The Reggie Bush civil suit brought against the Saint’s running back by one Lloyd Lake, a so-called sports marketing agent who claims he gave Bush close to $300,000 in money and gifts while Reggie was attending the University of Southern California, has been assigned a trial date. After the attorneys for both sides upset Superior Court Judge Joan M. Lewis with their quarrelling tactics, deposition dates were finally agreed upon. The Judge then set the trial date for March 19, 2009. It appears USC head football coach Pete Carroll and the Trojans’ running back coach, Todd McNair, will also be testifying as Lake’s attorney, Brian Watkins, states his client had several discussions with McNair and that he overheard a phone conversation between Bush’s stepfather and the head coach. Both Carroll and McNair have already been questioned by NCAA investigators who will be sure to closely follow these court proceedings. If it can be proven that USC was aware of Reggie Bush accepting benefits from Lloyd Lake, or even if the NCAA determines that USC should have known of any wrong doing, then the University’s football program could face sanctions that could include forfeiture of game wins during their 2004 National Championship season as well as during their 2005 season when they lost to Texas in the National Championship game. In a related event that may shed more light on this case prior to it going to court, Judge Lewis ruled the results of the depositions would be made public over the objections of Bush’s lawyers. We can expect this ruling to be revisited prior to the start of depositions scheduled to begin in June…
NCAA Academic Progress Report
NCAA President Myles Brand has made it clear that the nation’s collegiate athlete’s academic scores must improve. If the scores aren’t improving, then the NCAA’s harshest sanctions may come into play, those being the loss of scholarships, reductions in practice time and even postseason play bans. “Academic reform is here to stay, and those penalties resemble what we give for major infractions. So these are serious penalties and there are a number of teams that received those," Brand said after releasing this year's Academic Progress Report. "Yes, there are individual institutions who have seen a steady decline (academically) over the last four years, and for them, the situation is dire." The NCAA began monitoring academic scores back in 2003 and reports that 26 of 29 collegiate sports athlete’s score are up with a marked improvement made by baseball and football players. Scores increased by 12 and 11 points respectively in those sports. This raises graduation rates and whether it appears that way or not, isn’t that what these institutions of higher learning should be striving for without NCAA oversight?
NASCAR Earnings Statistics with Richmond Effect
Owner Total Tms Make Average Change
1 Joe Gibbs Racing $6,254,624 3 Toyota $2,084,875 $150,726 2 Penske Racing $6,068,522 3 Dodge $2,022,841 $105,610 3 Hendrick Motorsports $6,710,909 4 Chevy $1,677,727 $103,643 4 Richard Childress R. $4,873,461 3 Chevy $1,624,487 $157,206 5 Roush Fenway Race $7,688,340 5 Ford $1,537,668 $100,858 6 Chip Ganassi Racing $3,875,191 3 Dodge $1,291,73 0 $66,291 7 Dale Earnhardt Inc. $5,154,026 4 Chevy $1,288,507 $116,492 8 Yates Racing $2,569,907 2 Ford $1,284,954 $83,210 9 Robby Gordon Mtrs $1,263,743 1 Dodge $1,263,743 $92,608 10 Gillett Evernham $3,489,770 3 Dodge $1,163,257 $93,227 11 Petty Enterprises $2,173,820 2 Dodge $1,086,910 $97,435 12 Michael Waltrip Rc. $3,218,147 3 Toyota $1,072,716 $70,716 13 Haas CNC Racing $2,096,039 2 Chevy $1,048,020 $77,742 14 Hall of Fame Racing $989,580 1 Toyota $989,580 $74,250 15 Team Red Bull $1,633,865 2 Toyota $816,933 $67,838 16 Bill Davis Racing $1,112,468 2 Toyota $556,234 $45,192 17 Wood Brothers Racing $536,273 1 Ford $536,273 $0 18 Furniture Row Rac. $1,050,060 2 Chevy $525,030 $33,475 19 BAM Racing $331,454 1 Toyota $331,454 $0 20 Front Row Motorsprt $445,201 2 Chevy $222,601 $0 21 Phoenix Racing $174,095 1 Chevy $174,095 $67,975 22 SKI Motorsports $22,813 1 Chevy $22,813 $0 23 No Fear Racing $22,170 1 Ford $22,170 $0 24 E&M Motorsports $21,920 1 Dodge $21,920 $0 Totals / Averages $61,776,398 53 $1,165,592 $1,604,491
Dodge continues to extend it's lead in the average earnings per team standings through the first ten 2008 Sprint Cup Races!
Where Was Mark Cuban One Day After the Demise of His Dallas Mavericks?
April 30th Mark Cuban was spotted in a dugout box seat immediately behind the Chicago Cubs’ bench. Who was he sitting with? That would be the top executive of Tribune Broadcasting, Ed Wilson, one of Cubs owner Sam Zell’s right hand men. Cuban told a reporter, “I’m here to get a better feel. I’m certainly interested.” It’s about time for Zell to open the Cubs’ books to potential buyers, was Cuban the first to have a look? Wonder how Cuban’s unfettered interest in the Cubs sits with MLB Commissioner Bud Selig who seemingly has chosen a favorite and is going about professing the virtues of his crony, Chicago native John Canning, who owns a small percentage of Selig’s old team, the Milwaukee Brewers. Then there’s the owner of the south side White Sox, Jerry Reinsdorf who doesn’t want to face what would surely be stiff competition for Chicago fan’s allegiance with the very proactive Cuban. So what if, once the bidding begins, Cuban wipes out all the competition with a huge bid? Will Sam Zell stand back and allow Selig and his buddies to cut him out of what could be several millions more in profit from the sale? I can see Zell unleashing a tirade that could be heard across the country. Will the Commissioner bow his back? Remember, we’re talking about a certifiable wimp here… An interesting scenario indeed!
Cuban chillin' with Cubs fans last year in the bleachers...
In Another Baseball Note, A-Rod Goes Down in the Delivery Room!
