Other Things 02.28.06.. [Archive]

Angry Pope

02-28-2006, 01:22 AM

Who are sure first rounders and the deals from pick fifteen to sixty....take it for what it is worth.....

Is the draft logic starting to shape up?

Pat Kirwan

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 27, 2006) -- The draft is two months away, and lots of things will change along the way, but I did ask a number of club executives and coaches what their impressions of the draft class was at this point in the process. Remember the old adage: "You can only make a first impression once." Well, the Combine is the first impression for many of the 300-plus participants.

I got three strong opinions from people who sat through countless hours of evaluations, interviews and discussions with their staff members, and there is a pattern of opinion that is worth mentioning and then a plan that should follow -- if the impression of this draft holds water a month from now.

One GM got the ball rolling for me as I sat in the stands with him during the workouts and said, '"This draft class looks like it will not have more than 15 players with a real first-round grade." I ran that concept by another team's personnel director and his response wasn't much different, but it had a plan behind it. He said, "I would love to have four picks between 33 and 60." The third guy I spoke with was a head coach whose team has a ways to go, and he felt there were only a handful of difference makers and wants very much to move down in the draft, or as he said, "way down and get some extra guys to build up the core of this team." I proceeded to watch the workouts and interview players all weekend with an eye on the concept of second-round players who could be great bargains.

As I look at the draft class from this perspective, I start to get excited about the talent pool that should be available in the second round. With all the guys working out as well as they did in Indianapolis, and when you consider the cost difference between a first- and second-round pick, you quickly realize that the money difference may be a lot greater than the talent difference. Before I get into the potential second-round players, let me just show the difference in the money for a first-round guy over a second-round selection based on the 2004 draft class.

Round - Avg. sign bonus - First yr. base salary - Pct. of rookie pool

1 $2.795 million $440,800 35.7 percent
2 $1.333 million $237,000 15.2 percent

So as you can see, if a smart club executive walks out of the Combine with the gut instinct that after the top 15 picks the next 45 players are all about the same, it makes a lot of sense to have four picks between 33 and 64 (which is the second round) rather than one pick in the first round and one in the second. What these clubs might also be thinking about is getting up into that range of picks by moving their third and fourth to grab a second. Still, now is not the time to worry about draft day strategy, but rather to study the talent pool and arrive at a decision about where the real value is going to be.

For the moment, let's eliminate the obvious players that have little to no chance of ever dropping out of the first round. One or two might slip, but for the most part, this is the core of the first round:

QB -- Matt Leinart, Vince Young, Jay Cutler
RB -- Reggie Bush, DeAngelo Williams, LenDale White, Laurence Maroney
WR -- Santonio Holmes
TE -- Vernon Davis, Marcedes Lewis
OT -- D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Winston Justice, Eric Winston
OG -- Max Jean Gilles
C -- Nick Mangold
DE -- Mario Williams, Tamba Hali, Mathais Kiwanuka
DT -- Haloti Ngata, Broderick Bunkley, Rod Wright
LB -- AJ Hawk, Chad Greenway, Bobby Carpenter, Demeco Ryans
S -- Michael Huff
CB -- Jimmy Williams, Ty Hill, Alan Zemaitas

With these 29 names eliminated from the list for the time being, I went through the rest of the top draft picks, watched some of them workout and talked with coaches and scouts about the differences between the first-round names and who was left to select. Three days in Indianapolis led me to believe the NFL decision-makers may be on the right track about this draft class. The more athletes who run sub 4.4 times, bench press weight through the roof and impress in their position drill,s the more I like the band of players working their way into 30-60.

As for quarterbacks, look at Brodie Croyle in this range. Running backs are led by Joseph Addai who tore up the 40-yard dash and was versatile at the Senior Bowl. There is excellent value in the wide receivers in the second round, and it is probably safe to think at least three of these four will be sitting there waiting for a team: Sinorice Moss, Chad Jackson (4.32 40), Maurice Stovall, or Derek Hagan. The tight end population is intriguing with Leonard Pope and Anthony Fasano. Want a guard? The second round should have Davin Joseph and Deuce Lutui to pick from, and they can play right away in the NFL. The tackle list will still have Marcus McNeil (6-foot-7 and a 5.08 40) along with Jonathan Scott, Ryan O'Callaghan and Andrew Whitworth, who really helped himself in Indianapolis. At center, Greg Eslinger is an excellent selection.

Brodie Croyle will get strong consideration at the end of the first round.
On defense, start up front with Gabe Watson and OShinowo Babutindi at tackle. The defensive ends are a decent looking group also with Kamerion Wimbly, Darryl Trapp, Victor Adeyanju and Ray Edwards. The coaches have told me the linebacker list in the second round is their favorite group with probable players Ernie Sims, Thomas Howard, D'Quell Jackson and Abdul Hodge who could all be first-round guys -- but some of them have to be taken here. The corners with real good grades are Kelly Jennings, Ashton Youboty, Dee Webb, Jonathan Joseph, and the safeties could be Ko Simpson, Darnell Bing and Donte Whitner.

Finally, I hope all of these second-round probables go in the first round for their sake, but the GMs, coaches and scouts usually sort the draft out pretty quickly and get parameters to go by as they plan for their teams' drafts.

Angry Pope

02-28-2006, 10:23 AM

Take it for what it is worth....

More time for Brees deal?

Rivers excited for his chance at running Chargers' offense

By Kevin Acee
STAFF WRITER

February 28, 2006

The Chargers and representatives for quarterback Drew Brees got together at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in recent days, though it is not believed anything significant came of that meeting.

But even as the deadline nears for the two sides to reach an agreement or have Brees become a free agent, there may be extra time.

The players' union and owners are reportedly close to an extension of the collective bargaining agreement. An imminent accord would mean the new league year (and, thus, free agency) would be pushed back from its scheduled Friday start.

That would not only give the Chargers and Brees another week or two to find common ground but give other teams a chance to assess their interest in Brees. While teams are not officially allowed to speak to free agents until the new league year begins, it is believed the Raiders, Packers, Lions and Dolphins have interest in Brees.

Meanwhile, Brees' heir apparent in San Diego watches the proceedings eagerly, if somewhat reluctantly.

“I'm excited either way,” Philip Rivers said. “I know I'm going to get a chance to run this offense.”

Rivers referred to the offseason coaching sessions and minicamps, in which he will run the No. 1 offense. Even in the unlikely event Brees remains a Charger, his surgically repaired shoulder will prevent him from throwing in those workouts.

Rivers has heard the reports that Brees is as good as gone. But as he has since the end of the season, he is attempting to focus on what he can control.

“I've tried not to get too far ahead of myself or get caught up in what is being said,” Rivers said.

Still, Rivers knows this is his greatest opportunity to take over since he signed his contract shortly before the 2004 season. And he plans to be ready.

Rivers spoke over the weekend by phone from North Carolina, where he has been working out.

“I wanted to get a little head start,” he said. “That way I can hit the offseason full speed and be ready to roll come August. I'm excited for this opportunity.”

Rivers couched everything he said with this caveat: “These are all 'ifs.' ” But his excitement over the possibility of playing was evident.

He is not naive to what it will take and the fact people wonder whether he can immediately maintain the Chargers' playoff aspirations.

“People say it will be like my rookie year,” he said. “But I really think I've benefited the last two years from the preparation, from game-planning, from watching a guy like Drew play and the few snaps I did get. The half against Denver is going to be huge as I progress.

“If I'm given the opportunity and given the whole offseason, I am confident I will be ready to get us where we need to be. I also know it takes 10 other guys on offense and a heck of a football team, which we have.”

Angry Pope

02-28-2006, 10:47 AM

Collins roster bonus is due March 7, not on March 3...

But Collins, whose cap figure is $12,897,668, has a $2.5 million roster bonus due on the fifth day of the league year, which starts at 12:01 a.m. on March 3 and is the first day of the free-agent signing period.

Angry Pope

02-28-2006, 11:32 AM

Here is a summary of our game against the Broncos on January 2, 1994 where Art was our head coach and Walsh was our offensive coordinator...

January 2, 1994

Raiders Drop Broncos into Playoff Pressure Cooker

The setting was perfect. Hazy sunshine, temperature at 76 degrees, little humidity. No wind. A new year, a renovated Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A complete sellout. A huge national and local television audience. This should be pressure football at its best—and it certainly was.

The Raiders and the Denver Broncos, both at 9-6-0 going into this final game of the 1993 league season. On the line—a berth in the playoffs and home-field advantage, step one in the chase for the Championship and the road to the Super Bowl.

The Raiders were at less than 100% for this crucial contest. Leading rusher, rookie Greg Robinson, was out with a season-ending knee injury. Talented you defensive back and special teams star cornerback James Trapp and safety Patrick Bates were also sidelined by injuries.

But outstanding head coach Art Shell, who had already taken the Raiders into the playoffs in two of his three full seasons on the job, stressed who was available, not who wasn't. And this was a talented squad, meticulously personnelled by owner Al Davis, who was now in the playoffs his 20th time.

The Broncos had lost seven of their last eight matches against the Raiders—professional sports' winningest team—including an earlier game this season in Denver, 23-30. Rookie head coach Wade Phillips and veteran quarterback John Elway had vowed to change this damning pattern to a more favorable one.

The visiting Broncos came out in high gear, taking a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, and stretching it to 13-0 early in the second stanza. Place kicker Jason Elam first put Denver on the scoreboard with a booming 52-yard field goal to conclude the Broncos' initial possession.

The opportunistic Broncos then converted a Raider fumble into seven points, when Elway hit wide receiver Cedric Tillman from 27 yards out with 10:41 elapsed in the first quarter to open a ten-point lead.

Elway's arm and his feet moved the Broncos into scoring territory at the top of the second quarter. The Raider defense stiffened, with big plays by defensive linemen Howie Long and Greg Townsend. Elam popped a 24-yard field goal to go up, 13-0.

Quarterback Jeff Hostetler then took the Raiders 82 yards on eight plays, with runs by Tyrone Montgomery and passes to world class sprinters Alexander Wright and James Jett finally putting the ball inside the Broncos ten. A Hostetler pass to Pro Bowl-bound wide receiver Tim Brown covered the last four yards. The Raiders now trailed by six, 13-7.

John Elway found tight end Shannon Sharpe for 54-yards and a touchdown on Denver's next possession, to put the Broncos ahead again by 13 points, 20-7.

The Raiders stayed within striking range, with a 43-yard field goal by team-scoring leader Jeff Jaeger at the end of a 53-yard march. Passes to Jett and Brown were the big ground gainers.

But just before halftime the Broncos capitalized on a 49-yard kickoff return to spark another touchdown trip. With just 26 seconds left in the first half, Elway passed to Sharpe from one yard out to earn Denver a 27-13 lead as the teams headed for their dressing rooms at halftime.

The third quarter opened with the Broncos widening their lead to 17 points on a 27-yard field goal by Jason Elam.

"We had a lot of adverse things happen early," noted Raider quarterback Jeff Hostetler. "But we kept plugging away, plugging away. Coach Shell challenged us to show our character and we did. We showed a lot of character."

Yes, they did.

With help from the crowd of 68,000 who never quit on their team, the Raiders began a rally after the Denver field goal. Hostetler opened the drive by scrambling for seven and later completed passes to Tim Brown for 26 yards and 15 yards before finding Brown open for the final 24 yards and the touchdown. The Raiders now trailed by ten with 9:34 elapsed in the third quarter. On Denver's next possession the Raiders overcame a 15-yard pass interference penalty to keep the Broncos at bay. The Broncos did the same however, and the final quarter opened with the visitors ahead by ten and in possession of the football.

Raider defensive mind and muscle rose to the challenge and the Broncos had to punt. Tim Brown scampered back 13 on the return and the Silver and Black offense settled down to work on their own 49. Hostetler went to Brown for 25 yards on a third-and-seven to keep the drive alive. Then, on a third-and-11, the "Hoss" got nine yards on a strike to wide receiver Alexander Wright. A penalty moved the Raiders back to the Denver twenty and Art Shell took the three-point opportunity, with Jaeger delivering from 39 yards. Denver Broncos 30 – Los Angeles Raiders 23, with 9:23 left in this season finale.

Aundray Bruce partially blocked the Broncos next punt, but the Raiders were unable to capitalize. The Broncos regained the ball on their own twenty, with 5:14 left and a seven-point lead. Linebacker Winston Moss—the Raiders defensive captain—made one stop. Big defensive tackle Chester McGlockton made the next. And, on third-and-six, safety Eddie Anderson dropped the Broncos ball carrier for a loss of one. But a long punt of 54 yards pinned the Raiders back on their own thirty.

"It got to the point where it was now or never," said Raider tight end Ethan Horton. "And we'd have the whole off-season to think about it.

"Nobody panicked," added Horton. "We had to get it, but if we didn't we were going to go down fighting."

Raider head coach Art Shell, his able staff, the Raider squad and the thundering crowd all had confidence in the offense and quarterback Jeff Hostetler.

"He's the most determined individual I've been around," exclaimed Raider head coach Art Shell. "You can't knock him down, but if you don't cut his legs off, you're going to regret it, because he's going to jump back up and be ready to go again."

Hostetler and company faced 70 yards with 2:59 on the clock, the two-minute warning time out to come and three time outs of their own. The Raiders—with pro football's best record in tight games and frenzied finishes –were ready, willing and able.

Receptions and runs by versatile tailback Tyrone Montgomery moved the Raiders out to the Denver forty. Then a 13-yard pass to Tim Brown put the Silver and Black on the Broncos 27. Thirteen more through the air from Hostetler to Brown and Napoleon McCallum reception for three set up a second-and seven from the eleven. A seven-yard strike to Tim Brown made it first and goal on the Broncos four.

The final time out was used and two incompletions brought up a third-and-four from the four, with just eight ticks of the clock remaining.

Hostetler took the snap from Don Mosebar, set up quickly, looked left for Brown, who was covered, then checked the middle but saw no one open. The clock was running out. This would be the final play. The season was on the line.

Hostetler then looked right and spotted Alexander Wright open just inside the goal line. Hostetler fired right; Wright went tall for the ball and came down with it in the end zone as the thrilled crowd—and the Raider sideline—exploded. Jaeger drilled the point-after and the game headed for overtime, 30-30. The Raiders had twice come back from 17-point deficits to earn the tie.

Denver won the coin toss and chose to receive to open the "sudden death" period. The Broncos worked their way downfield, then missed a 40-yard field goal that 68,000 fans willed wide left. The Raiders took over on the Los Angeles 22.

A 19-yard scramble by Hostetler, a 20-yard completion to tight end Ethan Horton and the Silver and Black surged into Bronco land.

With fourth-and-seven from the Denver 29, Coach Shell sent in the field goal unit.

"It always seems to come down to the last minute, or some kind of kick, noted Raider defensive lineman Howie Long. "It's been that kind of a season."

The Broncos called a time out to "ice" Raider place kicker Jeff Jaeger.

"When I first came into the NFL and they'd called a timeout, I'd think of everything but the kick," Jaeger said. "I like it now when they do that, however. It gives you time to acclimate yourself. It's like a putt in golf. You pick out a spot and try to hit it good."

And Jaeger hit it good. He hit it very good. The center snap was from special teams captain Dan Turk to holder Jeff Gossett. The ball was placed, it was kicked and it was perfect from 47 yards out. The Raiders triumphed, 33-30. The sellout crowd and the national television audience had witnessed another brilliant comeback, another example of the Raider tradition of greatness.

Angry Pope

02-28-2006, 12:10 PM

Regarding McNair....

SALES JOB

Several Dolphins players have either talked or plan to talk to Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair about possibly playing in Miami if he is released by the Titans this offseason.

The latest was receiver Chris Chambers who saw McNair when both played for the AFC in the Pro Bowl this month.

''I talked to McNair, and the subject of him coming down here came up,'' Chambers said. ``I saw him there, and he looked strong, and he looked healthy, and he said he wanted to play a couple of more years. So I told him to think about coming to down.''

Chambers didn't need work too hard to sell McNair on the idea of playing for Miami.

''All he said was he loves the weather down here,'' Chambers said. ``He said that was already on his mind.''

