packer. Sometimes when I get frustrated I let my emotions get the better of me.

"As I said in February when I announced that I was coming back, I am excited about the young talent on our team and the improvements we're going to see from one year to the next. I really enjoy the young guys I'm playing with. I'm working hard down in Mississippi right now, rehabbing, and I plan to be in the best shape of my life. I look forward to playing with this team and seeing what we can do. I think we can be pretty good."

Both sides are right.

Favre is entering his 17th year and he wants to win now. Who knows how many seasons he has left? At the most, the soon-to-be Hall of Famer is down to the last 1-2 years left of his career and he wants one more chance at a Super Bowl.

To Favre, a vet like Moss might be the difference between last year's eight-win Packers and a 10, 11, or 12-win 2007 squad.

On the other hand, GM Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy are looking towards the future. The Packers brass want to go young and the future does not rest in the hands of a 38-year old quarterback, future Hall-of-Famer candidate or not.

You can't build a team around a quarterback entering his 17th year who openly wonders if the next season is his last, and who in 2006 had a worse TD to INT ratio than Rex Grossman, Michael Vick, Eli Manning, Steve McNair and J.P. Losman, among others. While Thompson says all the right things publicly, his actions speak clearly: If Green Bay is going to win a Super Bowl, it's more likely that Aaron Rodgers or someone else will be the quarterback other than Favre.

For now, Favre and the Packer front office are stuck with each other. Favre knows his time is short and he wants to win now, but is there enough around him to get to the Super Bowl?

That question, unfortunately, is a very big no.

Tweleve Elected to College Hall of Fame

2007-05-11T09:20:00.000-04:00

Doug Flutie was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday in his first year of eligibility, joining Ahmad Rashad and 10 other players honored by the National Football Foundation.

The 5-foot-10 (barely) Flutie won the Heisman Trophy in 1984 for Boston College and threw one of the most memorable passes in college football history. His 48-yard touchdown pass to Gerard Phelan as time expired gave the Eagles a 47-45 victory over Miami. The desperation 'Hail Flutie' toss and the sight of him leaping in the air as he sprinted down field to celebrate with his teammates has become timeless.

Flutie threw for 10,579 yards in his college career and led BC to a 10-2 record and Cotton Bowl victory during his Heisman season.

Flutie was elected with Rashad, a star receiver and running back at Oregon, and former Dartmouth linebacker Reggie Williams.

The other new Hall of Famers are: Oklahoma center Tom Brahaney, Michigan defensive back Dave Brown, Clemson linebacker Jeff Davis, Texas defensive back Johnnie Johnson, Ohio State quarterback Rex Kern, Indiana running back Anthony Thompson, Houston defensive tackle Wilson Whitley, Southern California linebacker Richard Wood and Notre Dame defensive tackle Chris Zorich.

Herb Deromedi, who won 110 games as coach at Central Michigan over 13 seasons, also was elected.

The latest class will be inducted at the National Football Foundation's awards banquet in December and enshrined at the Hall in South Bend, Ind., during the summer of 2008.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno, elected last year, will be inducted and enshrined with this year's class. Paterno's induction was postponed last year because he was still recovering after breaking his leg during a game against Wisconsin in November.

Rashad was known as Bobby Moore during his college career at Oregon, where he played running back and wide receiver and was a three-time all-Pac-8 selection (1969-71). He went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL, his best years with the Minnesota Vikings

Williams, who still holds the Dartmouth record for unassisted tackles in a career, is the first black player from the Ivy League elected to the Hall of Fame.

Titans Sign Two; Barlow To Steelers

2007-05-10T11:38:00.000-04:00

The Tennessee Titans signed quarterback Tim Rattay and also claimed linebacker Gilbert Gardner off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday.

The Titans also signed free-agent offensive lineman Marques Ogden and fullback Jonathan Evans and waived defensive tackle Marcus White and undrafted rookies fullback Nic Luc and defensive tackle Adrian Haywood. Ogden is the younger brother of Baltimore left tackle Jonathan Ogden.

Tennessee carried only two quarterbacks on the roster in 2006, with veteran Kerry Collins backing up Vince Young, and Matt Mauck was on the practice squad. Collins re-signed with the Titans this offseason.

