Rhett Bomar , doing well with the New York Giants

BALTIMORE -- It is going to be a race against time for Jim Sorgi, who will not be ready to return this week from the torn right shoulder capsule he suffered in the preseason opener against the Jets.

Sorgi probably needs at least three weeks to heal, but he is pushing himself to get back on the field next week to get some snaps in Thursday night's preseason finale with the Patriots.

It is more likely that Sorgi will not be ready before the start of the regular season, leaving the Giants with a dilemma. Do they entrust Sorgi with the backup quarterback job and assume he will be healthy? Do they have enough faith in Rhett Bomar to keep him around as Eli Manning's backup? Or do they feel the need to go outside the organization to bring in another quarterback as insurance?

Bomar can go a long way in answering some of those questions with his performance tonight against the Ravens. Manning, who missed last week's game while the three-inch gash on his forehead healed, returns to the starting lineup tonight and is expected to play into the third quarter.

Bomar should get whatever playing time is left to improve on his full-game outing against the Steelers, when he went 13 of 26 for 167 yards and one interception in his starting debut.

"Oh, he's improved, he's done a nice job," coach Tom Coughlin said. "He's still got a ways to go, but he's in the driver's seat as far as the guy who is taking all the snaps. He's put himself in a good position, and this will be another nice test for him."

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Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks was fined $10,000 for exchanging punches with Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor in last week's preseason game. Taylor was hit with the same fine. Both were ejected early in the first quarter after the scuffle.

*

This will be a big night for safety Kenny Phillips , who will at least double his workload from six plays in the Steelers game. Look for Phillips to get around 20 plays as he continues his return from microfracture left knee surgery.

First cuts must be made by Tuesday, with rosters trimmed from 80 to 75. . . . This is the only preseason game the Giants will play away from New Meadowlands Stadium. Their opener was a Jets home game.

*

Not expected to play for the Giants: Sorgi (shoulder), WRs Ramses Barden (back) and Sinorice Moss (groin), C Shaun O'Hara (ankle/Achilles), G Kevin Boothe (PUP, pectoral), RB D.J. Ware (concussion), TE Travis Beckum (neck), S Michael Johnson (back), CB Aaron Ross (foot), CB Terrell Thomas (calf), DT Chris Canty (groin) and LB Chase Blackburn (knee). Rookie DE Jason Pierre-Paul (groin) is questionable.

from the New York Post

Cowboys lost to the Vikings

MINNEAPOLIS — Sidney Rice has always shared a last name and a position with one of the best to ever play the game.
Now he shares a record with Jerry Rice, too.
He had six receptions for 141 yards and tied a playoff record with three touchdown catches to help the Minnesota Vikings to a 34-3 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC divisional playoffs Sunday.
He had scoring catches of 47, 16 and 45 yards from Brett Favre to help the Vikings (12-4) earn their first trip to the NFC title game since 2001.
It was the 15th time in NFL history that a player has hauled in three touchdown receptions in a game. Jerry still has the edge on Sidney, though. He did it three times in his brilliant career.
"It feels good," Sidney Rice said of the record. "But at the same time, I'm just happy for this team. We came out and fought hard, all three phases. It was a great team victory for us."
The monster performance was the culmination of a banner third season for the former second-round pick out of South Carolina. After a quiet first two years, Rice emerged as one of the rising young stars in the league. He led the Vikings with 83 catches for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns to earn his first trip to the Pro Bowl.
Of course, a certain 40-year-old quarterback has had something to do with that.
Rice worked harder in the off-season than he ever had before, participating in a demanding program with Cardinals All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald, former Vikings great Cris Carter and several of the other top receivers in the league. Then Favre arrived in August, and the two quickly became a playmaking tandem.
"With the addition of No. 4, it's been huge for me," Rice said, referring to Favre. "It's been great for me, and I'm thankful for that."
As good as Favre has been for Rice, the reverse also applies. In Rice, Favre has a six-foot-four leaper who towers over most defensive backs and makes even some of the toughest catches look routine.
And now that he has learned the art of body positioning and getting off of press coverage, Rice has solidified himself as a true No. 1 receiver.
"I've said that from Day 1, Sidney is that type of player," Favre said. "I hate to compare him or put him in categories, because I think he is in a category by himself."
He did a little bit of everything Sunday.
Rice set the tone early when he got behind Dallas safety Gerald Sensabaugh on a go route and reeled in a perfect throw from Favre for a 47-yard score to put the Vikings on top in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, with the Cowboys still very much alive, Rice went over the middle for a 16-yarder that put the Vikings in control at 14-3.
Then he delivered the knockout blow midway through the fourth quarter, winning a physical give-and-take with cornerback Mike Jenkins down the sideline and hauling in the 45-yarder that had Favre pumping his fists and Vikings fans booking their tickets for New Orleans.
"There are faster guys. There are taller guys. There are quicker guys," Favre said. "But the thing about Sidney ... is he wants to be good. It matters to him."
Now, thanks in large part to Rice, the Vikings are one step away from their first Super Bowl appearance since 1977.
"I feel like it's been a real good season for me so far," Rice said. "And I definitely feel like we won't be finishing any time soon."

from the canadian press

The New York Jets upset the Chargers

The N.F.L. finally got the upset it was waiting for. And then some.

The Jets — that is correct, the Jets — are going to the American Football Conference championship game.

