Nfl Football Betting

2005-11-07T13:21:00.000-08:00

New-look Colts: Manning’s not alone
By Albert Breer/ MetroWest Daily News
Monday, November 7, 2005 - Updated: 06:59 AM EST

FOXBORO – For better or worse, fingers always are pointed at the quarterback. --football gambling--As such, Peyton Manning has shouldered much of the blame for the Colts’ failure to get past the Patriots. And in both the 2003 AFC Championship Game and the ’04 divisional playoff, a lot of that criticism was fair. --football gambling--

But the outcome would’ve been much different for Manning if Edgerrin James had produced in big spots during the regular season. With the game on the line two years ago, the tailback failed to score on three runs from inside the Pats’ 2, and last year, he coughed up a golden opportunity by fumbling in the red zone.--football gambling--

Each time, a win would have given Indy home-field advantage in the playoffs, thus sparing Manning his snowshoeing trips to Foxboro. --football gambling--

This time around, James again will be the key, especially since yesterday’s MLS playoff match between the Revolution and Chicago turned the area between the hash marks at Gillette into a mud pit. The Colts have emphasized controlling the ball to aid their fourth-ranked defense, and James, a seventh-year back, came into Week 9 leading the NFL with 801 yards rushing on 163 carries and seven touchdowns. --football gambling--

“People are doing things to try to take our passing game away, and they have given us more of what we call ‘run looks’ that the quarterback is instructed to run the ball against,” Colts coach Tony Dungy said. “We have to run it more, and we’re running it well.”
The Indy offense also has been attacked by more teams playing cover-3 defenses and other off-looks to prevent the big play. After averaging 9.17 yards per attempt last fall, Manning is down to 7.60. --football gambling--

Still, the quarterback is on pace for his most accurate season, completing a stunning 68.1 percent of his passes while spreading the ball to wideouts Reggie Wayne (37 receptions for 437 yards) and Marvin Harrison (37-388), along with Brandon Stokley (21-237) out of the slot. All three have experienced drops in their yards-per-catch numbers, and that seems to be a product of what defenses are giving them.--football gambling--

“(Opponents) have taken away a lot of the play-action passes where we got big plays,” Dungy said. “They have taken away the deep throws down the middle and forced us into a different style.” --football gambling--

Indy’s style on the other side of the ball remains what it has been – a cover-2, one-gap, penetrating look – only now it’s much more effective. Dungy has finally found experienced players to fit the scheme. A smallish front features All-Pro end Dwight Freeney (seven sacks), who will stunt and shoot gaps to get to Pats quarterback Tom Brady. Nickel rusher Robert Mathis (eight) is the type of speedy player Dungy favors up front. And defensive tackle Corey Simon balances it out as a powerful run-stopping presence. --football gambling--

“They sack the quarterback, they (take the ball away), they have guys that make a lot of interceptions,” Brady said. “They do it all.” --football gambling--

Linebacker Cato June leads the Colts with five picks, two of which he’s brought back for scores. Gary Brackett has 56 tackles and two INTs. --football gambling--

Behind that duo is a physical secondary – like the one Dungy had at Tampa Bay – led by cornerbacks Jason David, Nick Harper and Marlin Jackson on the perimeter and hard-hitting safeties Mike Doss and Bob Sand. --football gambling--

2005-11-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

The Duke who gave all for the good of the game

Art Spander salutes NFL godfather Wellington Mara, who died last week

America never has been much for looking to the past, not in the way Britain does, perhaps because we don’t have the past. “History is bunk,’’ said Henry Ford. On the contrary, history is why the present exists. -NFL Football-

This was never made more clear than by the eulogies to Wellington Mara, who died from cancer last week at 89. He, as much as anyone, is responsible for the growth of the National Football League to its place as the No 1 game in the United States. -NFL Football-

Think of team owners these days, so many of them greedy, so many arrogant, so many self-indulgent, so many of them who would fit Washington Post columnist Sally Jenkins’ description of Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder. “I do think that in the absence of any attention,’’ Jankins wrote, “he would take negative attention. He would rather be the central figure in a dysfunctional team than a peripheral figure in a successful team.” -NFL Football-

And not to be ignored is Malcolm Glazer, who besides dabbling in your football is quite visible in our football, owning the Tampa Bay Bucs. -NFL Football-

They’re out for themselves. Wellington Mara, who held every position from ball boy (back in the 1920s) to pres ident of the New York Giants, was out for the good of the league, the good of the game. -NFL Football-

If anything enabled the NFL to move ahead of baseball, the so-called National Pastime, in popularity, it was television. And if anyone enabled the NFL to develop the money-sharing television contract that kept the game compet itive it was Wellington Mara. -NFL Football-

In 1962, a young commissioner, Pete Rozelle, persuaded owners to trade lucrative local contracts for an untested national contract to share revenues equally. At that time, Mara’s Giants were being paid $175,000 for local rights, while the Packers, up there in Green Bay, Wisconsin, metropolitan population 100,000, were getting $35,000. -NFL Football-

“We’re only as strong as our weakest link,’’ Mara told the other owners. A cliche, but a truism. He sacrificed. And suddenly there were no weak links, at least when it came to TV money, which starting in 2006 will be $3.7 billion a year. -NFL Football-

Wellington Mara, nicknamed “The Duke” for the Duke of Wellington, was so revered that each official NFL football has the words “The Duke” imprinted on its sides. -NFL Football-

Wellington Mara, pictured below, was a gentleman from the old school. He showed up in locker rooms and on practice fields, but only to lend support, not to give advice. Mara’s father, Tim, bought the Giants for a reported $500 in 1925, three years after the NFL was formed and nine years after Wellington was born. -NFL Football-

“My earliest recollection,” Mara wrote, “I was nine-years-old, coming out of mass on a Sunday, and I heard my father say, ‘I’m gonna try to put pro football in New York today’.” -NFL Football-

It has never left, of course. The Giants, named for the baseball team which also played in the Polo Grounds, became the NFL’s glamour franchise. Until the baseball Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, there never was a reference to the other team without an identifying label, meaning commentators would call them “The New York Football Giants”, or, because of the colour of their jerseys, the “Big Blue”. -NFL Football-

Wellington Mara graduated from Fordham University in 1937, worked with the team, became a Naval officer in World War II and then returned to the Giants. They were his only business. -NFL Football-

When in the 1970s the Giants sank to the depths, critics were everywhere. A private plane flew over Giants Stadium, to which they moved in 1976, with a banner reading “15 Years of Lousy Football – We’ve Had Enough”. -NFL Football-

Recalling the bad years, Mara said in 2001: “People said we were cheap and didn’t care if we won, because all our games were sold out. That got under my skin. We weren’t cheap. We were just stupid. We made a lot of poor personnel decisions.’’ -NFL Football-

But the team got smart in a hurry, winning Super Bowls in 1986 and 1990. And others were pleased for Mara. “He was the conscience of the NFL,’’ said Art Modell, longtime owner of the Cleveland Browns, who became the Baltimore Ravens. Philadelphia Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie said of Mara: “He wanted other owners to love the game, because he loved it so much.’’ -NFL Football-

Last Sunday, near death, Mara, according to a grandson, awoke in his bed at home in Rye, New York in time to see Eli Manning throw a last-second touchdown pass that enabled the Giants to upset the Denver Broncos. One last and lasting victory. -NFL Football-