Rattay started 18 games with San Francisco and Tampa Bay, including playing in the final four games last season for the Buccaneers. His best season was in 2004, when he had nine starts and threw for 2,169 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Gardner, a third-round pick in 2004, becomes the third former Indianapolis defender the Titans have picked up. They signed linebacker David Thornton as a free agent last year and gave cornerback Nick Harper a three-year deal in March.

Gardner had 97 tackles and 15 starts with the Colts over the past three seasons, with 12 of those starts coming last season.

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Still seeking to fill the void they experienced last season when the retirement of Jerome Bettis left the offense without a power-type tailback, the Pittsburgh Steelers have reached agreement with free agent Kevan Barlow on a one-year contract.

Financial details of the agreement, which has been rumored for the past several days, were not immediately available.

A Pittsburgh native who attended that city's Peabody High School and then starred at the University of Pittsburgh, the six-year veteran will sign the deal before the Friday morning start to the team's first mandatory minicamp under new coach Mike Tomlin.

In Pittsburgh, it's expected that Barlow will compete with Najeh Davenport for the No. 2 tailback job behind Willie Parker. The coaching staff wants to reduce the workload for Parker, a speedy but undersized tailback who logged a career-high 337 rushes in 2006. Davenport carried just 60 times as Parker's backup in 2006; third-down tailback Verron Haynes, who might still be in camp with Pittsburgh if he can successfully rehabilitate his surgically repaired knee, had only 15 carries.

Parker rushed for 1,494 yards and 13 touchdowns, but the consensus is that he might be even more productive with a little more rest.

For his career, Barlow has carried 1,022 times for 3,984 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also has 144 receptions for 1,164 yards and three scores. Barlow has appeared in 84 games and started in 33 of them.

Eagles Did Right In Drafting a QB

2007-05-09T11:39:00.000-04:00

Donovan McNabb said in a recent interview that he was shocked the Philadelphia Eagles drafted a quarterback with their first selection in the 2007 NFL Draft.

He shouldn't be.

The Eagles are just protecting themselves. It has nothing to do with a lack of loyalty to McNabb, it has everything to do with the future of the franchise. Kolb may or may not be the man to replace McNabb, but Andy Reid and GM Tom Heckert are thinking long term and decided Kolb was the best fit.

McNabb is still the number one guy, but the time frame on Donovan's career is hitting the tail end.

He will be 31 years old at the start of this season and he hasn't been able to play a full 16 games in three of his last five years. Plus, McNabb has only two more years left on his contract so you can't blame Reid and the Eagles for looking ahead to life without Donovan.

This is a business, first and foremost, and the Eagles are looking at it from a business perspective. The Eagles needed to take a quarterback in this draft. The only question that remains is Kolb the right man for the job.

He does have the stats on his side. The Eagles traded out of the first round and chose Kolb in the second round with the 36th overall pick. Kolb threw for 12,964 yards, 85 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in four years at Houston. He passed for 3,808 yards, 30 TDs and only four picks last season.

Some question if he's ready for the NFL. He's a system quarterback who threw mainly out of the shotgun in college. One thing that is on his side is time. He can learn under McNabb and A.J. Feely, provided McNabb is will to be a mentor. Donovan is still the man, even though he sounds awfully threatened by the selection of Kolb.

McNabb told WIP-AM radio that he was shocked when the Eagles took Kolb. He then had a meeting with Reid, but he wouldn't say what the conversation was about. Who want to bet it was about Kolb? Sounds like a guy who's not to secure about his job.

The Eagles open their first minicamp on Friday. McNabb won't participate in practices but will be working out at the practice facility. He said he isn't sure if he'll play in the preseason opener on Aug. 13, but expects to be ready for the second or third game.

McNabb has led the Eagles to four NFC championship games and a Super Bowl loss in eight seasons in Philadelphia. He has done a great job and his legacy is assured, but
father time is breathing down his neck and so is a young quarterback from Houston. Only time will tell how it all plays out.

NFL News and Notes

2007-05-08T13:11:00.000-04:00

Receiver Steve Smith agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday in a deal that will keep him with the team through the 2012 season.

Smith had been hoping to get a new deal for some time and the Panthers had made a long-term deal one of their priorities after releasing veteran receiver Keyshawn Johnson last week.

Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, led the NFL with 103 catches for 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2005. Smith's numbers declined last season. He missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, and finished with 20 fewer catches, 400 fewer receiving yards and four fewer touchdowns as Carolina went 8-8.