Alex Rodriguez’ wife Cynthia told a television interviewer that her husband had actually hit the floor in the delivery room as she was in labor with their first daughter, Natasha Alexander Rodriguez, when she was born on November 18, 2004. The interview will air this evening on YES Network’s “YESterdays” program.
Cynthia Rodriguez said in excerpts released yesterday: “As tough and big as he seems, he is real wimpy around doctors or any type of medical situation,” Cynthia Rodriguez said, according to excerpts released Tuesday by YES. “I don’t know why I thought the birth of our child would be different. In the middle of the night, I realized that I needed to go to the hospital. I wake him up. The first thing that comes out of his mouth, ‘Can we call your mother?’
"A few hours later, I said, ‘I think you can call my mom now.’ Uh, and the color came back to his face when
I told him he could call my mom.”
Alex and daughter Natasha
A-Rod traveled from New York last week and arrived at a Miami area hospital about 10 minutes after the birth of his second daughter, Ella Alexander Rodriguez, on April 21. YOU DA MAN A-ROD!
NFL Notes
You NFL fans should be checking your favorite team’s latest signings since the Draft late last month as several good collegiate players passed over in the Draft have been signed as free agents…
Most of the NFL teams are now holding mini-camps where all the new faces from free agency and the draft are getting to eyeball each other. The Seahawks' Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck asked head coach Mike Holmgren if he could issue name tags to all the new guys on offense as he suddenly has three new running backs, a new guard, two new tight ends, a new quarterback coach, a new offensive line coach, a new running backs coach, along with a new assistant line coach and a new quality control coach... I can't say that I blame Hasselbeck.
The Seahawks latest draft picks at mini-camp... (L-R) RB Justin Forsett, California, LS Tyler Schmitt, San Diego State DT Joseph Bryant, Texas A&M DE Lawrence Jackson, USC TE John Carlson, Notre Dame FB Owen Schmitt, West Virginia and K Brandon Coutu, Georgia
Hope you enjoyed this capsule of the sports world in early May, 2008!
Anybody need a ball carrier? I've gotta believe you can have him pretty cheap... The Seattle Seahawks' love affair with Shaun Alexander ended today with his unconditional release.
This is a side of the NFL that seems ugly to some, but it is the reality of this "what have you done for me lately" league. In just two short, injury-plagued years, Shaun fell from the heights of being the league's most valuable player and an appearance on the Madden Football computer game cover to unceremoniously being quietly released. The timing of this release should be good for Alexander as teams contemplating drafting a running back late in the draft might consider him worth a chance. Shaun claims that he still wants to play and that he's finally healed up. He says he's ready to re-establish himself as an elite runner and his passing today's physical will attest to that, but the question remains: Is there still a fire within this man to achieve some semblence of his former self? Will we see him sign on with another team and perform at a high level? Only time will tell.
Shaun, you're a good man, here's wishing you and your family well...
The maneuvering will continue right up until April 26th, as the Seattle Seahawks’ brain trust led by Tim Ruskell, Mike Holmgren, and now Jim Mora Jr., among others, work to resurrect a running game that might just be the key to once again attaining the heights and possibly winning a Super Bowl Championship.
Tim Ruskell Mike Holmgren Jim Mora Jr.
Since their appearance in Super Bowl XL against the victorious Pittsburgh Steelers, star running back Shaun Alexander’s health and then productivity went down the tubes. This decline occurred just one year after Shaun signed one of the richest contracts ever awarded to a running back. Alexander’s lack of production can’t be laid simply at his feet though as the loss of All-Pro Guard Steve Hutchinson to Minnesota was definitely a big contributing factor. Age has also become part of the equation as other offensive line starters from the XL days have since departed. The Hawk’s O-line has been bolstered by the drafting and steady improvement of four year veteran right tackle Sean Locklear (a 3rd round draft pick in ’04 out of N.C. State who was re-signed to a long-term contract this off season), three year veteran center Chris Spencer (a 1st round pick in ‘05 out of Mississippi), and third year pro guard Rob Sims, who provided a very pleasant surprise as a good, steady player selected with a 4th round pick in the ’06 draft out of Ohio State. Perennial All-Pro left tackle Walter Jones and a new Seahawk signed as a free agent, Mike Wahle, will team with these young players to become a formidable front line ready to pass protect and punch running lanes. Wahle, an eleven year veteran and two-time Pro Bowler who was a salary cap casualty with the Carolina Panthers, will most likely assume the left guard position next to Jones.
You know, an NFL General Manager not only requires an eye for on-field talent, but also for talent among the coaching ranks. Ruskell’s next move was to bring in a new offensive line coach. Mike Solari was brought in with a sterling resume’ built over eleven years with the Kansas City Chiefs. Mike was a key link in the Chief’s top running attack over the last decade and is expected to bring his expertise to bear with the Seahawks.
Ruskell then re-entered the free agent market and signed two new Seahawk running backs. T.J. Duckett, at 6’0” 254 pounds fills a direct need for the Hawks as their lack of a “punch it in” big back was very noticeable in 2007 and this is Duckett’s specialty. T.J. will join Leonard Weaver, a good situational change-up type fullback with excellent pass receiving and pass blocking skills. The Hawks appear to be well set with these two. Julius Jones was then brought in to directly challenge for the starting running back position amid much speculation that this move may spell the end to Shaun Alexander’s career with the Seahawks. Although nothing concrete has come out of the Seahawks’ front office to that effect (other than the obvious Jones signing), it is generally agreed that it is just a matter of time before Shaun is released. Some may hope for a trade, but that is simply wishful thinking. No, the Hawks will have to cut their losses and give Shaun his unconditional release. Thanks for the memories, Shaun.
Julius Jones was the lead back with the Dallas Cowboys in their two back system where, from my perspective, he was used early to force the opposing defenses to respect his slashing style and consequently give the Tony Romo little more time in the pocket off play action. Late in the game, and usually holding the lead, the Cowboys would then unleash Marion Barber on the opponent’s now softened up defense to much success. Jones’ style is in contrast to Alexander in that he is more of a head down, straight ahead then cut rusher whereas Alexander turned into a sideways dancer hoping to find an opening.
