HEAV
12-17-2005, 08:59 AM
There is no special exemption for David Carr. Texans consultant Dan Reeves is here to evaluate every player, and that includes quarterbacks with an $8 million option at the end of the season. Texans owner Bob McNair made it clear throughout much of the season that he believes Carr belongs in the organization for the long term. Now Carr has three weeks to also earn the respect of Reeves. Even with Reeves on board, though, no one should expect McNair's stance to change. He will listen to Reeves' input, but McNair will make the final decision. "I think David has all the ability in the world, but we haven't always given him the best chance to use it," McNair said. "I'm not saying I'm an expert, but I've been at it long enough to make some judgments, and that's something I believe in." The $8 million question will surround Carr until the Texans write the check that will extend his contract through the 2008 season. The deadline is almost two months away. The Texans don't have to make the decision until the last game of the NFL season — the Pro Bowl in this case. Expect them to make it much sooner.
The Buffalo Bills almost certainly will undertake a major overhaul after this season and if Mike Mularkey is part of the purge, here's hoping his replacement would have some positive experience as an NFL head coach. An obvious candidate would be former Bills linebacker Jim Haslett. Haslett this week denied reports that he plans to resign at the end of this season or that he recently asked team owner Tom Benson to fire him, but it won't be a surprise if he doesn't return to the Saints. Haslett was a star linebacker for the Bills, launched his coaching career at the University at Buffalo (linebackers coach for one year and defensive coordinator for two years) and by all accounts would consider returning to the Bills organization an honor and privilege.
Fox Sports John Czarnecki writes... How about Cowboys coach Bill Parcells in Motown? It's definitely a wish-list idea. I know Matt Millen — Parcells is definitely his type of coach. You know the Tuna's style, his way or the highway. And Millen wants a disciplinarian for his next coach, probably his last hiring with the Lions. Parcells, though, is considering a contract extension from Dallas owner Jerry Jones. Parcells currently has one year left at $4.6 million on his original four-year contract. And why hasn't Parcells signed that contract extension? Does he want to wiggle his way out of Dallas? There is no doubt that Parcells has friends in Detroit and has always respected Lions owner William Clay Ford, a noted hands-off owner and one who believes in spending money in order to build a winner. It just hasn't happened for him. Parcells and Millen are friends, too. Parcells is sympathetic to Millen's plight.
In recent weeks, Steve McNair has given every indication he wants to return to the Titans in 2006. So far, Titans officials continue to say publicly that they want him back. But some hurdles will have to be cleared if McNair turns his back on retirement. For starters, his contract will need to be reworked. McNair's agent, Bus Cook, was in Nashville last week. Titans General Manager Floyd Reese said they've had initial conversations about McNair's contract, but there's been no real progress due to the up-in-the air status of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
With Baltimore Ravens coach Brian BIllick on the hot seat, speculation from Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston is that the Jaguars' Jack Del Rio could be on the team's most-wanted list behind Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. Preston cites an alleged lukewarm relationship between Del Rio and Weaver as part of his reasoning for making the Jaguars coach a potential Billick replacement. One thing is certain: If anyone with an opening shows an interest in Del Rio, it will only drive up the asking price on Del Rio's likely contract extension after this season. Ending the Jaguars' five-year playoff drought should give Del Rio, the NFL's second-lowest paid coach this year at $1.3 million, enough leverage to at least double his salary.
It won't be a shock if Buffalo Bills soon-to-be free-agent wide receiver Eric Moulds winds up replacing Terrell Owens in Philadelphia next season.
NFL teams are acting improperly by trying to force players to return portions of the signing bonuses in their contracts as a form of punishment for misbehavior, Players Association chief Gene Upshaw said. Several clubs, including the Philadelphia Eagles in their dealings with deactivated wide receiver Terrell Owens, have used the tactic recently, and Upshaw said in an interview this week the union has warned players and agents not to agree to contracts containing language that gives teams the right to force the return of bonus money. Those clauses continue to show up in contracts anyway, Upshaw said, because the players and agents compromise on the language in the give-back clauses during negotiations in exchange for receiving more money. "We knew this was coming," Upshaw said. "When T.O. signed that contract, we told him not to. We told him the language in there was bad, but he signed it anyway. All these issues with the signing bonuses, we're going to fix them when we get this new collective bargaining agreement. We can't tolerate teams going after signing bonuses every time a player spits on the sidewalk."
DT Anthony McFarland was having a solid season, but his history of missing late-season games is a point of annoyance to the Bucs. After restructuring his contract to give the Bucs cap room to trade for quarterback Tim Rattay in October, McFarland's cap number will exceed $8-million next season. That might force the Bucs to re-evaluate McFarland's future, especially because they want to re-sign Chris Hovan, who will become a free agent. Remember, Hovan went to a Pro Bowl playing under tackle for Minnesota.
Dennis Green wants the Rams' head coaching job and will pursue it if he can get out of his contract with the Arizona Cardinals
Mike Martz has received medical clearance to resume coaching, effective Jan. 1. Rams president John Shaw confirmed Friday that he received notification of this in writing from Martz’s doctor, Victoria Fraser, of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Shaw also said that Martz’s agent, Bob LaMonte, phoned Thursday to inform him that Martz had been cleared medically -- effective Jan. 1. Shaw repeatedly has said that he would not discuss Martz’s future with Martz or LaMonte until Martz was medically cleared. Those discussions can now begin on Jan. 1, and are expected to lead to a negotiated settlement that will end Martz’s tenure as Rams head coach after six seasons. As soon as a settlement is reached, for something less than the $3.25 million, the Rams can begin their search for a new head coach and Martz can begin his search for a new head-coaching job elsewhere in the National Football League.
Jon Runyan is in the final year of his contract and, as with Tra Thomas and Hank Fraley, there is good chance he may not be back. Both Runyan and Reid, who limited his final comments of the week yesterday to a season-low four minutes (talk about mailing it in with the media), said they would like the relationship to continue beyond 2005-06. But a one- or two-year deal for significantly less money likely is the only way that will happen with emerging young players up and down the Eagles' line. "We'll worry about (a new contract) when it comes, but that's when it becomes a business decision," said Runyan, a Pro Bowler in 2002. "That's why if you are able to play you better get out and do it because the next guy, if he has a good showing, is going to take your job."
The Carolina Panthers released seldom-used wide receiver Rod Gardner on Friday. Acquired in a trade from the Washington Redskins in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in July, Gardner had just nine receptions for 84 yards and one touchdown for the Panthers in 10 games.
Could this season be it for fullback William Henderson in Green Bay? Like three of the six running backs for whom he has blocked for this season - Ahman Green, Najeh Davenport and Tony Fisher - Henderson's contract is up at the end of the season. He has no idea whether general manager Ted Thompson's plans include him.
Cowboys work out three players: Quarterback Dustin Long and receivers Christian Pereira and Richard Alston worked out for the Cowboys on Friday. Long is a former Texas A&M and Sam Houston quarterback. Pereira played at Maine last year and Alston returned kickoffs for the Cleveland Browns.