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Six-year veteran defensive right end Justin Smith, designated by the Cincinnati Bengals as a franchise player before the start of the free agency period, on Tuesday signed the one-year tender, guaranteeing him a base salary of $8.644 million for the 2007 season.

Smith is the third of the NFL's seven franchise players to sign a contract. New Orleans defensive end Charles Grant recently signed a seven-year contract with a maximum value of $63 million, including $20 million in guarantees. Last week, Seattle kicker Josh Brown signed a one-year tender for $2.078 million.

Smith, 27, is a steady if unspectacular player who was the team's first-round selection in the 2001 draft. While he may never play up to his status as the fourth overall prospect chosen that year, Smith is a solid and durable two-way player who has led Bengals' linemen in tackles for each of the past five seasons.

The former Missouri standout has appeared in 95 straight games, all starts, and missed just one contest, the season opener in his rookie year. His absence in the opening game that year was because of a protracted contract negotiation, with Smith not signing until the eve of the first game.

For his career, Smith has 388 tackles, 41½ sacks, seven forced fumbles, five recoveries, two interceptions and 15 passes defensed.

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The rumor mill is running at full speed this week with news of Keyshawn Johnson, Corey Dillon and Kevan Barlow.

Depending on the offer Johnson most likely will land in either Tennessee or Green Bay for the 2007 season. A lot depends on whether Keyshawn thinks the Titans and Packers can be playoff teams. Both franchises were 8-8 last season.

Look for Johnson to end up in Tennessee. Vince Young needs an experienced receiver after Drew Bennett and David Patten left town and the organization failed to draft a big time receiver in the draft.

Barlow, released last week by the Jets, is in Pittsburgh looking for a deal. Both sides are considering a one-year deal that will enable Barlow, a former star running back at Pitt, to return to the facility he trained at while in college. The Steelers' headquarters is next to the Pitt practice field on the South Side of Pittsburgh.

Barlow had been a consideration for the Titans, Packers and a few other teams, but offers were slow coming. The Steelers have been looking for a big back to pair next to Willie Parker. If things work out, Barlow could be a Steeler by the end of the week.

Although it's a long shot, Pro Football Weekly is hearing Dillon could be considered by the Rams down the road if he became willing to be a backup to Steven Jackson. Dillon has close ties with Rams head coach Scott Linehan and new special-teams coach Al Roberts, both of whom coached him in college at Washington.

Dillon drew interest from Baltimore and Buffalo earlier in the offseason, but both teams chose other options at running back. Dillon, 32, rushed for 812 yards last season and led the Patriots with 13 touchdowns.

Did I Sleep Through The 2007 Season?

2007-05-07T10:28:00.000-04:00

Can someone help me? Did I sleep through the 2007 season?

Did I suddenly become Rip Van Winkle? How could I have missed out on the New England Patriots winning Super Bowl XLII?

But wait. I just checked my calender and unless my eyes are playing tricks on me it's only May 7 and the regular season is still four months away.

If that's the case, then why in the hell is practically every football writer, website and newspaper handing the Lombardi Trophy to the Patriots?

The off-season additions of Adalius Thomas, Tory James, Donte Stallworth, Wes Walker and Randy Moss, have made the Patriots stronger. There's no doubt about that. On paper, New England is one of the favorites. But games aren't won on paper. They're won on the field.

How can anyone in their right mind pencil New England into the Super Bowl when training camp hasn't even started yet?

Did people suddenly forget that San Diego is loaded with talent and Philip Rivers is another year older and probably wiser? Let's not forget Indianapolis either. The defending champions got even stronger on offense with the addition of Anthony Gonzalez in the slot and Tony Ugoh is a future fixture at tackle.

The Colts did lose both corners in free agency, but Tony Dungy's Cover 2 scheme doesn't need great cover corners and youngsters Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden and Tim Jennings should be able to adequately replace Nick Harper and Jason David. And let's not forget Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.

Over in the NFC, Philadelphia and New Orleans got stonger, Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander are healthy for Seattle and Chicago still has that tough defense.

There are too many variables to start making Super Bowl predictions right now. The main one being injuries. Every year some big name players go down during the long grind of training camp and preseason. Who can say that won't happen to New England?

Every team has question marks and the Pats are no different. Will Randy Moss behave himself? Can the key players stay healthy? Can Laurence Maroney take the pounding of a full season as number one tailback? Can an aging defense be as good as it has been, even with the addition of Thomas?