The other Seahawk running back, Maurice Morris, is entering his 7th season in the league and while being a steady back-up and kick returner, age is becoming a concern leading me to believe he is another candidate to possibly be released. I say this because I believe the Seahawks may use their first pick in the upcoming draft to secure another running back, and this is where the thrust of this article will now take us.
There have been rumblings coming out of Hawk land that Tim Ruskell has become infatuated with the University of Oregon’s early draft entry, Jonathan Stewart. As the days dwindle down before the 2008 draft, Stewart’s potential draft position has been on somewhat of a roller coaster. Prior to the Scouting Combine he was looked upon as the number two rated back in the draft. Then his performance in the combine created more questions than answers as his ability to run away from defenders was questioned. This while posting a 4.46 second 40 yard dash and running it 5 pounds heavier than his collegiate playing weight. Stewart’s strengths were said to be his power, size and tackle breaking ability while he was downgraded for his acceleration, breakaway speed and elusiveness. Next came the revelation that Stewart needed to undergo surgery to repair a turf toe injury suffered last November. These two occurrences lowered his draft value in many minds from a mid 1st rounder clear down to the middle of the 2nd. Now I’m no orthopedic surgeon, but wouldn’t that type of injury have a negative effect on a runner’s ability to accelerate, display breakaway speed and be elusive? So here we stand a couple of weeks in front of the draft and Stewart is being projected back into the top twenty.
Ruskell’s supposed interest in Stewart is now leading to speculation that the Seahawks just might try to move up from their 25th selection in the first round in order to secure Stewart. There are currently four teams drafting ahead of the Seahawks that have either a first or second priority at the running back position in this draft and possibly a fifth team depending on where Arkansas’ Darren McFadden might be available. There is a lot of speculation that if McFadden is on the board when the Raiders’ fourth pick of the draft comes up, Al Davis will take him even though this is not a position of need for them. With the sixth pick, the New York Jets are the first team to pick with a definite need at running back and they would surely jump at McFadden if the first five teams pass on him. After the Jets you have to drop clear down to the 13th and 14th picks (Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears) before two teams with definite running back needs pop up. This sets the circumstances that the Seahawks have to work with.
Of the teams selecting between the 6th and 13th picks there are two that could be considered potential trading partners based on their areas of top need and the availability of players worthy of a high selection. Buffalo needs a top flight receiver and yet their 11th pick is considered too high for the available talent. The Bills second and third highest needs are cornerback and outside linebacker. All three of Buffalo’s highest need areas are for positions that this draft is talent rich in. I look for the Bills to make a deal for more draft picks, and they could use them, by the way. The Denver Broncos hold the 12th pick and in their situation, their top need is for an offensive tackle. With Miami, Atlanta, Oakland, Kansas City and Baltimore all possibly taking offensive tackles in the first round ahead of the Broncos, there may not be a tackle of high enough quality left by the time their pick comes up. Denver’s next highest needs are for a defensive tackle and an inside linebacker, both of which would probably be a reach with the 12th pick as well. Denver has a history of trading down for more picks.
Either the 11th or 12th pick would most likely cost the Seahawks their first round 25th pick and second round 55th pick based on the NFL Draft Value Chart. They would then have to take their chances on having a fairly good tight end still available when they make their third round pick with the 86th selection in the draft and considering that this is a fairly low need choice for most teams this year, the gamble might bring them someone like Notre Dame’s John Carlson or Tennessee’s Brad Cottam.
The defense was addressed over the last three years and has become the team’s strength with long term contracts written to secure key contributors and Pro Bowlers, Lofa Tatupu and Marcus Trufant. Now the attention is squarely centered on the offense…
I’ve got to believe Tim Ruskell is looking at all of this with an eye towards completing the puzzle that may well lead to a Super Bowl Championship in the not too distant future.
I first heard of this guy when my college education shifted from a community college in Central California to an agricultural school in Southern California. My sophomore year at College of the Sequoias was highlighted by the fact that our small college (around 3,000 students, and that seemed huge to me as my graduating class in high school had just over 100 students!) had just won the California State Championship in football by defeating Fullerton Junior College, a large community college from Orange County with an enrollment around 20,000 students.
It was quite a come down to enroll at a school where sports had very little importance. There was a small group of us from Central California in the School of Agriculture at California Polytechnic University, Pomona, because it offered the only Bachelor of Science degree in Citriculture anywhere in the country. We were a bunch of bumpkins in the BIG city where we all must have walked around with wide eyes and mouths agape for at least two months after first showing up in smog land. One Saturday early that fall we all decided to take in our first Cal Poly football game. I was amazed! There were bigger crowds at my high school games than the number of fans in the stands for this Saturday night home game against Cal State Los Angeles! Other than the lack of support for our football team, the next biggest impression I recall centered on this young quarterback who was forced to scramble around as the opposing team’s defense continually collapsed the Cal Poly Broncos’ pass protection. The QB reminded me of the Viking’s Fran Tarkenton. He’d roll this way and that, stop and look downfield, no one open, dodge a defensive end, roll back this way and finally break downfield for a few yards. Next play, same thing. It got real old, but this young scrambler had the Broncos in front by four points with time running out. LA State had the ball and on their last desperation play of the game, their tailback ran into a big pile up on a surprise draw play. The players on the field actually began standing and everyone in the stands thought the game was over when all of a sudden this little guy comes out of the far side of the pile and