Dixon Not Slowing Down - Helio Not Dancing - Wheldon Crashes
Following his win at the Indianapolis 500, Scott Dixon backed up with a second place last weekend at the Milwaukee Mile and heads to the Texas Motor Speedway looking to get back to his winning ways. In finishing second at Milwaukee Dixon has now had five top-three finishes so far this season and has led 100 or more laps in four consecutive races. With stats like these, he looks good for another podium finish in Texas as he strives for his second IRL title. Dixon leads the IndyCar Series by 28 points from Helio Castroneves (206), and his Target Chip Ganassi team mate Dan Wheldon (185).
Helio Castroneves was asked about his interest in dancing with NASCAR earlier this week and responded, " I'm doing everything I can to clinch the championship and run here in open wheel. Right now we've merged and the series is in a good spot and I would say the opportunity, I don't think, is there to go to NASCAR. I would consider it in that you should always leave doors open.
Dan Wheldon had a sore right ankle after crashing during practice on Friday, but was cleared by doctors to take part in qualifying later in the day for the Bombardier Learjet 500 IndyCar race on Saturday. Wheldon, the 2005 IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 champion, hit the outside wall coming out of the fourth turn on the high-banked Texas track. The car slid down the track, losing a rear wheel, then tumbled after bogging down in the infield grass and came to rest upside down.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Bobby Petrino wasted no time in finding his defensive and offensive coordinators.
I am concerned about these quick decisions. These hirings are important. I am afraid the Falcon's are rushing things.
A day after being introduced as Atlanta's head coach, Petrino reached agreements Tuesday with Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and Cincinnati receivers coach Hue Jackson to be his right-hand men with the Falcons.
Dallas, OK, how good was their defense? According to CBSsportsline.com they were 5th. This looks good.
Mike Zimmer (God that's an ugly mugshot.)
Cincinatti, That's scary, they are not a playoff team. How can a member of their staff get us to the playoffs if he couldn't get them to the playoffs? Second, how good was the Bengal defense?According to ESPN Cincinatti was eighth. That's good.
The hirings were confirmed by an official in the league Tuesday night, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they hadn't yet been announced. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported the agreement between Petrino and Zimmer on Tuesday.
Petrino said Monday he wants the Falcons to run a 4-3 defense. "One of my critical hires will be my defensive coordinator," Petrino said Monday. "It's certainly going to be very important to me. I want to be able to play the game very aggressive and be able to come after the quarterback. Obviously, you have to stop the run first."
I agree we need to put more pressure on the opposing teams quarterbacks. This sounds good.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the discussions with Jackson, who was the Bengals' receivers coach. Petrino plans to call the plays during games, but Jackson is expected to run the offense in practice and help coordinate the offensive game plans. Jackson, 45, has been with the Bengals for three years. He was the Washington Redskins' running backs coach in 2001-02 and the team's offensive coordinator in 2003.
Thank goodness he has OC experience in Washington. The Cincinatti resume does not look that impressive at first glance. But, how long has it been since Washington was worth a damn and what was his record as OC?
Jackson was a college assistant for 14 years, including Southern California's offensive coordinator from 1997-2000.
Old news. What have you done for me (anyone) lately? Based on what I am reading here I do not like this hire.
Zimmer, 50, has worked with the Cowboys for 13 seasons and took over as defensive coordinator in 2000.
This sounds really good. I like the sound of more than five years of OC experience.
He has agreed to a two-year contract, according to the Dallas paper. His contract with the Cowboys was expected to expire this offseason, and his future in Dallas was uncertain with coach Bill Parcells' status unknown.
Knowing the situation with Parcells was in limbo, I think it was real smart to talk with Zimmer.
Zimmer worked with Petrino at Weber State in 1987 and `88.
This is good. They know each other. The chemistry between them should be good. Based on what I am reading here, this sounds like a good hire.
Zimmer's Dallas defense led the NFL in 2003.
That's good. But where did it rank in 04, 05, and 06? 5th in 06 looks great!
Jackson directed WRs Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh to status as the most productive receiving duo in Bengals history. In 2005, they reset their yards mark at 2388 while also making the most catches ever (175) by two players. Johnson in 2005 won his third straight AFC receiving yards title with a Bengals-record 1432 yards, 286 more than the AFC?s second-place player. Though the Bengals have yet to log a season with a pair of 1000-yard receivers, they have made their two closest runs at that goal under Jackson. Houshmandzadeh had 956 yards in 2005 to complement Johnson?s 1432. Also in 2005, last season, Jackson tutored an impact rookie in third-round draft choice Chris Henry, who had 31 catches for 422 yards. Together, the 2005 Bengal wideouts scored 27 of Cincinnatis 48 touchdowns in 2005 as the team finished fourth in the NFL in scoring (26.3 points per game). The Bengals were fifth in the league in net passing yards per game (238.8).
It looks like the plan here was to hire an expert with receivers to help them catch Mikes throws. If he brings undetectable glue, it might help a lot. Also, his experience with young receivers looks like we are going to draft receivers. While granted, we need receivers, I think we need safeties and defensive tackles to a much greater degree and would prefer to see the draft concentrate on fixing the sucking Falcons defense.
Jackson (first name pronounced as "Hugh") came to the Bengals from the Washington Redskins, where he was offensive coordinator in ?03. He was back in the job market for 2004 after Steve Spurrier resigned as Redskins head coach.
OK, we now know he left Washington after an unsuccessful year. He had to leave when Spurrier had to. But I must question his judgement going to the cess pool in Washington. Given he now works for Arthur, that's strike to on his judgement. Hopefully he can overcome bad management.
Jackson helped guide Redskins RB Stephen Davis to a career-high 1432 yards in 2001, and Davis was on pace for another 1000-yard season in ?02 before a shoulder injury prematurely ended his year.
The best thing Jackson can do with our run game is leave it alone and don't mess it up.
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