Nfl Football - Football Betting

2005-11-07T12:36:00.000-08:00

Benson a no-show for Saints game in Baton Rouge
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Tom Benson was a no-show for New Orleans' game against Chicago on Sunday in Baton Rouge, staying true to his earlier promise never to return to the city where last week he swatted at a TV news camera and argued with a heckling fan.--football gambling--

However, Benson's granddaughter, Rita Benson LeBlanc, did come to the game. LeBlanc, who has the title of owner/executive, is Benson's heir apparent.--football gambling--

After the Saints' loss to Miami a week ago, Benson fired off an e-mail to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue saying his trip to Baton Rouge was a "total disaster," adding that he and his family members could have been injured or killed and that he would no longer attend games in Baton Rouge either this season or if any Saints games are scheduled here in 2006.--football gambling--

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel later said Benson wrote the e-mail out of frustration and still may attend one of the remaining games scheduled for Baton Rouge. Bensel did not immediately issue a statement on Benson's behalf during the Chicago game.--football gambling--

Fans booed when a public address announcement mentioned Benson while soliciting donations to the Saints' Hurricane Katrina relief fund. --football gambling--

The Saints, based temporarily in San Antonio, play twice more in Baton Rouge, on Dec. 4 against Tampa Bay and Dec. 18 against Carolina. Their final home game will be in San Antonio on Dec. 24 against Detroit. --football gambling--

2005-11-02T11:10:00.000-08:00

Sigh of relief

Boldin's knee injury diagnosed as just bone bruise

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- The Arizona Cardinals got good news Monday when an MRI examination determined ace wide receiver Anquan Boldin's knee injury was nothing more than a bone bruise. -NFL Football-

No timetable was set for Boldin's return, but the team said he wouldn't be out as long as feared. -NFL Football-

Boldin missed three months, including six regular-season games, after tearing meniscus cartilage in his right knee at the start of the 2004 training camp, and coach Dennis Green feared the pain in the same knee after Sunday's 34-13 loss at Dallas indicated a similar tear. -NFL Football-

"He's one of the better players on our team," Green said. "I think that he's established he's one of the better receivers in the game. His numbers reflect that." -NFL Football-

Until Boldin's return, Green expects Bryant Johnson to take up the slack at wide receiver, and he's counting on rookie LeRon McCoy, a seventh-round draft pick who averaged 19.5 yards a catch for Indiana (Pa.) University last season to keep the Cardinals big and fast in their three-wideout sets. -NFL Football-

None of Arizona's receivers has proven as physical as Boldin, though. -NFL Football-

He broke his nose in training camp this year and was expected to miss up to three exhibition games. Fitted with a clear visor to protect his nose, Boldin sat out just one before his return. -NFL Football-

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound former Florida State quarterback and receiver is used over the middle, routinely breaks tackles and specializes in tough catches. He was hurt attempting one in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys, when he leaped for a throw from Josh McCown and came down awkwardly. -NFL Football-

He came out of the game with 39 catches for a team-high 616 yards this season. -NFL Football-

Boldin, the 2003 offensive rookie of the year, had three catches before he was hurt. He has 196 in his career, an NFL high for anyone's first 33 games. -NFL Football-

But on the heels of another disheartening loss in Dallas, where the Cardinals (2-5) are 9-31, the team may have caught a break in a steady parade of injuries. -NFL Football-

Green said two players could return this week at positions of need -- the offensive line and the secondary. -NFL Football-

Right tackle Oliver Ross, one of Arizona's prize free-agency acquisitions after starting 16 games with Pittsburgh last year, has missed four games since breaking his right hand Sept. 25 at Seattle. He has been rehabilitating since having surgery to insert a support plate. -NFL Football-

Also expected back is rookie Eric Green, one of two cornerbacks Arizona drafted in the first three rounds. The other was Antrel Rolle, the No. 8 selection, out for the season after knee surgery. -NFL Football-

Eric Green, a valuable member of prevent formations, hurt his shoulder Oct. 9 and has sat out two games. -NFL Football-

"We've had a lot of injuries, and our team doesn't quite look the way we anticipated it looking," Green said. "I high number of guys on the IR, that's part of the game, though." -NFL Football-

Ross was a renowned run-blocker, and his return might bolster a part of the Cardinals offense which hasn't pushed across a touchdown this year and is averaging 71.1 yards a game. -NFL Football-

Pass protection also has been also virtually non-existent for Arizona passers, probably one reason McCown is starting ahead of less mobile Kurt Warner. McCown was sacked three times, roughed up on scrambles and got whacked in the head by Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware while throwing one of his two interceptions. -NFL Football-

"It's something that happens," McCown said. "When you touch the ball every time, you are going to take some shots." -NFL Football-

2005-10-31T12:43:00.000-08:00

Saints return 'home,' for now

By Gil LeBreton

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

BATON ROUGE, La. - No less an authority than the commissioner, Paul Tagliabue, rained heavily on San Antonio's roundly distasteful NFL parade Sunday afternoon. -NFL Football-

It was exactly what the 61,643 fans at LSU's Tiger Stadium wanted to hear. -NFL Football-

"The Saints are Louisiana's team," Tagliabue said at a news conference before the Saints-Dolphins game. -NFL Football-

"Each team in the NFL is franchised to represent a specific community. Teams are not franchised as free agents to run around the country and play wherever they want to play. Under our league bylaws, it takes a vote of the league and has to be a minimum of three-fourths of the owners to approve any change in the area that a team represents." -NFL Football-