An improbable 17-14 victory in an improbable season was all but secured when Shonn Greene, a rookie running back, broke away for a 53-yard touchdown run with 7 minutes 17 seconds left. Greene’s run, the longest in Jets postseason history, gave his team a 17-7 lead, although even a 10-point lead was barely enough. With less than three minutes remaining in the game, the Chargers cut the lead to 17-14 on a touchdown run by Philip Rivers.

But alas, these are not the same old Jets. They seem destined.

Now it’s on to Indianapolis for the mother of all grudge matches against the Colts, a team the Jets defeated Dec. 27 to keep alive their playoff hopes. If you listen to the Colts tell it, that was only half a win because Coach Jim Caldwell pulled most of his starters in the second half. The thinking around the league was that the Jets would not have beaten the Colts in a meaningful game.

Now we’ll see.

A number of things had to fall in place Sunday for the Jets to make their first A.F.C. championship appearance since 1998. Mark Sanchez, a rookie quarterback, had to continue his string of not making the costly turnovers that plagued him early in the year. He did. Sanchez threw just one interception Sunday and made a number of clutch third-down throws.

The Jets’ top-rated defense had to find a way to slow down the Chargers’ high-powered passing attack. For the most part, it did. The defense allowed one touchdown in the first half and another late in the fourth quarter.

The Jets needed help from the Chargers. They received that, too. Nate Kaeding, the N.F.L.’s most accurate field-goal kicker, missed three times.

Finally, the Jets’ offense, with the N.F.L.’s top-rated running game, had to dominate the Chargers’ defense, and it did with a grinding performance, culminating in Greene’s touchdown. On fourth-and-1 with 1:42 to play, Coach Rex Ryan decided to go for a first down. When Thomas Jones tore through the line for a 3-yard gain, the Jets’ sideline exploded in celebration.

Before Sunday’s game, Brad Smith, the Jets’ all-purpose player, predicted N.F.L. fans were in for a surprise.

Noting that each Jets win recently had been discounted or diminished, Smith said: “We want them to keep discounting us. That’s what binds us together.”

Smith in many ways is the symbol of all the disparate pieces that suddenly have come together for the Jets.

Although he played a minimal role Sunday, Smith’s contributions are part of the selfless attitude that has characterized the Jets’ surge.

Smith is part of a silent majority of professional athletes that young fans don’t hear from nearly enough.

There is certainly something to be said for highlighting athletes who have made mistakes and having them talk about their blunders. There is a more substantial argument for athletes who walk the straight and narrow to describe how to avoid mistakes.

Smith, the Jets’ everything man — quarterback, running back, receiver — is a person of faith who has stayed the course. His approach to handling football’s ups and downs is a handy approach to life. Smith was raised in the church, his metaphor for team harmony is the choir — the group singing with one voice.

In football, he promotes the virtues of the team, the importance of fitting in, of sacrificing individual goals to achieve the greater good.

His N.F.L. career certainly has been a testament to that.

Smith was drafted by the Jets in the fourth round in 2006 after a stellar career at Missouri. He entered the league with remarkable quarterback credentials, having become the first player in N.C.A.A. history to pass for 8,000 yards and run for 4,000.

He worked out for N.F.L. teams as a quarterback and expected that would be his position in the N.F.L. But when the Jets drafted Smith, they told him they wanted him to help in several areas, and not necessarily at quarterback.

Not what he wanted to hear. But Smith said his immediate goal was to play in the N.F.L.

“When you get drafted, you don’t really have a choice in the matter,” he said. “When I first came into the league, I did whatever I could do to get on the field and help the team.”

Smith has become the quintessential hybrid, the Jets’ latter-day Slash: quarterback/receiver/running back/kick returner.As this season progressed, Smith was given an expanded role in the Jets’ offense. He became a spark as the Jets went 5-1 in their last six games and earned an unlikely postseason berth.

The challenge for Smith is whether he can go beyond being an N.F.L. novelty and have a legitimate opportunity to play quarterback. But for now, his focus isn’t on himself.

“I don’t know if I’ve really had that real first opportunity to get the practice reps, have the chance to grow into the position,” he said. “That would be awesome. Right now, the focus is on one game and the rest of the season.”


from the new york times

Tony Fein , cut from Ravens dies in Washington

SEATTLE (AP)—Tony Fein, an Iraq war veteran and NFL rookie linebacker who played with the Baltimore Ravens during the preseason, has died of unexplained causes after collapsing at a friend’s house in what his agent said appears to be “an accidental situation.”

Fein, 27, an undrafted rookie free agent from Mississippi, was lying face down and unconscious, vomiting and barely breathing when medics arrived at a house outside Port Orchard on the Kitsap Peninsula just before 9 a.m PDT Tuesday, said Mike Wernet, a battalion chief and medical officer with South Kitsap Fire & Rescue.

The medics put a breathing tube down Fein’s throat after he stopped breathing and administered medication, but he went into cardiac arrest during the drive to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton, across Puget Sound from Seattle, and was pronounced dead at the hospital at 9:48 a.m. PDT Tuesday, Wernet told The Associated Press.

A man and woman who were present described Fein as a friend who was staying with them. They told the aid crew they awoke to find him unresponsive and vomiting.