30 October 2005

2005-10-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

Fallon NFL flag football team advances to championship

STEVE RANSON, sranson@lahontanvalleynews.com
October 28, 2005

Football is becoming a way of life in the Dahl household. -NFL Football-

First, Harvey Dahl, a 1999 Churchill County High School graduate, competed in high school and college football, and now plays on the practice squad for the San Francisco 49ers. -NFL Football-

Now, his 14-year-old niece Sara Parsons, an eighth grade junior high school student, has discovered the thrill of victory on the gridiron. -NFL Football-

Parsons and her teammates from the NFL Fallon Flag Football League won the 2005 regional tournament against a team that has qualified for nationals two consecutive years. -NFL Football-

Fallon's 12-to-14 girls' team won their regional bracket Saturday by defeating the Rocklin (Calif.) Saints in the best of three-game series. Fallon won the first and third games while dropping the second by one point at the 49ers training facility in Santa Clara, Calif. -NFL Football-

Fallon travels to the national championships next month at Disney World. -NFL Football-

"It's been fun. It's awesome," Parsons said of the team's win. -NFL Football-

Although NFL flag football has been in existence for years, this is the first year Fallon has had a program. -NFL Football-

Parsons said winning the regional championship was fun for the all-girl team. -NFL Football-

"I like playing with my friends and against the competition," she said. -NFL Football-

The 10 girls on the Fallon team also had an extra treat when they played Rocklin. Dahl attended the games which excited the team. -NFL Football-

"It was really cool," Parsons said of her uncle's attendance. -NFL Football-

She said her uncle just watched the game and cheered for the Fallon girls, but he didn't give them any pointers. -NFL Football-

Parsons said she has always enjoyed playing football whether it's on the flag football team or with her 11-year-old brother on the front lawn. -NFL Football-

Co-coach Scott Meihack said coaching this year's team of 10 girls has been an experience he won't soon forget. When the team travels to Florida for the championship, he said the girls will still have some fun, but they must focus on their purpose. -NFL Football-

"We're going down there to play flag football. The task is to make sure the girls fully understand that," he said. -NFL Football-

However, Meihack said the girls will also enjoy their visit to Disney World. -NFL Football-

Tami Peel, the team's other coach, said flag football is new territory for the coaches and team. -NFL Football-

Both Peel and Meihack coached two state championship softball teams together, and now they have ventured into a new program. -NFL Football-

Instead of playing for a state title, Peel said Fallon will be in the national spotlight. If Fallon wins its first game, then the team's next game will be televised on ESPN. -NFL Football-

The players on the team have known each other for years. -NFL Football-

Jenny Rechel, a 12-year-old sixth grader at Northside, said she was thrilled about the program and the chance to go to Florida. -NFL Football-

Rechel had a key interception in the final game of the regionals. Her interception stopped the Saints from scoring a potential go-ahead touchdown. -NFL Football-

"I was covering a person. The ball went over my head, but I jumped up and caught it," Rechel said of her play. -NFL Football-

"We're gong to nationals. We're just freakin' out," Shelby Lee chimed in. -NFL Football-

The Fallon eighth grade said many of the girls have never been to Florida. -NFL Football-

Both Chelsea Smitten and Alyssa Meihack said this year's experience has been exciting. -NFL Football-

"This has been really fun," Smitten said, adding that she may play tackle football next year. -NFL Football-

Meihack said the Saints were a really good team. She is excited, though, that Fallon won the regionals and will now be competing in Florida. -NFL Football-

Scott Meihack said the NFL flag football program is paying for the airfare and most of the expenses. However, he said the team must pay for an extra night of lodging for an extra day. The team will be competing in a skills competition and must fly to Orlando a day early. -NFL Football-

The team will have a car wash Saturday from 10:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Smedley's. -NFL Football-

Roster

Olivia Dillon

Celeste Llamas

Alyssa Meihack

Sarah Owen

Sara Parsons

Jennifer Rechel

Shelby Lee

Chelsea Smitten

Kaitlynn Szentimrey

Mercedes Weeks

2005-10-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

Wilma forces Chiefs, Dolphins to accelerate final preparations
By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports WriterOctober 20, 2005
--- nfl ---
MIAMI (AP) -- Hurricane Wilma slowed down Thursday, prompting the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs to start moving quickly. --- nfl ---
Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas apologetically skipped his normal interview availability, saying he needed to cram two days of film study into a few hours. The Chiefs scrambled to revise travel plans, and league officials worked on new television arrangements and other details. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
When Wilma makes its expected arrival in Florida sometime Sunday, the Chiefs will be long gone. Their visit to Miami was switched to Friday night because of the looming Category 4 hurricane -- which would be the eighth to affect the Sunshine State in the past 15 months. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
``This is only about the fifth one of those we've had this year,'' said Dolphins coach Nick Saban, who learned of the schedule switch during Thursday's practice. ``So it's not our first rodeo when it comes to these things, and we know how unpredictable they can be, and we know how dangerous they can be.''
--- nfl ---
It's the third time since the start of the 2004 season that a Miami home game was rescheduled because of a hurricane. The Dolphins lost to Tennessee in last year's home opener pushed up a day by Hurricane Ivan, then were beaten by Pittsburgh in a deluge -- remnants of Hurricane Jeanne -- two weeks later.
``They couldn't have picked a better team to send down there and play well,'' said Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil, whose team will fly to South Florida on Friday morning.--- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
``That's the way we're approaching it. We'll go down there and play our best football game of the year. The guys are in a good frame of mind. They accept it. We would have liked it to be a different way but we have no choice.''
The game will be televised by CBS affiliates in primary secondary markets in South Florida and Kansas City. But there will be no national telecast.
--- nfl ---
``We are not extending the telecast to more markets because we want to adhere as closely as possible to the spirit of our longstanding policy not to conflict with high school and college football during their seasons (which means Friday night and Saturday),'' NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.
--- nfl ---Moving the game would seem to put Jason Taylor's streak of 87 straight starts in jeopardy. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
The Dolphins' standout defensive end hasn't practiced this week because of a foot injury, and linebacker Junior Seau is still bothered by an injured calf.
Clearly, the Dolphins would have liked the extra time to get those two players ready to face a Kansas City rushing attack that's averaging more than 127 yards per game. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
``We've got to play sometime,'' said Miami's David Bowens, who may start in Taylor's place. ``It gives us a chance to show how we react to an adverse situation. ... It has been 11 years since I played on Friday night -- high school. It definitely takes me back.''--- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
Vermeil lobbied for the game to be played in Kansas City, and the prospects of a long plane ride followed only hours later by a game didn't exactly overjoy the Chiefs. --- nfl ------ nfl ---
--- nfl ---
``Everyone's concern is the safety of the players and the coaches and the fans. And that's what most paramount,'' Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson said. ``Obviously, I've never watched the Weather Channel as I have in the last 24, 48 hours.''--- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
The teams have two common opponents. Kansas City (3-2) beat the Jets 27-7 in the season-opener; one week later, the Dolphins lost to the Jets 17-7. And the Chiefs were beaten 30-10 by Denver in Week 3; Miami downed the Broncos 34-10 in Week 1, Denver's only loss so far. --- nfl ---