History tells us that Tagliabue, a lawyer by trade and schooled in Jesuit logic (Georgetown, Class of 1962), does not quote league bylaws haphazardly. -NFL Football-

No, this time he was talking specifically about San Antonio, whose mayor, the dishonorable Phil Hardberger, has made no bones about his desire to loot the hurricane-ravaged streets and hearts of New Orleans. -NFL Football-

Tagliabue also seemed to be giving us Saints owner Tom Benson's marching orders for the next few months -- namely, quit whispering sweet nothings to Hardberger and remember which city has been paying the Saints' light bill for the past 38 seasons. -NFL Football-

The latter was never more obvious than Sunday. -NFL Football-

Shamelessly ill-prepared to stage an NFL game on a college campus, Benson's organization left thousands of season ticket-holders standing in line for more than 90 minutes before they could claim their tickets. Many of the 61,643, therefore, were still outside the stadium when, late in the first quarter, the Saints added yet another page to their personal chapter of the Football Follies. -NFL Football-

On third down from the New Orleans 6-yard line, Miami quarterback Gus Frerotte's pass was deflected and intercepted in the end zone by Dwight Smith. The Saints safety promptly dashed up the sideline, covering 25 yards, when suddenly he saw no more Dolphins to juke and plowed over a teammate. In the collision, Smith fumbled. The Dolphins recovered. -NFL Football-

Same old Saints. -NFL Football-

Before the day was through, New Orleans quarterback Aaron Brooks would come under heavy siege, which led to him being sacked six times. -NFL Football-

On one third-quarter retreat, Brooks found himself under a pile of Dolphins 8 yards deep in the end zone. The safety gave Miami a seemingly insurmountable 11-6 lead. The Dolphins would go on to win 21-6, despite scoring only one touchdown. -NFL Football-

Meanwhile, the Saints' offense finished with only 203 yards and was 0-for-11 in third-down conversions. -NFL Football-

"We were awful, terrible," Saints coach Jim Haslett said after the defeat, his team's sixth. "You can't win in this league with only six points. -NFL Football-

"Right now, we're a bad football team." -NFL Football-

If anybody wanted to go over the hill, Sgt. Haslett barked, or wanted to quit on the head coach, "I promise you that I will cut him." -NFL Football-

"Coach is upset," veteran receiver Joe Horn explained. "He should be upset." -NFL Football-

Pro Bowl running back Deuce McAllister is injured and out for the season, and that doesn't help. But space does not permit a thorough listing of things wrong about the 2005 Saints. -NFL Football-

Asked to assess Brooks' miserable performance, Haslett said, "I don't know. He was running for his life half of the time." -NFL Football-

Saints fans, of course, are well accustomed to Sundays such as this. The club sold 50,000 season tickets in 1967 before it had ever played an NFL down, and New Orleans has continued to support its Saints. Any mayor, newspaper or NFL owner who tries to claim otherwise is distorting the facts. -NFL Football-

Likewise, Benson will have a hard time convincing fellow owners that he needs to abandon New Orleans, a nine-time Super Bowl host, if the city can restore the Louisiana Superdome. A dome official said Sunday that it will cost $125 million to $150 million to repair the facility. The state expects insurers to cover the cost. -NFL Football-

Benson also has tried to claim that the team's state-financed practice facility in suburban Metairie, La., was rendered unusable by emergency workers after the hurricane. An inspection by state officials, however, showed only cosmetic damage, easily repaired. -NFL Football-

If it chooses, the league can force Benson to return to New Orleans to practice next season. In 1996, former Seahawks owner Ken Behring announced that his team would hold practices in Anaheim, Calif., as a precursor to moving the Seattle franchise to Southern California. Tagliabue stopped him, warning Behring that he could be fined a six-figure sum for each day of practice the Seahawks held in Anaheim. Behring eventually stayed in Seattle. -NFL Football-

The Saints case is unique, Tagliabue admitted. -NFL Football-

"The backdrop is something that we're all well aware of," he said Sunday. "We want to bring this area back to rebuild in a way that is not just a replica of the past but better than ever. That's our approach. We are trying to develop what we would feel as a new model for the Saints to operate in a rebuilt Louisiana, a rebuilt New Orleans." -NFL Football-

The league is prepared, the commissioner said, to dig into its own pockets to buy time for that to happen. -NFL Football-

IN THE KNOW

Breakdown

Why Miami won: Gus Frerotte threw a touchdown pass to Chris Chambers, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined to rush for 188 yards, and Olindo Mare kicked four field goals. -NFL Football-

Why New Orleans lost: The Dolphins defense kept quarterback Aaron Brooks off balance. Brooks was intercepted once, sacked six times and fumbled twice without being touched, although he recovered both. -NFL Football-

Notable: The Saints played their first game in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina. Many of the tailgaters on the LSU campus around Tiger Stadium showed up wearing LSU's purple and gold colors bearing the legend, "Welcome home, Nick." Dolphins coach Nick Saban led LSU to a national championship two years ago. -NFL Football-

Up next: Atlanta at Miami, noon, Sunday; Chicago vs. New Orleans at Baton Rouge, La., 3:05 p.m. Sunday. -NFL Football-

