Monday, March 05, 2007

Cowboys Sign Leonard Davis, Re-sign WR Terry Glenn

Cowboys Agree to Terms With OL Davis-See my Commentary Below
By Associated Press

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to terms with free agent offensive lineman Leonard Davis.

Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple confirmed the deal Sunday, but not the details of the agreement. He said a formal announcement by the team was expected Monday.

According to various reports, including a story posted on the team's Web site, Davis agreed to a seven-year contract worth nearly $50 million, including $18.75 million in guaranteed money.

Davis, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2001 draft out of Texas, spent his first six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He played guard for the first four seasons and switched to left tackle in 2004.

He started 91 games for the Cardinals, including all 16 last season, but never became the overpowering Pro Bowl-level player the team envisioned.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys picked up wide receiver Terry Glenn's $5 million roster bonus, virtually assuring he will remain with the team.

"I've talked to Terry and he's very excited," receivers coach Ray Sherman told The Dallas Morning News.

Glenn will earn a base salary of $820,000. He had more than 1,000 yards receiving and six touchdowns last year.

One of the Things Former Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells always wanted was a Big Time BIG Offensive lineman. He never mentioned Davis by name ofcourse, but you can't get much bigger them Him. Surely Davis will return to his former Position, Guard. This move also firms up the Cowboys Line to the point where thye do NOT have to draft a projected starter, but rather just get back-ups now.

Packers Loose Ahman Green: Texans Sign Runningback.

Texans Agree to Terms With Ahman Green
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans agreed to terms with free agent running back Ahman Green on Sunday. The 30-year-old former Green Bay Packer will likely become the starter for a team that struggled at the position last season after Domanick Williams -- formerly Davis -- missed the year with knee problems.

Green will be introduced at a 1 p.m. news conference in Houston on Monday, said Texans vice president of communications Tony Wyllie. Terms of the contract were not immediately available.

Houston also has a trio of inexperienced running backs in Wali Lundy, Chris Taylor and fellow former Green Bay player Samkon Gado. They also hope to re-sign free agent Ron Dayne, the 1999 Heisman Trophy winner, who excelled late last season after years of struggles.

Green had 266 carries for 1,059 yards last season after returning from a torn right quadriceps in 2005. He missed two games last season because of lingering effects from the injury.

He has 8,491 yards and 54 touchdowns in his nine-year career that began with Seattle. Before the injury two years ago, Green gained more than 1,100 yards in each of the previous five seasons.

Green, who has been with the Packers since the 2000 season, has close ties with former Packers head coach Mike Sherman, who is the Texans' offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Along with Gado, former Packers teammate Mike Flanagan also plays for the Texans.

Green spent the weekend in Houston, visiting the Texans and taking in a Houston Rockets game on Saturday night.

"I'm just looking for a situation where I feel comfortable around the players and the coaches, where I can be myself," Green said Sunday before the deal was announced. "Come down here and just play football and have fun. That is what I'm looking for."

Green did not immediately return a message left on his cell phone by The Associated Press.

After meeting with Denver and Houston, Green told reporters in Houston earlier on Sunday that he was canceling other scheduled visits to teams and could "possibly" make his decision in the next 24 hours.

"I have gotten to the point where I have seen enough," Green said. "I don't need to venture out anymore. I know a few teams that are disappointed because I did have some visits set up, but from the two teams that I have visited, I don't need to see anymore."

Green said facing the possibility of leaving Green Bay would be difficult.

"That's where the majority of my career is at," Green said. "I think speaking in general with anybody that has been in a situation for a long time, regardless of if it was good or bad, I've been there seven years. Some good, some bad, but regardless of the fact, staying or leaving will be tough. I don't know yet, but, I think for anybody generally speaking it would be tough to do. When you're a kid and you transfer a school, and that school you have all your buddies, regardless of if it was good times or bad times, it's still a tough time to leave."

Going into the offseason, Green had indicated he preferred to stay in Green Bay. He was scheduled to appear at the Packers' annual fan fest next weekend.

With Green out, the Packers are left with Vernand Morency, an inexperienced but quick back who was obtained for Gado in a trade with the Texans last season. Morency gained 434 yards on 96 carries last year.

Green Bay also could look to address their running back needs with the No. 16 pick in the NFL draft next month or obtain another running back through free agency.

And my Take:

So now your going to get to see if Green really has it, or is he just another Fumbler of a runningback. There were at least 4 other teams, including The Giants nad Patriots that were looking forward to Green Visiting with them. I'm not surprised Green wants to be with Mike Sherman....

Bucs Sign B.J Askew

Bucs Sign Free Agent Fullback B.J. Askew
By Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. -- Free-agent fullback B.J. Askew signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Askew, drafted by the Jets in the third round out of Michigan in 2003, has played in 55 games in his four NFL seasons, all with New York. In 2004, he and Jerald Sowell were the lead blockers for running back Curtis Martin, who led the league with 1,697 yards rushing.