sprints (wearing only one shoe!) all the way down the far sideline for a touchdown to win the game! My buddies and I just looked at each other and shook our heads while sharing a sour expression… So this was Cal Poly Pomona football… Over the balance of that season and the next, while I continued taking courses toward my degree, I went ahead and attended a few other games as one of the song girls and I were seeing each other and I felt like it was the thing to do… I know, I know… Anyway, this same quarterback continued to try and carry the team on his back, but with very little success. He was personally rewarded for his efforts by being named the Southern California College Division player of the year despite playing for a 4-6-1 team. That's because he passed for 2,367 yards and 16 touchdowns. I graduated before the next season and moved on, but that quarterback stuck around and ended up setting 10 school passing records, most of which will never be broken as Cal Poly Pomona eventually dropped intercollegiate football due to lack of interest in 1982…
The next time I heard about this guy I was surprised to find that he had been picked up by the NFL’s fledgling Seattle Seahawks. He was signed as an undrafted free agent and had beaten out a couple of older, established quarterbacks and he was actually
starting for them! Jim Zorn had come out of literally nowhere to be named the AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year following the Seahawk’s inaugural season in 1976 under Head Coach Jack Patera. Over the years, the left hander went on to make quite a name for himself as he continued to play his Houdini routine so that he could eventually hookup with his favorite receiver out of the University of Tulsa (and future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee), Steve Largent. Jim’s NFL playing career saw him remain with the Seahawks for a total of nine seasons (seven as the starter) during which time he was honored as the team’s MVP and as a Pro Bowler in 1978. From 1978 to 1980, the left-handed QB passed for more than 3,000 yards each year and was only the third player in NFL history to throw for more than 10,000 yards in his first four seasons. After new Seahawks’ Head Coach Chuck Knox was brought in and had Jim playing back-up to Dave Krieg for the 1983 and 1984 seasons, he moved on to the Green Bay Packers where he played back-up and intermittently started for the Packers in 1985. Jim played his last full season of professional football for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1986 and then came back for a few games in 1987 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a strike replacement player. When asked in an interview what the highlight of his professional playing career was, Jim didn’t hesitate as he responded, “The thing I remember most about playing the Raiders and this truly was a highlight, was how spent everyone was after those particular games. Every time we played them it was an absolute fight to the finish. There wasn't much left when you came into the locker room. Everyone expended their energies onto the field and it was very grueling type of game mentally and emotionally. Physically it was just a real battle.”
Steve Largent and Jim Zorn
In 1991 Jim Zorn’s name was added to the Seattle Seahawk’s Ring of Honor where he once again joined his old teammate and close friend, Steve Largent, along with four other former Seahawks.
Jim naturally moved from playing football to coaching it as he began down that road as the Quarterbacks Coach for Boise State University. This lasted from 1988 through 1991 and then he was off to Utah State University as their Offensive Coordinator for a three year stint. His final collegiate coaching position was with the University of Minnesota under Head Coach Jim Wacker, where he once again served as Quarterback Coach for the Golden Gophers for two years through the end of the 1996 season.
In 1997, Dennis Erickson hired Zorn to his first professional football coaching position as an Offensive Assistant with the Seattle Seahawks. This lasted for two seasons before he became the Quarterbacks Coach for a two year term with the Detroit Lions under Bobby Ross and then Gary Moeller. Then, in 2001 Jim was again reunited with the Seattle Seahawks organization as the Quarterbacks Coach under Mike Holmgren. Jim was schooled by one of the best quarterback coaches in recent NFL history and developed into a disciple of the Holmgren version of the “West Coast” offense. Jim continued on in this capacity for seven full seasons until last year.
With Coach Holmgren’s announcement that 2008 will be his last as the Seahawk’s Head Coach making a coaching shake up inevitable before the 2009 season when Jim Mora takes over, Jim began looking for a new challenge. On January 26th, he accepted the Offensive Coordinator job with the Washington Redskins, in a move that left many wondering what was going on. Following the team’s opening playoff game defeat and the subsequent second retirement of Head Coach Joe Gibbs, team owner, Dan Snyder, and the team’s upper management group immediately began filling out the team’s coaching staff before a new Gibb’s replacement had been hired. Now I’m not sure if these moves were unprecedented or not, but as a longtime NFL fan, I’ve never heard of such a thing. I always thought the hiring of assistant coaches was considered sacred ground, an entitlement left to an incoming head coach and understandably so since it’s his neck on the line…
So here we are, the playoffs are continuing and the Redskins are filling out the team’s coaching staff while a search for a new Head Coach was continuing. Prospective Coaches were being interviewed with much fanfare, and the month long search went on.
The candidates for the job included New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Jim Fassel, Steve Mariucci, Jim Mora and Ron Meeks.
Suddenly, on February 9th, the Redskins announced their search had ended as Jim Zorn was elevated from his new position as the Redskin’s Offensive Coordinator to become the sixth coach hired during Dan Snyder’s Redskin ownership tenure which began in 1999.
Throughout Jim Zorn’s football career as a player and coach, he has turned to his strong Christian faith as he has confidently faced his critics and proved himself a winner. If he continues to follow this script, Dan Snyder and his Redskins may well have finally found their coach for many years to come.
I’m a little biased when it comes to Jim Zorn as he represents the last bastion of the Cal Poly Pomona Bronco’s football legacy and I wish him nothing but smooth sailing as he leads one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, the Washington Redskins!
There have been several signings since this morning!
Refer to the comments...
All NFL fans have heard one report after another about free agent signings since the 2008 Free Agent signing season began last week, so just who is still available out there?