Angry Pope

02-28-2006, 01:06 PM

Here is the boxscore of the playoff game we had against the Broncos the week following our win in the story above....

1 2 3 4 T
Denver Broncos....... 7 14 0 3 24
Los Angeles Raiders 14 7 14 7 42

DEN LAD

1st Downs 26 19

Total Yards 387 427

Passing

Yards 331 291
Comp-Att-Int 32-54-1 13-19-0
Yards Per Pass 6.1 15.3
Sacked-Yards Lost 1-5 2-3

Rushing

Yards 56 136
Attempts 18 32
Average 3.1 4.3

Turnovers

Interceptions 1 0
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 0-0

Punting

Punts 4 4
Yards 156 172
Yards Per Punt 39.0 43.0

Penalties

Penalties 10 17
Yards 97 130

Possession

Time of Possession 31:09 28:51

Rupert

02-28-2006, 02:28 PM

I was at BOTH games. The most excited the L.A. Colliseum ever was for Raiders games. The only other time it got excited was when Dallas was in town, and then there were more Dallas fans (and gang members wanting to fight then) than Raiders fans.

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:10 AM

We are playing the Eagles at the Hall Of Fame game....

Eagles could start camp a week early

Friday, March 17, 2006
BY nick fierro

The Express-Times

PHILADELPHIA | The Eagles may be present when their late star, Reggie White, gets inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer.

According to a report on their Web site, they will play the Oakland Raiders in the Hall of Fame preseason game in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 6. The game comes a day after an enshrinement ceremony for White and the other five inductees at the same site.

White, Troy Aikman, Harry Carson, John Madden, Warren Moon and Rayfield Wright comprise this year's Hall of Fame class.

The date of the game, traditionally the first preseason contest of the year for any team, means the Eagles may have to push up the start of training camp at Lehigh University by a week or more.

Last year, the Eagles' rookies and selected veterans began arriving at Lehigh on July 29, with full-squad workouts beginning Aug. 3. They did not play their first preseason game until Aug. 15.

To give themselves the same amount of time to prepare this season, they would need to begin full-squad workouts July 25.

Training camp dates have not been announced by the club, and director of football media services Derek Boyko could not confirm the report on its site. The NFL typically does not announce what teams will be involved in the game until late March.

The Eagles also are rumored to be headed to China next summer for a preseason game against the Denver Broncos.

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:34 AM

Here is an article by Pompei...Hawk vs Mario...take it for what it is worth....

The Packers can't go wrong, right?

March 16, 2006

Dan Pompei

I am Ted Thompson.

I am tortured.

I have the fifth pick in the draft.

I need a defensive end.

I need a linebacker.

Mario Williams or A.J. Hawk?

A.J. Hawk or Mario Williams?

I can't go wrong.

But how can I go most right?

I dim the lights and turn on the N.C. State tape of Williams for the 200th time.I am awed. I see a beast who swats away 320-pound blockers as if they were flies. He can pass rush through offensive tackles or go around them. I see a huge, explosive end who will pose matchup problems for many offensive tackles. I see a powerful tackler-a player who can shed a blocker and make a play against the run. I see rare athleticism for a guy who is 6-7, 295. I see a bigger Julius Peppers.

But I don't like everything I see. I don't see the kind of instincts I look for. I see a lineman who doesn't always read the play correctly. I see a player who needs to develop an inside rush and learn to split double-teams. I see a player who doesn't go the same speed on every down. I see a player who performed unevenly last year and subsequently was pulled from the starting lineup for a game.

I see the physique of an alien and 14 1/2 sacks last season, but I also see a player who, according to a vote by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, was the fourth-best defender in the ACC. Williams received four votes for defensive player of the year, compared with 31 for Maryland linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, 17 for Boston College end Mathias Kiwanuka and 14 for Virginia Tech end Darryl Tapp.

I see quite a contrast in Hawk. He led Ohio State three seasons in tackles, was named an All-American and the team MVP twice and, as a senior, won the Big Ten defensive player of the year award and the Lombardi Trophy.

But back to Williams for a moment. Ultimately, I see a player so gifted that no flaws should dissuade me. I see a freak who plays a critical position. Super Mario is what I see.

I should write his name on the card now.

But I owe it to myself to look at Hawk again, so I pop in the Ohio State tape. I see a player who is all over the field. I see someone athletic enough, fast enough and stout enough to play any linebacker position. I see a linebacker who has an uncanny feel for the game, who almost always reads plays as if he had designed them for the offense. I see a defender who can take on offensive linemen and disengage about as well as anyone I can remember-and then make tackles surely and violently.

I see a blitzer who is so skilled, he had only five fewer sacks than Williams put up last season. I see a linebacker who can make plays from hot dog vendor to beer stand. I see an intimidator, a leader. I see a player who is as safe a pick as any in the draft-and a finished product.

I see greatness. I don't think there is any doubt Hawk is the better player. It's the values of the positions that hang me up.

I know I should adhere to the old tried-and-true philosophies: You win games with your lines; the player who is closest to the ball is most valuable; you can't find special pass rushers; a great end creates opportunities for everyone else on defense. I know 90 percent of the teams probably would draft Williams.

I ask myself this question: Is it easier to neutralize a great end or a great middle linebacker? You can double-team a great end and control him most of the time if you are determined to do so. It's more difficult to account for a linebacker in the middle of the field.

I figure you can create a pass rush. The Steelers and Seahawks are proof of that. You can't create a physical force in the middle of the field who gives your defense identity.

I think about the great inside linebackers. Dick Butkus. Jack Lambert. Ray Nitschke. Ray Lewis. Mike Singletary. Bill George. Joe Schmidt. Sam Huff. Nick Buoniconti. Harry Carson. What do they have in common? Well, with the exception of Butkus, they've all won championships. It seems like great middle linebackers have that effect on teams.

I make up my mind. Hawk is my guy.

With the fifth pick in the draft, the Green Bay Packers select A.J. Hawk, linebacker, Ohio State.

I wake up.

I have been dreaming.

I am no longer Ted Thompson.

Never was.

Of course. Taking A.J. Hawk, it's a dream.

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:37 AM

Julius Peppers....

Height/Weight: 6'6"-283 lbs
Arm Length: 33.75 inches
Body Fat: 6.1%
Long Jump: 10'5"
Vertical Jump: 36 inches
Bench Press: 225/24
40-Yard Dash: 4.69

Mario Williams...

Height/Weight: 6'7"
Arm Length: 34 inches
Body Fat: 6.5%
Broad Jump: 9'10"
Vertical Jump: 40.5 inches
Bench Press: 225/35
40-Yard Dash: 4.66

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:47 AM

From A.J. Pierzynski, catcher of the Chicago White Sox...

"Some people call us the Oakland Raiders of baseball," Walker said. "Silver and Black. We take characters, and they have a way of fitting in here."

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:48 AM

Here is when our offseason program starts....

OFFSEASON PROGRAM: March 27. Once again, the Raiders need to focus just as much on acclimating to a new coaching staff as they do their new teammates. This takes on added importance because the Raiders didn't hire Shell and Walsh until well after the Super Bowl, and neither has coached in the NFL for a while.

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:49 AM

Another Raider fan...

The BIOFILES: James Toney

March 14, 2006
By Scoop Malinowski

James Toney knocked a gym opponent out at the age of 12. (Getty Images)

Status: Former middleweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight champion. Will challenge Hasim Rahman for the WBC heavyweight title Saturday night in Atlantic City.

DOB: Aug. 24, 1968 In: Grand Rapids, Mich.

Childhood heroes: "Ray Robinson. Sugar Ray was smooth. Great technician in the ring. Very classy guy. A great person, a great dresser. Tommy Hearns -- in the same league as Sugar Ray. Muhammad Ali."

Hobbies/interests: "Football, play with my children. Children [are] number one, of course."

Nickname: "'Lights Out' -- my friend and co-trainer Greg Owens named me that as a kid."

Favorite movies: "Scarface, New Jack City, all the gangster flicks out there."

Musical tastes: "Rap."

Early boxing memory: "My first day in the gym (age 12), I knocked someone out. He didn't wake up for a while. I went home and told my mom. I was ready to take on the world then."

First job: "Working at Burger King. I think I was 14. I quit the same night [smiles]."

First car: "1976 gray Ford Granada. My mom gave it to me."

Childhood dream: "To play in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders like Jack Tatum. I used to play defensive back and quarterback. I like sports with a lot of contact. I just wanted to crush people. When I got to high school, it was to be like (Detroit Lions running back) Billy Sims. I used to jump over piles of snow, practicing like Billy Sims."

Favorite meal: "Steak."

Favorite breakfast cereal: "Cap'n Crunch."

Favorite ice cream flavor: "Butter pecan."

Pre-fight meal: "Steak and potatoes."

Pre-fight feeling: "Ready to go. Can't wait. Try and hurt somebody."

Greatest sports moment: "After I beat Rahman."

Most Painful Moment: "Losing to Roy Jones, not training, getting prepared for it."

Favorite boxers to watch: "Floyd Mayweather -- smooth and technical, like myself. I raised that little kid. Jeff Lacy -- strong brute, like myself. Tries to rough everybody over."

Closest boxing friends: "Tommy Hearns. George Foreman. George is a really nice guy. I remember when I was on the way up, he's the only guy who sat down and talked with me. Everyone else was flying around. I like him a lot."

All-time favorite fight: "Hagler-Hearns. The war. Brutal. Brutal. I dream of being in a fight like that. Hagler did the job, he kept the pressure on Tommy. He got hit a lot, he kept coming on."

Favorite non-boxing sport to watch: "Football."

Favorite athletes to watch: "Shaq. Barry Sanders. Bonds. (NHL?) I don't like hockey. (Tennis?) Nope. (Golf?) Nope."

Worst injury: "Achilles, the bicep and tricep."

Favorite vacation spot: "Hawaii. Yeah, Hawaii is my spot. (Any particular spot in Hawaii?) No, just goin' out there, relaxin' and tryin' to work on my suntan [smiles]."

Embarrassing moment: "Losing to Roy Jones."

Fight(s) you were at your best: "Iran Barkley. (Why?) I wanted it like I want this. I'm hungry."

People qualities most admired: "Honesty. Can you trust 'em? It's hard to find that."

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:50 AM

We were one of three teams scouting this player...

Summers’ dream alive but ticking

Former USC back displays power for NFL scouts but clocks a subpar time in 40-yard dash

By JOSEPH PERSON

More than a year after playing his last college game, former USC tailback Demetris Summers looked bigger and stronger Tuesday while working out for NFL scouts.

He will have to work on the faster part.

Summers overcame a sluggish time in the 40-yard dash to turn in an otherwise solid showing during a pro timing day at Plex Indoor Sports in Northeast Richland.

Scouts from three NFL teams — the Carolina Panthers, Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins — showed up with stopwatches and clipboards to evaluate Summers 16 months after his last action at USC.

The 6-foot-1 Summers weighed in at 214 pounds, up nearly 15 pounds from his USC playing days. But the extra weight might have acted as an anchor, as Summers failed to run the 40 faster than 4.6 seconds in two tries.

“He’s more of a power back now. I’m sure he was a lot quicker (at USC),” said Tony Softli, the Panthers’ director of college scouting. Softli refused to divulge Summers’ exact clocking, but he said “for his size he ran a decent 40.”
Summers, who was kicked off USC’s team a year ago after multiple positive tests for marijuana, said he was hoping to run a faster 40.

“I was looking for a 4.4,” he said. “It didn’t turn out, but I think I made up for it on my bench press and my shuttle drill.”

With his personal trainer, Emery Williams, yelling encouragement and spotting him, Summers pumped out 20 repetitions with 225 pounds on the pro bench. When Summers began working out at Williams’ Powdersville gym in June, he could do six reps at 225, according to Williams.

A few minutes after the bench press, Summers recorded a 39.5-inch vertical jump. Later, he ran through a battery of shuttle drills, then caught passes and showed off some of his trademark cutback moves.

“They said they were trying to tire me out, but I kept sticking with it,” Summers said. “There were a couple times I was back there gassing, but I couldn’t show them that I was going to give up on myself. I’ll give out before I give up.”

Five other area players joined Summers at the nearly three-hour workout, including former USC defensive back Brian Elam and Gaffney native Eddie Montgomery. A two-sport star at Division II St. Augustine’s in North Carolina, Montgomery is the younger brother of sprinter Tim Montgomery, a former world-record holder in the 100-meter dash who is serving a two-year ban for allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs.

Montgomery (5-10, 165), a receiver who averaged 21.8 yards per catch and caught 10 touchdown passes in 2005, turned heads with a sub-4.4 40 and a 43.5-inch vertical leap.

“He’s fearless,” said Kevin Parker, the agent for Summers and Montgomery. “We think he’s going to make it because he has the mentality of (Panthers receiver) Steve Smith.”

The 24-year-old Elam, whose final season at USC was 2002, is holding on to an NFL dream that he carried through one season of Arena League Football (AF2) and two years with the semi-pro Carolina Titans in Columbia.

“I feel I never got to prove myself at Carolina,” said Elam, a reserve cornerback who played behind NFL players Sheldon Brown and Andre Goodman at USC. “I feel once I get into camp they’ll see what kind of player I am. I just have to get past that barrier.”

Summers also has something to prove after a disappointing two-year career with the Gamecocks.

The state’s all-time leader in rushing (9,076 yards) and touchdowns (127) at Lexington High, Summers broke Emmitt Smith’s high school record with 46 100-yard rushing games. But Summers hit the century mark only three times at USC.

Softli thinks Summers has a chance to get drafted, but not as high as he might have had he not been dismissed from USC.

“For the Carolina Panthers, character’s huge. And I know it is for a lot of other teams,” he said. “It’s probably going to knock him down on the board a little bit. But that’s something that he’s going to have to handle on his own on a personal and professional level.
“The onus is on him.”

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:51 AM

Hawthorne is now in NFL Europe....

Noteworthy: The Galaxy welcomed Anttaj Hawthorne to the team yesterday; a defensive tackle allocated by the Oakland Raiders.

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:52 AM

When the moon hits your eyes....

FCC sheds moonlight

The Federal Communications Commission announced a ruling on Wednesday that said Randy Moss' moon dance at Lambeau Field on Jan. 9, 2005, was not indecent enough for the FCC to fine Fox affiliates.

Some viewers complained to the FCC that Fox showed Moss' gesture.

Moss, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, scored a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in a NFC wild card playoff game. Near the goal post Moss pretended to moon the crowd in that part of the stadium. Fox cameras showed the pantomime once for a few seconds and broadcaster Joe Buck denounced Moss for his decision.

"Assuming without deciding that the broadcast of a mimed 'mooning' depicts a sexual or excretory organ and thus falls within the subject matter prong of our indecency analysis, we nevertheless conclude that the material is not patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium and thus is not indecent," the FCC said in a statement.

"While we can understand why many viewers may have perceived the player's touchdown celebration as plainly inappropriate, we do not believe that his fully clothed display titillates or rises to the level of shocking behavior," it said.

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 01:53 AM

They are going to do it our way....

Cavalry not content

By IAN STAUFFER

Star-Tribune staff writer Thursday, March 16, 2006

Even a playoff berth last season wasn't enough to keep the staff of the Wyoming Cavalry happy.

During the offseason, coach Shannon Moore and owner/general manager Mike Layton went all over the National Indoor Football League recruiting, asking questions and trying to build an even better team.

"We went out and I think we made ourselves better at every position," Moore said.

The most important position on any team is quarterback, and the Cavs have an NIFL newcomer in Frank Borba taking the snaps.

Borba spent time playing in the Utah Indoor Football League and the Arena Football League 2 after playing at Division III Menlo College in California.

"I hope I can bring veteran leadership," Borba said. "The pressure is all on me. A lot of these guys have played here before, and I'm the new guy in this league and on this team."

A plethora of receivers will be on the receiving end of Borba's passes, including new additions Cory Grow and Jason Quinn. Both played for the Everett Hawks last year, the team with the NIFL's top-rated offense.

Quinn will double as the Cavs' assistant offensive coordinator, working directly with Moore to create a better offense.

