Nfl Football - Football Betting

2005-11-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

Broncos part ways with CB Walls

DENVER (AP) -- Lenny Walls has gone from starter to the injured list to, eventually, a former Denver Bronco. -NFL Football-

The Broncos decided to part ways with the cornerback on Tuesday, a surprising move that signaled their confidence in fast-improving rookies Darrent Williams and Domonique Foxworth. -NFL Football-

The Broncos placed Walls, a fourth-year player who began the season as the starter opposite Champ Bailey, on the reserve-injured list, meaning he must be released after he recovers from an injured groin. -NFL Football-

Walls, who missed much of last season with a dislocated shoulder, lost his starting job early this season and missed last week's 49-21 win over Philadelphia with the groin strain. -NFL Football-

"That had nothing to do with it," coach Mike Shanahan said of the injury. "It's just the play of some of our younger guys." -NFL Football-

The Broncos focused heavily on cornerbacks in the draft, picking Williams in the second round and Foxworth and Karl Paymah in the third. All three have performed ahead of expectations. -NFL Football-

Williams, who Shanahan originally said he liked because of his punt-return skills, has emerged as the starter across from Bailey. -NFL Football-

Foxworth has become the team's primary nickel back. Last Sunday against Philadelphia, he made a key fourth-quarter interception _ his second of the season -- in Denver's win. -NFL Football-

Paymah has played well and the Broncos also have Roc Alexander, Sam Brandon and Curome Cox. Alexander is a cornerback, while Brandon and Cox can each play multiple positions. Denver also signed rookie safety Hamza Abdullah off the Tampa Bay practice squad to take Walls' roster spot. -NFL Football-

"I'm definitely not amazed and I know Darrent's not amazed by what he's been able to accomplish," Foxworth said. "That's what we planned to do, being second- and third-round picks. I know not a lot of people expected us to come in and do as much as we did, but it was our job to come in and prove a lot of people wrong and prove the Broncos' front office right." -NFL Football-

Williams said he didn't come into camp with any expectations. Now, he's the starter for good. -NFL Football-

"I'm a pretty fast learner,' he said. "It came out good for me and I just want to maintain it." -NFL Football-

The move is made even more surprising because Bailey has been less than 100 percent all season, hampered by a sore hamstring. He had a rough game against Philly, getting beaten by Terrell Owens for a 91-yard touchdown and a 43-yard catch that set up another score. -NFL Football-

But Shanahan said the solid play of all the defensive backs, their ability to play special teams, plus Walls' shaky injury situation, made the move viable. -NFL Football-

"When you have a groin, it's one of those tough decisions," Shanahan said. -NFL Football-

The move brings a somewhat stunning close to what once looked like a promising career for Walls in Denver. -NFL Football-

Signed as a free-agent rookie out of Boston College in 2002, Walls quickly moved up the depth chart and became a starter in 2003. Even though injuries limited him last season, the Broncos decided to stick with Walls for 2005, choosing him over Kelly Herndon, who started in Walls' place last season while Walls was injured, but was not pursued by the Broncos when he became a free agent. -NFL Football-

Under the terms of the reserve-injured list, Walls will rehab with the Broncos until he's better, then he'll be released and free to sign with another team. -NFL Football-

Among those in the market for defensive backs include Denver's AFC West rivals, the Oakland Raiders. -NFL Football-

Walls said he was disappointed but not really surprised by Denver's decision. He believes he'll be a starter again in the league soon. -NFL Football-

"It's the decision they chose to make," he said. "I've got to live with it and move on." -NFL Football-

2005-10-31T12:39:00.000-08:00

Ravens - Steelers: Gameday inside slant

Aaron Wilson
RavensInsider.com

Oct 31, 2005

Week 8 in the NFL sees the Ravens (2-4) on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2). We take a quick look at what to look for on each side of the football and what each team needs to do to win. -NFL Football-

When the Ravens have the football

Expect offensive coordinator Jim Fassel to at least deviate slightly from an ultra-conservative approach. Why not try something new at this point with the Ravens ranked last in scoring offense (11.5 average)? They only generated 199 yards of total offense in last week's 10-6 loss to the Bears. This could mean more of tight end Todd Heap split out wide, increased throws to Randy Hymes and perhaps a smidgen of playing time for lightly-used $3 million backup runner Chester Taylor. Jamal Lewis to the left, Jamal Lewis to the right and Jamal Lewis up the middle has gotten pretty stale. -NFL Football-

Key matchup

TE Todd Heap vs. S Troy Polamalu -NFL Football-

Two athletic Pro Bowl selections should clash multiple times, and Heap's speed could keep Polamalu honest in coverage. -NFL Football-

How the Ravens can win

1. Try a fresh approach. The running game is usually unproductive with starter Jamal Lewis. It may be time to increase Chester Taylor's workload, and allow Anthony Wright to stretch the field vertically. -NFL Football-

2. Contain Willie Parker and Jerome Bettis. The Steelers' lightning-and-thunder running combo is formidable, and Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are hurt. -NFL Football-

3. Watch out for play-action. Ben Roethlisberger is deadly on this pass, especially to rookie tight end Heath Miller. Terrell Suggs can't be overly aggressive. -NFL Football-

When the Steelers have the football

Anticipate them trying to run the Ravens out of Heinz Field with a mixture of sweeps for Fast Willie Parker and dives and zone runs for Bruising Jerome Bettis. Although the Steelers rarely throw the football -- they attempted only 14 passes in last week's impressive win over Cincinnati -- they're very efficient. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leads the NFL with a 120.7 passer rating. He completed nine of his passes last week for two touchdowns while Carson Palmer threw it 36 times for no touchdowns. Tight end Heath Miller has caught a touchdown pass in each of the last three weeks and is rapidly becoming Roethlisberger's favorite safety valve whenever Hines Ward is covered. -NFL Football-

Key matchup

FB Dan Kreider vs. LB Tommy Polley -NFL Football-

The 255-pound Kreider thrives on physical collisions, and could have an edge against a 230-pound linebacker who looks more like a basketball player. -NFL Football-