“They didn’t really give us a lot of information about what had happened the night before,” apparently because they were upset, Wernet said. “They didn’t indicate anything out of the ordinary.”

There were no obvious wounds or signs of alcohol or other drug abuse, and nothing indicated foul play, he added.

Kitsap County sheriff’s Deputy Scott E. Wilson said a detective was assigned to the case Wednesday because the death seemed unusual.

“We don’t have any indication of anything suspicious … or foul play,” Wilson said.

Fein’s agent, Milton D. Hobbs, a lawyer in Oxford, Miss., said he knew of no medical condition or previous severe illness in Fein.

“As I understand it, it was an accidental situation,” Hobbs said. “As far as I understand it from family members, there’s nothing to indicate that he intended to hurt himself.”

An autopsy won’t be conducted before Thursday and no report will be issued before all toxicology and other tests are complete, likely in six to eight weeks, said Allen G. Gerdes, Kitsap County chief deputy coroner.

Fein, a native of Port Orchard, was released by the Ravens in their last major round of roster cuts on Sept. 5.

“Tony Fein was a really good teammate, a tremendous American, a tremendous young man … just a really good person,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said before Wednesday’s practice in Owings Mills, Md. “We were proud to have him here as part of our team. We’re unbelievably disappointed about the news.”

Hobbs said he last spoke with Fein on Friday and since the death had talked with the Fein’s sister, mother and some friends. He would not discuss a possible cause of death.

“He was working out and we were discussing football opportunities. That was still his goal,” Hobbs said. “We talked about Canada.”

Some Canadian Football League teams had expressed interest in Fein before he joined the Ravens but there had been no contacts since he was cut, the agent said.

Fein was arrested on Aug. 23 and charged with misdemeanor assault on a police officer after an incident at a restaurant at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor in which the officer reportedly mistook his cellular telephone for a handgun. A trial was scheduled Wednesday, but prosecutors notified Fein’s attorney last Thursday that they planned to dismiss the case because of conflicting witness accounts, state’s attorney spokeswoman Marty Burns said.

Fein played quarterback for South Kitsap High School before graduating in 2000. At age 19 he enlisted and spent 3 1/2 years in the Army, including duty in Iraq as a 19 Delta reconnaissance scout, according to the Ravens’ Web site.

He later enrolled at Scottsdale, Ariz., Community College, became one of the nation’s top junior college recruits and played for Ole Miss in 2007 and 2008. In two seasons at Ole Miss, he had 136 tackles (77 solo) in 24 games, according to the club’s Web site.

“A humble young man,” Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis(notes) said. “Our hearts definitely go out to his family because it’s such a tragedy for a man to be that young and go through the things he’s been through."


by the assciated press

Rich Gannon Drp's the Ball in the Broadcast Both

Rich Gannon and Donovan McNabb(notes) have a lot in common. Both played quarterback in a Super Bowl loss, both have lived in Philadelphia at some point in their lives and neither has any idea how the NFL's overtime rules work.

One year after McNabb infamously expressed surprise that professional games could end deadlocked, Gannon, the former Raiders quarterback-turned-CBS analyst, made a similar slip-up at the end of the Cincinnati Bengals-Cleveland Browns game, in which he was providing color commentary.

With seven seconds left in overtime, the Bengals called a timeout to prepare for the potential game-winning field goal, to be kicked by Shayne Graham(notes). It was an easy decision for head coach Marvin Lewis: Since the clock was running, calling a timeout allowed Graham and the field goal team to take their time instead of having to rush the kick. Gannon, though, took exception.

Why, you ask? Did he think a miss would give the Browns too much time to run a Hail Mary? Was it his belief that the timeout could unintentionally lead to a self-inflicted icing of Graham? Nope. Both those things would be somewhat reasonable (if still misguided).

No, Gannon didn't like the timeout because he thought that if Graham hit the field goal, it would leave too much time for dangerous Cleveland return man Joshua Cribbs(notes) to take back the subsequent kickoff for a touchdown. You know, that dreaded post-score overtime kickoff that has felled so many teams throughout history.

Gannon's partner in the booth, Ian Eagle, quickly and politely informed Gannon that the game would be over if Graham successfully converted the field goal, since NFL overtime is sudden death. Gannon laughed and apologized for his mistake. Awesomely, Eagle then asked if McNabb had infiltrated the broadcast booth. Nah, Ian, if that were true, Gannon would have vomited when the game got down to crunch time. (Rimshot!)

It was a ridiculous mistake, but unlike McNabb's ignorance of overtime rules (and his continued defense of said ignorance later in the week), we'll give Gannon the benefit of the doubt and say this was more likely a slip of the tongue than a complete misunderstanding of how overtime works. But, of course, it didn't seem possible that McNabb wouldn't know about ties, so maybe we're giving Gannon too much credit.

from yahoo sports

Will Jerry Jones Fix his Giant TV ?

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had 75,000 paying guests and a few dozen freeloaders over to his new house the other night to watch football. Punters for the visiting Tennessee Titans immediately showed their gratitude by using his $40 million TV set for target practice.

“I hit it probably a dozen times in pregame,” veteran kicker Craig Hentrich(notes) said.

“I guess,” he added a moment later, “they should have tested things out before they put that thing in place.”

“That thing” is the 1.2-million pound, four-sided video board hanging from the rafters exactly 90 feet above the field in the new Cowboys Stadium, the centerpiece of Jones’ $1.15-billion shrine to himself.

