Other Stuff 02.19.06.... [Archive]

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 01:28 AM

Super Bowl XV
Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10

Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans, Louisiana

January 25, 1981

Attendance: 76,135
MVP: Jim Plunkett, QB, Oakland

Jim Plunkett passed for three touchdowns, including an 80-yard strike to Kenny King, as the Raiders became the first wild-card team to win the Super Bowl.

Plunkett's touchdown bomb to King – the longest play in Super Bowl history – gave Oakland a decisive 14-0 lead with nine seconds left in the first period.

Linebacker Rod Martin had set up Oakland's first touchdown, a 2-yard reception by Cliff Branch, with a 17-yard interception return to the Eagles' 30-yard line. The Eagles never recovered from that early deficit, managing only Tony Franklin's field goal (30 yards) and an 8-yard touchdown pass from Ron Jaworski to Keith Krepfle.

Plunkett, who became a starter in the sixth game of the season, completed 13 of 21 for 261 yards and was named the game's most valuable player.

Oakland won 9 of 11 games with Plunkett starting, but that was good enough only for second place in the AFC West, although they tied division winner San Diego with an 11-5 record.

The Raiders, who had previously won Super Bowl XI over Minnesota, had to win three playoff games to get to the championship game. Oakland defeated Houston 27-7 at home followed by road victories over Cleveland (14-12) and San Diego (34-27).

Oakland's Mark van Eeghen was the game's leading rusher with 75 yards on 18 carries. Philadelphia's Wilbert Montgomery led all receivers with six receptions for 91 yards. Branch had five for 67 and Harold Carmichael of Philadelphia five for 83.

Martin finished the game with 3 interceptions, a Super Bowl record.

Jim Plunkett's Raiders were the first wild card team to win the Super Bowl. (AP) (http://images.nfl.com/xxxvi/history/images/plunkett-xv.jpg)

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 01:33 AM

Super Bowl XI
Oakland 32, Minnesota 14

Rose Bowl
Pasadena, California

January 9, 1977

Attendance: 103,438
MVP: Fred Biletnikoff, WR, Oakland

The Raiders won their first NFL championship before a record Super Bowl crowd plus 81 million television viewers, the largest audience ever to watch a sporting event.

The Raiders gained a record-breaking 429 yards, including running back Clarence Davis's 137 rushing yards.

Wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff made four key receptions, which earned him the game's most valuable player trophy. Oakland scored on three successive possessions in the second quarter to build a 16-0 halftime lead.

Errol Mann's 24-yard field goal opened the scoring, then the AFC champions put together drives of 64 and 35 yards, scoring on a 1-yard pass from Ken Stabler to Dave Casper and a 1-yard run by Pete Banaszak.

The Raiders increased their lead to 19-0 on a 40-yard field goal in the third quarter, but Minnesota responded with a 12-play, 58-yard drive late in the period, with Fran Tarkenton passing eight yards to wide receiver Sammy White to cut the deficit to 19-7.

Two fourth-quarter interceptions clinched the title for the Raiders. One set up Banaszak's second touchdown run, the other resulted in cornerback Willie Brown's Super Bowl-record 75-yard interception return.

Fran Tarkenton's Vikings tasted Super Bowl defeat for the fourth time. (AP) (http://images.nfl.com/xxxvi/history/images/tarkenton-xi.jpg)

Rupert

02-19-2006, 08:49 AM

Ahhh, the good old days. Time to bring them back. What's up Coach Shell? Get on with it.

CrossBones

02-19-2006, 10:37 AM

Ah yes...the good 'ol days to be sure.

Make the adrenaline pump...

I want the Raiders back in the Super Bowl. Art Shell is going to bring back the toughness and the mystique of the Raiders.

Just win, Baby!!!!

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 11:33 AM

Here are the HOF Induction speeches (audio) for....

Art.... (http://play.rbn.com/?url=nfl/nfl/open/2003/hof/demand/va000632.rm&proto=rtsp)

Hendricks... (http://play.rbn.com/?url=nfl/nfl/open/2003/hof/demand/va000638.rm&proto=rtsp)

Fred... (http://play.rbn.com/?url=nfl/nfl/open/2003/hof/demand/va000626.rm&proto=rtsp)

Upshaw.... (http://play.rbn.com/?url=nfl/nfl/open/2003/hof/demand/va000625.rm&proto=rtsp)

Plunkett16

02-19-2006, 12:44 PM

Avezzano won't return
Shell appears set to add Walsh, Slater to staff
By Jerry McDonald, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area

With a mayor and another Hall of Fame left tackle poised to join the coaching staff, one only knows what the Oakland Raiders might come up with for their newest opening — special teams coach.
Joe Avezzano, whose silver mane was a conspicuous figure along the Raiders sideline the past two years, is on the market for another job, with the club declining to extend an offer after his contract expired.

The decision comes as no surprise, given owner Al Davis' observation that ''there is no question that while we had two of the prime kickers in the NFL, we still weren't there with our special teams," during the conference call announcing the firing of Norv Turner.

Kicker Sebastian Janikowski was 20-for-30 on field-goal attempts, while punter Shane Lechler underwent a rare late-season slump and did not have the Pro Bowl season he did in 2004.

Coverage units were inconsistent at best.

Two offensive staff positions could be filled early next week. Tom Walsh, a former assistant who worked for the Raiders from 1982-94 and coached under Art Shell, is expected to resign as mayor of Swan Valley, Idaho, and rejoin Shell in Oakland.

"Tom and Art are copacetic in their thought process with regard to the design of an offense," said Danny More, who represents both men. "Nothing's final yet, but we expect him to be in Oakland."

Swan Valley is a 10.3 mile patch of land in Bonneville County near the Snake River. Its population was 226 in 2004. Walsh, who won the last mayoral election unopposed, runs a bed and breakfast ranch with his wife. He last coached in 1998, when he resigned under pressure after two years at Idaho State with a record of 6-16.

Walsh has referred all questions to the Raiders but did tell the Idaho Falls Post Register, "I'm going to have to resign, if I go. I cannot be mayor long distance. I don't think it'd be fair to the community, to the citizens as far as the issues and concerns out there."

City clerk Ann Lockridge said she was expecting a letter of resignation but hadn't received it yet.

Meanwhile, Jackie Slater, a 20-year veteran of the Los Angeles and St. Louis Rams inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001, was due in town for an interview Monday for a position as an offensive line coach, a team source said. He is expected to be added to the staff.

The Raiders have already hired Irv Eatman, a line assistant the past two years with Kansas City. It is not known whether Slater or Eatman will coach the offensive line, or whether they will share the job under the direction of Shell, a Hall of Fame left tackle.

Slater, 52, has not been a college or pro coach. He has worked as a TV analyst and runs clinics and seminars for young offensive linemen.

_________________

CrossBones

02-19-2006, 12:55 PM

Man, I had to go watch my DVD --- The Oakland Raiders -- Complete History (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DRDIC/qid=1140378473/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-1414745-1617662?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130). If you haven't seen it or don't own it -- go buy it TODAY! Whew! :)

That did the job. I think we can do it this year. We can get this thing back on the right track. I believe Art shell will bring back the Mystique of the Riaders. Sooner the better.

Just Win, Baby!

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 02:09 PM

Right on, CB! Thanks for letting us know about the DVD...I really need to get out and buy that ASAP.

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 03:07 PM

Here is the scouting report for Dave Casper entering the draft...shows how much scouts really know...

Dave Casper, offensive tackle/tight end, Notre Dame (6-3, 248)

Has the talent to do a lot of things as a blocker but doesn’t, at least not consistently. … Has strength, blocking quickness and balance, but if he is not directly involved in the play he is just a stand-around. … They say he sort of walks like a farmer plugging through a plowed field but he sure runs with fluidness. … As a TE, he got open short and caught the ball. … I don’t think he can contribute as a pro TE. … Can be good but will tax the best of coaches.

Projection: Make roster and improve; fourth-, fifth-round pick

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 03:13 PM

Here is the scouting report for Cliff Branch...

Cliff Branch, flanker, Colorado (5-10½, 169)

[Scouted during ’72 Hula Bowl] Still feel the same way about Branch, although he did catch the ball in practice a little better than I thought he could but not much. … He’s a little bigger than I thought he was. … Don’t believe this boy is very tough. … The footing wasn’t the best but he fell down too many times. … A couple of times I got the impression he was hunting for a place to lay down. Could be wrong on this. … I still feel this is a very dangerous football player but it’s going to take a far better passer than these QBs to hit him cause I don’t think he is going to catch the off-thrown ball well. … There is also no doubt that with his great speed he can kill a club.

Projection: Make roster and improve; fourth-, fifth-round pick

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 03:17 PM

Here is the same thing but these were not Raiders...

Mel Blount, cornerback, Southern University (6-3, 201)

Perfect size and speed. … Very tall and rangy, but still moves feet well. … Comes up to hit good in drills. …Covered man-to-man well and they have some fast kids here. … Quick, but seems to lose something when receiver makes a break. I don’t know if it’s a lack of acceleration or a coaching point. … I would like to get more of a line on his hitting ability. … His coaches say he hits and I saw him crack a kid in practice. … I think he could help us at free safety. …I ’d like to say for sure he could be a cornerback but I don’t know how he would do with a guy like [Roy] Jefferson all the way deep. … Maybe I am too cautious about this.

Projection: Potential starter; second-round pick

Jack Ham, linebacker, Penn State (6-2, 220)

Pittsburgh-area boy who is a top player. … I think he would be playing regular for us by the middle of his first year. … A middle ’backer at school but would be an OLB for us. However, he improved so much each game at MLB that I feel he’d play there for us with a little more weight and strength. … He has the frame to get bigger and stronger. … Does a good job of pursuing and getting to the wide plays. … Plays off blockers well and fills holes good. … Shows toughness in use of arms. … Pass coverage is impressive. … Good hands on interceptions. … I think he is the type of kid we need.