``Look a--- nfl ---t that game and Denver doesn't look like the same team because Miami didn't allow them to be,'' Vermeil said.
The Chiefs will face a two-runner attack by Miami, with Ricky Williams set to make his home regular-season, post-suspension debut alongside rookie Ronnie Brown, the No. 2 overall draft pick who's rushed for 343 yards in his first five games. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
``Both those guys are great backs, and they can do different things,'' said Chiefs safety Patrick Surtain, who spent seven years in Miami before being traded after last season. ``We're going to have to be on our P's and Q's because both those guys can hurt us at any time. That's the key to the game -- stopping those guys.'' --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
Surtain said he was pleased Williams is back with Miami, saying he hopes the 2002 NFL rushing champion ``regains the form he had a couple of years ago.''
For this game, though, Surtain would prefer Williams have the last weekend's form. Williams had five rushes for 8 yards and six catches for 22 more yards last week in Miami's loss to Tampa Bay, his first game since the end of the 2003 season. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
``Once we get through the mental part and get on the field, it will be fun,'' Williams said of the schedule switch. ``We don't have any Monday night or Sunday night games this year, so it's a chance to take advantage of the national attention and make a name for ourselves.'' --- nfl ---
All, of course, before Wilma becomes the only name on the minds of most Floridians. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
``It's inconvenient, no question,'' said Joe Bailey, the CEO of Dolphins Enterprises. ``But it's also an adventure.''--- nfl ---

2005-10-10T14:34:00.001-07:00

Falcons QB Vick downgraded to questionable

After a Saturday walkthrough practice, the Atlanta Falcons downgraded quarterback Michael Vick from probable to questionable -- and it now looks like the quarterback's sprained right knee will prevent him from playing Oct. 9 against the New England Patriots. - NFL Football -

Vick plans to test the knee again before kickoff. If it improves dramatically overnight, then he could wind up starting. But the chances right now are not in his favor.

For starters, the Falcons have a backup quarterback, Matt Schaub, whom they trust and believe in. Atlanta's coaches aren't hesitant at all in using Schaub against the defending world champion Patriots, and if Schaub does start, look for the Falcons to pass more. - NFL Football -

Additionally, the Falcons have the NFL's No. 1-ranked rushing attack (209 yards per game), and they feel as if they will be able to sustain the running game they will need.

Plus, this game is a non-conference affair in the fifth week of the season with the meat of the division schedule left to play. The Falcons are figuring that it is better to get Vick healthy now than risk him when he's not fully healthy against a tough defense. - NFL Football -

2005-10-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Vick plans to test the knee again before kickoff. If it improves dramatically overnight, then he could wind up starting. But the chances right now are not in his favor. - NFL Football -

Additionally, the Falcons have the NFL's No. 1-ranked rushing attack (209 yards per game), and they feel as if they will be able to sustain the running game they will need.

2005-09-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

Patriots Top Steelers on Late Field Goal: NFL Week 3

(Bloomberg) -- Adam Vinatieri's 43-yard field goal with one second left gave the New England Patriots a 23-20 road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in a rematch of last year's American Football Conference championship game.

The field goal came 1:20 after the Steelers tied the game on a Hines Ward touchdown catch. The Patriots, who beat the Steelers 41-27 in last year's AFC title game, halted the Steelers' 16-game regular-season winning streak with yesterday's win in Pittsburgh.

In other games during Week 3 of the NFL season, the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Cleveland Browns 13-6, the Atlanta Falcons beat the Buffalo Bills 24-16, the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Chicago Bears 24-7, the St. Louis Rams beat the Tennessee Titans 31-27, the Miami Dolphins defeated the Carolina Panthers 27-24, the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the New York Jets 26-20 in overtime, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints 33-16 and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Oakland Raiders 23-20.

In late afternoon games, the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Arizona Cardinals 37-12 and the Dallas Cowboys rallied past the San Francisco 49ers 34-31. The San Diego Chargers beat the New York Giants 45-23 in last night's game.

The Denver Broncos host the Kansas City Chiefs tonight.

At Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, New England scored on its opening drive on Corey Dillon's four-yard touchdown run. The Steelers answered when Ben Roethlisberger found Ward for an 85- yard scoring pass.

Pittsburgh (2-1) had a six-point lead midway through the third quarter after a pair of field goals by Jeff Reed. The Patriots (2-1) then got a field goal, Dillon's second rushing touchdown and another score from Vinatieri to take a 20-13 lead.

The Steelers' 16-game regular-season winning streak was tied for the second longest in NFL history. The longest, an 18-game streak by the Patriots, was stopped by Pittsburgh last season.

Elsewhere yesterday:

-- San Diego 45, New York Giants 23: LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Chargers (1- 2). Eli Manning passed for 352 yards and two scores as the Giants dropped to 2-1.

-- Seattle 37, Arizona 12: Shaun Alexander had four rushing touchdowns for Seattle (2-1). The Cardinals are 0-3.

-- Dallas 34, San Francisco 31: Drew Bledsoe threw for 363 yards and two touchdowns for the Cowboys (2-1). Tim Rattay had three scoring passes for the 49ers (1-2).

-- Tampa Bay 17, Green Bay 16: Carnell Williams rushed for 158 yards for Tampa Bay (3-0) to increase his season total to 434 yards, an NFL record for rookies. The loss dropped the Packers to 0-3 for the first time since 1988.

-- Atlanta 24, Buffalo 16: Michael Vick threw two touchdowns for the Falcons (2-1). The Bills are 1-2.

-- Cincinnati 24, Chicago 7: Carson Palmer threw for 169 yards and three touchdowns as the Bengals got off to their first 3-0 start in 15 years. Chicago is 1-2.

-- Indianapolis 13, Cleveland 6: Edgerrin James rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown for the Colts (3-0). The Browns are 1- 2.

-- St. Louis 31, Tennessee 27: Marc Bulger threw for 292 yards and three scores for the Rams (2-1). The Titans are 1-2.

-- Miami 27, Carolina 24: Rookie Ronnie Brown rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown for the Dolphins (2-1). Steve Smith caught 11 passes for 170 yards and three scores for Carolina (1-2).

-- Jacksonville 26, New York Jets 20 (OT): The Jaguars (2-1) won on Byron Leftwich's 36-yard pass to Jimmy Smith in overtime. The Jets are 1-2.

-- Minnesota 33, New Orleans 16: Daunte Culpepper threw for 300 yards and three scores for Minnesota (1-2). The Saints fell to 1-2.

-- Philadelphia 23, Oakland 20: The Eagles (2-1) won on David Akers' 23-yard field goal with nine seconds to play. Kerry Collins threw for 345 yards and two touchdowns for Oakland (0-3).

2005-09-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

NFL injuries contributed to Long death

JOE MANDAK

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH - Former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Terry Long died from a brain inflammation that resulted, in part, from repeated head injuries suffered while playing football.

Long, 45, died at UPMC Passavant Hospital on June 7, a few hours after paramedics found him unconscious at his home. An autopsy was inconclusive, but subsequent tests on tissues and fluids taken from Long's body yielded the findings released Tuesday.

Long died of an inflammation of the lining of the brain, said Joseph Dominick, chief deputy coroner in Allegheny County. A contributing factor was "chronic traumatic encephalopathy" - also known as dementia pugilistica - a condition most often seen among career boxers.

"He wasn't a boxer, but that's a general term that we would use to denote changes in the brain of a degenerative nature," coroner Dr. Cyril Wecht said. "They can be from one intensely traumatic injury, or they can be from repetitive and cumulative injuries, which is what we believe happened here." - NFL Football -

Wecht's autopsy report said Long's brain suffered "repeated mild traumatic injury while playing football." Those repeated injuries made Long's brain more susceptible to meningitis, which can sometimes also be caused by an infection, but Wecht said that wasn't the case with Long.