The big screens along either sideline are 160 feet wide—stretching from one 20-yard line to the other—and 72 feet tall. Throw in the “smaller” screens above the end zones and you’d need almost 5,000 52-inch flat screens to cover the same surface.

So it’s not like Jones can ring up the “Geek Squad” at the local Best Buy and ask them to raise it. Nor would he.

Jones said the league had approved its location, even though his own punter, Mat McBrier, sent at least one kick more than 100 feet high when the Cowboys conducted tests at the Alamodome in San Antonio two years ago. The owner decided 90 feet was plenty, reasoning that most punters angle kicks toward the sidelines rather than straight up. He insisted the Titans punters went out of their way to hit it, both before and during Dallas’ preseason home opener.

“I’m very comfortable that our height on our scoreboard is OK,” he said.

It’s been almost 15 years since Jones’ last serious run-in with his NFL brethren, so maybe he needs a reminder: The problem with building an empire is that sooner or later, you run into someone else’s.

The last time, Jones was upset that Cowboys merchandise accounted for one-quarter of the league’s $3 billion annual licensing sales—divided equally among the teams—and cut his own side deals with Pepsi and Nike. One measure of how peeved his colleagues were at the time was apparent when legal papers for their $300 million damage suit were served on Jones while he was midway through a bowl of clam chowder.

The matter was resolved without any legal bloodletting, and judging by the league’s measured response—“We are reviewing the situation,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an e-mail Sunday—this one will be, too. But not simply by Jones waving it off.

“It is an issue,” said Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher, who also serves as co-chair of the league’s competition committee, which could order Jones to raise the video board. “Something has to get worked out.”

Fisher was unhappy because he had to throw a challenge flag after backup Titan punter A.J. Trapasso hit the scoreboard with 8:07 left in the third quarter, and the refs missed it.

“Now, it’s not necessarily their responsibility,” Fisher continued. “Once a fair catch signal is given, then there are no eyes on the ball anymore. So they don’t see it. … It can become a problem.”

Even though the video board will have to be raised when U2 plays in Cowboys Stadium on Oct. 12—the band’s stage gimmickry includes something called “The Claw,” which is 164 feet high—Jones insisted he won’t budge when it comes to football.

“You don’t need to move it. You gotta be trying to do it,” he said about punters hitting the TVs. “The rule is very clear. You just kick it over.”

Yet the clock wasn’t reset after Trapasso clanked a punt off the underside in the game; unless the NFL changes the rule, and fast, a team could run plenty of time off the clock simply by banging the ball off the video board as often it likes. And even a team that wasn’t intentionally wasting time could do it, which is one more delay the games don’t need.

“It does not matter where you kick it from, it is just right there in the middle of the field,” Trapasso said. “It’s always something that you’re going to be thinking about.”

Jones is deservedly proud of his new emporium, which opened to rave reviews. Some fans will find $60 pizzas hard to swallow. And those sitting in the last row might not be thrilled that after shelling out $20,000 or more for seat licenses—plus $170 for each game—that the people looking on just over their shoulders paid $30 for standing-room tickets. But in terms of griping, that was about it.

Jones called his opening night for football “an event we will remember for a long time.”

And if he wants to keep it that way, he’ll change his mind in a hurry and move the TV. He should know better than most that in a league built on one-upmanship, the last thing you do is tempt guys with strong legs to see if they can change the channel with their feet.

by the associated press

Venus, Serena to own part of Dolphins

MIAMI — Venus and Serena Williams have found a new sport: pro football.

The tennis-playing sisters will become the latest celebrities to own a stake in the Miami Dolphins, a person familiar with the deal said Wednesday. The person didn't want to be identified because the team plans an announcement Tuesday.

Another person close to the negotiations said an agreement was near but not yet final. That person also didn't want to be identified because the announcement has not be made.

The Williamses live in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., about an hour's drive from the Dolphins' stadium. Their new role will be significant in part because the NFL has no African-American majority team owner.

Musicians Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Marc Anthony recently bought small shares of the team. New Dolphins owner Stephen Ross also forged a partnership with singer Jimmy Buffett.

The Dolphins have said the involvement of the celebrities reflects the diversity of South Florida and shows that the franchise is connected with the community.

A Dolphins spokesman said the team had no comment regarding next week's announcement.

The Williams sisters have combined to win 18 Grand Slam titles, and they staged their latest sibling showdown last month at Wimbledon, where Serena beat Venus in the final.

Serena has won 11 major titles and Venus seven.

Ross, a New York real estate billionaire, completed his purchase of the Dolphins from Wayne Huizenga in January and began a partnership in May with Buffett. The agreement with the Estefans was announced in June, followed by the deal with Anthony last month.

Buffett and the Estefans are longtime Dolphins fans. The Williams sisters aren't known to closely follow the Dolphins or the NFL.

Ross has said the minority owners are strategic partners and aren't being brought aboard because of a financial need. He has pledged to improve the fan experience at games, and the celebrities will help — although it's unlikely the sisters will be staging tennis exhibitions at halftime.

Buffett has yet to accept Ross' invitation to become a minority owner, but the Dolphins' stadium has been renamed Land Shark Stadium for this season. Buffett has written a song for the Dolphins, and they've introduced a new version of their fight song by the rapper T-Pain.

Anthony will perform the national anthem when the Dolphins host the New York Jets on ESPN's "Monday Night Football" on Oct. 12.

by the associated press

NBC extend Sunday night deal by 2 years

NEW YORK — The NFL and NBC are extending their contract for "Sunday Night Football" by two years.

The league's teams approved the extension at an owners meeting Wednesday in Chicago. The original six-year deal will now run through 2013.

The network will continue to broadcast 16 regular-season Sunday night games, the Thursday night season opener, and both wild-card Saturday games. Flexible scheduling will remain in effect for the final seven weeks of the regular season, allowing NBC to change which game it shows to ensure the matchup has playoff implications.

associated press

Vikings tickets snatched up by fans

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Vikings have sold more than 3,200 season tickets since news broke that Brett Favre was coming to Minnesota. That's in approximately a 24-hour span.

Chief marketing officer Steve LaCroix said the team has sold about 11,000 single-game tickets during that time as fans clamor over the arrival of the veteran quarterback.

Seats for the game against Green Bay on Oct. 5 are only available through a season ticket. There are roughly 6,000 season tickets remaining. The Vikings had to race to beat the blackout deadline for several games last season, including needing two extensions from the NFL for the first-round playoff game against Philadelphia.

Now, there are only a limited amount of seats for the preseason game Friday night against Kansas City, in which Favre is expected to make his Vikings debut.

"Blackouts, obviously we don't want to have to face that issue like we have the past few years, but there is still a lot of work to do on our front," LaCroix said.

Merchandise is also moving. LaCroix said several hundred pre-orders for Favre jerseys were placed online Tuesday. The purple No. 4s were to show up in stores on Wednesday.

"It's fun to be part of this and have the fans react the way that they did. To see them outside lining the streets was something unexpected, but obviously pretty cool," LaCroix said of fans turning out on Tuesday to catch a glimpse of Favre. "We're just trying to make sure that we manage the level of interest. We want to sustain the level of interest. We want to sustain the business and not just make a quick spike."

As soon as Vikings coach Brad Childress picked up Favre from the airport, the Vikings were on the phone with Reebok to get an order of No. 4 jerseys with his name on the back. The apparel company sent a truckload from its factory in Indianapolis to stock stores at malls in the Twin Cities, and more are on the way.

LaCroix said that more than 200,000 people bought Favre's Jets jersey last year, and the demand for the Vikings version figures to be even higher.

"He was right up there at the top of jersey sales and so we're ready," he said.

Ticket demand at online broker RazorGator.com has soared, according to Scott Roback, vice president of business development.

Prices on the site for Favre's return to Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Nov. 1 leaped 118 percent, from $441.48 to $975.56. For the Oct. 5 home game when the Packers come to the Metrodome, tickets on the site are up from $263.13 to $402.48.

by the associated press

Steve McNair killed

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville police say former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was shot multiple times and that the 20-year-old woman found dead with him in a downtown condominium was shot once in the head. A pistol was found near her body.

Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron identified the woman as Sahel Kazemi, whom he called a "friend" of McNair's.

Autopsies were planned for Sunday.

Aaron says McNair's wife, Mechelle, is "very distraught" and that police do not believe she is involved.

McNair played 13 seasons before retiring in April 2008.



by the associated press

NFL suspends Donte' Stallworth indefinitely

NEW YORK (AP) — Donte' Stallworth will get out of jail in four weeks. Now it's up to Roger Goodell to say when the Cleveland Browns receiver can return to the field. Stallworth was indefinitely suspended by the NFL commissioner Thursday, two days after he began a 30-day jail sentence for killing a pedestrian while driving drunk in Miami.

In a letter to Stallworth, Goodell said Thursday the player's actions caused "irreparable harm." He will not be paid while suspended.

Stallworth pleaded guilty this month to a DUI manslaughter charge for striking Mario Reyes on March 14. He began serving a 30-day jail sentence Tuesday and has reached a financial settlement with the family of the 59-year-old construction worker.

After jail, the 28-year-old Stallworth must serve two years of house arrest and spend eight years on probation. The house arrest provisions would allow him to play.

"The conduct reflected in your guilty plea resulted in the tragic loss of life and was inexcusable," Goodell wrote. "While the criminal justice system has determined the legal consequences of this incident, it is my responsibility as NFL commissioner to determine appropriate league discipline for your actions, which have caused irreparable harm to the victim and his family, your club, your fellow players and the NFL."

In the letter, excerpts of which were released by the NFL, Goodell said he will eventually contact Stallworth's representatives before determining the length of the suspension.

Browns spokesman Neal Gulkis said the team would comment later.

The last indefinite suspension by Goodell was of Adam "Pacman" Jones of the Dallas Cowboys in October 2008. The suspension later became a six-week ban.

After a night of drinking at a bar in Miami Beach's Fountainebleau hotel, police said Stallworth hit Reyes, who was rushing to catch a bus after finishing work about 7:15 a.m. Stallworth told police he flashed his lights in an attempt to warn Reyes, who was not in a crosswalk.

Stallworth had a blood-alcohol level well above Florida's legal limit. He stopped after the crash and reported the accident. Police estimated Stallworth was driving about 50 mph in a 40 mph zone.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle cited Stallworth's cooperation and willingness to accept responsibility as factors in the plea deal. Rundle also said the Reyes family — particularly the victim's 15-year-old daughter — wanted the case resolved to avoid any more pain.