Projection: Potential starter first year; first-, second-round pick

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 03:20 PM

Lynn Swann, flanker, USC (5-10½, 173)

Fine, quick athlete who reminds me of [Steelers WR] Jon Staggers. … Good body control and quickness. … Makes use of the talent he has, which is not great but good. … Good field vision as a punt return man. Has a burst and a smooth gait. … Hands are good. … Can adjust or catch in noise. … Can make the over-the-shoulder catch of the bomb. … Routes are disciplined but not mechanical. … A fair blocker but on the semi-tough side. … I don’t feel he is a starter but he can make it and contribute.

Projection: Potential starter; fourth-, fifth-round pick

Jack Lambert, linebacker, Kent State (6-4½, 206)

Narrowly built guy but has gotten stronger since last spring. … Looks like a smart and great effort player. … Seems to play with reckless abandon at times. … Flexibility and quickness in his pass drop. … With his height he is a big obstacle to the passer. … At times gets his legs tied up but his balance is good and clears his feet good for the most part. … Must get a bit more buck and develop some strength. … I feel he will make it and develop into an NFL starter.

Projection: Potential starter; second-, third-round pick

Dwight White, defensive end, East Texas State (6-3, 234)

Good athlete who plays very inconsistently. … Looked good against every type of play and then looked just as bad. … Effort was OK. … In fact, he worked hard in practice and didn’t seem to be a “hot dog” but he blew a lot of plays and the coach yelled at him a bit. … They told me he wasn’t a dumb kid and took coaching well, but I wonder what kind of smarts he has. … Not a coward. … Gets off with the ball very well, but did not show a burst of speed in pursuit. However, his lateral moves are good and he did chase a runner down once. … His balance is good in as much as he is never on his rear end. … Has the talent to make a club and develop into a good starter.

Projection: Make roster and improve; fourth-, fifth-round pick.

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 03:25 PM

Mike Wagner, safety, Western Illinois (6-1½, 196)

Has size, effort and pretty good movement. However, backpedal is a little labored. … Seems to keep good position on the receivers. … More of a chest catcher than a hand catcher. … I was impressed with the way he comes up to hit. However, he had some of his tackles broken. It seemed to be due to lack of strength and technique rather than guts. … Has frame to get a bit stronger. … I think he has the tools to merit a good look.

Projection: Good prospect; 13th-, 14th-round pick

Franco Harris, fullback, Penn State (6-2, 225)

Top physical prospect. … The type of kid we’re looking for. … Breaks down like a 5-11, 190 guy only he’s bigger. … Fine body control and quickness. … Does a good job of running pass patterns. … Only a fair blocker but shows the tools to develop into a good blocker as a pro. … Has strength and speed to be a big threat outside or in open field. However, I feel he doesn’t use his strength to break tackles as much as he should. … Not a straight-line runner. … Lots of movement and wiggle. … Would give us a big gun in the backfield. … I question his competitiveness. … Has the talent to be a star, but I don’t know if he will be. … Worth the gamble.

Projection: Potential starter first year; first-round pick

Brian Sipe, quarterback, San Diego State (6-1, 195)

An exciting player at times but plagued with a scatter-arm. … Short on passing talent. … Moves well in pocket and can scramble but has trouble finding second receiver. … Can get it close enough to make you think it is the receiver’s fault on an incompletion. … Can get the ball deep. … Had some big games in college, but not any better than a camp player.

Projection: Questionable prospect; 17th-round pick, free agent

Duane Thomas, fullback, West Texas State (6-2, 213)

Has all the equipment to be a great one. … Intangibles are questionable. … [West Texas] Coach Harris says he’s a fine kid who has some small character flaws like running up credit-card bills, not showing up for practice, poor schoolwork, walking off the field, and not playing with pain. … He also has a black militant for a brother, but the brother isn’t supposed to get to him. … He isn’t a fine practice player but didn’t “dog it.” In fact, he showed flashes of brilliance in practice. … Big, strong and fast, can explode through a hole. … Hard for one tackler to bring him down. … Durable, even if the coach said he didn’t like pain. … Does a good job of picking his way through traffic and running over people in the open field. … If his character would hold up, I think he would be a terrific offensive weapon as a pro. … Let someone else motivate him.

Projection: Potential starter; first-round pick

Dan Dierdorf, offensive tackle, Michigan (6-3, 255)

A squatty-built guy. … Looks like if he got any heavier he would be a fatso. … Strong kid with a good pop but inconsistent sustain and follow-through. … Did not pull for sweeps or traps but from his pregame workout and the way he covered punts I’d say he’d have difficulty in those techniques. Effort is OK. … I wasn’t impressed with his foot movement or his potential to be a good pass protector as a pro. … Did show good one-on-one strength and pop on a goal-line drive. … Perhaps he would have some defensive possibilities.

Projection: Good prospect; 12th-, 13th-round pick

Jack Youngblood, defensive tackle, Florida (6-4, 242)

[From junior year] I feel Jack is a sure thing to make our club. However, I don’t feel he’s a sure thing to help us. … Doesn’t dominate his teammates in scrimmages. … Showed good lateral pursuit, not stiff at all. … I felt his pass rush was ordinary. … Low blocks tie him up but he won’t have that problem with us. … The best I saw him was a little OT he played in a drill. … Very raw and would have to be taught an awful lot to help us. … I was starting to question his meanness until he handled a fellow pretty well in a fight during a scrimmage.

Projection: Make roster and contribute; fifth-, sixth-round pick

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 04:48 PM

Ted Washington is an intern coach for NFL Europe....

Learning the ropes

February 17, 2006
By Henry Hodgson
NFL Europe

In addition to the numerous opportunities NFL Europe gives to players to prove that they can become one of the next generation of NFL superstars, the league has also run a successful intern coaching program – allowing former and current NFL players the chance to get a taste for coaching and seeing if they would be interested in becoming a coach.

Each team in NFL Europe has four such current or former players on their coaching staff, two of which remain with the team throughout the entire season, and two who will help them prepare through training camp.

The success of the program, which is entering its fourth season, is demonstrable in the number of ex-interns who are now coaching at the high school, collegiate or professional level.

Former Pro Bowl tight end Ben Coates spent a season with Frankfurt before being named as tight ends coach for the Cleveland Browns, Martin Bayless and Albert Lewis, both spent the last two years coaching for Oakland and Kansas City respectively, and Dana Stubblefield – another ex-Pro Bowler - parlayed his NFLEL experience into a high school position. Indeed, Mike Maslowski, the former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker, was a training camp intern with Scotland in 2003, and is now the linebackers coach for the Hamburg Sea Devils for NFL Europe’s 2006 season.

Among this year’s group of intern coaches are Oakland Raiders Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ted Washington, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Shawn Barber and former offensive lineman Tim Grunhard, Detroit Lions tight end Marcus Pollard and former NFL quarterback Corey Sauter.

“It’s a real unique experience, and I would say that any player thinking about making a change to coaching after they retire should take advantage of the internship program in NFL Europe, because you get a great opportunity and good guidance from the coaches who are here,” said Shawn Barber, who is acting as a training camp intern coach for the Berlin Thunder’s linebackers.

Barber gets an opportunity to learn his potential new trade from Thunder head coach Rick Lantz, a long-time college positional coach who specialized in linebacker play and helped develop the careers of Jamie Sharper and James Farrior at the college level.

While Barber is on the sidelines for Berlin, one of his Chiefs teammates, Mike Maslowski, is solidifying his coaching career for the Hamburg Sea Devils. Maslowski actually began his playing and coaching careers in NFL Europe, making an NFLEL record 105 tackles in the 1995 season for the Barcelona Dragons, before going back to Kansas City and starting at middle linebacker. After a knee injury recently ended his playing days, Maslowski was able to fall back on the experience he gained in the NFL Europe intern coaching program.

“He is a guy that really understands the game because he played this position before in the NFL,” says Hamburg linebacker Byron Hardmon, who has been soaking up as much information as he can from Maslowski in the opening week of training camp. “He really has an inside approach on the linebackers and shows us some nice techniques.”

Despite being able to pass on great tips to his players, Maslowski is discovering that off the field there is another side to the coaching game.

“You are in the dark as a player because you don’t realize the things that take place and need to go on before practice or a game,” Maslowski explains. “The player’s improving is what is most important to me, which is a lot of pressure compared to being a player and just worrying about your game.”

Former Kansas City offensive lineman Grunhard believes that the opportunity to discover what type of sacrifice you need to make to be a coach – at any level – is one of the factors that makes his time with the Cologne Centurions so invaluable.

“It is an excellent program to be in, because it really teaches you what goes in to being a coach, in terms of the meeting time, the breaking down and putting together of plays and the evaluation of players,” Grunhard says. “It is a side that, maybe as a player, you don’t really see. Doing this gives you a taste of what it would be to become a coach. I can see that there are a lot of sacrifices you have to make as a coach.”

For some of the coaches involved, teaching is something they are already involved in – despite still being players. Oakland defensive tackle Ted Washington explains that he tries to pass on his experience to young players even as he continues to play in the NFL.

“One of my ways of giving back and showing I am thankful for the 14 seasons I have had in the NFL is by going to high schools and colleges and trying to teach those players the fundamentals that I think are missing from the game nowadays,” Cologne Centurions defensive line coach Washington says.

Ted Washington is pleased to be able to give something back. (NFL Europe)

“It’s awesome having him around here,” said defensive end Otis Grigsby, one of Washington’s charges on the Cologne defense. “I am 25 years old, so I really grew up watching him play, it’s strange seeing him sitting right next to you in the locker room. He knows so much, and you can’t match the kind of experience he has. I see it as a blessing, and I am definitely trying to soak everything up. Everything he says, my ears prick up – I listen to every word. He’s been where we all want to go.”