"We brought in the best players of the old and the best of the new," Layton said. "There are a lot of quality players in camp right now. These guys came to Casper to be a part of something."

On defense, Wyoming not only has new players, but defensive coordinator Rodney Swanigan is also new to the team after running the defense for another NIFL team, the Cincinnati Marshals.

"We came out here to play, and I saw how great this community is," said Swanigan, who also brought at least 10 players from Ohio with him. "We are here for one thing only and that is to win a championship. We are going to change the way things are done.

"We're not going to do any of that 49ers stuff. We're going to play straight-up Oakland Raiders-style football. We're going after people and we're going to knock people down."

Defense always starts up front, and Swanigan has put together a massive defensive line.

Chris "Big Cat" Walker is huge at 6-foot-8, 310 pounds, and he is flanked by 6-6 Ernest Bentz and 6-3 Luke Scarborough on the ends.

"We're big for sure, but what this defensive line has that most teams don't have is speed," Bentz said.

The Cavs hope that speed will help their pass rush, which managed just 13 sacks last year.

"If we can not let the quarterback set his feet, then we will be in better position to make plays in the secondary," Swanigan said. "You can't play this game by sitting back and waiting. You need to dictate and speed up the game."

At least six or seven players will rotate in and out at linebacker and defensive back, almost all of whom are new to Wyoming.

Two players to watch are J.R. Ruffin, who also returns kicks, and middle linebacker Chris Cates.

Swanigan said Ruffin was the only player to return a kick for a touchdown against him all year, and he did it twice in one game, while Cates is a 6-3, 235-pound rookie from Urbana College.

The rest of the league is a ball of confusion, as is the case most years.

The league started with 21 teams last year and only had 17 when the season ended. Five of those final 17 teams folded during the offseason and 10 new teams have started up, giving the league 22 teams to start this season.

The Cavalry's first game is Friday at Billings. The first home game is Friday, March 24 against the Big Sky Thunder.

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 02:15 AM

Here is what Moss is up to....

Pennington, Brown give back

By Anthony Hanshew
The Herald-Dispatch

RUSSELL, Ky., -- With an appreciative nod to his good friend, Troy Brown summed up Thursday's lucrative Boy Scouts fund-raiser.

"Chad really brings them in," Brown said of his fellow former Marshall University football standout.

An overflow crowd of more than 300 attended the Boy Scouts of America Leadership Luncheon at Addington Corporate Center. Supporting members of local Boy Scouts groups was the top priority, but keynote speaker Chad Pennington was the No. 1 attraction.

Pennington, entering his seventh season with the New York Jets, and Brown, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, signed autographs and mingled throughout the two-hour function. Thursday's event kicked off an extended homecoming for Pennington, who will host the second annual 1st and 10 Foundation Celebrity Bowl at Colonial Lanes next Thursday.

This Thursday, however, was about raising funds for the Boy Scouts Tri-State Area Council.

"The Boy Scouts have always had a good support system, but it's important to do your part to help them in what they're trying to accomplish," Pennington said. "What we're trying to do is accentuate what they're doing for young people in the Tri-State."

Those in attendance responded with donations of more than $54,000.

Pennington has remained active in the Tri-State following his time at Marshall, but his NFL career has been interrupted by consecutive shoulder injuries. He recently re-negotiated his contract, but expects competition for the starting job this season, either through free agency or the NFL draft.

"They have to (bring in someone)," Pennington said. "We only have two quarterbacks on the roster."

WELCOME BACK: Pennington, Brown and numerous former Thundering Herd standouts will make repeated Tri-State appearances during the coming months.

In addition to next week's bowling event, a reunion of Marshall's 1996 Division I-AA national championship team is being developed for the weekend of April 22, which coincides with the Herd's annual Green-White Game. Randy Moss, a Marshall Heisman Trophy finalist in 1997 and current Oakland Raiders wideout, is organizing the event, which will include a golf outing.

On May 20, the annual Bartrum and Brown Football Camp moves to Marshall's Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Along with Brown, Mike Bartrum and Pennington, numerous former Marshall players and current NFL standouts are scheduled to attend.

CrossBones

03-17-2006, 08:42 AM

That was an intersting piece on Hawk & Williams. Thanks AP.

I'm still enamored with Mario. with a little coaching and NFL game speed experience this cat can be the next Julius Peppers (whom I prayed Al would move up to get)...I've wanted a stud DE for so long I forgot when I started wanting him! :eek:

Sadly I try and find a way for Mario to fall to the Raiders at 7 and frankly I don't see how it could happen. If the Raiders want Mario badly enough they probably have to move up to #2 to be sure. I don't think the Raiders have the horses to move that far. It'd probably be way too expensive in terms of future draft picks etc. :(

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 11:31 AM

CB, you summed it up nicely...that is how I feel. Here is an article Ngata and Williams....

Here is a write up on Ngata and Williams....

Ngata, Williams give pro scouts their eyeful

By Rob Moseley
The Register-Guard
Published: Friday, March 17, 2006

If you watched Oregon football this season, Thursday's pro day session offered few surprises.

Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata has a mind-bending blend of size and agility. And Demetrius Williams might not be the fastest wide receiver, but his routes are precise and his hands sure.

Now, it's up to the 20 or so scouts who were in attendance to report back to their teams and help decide where those two Ducks and the rest who worked out in the Moshofsky Center will be taken in the league's draft April 29-30.

Twelve players worked out Thursday, with tight end Tim Day and quarterback Kellen Clemens among those back from the previous week's session. But the highlights were the first 40-yard dash of the offseason for Williams, and an impressive set of drills run by Ngata.

advertisement Williams is widely believed to have improved his draft stock during the February combine in Indianapolis. He decided against running the 40 there, however, finally subjecting himself to the stopwatch in Eugene.

The consensus among onlookers was that scouts - who don't announce the times they capture - clocked Williams' first 40 of the day in 4.47 seconds, and his second in 4.5. That would have placed Williams in about the middle of the group he worked out with in Indianapolis, which included Florida State's Willie Reid (4.34) and Miami's Sinorice Moss (4.38) among others.

"He is a big, tall receiver, and today people wanted to see, can he run?" said Williams' agent, Frank Bauer. "When he blew the 4.4-plusses, that's fast enough."

Bauer was comfortable with Williams waiting to run his first 40 until mid-March, but Williams acknowledged he was taking a small risk.

"Anything can happen - pull a hamstring, a bad start - anything," Williams said. "Of course I was taking a risk, but I felt like whatever happens is going to happen for a reason. ...

"I'm not the fastest, but I can separate from people. I have good game speed, and that's the biggest thing."

Williams waited to run the 40 until he was comfortable with his starts and his technique, which he honed working with a track coach the past two months.

Also, Bauer said some NFL teams requested that Williams wait to run until Ngata was also in Eugene to work out.

Ngata skipped the timing drills Thursday, instead running through a series of position-specific drills under the direction of one of the pro personnel in attendance. He looked powerful and explosive in mashing tackling dummies to the ground repetition after repetition.

"Most of these guys saw me at the combine," Ngata said. "I just wanted to show how athletic I am, that I'm not just some big guy who is going to stumble over things."

Ngata is widely considered a candidate to go in the top 10 selections of the draft, while Williams is also considered a likely first-day pick.

Ngata weighed in at 340 pounds, and said he was a few pounds lighter than he was in the fall. But he was noticeably trimmer, due in part, he said, to better eating habits.

He intends to stay in Eugene this spring taking classes toward his degree in sociology, he said.

CrossBones

03-17-2006, 11:38 AM

I's say Ngata has as much chance of bing a Raiders as anyboby. Al loves DT's and is always on the lookout for one. And we could use him on the DL. I'd still rather have Mario but I think that's a pipe dream at this point.

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 12:05 PM

Here is a video interview with Bo-jack....

Hit it here..... (http://websrvr25ca.audiovideoweb.com/ca25web26037/Video/SportsStarsOfTomorrow/archive/bo_jackson-legend/bo_jackson.html)

CrossBones

03-17-2006, 12:22 PM

Here is a video interview with Bo-jack....

Hit it here..... (http://websrvr25ca.audiovideoweb.com/ca25web26037/Video/SportsStarsOfTomorrow/archive/bo_jackson-legend/bo_jackson.html)Aaaaah..the memories.

What could have been for our Raiders! The man's career was cut way short of greatness.

Angry Pope

03-17-2006, 02:58 PM

Sports most traveled teams....our Raiders are ranked....

Road sweet road: Kings close to top in sports team travel

Sacramento Business Journal - 1:39 PM PST Fridayby

Kelly JohnsonStaff writer

If you need some traveling tips for an upcoming trip, you might want to ask a local basketball player; the Sacramento Kings are No. 6 among the most well-traveled pro sports teams, according to a report this week.

SportsBusiness Journal, a publication affiliated with the Sacramento Business Journal, generated the list of 132 teams as part of a three-story package on sports travel. The publication used travel projections for the current or upcoming season for the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, National Football League, Major League Soccer and the National Hockey League.

The Kings came in sixth with 49,165 miles traveled by air. The team flies on charter carrier Sky King in Sacramento.

Twelve of the 13 most-traveled teams were from the NBA. Seven of the top 10 were teams in the western United States or Canada (eight if you count San Antonio). The Seattle SuperSonics came in first, with 53,810 miles, with the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors close behind.

Also making the top half of the list were the San Jose Sharks of hockey at No. 22, the baseball Oakland A's at No. 25 and San Francisco Giants at No. 47, and the football San Francisco 49ers at No. 65 and Oakland Raiders at No. 67.

"NBA teams, which take between 25 and 30 road trips, incur the highest cost, about $2 million a team," correspondent Pete Williams wrote in the current issue of SportsBusiness Journal.

Angry Pope

03-18-2006, 10:40 AM

Here is how the Redskins structured their deals....

REDSKINS DEALS OVERBLOWN

Ever since the Redskins began breaking the bank on guys like Antwaan Randle El, Adam Archuleta, and Andre Carter, we've received numerous e-mails from readers questioning how the team managed to fit these big deals under their salary cap, especially when the roster was on the verge of cap implosion before the CBA was extended.

In a nugget buried deep within an article in Saturday's Washington Post, we know have a little more info as to what went on.

The initial reports of the magnitude of the deals were wrong.

It should be no surprise. The numbers usually come from the agents, and the teams usually don't attempt to clarify the information, since the team wants the players to think they got good deals. (In the Redskins' case, we also think that the organization enjoys the widespread consternation that their spending sprees create.)

Although the three contracts are all worth roughly $30 million over three years, the deals carry signing bonuses of $5 million and roster bonuses due in 2007 in the range of $4 million to $5 million. With minimum base salaries in 2006, the cap figures for each are roughly $1.5 million.

Come 2007, those roster bonuses will be converted to guarantees, reducing the cap hits for next year so that the 'Skins can embark on another splurge.

Down the road, before the big salaries kick in, the deals will be extended, pay cuts will be taken, or the players will be cut.

So now we know how the 'Skins were able to pull it off this year. They've heavily backloaded the deals, allowing the team to spend less than five percent against the 2006 cap in signing these three players.

Angry Pope

03-18-2006, 10:45 AM

This same argument can be used for Woodson and Law...

PETERSON OR ARRINGTON NEED A NEW AGENT

Several league insiders have asked over the past couple of weeks how the Postons can continue in good conscience to simultaneously represent the two biggest free-agency prospects at linebacker, Julian Peterson and LaVar Arrington.

The problem is that both guys want to get paid significantly, and any team that might be interested in one possibly is interested in the other.

That creates a problem for the agents, since their job is to look out for the best interests of both players. But looking out for the best interests of Peterson isn't in the best interests of Arrington, and vice-versa.

Indeed, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that the Dolphins are interested in both. So how can the Postons negotiate with the Dolphins the best deal possible for either of them when, in the end, only one of them would be signed?

It's the same issue that would have arisen if Tom Condon represented both Drew Brees and Daunte Culpepper in the game of quarterback chicken that unfolded last week with the Dolphins. Or if Bus Cook represented both Jay Cutler and Vince Young in the upcoming draft.

Said Cook on Friday, regarding Cutler's pro day workout: "He was almost perfect, I thought. . . . I think he put on one heck of a performance today. He threw the ball great. I just think he keeps showing people that he's the real deal."

If Cook had Young, too, Bus would have been required to slightly amend his words: "He was almost perfect, I thought, just like Vince will be next week. I think he put on one heck of a performance today, just like Vince will next week. He threw the ball great, just like Vince will next week. I just think he keeps showing people that he's the real deal, just like Vince."

You see, the job of an agent isn't only to talk up their guy, but to also talk down any other players who might be angling for some of their clients' money. In this case, the Postons can't pimp one Peterson or Arrington by dissing the other.

Because the Postons represent both players, here's the best they can offer: "Both are dynamic," said Carl Poston, who learned this week that the NFLPA is imposing a two-year suspension on him, subject to his right to challenge the decision. "It's like comparing a blue Bentley to a black Bentley."

But a good agent should be trying to convince a team to buy the blue Bentley instead of the black Bentley.

That's why, in our view, one or both of these guys should get a new agent.

Of course, when you primarily represent players who score on the low end of the Wonderlic scale, the question isn't whether they ever figure out the problem -- it's whether they even can.

CrossBones

03-18-2006, 11:06 AM

1) The Redskins are cheaters. :p

2) No doubt their agent is a major problem. I'd love to see Woodson resigned and put at safety.

Angry Pope

03-18-2006, 01:20 PM

Analyzing the 2002 draft....

As a whole, '02 draft class has underperformed

Len Pasquarelli

In reviewing any draft, the standard waiting period for making a fair and thorough analysis has historically been three seasons. But in the case of the 2002 lottery, even adding an extra year to the normal review period can't camouflage the reality of how abnormally bad that draft looks when evaluated by any measure.

The substandard quality of the '02 draft was further demonstrated this week when the Detroit Lions signed free-agent quarterbacks Jon Kitna and Josh McCown, two moves that have set the stage for the imminent departure of Joey Harrington, either via trade or attrition. The player selected third overall in the '02 draft, Harrington will join former Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Mike Williams, who was chosen one spot later, as top-five picks from four years ago who went bust with their original franchises.

"There sure were some expensive [mistakes] in that draft," agreed the personnel director from one team whose 2002 first-round selection remains with the club, but has rarely played up to his potential. "A lot of teams threw good money at bad [suspect] players."

That's for sure. Harrington and Williams earned nearly $40 million between them in their four seasons with the Lions and the Bills, respectively, and never made it to a Pro Bowl. After four seasons, they should be cornerstones for the teams that chose them, but will be regrettably recalled as millstones instead. Their failures, though, are indicative of a first round that, in retrospect, was anything but memorable.

And of a draft that generally produced spotty results.

Scouts are quick to remind people (especially after bad drafts) that the process is an inexact science. But the 2002 draft was more like a laboratory experiment gone awry, one that blew up in a lot of teams' faces. And the first round, as the recent demises of Harrington and Williams reflect, was particularly dubious.

Of the 32 players chosen in the first round in 2002, only eight have been to the Pro Bowl, and just four have made the trip to Hawaii more than once. By the time Harrington and Washington quarterback Patrick Ramsey are either traded or released, eight of the 2002 first-rounders will have bombed with their initial franchises. Counting defensive tackle Wendell Bryant, chosen by Arizona and currently out of the game because of a repeat violation of the NFL substance abuse policy, three of the top dozen players can be deemed busts for now.

Four other first-round picks -- cornerback Phillip Buchanon (Oakland), linebackers Robert Thomas (St. Louis) and Napoleon Harris (Oakland), and offensive tackle Marc Colombo (Chicago) -- are now with teams other than the ones that drafted them. Of that group, only Colombo, who suffered a catastrophic leg injury as a rookie that nearly ended his career and required almost two full years of rigorous rehabilitation, can claim mitigating circumstances. The rest simply weren't very good, or, more benignly, perhaps, did not live up to their lofty expectations.

Joey Harrington, like many 2002 first-round picks, has failed to live up to expectations.

Unfortunately, that has been the case for too many of the players taken in the first round in 2002.