If your team is in need of offensive help, the following top players are still looking for a new home (presented in order of the best and on down the line, their most recent team, the number of years of NFL service, and whether they are an Unrestricted Free Agent- UFA or a Restricted Free Agent- RFA):
Running Back Marion Barber, Current Team- Dallas, Years in NFL- 3, RFA
Offensive Guard Larry Allen, Last Team- San Francisco, Years in NFL- 14, UFA
Running Back Chris Brown, Last Team- Tennessee, Years in NFL- 5, UFA
Running Back Julius Jones, Last Team- Dallas, Years in NFL- 4, UFA
Tight End Bo Scaife, Current Team- Tennessee, Years in NFL- 3, RFA
Offensive Guard Rex Hadnot, Last Team- Miami, Years in NFL- 4, UFA
Offensive Guard Jake Scott, Last Team- Indianapolis, Years in NFL- 4, UFA
Wide Receiver Bryant Johnson, Last Team- Arizona, Years in NFL- 5, UFA
Offensive Tackle Maurice Williams, Last Team- Jacksonville, Years in NFL- 7, UFA
Tight End Eric Johnson, Last Team- New Orleans, Years in NFL- 7, UFA
Wide Receiver D.J. Hackett, Last Team- Seattle, Years in NFL- 4, UFA
Offensive Tackle Daniel Loper, Current Team- Tennessee, Years in NFL- 3, RFA
Offensive Tackle David Stewart, Current Team- Tennessee, Years in NFL- 3, RFA
Center Casey Wiegmann, Last Team- Kansas City, Years in NFL- 12, UFA
Offensive Guard Ruben Brown, Last Team- Chicago, Years in NFL- 13, UFA
Offensive Guard Jacob Bell, Last Team- Tennessee, Years in NFL- 4, UFA
Offensive Tackle L.J. Shelton, Last Team- Miami, Years in NFL- 9, UFA
Center Jeremy Newberry, Last Team- Oakland, Years in NFL- 10, UFA
On the other side of the line, the following top defensive players remain on the market:
Outside Linebacker Michael Boley, Current Team- Atlanta, Years in NFL- 3, RFA
Outside Linebacker Calvin Pace, Last Team- Arizona, Years in NFL- 5, UFA
Outside Linebacker Landon Johnson, Last Team- Cincinnati, Years in NFL- 4, UFA
Defensive End Edenezer Ekuban, Last Team- Denver, Years in NFL- 8, UFA
Defensive End Marques Douglas, Last Team- San Francisco, Years in NFL- 7, UFA
Defensive Tackle Anthony McFarland, Last Team- Indianapolis, Years in NFL- 9, UFA
Safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, Current Team- St. Louis, Years in NFL- 3, RFA
Defensive Tackle Chuck Darby, Last Team- Seattle, Years in NFL- 7, UFA
Defensive End Jovan Haye, Current Team- Tampa Bay, Years in NFL- 3, RFA
Cornerback Eric Green, Current Team- Arizona, Years in NFL- 3, RFA
Defensive Tackle Rod Coleman, Last Team- Atlanta, Years in NFL- 9, UFA
Outside Linebacker Lemar Marshall, Last Team- Cincinnati, Years in NFL- 6, IFA
Middle Linebacker Kawika Mitchell, Last Team- NY Giants, Years in NFL- 5, UFA
Defensive Tackle Larry Tripplett, Last Team- Buffalo, Years in NFL- 6, UFA
Middle Linebacker Junior Seau, Last Team- New England, Years in NFL- 18, UFA
Safety Chris Crocker, Last Team- Atlanta, Years in NFL- 5, UFA
The group above includes six players with 10 years of NFL experience or more and another 12 that have more than 5 years in the league. When you consider that the average stay in the NFL is less than 5 years, it becomes apparent, of the players that are still available, the free agency market may be the final stop in the NFL for many. The players listed are considered by Scout.com to be the very best on the market and rated by them as five and four star players. There are many other players not shown here rated at three stars and less.
If you consider the college players hoping to join the NFL this year through the draft and free agency, you’ll find that market to be rich in Running Backs, Offensive Tackles, Wide Receivers, Defensive Ends and Cornerbacks, I would suspect the established free agents that play those positions will have to take less money than they’d like if they want to stay in the league. The one position that teams really concentrate on is Quarterback, and as you probably noticed, there aren’t any quality QBs available after the Browns re-signed their Restricted Free Agent, Derek Anderson. The draft is lean on quality Tight Ends so I would assume both Alge Crumpler and Eric Johnson will soon be signed as several teams are in the market for a Tight End. Finally, the draft is almost barren when it comes to quality Guards and Safeties. This should be music to the ears of Guards Rex Hadnot, Jake Scott and Jacob Bell as teams should be very interested in these young UFA Guards. The grey beards of the Guards, Larry Allen and Ruben Brown, may also receive offers for another year of their services as well. For the same reason, young Safeties Chris Crocker and Yeremiah Bell should be picked up shortly while Sammy Knight, with 8 years under his belt in the NFL, may also find good demand for his services.
I’m sure we’ll hear about more signings as we continue through March heading for the draft… Is your team in the market? One team that is con####uous by their absence in this year's free agent market is the Washington Redskins as their only activity so far has been the re-signing of Quarterback Todd Collins. The most active team to date has been the Miami Dolphins with four new free agent signings replacing several players cut loose by the new management team headed by Bill Parcells. Second to the Phins has been the Atlanta Falcons with three new free agent signings as yet another new regime is attempting to build a winner in the NFC South.
My Seahawks have been quiet so far. They used their franchise tag on All-Pro Cornerback Marcus Trufant and currently have two four star players on the free agent market as unrestricted free agents, D.J. Hackett who could make someone a good second receiver if he can avoid injury, and Defensive Tackle Chuck Darby. I’m sorry to see Darby go as he acted as a teacher to the Hawk’s young defensive lineman, more like a coach than a player. If your team needs that kind of influence, Chuck might be a good choice. The Seahawks lost the services of their Kicker, Josh Brown to in-division rival St. Louis, and they're probably looking at drafting a new one since the top free agent is Tennessee's Rob Bironas, a five star Restricted Free Agent and I don't think the Seahawks are prepared to give up draft choices to acquire an RFA kicker...
It's March now. We'll see who of the remaining free agents finds a new team and who is faced with retirement.
Here are some of the stories found around the country's sports pages today.
Tom Osborne Accepts the Bear Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award
University of Nebraska Athletic Director, former State of Nebraska Representative to the United States Congress and former Head Football Coach with the Cornhuskers, Tom Osborne was given the Bear Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award last Friday evening at a banquet in Houston, Texas. Cathy Schembechler, the widow of former Michigan Head Coach Bo Schembechler, who was awarded the honor posthumously last year, made the presentation while being aided by twelve of Osborne’s former players at Nebraska.
Norm Chow a Bruin!
Norm Chow has accepted the position of offensive coordinator with UCLA. Now both sides of the ball for the Bruins will be coached up by former USC coordinators as Chow will be joining DeWayne Walker, UCLA's defensive coordinator, who decided to stay on with new Head Coach Rick Neuheisel. UCLA seems to be following the USC blue print to success.
Bills DE Hargrove Suspended for a Full Year!
The Buffalo Bills defensive end, Anthony Hargrove has been suspended for the entire 2008 NFL football season after violating the leagues substance abuse policy for a third time which triggers the automatic one year suspension without pay. Here's hoping this young man can get his life back on track.
There’s a lesson here MLB…
Seahawks Assistant Head Coach Jim Mora to Stay On
New Seahawk Head Coach?
Jim Mora, fresh from being interviewed for the open Washington Redskins head coaching position, has announced he has decided to stay on with the Seattle Seahawks citing the importance of his family living in their home area. With Head Coach Mike Holmgren currently vacationing in Arizona where he is said to be contemplating whether to fulfill the remaining year of his contract with the Seahawks, this could possibly be a sign of Holmgren’s decision.
Star Quarterback Recruit Terrelle Pryor Remains on Fence
Jeannette, Pennsylvania’s nationally rated number one high school football prospect, quarterback Terrelle Pryor, remains firmly entrenched in indecision concerning which school to attend. Big Ten powers Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State all claim to be in the running while Oregon, Florida and new-comer LSU also are vying for the young man’s attention. Pryor’s high school quarterback coach described him as flustered and not sure which recruiter to trust… Maybe he should Duck the issue and go to Oregon!
Selig Considers Punishing S.F. Giants’ Owner?
An article in the San Francisco Chronicle claims that MLB Commissioner is contemplating punishing the Giants owner Peter Magonwan for his allegedly willful refusal to deal with Barry Bonds’ former trainer Greg Anderson. What exactly Mr. Selig might do about this is up to discussion but some believe the punishment may come in the form of awarding the San Jose south bay area, what has always been considered Giants territory to the Oakland Athletics as they continue to look for a new stadium site. I guess there's more than one way to skin an owner!
Paula Abdul to Perform at Super Bowl XLII!
American Idol judge and singer Paula Abdul will perform a new song produced by fellow judge Randy Jackson at some currently unknown point during the Fox telecast of Super Bowl XLII, February 3rd. Paula will be joining American Idol’s most recent winner Jordon Sparks who will sing the National Anthem as well as the rock groups Counting Crows and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Here’s hoping Paula doesn’t pull a Janet Jackson stunt…
NFL Announces the Finalists for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
Jason Taylor Hines Ward
The only NFL award that recognizes a players off the field contributions to society, The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, will be awarded to one of the following four finalists announced Sunday, January 20th: Jason Taylor, DE, Miami Dolphins, Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers, Brian Waters, OG, Kansas City Chiefs, and Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys. The winner will be announced during the Super Bowl Pregame show on February 3rd.
In 2005, the year the Seattle Seahawks made their run into the Super Bowl, there was a degree of controversy concerning crowd noise in the Seahawk’s home stadium, Qwest Field. The New York Giants committed 11 false start penalties during the course o####ame and allegations were made that the crowd noise was greater than what the crowd should be able to produce. Seahawks Head Coach, Mike Holmgren actually awarded the game ball for that game with the Giants to the Seattle Seahawk’s storied "12th Man", the fans in the stands.
Since 2002, when the stadium formerly known as "Seahawk Stadium" began housing the Seattle Seahawk’s home games, it has earned the reputation as the noisiest in the NFL. The previously mentioned game in 2005, a game surrounded in other controversy besides the noise level issue, caused the NFL to investigate these occurrences. The other questions concerned two seemingly poor calls that allowed the Giants to score two touchdowns late in the game. These calls allowed them to make a comeback and almost win the game (calls that the NFL later admitted should not have been made). Incidentally, Coach Holmgren drew the fire of NFL officials for making public the findings of their investigation into those bad calls. This set of circumstances led many Seahawk fans to wonder out loud about the officiating in Super Bowl XL as a form of retribution, but that’s another story…
Fast forward to the 2006 season. Wouldn’t you know it, the NFL schedulers once again had the Giants on the road to the Seahawks. The NFL announced, after Giants officials complained that they thought the Seahawks were pumping artificial noise into the stadium, that they would monitor the noise level in Qwest Field in an effort to dispel these allegations. This investigation found no wrong doing on the part of the Seahawks.
Qwest Field was designed to afford Seahawk fans some protection from the elements even though the stadium is "open air". I’m sure the architects that came up with this design were only thinking about crowd protection without a thought to the effects on noise. Once a crowd was housed in the stadium it was found the design acted to focus crowd noise on the field. Seattle, known for it’s rowdy fans anyway, suddenly found a genuine benefit from the combination of its stadium design and its fans. The Seahawks took the ball and ran with it. As seen in many venues, the electronic message board urges fans to make noise. When this happens in Qwest Field, the sound can be deafening. Opposing teams, faced with crucial offensive plays during a game are suddenly met with this incredible rise in noise. Since 2005, Seahawk officials have maintained a count on their opposition’s false start penalties and flash it on the message boards. According to one source, as of December 7th of this season, 69 false start penalties have been committed in Qwest Field since 2005, the most in the NFL.
I’ve always been fascinated with professional sports stadiums.
Being a Seahawk fan, and aware of the noise generating capability of Qwest Field, I wondered if other NFL teams that were building new stadiums had taken note.
Here is a visual walk through concerning the current state of professional football stadium design and a comparison to the more recently built stadiums:
RECENT OPEN AIR STADIUMS
Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte, North Carolina (Opened in 1996)
FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins, Hyattsville, Maryland (Opened in 1997)
Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa, Florida (Opened in 1998)
Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio *Photo taken December 16th, 2007 (Opened in 1999)
Invesco Field at Mile High, home of the Denver Broncos, Denver, Colorado (Opened in 2001)
Lincoln Financial Field, Home of the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Opened in 2001)
Gillette Stadium, Home of the New England Patriots, Foxborough, Massachusetts (Opened in 2002)
There are other recently built open air stadiums around the league (M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore in 1998, LP Field, Nashville in 1999, Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati in 2000, and Heinz Field, Pittsburgh in 2001) and the designs are basically the same as those pictured above. What is the common characteristic between all of these stadiums? It's the upper decks. They don't have a protective cover similar to Qwest Field. It's the cover that concentrates crowd noise as the noise bounces off.