Askew has 102 yards rushing on 27 carries and 12 catches for 73 yards in four seasons while being used mainly as a blocker. He was also a standout on special teams.

Askew recently told The Associated Press that he wanted a chance to switch roles on the field, from fullback to halfback -- something he did while rushing for 1,580 yards and 17 touchdowns in college at Michigan. He also caught 83 passes for 777 yards and six TDs with the Wolverines.

"B.J. enjoyed his time with the Jets, but he wanted an opportunity to utilize all of his talents," said Askew's agent, Scott Smith. "He is much more than a traditional blocking fullback, and now he will be playing in a system that has produced one of the most prolific power backs in history in Mike Alstott."

Jags Sign WR Northcutt to a 5 year contract

Jags Agree to 5-Year Deal With Northcutt- see my end comment
By Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars believe they found a legitimate deep threat in free agency, agreeing to a five-year contract with former Cleveland receiver Dennis Northcutt on Sunday.

Northcutt was flying to Jacksonville for a physical Sunday and was expected to sign the deal Monday.

The contract was reportedly worth $17 million and included a $4.5-million signing bonus.

Northcutt had 276 receptions for 3,438 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven years with the Browns. He caught 117 passes for 1,535 yards and four touchdowns during the 2003-04 seasons. His production dipped the last two years with 64 receptions for 669 yards and two scores.

But the Jaguars think he will help spread the field for quarterback Byron Leftwich, receivers Matt Jones and Reggie Williams and the running game.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Northcutt also could help the Jaguars on special teams since he ranked fourth in the league last season in punt returns.

Northcutt would be the second free agent signing for the Jaguars. They signed former Baltimore right tackle Tony Pashos to a five-year contract worth $24 million Friday.


So Coach Del Rio is quite serious about putting a winner on the field. Northcutt was wasting away the last two years as his numbers dipped in Cleveland. He was close to being a "phenom" coming out of Northern Arizona University in the 2000 Draft. This gives Jacksonville a legitimate #2 Receiver, as well as a great Punt Returner. it also gives Coach Del Rio some offensive peace of mind.

Poll Of Dems And Repub Insiders Favors Clinton and Giuliani, But No Clear Favorite - Watch Out For Obama

An LA Times poll currently has Senator Hillary Clinton and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani as the favorite with party insiders -- whatever the hell that means.

What the poll fails to capture is the rise in support for Barack Obama. Party insiders have ties to current incumbents and are often the last to adjust to the desires of the public at large.

But watch out for Obama. He now has more support amoug Black voters than Senator Clinton and is drawing huge crowds whereever he goes.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton In Selma, Alabama - Score One For Obama, But..

Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama appeared in Selma, Alabama today to give speeches recognizing "Bloody Sunday." Bloody Sunday is described in this way:

"On March 7, 1965, 600 marchers gathered outside of Brown Chapel and set out for Montgomery by way of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Acting on orders from Governor George Wallace, Alabama state troopers stood in their pathway and ordered them to turn around. The marchers were then met with billy clubs, tear gas, and bullwhips and were trampled by horses. The attack was televised, and by the time of the second march two days later, whites and blacks from other parts of the country had joined in their struggle. Restrained by a court order, King led them to the bridge, prayed and turned around."

It led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act by Congress.

Senator Barack Obama was invited to give the keynote speech at a service honoring the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, joining Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and other veterans of the civil rights movement in marking the historic event. But not to be oudone, Senator Clinton arranged to speak at almost the same time as Senator Obama, but at a different church.

Who came out on top? Well, since C-SPAN covered all of Senator Obama's speech and only part of Senator Clinton's speech, you've got to score that round to Obama. But I saw both speeches and while Obama's still the more passionate speaker, Senator Clinton gave the best speech I've heard from her. The one problem is that she reads, where Obama talks, looking down a scant few times and only for a fraction of a second.

He spends more time talking and less time reading. He connects.

Marriage Becoming An Act Of America's Wealthy and Educated - Blame The Economy

That news comes from the Washington Post , which states...

"Punctuating a fundamental change in American family life, married couples with children now occupy fewer than one in every four households -- a share that has been slashed in half since 1960 and is the lowest ever recorded by the census.

As marriage with children becomes an exception rather than the norm, social scientists say it is also becoming the self-selected province of the college-educated and the affluent. The working class and the poor, meanwhile, increasingly steer away from marriage, while living together and bearing children out of wedlock."

The article also points to the decline in economic prosperty since World War II. But the basic problem is the overall decline in manufacturing jobs, which have fallen from just over 20 million in 1979 to about 14 million in 2004. That's a loss of 6 million jobs. And many of those jobs were taken by people who didn't have masters degrees or college degrees for that matter, but they were good, well-paying gigs. It used to be that one person could make enough money to feed a family, but that's no longer true. It takes two. It's hard to have time to raise a family and work at the same time. Something's got to give.

Marriage, sadly.