"We now have partial closure on Terry's tragic death and demise," Mark Rush, his former business attorney and friend, said of the autopsy findings. "It certainly saddened me to learn that football, a sport Terry loved, possibly contributed to his death." - NFL Football -

Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett declined comment on the findings, which come two years after at least three manufacturers introduced new helmets in the NFL and college football designed to guard against concussions. The new helmets came in response to published studies showing players who had one concussion were more susceptible to others.

Wecht has done research in that area, and has jointly published a case study of Mike Webster, a former Steelers center and Hall of Famer who was diagnosed with football-induced dementia before he died in September 2002 at age 50.

Webster died of heart problems, but a federal judge earlier this year ruled the NFL should pay his estate disability benefits for football-related head injuries. - NFL Football -

"I'm not suggesting for one moment that we stop professional football. If I said that, I better leave the country," Wecht said. "I think more attention should be paid by scientists and biomechanical engineers in coming up with a better helmet."

Long started at right guard for the Steelers from 1984-91, when he attempted suicide with rat poison after he was suspended for violating the NFL's steroid policy. Long later rejoined the team, but didn't re-sign after that season.

Long had no children and was living alone after separating from his second wife in the months before he died. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in March on charges he fraudulently obtained loans for a chicken-processing plant which prosecutors allege he burned to the ground for the insurance money in September 2003. - NFL Football -

Long was awaiting trial when he died.

2005-09-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

The new NFL season: Who wins, who loses

With the start of the NFL season only two days away, the preseason predictions are in. With not many changes in teams, there will not be not many changes in the standings. The only difference between this year and years past: the New England Patriots will not win the Super Bowl.

Starting in the AFC East, not much will change. The Patriots will win by a longshot and get a bye-week in the playoffs. The Jets will get close, but will be one game short. The Buffalo Bills will groom J.P Losman, but will fall short. As for the Miami Dolphins, Gus Frerotte is not the answer.

In the Central division the Baltimore Ravens, led by their defense, will rule. Pittsburgh will get a wild card berth thanks to big Ben Rothlisberger. The Cincinnati Bengals will improve, but not enough. The Browns will have to wait until next season to have a run at this division.

In the South will lay the team to beat, the Indianapolis Colts. The Jacksonville Jaguars will steal the last wild-card spot thanks to a much-improved defense. The Houston Texans will finally get a winning record, but it won’t be enough. Tennessee needs to rebuild drastically next for next season. - NFL Football -

Finally, the West will become the Wild, Wild West. With stellar offenses all throughout the division, the team with the best defense will prevail. That will be the Denver Broncos, followed by the Chargers, then the Chiefs. In last place, the Oakland Raiders have one of the best offenses but a sub-par defense.

In the NFC East, the Eagles are the team to beat. Dallas will attain their best record in years, but Parcells will just miss the playoffs. Washington will again not play to their potential. The Giants still need to address their defense.

The NFC Central will be the toughest division in the league. The Packers will come out on top one more time for Favre. The Lions are the sleeper that will grab the last wild-card spot. The Vikings’ offense will shine, but they have no defense. Chicago will let their season falter with Kyle Orton behind center. - NFL Football -

The South will be won, barely, by the Carolina Panthers, as long as they stay healthy. The Falcons will be led back to the playoffs solely by Michael Vick. Tampa Bay will falter behind a weak offensive line. New Orleans will have the tragedy to deal with much more than football this year.

The West will again be won by the Rams, who no longer have the greatest show on turf. Another sleeper team will emerge in Arizona. Seattle cannot keep up the speed now in the division. San Francisco’s positive for this year will be that they will get the number one draft pick again next year. - NFL Football -

In the playoffs is where changes will happen. The NFC will see the Eagles and Rams in the championship game, played in Philadelphia, won by Philadelphia. In the AFC, a new champion will emerge thanks to home-field advantage. The Colts will beat New England in the championship game. The Super Bowl will be between the Indianapolis Colts and the Philadelphia Eagles, with the Colts coming out victorious on the arm of Peyton Manning, 27-17.

Look for the NFL to start Thursday night as the Patriots take on the Raiders, and let’s get ready for some football. - NFL Football -

2005-08-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

Eagles take tag off Simon

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles withdrew their franchise tag on former first-round draft pick Corey Simon, making the defensive tackle an unrestricted free agent.

Simon was offered a one-year franchise tender worth about $5.13 million, but wanted a long-term contract. He never signed the deal and did not report to the minicamps or training camp. With the franchise tag, another team would have forfeited two first-round picks if they signed the former Pro Bowl lineman.

Simon was the the sixth overall selection in the 2000 draft. In five seasons, Simon had 270 tackles and 32 sacks.

His high asking price was a factor in the Eagles cutting him loose, but so was their depth at defensive tackle. Darwin Walker and Hollis Thomas start for the Eagles and first-round pick Mike Patterson has had a strong preseason.

Associated Press.