How the Steelers can win

1. Run the football right at Tommy Polley. Polley is a light replacement for Ray Lewis, weighing only 230 pounds and has been described as a finesse linebacker. Finesse doesn't usually work against the Steelers. -NFL Football-

2. Blitz Anthony Wright. Pass protection broke down against the Bears with four sacks allowed. The Steelers have superior personnel with safety Troy Polamalu and linebacker Joey Porter, and Baltimore is susceptible to line stunts. -NFL Football-

3. Throw the post corner route to Hines Ward. He's been a major nemesis to Chris McAlister over the years and already has five touchdowns this season. -NFL Football-

In addition to being a long time contributor to RavensInsider, Aaron Wilson writes for the Carroll County Times in Westminster Maryland. -NFL Football-

Story URL: http://ravens.scout.com/2/459856.html

Copyright © 2005 Scout.com and RavensInsider.com

2005-10-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

Week Seven game previews
By PFW staff Oct. 20, 2005
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San Francisco at Washington
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The Redskins have suffered two straight losses, both to AFC West clubs on the road, both in tough fashion, following a 3-0 start. They have a chance to get back in the win column against the 49ers, who are coming off their bye week but have struggled mightily on the road. --- nfl ---
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In his first start, 49ers QB Alex Smith had to face the resurgent Colts defense; here, he faces the maddening blitz packages of Gregg Williams. Smith also must contend with the fact that CB Shawn Springs (shin; check status) is having a Pro Bowl type of season, and CBs Walt Harris and rookie Carlos Rogers have been strong. --- nfl ---
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The 49ers must try to run the ball and screen to the blitz side with their backs, but Kevan Barlow and Frank Gore have caught only nine passes for 41 yards the past two games. At least they appeared strong vs. Indianapolis (combined 26 carries, 130 yards rushing). Redskins QB Mark Brunell has had to air it out the past two games, throwing 94 times (completing 55) for 653 yards, five TDs and no picks, and he has been locked in on WR Santana Moss (18 catches, 289 yards, two TDs in the last two games). --- nfl ---
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Moss presents a major headache for the depleted 49ers secondary. And with RB Clinton Portis churning out the yards, the rebuilt front seven of the Niners must watch for play-action. Its best hope is to get pressure on Brunell or force turnovers.--- nfl ---

2005-10-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

Lions best unsettled Ravens, 35-17

DETROIT (Oct. 9, 2005) -- The Baltimore Ravens lost control and the Detroit Lions took advantage. - NFL Football -

Kevin Jones scored two first-quarter touchdowns and Detroit went on to beat Baltimore 35-17, helped in part by the Ravens' 21 penalties -- one short of the NFL record -- and two ejections.

"It was outrageous -- and it cost them," said Dre' Bly, who had two interceptions and recovered a fumble. - NFL Football -

The Lions (2-2) lost their previous game at Tampa Bay when a TD catch by Lions tight end Marcus Pollard was reversed by replay with 13 seconds left, but Jones said the officiating this week didn't make up for that heartbreaking setback.

"They were calling the penalties that were there," Jones said.

The Ravens didn't see it that way. - NFL Football -

Baltimore (1-3) lost defensive end/linebacker Terrell Suggs and safety B.J. Ward because of ejections late in the third quarter in a game in which officials seemed quick to flag the visitors.

"I think the refs just let their feelings get into it a lot," Ravens receiver Derrick Mason said. "They crossed the line."

With Detroit's win and Chicago's loss, the Lions are alone atop the NFC North.

"We can't get too excited," Bly said.

The Lions never trailed, but turned the game into a rout by outscoring the Ravens 21-7 in the second half.

Detroit's first TD in the third quarter capped an 18-play drive that took 9:38 and included six plays from Baltimore's 1. - NFL Football -

Just when the Ravens thought they made a pivotal, goal-line stand on a third-and-goal from the 1, Detroit got a new set of downs because defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for making an obscene gesture to the crowd, referee Mike Carey said.

Three plays later, Artose Pinner had a 1-yard TD run -- on a delayed call. The play was reviewed, but the pile of players made it impossible to determine if Pinner scored.

"I still don't think he scored," Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said. "God himself was going to have to come down and tell me he got in the end zone, no one else."

The Ravens had legitimate reasons to gripe throughout the game, but lost their composure.

"Passion, emotion and intensity are good, but they've always got to be under control," Baltimore coach Brian Billick said. - NFL Football -

The Ravens were a call away from tying the NFL record for penalties shared by three teams, most recently San Francisco in 1998.

Suggs was ejected by Carey after he was flagged for roughing the passer and argued the call. Suggs' facemask might have made contact with the bill of Carey's cap, but it wasn't clear from television replays. - NFL Football -

"He bumped me with malice in his heart and he was gone," Carey said.

After Pinner's TD and the ensuing extra point, Ward was ejected for making contact with an official. The contact seemed to be incidental as Ward was trying to separate teammate Ed Reed from Detroit's Casey FitzSimmons after Reed pointed a finger in FitzSimmons' face, apparently upset about a cut block.

"I know I didn't make contact," Ward said.

Detroit's Joey Harrington was 10 of 23 for just 97 yards with a TD and two interceptions. Jones had 26 carries for 58 yards and two scores while Shawn Bryson's only carry was a 77-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter that gave the Lions a 35-17 lead.

The Lions lost receiver Roy Williams to a left quadriceps injury, leaving them with just three receivers because Charles Rogers is suspended for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Baltimore's Anthony Wright was 20 of 37 for 230 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Jamal Lewis ran for 95 yards and caught a 15-yard pass for a score.

The offensively challenged Ravens got off to a rough start. - NFL Football -

Bly made a play -- as promised earlier in the week -- when Baltimore tried to get Mason involved. Wright's first throw missed Mason by a few yards and Bly intercepted it at Baltimore's 37, setting up Jones' 14-yard TD that gave Detroit a 7-0 lead. - NFL Football -

The Lions appeared to catch their first of many breaks -- on a review -- later in the first quarter.