"There just seemed to be a lot of uncertainty in that draft," said Jack Bushofsky, a retired personnel director who ran the Carolina draft in 2002, when the Panthers chose defensive end Julius Peppers in the second slot overall. "I mean, it seemed like everyone had the [best] players identified, but there wasn't a consensus as to how they'd come off the board. And there were rumors about [internal] disagreements at some places."

Indeed, the exit of Harrington is certain to dredge up old stories about how the Detroit football brain trust was split between taking the quarterback or cornerback Quentin Jammer. In hindsight, the Lions, it seems, would have been better off making the defensive pick. But not much better off. Despite being billed as one of the top cornerback prospects in years, Jammer, who went to San Diego with the fifth overall selection, has been pretty ordinary. In four seasons, Jammer has just six interceptions, and there are some personnel people who still contend the Chargers should move him to safety.

Certainly it would be unfair to denigrate the entire first round in 2002, because the opening stanza of that draft did produce some excellent players, with Indianapolis defensive end and three-time Pro Bowl player Dwight Freeney arguably the best of them. New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey and Dallas safety Roy Williams, like Freeney, have been to three Pro Bowls, and Peppers has played in two.

Baltimore safety Ed Reed won Defensive Player of the Year honors only two years ago. John Henderson of Jacksonville and Tennessee's Albert Haynesworth are standout defensive tackles. Cincinnati's Levi Jones, for whom the Bengals were ridiculed when they chose him in the No. 10 slot, has become a top pass protector, and fellow left tackle Bryant McKinnie of Minnesota should someday join him in that group. When healthy, Pittsburgh guard Kendall Simmons is a powerful in-line blocker. Lito Sheppard of Philadelphia is a solid cornerback with one Pro Bowl on his résumé. And New Orleans defensive end Charles Grant, when motivated, is one tough defender.

Houston quarterback David Carr, the first overall choice in 2002, still might develop into a franchise-type player. But no one will know unless the Texans surround him with an offensive line that can allow him to stay perpendicular once in a while, and upgrade the skill position players around him.

Surveying the first round as a whole, however, some clever trading card manufacturer could issue an entire series based on players from 2002 who have so far come up short. Call it "Topps Flopps '02" or something.

"Sometimes you have to be in the right place, at the right time, in the right situation," said Williams, who hopes he has found all three of those elements in Jacksonville, where he signed a two-year contract just days after the Bills released him.

True enough. But too many first-round choices in 2002 have turned out wrong.

Defensive tackle Ryan Sims (Kansas City) has missed 21 games in four seasons, first to a holdout as a rookie, then to injuries. Wide receivers Ashley Lelie (Denver) and Donte' Stallworth (New Orleans) have battled injuries and inconsistency. Green Bay wide receiver Javon Walker posted a huge season in 2004, tried to renegotiate his contract, then blew out his knee and missed all of 2005. He's still trying to get the Packers to either upgrade his contract or release him. Cleveland tailback Will Green went through a series of off-field woes. The problems for Atlanta tailback T.J. Duckett have been on the field, where he has been overshadowed by Warrick Dunn and not productive enough with the carries he's gotten. Tight end Jerramy Stevens (Seattle) has fought through alcohol problems and too many dropped passes. Four years into Mike Rumph's career, the 49ers still can't figure out whether he is a cornerback or a safety.

"You never want to paint a first round or a draft with the same broad brush," one AFC college scout said in assessing the suspect class of 2002. "But you look at that draft four years later and kind of cringe now at the results of the thing. The Harrington thing really brought that home this week. And the point will be made again when [the Redskins] get around to dumping Ramsey."

But it wasn't only the first round of the 2002 draft that, in retrospect, has some teams longing for a do-over.

Of the 135 prospects selected in the first four rounds that year, players who should have a pretty reasonable expectation of enjoying prosperous careers, 33 are out of the league altogether right now and another 45 are playing for teams other than the ones that drafted them. The second figure is a bit skewed, since it includes players who departed in free agency. Still, good teams tend to keep good players around. So that's a 57.8 percent failure rate over four years.

Buffalo is left with just two of the 10 players it chose that season. Oakland has only two of the eight that it took that year. Of eight players selected by Tampa Bay, just safety Jermaine Phillips remains. At the other end of the spectrum, the Philadelphia Eagles' first four choices were defensive backs Sheppard, Michael Lewis and Sheldon Brown and tailback Brian Westbrook. All are key starters. Such success stories from the 2002 draft, however, are scarce.

And this week provided another painful reminder of that.

Angry Pope

03-18-2006, 05:11 PM

Here are some Wonderlic scores....

Young, Vick fail under pressure

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.

The official scores from the Wonderlic Tests taken at the combine were released. As usual, there were some interesting results. Texas QB Vince Young did indeed take the test twice. The league has been tight-lipped regarding his first score, but the higher score of his two attempts was a 15. Young's score was bad, but not the worst of this year's quarterback class. That honor goes to Virginia Tech's Marcus Vick, who scored an 11 on the test.
A perfect score is 50, and the highest score any player posted in this year's class was a 41 (Oklahoma DT Dusty Dvoracek). The lowest score of this year's class was an eight (Syracuse DE Kader Drame, Alabama ILB Freddie Roach, Louisville DT Montavious Stanley, N.C. State TE T.J. Williams and Oklahoma DC Chijioke Onyenegecha), and the average score of all the quarterbacks was a 24.6.

The Wonderlic Personnel Test (WPT) is a short-form intelligence test that measures players' ability to think on their feet, follow directions and make effective decisions under pressure. While Young and Vick exposed their weaknesses in those areas, other quarterbacks shined. Grambling's Bruce Eugene (41), Montana State's Travis Lulay (37), USC's Matt Leinart (35) and Oregon's Kellen Clemens (35) all posted impressive scores.

Rupert

03-18-2006, 06:01 PM

Yes, the Wonderlic is culturally biased as clearly displayed by Bruce Eugene's lowsy 41 score. Now you might think Bruce Eugene sounds like a white man, but quickly check his school and you'll know differently.

Angry Pope

03-18-2006, 06:19 PM

CrossBones

03-18-2006, 06:39 PM

Young, Vick fail under pressure

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.

The official scores from the Wonderlic Tests taken at the combine were released. As usual, there were some interesting results. Texas QB Vince Young did indeed take the test twice. The league has been tight-lipped regarding his first score, but the higher score of his two attempts was a 15. Young's score was bad, but not the worst of this year's quarterback class. That honor goes to Virginia Tech's Marcus Vick, who scored an 11 on the test.
A perfect score is 50, and the highest score any player posted in this year's class was a 41 (Oklahoma DT Dusty Dvoracek). The lowest score of this year's class was an eight (Syracuse DE Kader Drame, Alabama ILB Freddie Roach, Louisville DT Montavious Stanley, N.C. State TE T.J. Williams and Oklahoma DC Chijioke Onyenegecha), and the average score of all the quarterbacks was a 24.6.

The Wonderlic Personnel Test (WPT) is a short-form intelligence test that measures players' ability to think on their feet, follow directions and make effective decisions under pressure. While Young and Vick exposed their weaknesses in those areas, other quarterbacks shined. Grambling's Bruce Eugene (41), Montana State's Travis Lulay (37), USC's Matt Leinart (35) and Oregon's Kellen Clemens (35) all posted impressive scores.
I'm not buying it about Young. He scored 6 the first time...the information leaked out to be sure. So why does he get a second chance? It makes zero sense. I mean WHY? Then even having a second chance he scored 15? I don't want that clown on my team.

Leinart scored 35...he's smart. That's what we need is somebody who can use his head -- not his legs. You have to go with the percentages in this cdase considering all that is on the line with these high draft picks. The percentages say "don't draft a dummy at QB"...the odds are against you.

CrossBones

03-18-2006, 06:41 PM

Supposedly, we are in the sweepstakes for John Abraham even though Atlanta and Seattle appear to be the front runners.

Supposedly, Jerry Porter will be traded but what we would get is not known yet.

I am not saying it will happen....these are rumors so take it for what it is worth.It wouldn't hurt my feelings if Porter was traded. He's been a underachiever his whole career. If we can upgrade our defense by trading him so be it.

Angry Pope

03-19-2006, 12:51 AM

Highest paid kickers...

Highest paid kickers

Sunday, March 19, 2006

A look at the contracts for some of the NFL's highest-paid kickers beginning with the most recent deal. Figures are in millions of dollars:

KICKER TEAM YEARS VALUE BONUS DATE

Ryan Longwell Vikings 5 $10 $3 3/06

David Akers Eagles 5 10 3 11/05

Neil Rackers Cardinals 4 6.5 -- 11/05

Kris Brown Texans 5 8 2 5/05

Jason Elam Broncos 5 9 2.6 2/03

Sebastian Janikowski Raiders 5 10.5 2.8 12/04

Olindo Mare Dolphins 6 12 -- 3/01

Mike Vanderjagt Colts 5 7.4 1.5 2/01

Angry Pope

03-19-2006, 02:08 PM

Here are a few more Wonderlic scores....

Prospects at other positions who excelled include Ohio State OC Nick Mangold (35), Tulsa TE/FB Garrett Mills (35), Oregon LB Keith Ellison (36), Cal-Poly State DE Chris Gocong (36), Cornell OL Kevin Boothe (37), Virginia WR Marques Hagans (37), Stanford DT Babatunde Oshinowo (37) and Boston College OT Jeremy Trueblood (37).

Others didn't fare so well, such as Penn State DC Alan Zemaitis (9), Marshall DC Chris Hawkins (10), Miami DE Javon Nanton (10), South Carolina DS Ko Simpson (10), Central Missouri State WR Delanie Walker (10), Syracuse DE James Wyche (10), LSU WR/RS Skyler Green (11), Tennessee DB Jason Allen (11), Clemson DE Charles Bennett (11), Abilene Christian DB Danieal Manning (12), Texas Tech DS Dwayne Slay (12), South Florida RB Andre Hall (13), Pittsburgh DC Josh Lay (13), UCLA TE Marcedes Lewis (13), Mississippi State RB Jerious Norwood (13) and Tarleton State RB Derrick Ross (13).

Angry Pope

03-19-2006, 08:09 PM

This video takes about a minute to load...more of gif....Moss as a Viking making a great play while being tackled....

Here.... (http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/2343/mosstomoe1co.gif)

CrossBones

03-19-2006, 08:26 PM

Cool. Heads up play by Randy!!!

I'll look forward to more of those in 2006 for our Radiers!

Angry Pope

03-19-2006, 10:09 PM

This is very cool...LeCharles Bentley wants to 00 to honor Jim Otto....

Remembering Otto (not Graham):

New Browns offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley wore a Browns jersey with No. 00 on it at his introductory news conference for a reason.

He plans to petition the NFL to allow him to wear double zeroes this season in honor of Jim Otto, the great Oakland Raiders center of the 1960s who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980. Otto wore No. 00 because of his palindromic name.

"LeCharles loves what Jim Otto represented," said agent Neil Schwartz. "He was hard-nosed, one of the great old-school centers. LeCharles wants to be considered the same way."

The NFL's uniform code restricts offensive linemen to jersey numbers 50 to 79. Exceptions to the code have been made in the past. Bentley must put his request in writing to Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. (With Tagliabue rumored to be leaning toward retirement, perhaps this ruling could be his last act.)

For the record, no Cleveland Browns player ever has worn No. 00.

Angel

03-20-2006, 03:05 AM

1) The Redskins are cheaters. :p

2) No doubt their agent is a major problem. I'd love to see Woodson resigned and put at safety.
The Redskins, Browns, Vikings and Ravens should all be hit with tampering charges!! :p

Angry Pope

03-20-2006, 10:45 AM

Here is an article on Jim Plunkett together with an interview...he was in Las Vegas for an event....dressed in black...got to love it....

Plunkett goes deep into the past

By Ron Kantowski <kantowsi@lasvegassun.com>
Las Vegas Sun

It is hard to believe a quarter century has passed since Jim Plunkett rose from the NFL scrap heap to lead the Oakland Raiders to a 27-10 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV and was named most valuable player of pro football's biggest game.

It was the greatest accomplishment of a roller-coaster career for the former Heisman Trophy winner from Stanford, who experienced the highest of highs (two Super Bowl championships with the Raiders) - but only after enduring the lowest of the lows (seven uneven and injury-riddled seasons in New England and San Francisco).

Raised in San Jose, Calif., by blind parents, Plunkett learned traits such as humility and perseverance at an early age. At 58, he still looks fit enough to hit Cliff Branch on a deep post pattern.

Dressed in Raiders' all-black (he remains a member of the team's broadcast team and extended family and also owns a beer distribution business), Plunkett made the rounds at a reception for Executive Star Limousine of Las Vegas. He talked about upsetting Woody Hayes and Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, the ups and downs of his NFL career ... and the frustration of having John Barr, the

What brings you to Las Vegas?

I've done a lot of conventions over the years. My favorite is the CES show. The last few years I've come out for Al Davis' birthday, so I've gotten to see a lot of old friends and old players and that's always a kick. Very seldom do I come on my own. When I was younger, me and my buddies would just hop in a van, come out, and have three days of sobriety. Then we'd go back home.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Is Art Shell the right man to lead the Raiders back to prominence?

I certainly hope so. I know Art will do a good job. He did a good job the first time around. He's a guy who demands respect and he will get those guys to do it fundamentally.

Do you believe it has been 25 years since you were MVP of the Super Bowl?

I sure can't. I was back for the 40th Super Bowl in Detroit. It was an exciting time and it was great seeing the game and I certainly had a great time being there. I just wasn't sure anybody would remember me, you know?

You've never been one to blow your own horn but you have said that first Super Bowl victory was kind of special. Do you still feel that way about it today? Was that the best achievement of your career?

In my NFL career, certainly. I was out of football for a couple of weeks after I was let go by the 49ers. I was desperate. It was depression, really. My God, I was a first-round draft choice eight years earlier and out of football already? And not having come close to the goals that I had expected? So it was great that the Raiders gave me another opportunity that enabled me to end my career on somewhat of a high note. I owe the Raiders a lot.

Do you ever see Dave Humm, the Las Vegas native who was one of your backups with the Raiders?

You know, I do. I call him every once in a while. He's a good guy and a good friend.

Dave has had a tough go of it (with health problems) but you have been exposed to that, with both of your parents being blind. I would assume that when it comes to a career inspiration, your parents were the biggest?

Absolutely. There's nobody bigger than my parents. Raising three kids, sacrificing everything for their children ... one of the things I always say is that between my wife and I, we have four good eyes and we raised two children and that was hard enough. Can you imagine not being able to see and raising three kids?

Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl rings? Different things?

Different things. Both great accomplishments. We did great things at Stanford. We beat a team (Ohio State) that had seven first-round draft choices in the Rose Bowl. Most of our guys went into medicine and law school and business school. So that was a great accomplishment. Plus, we had set a goal when we got there. We were going to get back to the Rose Bowl and get Stanford back on the football map; there had been talk about dropping football entirely or going to an Ivy League-type schedule.

I can't say enough about our guys. If we would have played Ohio State 10 times, they probably would have won nine.

Did Woody Hayes congratulate you after the game?

Oh no, no. He probably wanted to punch me.

Is John Barr, the local car dealer with whom you appeared in that commercial, as dopey as he appears on TV?

(Laughing) I wouldn't use the word "dopey," but he's a lot of fun. I felt sorry for the guy. It was 110 degrees and he's got to run patterns over and over, because we did a lot of takes, and he's got to intentionally drop the ball, although that part was not a problem for him.

Did you really throw the football right through him?

No, they did that in post production. (Snickering) But I could have done it.

Angry Pope

03-20-2006, 10:56 AM

Disregard.......

Rupert

03-20-2006, 12:09 PM

Ahhh, Plunk. He makes me wonder what will happen with Tui, very similar kind of player. It's part of what made me like the Tui selection.

Angry Pope

03-21-2006, 02:31 PM

P-Buch's home destroyed....

Fire destroys home of NFL cornerback

By MIKE MORRIS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/21/06

Lightning from overnight storms apparently sparked a 2-alarm fire that destroyed an NFL player's home in south DeKalb County.