For some of the intern coaches, however, the learning curve has been a steep one, as they look to coach at positions they did not play in during their careers. The chance to diversify and expand their own knowledge base is an invaluable one which teaches them lessons along the way.

“I was an NFL offensive lineman for 11 years, but now I am coaching tight ends,” says Grunhard. “I am working in the passing game now – and I think that was probably something I took for granted when I was playing.”

Going from being a player to a coach presents other difficulties, including drawing a line between sharing the experience you have as a current or former player and bonding as friends as you would have done during your own career.

“Coaches are coaches and players are players,” says Maslowski. “There is a fine line between the two. I don’t want them to be my buddies, but I want them to respect the things that I am trying to help them improve on, so ultimately they can make it back to the NFL and improve their abilities.”

With the help of the 2006 intern coaching class, many of NFL Europe’s players will go on to fulfill their potential in the NFL. Equally, it looks likely that the 2006 season could produce some inspirational coaches who will go on to have a big future in the second stage of their NFL careers.

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 04:49 PM

I am pulling for this kid to succeed...

Inside the Huddle with Lorn Mayers

February 17, 2006
By Henry Hodgson
NFL Europe

Lorn Mayers has gone from amateur football to the NFL in 18 months. (NFL Europe)

Berlin Thunder defensive tackle Lorn Mayers has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks of American football. In 2003, the 18-year old Londoner first discovered football – two years later he was in training camp with the Oakland Raiders, as the youngest player ever signed to an NFL roster.

At 6-3 and 350 pounds, Mayers is certainly not a small man, but his age has earned him the nickname ‘Big Baby’ among his teammates. That size was what prompted a teacher to get him to try out a new sport – although football was not at the top of the list.

“I used to play every sport under the sun, but with my size I was told by one of my teachers to try rugby,” remembers Mayers. “At the time, I didn’t really find rugby that interesting, and a friend of mine told me to have a think about playing American football. The first team I found on the internet was the London Blitz, and after playing one game for them I was invited to be in the English youth team. At the time I was shocked with how quick things were happening.”

Mayers was lucky to have been seen by scouts from the British youth team in that first game for his amateur team in London, but it was not long before NFL Europe began beating down his door to persuade him to test at the combine of the top players in Britain. Needless to say, his results there were more than enough to earn him an invitation to go first to train with the top European players at a combine in Germany, and then come to national camp in Tampa Bay, Florida, prior to the 2005 NFL Europe training camp.

“Playing with the best European players in Germany before I came to Tampa last year was an eye opener itself,” says the genial Mayers. “Then coming in and seeing the players from all around the world, that was another level.”

Mayers’ good showing in training camp was expected by the national coaches who had watched him physically dominate in the national combines. However, it took a chance sighting of him in action by newly appointed Oakland Raiders head coach Art Shell – then NFL Vice President of Football Operations – to move Mayers’ career to the next level. Shell persuaded the Berlin Thunder to bring Mayers in for the 2005 season – as a developmental project – and the next chapter of his rise began to take shape.

“It shocked me when they told me that they were interested in bringing me in for the season, because I knew they liked what I did in camp, but I thought they would leave it for a year before I got my chance,” admits Mayers.

When he arrived in Berlin, Thunder defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula made it clear that while some saw him as a project, he believed that the youngster could contribute immediately.

“When I got to Berlin, coach Tomsula told me that although nobody expected me to play during the season, from what he had seen on tape of my work habits, he could see me playing in the league right then,” Mayers remembers. “Five weeks into the season, there I was.”

With Mayers on board, the Thunder made it to the World Bowl in 2005, eventually losing to Amsterdam in a thrilling title game. However, for Mayers, being part of a team with so much of a bond was a unique experience, and one that he will never forget – no matter where his career goes from here.

“Getting to World Bowl was so exciting. You can watch a big game like that – a World Bowl or a Super Bowl or a Rose Bowl game, but actually playing in it and being part of a team that has got there, is completely different,” he explains. “It is a great feeling and it brought the whole team together – I still keep in touch with them all now, and I know I will cross paths with a lot of those guys in the future.”

Despite only playing a handful of snaps in the 2005, the biggest shock of his brief career came in the week after the World Bowl. Mayers received a call from the Oakland Raiders inviting him to take part in training camp – making him, at the age of 19, the youngest player ever to be signed by an NFL team.

“Getting a call from the Raiders was the biggest surprise of all! We were told throughout the season that all our practice tape got sent to the teams so they could keep an eye on their allocated players. I always practice hard and with enthusiasm, and as I didn’t get many snaps through the season I know that they must have given me a call purely off what they saw of me on film in practice. I really did think someone was playing a prank on me when they called.”

This was no prank, though, and in late July he flew out to Oakland to begin the next part of a ride that had seen him first strap on a pair of shoulder pads just 18 months earlier.

“When I walked in to the Raiders office and saw the logo there and my locker and all the players, it suddenly sunk in how far I had come,” Mayers remembers with a smile.

Going from amateur football to the NFL in such a short space of time means that his learning curve had been sharp, but to his surprise, the jump to the NFL did not daunt him as much as he had expected in terms of the physical adjustments. However, the work involved in learning the Raiders’ playbook left him occasionally mystified.

“The speed in the NFL is quicker, but the jump up is not that much – not compared with going from European amateur football to NFL Europe. I didn’t take that long to adjust to the speed.

“I think the biggest adjustment, for me, was coming to terms with the playbook. I hadn’t been around football for that long, so when coaches were going through things I was saying ‘Hang on a minute – what does that mean.’ Every other player in an NFL camp knows all this stuff; and coaches in the NFL just don’t have time to go over the basics with anyone - they have to work to get their team into the playoffs, their jobs are on the line. I knew I had to catch up by myself.”

Fortunately for Mayers, just when he began to feel out of his depth, a pair of Raiders players stepped in to bail him out. Super Bowl winning defensive linemen Ted Washington and Bobby Hamilton worked with Lorn on the basics – such as his technique – and explained some of the problematic elements of the Oakland playbook. His unique story and background meant that he swiftly won over his teammates – including Warren Sapp, who would call him ‘London’.

“A lot of players helped me out. Ted Washington and Bobby Hamilton were two guys who really helped me, though,” explains Mayers. “Both of them really showed me so many things I needed to learn. Oakland play the 3-4 defense, so it was completely different to what I had learned in NFL Europe with a 4-3 in Berlin.”

His inexperience meant that it was no surprise to him when he was released at the end of training camp, having participated in all of Oakland’s preseason games. Despite guessing it was coming, he couldn’t help but wish he could stay with the team.

“In a way the pressure was off, because I knew I was a long shot to make the roster,” Mayers says. “Once I was there, though, I was wishing I could stay out and just learn for a whole year. If I work hard I hope that can happen after this season.”

On his return to London, Mayers found that he had become something of a celebrity. Newspapers had run the story of how he had gone from being a furniture removal man (his job prior to entering NFL Europe) to the Raiders. Pretty soon he was part of Channel Five’s UK NFL broadcast team, meeting William ‘The Refrigerator’ Perry in an interview for Sky Sports, and making radio appearances on the BBC.

“Doing the TV and radio stuff was another big learning curve for me,” admits Mayers. “It helped that the first thing I did was a game with the Raiders in it, because it was so recent that I had been playing with those guys that I was able to say ‘Hey, I practiced with him’, and recognize the plays that were coming in.”

2006 brings a whole fresh set of challenges for Mayers, as he looks to consolidate what he has achieved in the past two years. Winning a starting job and continuing his improvement are his main goals, and from there, he hopes to stick with an NFL team on a permanent basis.

“I have set goals in getting stronger, and just trying to learn as much football as I can. My main aim is to get to another training camp and stick with a team this time,” he says. “I have had a taste of it now – next time I want it to be permanent. To be the first British (non-kicker) player to be in the NFL would be an amazing achievement, and I know I can do it.”

If he continues at his current pace, Mayers would be heading for the Pro Bowl in Hawaii in 2008. While it may take longer than that, with a little luck and a lot of hard work, there is no doubt that he is capable of achieving whatever he puts his mind to.

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 04:52 PM

Here are the rest of the players and others who have coaching aspirations and interning in Europe...

2006 NFL Europe League intern coaches

Amsterdam Admirals

Robert Hunt
Kanavis McGhee
Todd Washington

Berlin Thunder

Vince Marrow
Dwayne Stukes
Troy Walters
Shawn Barber

Cologne Centurions

Ken Oxendine
Sam Garnes
Tim Grunhard
Ted Washington

Frankfurt Galaxy

J.J. Smith
Cory Chamblin
Dwayne Ledford
Donte Curry

Hamburg Sea Devils

Cory Sauter
Perry Carter
Tim Stuber
Will Hunter

Rhein Fire

Duval Love
Antonio Anderson
Marcus Pollard
Lewis Tillman

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 06:45 PM

Raiders Team Report
2/19/2006

By Steve Corkran
Contra Costa Times

The Raiders were the last of 10 teams with a coaching vacancy to hire someone. The process took more than five weeks and put the Raiders well behind most other teams in terms of preparation for next season. New coach Art Shell has the benefit of experience with the Raiders and working with managing general partner Al Davis before. However, he has less than a month to fill the vacancies on his coaching staff, assess the talent level of his players and ready himself for the scouting combine and free agency. Hence the reason, he spent most of his first week assembling his staff, calling players and laying out the groundwork for the upcoming season's schedule.