Officials ruled Harrington fumbled -- when it clearly looked like he was passing -- and a review upheld the call, allowing Jones to pick up the ball and advance it 27 yards to the Ravens 2.

"The ball was loose in the quarterback's hands before his hand came forward," Carey explained.

Notes: Detroit kick returner Eddie Drummond, hurt on the opening kickoff, said he will be out a week with a hyperextended left knee. ... Mason (shoulder stinger) and FB Ovie Mughelli (left thumb) were also injured. - NFL Football -

2005-10-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

Former NFL star Smith arrested

Officials say player in '88 Super Bowl sold coke to agents

By Karen Abbott, Rocky Mountain News
October 1, 2005

Former football star Timmy Smith, once the Super Bowl bane of the Denver Broncos and lately employed at a youth detention center, was arrested Friday on charges of dealing cocaine.

Federal officials said Smith, 41, sold about 20 ounces of cocaine to an undercover agent Friday morning for $13,600 in a restaurant parking lot near the Denver Tech Center, then fled in his sport utility vehicle as officers closed in to arrest him.

Denver police stopped Smith about 20 minutes later at East Arkansas Avenue and South Quebec Street,said Jeff Walsh, a supervisory special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Denver DEA Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Sweetin held up a football-sized pile of white powder cocaine in a zipped plastic bag at a news conference Friday afternoon after Smith's arrest.

"We believe that Mr. Smith is and has been a cocaine dealer," Sweetin said.

Smith's brother also was arrested Friday on drug charges.

Sweetin said Smith sold a total of 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, worth about $37,000 on the street, to an undercover officer on seven occasions during the investigation, which began in April.

DEA officials called Smith's position at Gilliam Youth Services in Denver "youth counselor," but Liz McDonough, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Human Services that runs the center, said Smith is a "security officer" at the detention center.

Walsh said Smith had told the undercover agent who bought cocaine from him that he was a youth counselor.

Smith also has been an instructor for youth football camps in the Denver area. In August, he was lead instructor at a YMCA flag-football camp for boys and girls in grades 1 through 12.

Friday's cocaine buy took place about 11 a.m. in a strip mall parking lot near the Cool River restaurant in the Denver Tech Center area, off Interstate 25 at East Belleview Avenue, Walsh said.

He said the undercover officer was in the passenger seat of Smith's SUV when the cocaine and the money were exchanged.

The undercover officer then signaled other officers, who appeared in DEA jackets, guns drawn, Walsh said. The undercover officer leaped out of the passenger seat. Smith drove over a concrete parking divider and vanished "at a high rate of speed," Sweetin said.

Walsh said DEA agents aren't allowed to conduct high-speed chases, but they drove around systematically looking for Smith.

Walsh said a DEA vehicle collided with another car at an intersection during the search. No one was injured and the damage was minor, he said.

The DEA officials said the cocaine was delivered to Smith by his brother, Chris Smith, 35, of Lakewood, just before the undercover officer bought it.

Other officers then watched Chris Smith as he drove away and arrested him within a few blocks of the restaurant parking lot, "with his 2-year-old son in the car," Sweetin said.

Officers later handed the boy over to his mother.

Smith was a rookie running back at the 1988 Super Bowl in San Diego when he rushed for 204 yards, still a Super Bowl record, and scored two touchdowns in the Washington Redskins' 42-10 victory over the Denver Broncos.

But six months later, Smith showed up for training camp out of shape, gained 470 yards during the regular season and was cut by the Redskins. He signed briefly with the Dallas Cowboys the next season but never played in anotherNFL game.

He settled in Denver, where his brother lived. In the 1990s he fell more than $70,000 behind on child-support payments for two daughters living in California and, at one point, fled to his hometown, Hobbs, N.M., to avoid being arrested for non-payment. He later contacted law enforcement authorities in California and said he wanted to cooperate.

Walsh said Timmy Smith has no record of prior drug-related arrests and that Chris Smith was arrested once previously on a drug misdemeanor charge, but was not convicted.

The Smith brothers are in the Denver jail. They will appear Monday in Colorado U.S. District Court.

2005-09-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

Several Defensive Stars on NFL Injury List

By The Associated Press

Takeo Spikes hurt his right Achilles in the Buffalo Bills' 24-16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, an injury that could end the Pro Bowl linebacker's season if the tendon is torn. Coach Mike Mularkey wouldn't speculate on the extent of the injury, saying he'll know more Monday.

"He's the pulse," safety Troy Vincent said of the eight-year veteran and two-time Pro Bowl selection. "I don't know how bad it is, but it could be devastating."

Spikes was hurt in the second quarter while pressuring Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick deep in the Falcons' end.

He lay on the field face-down for a few minutes, then rolled over and slammed his helmet to the ground. After being helped to the sideline, Spikes appeared in tears as he was taken away on a cart. Angelo Crowell replaced him for the remainder of the game.

The Bills defense was already banged up: linebacker London Fletcher is nursing a hamstring injury, and safety Lawyer Milloy is playing with a protective cast on his right thumb.

Falcons CB DeAngelo Hall hurt his shoulder when he tackled Willis McGahee for no gain on the final play of the first quarter.

New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, the NFL's career leader for sacks by a defensive back, injured his left leg in the win over Pittsburgh and was taken off the field on a stretcher. With the Steelers driving midway through the first quarter, Pittsburgh wide receiver Cedrick Wilson was taken down from behind, causing him to roll into Harrison's path and take out the safety's left leg.

Harrison was driven to team bus on a cart after the game.

The injury was the second of the day for a New England defense that went in without two of its top three cornerbacks, Tyrone Poole (ankle) and Randall Gay (ankle). Cornerback Duane Starks injured a wrist on the Steelers' first play from scrimmage. Tackle Matt Light had a cast on his right leg after the game.

In Seattle, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner injured his right groin while scrambling during the second quarter. Seahawks starting cornerback Andre Dyson also left the game after becoming sick in the first quarter.

Facing a third-and-9 at the Seattle 32 with 3:56 left in the first half, Warner was pressured and ran to his left. After throwing across his body, Warner began limping back toward the center of the field before going down and grabbing his right leg. He was replaced by Josh McCown on Arizona's next possession.

Arizona also lost nose tackle Russell Davis (biceps), linebacker Eric Johnson (left hamstring), and cornerbacks David Macklin (left hamstring) and Antrel Rolle (left knee) to injuries in the second half.

The New York Jets lost both starting quarterback Chad Pennington and his backup, Jay Fiedler, to shoulder injuries in an overtime loss to Jacksonville. Although Pennington returned when Fiedler went down, he was clearly hurting; each is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday.

Pennington, who had offseason surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in the same shoulder, was sacked on consecutive plays during the Jets' first series of the second half. Neither Pennington nor coach Herman Edwards wanted to speculate on the severity of the latest injury, but the quarterback said his shoulder felt "similar to last year."

Fiedler came in and led the Jets' next drive. But he was hit while completing a 16-yard pass — his sixth play in place of Pennington. Fiedler jogged off the field and into the locker room.

"I knew I wasn't going to be able to throw a football," Fiedler said.

Jets offensive tackle Jason Fabini left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured right knee and will have an MRI; linebacker Eric Barton has a sprained ankle. For the Jaguars, offensive tackle Maurice Williams sprained his right knee in overtime and right guard Chris Naeole also sprained his left knee, but coach Jack Del Rio said neither was serious.

Philadelphia Eagles' kicker David Akers, who hurt his right hamstring in last week's win against San Francisco, appeared to reinjure the muscle during the opening kickoff against visiting Oakland. He later returned to make the game-winning field goal.

Akers came up limping after his first kickoff attempt, but a penalty was called and Philadelphia was forced to kick again. After the second attempt, he fell down and was helped off the field. But another penalty was called, and third-string tight end Mike Bartrum was forced to kick off. The Eagles later used linebacker Mark Simoneau to try an extra point; his first attempt was blocked.

Akers returned to the game, however, to make a 23-yard field goal with 9 seconds left to lift the Eagles to a 23-20 victory.

"You know it's going to hurt for one second and then the game is over," said Akers, a two-time Pro Bowl kicker. "My whole leg hurts right now."

In St. Louis, Rams running back Steven Jackson missed the start of the second half with a rib injury; X-rays indicated no breaks. Jackson was back on the sideline and in uniform midway through the third quarter, but he didn't return.

The Rams were also without wide receiver Isaac Bruce, who sustained a turf toe injury near the end of the half.

Vikings defensive end Lance Johnstone left Minnesota's game against visiting New Orleans with a sprained shoulder, and cornerback Brian Williams did not return after spraining his knee in the second quarter. Minnesota was already playing without three injured starters: wide receiver Nate Burleson (sprained left knee), linebacker E.J. Henderson (sprained right ankle) and free safety Darren Sharper (sprained left knee).

The Bears lost tight end Desmond Clark to a neck strain in the first half of a home loss to Cincinnati.

In Miami, linebacker Junior Seau hurt his calf in the second half, and safety Tebucky Jones hurt his hamstring in the second quarter.

2005-09-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Week 2 designated "Hurricane Relief Weekend"

(Sept. 13, 2005) -- This Sunday and Monday in the NFL has been designated as "Hurricane Relief Weekend" and will culminate in an unprecedented fundraising telethon that will be part of ABC's NFL Monday Night Football programming

Under the theme of "Recover & Rebuild," the NFL, its clubs, network television partners and sponsors will use Week 2's games in a special way as part of an ongoing initiative to raise funds and bring attention to the massive needs of the Gulf Coast region following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.

Every NFL game this weekend will include elements that will highlight and contribute to the national relief effort. The NFL's network television partners also will participate in their programming. The weekend's activities will culminate with a fundraising telethon from ABC's Times Square studio in New York City that will be incorporated into the ABC and ESPN telecasts of the NFL's Monday Night Football doubleheader.

The New Orleans Saints-New York Giants game, originally scheduled for the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday, will be played on Monday night at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. ABC will televise the game until the 9 p.m. ET start of the Washington at Dallas game. At that time, the Saints-Giants telecast will switch to ESPN in most markets. The New York, Louisiana and selected hurricane-affected areas will see the Giants-Saints game to its conclusion on ABC before joining the Washington-Dallas game. The beginning of Dallas-Washington will be on ESPN in those markets until the conclusion of the Saints-Giants game.

MORE SURPRISES IN STORE?

Are things supposed to be this surprising this early? Well, yes, this is the NFL!

And off Week 1, it looks like fans can expect another topsy-turvy, season-long series of surprises.

The prime example may be four Week 1 games: Dallas-San Diego, Denver-Miami, Green Bay-Detroit and St. Louis-San Francisco. Compare the 2004 records of the winners and losers. The winning Cowboys, Dolphins, Lions and 49ers combined for an 18-46 (.281) record last year. The losers last Sunday? They were 40-24 (.625) in 2004.

"This is one game in a long season," said Dolphins head coach Nick Saban. A long -- and it looks like an unpredictable -- one indeed.

2005-09-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

Coors Brewing Company Renews Sponsorship of National Football League

GOLDEN, CO: Coors Brewing Company and the National Football League have signed a new multi-year sponsorship agreement, following three seasons as partners. The "Official Beer Sponsor" designation for Coors will now extend through the 2010 season.

"Coors has been an important part of the NFL family of sponsors since 2002 with its ongoing support of the NFL, its programs and teams," said Roger Goodell, the NFL's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "We are pleased to extend our partnership."

With hundreds of millions of fans worldwide, NFL football has been the favorite sport of consumers since 1965, according to Harris Poll research. In fact, more than 120 million viewers tune in to watchNFL football each week.

"The NFL is the single greatest sports property in the world and we are extremely pleased to remain associated with it -- particularly in light of the intense competition for the beer category sponsorship," said Frits van Paasschen, president and CEO of Coors Brewing Company.

"The NFL has been a terrific marketing partner for Coors and we look forward to creating exciting consumer programs that only the official beer of theNFL can offer," he said. In addition to general market programming, Coors will work with the NFL to create programs that engage the Hispanic consumer in the football experience.

Similar to the existing sponsorship agreement, Coors will continue to use NFL trademarks including the NFL Shield and the Super Bowl logo in advertising and promotions. In addition, under the new agreement, the brewer will also enjoy greater access to and involvement with localNFL teams, and will benefit from enhanced television rights on NFL Network and broadcast media.

Coors and the NFL initially signed a four-year sponsorship agreement in early 2002.

Copyright (C) 2005 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.

2005-08-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

Area flag football leagues teach players the basics without the contact

Thomas Rozwadowski

What area kid hasn’t thought of himself as Ahman Green while dodging neighborhood kids in his No. 30 Green Bay Packers jersey during a backyard football game?

It’s just too bad that an oversized fourth-grader keeps getting in the way of those dreams with his bone-crushing tackles.

If helmets and pads aren’t the safest bet for a future star running back looking to get his feet wet, there’s another game in town. And fortunately for some parents and kids, aches and pains aren’t part of the package deal.

“Speaking from experience with flag football leagues that I’ve been a part of, it’s something different,” said Greg LaPlante, who is running the Green Bay franchise for i9 Sports NFL flag football this fall. “We’re not trying to steal kids away from the Pop Warner leagues, and we’re not going to be able to do that anyway. But for parents or kids who think tackle is the only way to go, they should know a good portion don’t want to take that route, especially when they’re just getting started.”

While both tackle and flag leagues incorporate the fundamentals needed for football’s more advanced stages, the lack of physical contact at a young age makes it the more appealing choice for parent Patrick O’Connell of De Pere. The focus on speed, elusiveness and route running has him excited, rather than worried, to get his 7-year-old son Ryan on the field.

“You have to understand that he has an older brother who plays sports, so (Ryan’s) around it a lot and has become very interested,” O’Connell said. “And since football is his favorite sport, he kept asking, ‘When can I play this? When can I play this?’”

To prepare for his upcoming i9 Sports season, Ryan already has started running pass patterns in the living room. Outside of the occasional knocked over plant, there isn’t much to be concerned with when the grabbing of flags is involved.

“I just don’t think kids are ready to play tackle football until they’re older,” O’Connell said. “I see the lessons in flag football being more useful to him at this point.”

LaPlante’s son and daughter will also be playing in the i9 Sports league this year. The national franchise runs its Saturday morning games at Green Isle Park in Allouez and Holy Family School in west Green Bay.

“It goes a little bit beyond just football,” said LaPlante. “We offer Web site access for all registrants, and coaches have a password so they can put kids’ stats and game scores on the sites. Kids can see their names in the stat column, and coaches also have the ability to put articles up for the team. We get to edit it first, but ultimately, it gives the kids something extra to be excited about.”

Several area park and recreation departments or organizations are also offering flag football this fall, with Green Bay and De Pere topping the list. The Boys & Girls Club, YMCA and Sports Emporium in De Pere also have youth leagues starting next month.

“It’s a popular choice for parents and kids,” said Ernie Christus of De Pere’s park and recreation department. “Last year, we had about 160 kids overall. Usually parents are the ones that spot these things, and the kids are the ones who get to take advantage of the opportunities.”

This year will be the first time Bellevue’s park and recreation department is offering a youth flag skills class for 5- to 7-year-olds. The hourlong sessions in September and October are designed to get kids ready for flag or tackle leagues down the road.

“The plain and simple goal is to offer a very basic and fun introduction to football,” said Marty Kosobucki, Bellevue’s park and recreation director. “We hope it’s something that will complement Pop Warner leagues and other football programs in the area.”

Similarly, LaPlante said the goal of his league is to get the kids off the couch and learning the basics while football fever is at its height.

“No blocking, five-on-five and pass-oriented,” he said. “We just want to get the kids exercising and catching a lot of passes.”

Green Bay Press Gazette.

2005-08-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Ex-NFL Player Allegedly Crashes Car Into Teens
Suspect Was Wanted For Domestic Violence In San Diego

LOS ANGELES -- A former NFL football player wanted on domestic violence charges in San Diego and Los Angeles was taken into custody Sunday after allegedly driving a car into three teenagers with whom he had just played a game of pickup football.
Lawrence Phillips was arrested on the San Diego warrant following the attack on the teenagers, which occurred in Exposition Park at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday, according to Los Angeles police Officer Sandra Escalante.
Phillips, 30, could be charged with attempted murder in connection with the assault on the teens, who are between 13 and 17 years old, according to NBC4.
Myrna Flores, the mother of a 15-year-boy injured in the vehicular assault, said her son told her Phillips had joined the game with him and his friends, who all gather regularly at the park, the Los Angeles Times reported.
After the game, Phillips apparently couldn't find some of his possessions and asked the boys repeatedly what they had done with them. "The kids were amazed," Flores told The Times. "The kids said they didn't know where his belongings were."
Police said Phillips left but returned a short time later.
"Mr. Phillips left and came back in his car and drove at the group of juveniles that he had been playing with," LAPD Lt. Richard Gammel of the Los Angeles Police Department said.
Phillips was allegedly targeting six teenagers, three of whom were struck and injured. All three were released from California Medical Center after being treated for their injuries.
The car, a black Honda that police said was reported stolen in San Diego, had a dented hood and broken windshield.
Phillips, who was a running back with the St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers in the late 1990s, had been sought by police in Los Angeles and San Diego, where he has lived recently.
San Diego authorities were looking for him in connection with two alleged assaults this month on a 28-year-old girlfriend. On Aug. 2, Phillips allegedly assaulted the woman at her Mission Valley home, hitting her and choking her into unconsciousness. Eleven days later, he allegedly attacked her again in a bathroom during a house party in the Kearny Mesa area. In both cases, he fled the scene before police could detain him.
Phillips, who is 6 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds, allegedly has resisted arrest and recently told an officer, "There is no way you're going to arrest me," according to San Diego police Lt. Kathy Healey.
In December 2000, a Los Angeles judge issued an arrest warrant for Phillips when he failed to appear in court to face trial on charges of threatening and injuring a live-in girlfriend. Phillips had been arrested seven months earlier at his Beverly Hills home after authorities responded to a domestic violence call there. His injured girlfriend was treated at the scene.
Phillips spent his teens in a West Covina group home and first attracted national attention for violent behavior when he was a star player at the University of Nebraska, according to The Times.
In 1995, he was charged with trespassing and assault for an attack on a college girlfriend, who said he threatened to shoot her in the kneecaps and elbows, prompting the university to provide her with 24-hour protection, The Times reported. Phillips pleaded no contest and was sentenced to a year of probation, according to the newspaper.
The St. Louis Rams made Phillips the sixth choice in the 1996 NFL Draft. He struggled initially with the Rams, and eventually was suspended for insubordination. While with the Rams, Phillips, a graduate of Baldwin Park High School, pleaded no contest to a charge of driving while intoxicated in the San Gabriel Valley. Phillips was released by the Rams in 1997 and signed with the Dolphins later that year, only to be released after pleading no contest to hitting a woman.
The San Francisco 49ers signed Phillips after losing star Garrison Hearst to an injury, but he was released in 1999 because of insubordination. In 2001, Phillips reportedly walked out on the Florida Bobcats of the Arena Football League.
Phillips helped lead the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes to the 2002 Grey Cup but was released before the start of the 2003 season for not meeting the team's "minimum behavioral standards."

Copyright 2005 by NBC4.tv. City News Service

2005-08-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

Kanye West, Maroon 5 to Play NFL Show

LOS ANGELES - The National Football League will kick off the season Sept. 8 with concerts in three cities featuring a look back at the history of the Super Bowl.
A free concert outside Los Angeles Coliseum, site of the first Super Bowl, will include Grammy winners Kanye West and Maroon 5. They will be joined by former Super Bowl MVP Marcus Allen and the University of Southern California marching band. - NFL Football -
The other concerts will be held at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., home of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, and in Detroit, site of the next Super Bowl on Feb. 5. Green Day and Santana will perform in Foxboro, and Trisha Yearwood will sing the national anthem.
Portions of the concerts will air live on ABC's "NFL Opening Kickoff" special leading into the season opener between the Patriots and Oakland Raiders. - NFL Football -
The TV special will feature the first video footage of the Rolling Stones' tour, which plays Detroit on Aug. 31. - NFL Football -

The Associated Press

2005-08-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

YMCA kicks off football registration

Fall football registration for Henderson County YMCA football is now available.The fall league is preparing to kick off with registration running through Sept. 8. Director Todd Hutson, has scheduled Saturday registration in Athens at McDonald's from 11:00 am-1:00 pm, Aug. 13 and 20. Individuals and team coaches are invited to attend.This year's program is will expand its schedule with teams from Chandler, Brownsboro, Athens and LaPoynor. The league hopes to and is open for teams from other communities to join.This year's program will include flag and contact football along with a cheerleading program for the girls.This year the YMCA program will follow the guidelines set by the NFL Jr. Player Development program in teaching skills for football and life. The NFLJPD program has been designed for the benefit of the coaches and the players establishing practice sessions designed for safety, education, and development of life skills. Coaches are provided with recommended practice schedules are limited in length and number of practices per week, there are no two a days or practices in the heat of the day.The purpose of the YMCA football program as it is will all of its youth sports is to making fun of the activity while teaching values, helping to develop character and life skills. The YMCA's football program is designed to help in the growth of the player and participation of the family.Individuals and school teams may register prior to the coaches meeting to be held 6:30 pm, Sept. 8, at the YMCA office located in the Cain Center. The coaches will discuss league schedule and play dates during this meeting. League games will begin play the week of Sept. 24.

The Review

2005-07-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

Wireless pill might help NFL players beat heat

ST. PAUL, Minn. - (KRT) - Former Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Korey Stringer is the only NFL player to die of heatstroke.
Four years after he collapsed during training camp, the Vikings are exploring the use of a "radio pill" that would allow trainers to monitor players' body temperatures while they practice.
"We've been discussing it for months," Vikings trainer Chuck Barta said earlier this week. "We've been looking at different information. We're looking to see if we'll use it this year.
The system was developed by Palmetto, Fla.-based HQ Inc., and already is used by the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars. - NFL Football -
"It's been a good measuring tool for us to help prevent heat illness," Jaguars head trainer Mike Ryan said. "Any time you're in Florida in the summer, it's always a concern."
It gets hot in Mankato, too, and the Vikings open camp there on July 29. It was 84 degrees with a heat index of 97 the morning Stringer collapsed during conditioning drills. He had a body temperature of 108.8. Stringer was treated by a team of doctors for 14 hours before his organs shut down one by one and he died at Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital at 1:50 a.m., Aug. 1, 2001.
Stringer was just 27. An autopsy determined he died of multiple organ failure because of heatstroke. - NFL Football -
The new technology has gained notice in the wake of heat-related tragedies that have claimed the lives of Stringer as well as college and high school players over the past few years.
"We're always interested in looking at things that could help as far as the safety of our athletes," said Barta, who declined to estimate when the Vikings might decide on the system called CorTemp. - NFL Football -
At the system's heart are the pills, which contain a sensor and are ingested by the players and wirelessly transmit their core temperatures to a hand-held device.
"It basically has a crystal in it whose frequency is proportional to a temperature," HQ Inc. President Bill Hicks said. "As the temperature increases, the frequency increases and vice versa." - NFL Football -
Ryan said the Jaguars give the pills to certain players based on several variables, the biggest being whether they have a history of heat-related problems. He said players should take a pill at least two hours before practice, though the sensor begins transmitting temperatures as soon as it enters the body.
Hicks said food in the stomach area could affect the accuracy of the readings. Once it reaches the intestines, a process that can take several hours, the pill delivers a true core temperature.
"It can stay in the body for a couple of days and the pill itself can operate for nine days," Hicks said. "But generally, in the case of football players, the food's going to push through more quickly and therefore the pill's going to probably push through more quickly. So, as a general rule, it's a 24-hour, one-day pill." - NFL Football -
Each pill costs around $40, though HQ Inc. sales/marketing manager Susan Smith said the price tag varies according to volume and NFL teams pay closer to $30 a pill.
"The team would be required to buy probably several hundred of them to do baseline information on their at-risk players," she said.
A base CorTemp system consists of temperature pills and generally two or three data recorders, priced at $2,500 apiece. The data recorders allow a trainer to read a player's temperature with each recorder accepting up to 99 sensors. - NFL Football -
For an additional $4,000, a team can purchase a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a hand-held computer that allows one trainer to centrally monitor all players while their individual core temperatures are being taken by assistants. - NFL Football -
"It's a long-range system that interfaces with the PDA," Smith said. "You can have multiple athletic trainers or interns out in the field taking temps of up to 99 players. It's all sent back on a radio frequency to the PDA and the head team doc or some medical person can actually view all the players in real time." - NFL Football -
The technology has existed since the mid-1980s, but the product was developed for use in the space shuttle and only in recent years has it moved into the field of sports physiology. Several college programs use the system, including Illinois, Florida and Virginia Tech.
The Eagles have used the system for two seasons, the Jaguars for one. Smith said the company has been talking to the Vikings, Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers.
Eagles director of football media services Derek Boyko said Philadelphia trainers pulled a defensive lineman with no signs of heat stress off the field during a training camp practice last summer because he had a core temperature reading of 105.7. He later resumed activities.
The Jaguars will use the system again this season. "It seems to work well within our setting," Ryan said. - NFL Football -

DON SEEHOLZER AND JOHN SHIPLEY
Knight Ridder Newspapers

2005-07-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Former Clemson receiver Roscoe Crosby waits through NFL supplemental draft

(Columbia-) July 14, 2005 - Former Clemson receiver Roscoe Crosby is waiting to find out if he'll make the NFL's supplemental draft. - NFL Football -
The Union High school graduate played football at Clemson from 2001 to 2003 while under a Major League Baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals. Crosby had hoped to follow the paths of Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders by playing both sports, but injuries, indecision and personal issues distracted him. - NFL Football -
Crosby decided to focus his attention on the NFL earlier this year after he lost nearly half of his contract with the Royals. - NFL Football -
Crosby was a number 53-pick for the Royals in 2001 and had signed a $1.75 million dollar contract.

Associated Press

2005-07-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

Women play in Louisville football leauge

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. - Lisa Santiago is a basketball player. She normally plays in a league at Fort Knox, but was upset when it was canceled this year.
She found an alternative, though, that may raise some eyebrows.
Santiago is now a football player. She doesn't get paid yet, but that day will come soon enough, she said. Just finding a team and putting on a helmet was a start.
Santiago said her friends saw an ad for tryouts.
"I went out just to see," she said. "I didn't know they had even been playing. I tried out - did a few drills." - NFL Football -
Santiago is now a member of the National Women's Football Association's Kentucky Karma. The team, whose jerseys are light blue and purple, play home games at North Oldham High School in Goshen, north of Louisville. More than 60 women are on the roster.
The league is five years old, and according to Elizabethtown resident and receivers coach Rob Golsby, the rules are the same as regular football.
"Everything is pretty much the same," he said. "It's similar to the NFL."
There are 37 teams overall, and in their first full season, the Karma finished with a 5-3 record, tied for seventh place in their division and one win away from the playoffs.
"The whole season went so fast," said Central Hardin High School graduate Valerie Skillman. "It was such a new experience."
Skillman, who just graduated from Spalding University and is looking forward to medical school next year, is no stranger to athletics. She played soccer for St. Catharine College and Spalding, and has two stepbrothers she used to play football with in the back yard.
She has wanted to play football since she was four, she said. She got her chance this year, starting at center. Still, football was an adjustment from her days on the soccer field.
"I had to try to not avoid contact," she said. - NFL Football -
The physicality was an adjustment for Santiago, an outside linebacker, as well.
"The first day I hit I couldn't go to work the next day," she said. "I was laying on the bed with the phone by my head. It got easier after that. My body had to get used to being jarred like that."
Santiago has four sons and four brothers, so she was no stranger to some of the finer points of the game. She soon caught on to the rough play. - NFL Football -
"I'm going to play again," she said. "It just does something to you. You feel like you have power. I'm a hitter. I do the hitting. Defense is different. Offense can only push. It's an adrenaline rush."
Skillman said the games had other benefits, especially during the school year.
"It was a release from the stress of school," she said. She plans to play next year if she has time.
The team has received a good response from the community. Some teams currently pay their players; for the Karma, they must all find their own sponsors. Her residence hall at school sponsored Skillman. She was impressed with the support not only from school, but from the fans. - NFL Football -
"It really surprised me," she said. "I pulled up (before a game), and the crowd was already there. People were in the parking lot tailgating. I was pretty overwhelmed."
Tryouts start again in October, and Golsby, for one, is looking forward to them. The women learned the game this year through hard work, he said, and it is definitely a league worth watching.
"It grew into them," he said. "They had a desire to do it. They had the will to come out every practice, three times a week and games on Saturday night. Once they put the helmets on and everything you won't even recognize them as women." - NFL Football -

BRIAN T. KEHL
Associated Press

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

Obituary: Hank Stram / Winningest AFL coach, pro football pioneer

Hank Stram, the most successful coach in American Football League history and a TV and radio broadcaster for nearly two decades, died yesterday in a suburban New Orleans hospital. He was 82.
Mr. Stram died near his home in Covington, La., across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. He had been in declining health for several years, and his son attributed the death to complications from diabetes.
Mr. Stram, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was credited with developing the 3-4 defense, the two-tight-end formation and the moving pocket. When his coaching career was over, he worked as an analyst for CBS, first on television and then in the radio booth, where he called "Monday Night Football" alongside Jack Buck.
Mr. Stram did radio commentary for four Super Bowls, becoming the first person to participate in the National Football League championship game both as a winning coach, with the Kansas City Chiefs, and broadcaster.
Mr. Stram, who had suffered from diabetes for several years, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. Too weak to stand or walk on his own, he watched his prerecorded induction speech from a wheelchair.
During the AFL's 10-year history, Mr. Stram set league records by winning three championships and more games than any other AFL coach. He was coach of the Dallas Texans -- staying with them when they became the Kansas City Chiefs -- and later the New Orleans Saints.
Three years after losing the insaugural Super Bowl to the Green Bay Packers, 35-10, Mr. Stram's Kansas City team upset the Minnesota Vikings, 23-7, in Super Bowl IV in January 1970. It was the second consecutive Super Bowl victory by an AFL team and was further proof the NFL had met its match.
Mr. Stram 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.
For several years, Mr. Stram was the only coach not in the Hall of Fame among those who won the first 14 Super Bowls. He finally was elected by the hall's seniors committee.
Mr. Stram designed the moving pocket and the two-tight-end formation to buy extra time for his Kansas City quarterback, Len Dawson, and devised the 3-4 defense -- referring to three down linemen and four linebackers -- in an era when other coaches were using a 4-3.
Against the advice of other coaches who said a zone defense wouldn't work in pro football, Mr. Stram used the strategy throughout the 1962 AFL championship game, and his Texans intercepted five George Blanda passes on their way to a 20-17 double-overtime victory over the Houston Oilers.
In his 1970 book, "Illustrated History of Pro Football," author Ron Smith compared Mr. Stram to the legendary Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown and said Mr. Stram brought football "to a higher intellectual plane, or at least developed it in the direction of an academic discipline."
But Mr. Stram was known for his quirky sense of humor in an era when most high-profile coaches took themselves very seriously. He gave everyone nicknames.
"Hank had his own vocabulary," said Steve Sabol, president of NFL Films. "Hank was the Mentor. His players were called the Rats. The Chiefs didn't drive the ball; they matriculated the ball. Team priests were called blackbirds. The refs were called sausage stuffers."

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times

2005-06-29T11:10:00.000-07:00

Nutt uses Burlsworth as example to FHS campers

Few collegiate athletes ever actually live up to the term role model, but if one ever did, it was Brandon Burlsworth.

Arkansas head football coach Houston Nutt used the late Razorback All-American offensive lineman as an example Tuesday while speaking to the participants of Daryl Patton’s Fayetteville High Football Camp.

"Brandon was 6-foot-4, 323-pounds and ran a 4.9 flat 40-yard dash," Nutt bragged of Burlsworth, who died tragically in a car accident near Alpena just weeks after being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 NFL Draft. "But, Brandon’s greatest skill was listening."

Nutt explained how Burlsworth, who was the first UA football player to complete a master’s degree while still being a member of the team, meticulously carried out his football and academic assignments. "He was a great listener and tried to do everything just right, even the little things," Nutt said. "That made him a great team player and a great teammate.

" If he came into the locker room and there was tape or a Gatorade bottle on the floor, he would walk over and pick it up. If someone was telling a dirty joke, he would walk away. "Brandon always did more than was asked of him, and he always did it harder and faster than anyone else. He had a great heart and a great attitude, and that had nothing to do with his athletic ability. But it did help him be a great player and a great teammate."

Nutt said Burlsworth made a big impression on him the first day that they met. "After our first team meeting — it was Dec. 10, 1997 — Brandon came up and asked real softly if he could speak to me," Nutt said. "He told me, ‘Please, coach, whatever you do, don’t talk about rebuilding. We’ve had three coaches in my five seasons, and we don’t want to rebuild. We want to win.’

" That made a big impression on me. I’ll never forget it. "

Of course, the Razorbacks did win big in Nutt’s first season. The Hogs opened the year 8-0 before finishing the season 9-3 and ranked 16 th in the Associated Press poll.

Nutt encouraged the kids to be better listeners.

" You have two ears and one mouth, right, "Nutt said." So that means you should listen twice as much as you speak. "

Nutt also reminded the children to make the most of every day.

" These are the best days of your life, "Nutt said." Remember that while you are at camp. And when you go home, be grateful to your mom and your dad or your aunt. "Someone one at home made it possible for you to come to this camp, and you should be very grateful for this opportunity."

BY TERRY J. WOOD Northwest Arkansas Times

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

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SPORTS CALENDAR

UAM Softball Camp

University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms head softball coach Alvy Early will conduct a pair of fastpitch softball camps this summer, with a hitting/position camp to be held July 11-12 and a pitching/catching camp to be held July 25-26.

Both camps will take place at Blossom Field on the UAM campus. The camps are open to girls ages 6-18. For more information, contact coach Alvy Early at 870-460-1058.

ABC Football Camp

The second annual ABC Football Camp will hold two sessions in July at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock.

Former Arkansas Razorback running back Cedric Cobbs, who plays for the New England Partriots, is playing host to the camp. Other NFL players slated to attend will be Patriots receiver David Givens and linebacker Tally Banta-Cain. Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Cory Williams will also be an instructor.

The first session is July 1 and 2. Ages 5 through 8 work from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 and ages 9 through 13 will attend the second session of the day from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

On July 8 and 9 10 through 15-year-olds will work from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the first day and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second.

The tuition for one day is $59 and for two is $98. To register by phone call 501-562-4321 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

UAM Football Golf Tourney

MONTICELLO --The University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils football program will host a golf tournament on July 30 at the Monticello Country Club, UAM head football coach Gwaine Mathews announced today. Several former NFL players will be on hand for the event, along with the UAM coaching staff, faculty members, and administration.

For registration information, contact coach Mathews at (870)460-1817, or Joe Fakouri at (870)367-7230.

InterClub Basketball Tourney

The InerClub Basketball Youth Tourney will be played at the Pine Bluff Convention Center on July 8 and 9.

The 5-on-5 tournament is open to teams in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Individual trophies will be awarded to the top two teams.

To sign up contact Regis McBride at 469-223-0450.