2005-08-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

Football officials shortage worries supervisor

Chris Whitbeck is a bit frantic, and rightfully so.
Whitbeck is the supervisor of officials for youth and high school football for Northern Nevada. With the football season getting under way in the next week or so, Whitbeck is extremely short of officials — to the point that in his most recent e-mail he said, “If we do not have a great turnout that night (Tuesday) we are in serious trouble for this season. I am very disappointed and about ready to throw in the towel.” - NFL Football -
He is holding an officials clinic from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday at the Washoe County Health Department.
As a long-time official, Whitbeck can’t understand the lack of response to his many requests for officials.
“It’s a chance to give something back to the game,” Whitbeck said. “Maybe a guy played high school football or was a Pop Warner coach. Maybe this is a way to give back to the community of football.” - NFL Football -
Whitbeck said he has been an official for a variety of sports, but football is his favorite.
“The most fun, by far, is football,” he said. “Even the little Mighty Mites are fun. There’s nothing like it. And for the officials, there’s a lot of camaraderie. All my best friends are officials.”
He said officials are paid, $27.50 for Pop Warner games, $30 for Sierra Youth Football League, with two games a night guaranteed.
But he added there’s another incentive, the chance to move up to officiate college or even professional games. - NFL Football -
“If a guy has the desire to go to college to be an official, the door is wide open,” he said. “The NFL is looking for young officials, ages 25-30 with a few years of high school (officiating) under their belt. They’ll put you in the Arena League. They have a recruiting system like in major league baseball. A scout can say, ‘I saw you.’ If guys want to work in college and the pros, the opportunity is there.”
Whitbeck said one of his former youth officials moved up to the Western Athletic Conference this season. - NFL Football -
He said one reason for a low turnout of officials is the potential for abuse by coaches. But he holds a clinic for coaches to teach them not to drive off referees.
“I had played the game and I had coached the game,” Whitbeck said. “Those are the guys we want. Ex-coaches, ex-players. They know the game, they know the rules. We still have to teach them a few mechanics, such as where to stand, but I’d like to have guys who have played football.”
Contact Whitbeck at 849-3666. - NFL Football -
BASKETBALL: Thirty teams from the West Coast competed in the Reno-Tahoe Jam On It Royal Flush adult 5-on-5 basketball tournament at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center over the weekend.
Team Parsons (Pat Condon, Ed Madee, J. Vossler, Chris Gonzo, Matt Stanley, Brian Carson and Bo Henegar) won the men’s open division and walked away with a check for $7,000.
The 40+ men’s championship had the Reno-based Stallions (Sean Moore, Mike Jones, Joe Nichols, Gary Ferrick, David Wood, Mike Jauron, Dick Lee, Larry Brabhan and Forest Kingshaw) go undefeated and take home a $1,000 check. - NFL Football -
The women’s champion was Funky Monkey (Collen Mulherr, Amanda Levens, Amber Young, Becki Little, April Bankston, Jess Larsen and Kalari Jones) with an 11-point win in the finals for the $1,000 prize.
The next Jam On It adult event is the Reno-Tahoe 3-on-3 Jam Fest, Nov. 11-13. Contact tournament director Glenn Banton at 232-0095 or visit www.jamonit.org for information.
FITNESS: It took a little longer than she planned, but Ali Metkovich (formerly McKnight) finally won a fitness contest and earned professional status.
Metkovich needed to be a pro in order to compete at the highly coveted Olympia contest.
Metkovich, a McQueen High graduate and former All-American track athlete at the University of Nevada, won the tall division at a contest in New York on Aug. 6.
“I really felt like I put all the components together,” she said. “Dieting, training, I hit the pinnacle of what it was I sought to do. The culmination of my dieting and training happened there. My focus, plus my stage presentation hit its peak.” - NFL Football -
She finished fourth at the same contest in New York a year ago. While she said that was a devastating result, it also opened her eyes to how competitive her new sport is.
She stressed that it’s not a bikini contest, nor is it bodybuilding, but judging can vary depending on the whims of the officials and who they like on any particular day.
Metkovich trains six days a week and eats carefully measured portions about every two hours.
She said being a pro means she can earn prize money, but that’s not why she competes.
“When all is said and done, I’ve spent a lot more money competing than I would win. It’s not for money, this sport is truly a new love for me. Now I can compete against the cream of the crop in the industry. My goal ultimately is to step on the Olympia stage,” she said.
To earn a spot at the Olympia contest she’ll need to finish in the top three in one of the seven contests she plans to compete in next year. She said she plans to add 10 pounds over the offseason in order to gain a little size on her legs. - NFL Football -

Jim Krajewski RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL

2005-08-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Max Starks grew up the offspring of a football player, and also the son of an undertaker.
Now the 6-foot-8, 337-pound mammoth of a man will undertake the first step in becoming a professional football player in the NFL.

Starks will start for the first time in his career tonight when he lines up at right tackle in the Steelers' preseason game against Philadelphia at Heinz Field, with hopes he doesn't fall on his face because Steelers fans just might bury him where he lies.
"I don't try to bog myself down that much with the pressures of what people might think, because when it comes down to it, it's about me performing," Starks said. "It is a very big opportunity for me and I don't want to pass that up." - NFL Football -
Starks played mostly in short-yardage situations a year ago and averaged less than 10 snaps a game. However, the Steelers saw enough in him they allowed last year's starter, Oliver Ross, to leave via free agency, then simply handed the job to Starks.
The Steelers tried to replace Ross with a veteran but fell short in their two lukewarm attempts to sign middle-of-the-road free agents Stockar McDougle and Adrian Klemm in the offseason.
"Max played some last year," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "I am not too concerned about Max at all, to be honest with you." - NFL Football -
That aside, the Steelers offensive line will be under major scrutiny during the preseason. Two years ago the line underperformed and the Steelers struggled to a 6-10 record and finished an unfathomable 31st in the league in rushing. Last year the same five guys started all 18 games and the Steelers were 16-2 and second in the league in rushing.
The Steelers lost Ross and right guard Keydrick Vincent to free agency, but 2002 first-round choice Kendall Simmons will return to the right guard spot, where he started the two previous years before a knee injury sidelined him all of last season. - NFL Football -
"It is going to be a big game for our offensive line," Starks said. "A lot of people are doubting what we can do, and going out there and showing that we can function as a five-man unit and we are successful together will be the biggest statement we can make.
"Since the beginning of camp it has been, 'Can Max hold up what the 2004 line did? Can he come in and be an extra component?' We have to show how well we are gelling, then say, 'Oh yeah, Max fits in well.'" - NFL Football -
The Steelers have put all their faith in the second-year player out of Florida to fill their right offensive tackle job even though he has never started a pro game.
If Starks doesn't perform that job well enough, the Steelers could be in trouble because the only other tackles the team could turn to are 33-year old journeyman Barrett Brooks or rookie Trai Essex or, at last resort, All-Pro guard Alan Faneca.
"Max has all the tools to be a great offensive lineman in this league," left tackle Marvel Smith said. "It's just a matter of working hard and learning the techniques of the position."
Starks took the first step during the offseason when he worked out at Athletes Performance in Arizona, which specializes in training top-notch athletes. He dropped 5 percent of his body fat and looks in tip-top shape. - NFL Football -
"I have no reason to believe that Max can't get the job done," offensive line coach Russ Grimm said.
He has the bloodlines. His father is former Cincinnati defensive lineman Ross Browner. Starks didn't know Browner was his father until he was 17 years old. He grew up in Florida with his mother and stepfather, who owned the family-run Starks Funeral Home.
Starks learned the truth about his biological father before his senior season at Lake Highland Preparatory School.
"I didn't know how to respond," Starks said. - NFL Football -
Now Starks he is hoping he will respond better to his first time as a starter but will have a monumental task ahead of him. He will be up against Philadelphia's Pro-Bowl defensive end Jevon Kearse, one of the most feared pass rushers in the entire NFL. He has 55 career sacks.
"I am looking forward to getting to play against one of the best pass rushers in the league. A lot of guys patent their game off of his. Plus, he's a Florida alumni. I think it is going to be a great opportunity."
Starks will play at least a quarter, but may see more time than some of his veteran linemates.
"Hopefully after that first preseason game I'll have all those jitters out of there," Starks said. "It has been a standard that has been set. I'll take it as my own personal responsibility to hold up that tradition over there because that is what made us real good last year. They set a benchmark. We want to be a tight five like they were last year." - NFL Football -