The Moss deal was a good one. He's well worth a fourth round pick, but he's a one dimensional receiver who will need Welker and Stallworth to take defenders away from Moss to give Randy one-on-one chances.

It seems many in the media are picking the Pats just because of the Moss deal. My question to them is - how many Super Bowl rings does Randy Moss have? Wide receivers don't win Super Bowls. It takes a strong defense and an effective running game.

New England is aging on the defensive side (Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison) and Maroney had a lot of help from Corey Dillon last season. The jury is still out on his ability to be a feature back.

The Patriots are good and have a chance to go all the way, but it's way too early to start making Super Bowl predictions.

NFL Free Agency

2007-05-04T14:53:00.000-04:00

Addressing a need it missed in the draft, Philadelphia signed former Chicago free-agent defensive tackle Ian Scott to a one-year, $1 million deal. Scott visited the New England Patriots on Wednesday, then flew straight to Philadelphia, where he linked up with his new team. The Bears now have lost Scott and Alphonso Boone from last season's defensive line.

This is a great pickup for the Eagles. Scott is not All-Pro caliber by any means, but he's a solid performer who has started on a Super Bowl team. Scott plugs the middle and eats up space for the linebackers to make a play. With the addition of Montae Reagor and Scott, Philadelphia should be much better against the run in 2007.

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In the same week the Jacksonville Jaguars released him, punter Chris Hanson reached agreement with the New Orleans Saints on a one-year, $630,000 deal. New Orleans punter last season was Steven Weatherford, who averaged 43.8 yards per punt.

Also, Buffalo and Cincinnati each put in a waiver claim for former USC and Dolphins defensive tackle Manny Wright on Tuesday. But on the basis of records, Wright's services were awarded to Buffalo.

Wright, along with Marcus Vick were released this week by the Dolphins. Wright has talent, but his immaturity has hurt his chances of having a solid NFL career.

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Seattle's free-agent kicker Josh Brown signed his one-year, $2.078 million tender, meaning the player that the Seahawks franchised last winter will be kicking for them this fall. The two sides will continue talking about a long-term contract, but they haven't made significant progress toward one just yet. The highest paid kicker in the game is Indianapolis' Adam Vinatieri, who makes an average of $2.4 million per season.

Brown is a clutch kicker and the Seahawks were wise to keep him in the fold. Brown collected three game-winning field goals last season, two of those were against the division rival Rams.

Johnson, Hicks Released; Sims Dealt to Bucs

2007-05-02T11:54:00.000-04:00

Football can be a cruel game, especially for established veterans.

You sacrifice your body for years and years and then when you reach the dreaded 30s, a good player becomes expensive and expendable.

Just ask WR Keyshawn Johnson and DE Eric Hicks - both were released on Tuesday.

The Carolina Panthers drafted wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett on Saturday and cut Johnson on Tuesday.

They said they wanted to get younger," Johnson told the St. Petersburg Times on Tuesday. "That's fine with me. I'd like to go somewhere and help someone win another Super Bowl."

Johnson, who will turn 35 in July, had 70 catches for 815 yards and four touchdowns last season and became the 16th player in NFL history with 800 career catches. The Panthers signed Johnson last year after he was released by Dallas in a salary cap move so the Cowboys could sign Terrell Owens.

Hicks was released by Kansas City three days after the Chiefs drafted Turk McBride in the draft.

Hicks, who made the Chiefs' roster as an undrafted free agent out of Maryland in 1998, has appeared in 128 games with 104 starts over nine seasons. Hicks ranks fifth in team history with 44 1/2 sacks, with a career-best 14 sacks in 2000. He also ranks 12th in tackles with 574 -- including 284 solo stops -- with a single-season best of 118 tackles in 2003.

It's going to be tough for either of them to land somewhere until training camps start in July. Both teams will probably have to settle for a veteran's minimum contract.

Despite their aging bodies, Johnson and Hicks should provide a team with solid play and veteran leadership.

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Defensive tackle Ryan Sims, the sixth overall pick in the 2002 draft, was traded by Kansas City to Tampa Bay for an undisclosed draft choice.

Sims was a huge disappointment with the Chiefs, often overweight and often injured.

In five seasons, the 6-foot-4, 315-pounders appeared in 59 games with 36 starts. Over that span, he had 149 tackles -- 79 unassisted -- with five sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Bad Boys: Jones Appeals; Tank Pleads Guilty

2007-05-01T12:33:00.000-04:00

Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones notified the league office yesterday that he is appealing the season-long suspension imposed by Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the NFL's conduct policy.

