HEAV
09-29-2005, 06:22 PM
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger will attend the homecoming game of his alma mater, Findlay High School in Ohio, this weekend and also drive his sister and her "date" to the homecoming dance, according to the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE.
"She's not old enough to drive, so I'm taking her to the dance. I'm chauffeuring her and her friend to the dance. My mom was going to take her in the minivan but I'm going to do it."
"I'm going to go in, I'm going to test the punch, make sure it's not spiked at the dance. I'm going to take care and make sure he doesn't try anything crazy."
Brett Favre, who turns 36 on Oct. 10, contemplated retirement before returning for a 14th full N.F.L. season, and this season's frustrations seem to be wearing on him. As the Packers prepared for a Monday night game at Carolina, a somber Favre repeated Wednesday that he had not decided if he would play beyond this season and admitted that he could not be sure the Packers would even take him back. "Do I think it can happen?" Favre said of the Packers possibly unloading him. "Sure, when the organization chooses to go a different route. To some people, it might seem crazy. But in a business where you're dealing with a salary cap, where the bottom line is winning, sure it can happen. "Would it surprise me? No. Nothing surprises me in this league, and that's with no hard feelings. I've had a great career to this point, so I would walk away with my head as high as anyone else. I don't think about that, whether that happens or I decide to walk away first. I'm thinking about Carolina this week."
The Jets were rebuffed when they asked if Patrick Ramsey might be available, Coach Joe Gibbs said. "I wasn't in the conversation," Gibbs said. "I certainly haven't talked about anything like that. As Vinny [Cerrato] said, it was a short conversation. There was no interest [on the Redskins' part]. We're concentrating on getting ready for Seattle."
Packers coach Mike Sherman was asked about a report by ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen that he would be replaced after the season by Philadelphia offensive coordinator Brad Childress. "If Chris Mortensen is talking about my eventual (successor), he just added 10 years to my career because he's never been right about those things anyway," Sherman said. "So I feel pretty good about it right now."
If there’s a mole in the house, Romeo Crennel wants to corner it. If not, he’s simply annoyed with Len Pasquarelli. The Browns’ head coach told his players Wednesday that a report Suggs is on the trading block is “b.s.” Pasquarelli reported on ESPN’s Web site that the running back is being shopped. The report was not attributed to a source. “I don’t know where Len got the information,” Crennel said. “Maybe he should say. He didn’t get it from me.” But then, the man in charge of Browns personnel is General Manager Phil Savage.
For the first time this season, the Seahawks and Shaun Alexander's representatives had some preliminary contract discussions on Sept. 23, two days before the running back scored four touchdowns against Arizona. No offers were exchanged, but healthy dialogue was. Talks will continue this season, but it's thought the later it gets in the year, the more difficult it's going to be to re-sign Alexander, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. But the Seahawks are going to be real busy. Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson, who opens so many of the holes that Alexander runs through, also is scheduled to become a free agent after this season. Talks between the two sides have broken off.
A day after using three players at right guard, the Vikings contacted semi-retired lineman David Dixon on Monday to gauge his interest in returning to the team. Dixon, who is coaching part-time at Burnsville High School, said he is not interested in playing.
The general impression is that Rams coach Mike Martz doesn't get along with members of the front office, particularly Jay Zygmunt, once considered a good friend and one of Martz's biggest boosters. "I have heard these things," John Shaw said. "I think that's so overblown and overstated. But it's become, I guess, a recent topic of discussion." This is largely so because of the recent "throat-slasher" comments by Samir Suleiman, a mid-level executive with the team who assists Zygmunt in contract negotiations and salary cap matters. Suleiman left a threatening phone message on the voice mail of Post-Dispatch sports columnist Bernie Miklasz earlier this month, creating a nationwide stir in NFL circles.