Stallworth also must undergo drug and alcohol testing. His driver's license was suspended for life and he must perform 1,000 hours of community service.

Stallworth told Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy that he hopes to get involved in drunken driving education programs.

"I accept full responsibility for this horrible tragedy," Stallworth said. "I will bear this burden for the rest of my life."

Stallworth signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Browns before last season but was injured much of the year, finishing with 17 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown. A star at the University of Tennessee, Stallworth has also played in the NFL for New England, Philadelphia and New Orleans.

The night before the crash, Stallworth earned a $4.5 million roster bonus from the Browns, whose offseason moves since have indicated they were not counting on having him available.

They added free-agent wide receiver David Patten this spring and then drafted Ohio State's Brian Robiskie and Georgia's Mohamed Massaquoi. Patten is in his second stint with the club after stops with New Orleans, the New York Giants, New England and Washington.

The Browns also released receiver Joe Jurevicius three days before the accident.




by the associated press

NFLPA settles lawsuit

The NFL Players Association has reached a $26.25 million settlement with retired players who had successfully sued the union for cutting them out of lucrative marketing deals.

Hall of Fame cornerback Herb Adderley, who filed the suit, confirmed the settlement on Thursday, telling The Associated Press that he's "elated that this thing is coming to a close."

"It's a great feeling and I'm happy to be a small part of it," said Adderley, who was traveling to Washington, D.C., where he was scheduled to appear at a press conference on Friday to discuss the settlement.

NFLPA official George Atallah confirmed the settlement, which ends an appeal filed by the union in the case.

The settlement amount is close to the $28.1 million the NFLPA was ordered to pay after a federal jury ruled in favor of the players in November. The jury determined the union failed to include retired NFL players in deals with Electronic Arts Inc., the maker of the "Madden NFL" video game, and other companies.

The NFLPA had appealed the ruling in February.

Adderley filed the lawsuit in 2007 on behalf of 2,056 retired players who contend the union failed to actively pursue marketing deals on their behalf with video games, trading cards and others sports products.

The settlement was described by retired players attorney Ron Katz as a "historic first step" by the NFLPA in beginning to heal its rift with its former players. Katz credited new NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, who took over as union chief in March as the successor to the late Gene Upshaw. Smith has called healing the rift between retired players and the union a top priority.

"(Smith) put his money where his mouth is," Katz said. "We think (the settlement) is consistent with what De Smith has been saying, one team, one locker room, one voice. This is a real step to a reconciliation."



by the associated press

LB Lenon sign with The New England Patriots

Patriots sign free agent LB Lenon
6 hours ago

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have signed former Detroit Lions linebacker Paris Lenon.

He signed Wednesday after seven NFL seasons, four with Green Bay and three with Detroit in which he played in all 112 games, starting the last 63. He became a free agent after last season when the Lions went 0-16.

The Patriots needed linebacker help after third-round draft pick Tyrone McKenzie tore a knee ligament at rookie minicamp earlier this month.

The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Lenon had signed with Carolina as a rookie free agent from Richmond in April 2000, but was cut before training camp. He was with Seattle for 10 days during the 2001 preseason and was signed to the Packers' practice squad in 2001. He played in 16 games for them in 2002.

by the associated press

Dallas staffer paralyzed

IRVING, Texas — A Dallas Cowboys scouting assistant was permanently paralyzed from the waist down after his spine was severed during the collapse of the team’s tent-like practice structure in a severe storm.

The team announced Rich Behm was in stable condition at Parkland Hospital on Sunday after surgery to stabilize a fracture to the thoracic spine.

The 33-year-old Behm was among a dozen people hurt in the accident Saturday, and was one of three Cowboys staffers who remained hospitalized.

Joe DeCamillis, 43, the team’s special teams coach, sustained a fracture of one of his cervical vertebrae without paralysis. He was in stable condition and scheduled for surgery today.

Assistant athletic trainer Greg Gaither, 35, had surgery Saturday night to repair a fracture to the tibia and fibula in his right leg. He is expected to be released from the hospital later this week.

"To the Behm family we extend our love, comfort, and the full support of every person and resource within the organization,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. "Rich is a courageous member of our family and someone for whom we care deeply. We ask for all friends and fans of the Dallas Cowboys to join us in embracing him and his family with their thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time.”

Behm has a brother who also works in the Cowboys organization.

Jones, who was attending the Kentucky Derby on Saturday when the accident occurred, didn’t stop to talk to media outside the team’s Valley Ranch headquarters when he arrived or left.

After arriving at the facility Sunday morning, Jones surveyed the mangled mess. He had a somber look on his face and his hands tucked in his pockets.

Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said Jones spent "considerable time” Saturday night and Sunday visiting those in the hospital.


by the associated press

Jets show they are Mile High about Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler

The last time the Jets surrendered a first-round draft pick in a straight-up move for a veteran player was 1998, when they gave the Patriots a first and a third-rounder to sign restricted free agent Curtis Martin. He was 25.

Jay Cutler is the same age and, from all indications, they're willing to pay a similar price for the disgruntled Broncos quarterback - and, perhaps, then some. Just how high they are willing to go remains unclear, but the organization spent Wednesday - Cutler's first full day on the trading block - formulating its strategy.