Jones has been questioned by the police in a series of incidents since being drafted in 2005 and is facing possible felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from a February incident in Las Vegas. Goodell suspended Jones for the 2007 season, but made the suspension subject to review after 10 games.

No hearing is scheduled yet. Jones's appeal is to be heard by Goodell or a person designated by him.

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Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge.

Johnson pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm without an owner's identification as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid additional jail time. He is to serve 45 days in jail, a term that is to be served concurrently with the 120-day sentence that he's already serving for violating his probation in a previous gun case. Johnson was arrested in December after police officers found six unregistered firearms in his home.

Johnson is expected to be suspended by Goodell for a significant portion of next season.

NFL Draft Afterthoughts

2007-04-30T11:13:00.000-04:00

The 2007 NFL Draft was a exciting and long.

Long as in the slowest first round in NFL Draft history. The 72nd NFL draft set records for the longest Round 1, longest Day 1, and longest two days (over 18 hours).

Now comes the second wave of free agency and the rookie mini-camps. Agents will be very busy on the phones trying to get their unsigned guys to stick with teams and make a roster next year.

Also, today is the day when every newspaper, website and the mother has their own grades for the draft. You won't find those here - why? Because unless you're a super psychic no one knows in April what teams draft was good or bad.

It's too early to tell. Injuries, playing ability and other factors figure into it. Look if all the writers and so-called experts knew it all (including myself) then how did we all miss out on Marques Colston last year?

Last year, Chicago was give a D and Buffalo was an F in many publications, but both teams had excellent drafts. Fans, if you're down on your team's draft, don't be worried. A teams draft tends to turn out better than the so-called experts think it will.

The good thing is soon, very soon, training camps will start up, preseason games will begin and before you know it, the regular season is just around the corner.

Let the games begin.

NFL Draft Preview: Mock Draft/Top 20 Overall

2007-04-27T15:35:00.000-04:00

(This is the eighth of an 8-part series leading up to the 2007 NFL Draft. For the next eight days we'll examine each position in the draft and rank our Top 10 at each position)

We're less than 24 hours away from the 2007 NFL Draft and here at the Football Fanatics blog, it's time for our annual mock draft.

Trades, smokescreens, rumours and all kinds of information and misinformation circle around in the final hours before draft day and this year is no different. And since it's impossible to figure the teams wheeling and dealing, so without worrying about accuracy we just wanted to have fun.

Without further delay, let's get to the picks.

2007 Football Fanatics Mock Draft:

1. Oakland - JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
(Not taking Leinart or Cutler last season forced the Raiders to take a QB even though Al Davis wants Calvin Johnson)
2. Detroit - Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
(The Lions want to trade down, possibly with Tampa Bay. If they can't, Matt Millen takes the best player in the draft and his fourth receiver in five years.
3. Cleveland - Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
(The debate is between AP, Joe Thomas and Quinn, but owner Randy Lerner wants Quinn)
4. Tampa Bay - Joe Thomas, T, Wisconsin
(The Bucs want Calvin Johnson, but if a trade with the Lions falls apart, Gruden won't pass up a left tackle the caliber of Thomas)
5. Arizona Cardinals - Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
(The Card want Thomas but will be happy with the top pass rusher in the draft
6. Washington - LeRon Landry, S, LSU
(The Redskins want to trade out of this pick. If they can't Landry is the guy
7. Minnesota - Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
(The Vikings would love to have Quinn or Landry fall to them. If AP is here though, Minnesota would be crazy not to take him)
8. Atlanta - Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville
(Bobby Petrino gets one of his own. Will look at Landry if available)
9. Miami - Levi Brown, T, Penn State
(Cam Cameron wants big lineman for his power running game. Brown fit the bill
10. Houston - Leon Hall, CB, Michigan
(The Texans traded with Atlanta to get Schaub and now it will keep them from AP, Landry and Brown)
11. San Francisco - Patrick Willis, ILB, Mississippi
12. Buffalo - Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh
13. St. Louis - Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska
14. Carolina - Reggie Nelson, S, Florida
15. Pittsburgh - Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida State
16. Green Bay - Marshawn Lynch, RB, California
17. Jacksonville - Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas
18. Cincinnati - Aaron Ross, CB, Texas
19. Tennessee - Ted Ginn Jr, WR, Ohio State
20. New York Giants - Paul Posluszny, OLB, Penn State
21. Denver - Alan Branch, DT, Michigan
22. Dallas - Robert Meachem, WR, Tennessee
23. Kansas City - Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee
24. New England - Michael Griffin, S, Texas
25. New York Jets - Greg Olsen, TE, Miami, Fla.
26. Philadelphia - Brandon Merriweather, S, Miami, Fla.
27. New Orleans - Chris Houston, CB, Arkansas
28. New England - David Harris, ILB, Michigan
29. Baltimore - Joe Staley, T, Central Michigan
30. San Diego - Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU
31. Chicago - Ben Grubbs, G, Auburn
32. Indianapolis - Jon Beason, OLB, Miami, Fla.

Top 20 Overall:
1. Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
2. Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
3. Patrick Willis, ILB, Mississippi
4. LaRon Landry, S, LSU
5. Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska
6. Joe Thomas, T, Wisconsin
7. Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
8. Levi Brown, T, Penn State
9. Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh
10. Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas
11. Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
12. JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
13. Amobi Akoye, DT, Louisville
14. Paul Posluszny, OLB, Penn State
15. Leon Hall, CB, Michigan
16. Alan Branch, DT, Michigan
17. Ben Grubbs, G, Auburn
18. Ryan Kalil, C, USC
19. David Harris, ILB, Michigan
20. Joe Staley, T, Central Michigan

NFL Draft Preview: Defensive Backs

2007-04-26T11:12:00.000-04:00

(This is the seventh of an 8-part series leading up to the 2007 NFL Draft. For the next eight days we'll examine each position in the draft and rank our Top 10 at each position. The final installment will feature the Fanatics 2007 Mock Draft).

Cornerbacks are one of the darlings of the NFL Draft. Coaches, General Managers and Personnel Directors love to select corners, especially in the first round.

Because of the one-back and multiple-receiver sets, teams feel it's important to have three cornerbacks on the field a high percentage of the time in order to match up against all the fast receivers. Some teams played three cornerbacks as much as 62 percent of the time, with the least amount about 33.8 percent.

Over the past 10 NFL drafts, 43 cornerbacks have been selected in Round 1 -- the most of any position. During that time, 89 more were selected in Rounds 2 and 3 -- also the most of any position.

The feeling around the league is that you can never have too many good cornerbacks, especially considering how the game is played these days.

If you want more evidence of how important a good corner is to a team look no further than the big contracts given to Nate Clements and Dre Bly in the offseason.

As far as the top corner in this years class, there's a difference of opinion as to who's number one. The debate is between Pittsburgh's Darrelle Revis and Michigan's Leon Hall.

Revis has the size (6-0, 204) and speed (4.40) that you love to see in a corner. He is smart with great character. He's strong and will support the run, an intangible many cornerbacks don't like to do. He plays with a lot of confidence, is an excellent return man and could even play safety.

Hall is smart, mature and well-liked; he's an outstanding person. He can play press coverage and plays against the run well. He does not play as fast as his timed speed; you expect more from him as far as making plays. He has sure hands; he can return punts. He started 37 games at Michigan so he has a ton of big game experience.

Because of his size and ability to play the run so well, the Fanatics Blog puts Revis in the top spot - just a smidgen ahead of Hall.

The safety position seems to become more important every year, but it still ranks behind cornerback when the draft comes around. For the safety position, teams are looking for someone who can tackle, blitz and be able to run with receivers, tight ends and running backs.

In order to be a top player at this position, one needs to be a good tackler, as many teams now play eight defenders in the box against the run. You have to be a good blitzer and be able to cover big, fast tight ends, and speedy receivers. It also doesn't hurt to be a good special teams performer.

The 2007 NFL Draft has one of the deepest safety classes in a long time. As many as five could go in the first round.

The best of the best is LSU's LeRon Landry, perhaps the most complete NFL-ready performer in the draft. Landry has all the measurables: size (6-1, 213 pounds) and speed (4.35). He had a vertical jump of 37 1/2 inches and a long jump of 10-3.

He started 10 games as a true freshman at LSU in 2003 and earned second-team All-SEC honors. He started 38 games over the next three years at both strong and free safety. Landry is a hard-working player who plays smart and is very instinctive. He is a big hitter, a very good tackler, and he has very good anticipation. He doesn't have great hands and will drop some interceptions. He should start as a rookie and play in a lot of Pro Bowls during his career.

Top 10 Cornerbacks:
1. Darrelle Revis - Pittsburgh
2. Leon Hall - Michigan
3. Aaron Ross - Texas
4. Marcus McCauley - Fresno State
5. Chris Houston - Arkansas
6. Eric Wright - UNLV
7. Josh Wilson - Maryland
8. Daymeion Hughes - California
9. Jonathan Wade - Tennessee
10. A.J. Davis - NC State

Best Pro Prospect: Revis
Sleeper: McCauley
Falling: Hughes

Top 10 Safeties:
1. LeRon Landry - LSU
2. Michael Griffin - Texas
3. Reggie Nelson - Florida
4. Brandon Merriweather - Miami, Fla.
5. Tanard Jackson - Syracuse
6. Eric Weddle - Utah
7. Josh Gattis - Wake Forest
8. Aaron Rouse - Virginia Tech
9. Gerald Alexander - Boise State
10. Sabby Piscitelli - Oregon State

Best Pro Prospect: Landry
Sleeper: Weddle
Falling: Merriweather

NFL Draft Preview: Linebackers

2007-04-25T15:08:00.000-04:00

(This is the sixth of an 8-part series leading up to the 2007 NFL Draft. For the next eight days we'll examine each position in the draft and rank our Top 10 at each position. The final installment will feature the Fanatics 2007 Mock Draft).

With more teams switching over to the 3-4 defense, linebacker has become a glamour position once again. Athletic, quick playmakers can find considerable playing time right away in the NFL.

One need only look at the last two seasons to see the impact athletic linebackers have in the league. Shawne Merriman and Demeco Ryans have won Rookie of the Year honors the past two seasons.

So who has the best chance to make an immediate impact and keep the linebacker as Rookie of the Year going?

Look no further than middle linebacker Patrick Willis from Ole Miss. Willis had a complete workout at the Combine. He ran two 40s in 4.51 and 4.53, the short shuttle in 4.46 and the cone drill in 7.23. He also had a 35-inch vertical jump, a 9-foot-11 long jump and did 21 bench presses. Willis worked out again on March 20 at Mississippi's Pro Day and ran 4.57 and 4.58 at a weight of 237 pounds.

He is versatile enough to play inside or outside in either a 3-4 or 4-3 alignment and he's one of the most complete, NFL ready players in this draft - next to Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson and LSU safety LeRon Landry.

He has very good athletic ability, is an outstanding competitor and a very aggressive run stopper. He has great stamina and does a good job playing off blocks. He showed skills dropping into coverage at his pro day and will play with injuries. Willis will be a good player and will make a lot of big plays for his team. He has Pro Bowl ability.

The best on the outside is Paul Posluszny, the latest in a long line of studs from Linebacker U - Penn State.

Posluszny had a complete workout at the Combine where he ran his 40s in 4.70 and 4.71. He also had a 37-inch vertical jump, a 9-foot-8 long jump, ran 4.20 in the short shuttle, 6.94 in the cone drill and did 22 lifts. Posluszny's an outstanding person and a very instinctive player, which is very important for this position. He's smart and has great football IQ.

He's still trying to come back from a knee injury suffered in the Orange Bowl two seasons ago and his mobility is still somewhat of a mystery. Regardless, he's a tough, hard-nosed instinctive player who should do well at the next level.

Top 10 Inside Linebackers:
1. Patrick Willis - Mississippi
2. David Harris - Michigan
3. Brandon Siler - Florida
4. Anthony Waters - Clemson
5. Justin Durant - Hampton
6. Buster Davis - Florida State
7. Michael Okwo - Stanford
8. H.B. Blades - Pittsburgh
9. Desmond Bishop - California
10. Marvin Mitchell - Tennessee

Best Pro Prospect: Willis
Sleeper: Durant
Falling: Okwo

Top 10 Outside Linebackers:
1. Paul Posluszny - Penn State
2. Jon Beason - Miami, Fla.
3. Lawrence Timmons - Florida State
4. Stewart Bradley - Nebraska
5. Rufus Alexander - Oklahoma
6. Zak DeOssie - Brown
7. Stephen Nicholas - South Florida
8. Quincy Black - New Mexico
9. Tim Shaw - Penn State
10. Earl Everett - Florida

Best Pro Prospect: Posluszny & Beason
Sleeper: DeOssie
Falling: Alexander