Offensive coordinator Ron Turner said this week’s open date would help the Bears get Cedric Benson more involved in the attack. That’s been the plan ever since Benson arrived 36 days later after a contract holdout. Asked what he’s learned since signing, the underutilized Benson said: “I’m not in Kansas anymore.” He’s certainly not in Texas, where he rushed for 5,540 yards as a Longhorn and for 8,423 at Lee High School in Midland. That’s the kind of production the Bears envision from Benson, but it’s a process. “We wanted to get him out there, and we’re going to bring him along,” Turner said. “Now we’ve got a couple days this week to do that. He’s still going to be a big factor, and we’ll definitely get him in the mix.” But there’s a limit to how involved Benson can get playing behind Thomas Jones, the third-leading rusher in the NFC with 276 yards, 4 touchdowns and a 4.5-yard average per carry. Game situations will also dictate how much action Benson gets. If the Bears jump ahead in games and have the luxury of keeping the ball on the ground, there will be enough carries to keep two runners content.
More than 12,000 tickets remain for the Saints’ Alamodome opener on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. But the team is confident that some local San Antonio businesses will agree to guarantee the remaining tickets in order to avoid a local television blackout. The NFL mandates that teams must sell out their games 48 hours in advance of kickoff in order to avoid a blackout. Saints owner/executive Rita Benson LeBlanc stressed that tickets will still be available for purchase to both the general public and potential sponsors. But she and Christian Archer, special assistant to San Antonio mayor Phil Hardberger, said they were confident that one or more local businesses would agree to pick up the tab if the game is not sold out. They did not identify the businesses by name but expected an announcement on Thursday.
Patriots running back Kevin Faulk will sit out Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers and, according to reports, could miss up to eight weeks. Faulk was injured on the game-winning drive vs. Pittsburgh. On the opening play, Faulk gained 17 yards on a pass from quarterback Tom Brady. He didn't play another down and was limping noticeably in the locker room after the game. Officially, Faulk is listed as having a foot injury. Faulk's agent, Raymond Brothers, did not return phone calls. While the Pats wouldn't divulge the extent of the injury, it was bad enough for them to make a move. Former Steelers running back Amos Zereoue, who came in for a tryout Tuesday, was signed yesterday. The ex-West Virginia star, who played last season with the Oakland Raiders, set career highs with Pittsburgh in 2002, totaling 1,103 yards from scrimmage (193 rushes for 762 yards and four touchdowns; 42 receptions for 341 yards), while starting five games. To make room for Zereoue, the Pats released wide receiver Andre' Davis, who was inactive the first three games due to injury. Davis was acquired in a trade from Cleveland and the fourth or fifth receiver on the depth chart.
The NFL is contemplating playing a regular-season game in London's Wembley Stadium next fall, and the Buccaneers appear to be a natural fit. The Cardinals and 49ers meet Sunday night at Mexico City, marking the first regular-season matchup played outside the United States in the NFL's 86-year history. "From our standpoint, we want to see how this works, what the impact is on our business and on our fan base from a team standpoint, and then base decisions on that experience," league CEO Roger Goodell said.
Former Packer Mike Wahle, whose new team is preparing for a game against his old team Monday night in Charlotte, said Wednesday that if coach Mike Sherman were still the general manager he probably would still be with the Packers. “To be honest with you at the beginning of the off-season I was under the impression that they were just going to extend that contract that I was on,” Wahle said. “Before Ted came in I was getting the idea from Sherman and those guys that that’s pretty much what was going to happen. was going to keep playing there. “When Ted came in, it was kind of known that he thought guards were an expendable commodity.”
The Eagles burning question: How long and how effectively can the quarterback continue to play with what now has been officially diagnosed as a sports hernia? "This injury, I feel, is a minor setback," Donovan McNabb said yesterday. "It's not going to take me away from what I do. It's not going to stop me from going out and making plays with my legs and making plays with my arm." McNabb, who also has severe chest and shin bruises, spent his day off Tuesday getting a second opinion on his abdominal injury from a doctor in Boston. He declined to identify the doctor, but whoever it was confirmed what Philadelphia-based surgeon William Meyers had told him earlier. "Everybody has agreed that it is now at the point where it can be classified as a sports hernia," trainer Rick Burkholder said. "It's a condition where you have a lower abdominal strain, and the lower abdominal strain becomes chronic to the point where you start to have groin pain." Rest won't help, according to Burkholder. Surgery will. But McNabb has been told he can keep playing, and that's the decision he has made with the blessing of coach Andy Reid, Burkholder and all the doctors who have poked and prodded his tender lower abdomen.