The fire was reported shortly before 3 a.m. Tuesday in the two-story brick house on Lion Pointe, in the Lionshead subdivision off Thompson Mill Road near Snapfinger Road.

According to DeKalb tax records, the home is owned by Phillip Buchanon. A spokesman for the Houston Texans confirmed that Buchanon, a cornerback who played college football at the University of Miami, lives at the address.

No one was at home, and no injuries were reported.

Texans spokesman Tony Wiley said Buchanon, 25, was in Houston this week for off-season conditioning.

According to neighbors, there were heavy thunderstorms in the area when the fire broke out. DeKalb fire Capt. Eric Jackson said late Tuesday morning that evidence was pointing to a lightning strike as the cause of the blaze.

One neighbor reported witnessing a large lightning bolt shortly before flames were discovered in the eaves of the five-bedroom, 4,500-square-foot home, Jackson said.

Buchanon was picked by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft. The Ft. Myers, Fla., native was traded to the Texans prior to last season.

The storms dumped at least an inch of rain over much of north and central Georgia, the National Weather Service said.

Rainfall totals across metro Atlanta through 7 a.m. included 1.6 inches at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, 1.8 inches in Cartersville, 1.57 inches in Chamblee and 2.15 inches in Gainesville.

In west-central Georgia, a flash flood warning remained in effect until 7:30 a.m. for Harris County north of Columbus, where 3 to 4 inches of rain had fallen.

Any lingering showers should taper off by noon, the Weather Service said. Tonight will be mostly clear and unseasonably cold, with lows near freezing. Normal low for March 21 is 45 degrees.

Mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 50s are forecast for Wednesday, with lows Wednesday night again dipping into the low 30s.

A 20 percent chance of rain is forecast for Thursday, Thursday night and Friday, with highs in the 50s and lows in the low 30s, the Weather Service said.

The weekend should be mostly sunny, with highs in the upper 50s Saturday and low 60s Sunday, and lows in the low 30s.

Rupert

03-21-2006, 03:34 PM

Well that sucks.

Angry Pope

03-21-2006, 09:38 PM

Here are all of the interceptions Schweigert had in college, the exact time they occurred, and the result....

Stuart Schweigert's Career Interceptions

Summary of each pick

1 - at Notre Dame, Sept. 16, 2000
Video Clip of #1
Time: Fourth Quarter, 8:36 left
Location: Purdue 21-yard line
Quarterback: Gary Godsey
Return: 2 yards
Noteworthy: Led to 22-yard touchdown pass that gave Purdue 21-20 lead with 4:57 left; Notre Dame rallied for 23-21 victory

2 - Minnesota, Sept. 23, 2000
Video Clip of #2
Time: Fourth Quarter, 1:29 left
Location: Purdue 13-yard line
Quarterback: Travis Cole
Return: none
Noteworthy: Exclamation point on 38-24 Purdue win

3 - at Michigan State, Nov. 11, 2000
Video Clip of #3
Time: First Quarter, 11:50 left
Location: Purdue 42-yard line
Quarterback: Jeff Smoker
Return: none
Noteworthy: Schweigert's college decision came down to Purdue and Michigan State

4 - Indiana, Nov. 18, 2000
Video Clip of #4
Time: Third Quarter, 8:43
Location: Purdue end zone
Quarterback: Antwaan Randle El
Return: none
Noteworthy: After interception, he dropped ball in end zone that was nearly recovered by Indiana for a touchdown; Boilermakers led 27-7 at the time

5 - Indiana, Nov. 18, 2000
Video Clip of #5
Time: Fourth Quarter, 4:39
Location: Purdue 1-yard line
Quarterback: Antwaan Randle El
Return: none
Noteworthy: Set school record for interceptions by a true freshman

6 - at Cincinnati, Sept. 2, 2001
Video Clip of #6
Time: Second Quarter, 3:05 left
Location: Cincinnati 49-yard line
Quarterback: Adam Hoover
Return: 20 yards
Noteworthy: Led to 39-yard field goal

7 - at Cincinnati, Sept. 2, 2001
Video Clip of #7
Time: Fourth Quarter, 0:36 left
Location: Purdue end zone
Quarterback: Adam Hoover
Return: none
Noteworthy: Preserved 19-14 Purdue victory

8 - at Minnesota, Sept. 29, 2001
Video Clip of #8
Time: Overtime
Location: Purdue end zone
Quarterback: Travis Cole
Return: none
Noteworthy: Preserved 35-28 Purdue victory

9 - at Michigan, Oct. 13, 2001
Video Clip of #9
Time: Second Quarter, 0:24 left
Location: Purdue 6-yard line
Quarterback: Wide receiver Marquise Walker
Return: 58 yards
Noteworthy: Stalled Michigan scoring drive and kept Purdue in the game at 14-10 at halftime

10 - Illinois, Nov. 3, 2001
Video Clip of #10
Time: Second Quarter, 9:01 left
Location: Purdue 26-yard line
Quarterback: Kurt Kittner
Return: 32 yards
Noteworthy: Led to 37-yard field goal

11 - Michigan State, Nov. 17, 2001
Video Clip of #11
Time: Fourth Quarter, 0:06 left
Location: Purdue 39-yard line
Quarterback: Damon Dowdell
Return: none
Noteworthy: Tied Purdue record for career interceptions

12 - Western Michigan, Sept. 14, 2002
Video Clip of #12
Time: Third Quarter, 0:39 left
Location: Purdue 16-yard line
Quarterback: Chad Munson
Return: 2 yards
Noteworthy: Set school record for career interceptions

13 - at Northwestern, Oct. 26, 2002
Video Clip of #13
Time: First Quarter, 6:13 left
Location: Northwestern 38-yard line
Quarterback: Tony Stauss
Return: none
Noteworthy: Seventh interception on the road to go with six at home

14 - at Wake Forest, Sept. 13, 2003
Video Clip of #14
Time: First Quarter, 14:39 left
Location: Purdue 34-yard line
Quarterback: Cory Randolph
Return: 38 yards
Noteworthy: First play of the game; Schweigert would go on to make win-preserving tackle with just over one minute to play

15 - Notre Dame, Sept. 27, 2003
Video Clip of #15
Time: Third Quarter, 4:58 left
Location: Purdue 29-yard line
Quarterback: Brady Quinn
Return: 24 yards
Noteworthy: Boilermakers led 16-10 at the time in an eventual 23-10 victory

16 - Notre Dame, Sept. 27, 2003
Video Clip of #16
Time: Fourth Quarter, 10:43 left
Location: Purdue 20-yard line
Quarterback: Brady Quinn
Return: none
Noteworthy: Third career game with two interceptions

17 - Iowa, Nov. 8, 2003
Video Clip of #17
Time: Fourth Quarter, 0:44 left
Location: Purdue end zone
Quarterback: Nathan Chandler
Return: none
Noteworthy: Senior Day sendoff

CrossBones

03-22-2006, 08:18 AM

WOW...where the heck do you find this stuff? ....Rep!!!!!!

I'd like to see Stu get a few more INT's for us! :)

Rupert

03-22-2006, 08:44 AM

Well, that's why he didn't list the pro picks. It wouldn't have been as impressive.

Angry Pope

03-22-2006, 08:59 AM

Disregard...posted in wrong thread.

Angry Pope

03-22-2006, 09:11 AM

Here are the players who have played in the NFL who were born in Mexico....

Albert, Sergio
Allegre, Raul
Corral, Frank
Etherly, Dave
Herrera, Efren
Leyva, Victor
Portilla, Jose
Richins, Al
Septien, Rafael
Zendejas, Joaquin
Zendejas, Luis
Zendejas, Max
Zendejas, Tony

Angry Pope

03-22-2006, 10:29 AM

Change of venue...

NFL draft to be held at Radio City Music Hall

New York — The NFL draft, which moved out of Madison Square Garden last season, will move to another New York City landmark this year — Radio City Music Hall.

It will be held April 29-30, a week later than usual to avoid the second day falling on Easter Sunday.

Last year the draft was at the Javits Convention Center, moving from the theater at Madison Square Garden because the NFL was upset with Garden management for opposing the proposal for a new stadium for the Jets on Manhattan's West Side. The stadium proposal ended up being rejected by a state committee.

Rupert

03-22-2006, 02:32 PM

Can we have the Rockettes do a kick line after each pick in the 1st round? They'll get plenty of rest in between each pick, and maybe extra rest at the Vikings pick.

Angry Pope

03-23-2006, 12:41 AM

Here are the birthdays of all the players on our roster....

No. Name Position Height Weight Date of Birth Age College

47 Adkisson, James TE 6032h / 6' 3" 230 80/01/11 26 South Carolina

83 Anderson, Courtney TE 6062c / 6' 6" 270 80/11/19 25 San Jose St

21 Asomugha, Nnamdi DBC 6023c / 6' 2" 210 81/07/06 24 California

70 Badger, Brad OLG 6040 / 6' 4" 320 75/01/11 31 Stanford

91 Brayton, Tyler LBO 6061c / 6' 6" 280 79/11/20 26 Colorado

58 Burgess, Derrick DLE 6023c / 6' 2" 265 78/08/12 27 Mississippi

23 Carr, Chris DBC 5096 / 5' 10" 180 83/04/30 22 Boise St

55 Clark, Danny LBI 6021c / 6' 2" 245 77/05/09 28 Illinois

00 Cooper, Roger LBO 6023c / 6' 2" 247 81/06/04 24 Montana St

40 Cooper, Jarrod DBS 6004c / 6' 0" 215 78/03/31 27 Kansas St

00 Crockett, Henri LBO 6021c / 6' 2" 240 74/10/28 31 Florida St

32 Crockett, Zack RBF 6015 / 6' 2" 240 72/12/02 33 Florida St

89 Curry, Ronald WR 6017c / 6' 2" 210 79/05/28 26 North Carolina

00 Duncan, Tim PK 6020c / 6' 2" 209 79/06/12 26 Oklahoma

50 Ekejiuba, Isaiah LBO 6040 / 6' 4" 219 82/10/05 23 Virginia

31 Eugene, Hiram DBS 6010 / 6' 1" 207 80/11/24 25 Louisiana Tech

20 Fargas, Justin RB 6007c / 6' 1" 220 80/01/25 26 USC

49 Foschi, John Paul RBF 6037c / 6' 4" 270 82/05/19 23 Georgia Tech

10 Francis, Carlos WR 5091c / 5' 9" 190 81/01/03 25 Texas Tech

85 Gabriel, Doug WR 6022c / 6' 2" 215 80/08/27 25 Central Florida
76 Gallery, Robert OLT 6071c / 6' 7" 325 80/07/26 25 Iowa

36 Gibson, Derrick DBS 6015c / 6' 2" 215 79/03/22 27 Florida St

00 Green, Jeff DLE 6016 / 6' 2" 243 80/11/03 25 Florida A&M

28 Green, DeJuan RB 5110bg / 5' 11" 205 80/05/13 25 South Florida

60 Green, Roderick OLG 6040 / 6' 4" 285 82/06/23 23 Arkansas - Pine Bluff

64 Grove, Jake OLC 6033c / 6' 3" 300 80/01/22 26 Virginia Tech

98 Hamilton, Bobby DLE 6050 / 6' 5" 285 71/07/01 34 Southern Mississippi

77 Hawthorne, Anttaj DLT 6033c / 6' 3" 310 81/11/05 24 Wisconsin

71 Hulsey, Corey OLG 6047c / 6' 5" 325 77/07/26 28 Clemson

00 Huntley, Kevin DLE 6066c / 6' 7" 270 82/04/08 23 Kansas St

96 Irons, Grant LBO 6055c / 6' 6" 285 79/07/07 26 Notre Dame

00 Jackson, Pasha LBI 6016ew / 6' 2" 250 82/08/09 23 Oklahoma

11 Janikowski, Sebastian PK 6007 / 6' 1" 250 78/03/03 28 Florida St

34 Jordan, Lamont RB 5102c / 5' 10" 230 78/11/11 27 Maryland

93 Kelly, Tommy DLT 6057c / 6' 6" 300 80/12/27 25 Mississippi St

00 Kimball, David PK 6013c / 6' 1" 216 82/01/13 24 Penn St

09 Lechler, Shane P 6017c / 6' 2" 225 76/08/07 29 Texas A&M

75 Lekkerkerker, Brad OLT 6070c / 6' 7" 330 78/05/08 27 Cal - Davis

19 Morant, Johnnie WR 6040c / 6' 4" 215 81/12/07 24 Syracuse

00 Morgan, Shawn LBO 6022 / 6' 2" 235 78/11/06 27 Fayetteville St

52 Morrison, Kirk LBO 6010c / 6' 1" 240 82/02/18 24 San Diego St

18 Moss, Randy WR 6035 / 6' 4" 205 77/02/13 29 Marshall

00 Obeng, William OLT 6060 / 6' 6" 307 83/04/14 22 San Jose St

00 Pakulak, Glenn P 6024c / 6' 2" 225 80/04/09 25 Kentucky

38 Poole, Tyrone DBC 5083 / 5' 8" 188 72/02/03 34 Fort Valley St

84 Porter, Jerry WR 6022c / 6' 2" 220 78/07/14 27 West Virginia

73 Quarshie, Michael DLT 6020 / 6' 2" 295 79/11/13 26 Columbia

57 Riddle, Ryan LBO 6016c / 6' 2" 260 81/07/05 24 California

00 Robertson, Reggie QB 6020 / 6' 2" 190 82/01/28 24 California

63 Rose, Shaun OLT 6050 / 6' 5" 300 80/07/17 25 East Carolina

26 Routt, Stanford DBC 6013c / 6' 1" 195 83/07/23 22 Houston

90 Sands, Terdell DLT 6070 / 6' 7" 335 79/10/03 26 Tennessee - Chattanooga

99 Sapp, Warren DLT 6010 / 6' 1" 300 72/12/19 33 Miami

30 Schweigert, Stuart DBF 6020c / 6' 2" 210 81/06/21 24 Purdue

65 Sims, Barry OLT 6047 / 6' 5" 300 74/12/01 31 Utah

78 Slaughter, Chad OLT 6076 / 6' 8" 340 78/06/04 27 Alcorn St

62 Treu, Adam OLC 6053 / 6' 5" 300 74/06/24 31 Nebraska

08 Tuiasosopo, Marques QB 6011c / 6' 1" 220 79/03/22 27 Washington

45 Tuiasosopo, Zach RBF 6016c / 6' 2" 249 81/12/19 24 Washington

66 Walker, Langston OLG 6081c / 6' 8" 345 79/09/03 26 California

16 Walter, Andrew QB 6061c / 6' 6" 230 82/05/11 23 Arizona St

27 Washington, Fabian DBC 5104c / 5' 10" 185 83/06/09 22 Nebraska

87 Whitted, Alvis WR 6000 / 6' 0" 185 74/09/04 31 North Carolina St

54 Williams, Sam LBO 6045gi / 6' 5" 265 80/07/28 25 Fresno St

86 Williams, Randal TE 6030 / 6' 3" 230 78/05/21 27 New Hampshire

CrossBones

03-23-2006, 08:34 AM

:eek:

Well all the cool guys have their birthday in May. Same month as me! :cool:

Rupert

03-23-2006, 09:55 AM

And there you have it. Science in action.

Plunkett16

03-23-2006, 10:00 AM

RAIDERS WANTS VINCE

A league source tells us that the Oakland Raiders "were all over" quarterback Vince Young at his March 22 pro day workout in Austin, and that there's a strong belief in league circles the Raiders will select him with the seventh overall pick in the draft, if he's still available.

We're also told that the Raiders are worried that Young won't be available in the seven hole.

The Titans, with the third pick, could be the best bet to take Young. The Jets, at No. 4, are a more remote possibility. Other teams could try to strike a trade with one of the teams who pick before the Raiders in order to move up and get Young before the Raiders can gobble him up

Angry Pope

03-23-2006, 11:28 AM

Here is what Leinart's agent will be looking for....