PERSONNEL ANALYSIS: Sam Williams' first three seasons have been cut short by injuries. Twice he sustained season-ending injuries during training camp, including last season. Therefore, the Raiders still don't know what kind of player Williams can be in their defensive scheme. Still, they are counting on his return to full health from a knee injury to fill a glaring void at outside linebacker. His absence last season necessitated the Raiders trying Grant Irons and Tyler Brayton on the outside, with rookie Kirk Morrison ultimately securing a spot in a scheme that relied on two linebackers and five defensive backs. Williams is a versatile player who is fast, strong and adept at covering the pass and spying on running quarterbacks such as the Falcons' Michael Vick. Williams will enter training camp as a projected starter opposite Morrison, with both capable of playing either the strong-side or weak-side. Williams' return also would enable defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to employ the 4-3 scheme he covets. . . .

Second-year CB Chris Carr turned into a pleasant surprise as an undrafted free agent who shined on kick returns and spot duty as an extra defensive back. He finished among the league leaders in kick returns and helped the Raiders stand out in terms of average drive start after kickoffs. However, Carr needs to work on his punt-return performance. He sparkled in that role during training camp and exhibition games but struggled all season. He fumbled too often, made poor decisions on when to field the ball or let it bounce and finished near the bottom in return average. He has the speed, instincts and breakaway ability, he just needs to gain confidence and experience. Once he does, he figures to be someone capable of changing the complexion of a game and giving the Raiders an edge in the battle for field position.

YOUTH MOVEMENT: CB Stanford Routt met the lofty expectations the Raiders had by grasping the defense quickly and translating that to the field, when pressed into action as an extra defensive back. He performed so well that he played more than first-round pick Fabian Washington in the first part of the season. He has outstanding speed and solid tackling skills, though his inexperience in coverage and technique sometimes led to his giving up big plays or committing costly penalties. He is expected to challenge Washington for a starting spot if incumbent Charles Woodson isn't resigned, as expected. Either way, he figures to be a significant contributor for years to come.

Angry Pope

02-19-2006, 07:26 PM

It appears that Ricky Williams failed another drug test. Supposedly, Denver was interested in acquiring him....

Report: Ricky Fails Drug Test ...
2006-02-19

WSVN in Miami, citing "a television station in Denver", is reporting that Dolphins running back Ricky Williams has failed another drug test. If true, Williams faces a one year suspension from the NFL. The Denver station is describing their source as "rock solid".

The Dolphins have no comment at this time.

Rupert

02-19-2006, 09:26 PM

They still are. Part of the reason? It seems he's been living his life a mile high and is used to the altitude.

Angry Pope

02-20-2006, 10:13 AM

Thursday is the deadline to designate franchise and transition players....02.23.06 at 1:00pm

Angry Pope

02-20-2006, 10:33 AM

These salary cap figures appear to be more up to date...

No guarantees in 2006 free-agent class

By Jeff Reynolds
Feb. 20, 2006

The 2006 free agency class, as assembled on Feb. 20, lacks the luster of years past.

There are no absolutes. No player who is the right fit for every team regardless of existing personnel and/or system.

Given this and the other significant factors at play — divided negotiations in talks to reach a new CBA have NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw using words like “lockout” — expect the number of spenders to be critically low. Only the few teams with an excess of salary-cap space can afford to enter the free-agent pool without lightly dipping their toes into the water to gauge the temperature.

To find out which teams will be the players when the free agency frenzy begins on March 3, we asked an NFL personnel director where each of the league’s 32 teams stand with regard to the projected 2006 salary cap of $93.25 million. At this writing, there was a sliver of hope held by the league’s owners — and salary-cap experts — that free agency could be pushed back to April 1 in an effort to put in place a new CBA. The reason cap gurus want the new deal? The rolling wake of the new TV deal is about $7 million-$9 million more per team beneath the salary cap, meaning each team could have a payroll of just above $100 million if a CBA is stamped and approved before March 3. Operating under the assumption that, as Upshaw put it, a new deal was “doubtful,” here are the current players and bystanders based on up-to-date salary-cap data provided by an NFL club. (Team, amount under the projected cap)

1. Cleveland Browns: $25 million
2. Arizona Cardinals: $24.5 million
3. Minnesota Vikings: $24 million
4. Green Bay Packers $22 million
5. Seattle Seahawks: $20 million
6. San Francisco 49ers: $18 million
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: $17 million
Chicago Bears: $17 million
Cincinnati Bengals: $17 million
8. San Diego Chargers: $16.5 million
9. Baltimore Ravens: $16 million
10. St. Louis Rams: $14 million
11. Houston Texans: $14 million
12. Buffalo Bills: $11 million
13. New Orleans Saints: $10 million
14. Detroit Lions: $9 million
15. Philadelphia: $6.5 million
16. New York Giants: $3.5 million
17. Dallas Cowboys: $3 million
18. New England Patriots: $500,000
19. Indianapolis Colts: Even at $93.25 million
20. Carolina Panthers: $2 million over
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: $4.5 million over
22. Miami Dolphins: $5 million over
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $9 million over
24. Atlanta Falcons: $10 million over
25. Tennessee Titans: $14.7 million over
26. Washington Redskins: $19 million over
27. Kansas City Chiefs: $19 million over
28. Denver Broncos: $23 million over
29. New York Jets: $26 million over
30. Oakland Raiders: $27 million over

As each team balances its own checkbook in the next two weeks, a few marquee names may become available. Drew Brees, Chad Pennington, Kerry Collins, Curtis Martin, Eric Moulds, Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice, La’Roi Glover … all have brimming cap figures that could render them expendable. By dropping these high-paid players, teams get their own cap situations in order, and might even create enough room to make an addition or two. For example, when Jerome Bettis’ retirement becomes official, Pittsburgh will be right at the cap limit.

Cleveland won’t spend for the sake of breaking a $100 bill. The Browns will make a run at Jets DE-OLB John Abraham if he’s not a franchise player, could have a deal in mind for 49ers OLB Julian Peterson and should make an offer to a top back such as Jamal Lewis, whom GM Phil Savage endorsed when the Ravens drafted him. But in a class that is very heavy at the top and light on impact players, they’ll have to strike early.

Minnesota and Arizona could be competing for Colts RB Edgerrin James. Inevitably, the Colts were going to have to squeeze a star out of the budget to continue making improvements elsewhere with limited turnover, and James is on the verge of hiring the moving truck. Winning seems to matter to James, and the Vikings could give him the chance to play much the same role as he did with the Colts.

Shaun Alexander could shake loose from Seattle, which has the money to keep him around but might look to fill other needs rather than invest a $15 million guarantee in one soon-to-be 29-year-old back.

Being a year short of 30 makes Alexander anything but a safe hire. But in this market, there are zero absolutes.

Angry Pope

02-20-2006, 03:36 PM

Here is another view of our 2006 schedule. You will have to cross reference Cleveland and Baltimore. On the overall records, I went back all the way. On the other results I went back to 1970.

Seattle Seahawks....

Our Monday Night Football record against them is...

11.17.1980 at Seattle.....We win 19-17
12.12.1984 at Seattle.....We lose 17-14
12.08.1986 at Seattle.....We lose 37-0
11.30.1987 at Seattle.....We win 37-14
11.28.1988 at Seattle.....We lose 35-27

Overall Record against Seattle on Monday night 2-3

Games played on Saturday against the Seahawks 0-1

First game of season played against Seattle...

2002 at Raiders.............We win 31.17

Last home game: 09.08.2002.....We win 31-17
Last away game: 11.11.2001.....We lose 34-27

Overall record: 28-23

Pittsburgh Steelers...

Our Monday Night Football record against them is...

10.20.1980 at Pittsburgh...........We win 45-34
12.07.1981 at Raiders...............We win 30-27

Overall record against Pittsburgh on Monday night 2-0

Games played on Saturday against the Steelers 0-1

First game of season played against Pittsburgh...

2004 at Pittsburgh...........We lose 24-21
1976 at Raiders...............We win 31-28
1972 at Pittsburgh...........We lose 34-28

Last home game: 12.10.1995.........We lose 29-10
Last away game: 09.12.2004.........We lose 24-21

Overall record: 11-11

San Francisco 49ers....

Our Monday Night Football record against them is....

09.15.1994 at San Francisco..........We lose 44-14

First game of season played against San Francisco...

1982 at San Francisco...................We win 23-17
1994 at San Francisco...................We lose 44-14

Last home game: 11.03.2002..........We lose 23-20 OT
Last away game: 10.08.2000..........We win 34-28 OT

Overall record: 6-4

St. Louis Rams....

Our Monday Night Football record against St. Louis....

12.23.1985 at Rams......................We win 16-6

Overall record against the Rams on Monday night: 1-0

Games played on Saturday againt the Rams: 1-0

First game of season played against the Rams....

1979 at Rams...............................We win 24-17

Last home game: 09.28.1997..........We win 35-17
Last away game: 10.13.2002..........We lose 28-13

Overall record: 7-3

Baltimore Ravens...

Our Monday Night Football record against the Ravens....

None

First game of season played against the Ravens...

1996 at Ravens..........................We lose 19-14

Last home game:12.14.2003.........We win 20-12
Last away game:11.08.1998.........We lose 13-10

Overall record: 1-3

cont'd....

Angry Pope

02-20-2006, 03:37 PM

cont'd...

Arizona Cardinals....

Our Monday Night Football record against Arizona.....

None

First game of seaon played against Arizona....

None

Last home game: 11.02.2001............We lose 34-31 OT
Last away game: 11.24.2002............We win 41-20

Overall record: 4-2

Cincinnati Bengals....

Our Monday Night Football record against Cincinnati is....

11.06.1976 at Raiders......................We win 35-20
11.13.1978 at Cincinnati.................. We win 34-21

Overall record of games played against Cincinnati on Monday: 2-0

First game of season played against Cincinnati.....

1970 at Cincinnati...........................We lose 31-21
1983 at Cincinnati...........................We win 20-10

Last home game: 09.14.2003.............We win 23-20
Last away game: 11.05.1995.............We win 20-17

Overall record: 19-7

New York Jets...

Our Monday Night Footbal record against New York is...

12.11.1972 at Raiders......................We win 24-16
10.09.1989 at New York...................We win 14-7
12.02.2002 at Raiders......................We win 38-24

Overall record against the Jets played on Monday night: 3-0

Games played on Saturday against New York: 1-1

First game of season against the Jets...

1985 at Raiders...............................We win 31-0

Last home game: 11.09.2003.............We lose 27-24 OT
Last away game: 12.11.2005.............We lose 26-10

Overall record: 21-15-2

Houston Texans....

Our Monday Night Football record against the Texans is...

None

First game of season played against the Texans...

None

Last game played against the Texans...

10.03.2004 at Houston................We lose 30-17

Overall record: 0-1

Cleveland Browns...

Our Monday Night Football record against Cleveland is....

10.04.1971 at Cleveland.............We win 34-20

Overall record against Cleveland on Monday night: 1-0

Games played on Saturday against Cleveland: 1-0

First game of season played against Cleveland....

None

Last home game: 12.18.2005.......We lose 9-7
Last away game: 10.12.2003.......We lose 13-7

Overall record: 11-6

cont'd...

Angry Pope

02-20-2006, 03:38 PM

cont'd...

Denver Broncos....

First game of season against Denver....

1978 at Denver........................We lose 14-6
1981 at Denver........................We lose 9-7
1986 at Denver........................We lose 38-36
1990 at Raiders........................We win 14-9
1992 at Denver........................We lose 17-13

Our record on Monday night against Denver: 6-7-1

Our record on Sunday night against Denver: 1-2

Our home record in December against Denver: 14-2

Our away record in December against Denver: 3-3

Overall record: 54-37-2

Kansas City Chiefs....

First game of seaon against Kansas City....

1980 at Kansas City.................We win 27-14
1998 at Kansas City.................We lose 28-8
2001 at Kansas City.................We win 27-24

Our record on Monday night against Kansas City: 3-4

Our record on Sunday night against Kansas City: 0-3

Our home record against Kansas City in December: 9-6
Our away record against Kansas City in December: 2-5

Overall record: 42-49-2

San Diego Chargers....

First game of season against San Diego...

1977 at Raiders....................We win 24-0
1988 at Raiders....................We win 24-13
1989 at Raiders....................We win 40-14
1995 at Raiders....................We win 17-7
2000 at Raiders....................We win 9-6

Our record on Monday night against San Diego: 5-2

Our record on Sunday night against San Diego: 4-4

Our home record against San Diego in December: 4-2

Our away record against San Diego in December: 10-6

Overall record: 55-36-2

CrossBones

02-20-2006, 03:59 PM

Belive me I know those Seattle games all too well. I'm sure I was at them all -- might have missed one. But during those days the Seahwaks got to be a real pain in the butt. They were beating us a lot especially on the road.

The last two road games we played before they went to he NFC we played at Husky Stadium. Rupert will tell you about the rain and how miserable we were both times. And we lost 'em both. :o

Angry Pope

02-20-2006, 05:27 PM

Here is more from Big Ted Washington....

Inside the Huddle with Ted Washington

February 20, 2006
By Henry Hodgson
NFL Europe

Ted Washington is having his first taste of coaching. (Getty Images)
Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Ted Washington has just finished his 14th NFL season, and while many players would be looking to get away from the daily grind of football, Washington is back at it – making plans for the future.

As part of NFL Europe’s intern coaching program, which gives former and current players the chance to get a taste for being part of a coaching staff, Washington is spending four weeks of NFL Europe training camp with the Cologne Centurions. The experience is a valuable one, as he ponders whether to enter coaching once he hangs up his cleats for the last time.

“It’s a very valuable experience to be here, and be on the other side, because I now have a lot more respect for what coaches go through,” Washington explains between practices in Tampa, Florida – the city where he attended high school. “You can be trying to teach a guy certain things – and that’s hard enough – but trying to teach a whole group of guys, it’s tough.

“As a veteran player I have tried to help teach and play at the same time, and that’s tough too, but you don’t have to put in all the hours behind the scenes working and evaluating personnel.”

One current NFL Europe player who discovered what a help Washington could be on the field was British defensive tackle Lorn Mayers, who spent training camp with Oakland last season. Noticing that the young Brit was short on some of the basics of the position, Washington spent time after grueling Raiders two-a-days working with the 20-year old on techniques.

“When Lorn came over with the Raiders he really lacked the fundamentals and skills,” remembers Washington. “I just tried to give him some pointers and help him get better. He is going to be a good player some day, but because he hadn’t had the college experience he just had never been taught a lot of that stuff.”

The chance to help young players was not limited to that one occasion, either. Washington makes time to visit high schools and colleges to help young players get to grips with what he considers one of the most ignored parts of coaching – the fundamentals.

“One of my ways of giving back and showing I am thankful for the 14 seasons I have had in the NFL is by going to high schools and colleges and trying to teach those players the fundamentals that I think are missing from the game nowadays,” he says.

“I like to stress the basic stuff that got the old school guys to where they are. This isn’t difficult techniques, but it is what every player needs to be successful. Some coaches just don’t teach that any more. With me, I feel that going back to the basics and doing that, whatever defensive line I am with is going to be good.”

Washington is stressing the basics when coaching the Cologne defensive line. (NFL Europe)

Washington thinks that the pressure on NFL coaches to win now means that they sometimes lose sight of coaching the basics in favor of implementing their defensive scheme. Unfortunately, as he explains, schemes do not work unless every player has a sound knowledge of how to play at the most basic level.

“Coaches maybe have too much pressure to win right now, and don’t make the time to teach the fundamentals,” he says. “I think they should be putting the time in for this, though, because it doesn’t take long to teach the basics of where to have your hands and using leverage – and that’s pretty much all a defensive line coach has to do on the field. If you spend all your time coaching a scheme, but you don’t have the basics down, you are going to struggle.”

The Centurions defensive line looks to be in good hands, then, and watching Washington work with the players it is evident that his long-time experience in the NFL means that they are eager to learn as much as they can from him while he is with them.

“It’s awesome having him around here,” said defensive end Otis Grigsby, one of Washington’s charges on the Cologne defensive line. “I am 25 years old, so I really grew up watching him play, it’s strange seeing him sitting right next to you in the locker room.

“He knows so much, and you can’t match the kind of experience he has. I see it as a blessing, and I am definitely trying to soak everything up. Everything he says, my ears prick up – I listen to every word. He’s been where we all want to go.”

Washington has some advice aside from the basics he is passing on to the Centurions defensive line, and it applies to all the players at any position on any team in the league.

“A lot of players have been in NFL Europe and come back and won Super Bowls and become standout players. This league has helped a lot of people,” he notes.

“I just hope that nobody comes out here thinking, ‘Well, I have been sent out to NFL Europe, so I am not worth anything.’ Well, they are here to learn and to get better, and once they are done playing in Europe they can come back to the NFL and play and put on a show. If you dominate in Europe you can definitely come back to the States and do what you have to do.”

Washington will be watching the Centurions through the NFLEL season. (Getty Images)

Whether coaching will be a career path for ‘Big Ted’ when his career is over remains to be seen. With plenty of business ventures he could go in another direction, but his desire to remain in football could be what wins out.

“I think this is something that maybe I would like to do once I am done playing,” Washington admits. “Coaching is something that would keep me active in this sport, which is what I want to do.”

There are some differences that he has to get used to, however.

“As a player, once you have finished with a meeting, you can just go off and go to bed or relax or whatever. As a coach you meet all day and all night!”

When training camp ends and he returns home, it will not be the end of Washington’s connection with Cologne.

“I am definitely going to be following the Centurions on the NFL Network through the season, and let me tell you, if they win it all I am going to be expecting to get myself a World Bowl ring to go with my Super Bowl one! I want to be able to say I was a part of it.”

Should the Centurions win World Bowl XIV, who would be brave enough to deny Washington his silverware?

Angry Pope

02-20-2006, 05:39 PM

Here is more on Darryl Sims....

Turning Players into Pros

May 29, 2003
By Marni Dyer
NFL Europe

Darryl Sims was a first round pick of the Steelers. Photo: Photo-stock.co.uk

After spending the stretch of 1985-1991 playing in the NFL, Admirals defensive line coach Darryl Sims knows a thing or two about what it takes to make it.

In his fourth year on the Amsterdam staff, Sims has learned how to share his experience with young defensive linemen.

He was selected in the first round of the draft in 1985 (21st overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers and played his final four seasons with the Cleveland Browns before retiring in 1991. Since then, he has found himself doing different things, but was always drawn back to football.

"After I stopped playing, I kind of muddled around a little bit," Sims shared. "I traveled a lot and ended up really missing the game. I watched it a lot and I stayed in touch with guys who were still in the league. Coaching was the only way I could stay close to it without actually playing."

Sims felt like current players could benefit from the experience he gained during his career in the NFL, and was anxious to share his knowledge with them. He finds that experience particularly valuable while working with players in NFL Europe who are young and looking to learn the right way to do things.

"The thing that helps me with my group now is that I can talk to them about things that I experienced," Sims recalled. "Things that I went through early in my career, later in my career, that helped me get over the hump, helped me understand what it took, not just make it, but to stay in it. A lot of people make it, but not many people stay in for long periods of time."

In addition to teaching his players what it takes to make it on the field, Sims prides himself on creating professionals with good work habits. He insists that although great players perform on the football field, they are made in the film room.

"The big thing that you have to do, is just develop the habit of getting in their and watching that stuff," Sims explained. "That is where you earn your money. It's the difference between making the play and not making the play, if you know what they like to do in certain situations. The professional will know that."

The Amsterdam defensive line has flourished under Sims. Photo: Photo-stock.co.uk
Sims has worked with a number of great athletes over the years, but the one that sticks out in his mind is 2001 Defensive MVP of NFL Europe, Roshaun Matthews. Sims remembers how Matthews took his job seriously and made a constant effort to get better, and credits his success to a determination to improve, every day.

"When we got Roshaun he really was an unknown entity to everybody in the league, including us," admitted Sims. "We knew he had ability. He really wasn't a defensive lineman, he was a linebacker. And so he was willing to do it and we were willing to work with him on it. He was very, very hungry.

"He wanted to learn as much as he could about what it took to be a good pass rusher and what it took to play the run effectively. He wanted to be a complete defensive lineman, as best as he could. He knew he only had 10 weeks to change positions and to master the defensive line at that end position where we played him. He did well. He really snuck up on a lot of people because nobody had ever heard of him. There wasn't a whole lot of tape on him available and his linebacker speed coupled with his tenacity and his willingness to learn and try different things, helped him win the MVP."

As Sims influences young players, he looks back at himself as a player and has firsthand experience of what they're going through. And now he has the chance to see himself through a coach's eyes.

"Was I a professional?" Sims asked himself. "I always thought I was. I'm sure there were those who would disagree with me. We were encouraged to take tape home, which I always did. As a rookie, it didn't click. It didn't click until later years. I was very fortunate to work with guys like Joe Greene, who really instilled a great deal in me as to what it took to excel at the defensive line position."

Sims tries to pass on the same lessons the he learned from mentors like Joe Greene to his players he deals with in Amsterdam. He wants them to improve as players during their time in NFL Europe and he expects their very best on every down.

"I am fair," Sims declared. "I honestly wouldn't say that I'm tough but I demand that you be perfect. Most people say that that's an unattainable thing. I disagree with that. I think that you can be perfect in your execution based on what we're asking you to do. Players don't really have an understanding of what it is they're supposed to do. My job is to help them get all of that, and understand how they're supposed to execute the defense."

Six weeks into this year, the Admirals are leading the league in sacks with 18. Sims' influence is paying off and he is teaching his young lineman that to succeed for 60 minutes on the football field, one must put in hours during the week in the film room. As he continues to teach and mold young players, he will be creating more professionals every year, and the chance of their success only increases having been coached by a professional himself.

Darryl Sims... (http://images.nfl.com/images/nfleurope/2003/05292003_pic1.jpg)

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 01:00 AM

Here is information on some of the free agent quarterbacks....

2006 NFL Free Agents: Quarterback
By: Thomas J Gersey

1. Drew Brees, San Diego

After a shaky introduction to the NFL, Brees has become one of the pre-eminant passers in the league. Brees is the prototypical pocket passer, with excellent touch and an above average arm. Couple with that his ability to move outside the pocket and throw on the run, and there are few throws Brees can't make. He doesn't have the hose to get the ball down the field, but he can make the throws to the outside that must be made in today's NFL. Brees is not a superior athlete, but he maximizes the talents he does possess. WIthin 20 yards, he is deadly accurate, but his ball tends to sail as he attempts deeper throws. Brees is smart and adaptable, and has grown into his role as a leader. He can lead the Chargers, or any other talented team, to the Super Bowl, and will soon get a contract that demonstrates so.

GOOD FITS: Dallas, Miami, NY Jets, Oakland

EARLY PICK: The Chargers will not franchise Brees and it is now unlikely he will return to San Diego. Expect Brees, a Texas native, to get a lot of attention from the Cowboys, who seem to have soured on Drew Henson as the quarterback of the future. Miami has a huge hole at quarterback, and the Dolphins may be attractive to Brees, who will likely want to play for another up and coming team.

2. Jon Kitna, Cincinnati

Once looked at as future star in Seattle, Kitna developed into a more than adequate starting quarterback in Cincinnati, even putting together an MVP quality season two years ago. When Carson Palmer became a super star, Kitna suddenly become expendable. However, following Palmer's knee injury in the play offs, Kitna suddenly became indispensable. 33 years old, Kitna is not the long term solution anywhere, but he is more than capable of holding down the fort while another young quarterback develops. Kitna is a very good leader, and players rally around him. He throws a very good deep ball, letting the receiver run under it. His decision making has developed into above average, though he could still improve on recognition in the pocket. He is slightly slow of foot, and is more confortable between the tackles, exposing him on a team with a below average line.

GOOD FITS: NY Jets, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Houston, Detroit

EARLY PICK: It really depends on what Kitna wants, and how badly the Bengals want to bring him back. It is likely they will want to keep him as a security blanket for Palmer, who has suddenly become a question mark. Teams like New Orleans, Houston, and the Jets, all plan on playing young quarterbacks this up coming season, but quarterbacks who will be on a short leash. If Kitna is ok being a back up with a good chance of stepping in, any of those franchises may be a good fit.

3. Jeff Garcia, Detroit

At 35, Garcia's days as a premier starting quarterback appear to be behind him. However, in this free agent class, he still possesses enough skills to be a valuable backup. He is a former Pro Bowl calibur QB with a career 60% completion percentage. He has a quick release, and picks up the blitz well, making him valuable to a young team with an inexperienced line. He is still mobile, despite his age and injuries, though isn't the threat to scramble he once was. He is best suited to a team that relies on the short passing game, as his deep throws lack range and accuracy. While Kitna is a likely backup with starter ability, Garcia will be best suited backing up a young quarterback, where he will only be called on in an emergency. He is the consummate professional who can play at a high level in a pinch.

GOOD FITS: Minnesota, Philadelphia, Detroit, Houston, Oakland, San Francisco, NY Giants, New Orleans, Buffalo

EARLY PICK: In all honesty, where Garcia goes is anyone's guess right now. Once the QB carousel stops, Garcia will know where he fits in alot better. It is possible Detroit will bring him back for another year, though the Lions are likely to want to distance themselves from everything related to the past two seasons. A place like Philadelphia or New York makes alot of sense, where a veteran backup like Garcia could really keep either team in the playoff hunt were the starter to be injured. Teams like Houston, Oakland, SF, and NO would look to Garcia as an insurance policy for their young signal callers.

cont'd...

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 01:01 AM

cont'd...

4. Josh McCown, Arizona

With the recent signing of Kurt Warner for three years, it appears that Josh McCown's status as the future of the Cardinals has come to an abrupt end. Physically, McCown is very gifted. He is big, with a strong pocket presence; yet he is also very mobile for a man his size. He can throw on the run effectively, and is able to make the tough throws to the outside. He has developed the confidence to be a leader in the huddle, though at 26 he is still developing those skills. He often relies too much on his physical gifts, instead attempting to bail himself out with athletic plays. When it doesn't work, he is apt to make costly mistakes at the most inopportune times. He would be a perfect fit for a team looking to groom a new starter behind an established veteran nearing the end of their career.

GOOD FITS: Kansas City, NY Jets, Miami, Dallas, Minnesota, Tennessee

EARLY PICK: McCown isn't the commodity he was a year ago, but he is still a gifted quarterback whom someone will take a chance on. He would be an absolute perfect fit in Kansas City where Trent Green is showing signs of slowing down. Green's backup is Todd Collins who McCown is already 10 times better than. Teams like the Jets or Dallas would bring him in to compete with similarly talented players, while Minnesota could groom him for the following season behind Brad Johnson were Culpepper to be traded.

5. Chris Simms, Tampa Bay (RFA)

Only this low because he is restricted, and Tampa can match any offer. However, it really appeared as if Simms finally started to "get it" last season. A top prospect since he was in high school, he has never lived up to the hype that always acoompanied him. A real "timing QB," once Simms gets into a rhythm, he can carry a team for multiple quarters. If a defense can rattle him, he is prone to bad throws, as he is apt to not see defenders and throw costly picks. He throws a very nice deep ball, with a tight spiral, that fast receivers can easily run under. He is still working on his accuracy underneath, and he doesn't have tremendous zip on the ball either, though he does display nice touch. His is big, with excellent mechanics, and at age 25, appears to have a future as a franchise quarterback.

GOOD FITS: Oakland, Miami, Dallas, Kansas City

EARLY PICK: It doesn't appear that Tampa is going to let Simms get away, and will match any offer, even though it means having two starting quarterbacks (Brian Griese is also under contract). However, if a team were to break the bank on his potential, Tampa may simply be unable to afford him, and will happily turn to Griese and Cadillac Williams to lead the offense. A team like Oakland, with nothing to lose, may be willing to spend that kind of money, though it's not likely.

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 01:27 AM

Here are some words by Al on Curt Gowdy...

Al Davis, owner of the Oakland Raiders and the former commissioner of the AFL, called Gowdy "one of the great ones" and said his popularity helped propel the new league.

"He brought us into fame and notoriety," Davis said. "We gave him great games, and boy, did he bring them across as great games.

"His style was something Middle America could take as their own, and the big cities could take as their own…. Everyone liked him, and everyone liked the AFL."

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 10:19 AM

Supposedly, Rich Gannon said that he would love for Drew Brees to wear our colors. He went on to say that he would get on the telephone to help get something done if the situation arose to that. They may have talked on a few occasions since Brees injury. Also, Gannon said that there are a lot of similarities between he and Brees...work ethic, the will to win among others. Take it for what it is worth.

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 10:30 AM

Darryl Sims has already stepped down from his job in NFL Europe....

Duggan Named Head Coach, Sims To Take Post

02/21/06 - National Football League Europe (NFLE)

DAVID DUGGAN, a two-time World Bowl-winning defensive coordinator, has been named as head coach of the Cologne Centurions.