The Broncos appear to be taking a methodical approach to what could develop into one of the most memorable player auctions in recent league history. Wednesday, they received calls from teams - it's believed the Jets were one of them - but the Broncos didn't set a price, didn't set a deadline and made no mention of wanting a quarterback in return, according to a person with knowledge of the process.

"I'm sure anybody that is serious has gotten in touch with the Broncos by now," the person said. "They're fielding the calls to find out what interest there is....If you're serious about it, you're probably going to be in an auction - and you know how auctions go. Are you in or are you out?"

The Jets want in, but would they be willing to surrender two first-round picks for the strong-armed and strong-willed quarterback? People close to the situation believe the price could get that high. For the Jets, that would be the 17th pick in the upcoming draft and their 2010 first-rounder.

That would be a steep tag for a team that has an aging defensive line and needs another offensive playmaker, but the hierarchy sees this as a rare opportunity to acquire a franchise-caliber quarterback who still hasn't reached his prime.

How rare? You'd have to go back to 1994, when the Falcons paid the Colts a fortune for quarterback Jeff George, only 27 at the time. They traded first- and third-round picks in 1994 and a first-rounder in 1995 for the talented, but enigmatic George, who wound up imploding after only two productive seasons.

Officially, Cutler hit the market Tuesday night, when Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, citing irreconcilable differences, announced Denver's plans to trade Cutler, who is feuding with coach Josh McDaniels.

GM Mike Tannenbaum, who orchestrated last summer's Brett Favre blockbuster, is prepared to engage in a bidding war. After spending more than $200 million the last two offseasons on veteran acquisitions, with no proven quarterback to show for it, Tannenbaum sees this as an unexpected, but welcomed opportunity.

from BY Rich Cimini
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2009/04/01/2009-04-01_jets_show_they_are_mile_high_about_bronc.html

Terrell Owens stats

How will history view Terrell Ownes ?
With his records as good , as a wideout could want to have . Unless you the wideout is Jerry Rice . T.O. is one of the best wideouts , that has ever played . However , will his record of being a bad team-mate , be his un doing ?
Owens , has fresh start with the Bill's , I hope he makes the best of it .

Terrell Owens #81 WR» Add Widget
2008 STATS
REC YDS TD
69 1,052 10
2008 FANTASY STATS
% OWN WK +/- AVG DRAFT
100.0% 0.0% 13.8
Birth Date December 7, 1973
Birth Place Alexander City, AL
Height 6-3
Weight 218 lbs.
Age 35
Pronounced TAYR-uhl
Position WR
Experience 14 years
College Tennessee-Chattanooga

ProfileStatsSplitsGame LogNewsScouting Photos


Receiving Stats
YEAR TEAM G REC YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LOST
1996 SFO 16 35 520 14.9 46 4 23 1 1
1997 SFO 16 60 936 15.6 56 8 48 1 0
1998 SFO 16 67 1097 16.4 79 14 52 1 1
1999 SFO 14 60 754 12.6 36 4 36 1 1
2000 SFO 14 97 1451 15.0 69 13 65 2 1
2001 SFO 16 93 1412 15.2 60 16 70 0 0
2002 SFO 14 100 1300 13.0 76 13 61 0 0
2003 SFO 15 80 1102 13.8 75 9 55 0 0
2004 PHI 14 77 1200 15.6 59 14 51 2 1
2005 PHI 7 47 763 16.2 91 6 32 0 0
2006 DAL 16 85 1180 13.9 56 13 62 0 0
2007 DAL 15 81 1355 16.7 52 15 69 0 0
2008 DAL 16 69 1052 15.2 75 10 38 1 1
Career 189 951 14122 14.9 91 139 662 9 6

Return Stats
YEAR TEAM G PR YDS TD FC LNG KR YDS TD FC LNG
1996 SFO 16 0 0 0 0 0 3 47 0 0 18
1997 SFO 16 0 0 0 0 0 2 31 0 0 23
Career 32 0 0 0 0 0 5 78 0 0 23

Rushing Stats
YEAR TEAM G ATT YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LOST
1996 SFO 16 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
1997 SFO 16 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
1998 SFO 16 4 53 13.3 21 1 3 0 0
1999 SFO 14 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
2000 SFO 14 3 11 3.7 5 0 0 1 1
2001 SFO 16 4 21 5.3 12 0 1 0 0
2002 SFO 14 7 79 11.3 38 1 3 0 0
2003 SFO 15 3 -2 -0.7 3 0 0 0 0
2004 PHI 14 3 -5 -1.7 6 0 0 0 0
2005 PHI 7 1 2 2.0 2 0 0 0 0
2006 DAL 16 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
2007 DAL 15 1 5 5.0 5 0 0 0 0
2008 DAL 16 7 33 4.7 8 0 2 0 0
Career 189 33 197 6.0 38 2 9 1 1

Passing Stats
YEAR TEAM G CMP ATT PCT YDS AVG TD LNG INT RAT
1996 SFO 16 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
1997 SFO 16 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
1998 SFO 16 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
1999 SFO 14 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
2000 SFO 14 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
2001 SFO 16 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
2002 SFO 14 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
2003 SFO 15 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
2004 PHI 14 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
2005 PHI 7 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
2006 DAL 16 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
2007 DAL 15 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
2008 DAL 16 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
Career 189 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0