You've seen photos of Qwest Field, here are two more newer stadiums that should feature crowd noise comparable to the Seahawks home:
Reliant Stadium, home of the Houston Texans, Houston, Texas (Opened in 2002)
University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix, Arizona (Opened in 2007)
Both the Houston and Phoenix stadiums feature retractable roofs. Notice the non-moveable roof portions that act to reverberate crowd noise...
So what about any other new stadiums being designed or under construction? Check these out:
New Lucas Oil Stadium, future home of the Indianapolis Colts, Indianapolis, Indiana (Due to open in 2008)
New Dallas Cowboys Stadium (Due to open in 2009)
Proposed design for New Vikings Stadium, Future home of the Minnesota Vikings, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Proposed for completion in 2010-2011)
These three new stadium designs, all with retractable roofs, will also act to magnify crowd noise.
The question that begs to be asked: Have these team owners considered the in game advantage that stadiums built like this will feature? Would they admit it if they had?
There are also two new open air stadiums, one under construction in the Meadowlands Complex, New Jersey (for the New York Giants and New York Jets), and one under consideration for the San Francisco 49ers proposed to be built in Santa Clara, California, that will feature the conventional open upper deck construction.
Perhaps the 49ers (who have not yet recieved voter approval to date for commencement of construction to my knowledge) should revisit their stadium design plans. The NFC West already features a noisy dome (Edward James Stadium in St. Louis), a noisy retractable roof stadium (University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix) and the noisiest stadium in the NFL, Qwest Field in Seattle. It's a question of self preservation!
In response to GoSeaHox, who doesn't have his comment feature turned on. This was also posted elsewhere in Fox Sports NFL this morning.
I'm a longtime Seahawks fan...
I have to conclude that Mike Holmgren has lost his fire for the game. His offense has devolved to a simplistic pattern that includes a 2-3 yard Alexander run, a short pass to the right for no gain, and then a medium to long pass up one or the other sideline (incomplete). The defense seems to focus on a certain type of play (probably from last week's film) and the opponent has changed up to exploit the Seahawks for just that type of defense... It's like the defense is one step back and continually trying to catch up. This is not a good situation.
Mike, it's becoming obvious that you are a short timer here so why don't you loosen up, open up your playbook and have some fun. The light over your head just might turn on. Just give the team a chance, go out with a blaze of glory rather than the whimper it appears you're headed for. In the same light, give the defense it's rein and let them swarm to the ball. Take chances! Quit being so afraid that something bad is going to happen and let them play the game!
I'm a sports fanatic living on the west coast of Florida. I'm a rare bird that moved here from the left coast a couple of years ago. I advocate an even playing field in all of life's endeavors.
best slot
he gave Bush close to $300,000 in money and gifts while Reggie was attending the University of Southern California, has been assigned a trial date. After the attorneys for both sides upset Superior Court Judge Joan M. Lewis with their quarrelling tactics, deposition dates were finally agreed upon. The Judge then set the trial date for March 19, 2009. It appears USC head football coach Pete Carroll and the Trojans’ running back coach, Todd McNair, will also be testifying as Lake’s attorney, Brian Watkins, states his client had several discussions with McNair and that he overheard a phone conversation between Bush’s stepfather and the head coach. Both Carroll and McNair have already been questioned by NCAA investigators who will be sure to closely follow these court proceedings. If it can be proven that USC was aware of Reggie Bush accepting benefits from Lloyd Lake, or even if the NCAA determines that USC should have known of any wrong doing, then the University’s football program could face sanctions that could include forfeiture of game wins during their 2004 National Championship season as well as during their 2005 season when they lost to Texas in the National Championship game. In a related event that may shed more light on this case prior to it going to court, Judge Lewis ruled the results of the depositions would be made public over the objections of Bush’s lawyers. We can expect this ruling to be revisited prior to the start of depositions scheduled to begin in June…
those being the loss of scholarships, reductions in practice time and even postseason play bans. “Academic reform is here to stay, and those penalties resemble what we give for major infractions. So these are serious penalties and there are a number of teams that received those," Brand said after releasing this year's Academic Progress Report. "Yes, there are individual institutions who have seen a steady decline (academically) over the last four years, and for them, the situation is dire." The NCAA began monitoring academic scores back in 2003 and reports that 26 of 29 collegiate sports athlete’s score are up with a marked improvement made by baseball and football players. Scores increased by 12 and 11 points respectively in those sports. This raises graduation rates and whether it appears that way or not, isn’t that what these institutions of higher learning should be striving for without NCAA oversight? 
tough and big as he seems, he is real wimpy around doctors or any type of medical situation,” Cynthia Rodriguez said, according to excerpts released Tuesday by YES. “I don’t know why I thought the birth of our child would be different. In the middle of the night, I realized that I needed to go to the hospital. I wake him up. The first thing that comes out of his mouth, ‘Can we call your mother?’ 
departed. The Hawk’s O-line has been bolstered by the drafting and steady improvement of four year veteran right tackle Sean Locklear (a 3rd round draft pick in ’04 out of N.C. State who was re-signed to a long-term contract this off season), three year veteran center Chris Spencer (a 1st round pick in ‘05 out of Mississippi), and third year pro guard Rob Sims, who provided a very pleasant surprise as a good, steady player selected with a 4th round pick in the ’06 draft out of Ohio State. Perennial All-Pro left tackle Walter Jones and a new Seahawk signed as a free agent, Mike Wahle, will team with these young players to become 
a formidable front line ready to pass protect and punch running lanes. Wahle, an eleven year veteran and two-time Pro Bowler who was a salary cap casualty with the Carolina Panthers, will most likely assume the left guard position next to Jones.