Leinart's status continues to grow

STEVE BISHEFF
Register columnist
sbisheff@ocregister.com

While the NFL's labor struggles crept dangerously toward the midnight hour, and a wild, free-agent quarterback frenzy swept through the league, America's most celebrated college passer settled calmly in the pocket, patiently awaiting the outcome.

Now the results are in for USC's Matt Leinart.

His new forecast calls for considerably more money and a lot more options.

"Ultimately, we now think he'll get a $30 million guaranteed contract," said Leigh Steinberg, Leinart's Newport Beach-based agent. "That won't be bad for a young boy from Costa Mesa."

For a while, the financial outlook for the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner and Mater Dei alum had turned as gloomy as the early springtime weather in Southern California.

"Pro football was peering into the apocalypse," Steinberg said. "If the league had not struck a new collective-bargaining agreement, the rules would have made it incredibly difficult to sign a rookie for anything near last year's figures. A year ago, the top choice (49ers quarterback Alex Smith) got a $24 million guarantee. It would have been difficult getting half that."

Happily for Leinart and Steinberg, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was able to squeeze a compromise deal out of the league's 32 multimillionaire owners, and now the money is flowing to players faster than the usual post-practice Gatorade.

Even veteran offensive linemen are getting $40 million guarantees these days.

So with Leinart almost a cinch to be one of the first three players picked in the April 29 NFL draft, the size of his future bank account should no longer be an issue.

Where exactly he will play for those dollars, however, has turned into a more intriguing question by the day.

Originally, almost everyone in the league assumed Leinart's USC buddy, Reggie Bush, would go to the Houston Texans with the first selection, and his Heisman predecessor would land with New Orleans as the second pick.

But the Saints, with the future of the franchise already in jeopardy after Hurricane Katrina, decided to sign the Chargers' Drew Brees to a six-year, $60 million free-agent deal, with a fat $22 million of that due in his first season.

On the surface, it appeared that move killed Leinart's chances of being the second player to go in the draft. The Saints surely would opt for something other than another quarterback, wouldn't they?

It seemed like it, except now New Orleans is in a perfect position to trade down, picking up an extra draft choice or two from some team hungry to move up and take Leinart.

Steinberg, ever the optimist when one of his clients is involved, isn't convinced the Saints have given up on the idea of selecting the quarterback who went 37-2 in three years with the Trojans.

"It's not entirely impossible that they (the Saints) are still interested," the agent said. "The structure of Brees' contract is that it's basically a one-year deal with a big option for the second year. So if they want to take a quarterback with that pick, they still could."

Don't bet on it. Owner Tom Benson, with a shaky financial situation in a hurricane-ravaged city, is not likely to spend as much as he did for Brees, then shell out even more for a rookie quarterback.

The Saints are more apt to either use the draft choice to bolster their defense, or trade the pick.

The Jets remain the team most likely in the market. Chad Pennington's arm strength, after serious surgery, remains a major question mark, and although they traded a low draft choice for the Redskins' Patrick Ramsey last week, he doesn't project as a franchise quarterback.

Leinart does. Especially in a city where the Jets have to compete with the Giants and Eli Manning for space on the tabloids' back pages.

After spending time with Leinart in recent months, Steinberg is convinced that his handsome, young client and Manhattan would go together like lox and bagels in a New York deli.

"In my 32 years in this business, Matt has the highest celebrity status of any college player I've ever seen," Steinberg said. "In Detroit, at the commissioner's Super Bowl party, people were literally knocking me over trying to get their pictures taken with him.

"I'm telling you, teenage girls know who he is. Non-football fans know who he is. It's really amazing."

If not New York, Leinart's other option is a reunion with his old USC offensive coordinator, Norm Chow, of the Tennessee Titans, who have the third pick.

"Norm already has worked him out," Steinberg said, making you wonder why it was even necessary. "He'll also be at USC's Pro Day on April 2, where Matt is anxious to showcase his skills."

Originally there had been a debate about which high-profile quarterback would be more coveted by the pros, Leinart or Texas' Vince Young, who outplayed everyone in the Rose Bowl.

Since that time, however, Young's stock reportedly has dropped, particularly after his score in the NFL Combine's Wonderlic test was revealed as a shockingly low 16, supposedly registered in his second attempt at taking the exam.

Not surprisingly, Steinberg can hardly wait to tell you Leinart's Wonderlic score.

"It was a 35," he said.

With or without the test scores, most pro scouts now consider Leinart the clear No.1 quarterback in the draft. Young probably will be the second passer taken, although Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler has moved up on many boards.

"I've been through this a lot," said Steinberg, who has represented eight No.1 (overall) picks and seven No.2s, "and I'm convinced all of this won't shake out until draft day. A lot of key decisions aren't made until that deadline is almost up.

"We're not worried, though," the agent said. "Whatever happens, we think it will be great for Matt."

It shouldn't be too bad for Steinberg, either.

CrossBones

03-23-2006, 11:37 AM

WOW --- $30 Million guaranteed!

That's a lot of cheese!

Rupert

03-23-2006, 11:48 AM

You know, while reading that article, I had a bad vision of a team with two 1st round picks trading them to pick #2. That's right, I'm talking about Denver, who needs the QB of tomorrow sooner rather than later. He'd be perfect for their offense, but bad for division opponents.

Angry Pope

03-23-2006, 01:41 PM

More on the Carl.....

Arrington's agent files lawsuit against NFL players association

3/23/2006, 3:13 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Agent Carl Poston has sued the NFL players' union, challenging a two-year suspension over the handling of LaVar Arrington's 2003 contract extension with the Washington Redskins.

The lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan came after Poston was disciplined by an NFL Players' Association committee during the union's meetings earlier this month in Hawaii.

The dispute centers around a $6.5 million bonus that Arrington claimed was left out of his contract by the Redskins.

According to the lawsuit, the disciplinary action was not handled as mandated by the union's rules and it was filed beyond the one-year limit set by those rules.

In the lawsuit, Poston argued that he or his lawyer should have been allowed to appear before the disciplinary committee to contest the accusations and an independent arbitrator should have been appointed to handle the dispute.

Arrington reached an agreement with the Redskins earlier this month that allowed him to become a free agent. He has said he will keep Poston as his agent.

A message for comment left with a Washington lawyer for the players' union was not immediately returned on Thursday.

Paul Aloe, a lawyer for Poston, said in a statement that the agent had not been granted "basic fairness, nor due process." Aloe said the lawsuit would seek to ensure that Poston receives a fair hearing.

Angry Pope

03-23-2006, 04:35 PM

More of what Mario is thinking....

Williams: I gave it all I had

(March 23, 2006) -- Our Pro Day on Wednesday started off late, like at 1:30 in the afternoon. I thought we would start sooner but it was kind of late. I had already eaten so I went out there on a full stomach. We didn't practice at the stadium, which was weird. We were taken to a soccer complex about one mile from campus and three or four miles from the stadium. They had some kind of AstroTurf that we had never played on before. There were about 17 of us from N.C. State working out and one guy from another school I can't think of.

Mario Williams (No. 9) said he was really impressed by how teammate Manny Lawson did his drills.
There were so many scouts and coaches there that I couldn't count. I'd say about 80 percent of the people there were from the top five teams picking in the draft. I remember seeing the Texans, the Saints and the guys from New York, but I don't remember the Titans being there. I had seen some of these guys at the Combine already.

I wasn't nervous at all but I was a bit under the weather. I had a head cold and some phlegm in my lungs, but I wanted to do the drills because I didn't want any negative publicity. I told the Saints I was a little sick and my agent talked to some other people, so they understood why I was so exhausted by the end of the last drill. I had never felt so tired in my life.

We started off by doing bag drills. They set up five and we had to go to them one by one and hit them. Then we did some shuffle drills with the bags, shuffling with two feet side to side. Then ran up and back, side to side and then had to slap the ground on the coach's command. I was pretty tired by then, but then the guy from Kansas City ran this drill that was crazy. He is known for making players exhausted with it. He takes you to the brink before stopping. He puts his hands on you and you have to slap them away, and we had to do this for a while until we almost dropped. And he knew when it was time to stop, but not before getting a good workout in.

There were six of us linemen who were going through these drills. But by the time I got to the end of one set and sprinted back, it was time to do it again. We did everything four times. You can imagine how tired I was after it.

I didn't run any of the sprints or shuttles or anything like that. I stood on all my numbers from the Combine. They were really good and I didn't want to ruin them by running while sick. I was debating whether or not to do the field drills due to my cold, but after talking to my agent I wanted to do them because, like I said before, I didn't want any negative publicity.

I was too tired to see the reactions from anyone there about how I did. But then once everything was done, they took the linebackers back to the stadium and just about every coach went with them. So that was it; it was over. There weren't any question-and-answer sessions or one-on-ones.

Now I plan on working on football drills and improving my cardio. I don't have anything big on my plate right now, but the guys at The Best Damn Sports Show Period might fly me out to Los Angeles to tape a show next week. In all, I do feel good now that the two big pre-draft hurdles are done.

Angry Pope

03-23-2006, 08:06 PM

Here is a cartoon with the Postons and CWood.....

Hit it here.... (http://www.bangcartoon.com/popupCartoon.php?movie=2006archive/sale.swf)

CrossBones

03-23-2006, 08:12 PM

LOL!!!!!!.....

Rob

03-23-2006, 08:50 PM

:D Thats some funny shit.

Rupert

03-24-2006, 09:23 AM

THAAAAAt's what Charles needs. Just a little WD-40. Why didn't the Raiders training staff think of that!? Sigh.

Angry Pope

03-25-2006, 05:38 PM

Here is an article by Barry Sims....

Tackling The Off Season

As a fan you might think NFL guys are still hanging out at home, waiting for mini-camp to start in late April. But now is the time when most teams start their off-season workout programs, and the Raiders are no exception. Most days, I’m just like anyone else. I get in my car and fight rush-hour traffic to make the 45-minute commute to the practice facility. By 9 a.m., I’m dressed and ready to take the field.

Most off-season workout programs last about 14 weeks. You work out for four days a week and the league allows you to do a combined amount of on-field and off-field work for four hours per day. We usually start out by doing some running drills for about 90 minutes. Many of these are agility- and conditioning-type drills. You can’t start from scratch at training camp and hope to be ready to go by the season opener. You’ve got to build up your base of fitness. It also gives the coaches an opportunity to see if you have any weaknesses that can be strengthened or corrected. If you’re having issues with mobility or flexibility, the coaches can tinker with your workout to put you on the best possible program.

It would be silly if we were all doing the same exact program. So in addition to adjusting the workouts to our individual needs, they also adjust them to our positions. Most of our running as linemen is in 10- to 20-yard increments. It’s more sprinting than anything else. Other days, we may start with some squat workout and then move into two or three miles of distance running. When you’re more than 300 pounds, distance running is not fun at all.

After the running, the linemen usually move into the weight room for some strength training. The team will have people monitoring you as you’re doing your sets. When you’re done, they take you to the head guy, who checks your weights and sets and gives you a stamp. If the head guy doesn’t stamp your workout, it’s as if you weren’t even there. So you can bet you never leave without the stamp of approval.

After that, it’s time to work out our minds. With a new coach comes a new playbook. So we have to start learning all the new terminology for our offense. You may not think it’s that much, but our playbook is like the White Pages. In the past, we’ve had around 20 different kinds of pass protections. That doesn’t include different routes and formations. So in a game, we have the potential to choose from 200 different pass plays and 30 running plays. You’re constantly changing formations so that teams can’t tell what’s coming by how you are lined up.

As far as terminology goes, you’re using words that meant one thing last year, but mean something completely different this year. It takes a tremendous amount of study and preparation to memorize everything to the point where you can pull it up in your mind instantly. Having played for four different coaches with the Raiders, I’ve had to change playbooks a little more frequently than some players, so I’ve learned how to retain the information more quickly.

And after all that work, we start mini-camp in early May. Mini-camp! That’s not even full-scale training camp! So, if you thought playing football wasn’t a full-time job, take a peek at the guy next to you stuck in traffic. He may just be an offensive lineman on his way to work.

CrossBones

03-25-2006, 05:41 PM

Looks like Mr. Sims is going to be ready to go.

I'm gonna love his move to LG and think he'll be fine there.

Angry Pope

03-26-2006, 10:14 AM

Here is what Tim has been up to....

(PRLEAP.COM) Oakland, CA — (Mar 26, 2006) — (eMediaCampaigns!) - NFL legend Tim Brown (http://www.timbrownbrowser.com ) recently appeared on Daystar Television’s "Celebration," an international live program with hosts Marcus and Joni Lamb. Brown, in partnership with Teri Werner and Children’s Educational Network, presented The Tim Brown Kid Safe Browser, an internet browser created especially for parents and guardians who want a safe and educational online environment for their children.

"The child protection browser features offered by the Tim Brown Browser For Kids are not found in Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Opera," stated Brown who started for the Oakland Raiders for over 17 years. "Children will be able to experience the hi-tech world without being exposed to it’s dark side." Tim Brown’s alliance and dedication with motivational speaker and entrepreneur Teri Werner of Werner Entities, Children’s Educational Network, and Financial Destination, Inc., are largely responsible for the tremendous success of the no-cost, computer download available at www.timbrownbrowser.com

"We have hundreds of educational games including: memory games; learn to draw; math; reading; hand-eye coordination; and hundreds of others that will be at your children’s fingertips," added Brown. "You can also program our animated characters to remind children of their chores in a very positive manner."

Statistics: Children and the Internet

According to Pew Internet and American Life, "Teens and Technology," (July 27, 2005)

—1 in 5 youths receive unwanted sexual solicitation online. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a.k.a. NCMEC, 2000)

— 89% of sexual solicitations were made in either chat rooms or Instant Messages. (Pew Study reported in Journal of the American Medical Association aka JAMA, 2001)

— 87% of U.S. teens ages 12 to 17 currently use the Internet, representing about 21 million youth. Of those, approximately 11 million teens go online on a daily basis.
Teri Werner and Tim Brown were jointly involved in overseeing the development and production of the Children’s Educational Network product. Werner explained that the browser is adult-friendly and designed to set up online parental controls for their children. It does this by only allowing children to visit pre-approved websites. The program offers filtered-internet access for older children and requires just a few minutes to download.

Both the browser and technology were created by Children’s Educational Network where Greg Writer is the CEO.

Partial List of The Tim Brown Browser Benefits

Parental Notification

Filtered Internet Protection

Spam Free Email Buddy List Email

Language Filters

Internet Protection Lockdown

Talking Animated Characters

Chore Reminders & Encouraging Words

Homework Sections

Educational Games

Unmatched Protection

Pop Up Blocker

Media Contact

email kids@timbrownbrowser.com
email teriwerner6@aol.com
website http://www.timbrownbrowser.com/
Phone 800.434.4866

Source: eMediaCampaigns!
eMediaCampaigns!
Deputy Reporter: Fran Briggs

# # #

About Tim Brown

Tim Brown was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft and played 17 years with the Oakland Raiders. He made over 1,000 receptions, scored over 100 touchdowns, amassed over 49 kick returns and was named to nine Pro Bowl teams. In 2005 he partnered with The Children’s Educational Network and Werner Entities to create the Tim Brown Browser for Kids.

About Teri Werner

Teri Werner is an author, speaker and accomplished business woman. She is the CEO of Werner Entities and the co-founder a home-based business, she grew into a publicly traded multi-million dollar company. Ms. Werner’s messages of principled passion and purpose, equips and empowers people of all ages and stages of life. She teaches individuals and organizations alike how to shake off mediocrity and embrace excellence.

About Children’s Educational Network:

Children’s Educational Network (CEN) is building the premier, online community for children - "TUKI" T The Ultimate Kids’ Internet"T - specifically designed to provide a safe, fun and educational Internet experience only accessible through CEN’s Kid Safe Browsers. Through each themed Kid Safe BrowserT, "TUKI’s" core function is to protect children from pornography, hate, violence, predators and inappropriate content on the Internet while also offering fun, educational content that inspires and motivates children in a positive manner. CEN offers its Kid Safe Browser for free and allows other organizations to participate in protecting kids on the Internet, expanding their brand to the desktop and building customer loyalty by co-branding and private labeling CEN’s technology. Partnership information or press contacts: Children’s Educational Network, 760-233-2863.