Saints WR Joe Horn on why he wants the team to return to New Orleans: "People from our area ask me all the time, 'Joe, why don't you all come home?' We can go back. 'Why can't y'all come back?' I hate the way we left. We were run out of town by a hurricane. I want to go back because I can't retire the way we left. We left with kids dying in the Superdome, and families losing all they had. Take Joe Horn away from being a football player. I know people who were staying in the Superdome and the Convention Center and who sat on that bridge for two nights. If I had been left in New Orleans, I would have been pulling some of the same things those people did, man. I would have gone into survivor mode. I would have found me a boat or walked in water and broke into one of those stores and gotten Pampers or milk. I would have gotten anything I could have gotten my hands on -- colas, Snickers, anything I could get my hands on. I would have done anything in my power to help the people in the streets and on the bridges, to give them something to put in their mouths and something to put on their bodies, until somebody had enough guts to get us up out of there. Seeing that on TV and crying my eyes out in California, I wanted to be on that bridge. I wanted to go back home and help all those senior citizens out of their homes, and I couldn't. It wasn't about football to me. My heart went out to those babies on the streets, those people in the Superdome, and I wanted to help. I wanted to steal a bus and drive those people to Houston. I wanted to be a part of that bandwagon. That's why Joe Horn wants to go back to New Orleans and Louisiana, so I can at least be a part of the rebuilding process before I retire. The Saints probably won't stay in New Orleans, because economically we can't survive. But at least we can come back and give the fans an opportunity to show if they can support us.
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Texans owner Bob McNair said for the second day in a row he did not offer NFL analyst Jimmy Johnson a coaching job. A report surfaced in the New York Daily News on Friday, and McNair maintained his stance that he never posed such a question to Johnson. "I did not offer him a job," McNair said. "He says he's very happy doing what he's doing, and I understand that."
Ravens nickel back Deion Sanders will likely play for the last time on the regular-season's biggest stage when the Ravens host Green Bay. It will be the first time Sanders has played on Monday night since coming out of retirement before last season. Sanders says he has nothing special planned, having passed the point in his 14-year career where he feels the need for theatrics with the NFL community watching. "It means the opportunity to get a win," Sanders said. "I'm far past the place where I'm looking for stages. I'm not looking for another stage. I've been past that for years. We need a win, we need to finish strong and certain guys need to be evaluated for next season." Sanders is not one of those guys. Although he declined to say what he has decided, Sanders did not deny that this will be his final season. "Of course I have [made a decision], but I won't tell you," Sanders said.
Colts team president Bill Polian added some fuel to the Indianapolis-Jacksonville rivalry with comments he made about the Jaguars on his team's Web site this week. As part of a weekly question-and-answer session, Polian said the Jaguars were "over-hyped'' leading up to last Sunday's 26-18 Colts victory and criticized them for the plays that led to fines for Peterson and Henderson. "All of the noise and all of the trash-talking and the denigrating columns had absolutely no bearing on the game, except perhaps in the negative sense that Jacksonville was over-hyped and committed some very ill-advised penalties,'' Polian told the Colts' Web site.
Jags coach Jack Del Rio took time off Friday night for the wedding of his stepdaughter in Amelia Island. Lauren Del Rio, 24, is the daughter of Del Rio's wife, Linda, and a former LSU student. Jack Del Rio adopted Lauren after getting married in 1988.
Two Jaguars defenders felt the sting of last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts in their wallets Friday. The NFL fined middle linebacker Mike Peterson $10,000 and defensive tackle John Henderson $7,500 for three separate instances of unnecessary roughness against the Colts.
Vikings coach Mike Tice had the longest NFL playing career of any of the league's head coaches. Tice, a former tight end, played 14 seasons with three teams -- Seattle (1981-88, 1990-91), Washington (1989) and Minnesota (1992-93, 1995). He was a teammate of Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm with the Redskins. Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio (11 seasons), Herman Edwards of the New York Jets (10), Jim Haslett of New Orleans (9) and Buffalo's Mike Mularkey (9) had the longest playing careers after Tice.
Green Bay running back Samkon Gado leads all NFL rookies with seven touchdowns this season. Tampa Bay's Carnell "Cadillac" Williams has scored five times in 11 games and has 924 rushing yards. In seven games, Gado has rushed for 539 yards. Williams averages 4.11 yards per carry; Gado 3.9.
Authorities in Broward County, Fla., announced Friday that there was insufficient evidence to charge Green Bay Packers cornerback Al Harris with a crime in an alleged sexual assault last April at a strip club in Pompano Beach, Fla.
Jets cornerback Ty Law was halfway out the door when a reporter told him that somebody in the organization had said privately that Law would not be brought back for a second season with the team. Law, an 11-year veteran, tugged at the black stocking cap on his head as if to fend off an arctic blast. "I've heard that, too," he said Thursday. "If I was a betting man, I'd pretty much say that, too. The reality is I probably won't be back. I'm fine with that."
RB Tiki Barber won't play for another team other than the New York Giants. "We're here for good," Barber said. Even the Giants cannot trade his life away. "Because if they traded me, I'd retire," he said. He would not really retire; he would somehow become even busier doing other things. He has three more seasons left on his contract, but he said he doubted he would fulfill them, even if he continues to improve as a running back, which he has done for most of his nine N.F.L. seasons. "Obviously, I want to win a Super Bowl this year," he said. "Ideally, I'd want to get 10,000 yards and win a Super Bowl next year, then I'm done. And I'll go do something else." His options are limitless, it seems, and the biggest problem might be choosing among them. "That's why we love New York," Barber said. "You just meet people. Either they become great friends or they become great contacts. If I were in Green Bay, if I had been drafted by the Packers, my life would not be what it is right now. I'm very aware of that, and I appreciate what New York has brought to me."
Bengals rookie wide receiver Chris Henry was arrested early Thursday by Covington Police for marijuana possession and four traffic violations. Henry, 22, of Florence, was initially scheduled to appear in Kenton District Court at 9:30 a.m. today. But Phil Taliaferro, Henry's lawyer, said late Thursday from Florida that the hearing would be pushed back to Jan. 13.
Don't tell Joe Theismann about statistics showing Kyle Orton is the worst quarterback in the NFL. Theismann will suggest you are looking at the wrong things. "We get so enamored with the passer rating, but you have to look at win-loss record and forget about passer rating for a quarterback when a guy's 9-4," Theismann said of Orton's 60.9 passer rating, lowest in the league among 34 quarterbacks rated. The outspoken NFL analyst and former quarterback echoed the sentiments Bears coach Lovie Smith expressed Monday when saying Orton will remain the Bears quarterback over a healthy Rex Grossman unless an injury occurs.
Bill Parcells declined the opportunity to guarantee a playoff berth for his team Friday. "The less you say, the less you got to take back," he said. "I’ll let you know in a couple of weeks."
The Buffalo Bills almost certainly will undertake a major overhaul after this season and if Mike Mularkey is part of the purge, here's hoping his replacement would have some positive experience as an NFL head coach. An obvious candidate would be former Bills linebacker Jim Haslett. Haslett this week denied reports that he plans to resign at the end of this season or that he recently asked team owner Tom Benson to fire him, but it won't be a surprise if he doesn't return to the Saints. Haslett was a star linebacker for the Bills, launched his coaching career at the University at Buffalo (linebackers coach for one year and defensive coordinator for two years) and by all accounts would consider returning to the Bills organization an honor and privilege.
Fox Sports John Czarnecki writes... How about Cowboys coach Bill Parcells in Motown? It's definitely a wish-list idea. I know Matt Millen — Parcells is definitely his type of coach. You know the Tuna's style, his way or the highway. And Millen wants a disciplinarian for his next coach, probably his last hiring with the Lions. Parcells, though, is considering a contract extension from Dallas owner Jerry Jones. Parcells currently has one year left at $4.6 million on his original four-year contract. And why hasn't Parcells signed that contract extension? Does he want to wiggle his way out of Dallas? There is no doubt that Parcells has friends in Detroit and has always respected Lions owner William Clay Ford, a noted hands-off owner and one who believes in spending money in order to build a winner. It just hasn't happened for him. Parcells and Millen are friends, too. Parcells is sympathetic to Millen's plight.
In recent weeks, Steve McNair has given every indication he wants to return to the Titans in 2006. So far, Titans officials continue to say publicly that they want him back. But some hurdles will have to be cleared if McNair turns his back on retirement. For starters, his contract will need to be reworked. McNair's agent, Bus Cook, was in Nashville last week. Titans General Manager Floyd Reese said they've had initial conversations about McNair's contract, but there's been no real progress due to the up-in-the air status of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
With Baltimore Ravens coach Brian BIllick on the hot seat, speculation from Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston is that the Jaguars' Jack Del Rio could be on the team's most-wanted list behind Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. Preston cites an alleged lukewarm relationship between Del Rio and Weaver as part of his reasoning for making the Jaguars coach a potential Billick replacement. One thing is certain: If anyone with an opening shows an interest in Del Rio, it will only drive up the asking price on Del Rio's likely contract extension after this season. Ending the Jaguars' five-year playoff drought should give Del Rio, the NFL's second-lowest paid coach this year at $1.3 million, enough leverage to at least double his salary.
It won't be a shock if Buffalo Bills soon-to-be free-agent wide receiver Eric Moulds winds up replacing Terrell Owens in Philadelphia next season.
NFL teams are acting improperly by trying to force players to return portions of the signing bonuses in their contracts as a form of punishment for misbehavior, Players Association chief Gene Upshaw said. Several clubs, including the Philadelphia Eagles in their dealings with deactivated wide receiver Terrell Owens, have used the tactic recently, and Upshaw said in an interview this week the union has warned players and agents not to agree to contracts containing language that gives teams the right to force the return of bonus money. Those clauses continue to show up in contracts anyway, Upshaw said, because the players and agents compromise on the language in the give-back clauses during negotiations in exchange for receiving more money. "We knew this was coming," Upshaw said. "When T.O. signed that contract, we told him not to. We told him the language in there was bad, but he signed it anyway. All these issues with the signing bonuses, we're going to fix them when we get this new collective bargaining agreement. We can't tolerate teams going after signing bonuses every time a player spits on the sidewalk."
DT Anthony McFarland was having a solid season, but his history of missing late-season games is a point of annoyance to the Bucs. After restructuring his contract to give the Bucs cap room to trade for quarterback Tim Rattay in October, McFarland's cap number will exceed $8-million next season. That might force the Bucs to re-evaluate McFarland's future, especially because they want to re-sign Chris Hovan, who will become a free agent. Remember, Hovan went to a Pro Bowl playing under tackle for Minnesota.
Dennis Green wants the Rams' head coaching job and will pursue it if he can get out of his contract with the Arizona Cardinals
Mike Martz has received medical clearance to resume coaching, effective Jan. 1. Rams president John Shaw confirmed Friday that he received notification of this in writing from Martz’s doctor, Victoria Fraser, of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Shaw also said that Martz’s agent, Bob LaMonte, phoned Thursday to inform him that Martz had been cleared medically -- effective Jan. 1. Shaw repeatedly has said that he would not discuss Martz’s future with Martz or LaMonte until Martz was medically cleared. Those discussions can now begin on Jan. 1, and are expected to lead to a negotiated settlement that will end Martz’s tenure as Rams head coach after six seasons. As soon as a settlement is reached, for something less than the $3.25 million, the Rams can begin their search for a new head coach and Martz can begin his search for a new head-coaching job elsewhere in the National Football League.
Jon Runyan is in the final year of his contract and, as with Tra Thomas and Hank Fraley, there is good chance he may not be back. Both Runyan and Reid, who limited his final comments of the week yesterday to a season-low four minutes (talk about mailing it in with the media), said they would like the relationship to continue beyond 2005-06. But a one- or two-year deal for significantly less money likely is the only way that will happen with emerging young players up and down the Eagles' line. "We'll worry about (a new contract) when it comes, but that's when it becomes a business decision," said Runyan, a Pro Bowler in 2002. "That's why if you are able to play you better get out and do it because the next guy, if he has a good showing, is going to take your job."
The Carolina Panthers released seldom-used wide receiver Rod Gardner on Friday. Acquired in a trade from the Washington Redskins in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in July, Gardner had just nine receptions for 84 yards and one touchdown for the Panthers in 10 games.
Could this season be it for fullback William Henderson in Green Bay? Like three of the six running backs for whom he has blocked for this season - Ahman Green, Najeh Davenport and Tony Fisher - Henderson's contract is up at the end of the season. He has no idea whether general manager Ted Thompson's plans include him.
Cowboys work out three players: Quarterback Dustin Long and receivers Christian Pereira and Richard Alston worked out for the Cowboys on Friday. Long is a former Texas A&M and Sam Houston quarterback. Pereira played at Maine last year and Alston returned kickoffs for the Cleveland Browns.
Saints WR Joe Horn on why he wants the team to return to New Orleans: "People from our area ask me all the time, 'Joe, why don't you all come home?' We can go back. 'Why can't y'all come back?' I hate the way we left. We were run out of town by a hurricane. I want to go back because I can't retire the way we left. We left with kids dying in the Superdome, and families losing all they had. Take Joe Horn away from being a football player. I know people who were staying in the Superdome and the Convention Center and who sat on that bridge for two nights. If I had been left in New Orleans, I would have been pulling some of the same things those people did, man. I would have gone into survivor mode. I would have found me a boat or walked in water and broke into one of those stores and gotten Pampers or milk. I would have gotten anything I could have gotten my hands on -- colas, Snickers, anything I could get my hands on. I would have done anything in my power to help the people in the streets and on the bridges, to give them something to put in their mouths and something to put on their bodies, until somebody had enough guts to get us up out of there. Seeing that on TV and crying my eyes out in California, I wanted to be on that bridge. I wanted to go back home and help all those senior citizens out of their homes, and I couldn't. It wasn't about football to me. My heart went out to those babies on the streets, those people in the Superdome, and I wanted to help. I wanted to steal a bus and drive those people to Houston. I wanted to be a part of that bandwagon. That's why Joe Horn wants to go back to New Orleans and Louisiana, so I can at least be a part of the rebuilding process before I retire. The Saints probably won't stay in New Orleans, because economically we can't survive. But at least we can come back and give the fans an opportunity to show if they can support us.
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Texans owner Bob McNair said for the second day in a row he did not offer NFL analyst Jimmy Johnson a coaching job. A report surfaced in the New York Daily News on Friday, and McNair maintained his stance that he never posed such a question to Johnson. "I did not offer him a job," McNair said. "He says he's very happy doing what he's doing, and I understand that."
Ravens nickel back Deion Sanders will likely play for the last time on the regular-season's biggest stage when the Ravens host Green Bay. It will be the first time Sanders has played on Monday night since coming out of retirement before last season. Sanders says he has nothing special planned, having passed the point in his 14-year career where he feels the need for theatrics with the NFL community watching. "It means the opportunity to get a win," Sanders said. "I'm far past the place where I'm looking for stages. I'm not looking for another stage. I've been past that for years. We need a win, we need to finish strong and certain guys need to be evaluated for next season." Sanders is not one of those guys. Although he declined to say what he has decided, Sanders did not deny that this will be his final season. "Of course I have [made a decision], but I won't tell you," Sanders said.
Colts team president Bill Polian added some fuel to the Indianapolis-Jacksonville rivalry with comments he made about the Jaguars on his team's Web site this week. As part of a weekly question-and-answer session, Polian said the Jaguars were "over-hyped'' leading up to last Sunday's 26-18 Colts victory and criticized them for the plays that led to fines for Peterson and Henderson. "All of the noise and all of the trash-talking and the denigrating columns had absolutely no bearing on the game, except perhaps in the negative sense that Jacksonville was over-hyped and committed some very ill-advised penalties,'' Polian told the Colts' Web site.
Jags coach Jack Del Rio took time off Friday night for the wedding of his stepdaughter in Amelia Island. Lauren Del Rio, 24, is the daughter of Del Rio's wife, Linda, and a former LSU student. Jack Del Rio adopted Lauren after getting married in 1988.
Two Jaguars defenders felt the sting of last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts in their wallets Friday. The NFL fined middle linebacker Mike Peterson $10,000 and defensive tackle John Henderson $7,500 for three separate instances of unnecessary roughness against the Colts.
Vikings coach Mike Tice had the longest NFL playing career of any of the league's head coaches. Tice, a former tight end, played 14 seasons with three teams -- Seattle (1981-88, 1990-91), Washington (1989) and Minnesota (1992-93, 1995). He was a teammate of Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm with the Redskins. Jacksonville's Jack Del Rio (11 seasons), Herman Edwards of the New York Jets (10), Jim Haslett of New Orleans (9) and Buffalo's Mike Mularkey (9) had the longest playing careers after Tice.
Green Bay running back Samkon Gado leads all NFL rookies with seven touchdowns this season. Tampa Bay's Carnell "Cadillac" Williams has scored five times in 11 games and has 924 rushing yards. In seven games, Gado has rushed for 539 yards. Williams averages 4.11 yards per carry; Gado 3.9.
Authorities in Broward County, Fla., announced Friday that there was insufficient evidence to charge Green Bay Packers cornerback Al Harris with a crime in an alleged sexual assault last April at a strip club in Pompano Beach, Fla.
Jets cornerback Ty Law was halfway out the door when a reporter told him that somebody in the organization had said privately that Law would not be brought back for a second season with the team. Law, an 11-year veteran, tugged at the black stocking cap on his head as if to fend off an arctic blast. "I've heard that, too," he said Thursday. "If I was a betting man, I'd pretty much say that, too. The reality is I probably won't be back. I'm fine with that."
RB Tiki Barber won't play for another team other than the New York Giants. "We're here for good," Barber said. Even the Giants cannot trade his life away. "Because if they traded me, I'd retire," he said. He would not really retire; he would somehow become even busier doing other things. He has three more seasons left on his contract, but he said he doubted he would fulfill them, even if he continues to improve as a running back, which he has done for most of his nine N.F.L. seasons. "Obviously, I want to win a Super Bowl this year," he said. "Ideally, I'd want to get 10,000 yards and win a Super Bowl next year, then I'm done. And I'll go do something else." His options are limitless, it seems, and the biggest problem might be choosing among them. "That's why we love New York," Barber said. "You just meet people. Either they become great friends or they become great contacts. If I were in Green Bay, if I had been drafted by the Packers, my life would not be what it is right now. I'm very aware of that, and I appreciate what New York has brought to me."
Bengals rookie wide receiver Chris Henry was arrested early Thursday by Covington Police for marijuana possession and four traffic violations. Henry, 22, of Florence, was initially scheduled to appear in Kenton District Court at 9:30 a.m. today. But Phil Taliaferro, Henry's lawyer, said late Thursday from Florida that the hearing would be pushed back to Jan. 13.
Don't tell Joe Theismann about statistics showing Kyle Orton is the worst quarterback in the NFL. Theismann will suggest you are looking at the wrong things. "We get so enamored with the passer rating, but you have to look at win-loss record and forget about passer rating for a quarterback when a guy's 9-4," Theismann said of Orton's 60.9 passer rating, lowest in the league among 34 quarterbacks rated. The outspoken NFL analyst and former quarterback echoed the sentiments Bears coach Lovie Smith expressed Monday when saying Orton will remain the Bears quarterback over a healthy Rex Grossman unless an injury occurs.
Bill Parcells declined the opportunity to guarantee a playoff berth for his team Friday. "The less you say, the less you got to take back," he said. "I’ll let you know in a couple of weeks."