for on-field talent, but also for talent among the coaching ranks. Ruskell’s next move was to bring in a new offensive line coach. Mike Solari was brought in with a sterling resume’ built over eleven years with the Kansas City Chiefs. Mike was a key link in the Chief’s top running attack over the last decade and is expected to bring his expertise to bear with the Seahawks.
pounds fills a direct need for the Hawks as their lack of a “punch it in” big back was very noticeable in 2007 and this is Duckett’s specialty. T.J. will join Leonard Weaver, a good situational change-up type fullback with excellent pass receiving and pass blocking skills. The Hawks appear to be well set with these two. Julius Jones was then brought in to directly challenge for the starting running back position amid much speculation that this move may spell the end to Shaun Alexander’s career with the Seahawks. Although nothing concrete has come out of the Seahawks’ front office to that effect (other than the obvious Jones signing), it is generally agreed that it is just a matter of time before Shaun is released. Some may hope for a trade, but that is simply wishful thinking. No, the Hawks will have to cut their losses and give Shaun his unconditional release. Thanks for the memories, Shaun. 
used early to force the opposing defenses to respect his slashing style and consequently give the Tony Romo little more time in the pocket off play action. Late in the game, and usually holding the lead, the Cowboys would then unleash Marion Barber on the opponent’s now softened up defense to much success. Jones’ style is in contrast to Alexander in that he is more of a head down, straight ahead then cut rusher whereas Alexander turned into a sideways dancer hoping to find an opening.
Prior to the Scouting Combine he was looked upon as the number two rated back in the draft. Then his performance in the combine created more questions than answers as his ability to run away from defenders was questioned. This while posting a 4.46 second 40 yard dash and running it 5 pounds heavier than his collegiate playing weight. Stewart’s strengths were said to be his power, size and tackle breaking ability while he was downgraded for his acceleration, breakaway speed and elusiveness. Next came the revelation that Stewart needed to undergo surgery to repair a turf toe injury suffered last November. These two occurrences lowered his draft value in many minds from a mid 1st rounder clear down to the middle of the 2nd. Now I’m no orthopedic surgeon, but wouldn’t that type of injury have a negative effect on a runner’s ability to accelerate, display breakaway speed and be elusive? So here we stand a couple of weeks in front of the draft and Stewart is being projected back into the top twenty.
year at College of the Sequoias was highlighted by the fact that our small college (around 3,000 students, and that seemed huge to me as my graduating class in high school had just over 100 students!) had just won the California State Championship in football by defeating Fullerton Junior College, a large community college from Orange County with an enrollment around 20,000 students. 
because it offered the only Bachelor of Science degree in Citriculture anywhere in the country. We were a bunch of bumpkins in the BIG city where we all must have walked around with wide eyes and mouths agape for at least two months after first showing up in smog land. One Saturday early that fall we all decided to take in our first Cal Poly football game. I was amazed! There were bigger crowds at my high school games than the number of fans in the stands for this Saturday night home game against Cal State Los Angeles! Other than the lack of support for our football team, the next biggest impression I recall centered on this young quarterback who was forced to scramble around as the opposing team’s defense continually collapsed the Cal Poly Broncos’ pass protection. The QB reminded me of the Viking’s Fran Tarkenton. 
He’d roll this way and that, stop and look downfield, no one open, dodge a defensive end, roll back this way and finally break downfield for a few yards. Next play, same thing. It got real old, but this young scrambler had the Broncos in front by four points with time running out. LA State had the ball and on their last desperation play of the game, their tailback ran into a big pile up on a surprise draw play. The players on the field actually began standing and everyone in the stands thought the game was over when all of a sudden this little guy comes out of the far side of the pile and sprints (wearing only one shoe!) all the way down the far sideline for a touchdown to win the game! My buddies and I just looked at each other and shook our heads while sharing a sour expression… So this was Cal Poly Pomona football… Over the balance of that season and the next, while I continued taking courses toward my degree, I went ahead and attended a few other games as one of the song girls and I were seeing each other and I felt like it was the thing to do… I know, I know… Anyway, this same quarterback continued to try and carry the team on his back, but with very little success. He was personally rewarded for his efforts by being named the Southern California College Division player of the year despite playing for a 4-6-1 team. That's because he passed for 2,367 yards and 16 touchdowns. I graduated before the next season and moved on, but that quarterback stuck around and ended up setting 10 school passing records, most of which will never be broken as Cal Poly Pomona eventually dropped intercollegiate football due to lack of interest in 1982… 
as a Pro Bowler in 1978. From 1978 to 1980, the left-handed QB passed for more than 3,000 yards each year and was only the third player in NFL history to throw for more than 10,000 yards in his first four seasons. After new Seahawks’ Head Coach Chuck Knox was brought in and had Jim playing back-up to Dave Krieg for the 1983 and 1984 seasons, he moved on to the Green Bay Packers where he played back-up and intermittently started for the Packers in 1985. Jim played his last full season of professional football for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1986 and then came back for a few games in 1987 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a strike replacement player. When asked in an interview what the highlight of his professional playing career was, Jim didn’t hesitate as he responded, “The thing I remember most about playing the Raiders and this truly was a highlight, was how spent everyone was after those particular games. Every time we played them it was an absolute fight to the finish. There wasn't much left when you came into the locker room. Everyone expended their energies onto the field and it was very grueling type of game mentally and emotionally. Physically it was just a real battle.”
out the team’s coaching staff before a new Gibb’s replacement had been hired. Now I’m not sure if these moves were unprecedented or not, but as a longtime NFL fan, I’ve never heard of such a thing. I always thought the hiring of assistant coaches was considered sacred ground, an entitlement left to an incoming head coach and understandably so since it’s his neck on the line… 
prospect, quarterback Terrelle Pryor, remains firmly entrenched in indecision concerning which school to attend. Big Ten powers Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State all claim to be in the running while Oregon, Florida and new-comer LSU also are vying for the young man’s attention. Pryor’s high school quarterback coach described him as flustered and not sure which recruiter to trust… Maybe he should Duck the issue and go to Oregon! 