The Daily News

2005-08-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

AP: Ex-Browns coach Davis has no regrets

BEREA, Ohio - For the first time in 31 summers, Butch Davis isn't preparing a team for a football season. There are no two-a-day practices. No sweltering afternoons under the searing sun. No players to cut. - NFL Football -
Davis misses the action; it is all he has ever known. Although he won't be on an NFL or college sideline this season, Cleveland's former coach hasn't ruled out returning one day. Just not now.
After four mostly tumultuous years in his first NFL head coaching job, Davis, who resigned from the Browns with five games left last season, is certain if he gets another chance to coach, he'll be better prepared.
"The last four years were good for me," Davis said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Monday. "I learned a tremendous amount. If I do decide to coach again, I will be a better coach for it." - NFL Football -
The Browns have moved on, and so has Davis. The 53-year-old, who quit with three seasons left on his contract, is an in-studio analyst for the NFL Network. He will appear twice weekly with former Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe on the "Playbook" show beginning Sept. 16, providing insights into the game that has shaped his life.
"It's something that I've always thought about getting into," Davis said from NFL Films headquarters in Mt. Laurel, N.J. "This is a great opportunity to stay around the league and around coaching.
"We'll see if I have any talent at it." - NFL Football -
In his first public comments to a local media member since quitting the Browns on Nov. 30, Davis said he had few regrets about his troubled tenure in Cleveland. He acknowledged mistakes were made and that his hasty departure was necessary for him and the Browns.
"There are a lot of things I wished I could have done differently," said Davis, who has kept his home in the Cleveland area. "There are decisions that we made that I wish I could go back and erase. But there are also a lot of things that I'm extremely proud of.
"I took over a team that wasn't very good and tried to provide some stability. Clearly, I wish we wouldn't have had to go through the salary-cap purge (after the 2002 playoff season). It was difficult and it was a setback. It's very difficult to recapture momentum once you've lost it."
In Cleveland, Davis, who helped bring the troubled University of Miami program back to prominence, inherited an expansion team that went just 5-27 in its first two seasons under Chris Palmer - NFL Football -
The Browns were 9-7 in Davis' second season, making the AFC playoffs for the only time since the franchise's rebirth in 1999. However, following that season, Davis released several high-priced veterans to get under the salary cap, a move he said was necessary but that gutted the club of experience.
Davis' third season was marred by a quarterback controversy; several key injuries; running back William Green's eight-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy; and a 5-11 record. - NFL Football -
Things got much worse in '04, with Davis deciding he had enough five games into the Browns' nine-game losing streak.
"It was kind of a mutual decision," Davis said of his agreement with owner Randy Lerner. "It had gotten to the point that all the talk in the locker room was, 'When are they going to pull the plug on the coach?' It seemed as though it was the best way to handle it for the players and the team." - NFL Football -
Lerner honored the final three years of Davis' contract, allowing the coach to leave with $12 million.
Davis wasn't gone long when some of Cleveland's players - many of whom had complained about him privately - were openly critical of his coaching style. They questioned his practice methods and blamed him of being deceitful. In his final two seasons, Davis was given complete control of Cleveland's football operations. - NFL Football -
Davis acknowledged he wasn't a perfect coach and he could have done things better.
"There's many different ways to have success in the NFL," he said. "Bill Parcells has his way. Jimmy Johnson had his way. Bill Belichick has his way. ... There are things we could have done differently with some of the practices, but you practice differently when you have an experienced team." - NFL Football -
Davis may no longer have the title of coach, but he hasn't lost his hunger to be around the game. He recently visited two NFL training camps and some college practices just to talk football with players and coaching colleagues.
As for his own comeback, Davis has no plans, other than to make the most of his TV opportunity. - NFL Football -
"It's an open slate," he said. "Right now I want to keep my options open."

TOM WITHERS
Associated Press

2005-07-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

American Football: Star rusher apologises for walking out on NFL teammates

DAVIE, United States : Ricky Williams apologised to teammates, coaches and fans of the Miami Dolphins at training camp, one day after returning to the American football club he walked away from a year ago. The star running back stunned the National Football League team last July by announcing his retirement. The Dolphins were 4-12, their worst record since 1969, and coach Dave Wannstedt resigned after a 1-8 start. - NFL Football -
"There were some things in life I wanted to explore outside of football," Williams said. "I realize making the decision to walk away from football affected the team in a negative way. "I realize I hurt the team and the fans and am very regretful that people were hurt in the process. I can see how leaving the team to experience things outside of football came off as being selfish, so I offer an apology to all the people that were negatively affected by my decision." Williams faces a four-game suspension at the start of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He admitted failing a drug test for marijuana after leaving the club last July. "I wasn't comfortable with being an NFL player," Williams said. - NFL Football -
"I've had a problem with some of the (NFL) rules. But I've learned a lot in the last year. "I had a different concept about freedom. I used to think freedom was doing what you wanted whenever you wanted. Freedom having the strength to be in any situation and be content. I see this as a great opportunity to work on that." Pressed on his marijuana smoking, Williams replied, "I told (teammates) that I wouldn't let the media become a distraction. Talking about my marijuana use becomes a distraction." Williams said marijuana helped him once he stopped using the anti-depressant drug Paxil because it didn't agree with his diet. Nick Saban replaced Wannstedt as coach this season and said he thinks Williams can return to the team with no lingering animosity from those he abandoned a year ago. - NFL Football -
"He apologized to the team and I haven't noticed any resentment from the players," Saban said. "We will try to support him in every way. I don't think there's any question he has shown the ability to play effective football." Williams, 27, said he felt welcomed back into the Dolphins fold by his once and future teammates, calling his reception "surprisingly positive." "I spent two years with these guys. I could tell a lot of guys care about me and are happy to have me back," he said. "I'm back to work. I'm 100 percent committed to this or I wouldn't be here. I never stopped loving football." Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas was willing to forgive and forget. "At first it was a little uncomfortable, but then once we started to talk everything was fine after that," Thomas said. "He did a great job putting himself out to the whole team. "It was probably pretty hard for him to come out and apologize, but you could tell he wasn't just doing it because somebody told him to do it." - NFL Football -
Miami defensive end Jason Taylor had just as simple a notion - judge not lest ye be judged. "I told him not to worry about proving anything to me, just do what you do," Taylor said. "He didn't have to explain anything to us. Some guys play for money, for fame, or because they love it. I can't judge someone for what their motives are." Williams rushed for 3,225 yards and 25 touchdowns in two seasons with the Dolphins after being obtained From New Orleans. Last season, Miami ranked next-to-last in the NFL in rushing with only 83.7 yards a game. Williams decided to return to the NFL last February after an arbitrator ruled that he owed the Dolphins more than 8.6 million dollars in incentives and signing bonus money. He also has three children to support. "I have that settlement chasing me," Williams said. "I can't say that didn't play into my decision." Williams, diagnosed in 2001 with social anxiety disorder, led the NFL in rushing with 1,853 yards in 2002 and followed with 1,372 yards in 2003. - NFL Football -

AFP

2005-07-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

Pro turns con

A person's love of football comes in many different forms, but "The Longest Yard" fans are as wacky as they come.

Starring Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and Burt Reynolds, this movie touches the heart of any football lover by incorporating one of America's most beloved pastimes with the age-old battle between good and evil --- or pros and cons.

Paul Crewe (Adam Sandler) is an ex-MVP of the NFL, who effectively threw his career away by shaving points during a game. Besides having a controlling girlfriend (Courteney Cox), Crewe is accomplishing nothing in life. He decides it's time for a change, and one high-speed chase later, he finds himself locked up in the Allenville Correctional Facility for the next three years as a parole violator.

Immediately infamous for his past in the NFL, his only friend is a man they call Caretaker (Chris Rock). Forced into organizing a team of inmates to play the guards in a game of football, Crewe finds himself making as many enemies as friends during the first few months of his sentence.

A remake that originally starred Burt Reynolds in Sandler's position, "The Longest Yard" is back with bigger and badder actors and comedians. Sandler and Rock make a great duo in this comedy and the supporting cast members throw in their own brand of humor. Former professional wrestlers Bill Goldberg, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Kevin Nash are among the supporting cast, making both excellent athletes on the football field and hysterical comedy acts off.

And what would a football movie be without a little football? The action is as violent and exciting as it can get, pitting the two ultimate rival teams --- the convicts and the guards --- against each other in a battle for blood.

Leading up to the big game, Crewe and his teammates face multiple obstacles to get what they hope will not only be a chance to get back at their oppressive guards, but also give them a little confidence with a big win. Finding team unity in an unsuspecting place, these men learn there is more to life than looking out for number one.