About Financial Destination, Inc.

Financial Destination is a privately held corporation that was founded in June 2003 by Mr. William Andreoli, President & CEO. The company’s headquarters are in Derry, New Hampshire, located just 30 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. FDI has assembled a strong core management team to ensure the company’s competitive edge. This powerful leadership team brings to FDI years of solid experience in real estate investing, cash flow management, stock market investing, tax and accounting services, debt elimination and network marketing.

Contact Information
Teri Werner
Werner Entities
Email Werner Entities
800.434.4866

CrossBones

03-26-2006, 11:14 AM

Hmmm...that website is weak.

I could make him a better one! (for a price) :D

Angry Pope

03-26-2006, 11:56 AM

Hmmm...that website is weak.

I could make him a better one! (for a price) :D

LOL.... I'm sure you can.

Angry Pope

03-26-2006, 12:25 PM

We are keeping quiet...

The Raiders have gone into a media lockdown mode as the serious business of free agency and the draft leaves no time for the curious outsiders.

Coach Art Shell has not spoken to the local media since Feb. 11 - the day he was hired.

Ted Walsh, the controversial choice as offensive coordinator, has not been allowed to speak to the media at all. Walsh was a Shell assistant from 1982-94 and did his last coached minor league football in 1999, working as the mayor of Swan Valley, Idaho and running a bed and breakfast in recent years.

When Brooks agreed to terms, the Raiders made no effort to make him available with either a press conference or conference call - which is standard procedure when a club signs a new quarterback.

As for the Raiders' new ticket plan, when the time period passed for personal seat license holders to get their first crack at season tickets before opening up the sale for the general public, Raiders spokesmen said the club was happy with the response.

However, they declined to say how many tickets were sold.

Angry Pope

03-26-2006, 06:48 PM

Players who have played for us with two first names.....

QB-Andrew Walter
QB-Jeff George
QB-Jeff Graham
QB-Tee Martin

RB-Roger Craig
RB-Carl Garrett
RB-Lamont Jordan
RB-Randy Jordan
RB-Harold Lewis
RB-Doug Lloyd
RB-Booker Russell
RB-Billy Taylor
RB-Larry Todd
RB-Tony Teresa

TE-Raymond Chester
TE-Tom Mitchell
TE-Mario Perry

WR-Carlos Francis
WR-Doug Gabriel
WR-Desmond Howard
WR-Charles Jordan
WR-Calvin Muhammad

OL-John Clay
OL-Aaron Graham
OL-Derrick Graham
OL-Charley Hannah
OL-James Harvey
OL-Shelby Jordan
OL-Bill Lewis
OL-Micky Marvin
OL-Pete Nicholas
OL-Gerald Perry
OL-Steve Sylvester

DT-Mike Charles
DT-Sean Gilbert
DT-Tommy Kelly
DT-Darrell Russell
DT-Malcolm Taylor

DE-DeLawrence Grant
DE-Riley Morris
DE-Aaron Wallace

LB-Danny Clark
LB-Alex Gordon
LB-Richard Harvey
LB-Joe Kelly
LB-Rod Martin
LB-Mark Merrill
LB-Ralph Oliver
LB-William Thomas

DB-Marcus Ray
DB-Carey Scott
DB-Jack Tatum
DB-Skip Thomas
DB-Donald Frank
DB-Darrien Gordon
DB-Tory James
DB-Albert Lewis
DB-Garry Lewis
DB-Tahaun Lewis
DB-Randy Rich
DB-Jimmy Warren

Names of players who have played for us with names that can be mistaken for girl names....

Kerry Collins
Jessie Hester
Tory James
Shelby Jordan
Jamie Kimmel
Lindsey Mason
Dana Stubblefield
Stacey Toran
Jan Barrett

Rupert

03-26-2006, 09:14 PM

Fun stuff Benedict.

Angry Pope

03-26-2006, 10:08 PM

Amy might be on the committee to find a new commissioner....

Tagliabue relaxed as his term winds down

DAVE GOLDBERG

Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. - Paul Tagliabue has never been so relaxed. Looking fit and rested after an arduous year of labor negotiations, the outgoing NFL commissioner began preparing Sunday for his hardest remaining task: ensuring that his successor is chosen in a less contentious process than he was 17 years ago.

That will begin Monday, when Tagliabue chooses a committee to search for his successor. The two front-runners to replace him seem to be Roger Goodell, Tagliabue's right-hand man, and Atlanta general manager Rich McKay.
But first, Tagliabue must put together his search committee, which will surely represent a broader spectrum of owners than the group Pete Rozelle appointed when he announced his resignation at these meetings in 1989.
That group of insiders recommended Jim Finks, then the New Orleans general manager.

Another group, which included new Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, rebelled and supported Tagliabue. After seven months, Tagliabue was finally chosen when several members of the original committee switched, including Dan Rooney of the Steelers, Wellington Mara of the Giants and Art Modell, then of the Browns.

Those three ended up being among Tagliabue's staunchest supporters while Jones differed with him on many issues. But such are the politics of the NFL.
Though finding a successor is Tagliabue's immediate priority, he seemed at ease Sunday, uncharacteristically schmoozing briefly with media members.
"I feel great," he said.

One indication was his choice of dress.

Even in the informal settings of these meetings, Tagliabue normally wears a sport coat. On this day, he began in a yellow checked sport shirt, then changed to a red short-sleeved pullover, while his aides still wore the traditional blazer.

"He's different," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "He's more relaxed."
On Monday, he will likely go back to the more formal attire as he addresses owners on the state of the NFL, then appoints the search committee.

The makeup of that group is the subject of considerable speculation. But one thing is sure: it will include owners with different opinions on the most divisive issue the league has faced recently: the split between high-revenue teams.

There's a good chance that Jones will be on it because of his influence with the high-revenue teams. The other potential members from that group: perhaps Kraft and Bob McNair of Houston.

One low-revenue representative might be Wayne Weaver of Jacksonville, who is well respected by Tagliabue and other owners. Another might be Raiders CEO Amy Trask, who is respected by owners and the league office.

Yet another possibility might be John Mara of the Giants, Wellington's son. His team is in the middle of the revenue group but moving up because of its market and the new stadium it is building. But Rooney is likely to be held back because he has traditionally been brought in to mediate disputes, something that is harder to do if he is on the original committee.

But that was simply speculation Sunday.

Angry Pope

03-26-2006, 10:11 PM

Fun stuff Benedict.

LOL.......

Angry Pope

03-27-2006, 01:00 AM

First game of season...

The NFL will announce today that the Miami Dolphins will play the Steelers to kick off the season Thursday night, Sept. 7, at Heinz Field. The Dolphins, who did not make the playoffs last season, last week acquired quarterback Daunte Culpepper from the Minnesota Vikings. The Steelers' players and coaches will receive their Super Bowl rings that night.

Raiders_Rock

03-27-2006, 01:53 AM

well at least we won't have to play the defending Super Bowl champs right off the bat like last year...

CrossBones

03-27-2006, 08:38 AM

Anybody know when the schedule will be released?

Angry Pope

03-27-2006, 10:58 AM

Anybody know when the schedule will be released?

I think it will be in a couple of weeks but I haven't seen a date yet.

Angry Pope

03-27-2006, 05:15 PM

We get a compensatory pick....

Ravens get four compensatory draft picks

March 27, 2006

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The Baltimore Ravens will get four extra picks in next month's NFL draft as compensation for players lost to free agency in 2005.

The Ravens, who lost six free agents and signed two last year, will receive one compensatory pick in the fourth round, one in the fifth and two in the sixth. Those are picks 132, 166, 203 and 208.

A total of 32 compensatory selections were awarded Monday. Only the New York Jets (97th overall) got a choice in the third round. They lost four significant free agents, including starters Anthony Becht, Jason Ferguson and Kareem McKenzie and backup running back LaMont Jordan.

Getting three extra choices will be Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Tennessee. Receiving two will be Green Bay, New England, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

One compensatory pick goes to Buffalo, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington and the Jets.

Angry Pope

03-27-2006, 05:27 PM

Here is the complete list of compensatory picks...

Round Overall selection Team

3 33-97 New York Jets
4 33-130 Denver
4 34-131 Pittsburgh
4 35-132 Baltimore
4 36-133 Pittsburgh
5 33-165 Green Bay
5 34-166 Baltimore
5 35-167 Pittsburgh
5 36-168 Philadelphia
5 37-169 Tennessee
6 33-202 Tampa Bay
6 34-203 Baltimore
6 35-204 Philadelphia
6 36-205 New England
6 37-206 New England
6 38-207 Indianapolis
6 39-208 Baltimore
7 33-241 Tampa Bay
7 34-242 St. Louis
7 35-243 St. Louis
7 36-244 Tampa Bay
7 37-245 Tennessee
7 38-246 Tennessee
7 39-247 Detroit
7 40-248 Buffalo
7 41-249 Seattle
7 42-250 Washington
7 43-251 Houston
7 44-252 New Orleans
7 45-253 Green Bay
7 46-254 San Francisco
7 47-255 Oakland

CrossBones

03-27-2006, 05:30 PM

Oh, crap. Another 7th rounder. :rolleyes:

Rupert

03-27-2006, 05:33 PM

Do we get Mr. Irrelevant again? We didn't keep the last one.

Raiders_Rock

03-27-2006, 09:07 PM

Has there ever been a Mr. Irrelevant that has made it in the NFL?

Angry Pope

03-28-2006, 12:44 AM

More on Woodson....

Katherine Smith and Roy Cummings, of the Tampa Tribune, report there is league scuttlebutt that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will wind up signing free agent CB Charles Woodson (Raiders). Should that happen, the Bucs could immediately place him at free safety, but head coach Jon Gruden said Woodson will likely play more than one position should he join the Buccaneers. "His playing status is something that will have to be determined not only on a weekly basis but sometimes on a play-by-play basis," Gruden said.

Angry Pope

03-28-2006, 04:42 PM

Former coach goes into another career....

Former OSU Coach To Host Tulsa Radio Sports Show

TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Former Oklahoma State football coach Pat Jones is getting out of coaching and will co-host a radio sports call-in show in Tulsa.

Jones had been on the staff of the Oakland Raiders since 2004 but head coach Norv Turner was fired in January. Jones says he was offered a job with the Raiders but is burned out on the NFL.

Jones spent 16 years at OSU, five as an assistant to Jimmy Johnson then eleven season as head coach before leaving in January 1996.

Angry Pope

03-28-2006, 04:53 PM

Ahmad Brooks kicked off team....

Virginia dismisses three potential starters on defense

By Joe Schad
ESPN.com

Virginia Coach Al Groh dismissed linebacker Ahmad Brooks, defensive end Vince Redd and cornerback Tony Franklin from the team on Tuesday.

"It's best for us and the players to move on from these circumstances," Groh said at a news conference in Charlottesville, one day before the Cavaliers begin spring practice.

All three players were potential starters on defense, but Groh said the losses will not affect Virginia's outlook this season.

Franklin, a senior who was expected to start at safety, was arrested for marijuana possession on Dec. 4. Franklin and Redd, a junior and possible starter at defensive end, were among the Cavaliers suspended for violating team rules last season.

"It really doesn't change our prospectus when you consider two of the three players weren't even a part of what the team was able to do in Nashville [at the Music City Bowl]," Groh said. "It's essential internally that we have the discipline to do things the right way and not just chase talent for talent's sake. That's what we're doing."

Brooks, a senior, led Virginia in tackles as a freshman and sophomore but played in only six games during an injury-riddled 2005. As a sophomore, Brooks was All-ACC and a Butkus Award finalist. But he ballooned to 270 pounds as he struggled to recover from knee and ankle injuries last year.

In January, Brooks announced he would not enter the NFL draft. Now, transfering to a lower-division school or entering the NFL's supplemental draft are options. Brooks, once viewed as a first-round prospect, chose to return in large part, however, because his stock had slipped.

"It is a privelege and not a right to wear a Cavaliers jersey and to represent our university and community," Groh said. "There are certain things that are vital and those things come into sharper focus and are multiplied when you're rebuilding, as we are. That's focus, commitment and dependability."

Angry Pope

03-28-2006, 05:16 PM

I kind of found this interesting...from Clayton....

Broncos pass on opener: NBC wanted the Broncos to visit the Steelers on the first Thursday of the season as a rematch of the AFC championship game. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen balked, and the league talked the Dolphins into doing it. Bowlen thought it was too soon for the Broncos to play against the Steelers after losing the title game. The Bengals were another consideration for the opener, but Carson Palmer's knee situation made the Dolphins a more attractive option.

Angry Pope

03-28-2006, 09:49 PM

Here are some comments about Woodson from a Raider source...supposedly...

Packers weigh turning the corner
Woodson carries high price tag

By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: March 28, 2006

Orlando, Fla. - It will take more than a token financial bid for the Green Bay Packers to lure free-agent cornerback Charles Woodson into their organization, but if they can pull it off it could result in a dramatic improvement in their defense.

That was the opinion of a number of coaches and personnel officials who were interviewed about the Oakland Raiders veteran.

Woodson, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, is scheduled to arrive in Green Bay sometime this weekend for an official visit. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only other team that has had Woodson in, so the potential for the Packers to reel in their first big-name free agent certainly exists.

“If we’re talking to him, we’re serious,” coach Mike McCarthy said.

The Packers were also talking to New England kicker Adam Vinatieri after his visit, but they let the Indianapolis Colts steal him away with a more lucrative offer. Signing Woodson, should the Packers deem him healthy and a good fit, will be a challenge, given that his agent, Carl Poston, has a reputation for seeking huge numbers for his clients.

But the free-agent market has slowed down after nearly three weeks of activity and countless millions of dollars spent, so Woodson might find himself in a similar situation as New England cornerback Ty Law last August. After healing from a foot injury, Law, another Poston client, signed a complicated long-term deal that for all intents and purposes was a one-year deal worth around $4 million.

It’s clear the Raiders aren’t interested in Woodson anymore, but some of that has to do with the fact that as their franchise designation Woodson was paid base salaries of $8.78 million in 2004 and $10.53 million in ’05. The Raiders don’t appear interested in investing any more money in him.

Speaking at the National Football League owners meetings at the Hyatt Grand Cypress, new Raiders coach Art Shell said of Woodson, “I haven’t had time to think about players other than those involved with our team.”

Asked if Woodson can still perform at a high level, he said, “I haven’t studied him.”

Regardless of the Raiders’ disinterest, there are plenty of people around the NFL who think the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Woodson can still be an effective player despite missing 21 games over the past four seasons because of injury, including 10 with a broken right leg last year. Some think his days as classic cover cornerback are behind him, but if moved to a safety position where he can use his strong tackling and blitzing skills he can be special.

The Buccaneers have indicated that they intend to play Woodson at safety, but in Green Bay Woodson would probably play a multitude of positions to utilize his different skills.

“I think in a certain system he can play corner,” Kansas City Chiefs coach Herman Edwards said. “It’s just a matter of in his mind does he want to play corner. He can play both, but I don’t know what he wants to play. I still think he can do that (bump and run). I think Charles Woodson can do whatever he wants if his mind is right. It’s according to what he wants to do.”

According to a longtime member of the Raiders organization, Woodson is far from being washed up. He might not have the speed he had as a Heisman Trophy winner coming out of Michigan in 1998, but he hasn’t lost his overall athletic ability.

Last year, the Raiders played him all over the field, moving him from cornerback, to the slot, to inside the box, to deep safety. He had 30 tackles and one interception when, in the seventh game of the season, he suffered a broken right leg making a tackle at the line of scrimmage. He was lost for the season.

“That’s probably the worst thing that happened to him is that he was used too many places,” the Raiders source said. “To find out about him you need to leave him out at corner. He’s a good tackler, so you’re always tempted to move him to safety or in the slot where you can blitz him. But he can live playing one position.”

During Woodson’s first five seasons, the Raiders went 49-31, but in his last three they have gone 13-35 and the 29-year-old cornerback would have been faced with playing for a third head coach in four years had he returned. In 34 games during that three-year span, Woodson has 172 tackles, 3½ sacks and five interceptions.

When he joined the Raiders, he was so talented that some people thought he was Hall of Fame-bound. He was considered one of the top two or three cover cornerbacks in the game during his Pro Bowl run, but of late his stock has dropped and he has been lumped in with the mess that has been the Raiders the past few years.

He missed seven games in 2002 with a broken shoulder, two games in 2004 with a knee injury and 10 in ’05 with a broken leg.

In 2003, Woodson was involved in a highly publicized feud with Raiders coach Bill Callahan and was deactivated for the season finale after breaking curfew. He publicly slammed Callahan during the season and claimed later that the deactivation was retaliation for his comments.

Woodson was also arrested for public intoxication during the 2004 season after he and teammate Marques Anderson refused to get out of a woman’s sedan outside a bar in Oakland at 4:20 in the morning. But prosecutors chose not to charge either one.

According to the Raiders source, Woodson is not a problem in the locker room and can be someone younger players can look up to if the burden of leadership doesn’t fall all on his shoulders as it sometimes did in Oakland.

“I think he’s good in the locker room as long as the organization is straight with him,” the source said. “He’s a bright guy and he wants to win. At times he wasn’t focused on being the best. He sometimes let things bother him that shouldn’t bother him. He took things too personally and lost focus.”

The Packers figure he could team with Al Harris to form a solid cornerback tandem, while also stepping out into a safety or slot position to cover up newly signed safety Marquand Manuel’s coverage liabilities. Woodson would be a major upgrade over starter Ahmad Carroll, whose job will be challenged regardless if the Raiders veteran is added.

“This guy is a good football player,” Thompson said. “And whether he’s a corner or a tackle or whatever, if he’s a good football player, we talk about it. We spend hours talking about these guys and sometimes we bring them in for a visit and see how that goes.”

Angry Pope

03-29-2006, 01:08 AM

Daryl Sims on being hired....not reaaly new info...

Raiders hire former Oshkosh coach

Issue: Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Added: 3/29/2006 12:55:18 AM

UW-Oshkosh alumnus Darryl Sims, former assistant director of the UW-Oshkosh Foundation capital campaign, has signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Raiders.

He will be the assistant defensive line coach. Sims interned with the Raiders in 2004.

Sims was preparing for the upcoming NFL Europe season as head coach for the Cologne Centurions when he received a call in December from the new Raiders head coach, Art Shell, asking him to join the Raiders coaching staff.

“This is a great opportunity,” Sims said in a press release. “But no matter where I go, I’m always going to have fond memories of UW-Oshkosh.”

After a stellar career as a defensive lineman for the Wisconsin Badgers, Sims was drafted 21st in the 1985 NFL draft and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns over six years. He was the defensive coordinator for the Amsterdam Admirals, which won World Bowl XIII last season in NFL Europe.

For the last five years, Sims worked with the UW-Oshkosh Foundation. As assistant director of the Foundation’s capital campaign, he focused on the Oshkosh Sports Complex project.

Sims completed his bachelor’s degree in speech communication at Oshkosh in 2003 and earned a master’s degree in educational leadership in 2005. He was an assistant coach with the Oshkosh football team during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

Rupert

03-29-2006, 08:57 AM

Sims sounds like a VERY interesting hire. A guy who's been a DC of a Bowl winning team (granted it was only NFL Euro, but still). But for some Raiders fans this hiring will be equivalent to the team's signings. Ho hum. I think it says a LOT about what kind of talent we're bringing on board. Hungry.

Angry Pope

03-29-2006, 09:55 AM

We face the Vikings in preseason....

Vikings face Raiders, Moss in preseason opener

BY DON SEEHOLZER
Pioneer Press

Randy Moss is returning to the Metrodome.

The NFL and Vikings made that official this morning, announcing that Moss and the Oakland Raiders will help kick off the preseason against his former club Aug. 14 on ESPN.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. (CT).

The Vikings will travel to Pittsburgh the following week to take on the defending Super Bowl-champion Steelers before returning home to face Baltimore and will conclude the preseason with a road trip to Dallas.

Dates and times of those games will be determined at a later date.

Moss caught 574 passes for 90 touchdowns in seven seasons with the Vikings before being traded to Oakland last March for linebacker Napoleon Harris and first- and seven-round draft selections in the 2005 NFL draft.

Angry Pope

03-29-2006, 10:26 AM

We also play....

San Francisco at Oakland
Detroit at Oakland
Oakland at Seattle

Angry Pope

03-29-2006, 03:16 PM

disregard.....

Angry Pope

03-31-2006, 12:21 AM

Moss doing nice things....

March 31, 2006

Moss taking local kids to Heat-Cavs game

By Jim Workman

Randy Moss has signed plenty of autographs for the children of the Kanawha Valley over the past several years.

This year, he wanted to do something more. So about 80 local children will be treated to a trip to Cleveland Saturday to see the Miami Heat play the Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA contest, courtesy of Moss, the former DuPont High athlete and star wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders.

“Randy felt the kids were getting a little burnt out on the autographs,’’ said Donnie Jones, a spokesman for Randy Moss Enterprises. “He was seeing a lot of the same faces and even the same pictures over and over. He felt it was time for a change. He wanted to do something big for the kids.’’

Moss himself will be in the traveling party, which will also include about 20 adult chaperones packed in three buses. The chaperones were described by Jones as “active community leaders,’’ including some who made a direct impact on Moss’ life, like Marmet Elementary third grade teacher Tammy Yates.

“It’s really important to me to give back to the kids in West Virginia, because that’s where I’m from,’’ Moss said. “I’m known now throughout the world, but you have to take care of home first. The kids don’t get to see some of these things because West Virginia doesn’t have some of the finer things other states like Florida and California have. I pride myself in giving back.’’

Moss said he’s written checks to charitable organizations, but more enjoys giving back directly to communities.

“The kids appreciate the hands-on approach,’’ Moss said. “I could give money to a local team and they might say ‘Randy Moss donated something,’ but it’s better when they see you and feel you’re a part of their experience. They just don’t get a chance to experience something like this — seeing an NBA game with players like Shaq [O’Neal] and LeBron [James].’’

“[Moss will] mix in with the kids and have fun,’’ Jones said. “Of course [Heat guard] Jason [Williams] played high school ball with Randy, so it will be great. [Moss] knows what it’s like growing up here and he wants to make a difference.’’

Aside from the trip, the Oakland receiver has become more involved in business ventures lately, including his own clothing line called Grabman that launches nationally Saturday. Participants in the trip to Cleveland will also be treated to some brand new Grabman gear and even the popular Randy Moss mask as a keepsake.

Treasures, a sports gift shop in the Kanawha Mall, is scheduled to carry Grabman merchandise.

Also, a partnership with Moss and a national fruit juice chain was announced in February. A local Inta Juice Bar is scheduled to open in May with Moss now a major shareholder in the company.

“I’m looking forward to contributing something positive to my community,’’ Moss said. The shop will be located in Kanawha City.

“I’m stepping into the corporate world a little more,’’ Moss added. “I had gotten my feet wet before, but I wasn’t very big into it. But that’s where I am now. I’m 30 years old and I’ve been through a lot. I’m ready to be where I need to be. Becoming a businessman is just me stepping into a new phase in life.’’

Moss has also helped organize an April 20 reunion of the Marshall University football team that won a NCAA Division I-AA national title 10 years ago.

“They’ll be a part of the Marshall movie that is being made, too,’’ Jones said. “He and Chad Pennington may wind up being [honorary] coaches at their spring game.’’

Moss caught 60 passes for 1,005 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season with Oakland in 2005 following seven seasons with Minnesota. Over his eight-year NFL career, Moss has 10,147 receiving yards and 98 TDs.

Angry Pope

03-31-2006, 10:58 AM

Take it for what it is worth.....

By Steve Corkran
Contra Costa Times

The Raiders re-signed veteran strong safety Derrick Gibson. However, they won't stop looking for an upgrade at that position with a free agent or a draft pick. Gibson has missed most of the past two seasons with injuries, and he hasn't developed into the top-flight player they envisioned when they drafted him in the first round. Gibson earned the starting spot in training camp last season, and he likely will have to fend off challengers once again. His main competition, now that Renaldo Hill is with Miami, figures to come from Jarrod Cooper. Cooper played well on defense last season and has the type of reckless style that lends itself to game-altering plays. Cooper just needs to be more consistent in terms of pass coverage. Gibson needs to improve his open-field tackling, pass coverage and play recognition. . . .

The Raiders are counting on veteran DT Warren Sapp to return this season at full strength after missing the latter part of last season with a rotator cuff injury. The injury was severe enough to require surgery, and it has the Raiders contemplating life without Sapp. They are concerned about his ability to regain full range of motion and strength and to be as effective as he was before his injury. This issue, along with the departure of veteran DT Ted Washington, has the Raiders checking into the defensive tackles in the draft. They re-signed Terdell Sands right away rather than risk losing another defensive tackle. Tommy Kelly is the only other proven defensive tackle on the roster. Anttaj Hawthorne saw limited action there in his rookie season last year, and Tyler Brayton played the position quite a bit in college. Without Washington and Sapp, the Raiders would have less experience and likely less productivity in the middle of their line. That isn't something that they can afford if they expect to be a playoff-caliber team this season. . . .

Coach Art Shell has told quarterback Aaron Brooks that he is going to have to compete for the starting job. That sounds fine until you realize that Brooks is the only proven starter on Oakland's roster. Marques Tuiasosopo has started two games in five seasons, and Andrew Walter didn't play his rookie season last year. Therefore, Brooks is the unquestioned starter unless the Raiders sign another experienced quarterback.

SCOUTING REPORT: OLB Sam Williams has been limited to 10 games in his first three seasons because of injuries suffered during training camp. However, he showed enough during those games and practice to make the Raiders believe that he has the potential to be a solid starter for years to come. He has the desired size, speed and instincts to be effective in pass coverage, against the run and blitzing. His best games came against scrambling quarterbacks such as Michael Vick and Jake Plummer, when he was used as a spy and a contain rusher. The Raiders lacked playmakers at this position last season, so they are counting on Williams to fill that sizable void.

DRAFT BUZZ: The Raiders still are contemplating whether to stand pat at No. 7 or try to use that pick as part of a package so that they can trade up and be certain of the player they want. Who that player is remains a mystery for now. However, it appears certain that the Raiders will select either a quarterback -- Vince Young, Matt Leinart or Jay Cutler -- or a linebacker -- A.J. Hawk -- with their top pick. They structured Aaron Brooks' contract in such a way that portends them parting ways with him after one season and handing over the reins to a youngster. Therefore, it is more likely that the Raiders will draft the best quarterback available, which, at this time, is Leinart.

CrossBones

03-31-2006, 11:01 AM

Gibson needs to improve his open-field tackling, pass coverage and play recognition. . . . Hehhehe...waht else is there? :confused:

Angry Pope

03-31-2006, 03:03 PM

Sapp talks to college players.....

UCF Spring Football Practice Report No. 6

Defensive tackle Warren Sapp of the Oakland Raiders attended Friday's workout.

March 31, 2006

ORLANDO - The UCF football team held its sixth practice of the spring in shoulder pads and shorts Friday morning inside the Nicholson Fieldhouse. For the second time this week, the Golden Knights had a special visitor as Warren Sapp of the Oakland Raiders viewed practice. Sapp, an Apopka native, addressed the team and congratulated the Golden Knights on their successful 2005 campaign.

UCF holds its first scrimmage of the spring Saturday. With six of the scheduled 15 spring practices already complete, Saturday will give the coaching staff its first opportunity to see the team scrimmage. Practice begins Saturday at 1 p.m.

"I think the whole key to the first week and half is basically to get a lot of reps and get everybody quality reps," stated UCF head coach George O'Leary. "That's what we've done. We've worked 44 guys, which is a lot. They're making a lot of mistakes, but I think you learn the game by getting out there and playing on grass."

UCF has moved three players this spring to different positions, including redshirt freshman linebacker Alex Thompson. The Gainesville native switched from quarterback to linebacker this spring and has caught the eye of O'Leary and linebackers coach Dave Huxtable.

Redshirt freshman defensive back Jayson Williams has moved from tailback to the secondary and junior Blake Carter has shifted from wide receiver to linebacker this spring.

"The one who has caught my eye is Alex Thompson," stated O'Leary. "I think he has done a really good job making a transition."

Thompson has played at outside linebacker and has earned time with the first-team defense this spring. "Alex has done a really good job," added Huxtable. "He has been there for four days and is a really bright kid. He does need to get in the weight room and get a bit stronger since he is making the move from quarterback to linebacker. I am really encouraged with him and he is going to be a good player."

Practice Notes: Despite limited contact as the players donned just helmets and shoulder pads Friday, sophomore cornerback Johnell Neal continued his physical play when he delivered a big shot to senior tight end Sinclair Brown over the middle ... Senior quarterback Steven Moffett looked comfortable in both the team and passing skeleton periods Friday, including several completions to junior wide out Sergio Joachim ... Sophomore defensive end Antonio Wallace recorded a sack during the team period. With no-contact on the quarterback, Wallace pulled up short on Moffett for the would-be sack.

Angry Pope

04-01-2006, 12:59 AM

Alvis Whitted's wife is in Maxim Magazine trying to get votes for Week Five Hottie.....

Rachel-Durham, NC.... (http://www.maximonline.com/hotties/hottievoting.aspx)

Angry Pope

04-01-2006, 01:13 AM

Freddy B Jr has the coaching bug as well....the highlighted part....

Dorados are all business for season opener

April 01,2006
Todd Mavreles
Monitor Staff Writer

HIDALGO - The Rio Grande Valley Dorados are in California this weekend, but they're not going to visit any vineyards or soak up the sun. No, they're on a weekend business trip with one objective: defeat the Central Valley Coyotes in their arenafootball2 season opener tonight in Fresno, Calif.

The Dorados, coming off a 10-6 season in which they advanced to the National Conference championship game, have the look of a contender once again. They return eight players from last year's squad, which should provide new coach Marty Hammond to be an immediate success as he learns the nuances of being a rookie leader.

"It's tough because it's the first game and you don't have tape on anybody," Hammond said. "We're more worried about the Dorados than anything else to make sure we do what we're supposed to do."

What the Dorados likely will do on offense is have quarterback Josh Kellett throw the ball deep to offensive specialist Dwight Counter and pepper the intermediate zones with tosses to wide receiver Travis McAlpine. That trio returns after playing all of 2005 together.

Kellett threw for 3,627 yards and 63 touchdowns last season, while Counter caught 89 passes for 1,014 yards and 19 scores. McAlpine chipped in with 46 catches for 516 yards and seven TDs.

"I feel like we can line up and beat anybody on any day," McAlpine said. "That's the way (we approach it) against any team that we play. Opening up on the road is a good test for the team.

"We've got adversity with the first game on the road. With the rookies, it'll be a good test to see how it's going to be."

The Dorados are carrying eight rookies on their opening day roster. But it'll be the veterans like Kellett, Counter, McAlpine, linemen John Bradley, Curtis Jeter and Antoine Murphy, defensive specialist Carl Bucknor and wide receiver/defensive back Pierre Thomas who will be counted upon to see the Dorados to a 1-0 record.

"That's hard starting your first game flying," Bradley said. "You've got all of the distractions, and a lot of rookies haven't had a chance to fly out to a game and experience something like that. This is the time the veterans are going to have to step up, especially the first away game."

NOTES: Tonight's game will neither be on local radio nor on television. ... The Dorados are ranked 12th in the preseason af2 Coaches Poll. Defending champion Memphis, who the Dorados had on the ropes in the National Conference championship game last season, opens the season in the top spot. … Central Valley has 13 new players on the team, including 2004 af2 Lineman of the Year James Landers. … Central Valley was 8-8 last season. The Dorados were 2-0 against the Coyotes in '05 and lead the all-time series 2-1. … The Dorados' home opener is Saturday, April 8 against Midwest Division rival Tulsa at Obra Homes Field at Dodge Arena. … The Coyotes are coached by Fred Biletnikoff Jr., the son of Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff.