Nfl Football - Football Betting

2005-11-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

NFL quick hits: Week 9 betting recap
By Shawn Torrey
Mon, Nov 7, 2005

You might remember that we dubbed Week 6 of the schedule, “The Square Affair” when the favorites combined to go 10-3-1 ATS. With that in mind, it’s only fair that we call Week 9, “The Sequel.” --football gambling--

Books have to be feeling the pain as the chalk teams prevailed for the third time in the past four weeks. A quick run back through previous editions of this column shows the favorites bringing home the cash at a mind-boggling 27-13-1 ATS over the past four weeks. --football gambling--

We should mention that the past two Monday Nighters are not included in that total since we changed the publishing time of this piece to Monday mornings. Regardless, without getting nit-picky, that’s one heck of a haul for anyone who would be silly enough to blindly bet the favorites. --football gambling--

Road favorites covered as many as eight games this week depending upon your line, and overall the homers finished just 4-8-1 ATS. There was no distinct advantage for totals players as the under finished with a slight 7-6 edge. --football gambling--

Hang in there underdog bettors, the big payday is coming. Atlanta 17 at Miami 10 (1 / 40) Since nobody seems willing to give Vick the credit that he says he deserves, we’ll gladly step to the mic. The noted scrambler stayed home in this one and tossed for a season-high 228 yards. More importantly, the Falcons improved to 5-1 (4-2 ATS) in their last six contests. --football gambling--

The Dolphins dropped the cash for the fourth time in five games. Oakland 23 at Kansas City 27 (-4 ½ / 51 ½). --football gambling--

Why do they kick meaningless extra points when there is no time left remaining on the clock? Well, as far as we can tell it’s merely to give bettors chest pains. Whether you were on the side or total in this one, we’re willing to bet that you were frantically counting pointspreads in your head as time expired. We’re also guessing that you were again reminded to always get the best number. --football gambling--

Houston 14 at Jacksonville 21 (-13 / 36 ½) --football gambling--Jacksonville didn’t make life very easy for fans, and bettors alike on Sunday as it took 14 fourth-quarter points to gain victory over the one-win Texans. The slow start had Jags supporters chewing on chalk from the word go. --football gambling--

Tennessee 14 at Cleveland 20 (-3 / 37) --football gambling--The Browns now have more wins to their credit than eight other teams in the league and the Titans are included in that list. Technically that means that the Browns are the ninth-worst, which isn’t bad considering they lost to the Texans last week. --football gambling--

The under is now an 7-1 when the Browns hit the field, but unexplainably the posted total has actually gotten higher in each of Cleveland’s last three games. Go figure. --football gambling--Cincinnati 21 at Baltimore 9 (3 / 36) --football gambling--

The Bengals racked up 329 yards on the Ravens, and racked the cash for the fourth time in five road games this season. They pushed in the other. The under improved to 3-0 in the Bengals’ last three, and 3-0 when they tackle a divisional foe. The Ravens failed to score more than 10 points for the fourth time this year, and the under improved to 6-2 in Baltimore games. --football gambling--

Carolina 34 at Tampa Bay 14 (pk / 37) Let’s keep it simple. The Bucs finally faced a talented opponent, and they flat-out got their butts kicked. The win was the Panthers fifth in a row (3-2 ATS), and the over has now hit in six straight Carolina games. The Bucs lost for the second straight time since their bye week and are now just 1-5 ATS over their last six games. --football gambling--

San Diego 31 at NY Jets 26 (6 / 41) Chargers supporters fell victim to the ‘backdoor cover’ after looking like they were going to cover this spread by double-digits. Brooks Bollinger was the unlikely hero for New York bettors, leading a charge that didn’t fall short by much. --football gambling--

The 26 points is the most that the Jets have put up all season. The over has now cashed in three straight Jets contests and this result snapped a four-game under streak, and three-game ATS run for the Bolts. --football gambling--

Detroit 14 at Minnesota 27 (-2 / 38) --football gambling--The Vikings went to bat for steam bettors who had this line moving fast prior to kick-off, easily collecting the coin with a 13-point win. Oddly enough they did it without their best player and quarterback Culpepper, reinforcing they fact that sometimes things go unexplained in this league. --football gambling--
Minnesota has quietly won and covered three in a row at home and has pulled into a second place tie in the NFC North with the Lions. --football gambling--

NY Giants 24 at San Francisco 6 (11 / 43) --football gambling--
The Giants picked up their first road win of the campaign and improved their current win streak to three. So long as Eli Manning stays far away from San Diego, this team will do just fine. Seattle 33 at Arizona 19 (5 / 43) --football gambling--Remind us again why Dennis Green decided to go with Kurt Warner, or was that brilliant idea kept a secret? --football gambling--

The Seahawks are in cruise control and enjoy a 5-2 ATS run, while over bettors are benefiting from a 5-1 streak. --football gambling--

Chicago 20 New Orleans 17 (3 / 34) --football gambling--Chicago may have been guilty of playing to the level of its competition here, but ultimately couldn’t help but win its fourth in a row against the lowly Saints. New Orleans has recorded just one win since a season-opening victory over Carolina. --football gambling--The over cashed in a Bears game for just the second time this season- the first since Week 2 of the schedule. --football gambling--

Pittsburgh 20 at Green Bay 10 (3 ½ / 38) --football gambling--Has anyone seen Favre’s mo-jo? --football gambling--The Packers had ample opportunity to go up early in this one, but bad teams tend to squander those chances. The Pack did just that and they are a bad team. Green Bay hasn’t cracked the 20-point plateau in three weeks, and the under is 3-0 in those games. --football gambling--

Philadelphia 10 at Washington 17 (3 / 38 ½) --football gambling--

Note to Andy Reid: Umm, you`re allowed to run the ball inside the other team’s five-yard line with less than two minutes left and the game on the line. In fact, some would even say it’s encouraged. --football gambling--

Note to T.O.: Under the safe assumption that you’ll never read this article, I feel compelled to say that you’re an idiot. The Eagles dropped their fourth in a row against the number and matched their season-low points total. The Skins are now 5-2 ATS in their last seven and 3-1 ATS at home. --football gambling--Share your thoughts on this article in the Covers posting forum.--football gambling--

2005-11-02T06:23:00.000-08:00

Bolts backup Chiefs again
By Tom Shanahan, Chargers.com
Sunday, October 30, 2005

On a day the Chargers desperately needed a win, they found themselves forced to rely on as many as four backups to replace injured defensive starters and two backups to fill in for starters in the offensive line. -NFL Football-

But if you’re thinking the Chargers’ 28-20 win Sunday over the Kansas City Chiefs was something new – the Bolts weren’t tested this way last year when they remained relatively injury free – you’re forgetting the last time these teams met at Qualcomm Stadium. -NFL Football-

A year ago, with the playoff picture already determined, Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer opted to rest Drew Brees, LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates and Keenan McCardell, yet the Bolts still beat the Chiefs, 24-17, in the regular-season finale. -NFL Football-

“The last game last season we had starters who didn’t play against the Chiefs, and guys stepped up,” said Donnie Edwards, the Chargers’ 10th-year inside linebacker who shared the team lead with 11 tackles. “I think this was a continuation of last year. When one guy goes down the next guy has to step up. Marty has talked about that for a long time.” -NFL Football-

The Chargers opened the game with third-year inside linebacker Stephen Cooper and second-year outside linebacker Shaun Phillips making their first starts this year because of injuries to Randall Godfrey and Steve Foley, respectively. -NFL Football-

In addition, third-year cornerback Sammy Davis (11 tackles) was starting in place of Drayton Florence for the third time this year and former free agent Clinton Hart (four tackles and a pass defended) had to finish the game at strong safety when starter Terrence Kiel went down with an injury. -NFL Football-

“That tells you these guys were prepared,” Godfrey said. “Coop came in and did a great job and Shaun Phillips played outstanding. Anytime you have a group of young guys come in and we don’t miss a step, my hat is off to them. They were well prepared, and that’s good coaching.” -NFL Football-

Cooper finished the game with eight tackles and was credited with a half-sack. Phillips had two tackles while applying pressure throughout the afternoon, recovering a fumble and delivering a big hit worthy of highlight films that sent Kansas City running back Priest Holmes to the sideline. -NFL Football-

“Since I came to San Diego, I’ve prepared for every game as if I’m going to start,” Phillips said. “You never know when a guy might go down and I have to be prepared. I’ve played in big situations before – they’ve used me on third down in fourth quarter – and I’ve been a starter all my life, so I’m always prepared.” -NFL Football-

Cooper and Phillips were playing alongside rookie outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, who had two sacks and five tackles while making his second straight start. -NFL Football-

“We talk everyday, whether we’re starting or not,” Merriman said. “We’re always talking and trying to help each other become better players. That’s what good teams do.” -NFL Football-

On the offensive side of the ball, former free agent Bob Hallen made his second straight start in place of Nick Hardwick at center and Leander Jordan came on to replace left tackle Roman Oben (foot injury) late in the first half for the remainder of the game. -NFL Football-

“When someone new is in there, you have to help them along as best you can,” said right guard Mike Goff, an eighth-year veteran. “You need to do double duty – your job and help them with their job. That’s what good O-lines.” -NFL Football-

McCardell said the backups were just waiting for an opportunity to show what they can do. -NFL Football-

“We showed how deep we are,” McCardell said. “It gets tougher every week, because every week you’re getting nicked.” -NFL Football-

2005-10-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

The NFL Loses A Giant

Owner Praised For Contributions

October 26, 2005

By JOHN ALTAVILLA, Courant Staff Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- What distinguished a life Wellington Mara lived so well was his ability to influence corporate giants as well as third string Giants. He charmed both with the same unassuming flair. -NFL Football-

His friends and employees, his family and competitors say he touched their lives without leaving a smudge. So when Giants coach Tom Coughlin walks by his boss' office today the emptiness will be more than palpable. -NFL Football-

"It's very difficult for me right now to think about the New York Giants without Wellington Mara sitting in that office every day," Coughlin said. "One day before he went into the hospital I knew he was in the office, so I went down to see him. We talked back and forth and maybe a minute or two into the conversation, he said, `Well Tom, you better get back to work.' Back down the hall he sent me. -NFL Football-

"We knew he was ill, but you're afraid of this day." -NFL Football-

Wellington Timothy Mara, the patriarchal Hall of Fame owner of the Giants who influenced the growth of the NFL into a national institution, died Tuesday from cancer at his home in Rye, N.Y. He was 89. -NFL Football-

"The NFL can never be the same," said Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi. "He saw the first game ever played by this franchise. He shaped nearly every rule and philosophy we have in our league today. Most of all, he was the moral conscience of the NFL." -NFL Football-

Mara, the son of an Irish bookmaker who bought the Giants for $500 in 1925, grew to be a powerful figure for a team worth $806 million, according to Forbes Magazine. -NFL Football-

"The NFL would not be the NFL that it grew into without Wellington's influence," said Frank Gifford, the Giants Hall of Fame running back. "When the league got its first television contract, he realized it had to be equally distributed so everybody could be competitive. Even though the Giants had the largest television market, he said the money should be distributed equally. They knew it was better for football and the future of football by sharing the money equally." -NFL Football-

His wife, Ann, his 11 children and their spouses and many of his 40 grandchildren surrounded Mara when he passed away at 9:26 a.m. A funeral Mass will be Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan. -NFL Football-

Mara, elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997, suffered from skin cancer for most of the last 25 years, enduring many surgeries before May 10 when cancerous lymph nodes were removed. -NFL Football-

He had been in failing health since the surgery, which prevented him from attending training camp in Albany - one of his favorite pastimes - or any games this season. He did make a brief appearance at the team's minicamp in June, defying doctor's orders. -NFL Football-

Mara's presence on the sideline during practice - sitting on a folding chair or golf cart - or the locker room - always in a tie and jacket - had long been considered a calming influence. -NFL Football-

"One of the things I miss the most this year is [not] seeing him at every practice, sitting on that golf chair he always had," running back Tiki Barber said. "There was always a certain level of accountability, even in practice, because we always knew he was watching us. And after games, you'd walk into the locker room and he'd be standing right there to shake your hand, win or lose." -NFL Football-

Following Sunday's come-from-behind 24-23 victory over the Broncos, the Giants, told before the game of Mara's failing health by Coughlin, formed a tight circle in the locker room and chanted his nickname, "Duke, Duke, Duke" in tribute. -NFL Football-

"My father told me the name came from the Duke of Wellington," Mara once said. "My father said the Duke of Wellington was a great fighting Irishman. The name didn't bother me. I preferred it to Wellington." -NFL Football-

Although he spent many years as the team's general manager, Mara opposed interfering with the work of his staff once he passed the responsibility on to George Young and Accorsi. -NFL Football-

"He was a man of extraordinary character, integrity and decency," said Ravens owner Art Modell, Mara's friend of 45 years. "He was a kind man who rarely spoke in anger, never used profanity and was never untoward to anyone. Personally, this is very, very sad. ... We have lost a giant." -NFL Football-

Mara, a devout Catholic, was set in his ways. Team policy often mirrored his personal views, which is why the Giants do not have cheerleaders. -NFL Football-

Learning The Business

Mara was born Aug. 14, 1916, in New York City. Many of his childhood memories revolved around football, but baseball was a big part his early life, too. -NFL Football-

"I remember as a kid I was taken down to the Yankees dugout and introduced to Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, which was a big thrill, of course," Mara said this year. "It was in Yankee Stadium, so I know it was after 1923. I remember one day my mother and father took me for a drive. It was a Sunday. And we went to see Yankee Stadium being completed. Then we went up to see my father's new golf club, which was Winged Foot. Both opened in 1923. I would say it was 1924 or '25 that I got to meet Ruth and Gehrig." -NFL Football-

Mara graduated from Loyola High School before attending Fordham, where he was a classmate of Vince Lombardi, and earned his degree in 1937. His older brother, Jack, also attended Fordham, but it was Wellington who showed the most interest in learning the family business of football from his father, Tim. -NFL Football-

Wellington was 9 when the Giants played their first home game in October 1925 against the Frankford Yellow Jackets, a 14-0 loss. But the game made a big impression. -NFL Football-

"My father wanted me to go to law school because my brother Jack had gone," Mara said. "After I had graduated from college I asked my father if I could take a year off [before law school] and work with the football team, since I had skipped a year ahead when I was in grammar school. Twelve years later he said, `I guess you're not going to law school.' -NFL Football-

"When I first was around the team, it was like they were all my big brothers, then my contemporaries. Pretty soon, I was like their father. Now I'm their grandfather." -NFL Football-

Wellington would walk the sideline alongside his father at the Polo Grounds, where the team played its home games until moving to Yankee Stadium in 1956, often shivering in the cold. Because of that, one of the time-tested traditions of the team was born. -NFL Football-

Because of the objections of Wellington's mother, concerned about her son's susceptibility to colds, his father moved the team to the sideline where the sun routinely shined in early afternoon. And to this day, the Giants stand on the sunniest sideline of Giants Stadium. -NFL Football-

In 1930, Tim Mara turned ownership of the franchise over to Jack and Wellington, who was 14, primarily to protect the team from creditors. Jack Mara served as president until his death in 1965 at which time his son, Tim, took over. -NFL Football-

"When Jack died, I had to try to keep one foot in each door, and I don't think I did a very good job of it," Mara said. -NFL Football-

As a result, the relationship between the Maras, whose income has mostly been generated by the franchise, was often acrimonious. They feuded for more than a decade, especially during the 18-year period (1963-80) during which the Giants failed to make the playoffs. In 1987 it got so bad Wellington had Venetian blinds installed between the two owners' luxury suites. Tim responded by erecting wood paneling. The two hosted separate parties after the Giants won the Super Bowl after the 1986 season and again after the 1990 season. -NFL Football-

It was Tim Mara's cancer diagnosis in 1991 that prompted him to sell his interest in the team. Robert Tisch bought Tim's 50 percent stake for $150 million. -NFL Football-