Combining two of America's true loves --- football and comedy --- into one film only leaves room for "The Longest Yard" to live up to its title at the box office. It's the must-see comedy of the summer.

LINDSAY KALVIG, Pulse Movie Reviewer

2005-07-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

NFL within reach?
Ex-Panther Towns determined to work his way back to league

Lester Towns played linebacker four seasons for the Carolina Panthers, starting for two under George Seifert and playing backup and special teams for two under John Fox.
The Panthers liked him. He worked hard, stayed clean and is a good guy. But in the NFL players always are trying to take your job, and finally somebody succeeded. The rap was that Towns was a superior tackler with average speed.
`That's what they say," says Towns. "But I'm not slow." - NFL Football -
Carolina did not re-sign him after its Super Bowl season, and last season was Town's first away from football since he began playing in Los Angeles at the age of 10.
To find out how badly he wants to get back in, join him on the field at the Ballantyne YMCA at 8:45 on a steamy weekday morning.
As SUVs and vans drive past and moms and kids swim in the outdoor pool, Towns jogs around the running track to get loose. Awaiting him are today's instruments of torture.
Leonard Wheeler, a former NFL cornerback who ended his career with the Carolina Panthers in 1998, trains Towns. On the wet grass are seven cones, some orange and some red, a ladder with 19 rungs and a ladder with nine rungs. - NFL Football -
Towns, who turns 28 in August, will high step through the 19-rung ladder, back-peddle around the first set of cones, sprint from the last cone to one closest to it, charge to the smaller ladder, high step through it, look up, see a football whizzing his way and catch it.
The drill will vary. But there will be no posing and little pausing here. The idea is to work at NFL speed.
Towns, who is 6-1 and 244 pounds, looks fit, even fitter than he did as a Panther, chest broad and waist lean. He wears silver shorts and a black shirt made out of material called Stay-Dri that, on this morning, is straining to stay dry.
Pick your feet up. Move your arms. Run. Sprint. Go.
"I think he enjoys this," Towns says of Wheeler. - NFL Football -
Towns has worked with Wheeler every Tuesday and Thursday for 18 weeks, and works on his own four other days. He says he is faster than he has ever been.
"My biggest fear," Towns says during a three-minute water break, "is to get a call from a team and get to training camp and hear, `OK, I've been hearing you're hungry, I've been hearing you want it, I've been hearing you want to make the team,' and just be a big flop. I want teams to look at me and say, `You deserve to be in the league.' "
The late Sam Mills called Towns, whom the Panther selected out of Washington with their last pick in the 2000 draft, "Old School." Towns was old-school, a big hitter willing to take on running backs and 300-pound linemen. - NFL Football -
When Fox and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio took over the defense in 2003, they brought a new system with them. They wanted linebackers who could fly from side to side such as Dan Morgan.
Many of the drills Wheeler has devised enhance first-step quickness and blasting to the ball. Wheeler and Towns work outside and in the gym to streamline Towns' body. There's speed in there, and they want to bring it out.
Towns' shirts and shorts are devoid of Panthers or NFL logos. The idea is not to be a gym star. The idea is to get back in the league. - NFL Football -
In the gym Towns does squats, some with the 201-pound Wheeler on his back. They work abdominal muscles, shoulders, biceps and legs, all at game speed. They conclude with a chin-up and pull-up contest. Towns does sets of 13, and on the final set, Wheeler has to do two more.
Towns is married with three children, has a degree in sociology/communications and, if his football career really has ended, will return to school. He hopes to become an athletics director or coach.
"People used to ask, `What do you want to do when you grow up?' I always wanted to be an NFL player," says Towns.
Training camps open at the end of the month, and Towns has yet to receive a call. Competing for jobs will be returning players and rookies and all the folks who have been playing for the NFL in Europe.
If he does not return to the league this season, he will be forgotten.
"My first or second season, there was a guy that came to camp in Spartanburg with a big old sign that said, `I want a tryout, coach, I want a tryout,' " says Towns. "It's so funny because I'm that guy right now. I'm like ready to paint the sign and go to somebody's camp and say, give me that tryout."
Meanwhile, back on the grass, Towns lines up opposite Wheeler, quickly back-peddles and, at Wheeler's command, sprints right or left as Wheeler fires a pass.
They do this repeatedly, and exhaustingly, the sun beating down, the laughs from the kids at the pool almost a taunt.
"Every drop is a lap," says Wheeler.
"The ball is so slippery," says Towns. - NFL Football -
Towns catches the ball anyway.
Wheeler used to run the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds. A 4.4 is the league's line of demarcation. You run a 4.4 or faster, everybody knows you can fly.
Towns back-peddles, breaks right, cuts sharply and sprints deep. Wheeler throws the ball hopelessly over his head. - NFL Football -
But Towns, who has not dropped a pass since Wheeler's every-drop-is-a-lap edict, looks like Dan Morgan as he chases the ball, extends a hand and hauls it in.
Whoooo!
Towns laughs.
"That's that 4.4 right there," he says.

TOM SORENSEN

2005-07-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

Crosby keeps focus on his NFL future
Talented receiver has faced obstacles, awaits supplemental draft

COLUMBIA - Roscoe Crosby's path to the NFL took a familiar turn Friday, when he worked out for 17 scouts at Spring Valley High in anticipation of the NFL supplemental draft on July 14.
His audition began with promise, but ended abruptly.
Crosby, 22, from Union, S.C., was considered to be among the best high school baseball and football players in the country in 2001.
He opted to play both sports after high school, signing a pro baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals that included a $1.75 million bonus, and accepting a football scholarship to play receiver at Clemson.
However, since graduating from high school, he's had to overcome several obstacles.
He's dealt with the death of three lifelong friends who crashed while driving his car to Florida to watch him play baseball, and the drowning of his 14-year-old brother in Lake Hartwell, near Anderson, S.C.
He's lost almost all of his bonus money, and he's had shoulder surgery and a broken nose.
Crosby hasn't worn a helmet in 18 months, and never played an inning of professional baseball. But Friday, he vowed to begin realizing his potential.
He bench-pressed 225 pounds 18 times and ran two 40-yard dashes in under 4.5 seconds -- NFL-caliber results.
Then, he unlaced his spikes and received medical treatment on his right thigh, which cramped up in the 95-degree heat. Crosby failed to finish the workout because of the injury.
So, how high should a team take Crosby, if at all? If a team takes a player in the supplemental draft, it must forfeit its pick in the same round in April's draft. About a dozen players are expected to draw interest.
Shaun King, an NFL quarterback who threw passes during Crosby's workout, said Crosby, at 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds, is worth some risk.
"He reminds me so much of Anquan Boldin," King said, comparing Crosby to the promising Arizona receiver entering his third NFL season. "He's going to get an opportunity."
Crosby has worked hard to make that opportunity happen.
He reached a low point two days after Christmas, when he arrived on the doorstep of his high school coach, Mike Anthony, now a S.C. House Representative. Crosby was in tears.
"We talked," Anthony said. "We cried together."
Anthony found Crosby a place to live, in Columbia. He found him a vehicle to drive. He introduced him to agent Kevin Parker.
Parker and agent Larry Geiger were opening a gym in Columbia, Total Fitness 4 You. They envisioned an elite training facility, and Crosby became the gym's first star.
Crosby has been working out regularly, running, lifting weights and catching passes from King. Those who know him believe Crosby will soon be catching NFL passes.
"He could make an impact Day 1 in the NFL," said Clemson receivers coach Dabo Sweeney. "Maybe not as a receiver, but as a special teams player. Give him two years and it's not farfetched that he'll become a star."