Defense Stats
YEAR TEAM G TOT SOLO AST PD SACK FF REC INT YDS TD
1996 SFO 16 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
1997 SFO 16 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
1998 SFO 16 0 0 0 0 0.0 1 0 0 0 0
2000 SFO 14 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
2001 SFO 16 4 3 1 0 0.0 1 0 0 0 0
2003 SFO 15 2 2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
2004 PHI 14 1 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
2005 PHI 7 2 2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
2006 DAL 16 3 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
2007 DAL 15 3 3 0 1 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
2008 DAL 16 3 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0
Career 161 18 17 1 1 0.0 2 0 0 0 0

Scoring Stats
YEAR TEAM G RushTD RecTD RetTD TotTD 2PT PAT FG TotPT
1996 SFO 16 0 4 0 4 0 0 0 24
1997 SFO 16 0 8 0 8 0 0 0 48
1998 SFO 16 1 14 0 15 1 0 0 92
1999 SFO 14 0 4 0 4 0 0 0 24
2000 SFO 14 0 13 0 13 1 0 0 80
2001 SFO 16 0 16 0 16 0 0 0 96
2002 SFO 14 1 13 0 14 0 0 0 84
2003 SFO 15 0 9 0 9 0 0 0 54
2004 PHI 14 0 14 0 14 0 0 0 84
2005 PHI 7 0 6 0 6 0 0 0 36
2006 DAL 16 0 13 0 13 1 0 0 80
2007 DAL 15 0 15 0 15 0 0 0 90
2008 DAL 16 0 10 0 10 0 0 0 60
Career 189 2 139 0 141 3 0 0 852


Data provided by Elias Sports Bureau

NFL Season almost over .

The Pain of a Football Season , coming to a End

Guys , lets talk .

We have a problem coming real soon ! No Football !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes , we have our basketball , and March Madness in about two mouths . Then their is Hockey and Baseball . However , it does not close to the Drama which is the NFL , and College Football .

Their , is going to be alot of nights just sitting in our lazy boys , dreaming of the bone crushing hits . And all fast pace plays on our teams .

So , I am feeling alittle Blue , today . The season is almost over . Sniff Sniff !!!!!!
I am so sad , I aint even thinking about Tiffany Fallon

The Road to the SuperBowl 2009

The road to the Superbowl 2009 .

It was a great ride fans , their was 32 teams at the start of the season . And Now we are down to 2 teams left . The Steelers and Arizona . that is right Arizona .

Wow , who would have thought that , no Tom Brady , no Mannigs . We have Big Ben Rothlisberge and Kurt Warner .

Fans , this game coming up . Will go down as a blow out or a nail biter .

Both Warner and Big Ben , are playing their heart outs . Im so happy to see Warner , back in The Big Show , just another Big dance .

I cannot wait to see this year superbowl , it is going to be one of the best yet .

I will give my pick on the Game , soon . I have been reading stats , on both teams . I just want to see how they treat the next two weeks , all talk or all business . So this years Superbowl pick is just going to be about who wants wants it more .

Either Warner or Rothlisberge .

That is will show in the next two weeks , durning the practice and the media days . And if they act like they already won , before the kickoff .

We have all seen it before . I am just being honest . I hope it is a nail biter , instead of a blow out .

Let the count down begin , I am ready .

The Game of the year

The game of the year , the Super Bowl is almost upon us . And I am , a sad fan.

Not from my team is not playing in the Super Bowl . But from the fact the season will be over for the year , untill the next Fall . Oh yes it is going to be a sad sorry day for me . However , their is no hits or no mad runs to the endzone .

It will be filled with the draft and trade rummors . And so on . That is not enough for this fan . I have to have more , maybe I will run out and watch another sport like Basketball . Now that my City , has our very own NBA team . The OKC Thunder .

Yeah , I love the NBA , I just hope it can fill the hole in my heart from no Football .

Lets , all take time to remember this season , and all the Drama .

Sniff Sniff , I am still sad .

Damn Off season .

America's Teams ?

America's Teams ?

The Dallas Cowboys in the NFL . The New York Yankee's MLB .

Are both building new homes for their teams to play in. Now , how I see it . America's teams . Really needs to do some inside work , on their staff and owners .

Not to say about there players .

The Cowboys , need leadership from their Quarterback . Tony Romo , do you want to be a Superstar , or do you want to be a MVP of a Super Bowl ?

Romo has all the talent in the world for a Quarterback , yet where is the leadership on the field ?

Take control Tony , you can do it . I hav faith in you as a player and as a man . The Cowboys are a good team , however they can be a Great Super Bowl team , like the 90's Cowboys .

Tony , for starters just win a playoff game . That will bring everything into focus for you and for the rest of the team .

Now , for the New York Yankee's .

A-Rod . Oh A-Rod , you will pass Barry Bonds as the all time homerun hitter . However , when are you going to start hitting the Ball out of the Park in Playoffs ?

The Yankee's needs your bat in the playoffs , the fans want to see you hit homeruns and drive in your fellow teamates .

The Yankee's , is a World Series team , their winners . Now lets show it and get it done . A-Rod , you are great . I hope that your bat wakes up , and the sleeping giant gets rolling . And runs over Boston and Tampa .

The new Ball Parks are nice , however lets hang some new Championship Banners too in them.