A Man Of Many Titles

Mara was involved in just about every aspect of the team. His first job was as a ball boy at training camp, a tradition many of his sons and grandsons have carried on. -NFL Football-

Even as a college student, Mara made a significant contribution when he drafted and signed future Hall of Famer Tuffy Leemans in 1936. -NFL Football-

"If I'm remembered for nothing else, I'd like to be remembered for discovering Tuffy Leemans," Mara once said. -NFL Football-

Eventually he moved up to scouting and the front office, where he served as general manager during the 1950s and 1960s. During his life, the Giants won 18 divisional titles and six championships, including two Super Bowls. -NFL Football-

Mara also made trades that brought stars such as Y.A. Tittle, Andy Robustelli and Del Shofner to New York. His drafting of Gifford and Roosevelt Brown, another future Hall of Famer, further molded the Giants into a dominant team. -NFL Football-

Mara's only time away from the team was during World War II when he served in the Atlantic and Pacific corridors with the Navy. -NFL Football-

Mara served the NFL on many ownership committees. In 1971-77 he was chairman of the executive committee of the NFL's management council, the league's labor arm. He was voted president of the NFC in 1984, succeeding George Halas after his death. It was primarily upon his suggestion that NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue canceled league games following the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. -NFL Football-

"Wellington Mara represented the heart and soul of the NFL," Tagliabue said. "He was a man of deep conviction who stood as a beacon of integrity. His passions were many - his family and faith, the Giants, the NFL and his community." -NFL Football-

NFL owners postponed three days of meetings scheduled that were to begin today in Kansas City, Mo., after learning of Mara's death. -NFL Football-

2005-10-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

Woman sues Smith, alleging sexual assault
October 18, 2005
-- NFL --
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A woman who contends Vikings running back Onterrio Smith sexually assaulted her last year has sued the player. -- NFL --
The 21-year-old woman is not identified in the lawsuit filed last week, for fear of retaliation, said her attorney, Lori Peterson.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
The woman, who lives in the Twin Cities, says she was injured and humiliated and is seeking $150,000 in damages.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
The lawsuit claims she suffers from a lifelong illness and her physician describes her as an ``individual with disabilities.'' She has a form of mental impairment stemming from fetal alcohol syndrome. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Police reports indicate the woman met Smith through a friend, who was in an adjacent room in the Eden Prairie apartment during the alleged assault.-- NFL ---- NFL --
-- NFL --
The lawsuit mentions that a second Vikings player was involved in the attack, but that player is not identified because he ``met his legal obligations,'' Peterson said.-- NFL --
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Police in Eden Prairie, the Minneapolis suburb where the Vikings practice, investigated the rape report but no charges were filed. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Smith was notified of the lawsuit May 18 and has not responded, according to Peterson. Smith's agent did not immediately return a call Tuesday. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Smith was suspended for the season weeks after he was caught at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with several vials of dried urine and ``The Original Whizzinator,'' which is marketed as a way to beat drug tests.
-- NFL ---- NFL --

2005-10-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

Behind veterans, Jets hand Bucs first loss

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Oct. 9, 2005) -- More than anything, Vinny Testaverde wanted to make his teammates believe in him.

He did that and more Sunday. The 41-year-old Jets quarterback looked comfortable in the pocket, guiding two scoring drives and getting rousing cheers in helping the Jets beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14-12. - NFL Football -

Two weeks ago, Testaverde was on his couch in Long Island watching starter Chad Pennington and backup Jay Fiedler go down within minutes. He phoned coach Herman Edwards to offer his services. Now Testaverde has given his team a renewed confidence, and perhaps saved the season from ruin. - NFL Football -

"My goal was to get the guys to believe in me, so we can get the season turned around," Testaverde said. "I think they believe in me. I believe in them."

Going into the game, the Jets (2-3) had one win and were on their fourth quarterback of the season. The offense was in a shambles. A year that started with so much promise was on the brink of disaster. But Testaverde took command the moment he stepped on the field.

The Meadowlands crowd welcomed him back with a standing ovation.

"It sent chills through me," Testaverde said. "I wish I could express how I felt. I had goosebumps all over when I went out on the field." - NFL Football -

Testaverde finished 13 of 19 for 163 yards with an interception, but got plenty of help. Curtis Martin rushed for his first two touchdowns of the season, and the defense harassed Brian Griese and the rest of the Bucs (4-1).

Tampa Bay played without injured running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams because of foot and hamstring injuries, and could never generate anything offensively. Michael Pittman, who filled in for Williams, finished with 13 carries for 46 yards, while Griese was 27 of 42 for 226 yards with an interception. - NFL Football -

The Jets had three sacks and limited Tampa Bay to 285 yards despite 71 plays. That averages to 4 yards a play.

Tampa Bay was 2 of 14 on third down and also committed 12 penalties for 87 yards. Matt Bryant was the lone bright spot with four field goals (35, 36, 43, 30). - NFL Football -

"They got after us early," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "We had sacks in our first five or six passes. That will knock any quarterback out of rhythm."

Still, the Bucs had a chance in the end. They forced the Jets to punt with 1 minute remaining but ran out of time trying to get into field-goal range.

The day might have been meant for Testaverde, in his second stint after his first ended following the 2003 season. He spent last year in Dallas, but was out of football for nearly nine months before putting on the familiar green and white. - NFL Football -

"He made a couple of good throws for a guy who has been home eating potato chips," Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber said.

It took a while for the Jets to take their first lead of the game. On the first possession of the second half, Testaverde expertly led the Jets down the field, going 3 for 3 for 32 yards on the series.

But it wasn't easy. The Jets went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Martin plunged in to put the Jets up 14-9. Martin finished with 59 yards on 23 carries.

The lone miscue of the day for Testaverde nearly cost the Jets. Barber intercepted a hurried Testaverde in the fourth quarter, and Tampa Bay converted the turnover into points when Bryant kicked a 30-yard field goal with 4 minutes remaining. - NFL Football -

But that was as close as it would get.

Early on, the Jets failed to give Testaverde much help. Two interceptions were called back because of penalties, including one late in the second quarter.

New York capitalized on its lone takeaway in the first half, but there were some fireworks. After Ty Law returned an interception 43 yards to the Bucs 8, Martin carried for 3 yards. That's when Kevin Mawae and Barber got into a heated exchange; Barber swung at Mawae but inadvertently hit umpire Butch Hannah in the eye. - NFL Football -

Rather than getting ejected, Barber was given a 15-yard personal foul penalty. The Jets scored one play later, when Martin ran from 2 yards.

Now the Jets hope to use the victory for momentum for the rest of the season.

"It's a big win for us after what we went through the last couple weeks," receiver Wayne Chrebet said. "It's a step in the right direction."

Notes: Jets backup running back Derrick Blaylock (broken foot) is out for the season. The Buccaneers announced no new injuries, but Gruden said Williams will be questionable heading into next week's game against Miami. ... Former Jets tight end Anthony Becht had two catches for 6 yards for Tampa Bay. - NFL Football -

2005-10-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

NFL to randomly test players with steroid prescriptions

WASHINGTON (AFP) - American football players who reportedly had steroid prescriptions filled by a physician will be subject to random steroid testing.

The punishment for the players who were involved with South Carolina doctor James Shortt will be equal to what players who test positive for steroids would receive and follows a NationalFootball League investigation into the matter.

"Every player who was part of the league investigation is being tested up to 24 times a year, which is the most important element of putting an end to this,"NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue told the Washington Post.

"That's why we've not had repeat offenders. That's as important or more important than the discipline.

"We have a very good program. If anyone is dumb enough to subject themselves to 24 tests a year, they're stupid."

Citing an unnamed legaue source, the Post reported that fewer than 10 players over a four-year span used banned substances obtained from Shortt.

None of the players linked to Shortt, who now faces charges distributing steroids and human growth hormones, have ever tested positive in anNFL steroid test nor have they been fined or suspended, the Post reported.

NFL first-time offenders for steroids are banned for four games without pay.

A CBS News report on "60 Minutes" in March identified those who filled steroid prescriptions as Carolina Panthers punter Todd Sauerbrun, center Jeff Mitchell and tackle Todd Steussie.

Steussie now plays for Tampa Bay. Sauerbrun now plays for Denver.

Others linked to Shortt in other reports include defensive end John Milem, blocker Kevin Donnalley and tight end Wesley Walls.

But the Post, citing unnamed sources, said he believed that only Mitchell, Sauerbrun and Steussie were subject to the random tests.

Both Tagliabue and NFL Players Association boss Gene Upshaw said there was no sign of a wider problem with steroids. Tagliabue said the Panthers had no connection with the steroid prescriptions.

"It was basically the abuse of testosterone or other things that showed the limitations of testing," Tagliabue said. "It was not a failure of the program. It was the intrinsic limitations of testing that enabled them to go under the radar."

Copyright © 2005 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AFP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Agence France Presse.

2005-09-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

Alamodome is a savior for the NFL's displaced Saints

W. Scott Bailey

Sports View took to task a certain Express-News columnist back in May.

We nicknamed him Demolition Man after he contributed a piece suggesting that the Alamodome was an "economic folly" and should be leveled. - NFL Football -

Demolition Man's bold analysis of the 65,000-seat indoor stadium included the conclusion that the notion of NFL football in the Alamodome was a "ridiculous fantasy" that will "never come true." - NFL Football -

This is as good a time as any to offer a couple of important points.

The first: Columnists, including yours truly, are expected to fire from the hip with thoughts and opinions which can often be unpopular to many. The second: All of us have had moments in our careers when we wish we could erase something we wrote in the past.

I wonder if the news that the NFL is coming to the Alamodome -- albeit for three regular season games at this point -- represents one of those moments for the Demolition Man and other critics who have uttered similar words in disparaging the Alamodome and those who built it.

High praise

One person who no doubt cringed when he read that piece by Demolition Man is Alamodome Director Mike Abington. - NFL Football -

It was Abington who stood quietly in the bowels of the Alamodome, in a nondescript meeting room, when a tired New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson announced that San Antonio and its 12-year-old stadium would host three of his team's regular season games.

The confirmation was historic -- for San Antonio, the Saints and for the NFL.

On Oct. 2, Oct. 16 and Dec. 24, the Saints will play "home" games against the Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions, respectively. Those Alamodome contests are a result of the destruction Hurricane Katrina inflicted on Louisiana -- including New Orleans and the Saints' Superdome home. - NFL Football -

While some local leaders embraced the made-for-media moment, Abington settled into the background. There were likely some mixed emotions.

"That's home," says Abington about his native Louisiana, ripped apart in so many ways by Katrina. "Those are my people."

2005-09-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

Rams executive faces reprimand for message

ST. LOUIS (Sept. 14, 2005) -- An executive with the St. Louis Rams will be reprimanded for leaving a threatening phone message on the voice mail of a St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist.

The Rams told the Post-Dispatch that team executive Samir Suleiman faces discipline, but declined to say what it would be. A call to the Rams was not returned.

"It's shocking that he would leave a message like that," Rams president John Shaw told the Post-Dispatch. "It's the type of behavior that we don't condone at any level. He will be reprimanded, and it will be handled internally." - NFL Football -

On Aug. 28, sports columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote that he was disturbed by "infighting and politics" within the Rams organization, and said executives owe any head coach their support.

"Be it (Mike) Martz or another man, I don't care who sits in the head coach's office at Rams Park. The head coach should be backed, not back-stabbed, by associates," Miklasz wrote.

Suleiman left a message on Miklasz's voice mail, stating, in part, "tell your source that I'm not a back-stabber, I'm a (expletive) throat slasher, and he'll know the difference before it's all said and done." - NFL Football -

Suleiman, director of football administration, has worked for the Rams for six years. He assists president of football operations Jay Zygmunt on salary-cap issues and contract negotiations.

Shaw said the phone message showed "a lack of judgment. I really don't understand it, to be honest with you."

2005-09-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

NFL: Left tackle: An offense's last defense
By Sam Farmer

Los Angeles Times

He is in his 32nd season as an NFL assistant coach, so maybe it's only natural that Howard Mudd thinks of his offensive linemen as family.

And, in that family, his left tackles are the housewives.

"They go unnoticed and unappreciated," Mudd explained, "until something goes wrong."

And when something goes wrong with a left tackle, it can spell disaster. After all, he's the player responsible for protecting the blind side of a right-handed quarterback, the lineman who squares off every down against the league's most ferocious pass rushers - a migraine-making lineup of sack artists such as Miami's Jason Taylor, Indianapolis' Dwight Freeney, Green Bay's Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila and Tampa Bay's Simeon Rice. Come to think of it, any self-respecting housewife would leave in a huff.

"That puts a lot of stress on a guy because a number of injuries have happened because quarterbacks have been hit from that side," said Mudd, a former NFL lineman in his seventh season as offensive line coach of the Colts. "It's even bad if a quarterback's pressured. The guy who plays left tackle isn't really looked at as an asset. He's only noticed if he isn't doing his job."

A rare breed

Many football insiders consider that job the most difficult assignment this side of playing quarterback. Because offenses are often designed to run to the right more frequently, the right side of the offensive line often features slightly bigger but slower guards and tackles. In most cases, it's the left tackle - the man protecting the outside edge of the line - who has the rarest blend of size and quickness.

Left tackles don't come cheap. The top performers are paid in the neighborhood of $7 million a season. A trio of NFC West teams paid a total of $32 million in signing bonuses either to sign or re-sign left tackles this off-season. Jonas Jennings changed teams, going from Buffalo to San Francisco; Walter Jones re-signed with Seattle, and Orlando Pace re-signed with St. Louis.

"Mommas, let your babies grow up to be left tackles," said Gil Brandt, a longtime NFL personnel guru.

They might get the housewife treatment from typical fans, but left tackles have plenty of clout in football circles.

"When you tell people you're a left tackle, it basically says that you're the most athletic offensive lineman," said Levi Jones, who starts there for Cincinnati. "To hold that position down, it's a sense of pride. You can get away with having a guard who's not as good. You can't get away with having a bad left tackle."

No room for error

That said, for those players who dare to stand in the breech to protect a passer's blind spot, a bad game is just around the corner. If a defensive lineman averages one sack a game, he's got an all-but-guaranteed trip to the Pro Bowl. But if a left tackle surrenders one sack a game - even if he's virtually perfect on every other play - he's looking for a new line of work.

"If you give up a sack, you're exposed," Green Bay left tackle Chad Clifton said. "It's out there for everyone to see."

Any offensive lineman can give up a sack, of course, but sacks coming from the left side often are the ones that lead to brutal hits, quarterback fumbles and the like. And apologies. Lots of apologies.

"It's like the worst feeling in the world," Jones said of giving up a sack. "It's like you let somebody come in your house and slap your wife. To see your quarterback getting slammed to the ground, getting up slowly, getting injured ... and just knowing you're accountable.

"You just go back there and say, 'It won't happen again. You won't be touched again.'"

No one can make that promise with absolute certainty, but there are ways to help out a lineman, such as putting a tight end to his left, or sending a running back into the mix to "chip" a defender with a block. What Mudd can't stomach is the beaten lineman who panics, loses his composure and gives up the fight.

"The No. 1 characteristic a left tackle needs, sometimes even more than size and quickness, is mental toughness," he said. "And mental toughness isn't about how much you can dish out, it's how much you can take."

Like a housewife, he said, a left tackle must be willing to make every sacrifice necessary to get the job done.

"I don't care if you have to do a double back flip," Mudd said. "Just don't let (the pass rusher) get to (the quarterback)."

Sounds simpler than it is. A back-pedaling left tackle must somehow thwart an unbelievably quick 290-pound man who's starting from a sprinter's stance ... dozens of times each Sunday.

"If you find a guy who's good at doing that, you'd better hang onto him," said Leonard Davis, Arizona's left tackle. "We're not that easy to replace."

They're not easy to beat either, so some defensive coordinators don't even try. They put their best pass rushers opposite the right tackle.

Right-handed-throwing quarterbacks can see them coming from there, of course, but the scheme has been effective for some teams.

New York Giant Michael Strahan set the NFL single-season sack record from that side. Carolina's Julius Peppers and Chicago's Adewale Ogunleye also line up on the offense's right.

Teams that do that are sometimes able to throw an offensive line off kilter, Buffalo line coach Jim McNally said, and that's the goal.

"Offensive linemen are grooved into an almost robotic state of training," he said. "You don't want to change a whole lot. You try not to make it too complicated, because routine is what they like."

2005-08-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

NFL camps: Abraham, Benson show up

John Abraham and Cedric Benson have little in common except the timing for ending their holdouts.

Abraham, a three-time Pro Bowl defensive end, and Benson, the fourth overall pick in the NFL draft this year, were at their teams' practice facilities Monday. Abraham signed his one-year, $6.67 million franchise tender with the New York Jets after missing all of training camp. Benson, a running back from Texas, reportedly got a five-year, $35 million deal with the Chicago Bears.

"The business part is over with," Abraham said. "It's time to get to the personal part, which is getting back with my teammates and getting ready for the season. For me, it's more getting ready to play for the first game, not trying to hurt the team."

Abraham, who has a history of sacks and injuries, will have a physical Tuesday and begin practicing with the team immediately. He won't play in the exhibition finale Thursday at Philadelphia, but is expected to see spot duty in the season opener at Kansas City on Sept. 11.

e missed the final four regular-season games and two playoff games last season after spraining his right knee. He says his knee feels fine, and has no hard feelings with organization.

"I'm in shape, I've been working since the season was over with," Abraham said. "Obviously I had an injury last year, I had to rehab my knee and work on my body. It's been a long offseason, but it's been a very positive offseason.

"Hopefully I can stay healthy for 16 games. That's my only problem in the NFL so far. When I'm on the field, I've been a force."

The Bears need Benson to be a force in a rookie-laden backfield. They'll also start Kyle Orton at quarterback after Rex Grossman broke his ankle and Chad Hutchinson flopped this summer.

"This did take a lot longer than what we had anticipated," GM Jerry Angelo said. "We never really found that common ground. Usually, you find that common ground at some point the first couple weeks. We didn't really find anything that we agreed upon for quite some time. That created the long holdout."

Benson took a conditioning test Monday, but did not practice. Coach Lovie Smith said he will not play in Thursday's preseason game against Cleveland and is questionable for the opener Sept. 11 at Washington.

The Bears also sent tight end John Owens and a conditional draft pick to Miami for linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, a Pro Bowl alternate on special teams last season.

Broncos

Coach Mike Shanahan answered questions about why he decided to waive running back Maurice Clarett, the surprise third-round draft choice who was slowed by a groin injury and never made any impact in Denver's training camp.

"I think anytime you cut somebody in the third round, you feel like you made a mistake," Shanahan said. "When you do that, you make a mistake and you go on. At least you evaluate it.

"That's not to say that Maurice doesn't have a chance to go to another football team and make that team and contribute. But in a true evaluation of your own organization, when you use a third-round draft choice and he does not make your team, obviously it's not good."

Steelers

Willie Parker prides himself on his speed, but even he didn't expect his NFL career to take off this quickly. A college backup two years ago, he is now the Steelers' likely opening-day starter at running back.

Parker said Monday he hasn't been told he is officially on the team, yet he seems all but certain to start Sept. 11 against Tennessee because of injuries to Jerome Bettis (strained right calf) and Duce Staley (torn meniscus in knee).

"It would be nice" to start, Parker said. "But it's not about me, it's about the team."

Eagles

Jerome McDougle returned to the Eagles, one month after he was shot in the stomach by three armed robbers in southwest Miami.

"It makes you kind of wonder and makes you put things in a priority to see what's important. Life is important," McDougle said.

McDougle doesn't know when he'll be ready to play. Eagles coach Andy Reid said Sunday the third-year defensive end could be back for the fifth or sixth game if there aren't any setbacks in his rehab.

Giants

Eli Manning said he experienced no soreness in his sprained elbow Monday, a day after throwing the ball for the first time since he was injured 10 days ago.

Manning reiterated his plans to be in the starting lineup for the Giants' opener Sept. 11 against Arizona. He said he will miss the Giants' final preseason game Thursday at New England, but hopes to resume full practicing by next Monday.

"That's what I'm shooting for," he said. "My mind-set is that when we start game-planning for Arizona in the first game, I'm going to be there taking all the snaps and not having to worry about any arm issues."

Redskins

With punter Tom Tupa struggling from a back injury, Washington signed 16-year veteran Chris Mohr. Youngster Andy Groom also is in camp, but Mohr has essentially been given two practices and one exhibition game to show whether he can hold down the job.

"Fortunately, in my position, I don't have to learn plays or new formations — it's just catch it and kick it. That's pretty universal throughout the league," Mohr said. "So I'll just keep doing what I've been doing for 15 years. It's just a different venue, different city."

Patriots

New England released quarterback Rohan Davey, running back Cedric Cobbs and safety Dexter Reid.

Davey was the Patriots' fourth-round draft pick in 2002 out of LSU. He served as Tom Brady's backup last year, but became expendable with the offseason signing of Doug Flutie and the emergence of rookie Matt Cassel during training camp.

In three seasons, Davey played in seven games, completing eight of 19 passes for 88 yards.

Seahawks

Right tackle Floyd Womack could miss four games after injuring his left triceps in the Seahawks' 23-17 exhibition win over Kansas City on Saturday. Womack left the game in the second quarter.

Coach Mike Holmgren said Monday that the team got better news than expected, but that Womack would miss the start of the season.

"We got some good news in the fact that it was not completely torn," Holmgren said. "We're thinking six weeks — probably four games into the year. That's what I'm hoping."

Womack has started at least four games in each of the last three seasons, but injuries have derailed much of his career.

Texans

Veteran tight end Billy Miller, whose production decreased over the past two seasons, was among 12 players released. Miller played in every game and started nine last season. He caught 17 passes for 178 yards. The total was down from both 2003 (40-355) and 2002 (51-613). He was the Texans' leading receiver in 2002.

He has played more of a secondary role since Mark Bruener joined the team last season and has been hampered by an ankle injury this month.

Cardinals

Arizona placed J.R. Redmond, the team's top kick returner, on injured reserve. Coach Dennis Green said he couldn't wait into the regular season for Redmond to return from a dislocated shoulder.

"The beginning of the season is going to be crucial, and I think that we have our hands tied in a lot of other different injuries that we're probably going to have to ride it," Green said. "And you just can't only ride so long with players that are injured."

Center Bill Conaty (arm) and defensive tackle Kenny King (wrist) also were placed on injured reserve, and Green waived six players, including former starters Peppi Zellner and Ifeanyi Ohalete. Zellner was a 14-game starter last year at left defensive and Ohalete started 13 games.

Falcons

Atlanta released defensive end Brandon Mitchell and reached an injury settlement with rookie receiver Derrick Tinsley.

The 30-year-old Mitchell signed with the Falcons in April. He was a second-round pick by New England in 1997, and has played 96 games in his career, making 45 starts.

Mitchell spent the last three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.

2005-08-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

Ex-NFL RB Phillips allegedly runs car into teens

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips, who was wanted by police for domestic violence, was arrested Sunday after allegedly running his car into three teenagers who argued with him during a pickup football game, police said.
Police had been seeking Phillips since earlier this month for allegedly attacking his girlfriend twice, once choking her into unconsciousness. - NFL Football -
Phillips joined a group of 16- and 17-year-olds in a pickup football game in Exposition Park on Sunday and got into an argument with several of the teens, said Los Angeles police officer Sandra Escalante. He left the park, but returned and drove a black Honda onto the field, allegedly running into three teenage boys, she said.
The teenagers were taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
The car Phillips was driving was reported stolen in San Diego earlier in the week, Escalante said.
Phillips was arrested and held on the domestic violence felony warrant. Charges are pending in the Sunday incident, she said. - NFL Football -
San Diego Police had offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to Phillips' whereabouts, and said he had indicated he wouldn't surrender peacefully.
The first domestic assault, in which police say Phillips' 28-year-old girlfriend was choked, allegedly occurred Aug. 2 at her San Diego home. Police said the second assault allegedly took place 11 days later when Phillips confronted the woman at a party.
In both cases he left the scene before officers could arrest him.
Police have said Phillips is also wanted on an outstanding felony warrant from Los Angeles for an unrelated domestic violence case. - NFL Football -
The former University of Nebraska star has a history of high-profile trouble with the law going back a decade to his time as one of the nation's top college football players.
He was drafted sixth overall in 1996 by the St. Louis Rams despite pleading no contest to a charge of domestic violence in a confrontation with a girlfriend. He was released for insubordination in 1997 after 25 games with the Rams.
Phillips signed with the Miami Dolphins later in the 1997 season, but was released after pleading no contest to hitting a woman in a nightclub.
He was the top offensive player in NFL Europe in 1999 after setting league records for rushing and touchdowns with the Barcelona Dragons. - NFL Football -
He signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 1999, but was released for missing a practice. He later played in the Canadian Football League.