Encouraged by the results of numerous tests on his right shoulder, Chad Pennington claimed yesterday that his season-ending injury won't end his career. The Jets' franchise quarterback also defended his doctors and coaches, insisting they didn't rush him back from offseason shoulder surgery. "I am truly optimistic about the status of my shoulder," Pennington said in a statement released by the team, his first public remarks since the injury. "I know I will bounce back from this situation, and I refuse to feel sorry for myself. There are so many things in my life to be thankful for." Pennington, who returned to the Jets' facility after being examined in Birmingham, Ala., on Tuesday by noted orthopedist James Andrews, confirmed that he will rest and rehabilitate his damaged rotator cuff for two to three weeks before returning to Andrews for another exam. At that time, they will determine whether surgery is necessary.
Who Knew? Emmitt Smith had a Cowboys team-record 439 attempts – rushing and receiving – in 1995. Julius Jones is on pace to break that record and Smith's records for carries (377) in a season.
Nick Saban also confirmed that quarterback Rohan Davey was originally slated to have a free-agent workout with the Dolphins later this week. Davey, a former LSU quarterback under Saban who was released by New England during the preseason, instead signed Tuesday with Arizona. Having four quarterbacks in camp would suggest a move of some sort. A call to the agent of third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley wasn't returned.
Linebacker Jamie Winborn, a defensive fixture for the 49ers the past five years, left the team Wednesday at the behest of Coach Mike Nolan after the two disagreed over the player's recent demotion to a backup role. Nolan said the 49ers were actively pursuing a trade of Winborn, 26. Although he remains on the payroll, Winborn no longer will work with the team, to avoid the possibility of an injury that could derail a trade. There is no doubt, however, that the 49ers and Winborn have parted company. The name-plate on Winborn's locker already has been removed and his personal effects cleared out. ``He sees himself as a starter and it's tough for him to be a backup,'' Nolan said.
St. Louis Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce has been listed as doubtful for the team's game against the New York Giants on Sunday because of a turf toe. "I don't know what to tell you," Rams coach Mike Martz said when asked about Bruce's health status. "I'd just as soon not comment on anything because I really don't know. "It's kind of up to how he feels. We'll just see. I'm not going to worry about it right now." Martz said the decision on whether Bruce plays against the Giants might not be made until Sunday morning before the game. "If Isaac is ready to go, he's ready to go," Martz said. "We'll talk to him everyday and see how he is."
Perhaps most striking is Oakland's 3-13 mark under Kerry Collins' guidance, including an 0-3 mark this season. The Raiders went 2-1 under Gannon last season and 45-29 in the regular-season games Gannon started from 1999-2004. Collins has heard this before. His record as a starter during his 11-year NFL career stands at 62-71. Raiders coach Norv Turner has been a staunch supporter of Collins from the outset. He backed the team's decision to pursue Collins after he got cut by the New York Giants early in 2004 and viewed him as the ideal fit for an offensive scheme that relies on a strong-armed quarterback. There are signs that Collins has matured in Turner's offense and is primed for a career season.
Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens sat with Freddie Mitchell in the front row by the Mets dugout, which led to one of the evening's highlights when the visiting batboy flipped a foul ball to Mitchell and the crowd booed. Mitchell gave the ball to Owens and the jeers turned to cheers.
Brett Favre on Wednesday wouldn’t give much indication whether the Packers’ performance will be a major factor in whether he returns in ’06. He said he felt more uncertainty going into this season about how the team would perform than in any past year, which suggests he considered the possibility the team could slip when he decided to return. “At 0-3, I think most people would say, ‘He’s gone after this year, they may not even want him back’ or whatever,” Favre said. “I haven’t even thought about it, really. I’d much rather be 3-0, believe me. But if I was sitting here and we were 3-0, I don’t think in the back of my mind I’d be saying I’m definitely coming back because we’re 3-0. I’m just going to take it game by game and try to get this back on track and see what happens.”
The Indianapolis Colts' defense is the NFL's stingiest and arguably the most disruptive, and has made impressive strides thus far in dealing with opposing running attacks. Surely, the primary reason for the noticeable upgrade is the most noticeable addition, 300-plus-pound tackle Corey Simon. But a burning question persists: How big is the giant? "I'm going to keep it a secret," Simon said, smiling. "I'll say I'm not 293." That's his listed weight. "I haven't been 293 since college," he said. Coach Tony Dungy is privy to Simon's weight, but won't share it, other than to agree "he's not 293." OK, is it 393?, a reporter asked. "He's not 393," Dungy replied. "Somewhere in between.
The Ravens are expected to put fullback Alan Ricard, inactive the first two games with what the team says was a lingering calf injury, back in the lineup. Without Ricard, the Ravens have averaged 45.5 yards a game on the ground, worst in the NFL. "You don't think a fullback would make that much of a difference, but when you're trying to be a physical team, when you're trying to have that demeanor as a physical offensive team and you want to wear the defense down and carry the ball in the third and fourth quarter, you can't do that without a fullback," Lewis said.
Who Knew? Vinny Testaverde is the all-time leading passer for the Ravens with 7,148 yards, 51 touchdowns and 34 interceptions. He owns 25 franchise records, including most 300-yard games (eight), most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (13) and most times sacked (54).
Look for the Vikings, whose first-round draft pick next April is expected to be about No. 12, to try to trade up to get Gophers running back Laurence Maroney, who could go as high as No. 5 overall. It's a foregone conclusion that Maroney, a junior, will opt for the draft. Even if Maroney were a top-10 pick, he could expect a signing bonus of about $10 million.
Did You Know? A sports hernia is a strain of the abdominal wall resulting from the overuse of groin muscles. The main symptom is groin pain that can linger for weeks or months. It increases with sudden movement, acceleration, twisting and turning, and kicking. Several weeks of rest sometimes can resolve the problem, but in many cases surgery is needed to reinforce the wall.
http://www.benmaller.com/
"She's not old enough to drive, so I'm taking her to the dance. I'm chauffeuring her and her friend to the dance. My mom was going to take her in the minivan but I'm going to do it."
"I'm going to go in, I'm going to test the punch, make sure it's not spiked at the dance. I'm going to take care and make sure he doesn't try anything crazy."
Brett Favre, who turns 36 on Oct. 10, contemplated retirement before returning for a 14th full N.F.L. season, and this season's frustrations seem to be wearing on him. As the Packers prepared for a Monday night game at Carolina, a somber Favre repeated Wednesday that he had not decided if he would play beyond this season and admitted that he could not be sure the Packers would even take him back. "Do I think it can happen?" Favre said of the Packers possibly unloading him. "Sure, when the organization chooses to go a different route. To some people, it might seem crazy. But in a business where you're dealing with a salary cap, where the bottom line is winning, sure it can happen. "Would it surprise me? No. Nothing surprises me in this league, and that's with no hard feelings. I've had a great career to this point, so I would walk away with my head as high as anyone else. I don't think about that, whether that happens or I decide to walk away first. I'm thinking about Carolina this week."
The Jets were rebuffed when they asked if Patrick Ramsey might be available, Coach Joe Gibbs said. "I wasn't in the conversation," Gibbs said. "I certainly haven't talked about anything like that. As Vinny [Cerrato] said, it was a short conversation. There was no interest [on the Redskins' part]. We're concentrating on getting ready for Seattle."
Packers coach Mike Sherman was asked about a report by ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen that he would be replaced after the season by Philadelphia offensive coordinator Brad Childress. "If Chris Mortensen is talking about my eventual (successor), he just added 10 years to my career because he's never been right about those things anyway," Sherman said. "So I feel pretty good about it right now."
If there’s a mole in the house, Romeo Crennel wants to corner it. If not, he’s simply annoyed with Len Pasquarelli. The Browns’ head coach told his players Wednesday that a report Suggs is on the trading block is “b.s.” Pasquarelli reported on ESPN’s Web site that the running back is being shopped. The report was not attributed to a source. “I don’t know where Len got the information,” Crennel said. “Maybe he should say. He didn’t get it from me.” But then, the man in charge of Browns personnel is General Manager Phil Savage.
For the first time this season, the Seahawks and Shaun Alexander's representatives had some preliminary contract discussions on Sept. 23, two days before the running back scored four touchdowns against Arizona. No offers were exchanged, but healthy dialogue was. Talks will continue this season, but it's thought the later it gets in the year, the more difficult it's going to be to re-sign Alexander, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. But the Seahawks are going to be real busy. Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson, who opens so many of the holes that Alexander runs through, also is scheduled to become a free agent after this season. Talks between the two sides have broken off.
A day after using three players at right guard, the Vikings contacted semi-retired lineman David Dixon on Monday to gauge his interest in returning to the team. Dixon, who is coaching part-time at Burnsville High School, said he is not interested in playing.
The general impression is that Rams coach Mike Martz doesn't get along with members of the front office, particularly Jay Zygmunt, once considered a good friend and one of Martz's biggest boosters. "I have heard these things," John Shaw said. "I think that's so overblown and overstated. But it's become, I guess, a recent topic of discussion." This is largely so because of the recent "throat-slasher" comments by Samir Suleiman, a mid-level executive with the team who assists Zygmunt in contract negotiations and salary cap matters. Suleiman left a threatening phone message on the voice mail of Post-Dispatch sports columnist Bernie Miklasz earlier this month, creating a nationwide stir in NFL circles.
Offensive coordinator Ron Turner said this week’s open date would help the Bears get Cedric Benson more involved in the attack. That’s been the plan ever since Benson arrived 36 days later after a contract holdout. Asked what he’s learned since signing, the underutilized Benson said: “I’m not in Kansas anymore.” He’s certainly not in Texas, where he rushed for 5,540 yards as a Longhorn and for 8,423 at Lee High School in Midland. That’s the kind of production the Bears envision from Benson, but it’s a process. “We wanted to get him out there, and we’re going to bring him along,” Turner said. “Now we’ve got a couple days this week to do that. He’s still going to be a big factor, and we’ll definitely get him in the mix.” But there’s a limit to how involved Benson can get playing behind Thomas Jones, the third-leading rusher in the NFC with 276 yards, 4 touchdowns and a 4.5-yard average per carry. Game situations will also dictate how much action Benson gets. If the Bears jump ahead in games and have the luxury of keeping the ball on the ground, there will be enough carries to keep two runners content.
More than 12,000 tickets remain for the Saints’ Alamodome opener on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. But the team is confident that some local San Antonio businesses will agree to guarantee the remaining tickets in order to avoid a local television blackout. The NFL mandates that teams must sell out their games 48 hours in advance of kickoff in order to avoid a blackout. Saints owner/executive Rita Benson LeBlanc stressed that tickets will still be available for purchase to both the general public and potential sponsors. But she and Christian Archer, special assistant to San Antonio mayor Phil Hardberger, said they were confident that one or more local businesses would agree to pick up the tab if the game is not sold out. They did not identify the businesses by name but expected an announcement on Thursday.
Patriots running back Kevin Faulk will sit out Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers and, according to reports, could miss up to eight weeks. Faulk was injured on the game-winning drive vs. Pittsburgh. On the opening play, Faulk gained 17 yards on a pass from quarterback Tom Brady. He didn't play another down and was limping noticeably in the locker room after the game. Officially, Faulk is listed as having a foot injury. Faulk's agent, Raymond Brothers, did not return phone calls. While the Pats wouldn't divulge the extent of the injury, it was bad enough for them to make a move. Former Steelers running back Amos Zereoue, who came in for a tryout Tuesday, was signed yesterday. The ex-West Virginia star, who played last season with the Oakland Raiders, set career highs with Pittsburgh in 2002, totaling 1,103 yards from scrimmage (193 rushes for 762 yards and four touchdowns; 42 receptions for 341 yards), while starting five games. To make room for Zereoue, the Pats released wide receiver Andre' Davis, who was inactive the first three games due to injury. Davis was acquired in a trade from Cleveland and the fourth or fifth receiver on the depth chart.
The NFL is contemplating playing a regular-season game in London's Wembley Stadium next fall, and the Buccaneers appear to be a natural fit. The Cardinals and 49ers meet Sunday night at Mexico City, marking the first regular-season matchup played outside the United States in the NFL's 86-year history. "From our standpoint, we want to see how this works, what the impact is on our business and on our fan base from a team standpoint, and then base decisions on that experience," league CEO Roger Goodell said.
Former Packer Mike Wahle, whose new team is preparing for a game against his old team Monday night in Charlotte, said Wednesday that if coach Mike Sherman were still the general manager he probably would still be with the Packers. “To be honest with you at the beginning of the off-season I was under the impression that they were just going to extend that contract that I was on,” Wahle said. “Before Ted came in I was getting the idea from Sherman and those guys that that’s pretty much what was going to happen. was going to keep playing there. “When Ted came in, it was kind of known that he thought guards were an expendable commodity.”
The Eagles burning question: How long and how effectively can the quarterback continue to play with what now has been officially diagnosed as a sports hernia? "This injury, I feel, is a minor setback," Donovan McNabb said yesterday. "It's not going to take me away from what I do. It's not going to stop me from going out and making plays with my legs and making plays with my arm." McNabb, who also has severe chest and shin bruises, spent his day off Tuesday getting a second opinion on his abdominal injury from a doctor in Boston. He declined to identify the doctor, but whoever it was confirmed what Philadelphia-based surgeon William Meyers had told him earlier. "Everybody has agreed that it is now at the point where it can be classified as a sports hernia," trainer Rick Burkholder said. "It's a condition where you have a lower abdominal strain, and the lower abdominal strain becomes chronic to the point where you start to have groin pain." Rest won't help, according to Burkholder. Surgery will. But McNabb has been told he can keep playing, and that's the decision he has made with the blessing of coach Andy Reid, Burkholder and all the doctors who have poked and prodded his tender lower abdomen.
Encouraged by the results of numerous tests on his right shoulder, Chad Pennington claimed yesterday that his season-ending injury won't end his career. The Jets' franchise quarterback also defended his doctors and coaches, insisting they didn't rush him back from offseason shoulder surgery. "I am truly optimistic about the status of my shoulder," Pennington said in a statement released by the team, his first public remarks since the injury. "I know I will bounce back from this situation, and I refuse to feel sorry for myself. There are so many things in my life to be thankful for." Pennington, who returned to the Jets' facility after being examined in Birmingham, Ala., on Tuesday by noted orthopedist James Andrews, confirmed that he will rest and rehabilitate his damaged rotator cuff for two to three weeks before returning to Andrews for another exam. At that time, they will determine whether surgery is necessary.
Who Knew? Emmitt Smith had a Cowboys team-record 439 attempts – rushing and receiving – in 1995. Julius Jones is on pace to break that record and Smith's records for carries (377) in a season.
Nick Saban also confirmed that quarterback Rohan Davey was originally slated to have a free-agent workout with the Dolphins later this week. Davey, a former LSU quarterback under Saban who was released by New England during the preseason, instead signed Tuesday with Arizona. Having four quarterbacks in camp would suggest a move of some sort. A call to the agent of third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley wasn't returned.
Linebacker Jamie Winborn, a defensive fixture for the 49ers the past five years, left the team Wednesday at the behest of Coach Mike Nolan after the two disagreed over the player's recent demotion to a backup role. Nolan said the 49ers were actively pursuing a trade of Winborn, 26. Although he remains on the payroll, Winborn no longer will work with the team, to avoid the possibility of an injury that could derail a trade. There is no doubt, however, that the 49ers and Winborn have parted company. The name-plate on Winborn's locker already has been removed and his personal effects cleared out. ``He sees himself as a starter and it's tough for him to be a backup,'' Nolan said.
St. Louis Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce has been listed as doubtful for the team's game against the New York Giants on Sunday because of a turf toe. "I don't know what to tell you," Rams coach Mike Martz said when asked about Bruce's health status. "I'd just as soon not comment on anything because I really don't know. "It's kind of up to how he feels. We'll just see. I'm not going to worry about it right now." Martz said the decision on whether Bruce plays against the Giants might not be made until Sunday morning before the game. "If Isaac is ready to go, he's ready to go," Martz said. "We'll talk to him everyday and see how he is."
Perhaps most striking is Oakland's 3-13 mark under Kerry Collins' guidance, including an 0-3 mark this season. The Raiders went 2-1 under Gannon last season and 45-29 in the regular-season games Gannon started from 1999-2004. Collins has heard this before. His record as a starter during his 11-year NFL career stands at 62-71. Raiders coach Norv Turner has been a staunch supporter of Collins from the outset. He backed the team's decision to pursue Collins after he got cut by the New York Giants early in 2004 and viewed him as the ideal fit for an offensive scheme that relies on a strong-armed quarterback. There are signs that Collins has matured in Turner's offense and is primed for a career season.
Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens sat with Freddie Mitchell in the front row by the Mets dugout, which led to one of the evening's highlights when the visiting batboy flipped a foul ball to Mitchell and the crowd booed. Mitchell gave the ball to Owens and the jeers turned to cheers.
Brett Favre on Wednesday wouldn’t give much indication whether the Packers’ performance will be a major factor in whether he returns in ’06. He said he felt more uncertainty going into this season about how the team would perform than in any past year, which suggests he considered the possibility the team could slip when he decided to return. “At 0-3, I think most people would say, ‘He’s gone after this year, they may not even want him back’ or whatever,” Favre said. “I haven’t even thought about it, really. I’d much rather be 3-0, believe me. But if I was sitting here and we were 3-0, I don’t think in the back of my mind I’d be saying I’m definitely coming back because we’re 3-0. I’m just going to take it game by game and try to get this back on track and see what happens.”
The Indianapolis Colts' defense is the NFL's stingiest and arguably the most disruptive, and has made impressive strides thus far in dealing with opposing running attacks. Surely, the primary reason for the noticeable upgrade is the most noticeable addition, 300-plus-pound tackle Corey Simon. But a burning question persists: How big is the giant? "I'm going to keep it a secret," Simon said, smiling. "I'll say I'm not 293." That's his listed weight. "I haven't been 293 since college," he said. Coach Tony Dungy is privy to Simon's weight, but won't share it, other than to agree "he's not 293." OK, is it 393?, a reporter asked. "He's not 393," Dungy replied. "Somewhere in between.
The Ravens are expected to put fullback Alan Ricard, inactive the first two games with what the team says was a lingering calf injury, back in the lineup. Without Ricard, the Ravens have averaged 45.5 yards a game on the ground, worst in the NFL. "You don't think a fullback would make that much of a difference, but when you're trying to be a physical team, when you're trying to have that demeanor as a physical offensive team and you want to wear the defense down and carry the ball in the third and fourth quarter, you can't do that without a fullback," Lewis said.
Who Knew? Vinny Testaverde is the all-time leading passer for the Ravens with 7,148 yards, 51 touchdowns and 34 interceptions. He owns 25 franchise records, including most 300-yard games (eight), most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (13) and most times sacked (54).
Look for the Vikings, whose first-round draft pick next April is expected to be about No. 12, to try to trade up to get Gophers running back Laurence Maroney, who could go as high as No. 5 overall. It's a foregone conclusion that Maroney, a junior, will opt for the draft. Even if Maroney were a top-10 pick, he could expect a signing bonus of about $10 million.
Did You Know? A sports hernia is a strain of the abdominal wall resulting from the overuse of groin muscles. The main symptom is groin pain that can linger for weeks or months. It increases with sudden movement, acceleration, twisting and turning, and kicking. Several weeks of rest sometimes can resolve the problem, but in many cases surgery is needed to reinforce the wall.
http://www.benmaller.com/