2005-10-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

Week Seven game previews
By PFW staff Oct. 20, 2005
--- nfl ---
Buffalo at Oakland
--- nfl ---
The Bills, behind QB Kelly Holcomb, have managed to climb back into the AFC East race with back-to-back wins, while the Raiders can’t seem to get on track and have won just once in five tries. RB Willis McGahee has been the one constant for the up-and-down Bills, rushing for at least 84 yards in five of six games. Holcomb, meanwhile, is seeing the field better than J.P. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
Losman, the man he replaced, and making the throws downfield that Losman showed reluctance to make. The Raiders were showing signs of improvement against the run until last week, when they were gutted for 190 yards by LaDainian Tomlinson and the Chargers. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
Until last week, QB Kerry Collins had done a masterful job of avoiding mistakes and not forcing the ball. But while playing from behind against San Diego, he reverted to his old habits and had a number of passes deflected and nearly intercepted. RB LaMont Jordan could be in for a monster day if the Raiders stay committed to the run, as Buffalo is 30th in the league in rushing yards allowed. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
Keep an eye on the status of Randy Moss, who may not be able to go with a groin strain. That would open the door for Doug Gabriel at his WR position.
--- nfl ---

2005-10-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

Houshmandzadeh out for Bengals

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Oct. 9, 2005) -- Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh was inactive against the Jacksonville Jaguars because of a hand injury. - NFL Football -

Houshmandzadeh, the team's second-leading receiver behind Chad Johnson, has 20 catches for 248 yards and a touchdown this season. He injured his hand last week against Houston, when he caught eight passes for 105 yards.

Kelley Washington was scheduled to start in his place. - NFL Football -

Safety Madieu Williams also was inactive because of a shoulder injury.

Starting center Rich Braham (knee) was active, but was not in the starting lineup. He was replaced by Eric Ghiaciuc. - NFL Football -

2005-10-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

Martz in hospital, expected back for game

NFL.com wire reports

ST. LOUIS (Sept. 30, 2005) -- Rams coach Mike Martz was hospitalized Sept. 30 with a sinus infection, but the team expects him to be able to coach Oct. 2 when St. Louis plays at the New York Giants. - NFL Football -

Martz drove himself to the hospital, spokesman Artis Twyman said. He was expected to be released by Oct. 1, in time to fly with the team to New York.

"He had been complaining about his sinuses bothering him for a couple of weeks," Twyman said. "I guess it was a little bit worse today." - NFL Football -

Joe Vitt, the assistant head coach and linebackers coach, ran practice in Martz's absence.

Earlier this year, Martz underwent back surgery. - NFL Football -

Martz joined the Rams as offensive coordinator in 1999, and his high-powered offense led St. Louis to its first Super Bowl title that season. He became head coach following Dick Vermeil's retirement days after the Super Bowl. - NFL Football -

Now in his sixth season, Martz is 56-34 including the postseason. The Rams have missed the playoffs just once in his tenure (2002) and reached the Super Bowl after the 2001 season, losing 20-17 to New England. - NFL Football -

This season, the Rams (2-1) are tied with Seattle for first place in the NFC West. The Giants are also 2-1.

2005-09-14T14:51:00.000-07:00

ABC carries week with NFL kickoff

By Cynthia Littleton

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Football and the return of America's favorite animated clan carried Fox and ABC to victory during the week ending September 11.

ABC topped perennial leader CBS in the total viewers column for the week with an average of 8.3 million viewers, fueled by its live coverage of Thursday's NFL season kickoff game between the Oakland Raiders and this year's Super Bowl victors, the New England Patriots. ABC and Fox tied for the weekly bragging rights in the adults 18-49 demographic with an average of a 3.1 rating/9 share.

The game, which ended in a 30-20 win by the Patriots, was by far the most-watched program of the week (18 million) and highest-rated in the key demo (7.7/23), according to Nielsen Media Research. ABC also saw renewed signs of life, after weeks of sluggish summer ratings, Monday with its coverage of one of college football's fiercest rivalries, University of Miami vs. Florida State (9.7 million, 3.5/10) and Saturday with the University of Texas' face-off against Ohio State (9.9 million, 3.4/11).

Fox was buoyed by the 17th-season opener of "The Simpsons" (11.1 million, 5.2/14) on Sunday, which helped the network get its new 8:30 p.m. Sunday comedy "The War at Home" (8.7 million, 4.2/11) off to a decent start. The 9 p.m. season opener of "Family Guy" (9.1 million, 4.5/10) also did solid business for the network on Sunday; "American Dad" (7.8 million, 3.8/9) was less impressive at 9:30 p.m. in its sophomore-season premiere.

The best news of the week for Fox came on Monday, when the second outing of its highly touted new drama "Prison Break" (8.5 million, 3.9/9) held up well despite airing on the Labor Day holiday when overall primetime viewing levels traditionally take a dive. ("Break" reeled in even stronger numbers in its third airing this past Monday.)

For the week, CBS was No. 2 to ABC in total viewers (7.5 million), followed by Fox (7.3 million), NBC (6.3 million), UPN and WB (tied at 2.2 million). In the key demo, CBS was No. 2 to Fox and ABC with a 2.6/7 average, followed by NBC (2.0/6). The new TV season can't start soon enough for UPN and WB, which were once again laden with reruns and delivered unimpressive numbers in their target demos of adults 18-34 (UPN's 0.9/3 to WB's 0.8/3).

"Dateline NBC" continued to be a workhorse for the peacock last week as it offered continuing coverage of the devastation in the Gulf Coast states. Of the five hours of "Dateline" on NBC's schedule last week, the 8 p.m. Monday installment was the most watched (8.2 million, 2.6/7).

CBS' highlight of the week, as always, was its 9 p.m. Thursday repeat of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (12.9 million, 4.3/11).

On Friday, the six broadcast networks and more than two dozen other outlets carried the telethon special "Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast" commercial-free from 8-9 p.m. Because it aired commercial free, ratings for the special will not be incorporated into the individual networks' summer or yearlong averages. According to Nielsen, "Shelter" drew an average audience of nearly 24 million viewers across 29 English- and Spanish-language outlets.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

2005-09-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

Molson Coors Stay on As NFL Sponsor

DENVER - Molson Coors is renewing its sponsorship deal with the National Football League in a five-year contract protecting its position as the league's official beer sponsor, according to a report published Monday.

The Sports Business Journal reported the deal, citing unidentified sources.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy did not immediately return a call.

Coors' current four-year, $240 million sponsorship deal will expire after this season.

Coors spokeswoman Kabira Hatland declined to comment, saying the company would first inform its shareholders of any deal.

2005-08-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

It's Game Week Again for Spurrier

PETE IACOBELLI, AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. - It's game week again for Steve Spurrier. After two disappointing seasons in the NFL, another one away from coaching and nine, hype-filled months since taking the South Carolina job, the head ball coach (Spurrier's preferred nickname these days) returns to college football when the Gamecocks face Central Florida on Thursday night.

"There's a little bit of excitement and certainly I'm looking forward to it," Spurrier said. "But still, this game's about our players against their players. I know sometimes we coaches get too much in the spotlight of the game."

There's no doubt who will be the focus of this one.

Ever since Spurrier succeeded Lou Holtz in November, South Carolina fans have been giddy with expectations of the "Cock-n-Fire" offense, future Southeastern Conference championships and college football domination, like it was at Florida for 12 seasons under Spurrier.

Gamecock fans have bought a record number of season tickets (62,618) — and that's despite an offseason where the school was hit with an NCAA probation and saw several players dismissed after running afoul of their new coach.

Right tackle Na'Shan Goddard says he can't escape the grocery store around town without someone asking him what it's like to play for Spurrier.

"I've never been around nothing with this much hype," defensive end Orus Lambert said. "It's the first game, so everybody wants to see Coach Spurrier return to the sidelines."

But Spurrier's not so sure what he'll find when he does.

He was walking with four of his offensive linemen, including starting tackles Goddard and Jabari Levey, recently and was pleased with their size and conditioning.

"I said, 'Dang, we've got big, strong, good-looking offensive linemen. How come they're not blocking as well as I hope?'" Spurrier recalled. "I'm trying to figure that out."

There could be a lot of head-scratching this season for Spurrier. His quarterback, sophomore Blake Mitchell, hasn't started a game. He will start first-year tailbacks Mike Davis and Bobby Wallace. The most reliable receiver so far, according to Spurrier, is Kris Clark, a senior who has nine catches in his college career.

"I think our fans are expecting some good things in the future," Spurrier said. "I don't know if they expect a turnaround right away. I do think we have a team that's got a chance to do some good things this year. Now whether or not we achieve that, we've got to wait and see."

Once the game starts, Spurrier says he'll return to his familiar mind-set of running the offense as he has successfully done before.

"How can I get a decent play in there or have the quarterback get a decent play if we catch a deep blitz or something like that?" he said. "Every game, that's what I'm thinking when I'm on the sideline."

Central Florida was 0-11 last season under coach George O'Leary — yes, that George O'Leary — and come in with the nation's longest losing streak at 15 games.

"What we know about them is they had a tough, struggling year last year, but that year is history," Spurrier said.

What is also history, for Gamecock players at least, are South Carolina's struggles of the past few seasons. The team that missed out on bowl games the last three years under Holtz — twice going 5-7 and last year turning down a bid as punishment for a brawl with Clemson — has a new energy and direction.

"We can't wait to get out there," Levey said.

Associated Press

2005-08-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

Ex-RB Phillips charged with assault

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips, who allegedly ran his car into three teenagers who argued with him following a pickup football game, was charged Tuesday with multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
Phillips was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon, the district attorney's office said. He was charged with seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of child abuse and one count of hit and run. - NFL Football -
If convicted, Phillips faces up to 13 years and four months in prison.
Phillips, a star at Nebraska before the St. Louis Rams made him the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NFL draft, got into an argument with several young men after the pickup football game Sunday in Exposition Park, Los Angeles police officer Sandra Escalante said.
He left the park, but returned and drove a black Honda onto the field, allegedly running into a group of young males. Three were hit, including two aged 14 and 15, the district attorney's office said. - NFL Football -
The teenagers were taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said. The car Phillips was driving had been reported stolen in San Diego earlier in the week, Escalante said.
The district attorney's office said a bench warrant was issued for Phillips in 2003 after he allegedly failed to appear for a probation hearing at the Airport Court. He had pleaded no contest to one count of making a criminal threat in 2000 after he allegedly attacked a girlfriend in Beverly Hills. - NFL Football -
Police in San Diego had been seeking Phillips since earlier this month for allegedly attacking his girlfriend twice, once choking her into unconsciousness.
Phillips, 30, was arrested Sunday and held on the domestic violence felony warrant and held without bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Web site.
San Diego police had offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to Phillips' whereabouts, and said he had indicated he wouldn't surrender peacefully.
The first domestic assault, in which police say Phillips' 28-year-old girlfriend was choked, allegedly occurred Aug. 2 at her San Diego home. Police said the second assault allegedly took place 11 days later when Phillips confronted the woman at a party.
In both cases he left the scene before officers could arrest him.
Phillips has a history of high-profile trouble with the law going back a decade to his time as one of the nation's top college football players at Nebraska. - NFL Football -
The Rams released him for insubordination in 1997 after he played 25 games with them. Phillips signed with the Miami Dolphins later in the 1997 season, but was released after pleading no contest to hitting a woman in a nightclub.
He was the top offensive player in NFL Europe in 1999 after setting league records for rushing and touchdowns with the Barcelona Dragons. - NFL Football -
He signed with the San Francisco 49ers later that year, but was released for missing a practice. He has also played in the Canadian Football League.

Associated Press.

2005-08-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

They're all thumbs at football
Video game tourney at Concord store attracts boys, boys at heart

CONCORD - Here's how Jeremy Cross prepared for Saturday's Madden NFL 06 video game tournament at Wal-Mart: He played for seven hours straight the night before.
"I just focus on the game and keeping my composure," said Cross, 18, from Landis. "Man, I breed on competition." - NFL Football -
He was one of about 150 to 200 people expected for the tournament at the Concord store off U.S. 29. Thumbs twitched over consoles. Gamers stared at the action, supported by shouts from the crowd, both of the human and video variety.
Boys and boys at heart especially flock to the game, which debuted last week. Made by EA Sports, it's the current version of the most popular video sports game series ever.
District manager Sylvester Johnson launched the Madden tournament at the Wal-Mart in Concord three years ago. Since then, many other Wal-Marts copied the idea.
One year, Johnson said, a 5-year-old boy played an adult to a draw in double overtime. They replayed. The boy won. - NFL Football -
The games began at 8 a.m. Saturday and wrapped up after 6 p.m. There were two winners: J.J. Jones on Xbox and Jamar Wright on PlayStation II. Players sat in rocking chairs and competed on 52-inch flat-screen TVs in the Subway restaurant at Wal-Mart. At lunchtime, players were mostly in their teens and 20s -- all males at that point.
They like the graphics and the realistic action. Plus, they get to yell things like, "Hey, you just got whooped, dawg" to their pals. - NFL Football -
Tony Mays, a 15-year-old from Concord, has been hooked on Madden for several years.
So how often does he play?
"Hoooo," he exhales. "Every day. My folks don't mind."
Right, Dad? Yep. - NFL Football -
Edward Mays, 42, also entered the tourney.
Ronda Burch of Harrisburg watched sons Brandon, 14, and Alex, 11, play. She bought the game the day it came out so they could practice.
They lost, but at least they got to spend time with their mom on her 48th birthday.

ADAM BELL
The Charlotte Observer

2005-08-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

Young joins NFL legends
Longtime 49ers quarterback again follows Montana, this time into Hall of Fame

Former 49ers quarterback Steve Young took his place Sunday among the game's all-time greats.Young, 43, whose combination of passing and running skills made him perhaps the most versatile quarterback in NFL history, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.The induction class included Miami quarterback Dan Marino, and pioneers Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman, who were honored posthumously. - NFL Football -
More than 500 family and friends, including about a dozen former teammates, made the trip to Canton to see Young accept football's greatest individual honor. Former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo and former team president Carmen Policy were in attendance, along with current owners John and Denise York.Young was named league MVP twice, earned seven trips to the Pro Bowl, and is the highest-rated passer in league history. - NFL Football -
His spot in the Hall of Fame was assured when he led the 49ers to a Super Bowl title after the 1994 season."Football is a great metaphor for life," said Young in his acceptance speech. "For me, it'll never again be third-and-10, late in the fourth quarter, down by four at Candlestick Park."Nothing in life can be like those great moments. But with all those experiences then, and all the other good things that happened, life today is even better," said Young, who married at 38 after his playing career had ended. - NFL Football -
Speaking about his wife Barbara and young sons Braedon, 4, and Jackson, 2, he said he has found the secret to life: "Loving others more than you love yourself."Gaining the love of 49ers fans was never easy for Young, who played 13 seasons with the 49ers before retiring in 2000.He languished behind Joe Montana for four seasons until getting his chance, and was often considered an interloper usurping the hugely popular Montana. Again he follows Montana -- this time into the Hall of Fame. - NFL Football -
Young displayed remarkable perseverance during his 49ers career. He arrived in San Francisco after coach Bill Walsh swung a trade in 1987 to rescue Young from the purgatory of Tampa Bay, where he won just two of the 19 games in which he appeared.He joined the 49ers with the understanding Montana would soon step aside and he would take over one of the most coveted positions in sports. But Montana still had some of his best days ahead, leading the 49ers to Super Bowl titles in 1988 and '89.Young eagerly awaited his opportunity, and his patience was tested. Although Young said he and Montana "never had a cross word," tension clearly developed between the men. But now Young said he "can't minimize the impact of watching and learning from Joe."Montana, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000, was not among the 51 Hall of Famers who attended the ceremony. - NFL Football -
Hall of Fame 49ers Bill Walsh, Ronnie Lott, Bob St. Clair, Dave Wilcox, Joe Perry and Jimmy Johnson were on hand to represent the team.Young had opportunities to go elsewhere during the heat of the Joe vs. Steve controversy that gripped the Bay Area. But he insisted on remaining with San Francisco. After starting 10 games in his first four seasons as the league's highest-priced backup, Young became the full-time starter in 1991 because of Montana's elbow injury.Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993. One year later, Young solidified his spot among football's elite by leading the 49ers to a 49-26 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. Young threw a career-high and Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes."Just recently, someone gave us a photo album from Steve's playing days," said Barbara Young, who began dating Steve in 1999."I started reading all these articles from the early '90s, and I was like, 'Oh, my gosh!' And he said, 'See, what I was dealing with?' I told him, 'I can't believe you stuck around.'"In his speech, Young shared his motivation for remaining with the 49ers when he could have started for just about any other team in the league."Joe Montana was the greatest quarterback I've ever seen," Young said. "I was in awe. I was tempted many times to play for other teams. - NFL Football -
But I was drawn by the inevitable challenge to live up to the challenge that I was witnessing."I knew if I was ever going to find out how good I could get, I needed to stay in San Francisco and learn, even if it was brutally hard to do."

MATT MAIOCCO
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

2005-07-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Without NFL star power, Blitz gets down and dirty

This year's National Football League season is shaping up as the least competitive in years-- if you're a computer gamer. That's because there's only one official league-sanctioned video game this year -- the 2006 edition of Electronic Arts' popular football simulator, Madden NFL. Thanks to some hard bargaining between the league and the world's largest computer game company, EA Sports now has an exclusive lock on NFL gaming titles. - NFL Football -
That's bad news for gaming rival Take 2, which finally broke Madden's hold on the pro football gaming market last year with its superb NFL 2K5 game. Take 2's game was as good as Madden, at half the price, and sold millions of copies. EA responded with the nuclear option -- an NFL licensing deal that bars Take 2 from the market. Rumor has it that the company may try to re-enter through the backdoor, by creating a game that would feature retired NFL superstars. But not this year. The 2006 NFL season will be all Madden. - NFL Football -
That's fine with the folks at Midway Games, which is odd when you consider that Midway also makes pro football video games. Unlike Take 2, Midway has no intention of bailing out of the business. Nor does the company plan to challenge EA's exclusive deal with the NFL. Instead, Midway is developing a different kind of football video game. Blitz: The League, which debuts in October, will combine sports action with seamy off-the-field drama, a combo that'll probably have executives of the image-obsessed stocking up on aspirin and Prozac.
Mike Bilder, the game's executive producer, said that Midway had planned to drop its licensing deal with the NFL even before the EA lock-down. ''Over the years, the NFL has gotten more restrictive," Bilder said. Blitz has never been a straight-up sports simulator like Madden. Born as a coin-operated arcade game in 1997, it featured exaggerated athletic moves and exceptionally violent tackling. ''It kind of bent the laws of physics and the general laws of football," said Bilder. The Blitz tradition continued as the title moved onto home video-game platforms. - NFL Football -
But the NFL was uneasy about the game's outlaw aura, and resisted efforts to make Blitz a darker, edgier game. The league ordered the removal of some of the game's signature cheap-shot plays, like grabbing an opponent's face mask and slamming him into the ground. Bilder said the NFL didn't even want the game's digital players to suffer injuries. ''It was becoming very difficult for us to innovate," he said. - NFL Football -
There'll be plenty of innovation in this year's Blitz. The game offers an entirely fictional football league, with teams like the Chicago Marauders and the New York Nightmare. In addition, ''this is the first football game with a story mode in it," said Bilder. Along with the hard-hitting games, players follow the lives of the team's manager and key players throughout the season.

Hiawatha Bray, Globe Staff July 23, 2005

2005-07-18T07:50:00.000-07:00

NFL Pro Camp hits DeRidder

Staff WriterIt is not everyday that DeRidder is filled with celebrities, or National Football League (NFL) Players for that matter, but that will be the case starting today, when the 2005 Willie Brown NFL Pro Camp begins at 7:30 a.m. at DeRidder High School.
The camp, organized by the Community Development Network and the Southwest Louisiana Youth Football Association, will showcase such players as Warren Sapp, Randy Moss, Tim Brown, Charlie Joiner and Sebastian Janikowski along with Super Bowl XXII Most Valuable Player Doug Williams, who played for the Washington Redskins and went on to coach at his alma mater, Grambling State University."We have well known players and hall of famers participating in this camp," Avon Knowlton of the SLYFA said.
Children ages 6-18 will participate in drills that will teach skills, plays and more. There will be four age divisions, allowing players to concentrate on lessons most fitting for the children."The camp will emphasize character, self esteem and motivation," Cynthia Taylor of CDN said. "Video presentations will be displayed to help convey the message to children."
The camp hopes to bring in 300 children, all of whom will receive a T-shirt and more importantly priceless lessons on football and life from their heroes."I have seen these pro players with children, giving the message of how to be good citizens," Knowlton said. " It really brings the message home, coming from the children's heroes."
Although this is a private camp, organizers would like to become part of the NFL Youth Football Camp circuit in the future. Also, Coach Brown has announced his plans to help bring back NFL programs and players to the area.Organizers want to thank the public for their support in helping bring a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to the children of Beauregard Parish."Thank you everyone for your support," Knowlton said. "We are hoping to make this an annual event for Beauregard Parish."The camp will also run on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. After camp ends, the public will be able to see their favorite players at the "Meet and Greet" and "Silent Auction" held at 3 p.m. at Carver Elementary School.

JENNIFER DOWDEN

2005-07-11T15:51:00.000-07:00

Backfield remembers Roby’s legacy

When former National Football League punter and Middle Tennessee resident Reggie Roby died suddenly and unexpectedly in February, his family and friends said his legacy would not be soon forgotten.Roby’s impact was proudly on display for Backfield in Motion’s Legends Weekend, which began last Thursday and ended Saturday. The weekend featured a celebrity-studded, fund-raising golf tournament and a football clinic for Backfield in Motion participants, which took place Saturday at Montgomery Bell Academy. Roughly 180 youths turned out, said Joe Davis, the program’s founder. Roby had served as the program’s director before he died.On Saturday, the kids were taught the game from a slew of current and former NFL stars. After they finished their last drill, the kids of Backfield in Motion sat politely while Tim Bryant, the program’s athletics director, took time to remember Roby and his legacy.“We want to always remember coach Reggie Roby,” Bryant said. “[Roby] was a star in the NFL, but he was around here hauling stuff and filling water coolers. I keep a cap [of Roby’s] in my office, so whenever I get lazy I see that cap, I remember the little things.“Let’s all think about coach Roby and let’s all remember the little things.”Davis said football, baseball and basketball are the hook to draw kids in, but the goal is to help them become leaders, who value academics, and conduct themselves like gentleman.“A lot of these kids come from single-parent homes where they are lacking a male role model,” Davis said. “This weekend the kids got to see so many successful men who set an example.”The golf tournament took place Friday at the Hermitage Golf Club. More than 200 participants enjoyed the festivities, including the chance to interact with former football stars Jim Brown and Archie Griffin.It’s the fifth year Backfield in Motion has been in existence and put on the clinic. Davis said the numbers are staying roughly the same, at 180 participants, but he’s seeing more kids stay in the program.“What we’re seeing is more seventh, eighth and ninth-graders coming back,” Davis said.Former Notre Dame and NFL star Ross Browner replaced Roby as vice president of community and corporate development. Davis said the program remains strong and committed to Roby’s legacy.“I don’t think any of these guys flew out here for any reason other than to help kids,” Davis said. “We had the big golf tournament and all that stuff. We would do the camp without the tournament. The camp is the most important thing we do here.”
By Nate Rau

2005-07-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

Longtime NFL coach Stram dies

NEW ORLEANS - Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram, who took the Kansas City Chiefs to two Super Bowls and was known for his inventive game plans and exuberance on the sideline, died Monday, his family said. He was 82.
Stram had been in declining health for several years and Dale Stram attributed his father's death to complications from diabetes. He died at St. Tammany Parish Hospital, near his home in Covington, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. He built a home there during his two-year stint as coach of the Saints and retired there.
"Pro football has lost one of its most innovative and creative coaches and one of its most innovative and creative personalities as well," Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt said in a telephone interview. - NFL Football -
Stram was the Chiefs' first and winningest coach. He took over the expansion Dallas Texans of the upstart AFL in 1960 and coached them through 1974, moving with them to Kansas City, where they were renamed the Chiefs in 1963.
The gregarious, stocky, blazer-wearing Stram carried a rolled-up game plan in his hand as he paced the sideline. He led the Chiefs to AFL titles in 1962, '66 and '69 and to appearances in the first Super Bowl, a 35-10 loss to Green Bay, and the fourth, a 23-7 victory over Minnesota in 1970.
He had a 124-76-10 record with the Chiefs and in 17 seasons as a head coach was 131-97-10 in the regular season and 5-3 in the postseason. - NFL Football -
Stram was the first coach to wear a microphone during a Super Bowl and his sideline antics, captured by NFL Films, helped bring the league into the video age.
He later coached two seasons with the Saints and enjoyed a successful second career in CBS' television and "Monday Night Football" radio booths as an analyst.
Stram made his mark in the booth by consistently telling the audience what would happen before it did.
"I think they'll go deep here," he would tell his partner, Jack Buck.
"Elway to throw," Buck would respond. "He's looking deep. He throws deep. Caught by Steve Sewell at the 11-yard line. You called that one, Coach."
"John just saw what I saw," Stram would say. - NFL Football -
Stram was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. The then-80-year-old had to be pushed onto the stage in a wheelchair and his induction speech was videotaped.
In an interview that year, Stram said he would accept another coaching job in a minute.
"I've lived a charmed life," he said. "I married the only girl I ever loved and did the only job I ever loved."
Len Dawson, the Hall of Fame quarterback who played under Stram at Kansas City, also called him an innovator.
"He was responsible for doing a lot of the things in the '60s that teams are still using now," said Dawson, citing the moving pocket and the triple-stack defense.
"His whole life was football; that's what he was born for, I think,'' Dawson said. "He had a passion for it, not just a liking. He was really sincere when he talked about the team being a family. Everybody really loved him." - NFL Football -
Hall of Fame linebacker Willie Lanier, who played for the Chiefs under Stram, said his former coach was able to elevate his players to new levels of success.
"All of us had a great joy in being able to experience the sport at the level we did because of his creative mind and the kind of personality that he put around you," he said from his home in Midlothian, Va. "That allowed everyone to perform at levels higher than they would have without him."
Hunt hired Stram, then an assistant at the University of Miami (Fla.) in 1959 after Oklahoma's Bud Wilkinson and then-New York Giants assistant Tom Landry turned down the Texans coaching job.
"He had never been a head coach before, and you never know how that's going to work out,'' Hunt said. "In our case it worked out tremendously. I think it worked out great for his career, too, because he ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He deserves to be there."
Stram is survived by his wife Phyllis; sons Henry, Dale, Stu and Gary; daughters Julia and Mary Nell, and a sister, Dolly. - NFL Football -
His sons said a private memorial service was being planned for later this week.
Sports writers Mary Foster in New Orleans and Doug Tucker in Kansas City, Mo., contributed to this report.

KEVIN McGILL
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

2005-06-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

Warner is NFL's "No. 1 Good Guy"
No surprise here -- former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner has been named the NFL's "No. 1 Good Guy" by The Sporting News.

Athletes from major league baseball, the NFL, NBA and NASCAR were nominated by their teams or leagues. Winners were chosen by the Sporting News staff.

The St. Louis-based publication said the award honors athletes "who open their hearts as well as their wallets to serve the needy and unfortunate and improve their communities through compassion and generosity."

Atlanta running back Warrick Dunn was named the overall "No. 1 Good Guy" in professional sports. Warner, now the Arizona Cardinals' starting quarterback, won the award for NFL players. The Sporting News also recognized Philadelphia first baseman Jim Thome (MLB) and Miami Center Shaquille O'Neal (NBA) as outstanding "Good Guys."

According to the Cardinals' web site (azcardinals.com): "Sporting News recognized Warner for the quality and quantity of his various services to the community. Each year, Kurt takes up to 10 kids faced with life-threatening illnesses and their families to Disney World for a week. He visited tsunami victims in February, adopted a group home for foster kids in December, taking them all to Christmas Eve dinner, and handed out game tickets to kids touched by faith-based social services outreach agencies."

The Warrick Dunn Foundation and his Home for the Holidays program have assisted 52 single mothers and 135 children in Atlanta, Baton Rouge, La., and Tampa, Fla. The program provides $5,000 toward the down payment on homes, then surprises the new owner with furnishings, food, linens, even toothbrushes.

"Warrick Dunn has gone beyond anything anyone could reasonably expect in helping others," said John Rawlings, senior vice president and editoral director of the Sporting News.

Past winners of the award include Curt Schilling (2004), Troy Vincent (2003), Derek Jeter (2002), Dikembe Mutombo (2001), Derrick Brooks (2000) and David Robinson and Darrell Green (1999).

A complete list of other winners is in the July 8 issue, on newsstands Wednesday.

Associated Press

NFL FOOTBALL PLAYERS

2005-06-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO CAMP

New York Jets coach Herman Edwards greets 800 kids to his week-long free football camp at CSU-Monterey Bay

A sea of kids in gray T-shirts covered the plush green grass at CSU-Monterey Bay on Monday. All of them seemed to have smiles and big dreams.
The annual Herman Edwards Football Camp attracted about 600 kids last year.
On Monday, there were 800 youngsters, ranging in age from 9 to 17, creating some nervousness among those running the camp.
"To be honest, we're running out of room,'' Edwards said of the camp which is in its 11th year. "We need more fields. But you know the deal. We won't turn a kid down."
The largest free football camp in the nation has grown each year.
Along with an abundance of NFL hopefuls are hundreds of parents sticking around to watch their sons or daughters get an education on the fundamentals of football and life.
"God may have given you talent, but that won't make you successful,'' said Edwards, when addressing the group. "You have to work at everything in life. It's called commitment."
In between signing autographs, the New York Jets head coach canvassed the field. He was wired with microphones from two television networks. He was also being followed around by a reporter from the New York Times.
At one point, Edwards looked over at Jets quarterback Chad Pennington and said, "My pants are falling off because these microphones are too heavy."
When two kids approached Edwards during filming, he said, "You just want to be on TV. I used to want to be on TV when I was your age. Now I try to stay away from the cameras."
The only one who had more energy than the 800 or so autograph-seeking kids was the seemingly never-aging Edwards, who didn't stop moving, other than to check up on his wife Lia, who is pregnant.
When things seemed a bit chaotic early in the camp as lines more than 100 kids deep formed, Edwards reassured everyone that everything would be fine.
"The sun is shining,'' said Edwards, who with the help of adidas and the NFL, brought in an T-shirts and gym bags for the kids to keep. "We're OK."
Over the past five years, the camp has done no advertising. Yet the numbers continue to grow, as news spreads by word of mouth.
Among those in attendance Monday was Monterey graduate Tim Dunn, who is expected to sign this week with Weber State on a full-ride football scholarship.
Some kids have been attending the camp for eight years. More high school athletes are choosing to learn from Edwards and a staff of former and current NFL players along with local coaches.
The lure of an autograph and a chance to meet Edwards, a one-time Monterey High football star, who had his high school jersey retired and presented to him Monday, is for the young and old.
"Isn't this great,'' Edwards said. "Once we get past the registration, the coaches take over and the camp runs itself. Now the key (today) is getting the kids to remember what team they're on. There are no trades here. You just can't go play with your friend."
Edwards has also brought in an all-star lineup of current NFL players to help coach during the week.
Pennington was in town Monday. Curtis Martin, the NFL's leading rusher, is slated for later in the week.
Denver Broncos all-pro safety and one time-Stanford defensive back John Lynch will be at the camp today.
While Pennington -- who guided the Jets to an AFC playoff win over San Diego with a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder -- was an attraction, he sent a strong message to wide-eyed kids.
"We all have goals and dreams,'' said Pennington, addressing the campers in a semi-circle. "Surround yourself with successful people. There's always pressure. But we know what's right or wrong."
Edwards' camp has always been more than just about football. Parents can only shake their heads in disbelief as one man can get 800 kids to sit quietly and listen to his every word.
"There is no yelling and no swearing," Edwards told the group. "The most important thing you can learn is to say is 'thank you' and 'please.' Try telling your parents that. You'll go a long ways in life."
The Edwards camp had its first "graduate" make it to the NFL last season -- Maurice Mann, who spent his rookie season with Miami.
But ask Edwards what pleases him most and he'll remind you that there has never been a bag -- the ones filled with goodies that each kid gets -- stolen in the 10 years the camp has been running.
In addition, former campers are coming back to help conduct the camp along with alumni in the area.
Edwards keeps his speeches short, but crisp. He understands the kids are here to play football. But his words make an impact.
"These kids could be doing something else on this nice California day," Pennington said. "But they choose to come out here.
"That says something about this camp."

By JOHN DEVINEHerald Staff Writer