Associated Press

2005-08-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Former CFLers Kapp, Harris, Lewis and Ware inducted into U.S. college football shrine

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (CP) - Joe Kapp's never-say-die attitude was in the U.S. College Football Hall of Fame long before he was.
Every day fans visit the hall and watch the five-lateral kickoff return the Kapp-coached Cal team used in 1982 to beat Stanford 25-20. Kevin Moen finished The Play by running over a Stanford band trombonist.
"The play didn't fall out of the sky," Kapp said Saturday. "Was it an accident, good luck or coaching? It wasn't an accident."
It wasn't an accident Kapp was being inducted Saturday in the College Football Hall of Fame, either. But the former CFL star was inducted for his ability to play the game, not coach it.
Kapp spent eight seasons in the CFL, in 1964 leading the B.C. Lions to their first Grey Cup win. He is the only quarterback to play in a Super Bowl, Grey Cup and Rose Bowl.
He was twice a CFL all-star during his career in Canada, passing for 22,925 yards. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1984.
But Kapp wasn't the only former CFL player inducted Saturday.
Joining him were Andre Ware, a quarterback who won a Heisman Trophy at the University of Houston, Arkansas linebacker Wayne Harris and Lincoln University running back Leo Lewis.
The Detroit Lions drafted Ware in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft but after unsuccessful stints with Detroit and Minnesota, Ware landed in the CFL in 1995 with the Ottawa Rough Riders. In 1997, he served as a backup to Doug Flutie with the Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts. Ware was signed by the NFL's in 1998 but retired from football the following year.
Harris played on both offence and defence while at the University of Arkansas and was a first-team All-America selection at both offensive guard and linebacker.
He went on to join the CFL's Calgary Stampeders and spent 12 seasons there, winning the CFL's outstanding lineman award in 1965, '66, 1970 and '71. The Stampeders won the Grey Cup in his final season with the club, and two years later retired his No. 55 jersey. Harris was also later inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Lewis was twice a first-team All-America selection at Lincoln and set school records for touchdowns in a season (22), career TDs (64), yards rushing in a season (1,239) and career (4,457).
He was drafted by the NFL's Baltimore Colts, but headed north to the CFL. In 11 seasons with Winnipeg, he was honours as a league all-star six times and was named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Also among the 20 players inducted were Oklahoma middle guard Tony Casillas, Penn State running back Lydell Mitchell and Southern Mississippi punter Ray Guy.
Kapp said it was the lessons he learned as a player at Cal in the late 1950s that helped the Golden Bears beat Stanford 24 years later.
"I learned: 'Be ready when opportunity comes. Never give up,' " he said. "My credo in the 1969 Super Bowl year for the Minnesota Vikings was '40 for 60.'
"Forty players for 60 minutes. That was the attitude of our Rose Bowl team."
That attitude helped the Golden Bears improve from 1-9 a season earlier to 7-4 in 1958, as Kapp threw for 775 yards and ran for 616 yards. He doesn't think of being enshrined as an honour for him, but for the entire team - the last Cal squad to play in the Rose Bowl.
"Quarterbacks get too much credit," he said. "Football's a team game.
"So when you get the honours, I know what goes into it. This is a team honour."
Casillas said he was overwhelmed when he learned that nearly five million men have played college football but fewer than 1,000 have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
"That kind of puts everything in perspective," said Casillas, who won the Lombardi Award as U.S. college football's top lineman in helping the Sooners to an
NCAA championship in 1985. "The hall really brings the adrenaline out in you."
Mitchell rushed for a then-NCAA record 26 touchdowns in 1971.
"Some of us had to wait longer than others," said Mitchell, who played for the Nittany Lions from 1969 to '71. "But whenever you get in it's just a fantastic feeling.
"Penn Staters who came before me said: 'Just wait for the experience. I can't describe it to you.' And it's been wonderful."
Guy, despite being the first punter enshrined, doesn't believe the position is overlooked.
"I think it's just a matter of time before they start putting more in here," he said. "It's a part of the game that's very important.
"It's very critical to the game. The recognition is coming."

2005-08-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

Friedman gets posthumous honour

(AP) - No less an authority than Red Grange called Benny Friedman one of the NFL's greatest players.
On Sunday in Canton, Ohio, 72 years after his retirement and 23 after he died of a self-inflicted gun wound, Friedman will join Grange and many of those other greats in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. - NFL Football -
It took some aggressive campaigning by Friedman's former players at Brandeis University to finally convince the voters to admit the former quarterback Grange dubbed "the best I ever played against." Friedman and Fritz Pollard, another pioneer of the NFL's early days, were nominated by the veterans committee, then voted in by the 39-member panel that annually chooses new Hall of Famers. - NFL Football -
Dan Marino and Steve Young are the other inductees.
"For a variety of reasons we can speculate on, he didn't make it into the Hall of Fame," said Bill McKenna, a receiver when Friedman coached at Brandeis and a former CFL player with the Calgary Stampeders. "But unquestionably those who remained in football and knew of him and who knew football, they were all confident he would get in the Hall.
"A group of us, mainly the players of Brandeis, maybe 40 or 50 players who played under him, recognized that and made a series of objectives, put together presentations and brochures, and hopefully they would come true and get Benny Friedman into the Hall."
At five foot eight or so and just 170 pounds, Friedman hardly was the prototype quarterback. But he became a star at Michigan - his field goal in 1925 lifted the Wolverines past Grange and Illinois - and then moved into the pros. - NFL Football -
With no draft, he was able to choose his team, and Friedman signed with the Cleveland Bulldogs in 1927. A year later, the franchise moved to Detroit and became the Wolverines. It seemed Friedman had come full circle.
While starring for that team, his popularity was noticed by New York Giants owner Tim Mara, who needed a headliner to stop the flow of red ink he was enduring. He acquired Friedman, and fans began showing up at Giants games, with Mara turning a profit during Friedman's first season on the roster. - NFL Football -
Nearly three-quarters of a century later, Mara's son Wellington returned the favour, endorsing Friedman for the Canton shrine.
In all, Friedman played for four teams from 1927-34, and was considered the best player on each of them. - NFL Football -
Famed columnist Paul Gallico once wrote in the New York Daily News:
"When a Friedman pass reaches the receiver, it has gone its route. The ball is practically dead. The receiver has only to reach up and take hold of it like picking a grapefruit off a tree."
Of course, the ball more resembled a watermelon in those days.
After he quit as a player, Friedman coached City College of New York after being personally asked by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia to take the job. He spent six seasons there, then joined the Navy during World War II.
Following the war, Friedman went to Brandeis as athletic director and football coach. He turned the program at that elite New England school into one of the best on its level in the nation.
"And we accomplished as 'Bennie's Boys' a lot of good things for the university, and I think it made our group that much stronger," McKenna said. "Not just get-togethers for fun's sake, but we helped the university and future athletes at the school." - NFL Football -
Friedman often would work out with the players after practice. McKenna said he would run 30 or so yards downfield and Friedman would throw him perfect passes, time after time.
Friedman once bragged he probably could still play in his 40s, and the boast nearly came back to haunt him. Brandeis was playing Springfield College - "the school was for phys ed only, so it was all athletes," McKenna said.
"They started riding Benny after the comment showed up, saying: 'You are an old man, no way you could play.' He didn't say a word. He was too much of a gentleman.
"All we could do for him was win the game and when we won the game, he was a very happy man. And he walked away, the gentleman he was, without getting involved in all the tormenting that was going on from the stands," McKenna recalled.
More than 20 of Benny's Boys will be in Canton this weekend to honour one of football's pioneers. - NFL Football -
"There was no question he was one of the dominant football players of the era of the late 1920s and early '30s," McKenna said. "We recognized this and, fortunately, the members of the Hall of Fame committee were kind enough to look at the material we put together. Every time I read it, I am proud of what my teammates have done. ... It has come to fruition." - NFL Football -

BARRY WILNER

2005-07-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for some football?
As NFL training camps prepare to open, Bob Glauber previews the 2005 season by asking a lot of questions.

1. Patriots actCan Bill Belichick win without Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel?
For years, the Patriots' head coach had his trusted lieutenants calling signals on both sides of the ball. Now, it's untested Eric Mangini running the defense and Belichick himself who'll call the shots on offense. We know what Belichick can do in this league, and we've learned one thing: Don't bet against him. He's the mostknowledgeable coach in the game today, and he'll figure out a way to keep things humming without Weis, who moves on to Notre Dame, and Crennel, now the Browns' head coach. A Super Bowl three-peat is not out ofthe question. - NFL Football -
2. Regal EaglesWill Philadelphia finish what it started, and will Terrell Owens be there to help?Philly finally got over the NFC Championship Game hump and into the Super Bowl last season, but stumbled against the Patriots. Now, brilliant wide receiver Terrell Owens is up to his me-first ways in a nasty contract dispute, and no one knows how it will impact the rest of the team. But if there's anyone capable of minimizing the effects, it's head coach Andy Reid, whose no-nonsense style should help calm the waters. The Eagles are still head-and-shoulders above the rest in the NFC. So look for the Patriots and Eagles to be the two teams standing in Detroit on Feb. 5. - NFL Football -
3. Peyton's placeWill Peyton Manning ever beat Belichick?Steve Spurrier had Manning's number in college, with the Florida coach once chirping: "You can't spell the Citrus Bowl without UT," a dis at Manning's University of Tennessee. Belichick doesn't deliver such quips, but he does beat Manning just about as often. It's three straight wins against Manning's Colts, including two straight AFC title games. If they meet again, we still take Belichick. - NFL Football -
4. J-E-T-SWill Chad Pennington's arm hold up?The Jets' quarterback fought through shoulder problems most of last year and finally went under the knife in February. He says he feels better than ever, but there is still plenty of uncertainty about just how effective he can be. If he's sound, then there's no reason Pennington can't be among the NFL's elite quarterbacks.
5. Cold TunaIs this Bill Parcells' last year in Dallas? - NFL Football -
The former Giants, Patriots and Jets coach enters Year Three in Big D, and there were rumblings in the offseason that he thought about quitting after last season. That's nothing new with Parcells, who has left three franchises for various reasons. Tuna has plenty of old soldiers around him,including Drew Bledsoe, Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn and now Aaron Glenn, but he needs to make a playoff run to recapture the magic he showed two years ago in one of his best coaching jobs ever. - NFL Football -

Newsday Inc

2005-07-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

Play Football Month celebrates season's start

(July 13, 2005) -- The NFL, NFLPA and USA Football are teaming again to celebrate the start of the football season on all levels -- from youth to the NFL -- with a month-long national campaign starting in late August.
Play Football Month, an expansion of last year's Play Football Week, will take place from Aug. 25 - Sept. 30, 2005. The campaign theme is: "Be Part of the Football Family."
Young people of all ages can participate in special football events in their communities throughout the month, including clinics, skills competitions, scrimmages, picnics and parades.
NFL teams and youth football organizations such as the Amateur Athletic Union, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Jewish Community Centers Association, National Association of Police Athletic Leagues, National Federation of State High School Associations, National Recreation & Park Association, Pop Warner Little Scholars, YMCA of the USA, American Football College Association and military bases will host the local events and provide assistance in generating interest and participation.
In addition to donating 55,000 tickets to area youth and military personnel last year as part of the inaugural Play Football Week, NFL teams supported the initiative by including local youth in preseason game activities, including the coin-toss ceremony, the National Anthem and halftime youth football scrimmages.
"Getting youngsters involved in football encourages them to be active, and the lessons they learn on the field go far beyond the fundamentals of the game. They learn to tackle life's challenges," said NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. "It's important that we celebrate what the game of football provides for our children and our communities."
A national print, radio and television campaign for Play Football Month will begin later this month. Promotion for events will be coordinated through local leagues and football organizations, community centers, news outlets and NFL clubs during preseason game telecasts.
For information on local events or to become involved in Play Football Month, interested groups can visit www.usafootball.com to use the online Play Football Month Toolkit and sign up for free materials, including field banners, patches and helmet decals. The toolkit provides a turnkey operation that can be implemented by local football and community organizations.
The Play Football Month Celebration Awards will again recognize events that best celebrate the sport of football and bring the community together. While NFL teams are not eligible for the award, non-profit organizations with which they work are eligible for nomination. Last year's winning celebrations included a pep rally, parade, picnic, skills clinic and scrimmage. Among last year's 11 winners, several worked with their local NFL team, including the Naperville Pop Warner (Chicago), Naples Gators (Miami), San Diego Youth Football & Cheer Conference (San Diego) and Western New York Youth Tackle Football Federation (Buffalo).
USA Football is an independent non-profit organization that was endowed by the NFL and the NFL Players Association in December 2002. It is the first national advocacy group created to galvanize, support, and promote the sport of amateur football and its invaluable lessons for all boys and girls. Jack Kemp, former Congressman and quarterback who led the Buffalo Bills to the 1964 and 1965 American Football League Championship, serves as chairman of USA Football.

NFL

2005-07-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

D-C grad expected to grab Ball State spotlight

When Dante Ridgeway left Ball State's football program for the NFL draft this spring, the Cardinals sustained a big loss.
Gone are Ridgeway's 194 catches over the last two seasons, which could benefit Mikey Steinhaus. - NFL Football -
Steinhaus, a Dundee-Crown graduate, figures to play an even bigger role with the Cardinals when they open the season Sept. 3 at Iowa in an 11 a.m. ESPN telecast.
Plenty of football observers are taking notice of Steinhaus, a junior tight end whose 12 career receptions include six touchdowns.
CollegeFootballNews.com, a Web site run by FoxSports.com, called Steinhaus the team's unsung star on the rise and its top NFL prospect. - NFL Football -
"It's good to come home and have all your friends know about it," said Steinhaus, who is slated to be the team's starting tight end. "It's nice publicity, but it really doesn't mean anything because I still have to go out and prove it."
Ridgeway, a wide reciever who was drafted in the sixth round by the St. Louis Rams, caught a Mid-American Conference record 105 passes last season for 1,399 yards and eight touchdowns. The rest of the team, meanwhile, managed 98 receptions for 900 yards and six TDs.
"Offensively, we had a great weapon in Dante Ridgeway and utilized him to the fullest," Ball State coach Brady Hoke told reporters this spring.
During a 2-9 season last fall, Steinhaus was limited to mainly blocking for an offense that included a freshman quarterback, a freshman tailback and a green offensive line.
"I knew why we had to do it, so I wasn't upset," he said. "It made me a better player."
This fall, though, the Cardinals are hoping a new-look offense under first-year quarterbacks coach Stan Parrish – a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant in their 2003 season – greatly increases its production. - NFL Football -
"It's a more spread-out offense that going to get a lot of people involved," said the 6-foot-3, 256-pound Steinhaus. "It uses the tight end a lot more, too. I like it because a lot more people are going to be a part of it."
North Texas newcomer: Huntley grad Frank Gray is listed as a reserve right guard for the University of North Texas football team.
Gray sat out last season after transferring from Miami University in Ohio, where he played defensive line.
North Texas has won four consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles and played in the past four New Orleans Bowl games.
Gray, a 6-foot-1, 285-pound junior, will have a chance to block for two of the nation's top running backs this fall. - NFL Football -
The Mean Green returns 2003 NCAA rushing champion Patrick Cobbs (157.2 yards a game) for a fifth season. Cobbs suffered a knee injury last season. His backup, Jamario Thomas, led the nation with 180.1 last fall as a true freshman.
North Texas opens its season Sept. 3 at LSU.
Concordia ace: Crystal Lake Central grad Zach Byrd pulled double duty at D-III Concordia University in River Forest.
Byrd, who started all 20 games last fall for the school's soccer team, helped Concordia's tennis team win the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference regular-season and tournament championships in the spring. - NFL Football -
Byrd, who will be a sophomore this fall, was named to the All-NIIC team after winning the league's No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles titles.
In singles, Byrd completed a 7-0 season by beating Clark College's Brian Stith, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, in the conference tournament's championship match.
Byrd and Alex LaChapelle teamed up in doubles to claim a conference crown without losing a set in the NIIC tournament. - NFL Football -
Thanks to Byrd's contributions, Concordia claimed its first NIIC tournament title since 1997.

BARRY BOTTINO

2005-07-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

Final registration set for Pro Football Camp

From staff reports
With a stellar lineup of past and present NFL talent scheduled to take part, spots are fast filling up for the 2005 Willie Brown Pro Football Camp to be held at DeRidder High School.The final registration will be held from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the H.S.T.A.A. Tutoring Center on July 9. The center is located across the street from Dairy Queen East. Parents can also register their children by stopping by the Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. through July 8.
The camp, which will also promote leadership and self-esteem will be held on July 15 and 16 beginning at 7:30 a.m.In addition to Coach Willie Brown of the Oakland Raiders, players and coaches presently scheduled to participate include Randy Moss, Charles Woodson, Warren Sapp, Tim Brown, Doug Williams, James Harris, Charlie Joiner, Sean Jones, Albert Lewis, Clayton Lopez, Lionel Washington, Nnamdi Asomugha, Carlos Francis, Doug Gabriel, Grant Irons, Grady Jackson, Sebastian Janikowski, Shane Lechler, Ricky Porter and Stuart Schweigert.
These players and coaches, including Pro Bowlers and members of the Hall of Fame, will be donating their time, skills and knowledge to develop the football skills of local youth, ages 8-18.Community Network, a non-profit organization in DeRidder who focuses on the youth of the parish, began working on this camp several months ago.
"We are very excited and pleased to have Coach Brown and these pro football players coming to Beauregard Parish," Community Network President Cecil Stewart said. "We are looking to register as many children as possible for this camp."Joining in the planning and promotion of this camp is the Southwest Louisiana Youth Football Association, made up of leagues from the DeQuincy, DeRidder, Merryville, Rosepine and South Beauregard areas.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for our community," Avon Knowlton, a director with the SWLA Youth Football Association, said. "Many of our youth will never get the chance to meet a pro player or participate in a camp. On average, the cost would be well over $400 to send a child to a football camp like this one."Security will be in place so only those registered may enter the gates and parents will be able to watch from a designated area. No coolers or cameras will be allowed inside the gates.

2005-06-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

Lombardi: Favre always a joy to watch

Meet the new and improved Brett Favre. The Brett Favre who hired a personal trainer and consequently is in great physical shape. I speculated last fall in Packer Report that Favre would retire before this season and luckily I was wrong. Happily, he will be lining up behind center to start his 15th NFL season and 14th with the Packers. He is the heart and soul of this team and is still a great representative of the team and the league.

There are a great deal of questions about the 2005 season. The offensive line needs to be rebuilt. The receiving corps is in flux with Javon Walker possibly holding out and Robert Ferguson recovering from his neck injury. Ahman Green had a so-so year and who knows what effect his legal problems will have on his level of play. The defensive questions are too numerous to list.

But let us take a look at where Favre sits in the chase to accumulate statistics. I get the feeling he could not care less about records and stats, but it is fun to speculate during this dead time.

Favre trails only John Elway and Dan Marino in career passing yards. He should pass Elway before the half way point of next season. He trails Marino by 11,0628 yards. Favre passed for more than 4,000 yards last year. At that pace, he could catch Marino in less than three years, if he plays that long.

He trails Elway and Marino in pass attempts. Again, he will pass Elway sometime next year. He attempted 540 passes last year and at that pace, he could catch Marino, who leads him by 1,355 attempts, in less than three years. He trails only Marino in the completion department by 662 and would pass the Dolphins signal caller in less than two years. In 2004, Favre completed 346 passes.

Favre trails Marino in touchdowns thrown by 45 and since he threw 30 scoring passes last year, he could catch Marino in a 24 games.

Elway leads in the victory department with 148. Marino is one back with 147. Favre sits at 135 and it is possible, but not probable for him to break that record before the sun sets on New Years Day, 2006.

Favre has played 14 years and since he sat the bench his rookie year, he has accomplished all this in 13 seasons. Marino and Elway started as rookies. It took Marino 17 seasons and Elway, 16 seasons to pile up those numbers. So if he plays three more years, he would eclipse all these records in less time than these other greats. No one knows if he will play that long, but he has indicated this off-season that he may do just that.

In every imaginable category, Favre is one of the greatest quarterbacks and players to ever play the game. Enjoy him while you can. He makes the game fun.

By John Lombardi

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2005-06-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

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NFL Europe Players Aim To Bulk Up

Following another demanding workout, Seante Williams sipped his EAS cookies and cream protein drink as he sat in front of his locker.

The defensive end has been sucking down the shakes since returning from his NFL Europe team, the Frankfurt Galaxy, three weeks ago.

Unlike most veterans who are trying to hone their bodies to last the season, the 14 Packers who recently completed NFL Europe play are trying to regain the bulk they lost.

"I'm just trying to get stronger ... get my weight back," said Williams, who tied for third in the league with five sacks.

Through lifting, ingesting protein shakes and bars and eating some good ol' American food, the six-foot-six Williams has added 10 pounds in a week-and-a-half, raising his weight from a linebacker-girth of 245 to 255. He has emphasized squats, an exercise he could rarely do in Europe, to build up his leg strength.

Punter B.J. Sander, last year's third-round draft pick, was allocated to the Hamburg Sea Devils where he dropped from 215 to 209 pounds.

Between daily practices and weekly games, NFL Europe players do not have much time to lift. Aside from practices, Williams could only work out twice-a-week for about 30 minutes.

"That just wasn't enough," he said.

NFL Europe is a microcosm of the grueling NFL season where most players try to maintain -- not add strength -- during the season but often lose muscle mass because of injuries and the season's grind. However, the players in NFL Europe faced other challenges.

Unlike the Packers' weight room, which is located next to the locker room, the Galaxy's weight room was half-a-mile away. Sander had to take a bus and train -- a trip that would take at least 20 to 30 minutes -- to get to the Sea Devils' weight room. When Punter Brooks Barnard played for the Rhein Fire last year, he had to travel 45 to 50 minutes from his hotel to the practice facility.

The European facilities have less equipment than the Packers. Williams worked out in a trailer that had only two bench presses, two squat racks and a leg press machine.

The European food also accounted for their weight loss.

"The German food had a different flavor," Williams said.

Sander could not pinpoint the difference, but prefers American cuisine to what he ate in Europe.

"I wasn't used to it," he said. "The way the food is prepared is different. I don't know if it's the way they cook it or what they do to it."

Through workouts and some home cooking, he has already boosted his weight to 212. Sander, who finished second in NFL Europe with a 40-yard average and 36-yard net average, will spend the rest of the offseason adding strength particularly to his lower body, which should help combat his sore knee. But he will also rest his leg, refraining from any punting.

"I probably won't pick up a football until a week before training camp," Sander said.

Despite the challenge of having to recover from another season and add strength, Sander said his experience in NFL Europe will help him this year.

"I got some good things out of it," said Sander, who deemed the competition at the level of a college all-star game. "It was definitely good to be able to apply what I learned last year into games."

But mostly he is happy to be home.

"(It's) great to be back," Sander said.

by Jeff Fedotin, Packers.com