Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Kate On Sports: 'Roid Rage!!

Kate On Sports promo is a hit! It's on Blip.tv, YouTube, Google, BroadbandSports, and Clipshack..
Emmys 2006 - Opening Number (Part 2)

This is the second clip of the opening of the 2006 Emmy Awards. This is Conan O'Brien's opening monolog.

2006 Emmy Awards - Video Of "Lost" Opening

The 2006 Emmy Awards was notable for this opening segment that mocked the plane crash that was the basis for the story line of "Lost."

Since it happened right after a major plane crash, many questioned NBC's wisdom in producing it.

Here it is:

Raiders Try USC's Darnell Bing At Outside Linebacker - Randy Johnson For Press Telegram

This is one reason why the Raiders Defense is younger and faster -- moving the former safety to linebacker. Check out the video on Bing at USC.



Darnell Bing changing his spot
Raiders like what they see in rookie 'linebacker'
By Randy Johnson, Special to the Press-Telegram


NAPA - He was a two-time national champion at USC, a menacing strong safety known for big plays and bigger hits.

Now he's a rookie fourth-round draft pick fighting for playing time with established Oakland Raiders veterans, and he's being asked to learn how to play outside linebacker on the fly.

Welcome to the National Football League, Darnell Bing.

So does he drift back to his Pop Warner career in Long Beach or high school days at Poly to remember how to play the position?

Nope, he can't.

"I've never played linebacker before in my life," Bing said with a smile following a recent training camp practice at Redwood Middle School, in the wine country that is Napa Valley.

"It's just another challenge for me to go out there and go hard and compete."

Still, Raiders coach Art Shell is pleased with Bing's progress in learning the new spot.

"Darnell, like all the rest of the guys, is working his tail off to become a better football player," Shell said. "He's making the transition from strong safety to outside linebacker in a big way. I expect good things and big things from him down the road."

Bing has been working


Darnell Bing of Poly High played safety with USC, but he has been moved to linebacker with the Oakland Raiders in his rookie season in the NFL.
(Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images)

with the second-team defense in recent workouts, shucking his No. 20 college jersey for a more linebacker-like No. 59.

And while his listed dimensions of 6-foot-2, 230 pounds made him a really big safety at USC, they leave him as one of the smallest linebackers on the Raiders' roster.

But, football is football, and Bing is adjusting well according to linebackers coach Don Martindale.

"I think he's doing a great job and he's right on schedule," said Martindale. "Each day he gets better, and anywhere he makes a mistake he comes back and corrects it. He's doing a heck of a job for us. He's a good, tough, physical kid."

While at Poly, Bing was named to numerous national teams, including the prestigious Parade All-American team in 2001, and was a part of three CIF Division I championship teams that combined to go 39-1-1.

He was also named to the first team of the Press-Telegram's Dream Team and Best in the West team.

At USC, Bing was a First-Team All-American and All-Pac 10 Conference pick with the Trojans in 2005. He returned four interceptions for 119 yards last season, including one score, and recorded 50 tackles.

As far as his own assessment of making the switch thus far, Bing was more reserved.

"It's going pretty good. I'm making some plays here and there, and I'm getting my keys down, so I'd say it's going pretty well."

Though a position change may be an uncomfortable proposition for most incoming players, Bing was perhaps more NFL-ready based on who he practiced against every day at USC.

Bing lined up against fellow 2006 draft picks like Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, as well as Titans rookie running back LenDale White.

"Of course. They're all wonderful players, so I'd say being at 'SC helped a lot," he said.

Matt Leinart Breaks Out! - A Video Look

Here's a video of the Arizona Cardinals preseason victory against the Chicago Bears, where new QB Matt Leinart posted great passing numbers in his second game:

Broncos Use Same Playbook To Beat Texans 17-14 on Saturday

Watch the video and you'll see mirror-image offenses.



Broncos spoil Kubiak's return, top Texans

NFL.com wire reports

DENVER (Aug. 27, 2006) -- Gary Kubiak took the playbook and plenty of knowledge with him to Houston after serving as Mike Shanahan's apprentice in Denver for more than a decade.