DENNY SEITZ
Staff Writer

2005-06-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

Rookies go back to class

NFL draftees visit PGA National for lessons on the pitfalls of fame.

PALM BEACH GARDENS — Charquez Giles, 10, looking forward to being 5 feet tall, scanned the hotel ballroom crowded with tall, wide and chiseled NFL rookies and said, "They're all so biggggg."

Charquez, a running back with the Riviera Beach Sharks, was one of 200 youth football players invited by the NFL on Tuesday to a special clinic.

But the ninth annual NFL Rookie Symposium is not aimed at kids. It's for the league's young professionals, who are learning the pitfalls that can go with sudden fame and big paychecks.

The four-day event at the PGA National Hotel and Conference Center ends today. All 255 players drafted in April attended, and a no-show meant a $50,000 fine. The rookies began their day at 7:30 a.m. and ended at 9:30 p.m.

"Really, I'm not surprised how hard this is because other players told me," said running back Carnell Williams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first-round pick. "But it's really good hearing from (former) players like Cris Carter, things they've been through."

The warnings are detailed and can be surprising.

"Identity theft, it's unbelievable how someone could do that and ruin your credit," Williams said. "And HIV, it's wild how that can happen."

The NFL's teachers are a mix of current players along with Hall of Famers such as Willie Brown and Donnie Shell. Outside experts, such as professors from the Wharton School of Business, also were brought in.

"You come to realize that common sense is not that common," said Mike Haynes, Hall of Fame Class of '97, who is the NFL's vice president of player and employee development.

The rookies, he said, "find that here there's a lot to learn. We want guys to have the right information. HIV is a serious sexual illness that can be avoided with the right information.

"The NFL is not in its rookie season. A lot of issues guys have been dealing with for 50 years. But not identity theft and HIV. We don't want someone to be able to say, 'I didn't know that could happen.' "

The NFL begins by telling its newest players what to wear to "classes."

Paul Lomartire

By Michael Fabiano
Senior Fantasy Writer

2005-06-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

NFL FOOTBALL BETTING
Rabalais: Spring sports over, kickoff draws nearer

There isn't anything left on the sports calendar to distract a college football fan.
The College World Series is over, every other spring sport is in the books. From now until September, the pace quickens as we draw nearer to kickoff.

The pulse quickens a bit too, doesn't it?

There is reason for excitement on plenty of campuses across the country. The map is dotted with legitimate national championship contenders capable of navigating their way to the Rose Bowl for this season's BCS national championship game. But all of those contenders have their Achilles' heel that could trip them up on the way to Pasadena.

Here are 10 who could make their way to the top -- and the reasons they might not:

1. Southern California (13-0 last season)

Why everything's coming up Roses in L.A.: The Trojans are Everybody's All-American, the Lead Pipe Cinch, Mortal Lock Preseason No. 1. They have more offensive weapons than some NFL teams, led by Heisman winner Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush (maybe this year's Heisman fave), LenDale White, the list goes on.

Why USC could be busing to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl: Not included in that offensive arsenal is offensive coordinator Norm Chow, now with the Tennessee Titans. Can the Trojans conjure all their offensive magic without him? Maybe not. Plus, after 22 straight victories the win streak gets harder to keep going.

2. Texas (11-1) Nfl Football

Why the Longhorns will be back in Pasadena: Fifteen returning starters, led by quarterback Vince Young, once again make Texas one of the nation's most talented teams.

Hello, Holiday Bowl ... again: The "1" in Texas' 11-1 record was yet another loss to Oklahoma, and the Sooners are still the mile-high hurdle the Longhorns must clear in October. It's not a question of talent, but confidence. If Texas is psyched out, it will be out of the BCS title picture again.

3. Michigan (9-3) Nfl Football

Why the Wolverines will be heading for SoCal again: Quarterback Chad Henne and running back Michael Hart will mature fast enough to get Michigan back to the Rose Bowl ... this time to play for it all.

No, Michigan will be East Coast bound because ... losing Brayon Edwards, Marlin Jackson, etc., will be keep the Wolverines from winning the Big Ten, much less the national title.

4. Oklahoma (12-1) Nfl Football

Hitch your title hopes to the Sooner Schooner because ... this is a program that doesn't rebuild but reloads. And no one else has a back like Adrian Peterson, who piled up 3,149 total yards last year.

OU've got to be kidding: Oklahoma has a great program, but no one could survive losing Jason White, Mark Clayton, Dan Cody et al without slipping a notch or two. The Texas game will be the litmus test.

5. Tennessee (10-3) Nfl Football

Volunteering for BCS duty: Erik Ainge's shoulder is healthy, Gerald Riggs Jr. will run for 1,000-plus yards and linebacker Kevin Simon leads what should be a stellar defense.

The name's changed, but you still can't spell Capital One Bowl without UT: The schedule is a bear. Early trips to Florida and LSU could snuff out the Vols' chances before September is over.

6. Ohio State (8-4) Nfl Football

Ask Les Miles how good the Buckeyes will be: Ohio State crushed Miles' old Oklahoma State team 33-7 in the Alamo Bowl last year, an example of the kind of devastation the Buckeyes can visit on anyone. Remember receiver/kick returner Ted Ginn Jr., the best Heisman candidate east of the Mississippi.

Stating the case for Big Ten bridesmaid: A Nov. 19 trip to Ann Arbor. Ohio State could be 10-0 going in, but losses that late derail most title hopes -- unless you're Oklahoma.

7. LSU (9-3) Nfl Football

Why the other LA team will make a run for the Roses: Ten returning offensive starters, seven more on defense, and a schedule fit for a championship contender ... except for Appalachian State.

Tripping over the question marks: LSU can't afford a quarterback controversy, must shore up its linebacker corps and doesn't a coaching change always equal at least one loss?

8. Iowa (10-2) Nfl Football

Hawkeye-ing a Rose Bowl invite: Sure Iowa beat LSU in the Capital One Bowl on a Hail Mary, but Kirk Ferentz may be the best coach in college football for winning 10 games and a piece of the Big Ten title with that injury decimated team. This year, quarterback Drew Tate returns to lead a squad that is a trendy pick to win another title or two.

Little Man Tate isn't big enough for this job: Breaking through the Michigan/Ohio State juggernaut is never easy. Neither are big expectations when you're used to playing the spoiler.

9. Miami (9-3) Nfl Football

Hurricane warning in Shaky City: A great defense, which returns nine starters, is a great place for a national title contender to start. Kyle Wright is expected to be an upgrade at quarterback over Brock Berlin.

Just a bunch of hot air: The 'Canes need a running game if they are to get anywhere close to Pasadena.

10. Florida (7-5) Nfl Football

Urban renewal should play in Tinseltown: The Gators are expected to thrive under Urban Meyer's spread option with Chris Leak throwing to Andrew Caldwell and Dallas Baker.

Before you fly you have to ... run: Notice we didn't say anything about running backs. You have to run to set up the pass in the SEC. The defense has its issues, too.

By SCOTT RABALAIS
Advocate sportswriter