Duggan, who was due to begin his third season as defensive coordinator of the Centurions, has stepped up to replace previous head coach DARRYL SIMS, who is to accept a coaching position at an NFL team.

"This is the realization of a life-long dream and I am very grateful to the NFL Europe League for this opportunity," said Duggan. "[Former head coach] Peter Vaas has laid a great foundation in Cologne and I was a part of that building process. Now I want to take the team to the next level and win a World Bowl for the city of Cologne.

"Our players and coaches have responded wonderfully to this situation and we're working hard towards our ultimate goal this season - to win a championship."

Duggan, who had spells as a defensive assistant at five colleges before joining the NFLEL, won World Bowl rings in 2001 and 2002 as defensive coordinator of the Berlin Thunder, before moving to Cologne prior to the 2004 season. In each of his two seasons with the Centurions he coached his unit to the number one ranking in the league.

MIKE CHAN, NFLEL Director of Football Operations, said: "David has proved his coaching qualities during several successful seasons with the league. He knows the organisation, the players and the fans in Cologne and will do an outstanding job as head coach of the team. We wish Darryl all the best in his new position, details of which will be announced in the near future. It is an appointment that is a tribute to the quality of coaches in the NFL Europe League."

Sims said: "This was a tough decision because NFL Europe has been so good to me. I feel very good that Cologne is being left in extremely good hands with David Duggan. He's an excellent coach and will really do a great job for the Centurions."

Rupert

02-21-2006, 10:59 AM

You know, until Brees worked on his arm strength (by strengthening his core) I wouldn't have thought he'd be viable as a Raiders QB. Now, I think he's a decent fit. The problem would be his salary demands, which might be lower to kick San Diego's ass twice a year.

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 11:06 AM

Here is speculation on who may be tagged...

NFL teams have until Thursday to use franchise designations

BRISTOL, Connecticut -- Shaun Alexander and Drew Brees don't have to worry about getting tagged. The same can't be said for Reggie Wayne.
NFL teams have until Thursday to designate eligible free agents as franchise or transition players.

The Seattle Seahawks promised they would not slap the franchise tag on Alexander again this year. So the NFL's reigning MVP will either sign a multi-year deal with the Seahawks or negotiate with other clubs when the free agent signing period begins on March 3.

Alexander won the rushing title with 1,880 yards and set a single-season record with 27 touchdowns in 2005 as the Seahawks finished with the best record in the NFC and advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.

Seattle likely will use its tag on Steve Hutchinson, who is considered one of the NFL's premier guards.

Players that are named as franchise players automatically get tendered the average salary of the top five players at their position or 20 percent above their previous salary, whichever is greater. A transition player gets the average of the top 10 salaries at his position.

The franchise tag entitles a team to the right of first refusal and two first-round picks as compensation. The transition tag carries no compensation if the player signs elsewhere.

The San Diego Chargers are about to let their starting quarterback Drew Brees test the market.

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith announced on Monday that the team will not designate Brees as either a franchise or transition player. Brees made more than $8 million as a franchise player last year and would be guaranteed nearly a $10 million salary in 2006 if he was tendered again.

However, Brees was injured in the Chargers' regular-season finale, tearing the labrum in his throwing shoulder while trying to recover a fumble. He had surgery last month and is expected to begin throwing in May.

If Brees leaves, the Chargers will likely hand the quarterback job to Philip Rivers, the fourth overall pick in the 2004 draft.

The Indianapolis Colts have a key decision to make. Both Pro Bowl running back Edgerrin James, who rushed for 1,503 yards last season, and wide receiver Reggie Wayne are eligible to become free agents. Wayne has 160 receptions for 2,265 yards over the last two seasons.

The Colts used the tag on James last year, but they may opt to designate Wayne this time.

The Baltimore Ravens are considering whether to place the tag on running back Jamal Lewis, who is coming off his worst season with 907 yards rushing.

Defensive end John Abraham of the New York Jets, cornerback Nate Clements of the Buffalo Bills and center LeCharles Bentley of the New Orleans Saints may get franchise tags from their teams.

The Oakland Raiders are not expected to use the franchise tag again on four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson. If they do, his salary would rise to more than $12 million after he made $10.5 million last season.

The New England Patriots slapped the franchise tag on kicker Adam Vinatieri last season and may do so again.

Known as the NFL's best kicker in the clutch, Vinatieri kicked a 48-yarder as time expired in the Patriots' 20-17 victory over St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXVI and a 41-yarder with four seconds left in a 32-29 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

The San Francisco 49ers are considering placing the tag on linebacker Julian Peterson for a third straight year.

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 02:16 PM

Possible good news...

There is talk making its way through the league that the NFL and the players association are close to agreeing on a new collective bargaining agreement. There has been steady progress the past week, giving hope to both sides. The NFL has called a special owners meeting for next week in Dallas. All the doom and gloom of the past year regarding a potential agreement has suddenly been replaced by optimism.

"There has been some good talks this week," said a league source. One issue that seemed to be clouding the talks was the improved revenue sharing between high- and low-revenue teams. But the word is the owners will wait until after a getting an agreement with the NFLPA before worrying about that problem.

The players want a higher percentage of the total revenue, which is believed to be one point that the two sides are close to agreeing on. Don't be shocked to see a new agreement in place in the next week. If that happens, the free-agency period should begin March 3 as planned. With no agreement, the opening of the free-agency period could get pushed back to April.

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 02:21 PM

Here is another player to look at...

If teams are looking for a run-stuffing defensive tackle, check out the name Ma'ake Kemoeatu. He is a 350-pound power player who started for the Ravens last year. He won't bring much in terms of a pass rush, but he is a force against the run.

Bentley, one of the NFL's strongest centers, raved about him after facing him during the 2005 preseason. He said Kemoeatu is the strongest player he faced. That's high praise. He's an ascending player, which makes him a good value on the market.

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 04:00 PM

Here is some speculation on the quarterbacks available....take it for what it is worth....

By Greg Rosenthal

With just over two weeks left until unrestricted free agency hits, the quarterback carousel looks ready to spin off its axis. All we’ve learned to this point is that Kurt Warner and Joey Harrington are lucky to be staying put and that Chargers GM A.J. Smith really believes in Philip Rivers. Really. Either that or he’s trying to convince himself that letting a franchise quarterback walk away won’t define his career.

The only predictable aspect of this quarterback market will be the large amount of movement. Relatively big names like Billy Volek and Aaron Brooks are being overshadowed in a suddenly deep market. That’s because late big-name entries like Drew Brees, Chad Pennington, and Daunte Culpepper are stealing all the headlines.

A flurry of news figures to come out of this week’s NFL combine, when teams will meet with agents. That should get the carousel spinning in earnest. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top 16 teams who are looking for quarterbacks this offseason and what we think will happen. We erred on the side of too much movement because it’s more fun that way.

1. Miami Dolphins – We have seen the future, and it doesn’t include Gus Frerotte. With the chances of drafting Jay Cutler with 16th pick diminishing, the Dolphins figure to be the biggest players on the big-name quarterback market. Look for an aggressive push to acquire Daunte Culpepper or Drew Brees. Brees is a truly rare commodity on the open market. He’s a young Pro Bowl quarterback who is a natural leader. His offseason shoulder surgery is a concern, but most observers believe he’ll be fully ready for training camp. The Raiders and Dolphins figure to be his most aggressive suitors.

Prediction: Sign Drew Brees

2. New York Jets – The Jets don’t save any cap room by cutting Chad Pennington, so the quarterback actually has significant leverage. Agent Tom Condon knows this and reportedly doesn’t want to take a paycut because it makes him look bad in the eyes of potential future clients. Pennington’s dicey wing, however, requires new coach Eric Mangini to find another quality option no matter what. They could address the position with the fourth pick of the draft or look to the trade market for someone like Volek or Patrick Ramsey. If Pennington truly refuses to take less money, he’s gone.

Prediction: Release Chad Pennington, draft Jay Cutler

3. Oakland Raiders – The Raiders are in a relatively good spot at the quarterback position. They have Kerry Collins in hand, who is willing to accept a paycut to stay with the team. Considering the situations of the teams listed above, he’s not a bad fallback candidate at all. They can get by with him if they need to. They also have Andrew Walter, a promising third-round pick from last season, on the roster. This is still a franchise that is desperate to find a true franchise quarterback. This is the rare year that a few are available.

Al Davis would simply love to stick it to his divisional rivals from the southern half of the state and sign Drew Brees. He doesn’t fit their normal vertical threat quarterback profile, but his defiant attitude is all Raider. Art Shell’s old offenses were actually similar to the efficient Chargers attack. If Oakland can’t get Brees, we think they are as likely as any team to go after Daunte Culpepper. In the end, we think the Dolphins and Raiders will acquire the biggest two names available. In a toss up, we’ll give Culpepper to Oakland. His big arm fits their traditional profile better and his familiarity with Randy Moss will be seen as a plus.

Prediction: Cut Kerry Collins, Acquire Daunte Culpepper

4. Baltimore Ravens – Brian Billick is no longer counting on Kyle Boller to save his job. The Ravens have spoken to the Vikings about Culpepper and figure to be in interested in Drew Brees. If they can’t get one of the top two, they should be active seeking out a second-tier option like Aaron Brooks, Patrick Ramsey or Kerry Collins, should they become available.

Prediction: Sign Kerry Collins after Raiders release him

5. New Orleans Saints – Aaron Brooks is reportedly as good as gone because of his big contract. He probably doesn’t want to take a paycut to stay anyhow and should be eager for a fresh start elsewhere. The Saints are expected to draft a quarterback with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft and we believe they will select USC’s Matt Leinart. They will need a competent veteran to pair with him, but won’t be aggressive seeking out someone at the top of the market. A trade for Patrick Ramsey, the former Tulane star, would make sense. Ramsey is a younger version of Drew Bledsoe and Kerry Collins, who coach Sean Payton has tutored recently. Ramsey can probably be acquired for a box of footballs.

Prediction: Release Aaron Brooks, draft Matt Leinart, acquire Patrick Ramsey in trade

6. Tennessee Titans - Coach Jeff Fisher admitted at the Senior Bowl that it’s time to look for Steve McNair’s replacement. Apparently, Billy Volek isn’t a candidate. Since the Titans are likely to address the position with the third pick of the Draft, they don’t figure to be huge players on the free agent market. But their negotiations to restructure McNair’s contract are complicated and a long way from complete. Volek provides the team some leverage and is a trade candidate if McNair is re-signed. While their need isn’t great, the Titans’ decisions will help set the market. Look for a deal to be worked out with McNair.

Prediction: Re-sign Steve McNair, trade Billy Volek, draft Vince Young

cont'd...

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 04:02 PM

cont'd...

7. Minnesota Vikings – If the Vikings are intent on trading Daunte Culpepper, new coach Brad Childress will look to find a young option to pair with Brad Johnson. They could be active in the Draft (Brodie Croyle or Omar Jacobs?) or they could dip into the recycled quarterback market.

Prediction: Acquire Billy Volek in trade

8. Green Bay Packers – Brett Favre will have to stop holding the Packers over a barrel in the next two weeks if they want to move forward as a franchise. If he doesn’t return, they can’t go into 2006 with Aaron Rodgers as their only option. We’ll go ahead and retire Favre, allowing another Aaron to join Rodgers in Green Bay. Coach Mike McCarthy won with Aaron Brooks in New Orleans and should be happy to take him at a discount price if he’s released by the Saints.

Prediction: Sign Aaron Brooks

9. Detroit Lions – Mike Martz and Rod Marinelli made the surprising choice to keep Joey Harrington immediately after Martz was hired. After winning with Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger, Martz probably feels like he can salvage anyone. He might be right. The Lions should still be in the market for a quarterback, if not two. They could sign a veteran to challenge Harrington immediately or draft a future starter with the No. 9 pick. We suspect GM Matt Millen doesn’t have the patience to go the long-term route.

Prediction: Sign Brian Griese

10. Cincinnati Bengals – Jon Kitna is all about free agency, but he may not like what he finds there. The Ravens are reportedly interested and make a logical destination, but we think they can aim higher. In the end, Kitna will realize he needs the team that needs him the most. That means he’ll stay in Cincinnati as Carson Palmer’s backup and run the team this summer.

Prediction: Re-sign Jon Kitna

11. Kansas City Chiefs – Trent Green is 36 years old and may not look so young without Dick Vermeil around. The offensive line is also aging, and the Chiefs need to think about a signal-caller of the future. They are candidates to take a rookie in the middle rounds of the Draft or look at some of the younger options on the trade market. If Chad Pennington is released, Herm Edwards’ presence makes Kansas City a natural landing spot. He could rehab his shoulder for a year behind Trent Green before challenging for a starting job in 2007.

Prediction: Sign Chad Pennington

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Brian Griese recently said he wouldn’t take a paycut to stay in Tampa, which seems like a miscalculation by his agent. He’s not going to be a starter going into training camp next season no matter where he ends up. His best chance to succeed again in the NFL is with Jon Gruden by his side. That said, it appears Griese is ready to force his release whether Chris Simms is signed long-term or not. That would leave the Bucs with Simms, Luke McCown, and Tim Rattay. They can live with that.

Prediction: Release Brian Griese, sign Chris Simms long-term

13. San Diego Chargers – Little did we know last week that San Diego’s decision to re-sign A.J. Feeley was a precursor to letting Drew Brees walk away. If Chargers GM A.J. Smith is merely engaging in a high stakes pissing match with Brees’ agent, it’s going to cost him. Brees won’t last more than a few days on the open market and he’ll get the huge contract he desires. Unless San Diego knows something medically about Brees, its bad business to let a young, proven franchise quarterback go for a young, unproven quarterback. San Diego has spent so much money on Philip Rivers and now it looks like they’ll see what he can do. He would be a fantasy sleeper because of the incredible talent around him in San Diego.

Prediction: Let Drew Brees walk, go with Rivers and Feeley

14. Pittsburgh Steelers – The team needs a backup upgrade from Charlie Batch. Players like Anthony Wright, Jay Fiedler, Josh McCown, and Chris Weinke are possibilities, but don’t look for Pittsburgh to break the bank.

Prediction: Sign Josh McCown

15. New England Patriots – Bill Belichick prefers to have a veteran option behind Tom Brady. Since it’s unlikely that Doug Flutie will be back, look for them to make a push for Jay Fiedler, who they spoke with last offseason. Fiedler could compete with Matt Cassel for the backup job.

Prediction: Sign Jay Fiedler

16. New York Giants – The G-Men could use an upgrade at backup quarterback. Tim Hasselbeck is a free agent.

Prediction: Sign Chris Weinke

Players Left Out:Anthony Wright, Jeff Garcia, Sage Rosenfels, Tommy Maddox

CrossBones

02-21-2006, 04:08 PM

Interesting...so Greg Rosenthal (whoever he is) thinks the Raiders might do something (like Brees or Culpepper) in one breath but will probably stay with Collins in the other breath. Waqy to CYA... Bwahahahahaha.

I'm -----------> :confused:

Rupert

02-21-2006, 04:47 PM

Hey, Gregie did a nice job of guessing what's going to happen and why. All pretty logical.

Both Brees and Culpepper are logical moves.

In typical Raiders fashion, I don't think acquiring Brees would say anything about their belief in Walter (or Tui for that matter). Because Al Davis has never let big money contracts or high-talent players dictate how the roster is formed. He is willing to spend on the QB position, and prefers proven talent in the starter's role. Both Brees and Culpepper are proven players.

I like Brees better than Culpepper at this point because of his accuracy and intangibles, but Culpepper has size which is impossible to coach.

Culpepper currently has the advantage in completion percentage 64.4 to 62.2, yards per completion 7.7 to 6.8, and TD/INT ratio 1.57/1 to 1.51/1, but Brees hasn't had a Randy Moss to make a lot of plays for him. But there's the question about Brees, can he get tuned into a player like Moss? I would think so. The other, more important question about Brees is his shoulder. Culpepper's injury will limit his ability to make shoe-tossing cuts, Brees injury will limit his ability to make throws, all kinds of throws. Hmmm, which is the better gamble? Even though I think Brees will probably rehab quite well, and is young enough to recover fully. Would you take the gamble?

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 04:47 PM

I think they should have a Combine for sportswriters and make them pass a Wonderlic test.

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 04:49 PM

There was a story on Samoans in the NFL. Here are some thoughts by Tui uncle that fit his character. Also, a mention on Ngata...

"Family is a vital part of who we are," said Mike Tuiasosopo, University of Arizona defensive line coach and uncle of Oakland Raiders backup quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo. "Fitting into a team is very easy. If you have us, we're pretty loyal people. We're loyal to the cause, loyal to the team, loyal to the family." ....

......"The game is kind of conducive to our nature," said Tuiasosopo, who was born in American Samoa and raised in Southern California. "We're aggressive, violent. It's a warrior-like mentality to us, I guess.

"We're a very competitive people. We don't mind a scuffle. We don't go looking for it, but ..."

and....

Substitute a matai for a coach and you start to see one reason why Polynesians fit in to the football structure. Oregon coach Mike Bellotti hasn't gotten over losing Haloti Ngata, an All-American lineman who declared for the draft last month after his junior year. Ngata grew up in Salt Lake City but his parents, now both deceased, are from Tonga, an island nation near Samoa.

"Haloti is as good a football player as we've ever had at Oregon," Bellotti said. "He's one of those once-in-a-lifetime guys. He could get a guy in the backfield, then to the sideline and catch a running back on a screen."

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 05:18 PM

Does Brees have the arm strength to hit Moss and Gabriel downfield? Quarterbacks can pass the 30 yard passes but can Brees throw it beyond that and on time where the receivers don't have to wait for it. That is my concern. Tui can pass it at intermediate distances but the throws that require a bit more velocity or distance tend to take all day to get there. What are you thoughts on that?

Angry Pope

02-21-2006, 05:24 PM

More on the CBA...

GANG OF NINE REVEALED

NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw recently said that nine NFL franchises are resisting the expansion of revenue sharing by the league's 32 teams. Upshaw also told Mark Maske of The Washington Post that the nine teams are planning to file suit if they are forced to share revenues that currently are not distributed evenly among all teams.

A league source has identified for us the members of this modern-day Mudville nine: the Redskins, Eagles, Cowboys, Giants, Jets, Panthers, Broncos, Patriots, and Texans.

We'd previously heard that the NFL and the union tentatively have agreed to expand the components of so-called "Defined Gross Revenue" (which is the basis for the team-by-team salary cap) to include money not currently shared by the various franchises. The proponents of enhanced revenue argue that, if any currently unshared revenue streams are to be included in the determination of DGR, the corresponding revenue should be shared equally -- and that, if the revenue is not to be shared, it should be excluded from the DGR calculation.

The source also confirmed that the Mudville nine plan to sue if they are forced to accept expanded revenue sharing by the other 23 organizations. Frankly, we still don't understand how it would ever come to that, since nine votes are sufficient to block any changes to the way the NFL does business, given that 24 "yes" votes would be required to, for example, impose expanded revenue sharing.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tells us that, under the current system, teams share all national broadcast revenues, all sponsorship revenues, all licensing revenues, and the visiting team's share of ticket revenues. The following revenues aren't shared: the home team's share of the box-office revenue, local radio revenue, local TV revenue, local sponsorship revenue, and stadium-generated revenues from signage, concessions, parking, luxury suites, etc.