If only he could have taken some more of the talent he left behind.

The Broncos beat Houston 17-14 on Sunday night, spoiling the return of the Texans' first-year coach who spent nearly two decades in Denver, first as John Elway's backup and then as Shanahan's assistant.

"Coming back doesn't feel real good right now," Kubiak said.

Although Houston's front seven thoroughly impressed Shanahan, it was Denver's defense that had an answer for just about everything Kubiak tried.

"It was like practice," Broncos linebacker Al Wilson said. "We saw so many things that were so similar to what we do, which was expected. But at the same time, Kub put a twist on a few things and had us guessing and thinking a little bit. But it was like practice all over again."

After covering a deep pass that fell incomplete along the Texans' sideline, Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams smiled and wagged his finger at Kubiak.

"What we saw, we see every day in practice," Williams said. "It wasn't anything new to us."

And what the Texans saw wasn't anything new to them, either.


Gary Kubiak couldn't come up with anything to fool the Broncos.
Kubiak took five members of the Broncos' coaching staff with him to Houston, and they were soon joined by general manager Rick Smith, who had been an assistant GM in Denver. Plus, the Texans signed tight end Jeb Putzier, who had been cut by the Broncos in a salary cap purge over the winter, along with former Broncos tight end Patrick Hape and tackle Ephraim Salaam.

"That entire organization is becoming a mirror image of this organization," Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith said. "Which I think is a good thing for them because we set a standard a long time ago and he's been a part of that for 20-plus years and you can see those guys are playing a lot better football than they played the last couple years. They're going to win a lot of football games."

Like many homecomings, however, this one was bittersweet.

"I saw a lot of people who were a big part of my life, and that was special," Kubiak said. "Once the football game starts, it kind of all goes out the window. It was nice to see everybody. This was a good challenge for our team, and I liked the way we fought all night. We were not very clean at all early in the game, but I liked the way we played hard to the end."

After the game, Kubiak and Shanahan embraced.

"I just told Mike, thanks for all he's done and giving me the chance," Kubiak said.

The biggest return belonged to Javon Walker, who caught three passes for 41 yards, his first receptions since tearing up his right knee in the season opener for Green Bay last year.

"It's been behind me since Denver got me in the trade. I was just ready to go out and be the person I was in Green Bay," the former Pro Bowl receiver said. "It felt good because you don't get hit in training camp. To get that done lets me know, `Hey, I'm all right and ready to get this season kicked off."'

Tatum Bell scored from a yard out and Cedric Cobbs followed a big block from right tackle Adam Meadows for a 26-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Denver's Jake Plummer (10-for-22, 96 yards) was off target all night and David Carr, although a respectable 15-for-22 for 128 yards, fumbled once, threw an interception at his own 20-yard line and couldn't lead the Texans into the end zone in seven possessions.

As might be expected from two offensive minds who know each other so well, the first 25 minutes was a stalemate until the Broncos got the ball at the Texans 45 and took advantage of the short field.

Their drive stalled at the 14 and Jason Elam nailed a 32-yarder, but Houston tackle Alfred Malone was whistled for an illegal procedure that gave the Broncos first-and-goal at the 9. Bell spun his way across the goal line three plays later.

On the next play from scrimmage, linebacker D.J. Williams picked off Carr at the Texans 20 and Elam followed with a 23-yard field goal that made it 10-0.

The Texans pulled to 10-3 on Kris Brown 's 29-yard field goal just before halftime. His 32-yarder in the third quarter made it 10-6 and came after rookie tight end Owen Daniels lined up offsides on fourth-and-1 at the Broncos 9.

After Cobbs' TD made it 17-6, Sage Rosenfels threw a 19-yard TD pass to Derrick Lewis with 2:53 left, and Vernand Morency's 2-point run made it 17-14.

Notes: Houston CB Phillip Buchanon bruised his ribs. ... Broncos WR Todd Devoe aggravated a shoulder injury.

Stephen Colbert On Slavery and The NFL Draft

Say, you may not like or agree with this video, but it's worth listening too. Stephen Colbert gives his take on the NFL and specifically the NFL Draft as it compares to slavery.

Check it out: