Tampa Bay Bucs' Defense Gets Quality Control Coach

TAMPA TRIBUNE - The Bucs took another step toward completing their staff by hiring North Dakota State defensive coordinator Casey Bradley as a quality-control coach for the NFL's top-rated defense. Bradley, a former free safety and punter for the Bisons, has been with North Dakota State's coaching staff for the past nine seasons.

In 2005, the Bisons led the Great West Football Conference in scoring defense, pass defense and total defense while using a variation of the Cover 2 scheme the Bucs have utilized so successfully in the past decade under Monte Kiffin.

Tampa Bay is expected to announce its revamped coaching staff this week at the scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Ira Kaufman

Tampa Bay Bucs' Defense Gets Quality Control Coach

TAMPA TRIBUNE - The Bucs took another step toward completing their staff by hiring North Dakota State defensive coordinator Casey Bradley as a quality-control coach for the NFL's top-rated defense. Bradley, a former free safety and punter for the Bisons, has been with North Dakota State's coaching staff for the past nine seasons.

In 2005, the Bisons led the Great West Football Conference in scoring defense, pass defense and total defense while using a variation of the Cover 2 scheme the Bucs have utilized so successfully in the past decade under Monte Kiffin.

Tampa Bay is expected to announce its revamped coaching staff this week at the scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Ira Kaufman

Dante Culpepper shopped to Baltimore - Minn Star

The Vikings contacted the Ravens, and...Well, read for yourself. At any rate, it's clear that the Vikings don't really want to keep Dante at all. Perhaps he will wind up with the Oakland Raiders.

Kevin Seifert, Star Tribune
Last update: February 21, 2006 – 12:56 AM

The Baltimore Ravens apparently were among the teams the Vikings contacted last week in an effort to gauge the trade value of quarterback Daunte Culpepper, but no deal with the Ravens or any other team appears imminent.

Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome told the [Baltimore] Sun on Monday that "we're interested in any matter that will make our football team better." Newsome said there have been no negotiations "officially" but did not rule out the possibility that the issue could be revisited.

Along with the Ravens, other teams expected to shop for quarterbacks this offseason include Oakland, Miami and the N.Y. Jets.

The Miami Herald reported Monday night that the Dolphins have spoken to the Vikings and are interested in him.

No trade can be finalized until the new NFL year begins March 3, but negotiations and a verbal agreement could occur any time. The Vikings presumably would like to resolve the issue before their scheduled $6 million bonus payout to Culpepper next month.

A person with knowledge of the situation said last week the Vikings had begun shopping Culpepper, who is recovering from three torn ligaments in his right knee. The website www.profootballtalk.com has reported that the Vikings were seeking a second-round draft pick, but indications are that they are pushing for additional compensation.

Meanwhile, the Vikings haven't tipped their hand on several key issues to be resolved before free agency starts. They're not believed to have held substantive discussions with either of their key free agents, receiver Koren Robinson and cornerback Brian Williams, and it is unclear whether they will use their franchise or transition tags on either player.

The deadline to designate franchise or transition players is Thursday. They probably can avoid the issue with Robinson, with whom they hold a contractual right of first refusal, but it's not out of the question that they could use it on Williams.

The franchise tag for cornerbacks is $5.893 million, while the transition figure is $4.774 million.

Colts sign 16 free agents; 6 headed for NFL Europe - Indy Star

The Indianapolis Colts announced Wednesday the signing of 16 free agents since the end of the 2005 season and have allocated six of those players to NFL Europe.

Those players assigned overseas are defensive end Justin Brown, wide receiver Roscoe Crosby, linebacker Nick Hannah, tight end Joey Hawkins, defensive back Eric Hill and center Mike Johnson.
The other additions are former Purdue wide receiver John Standeford, kicker Dave Rayner, kicker Shane Andrus, wide receiver Montiese Culton, offensive lineman Bo Lacy, defensive back Chris Laskowski, defensive back Brandon Lynch, defensive end Gabe Nyenhuis, running back Vashon Pearson and wide receiver Dan Sheldon.

In the Light of The Super Bowl, Detroit May Close Its Zoo

Money shortfalls and a less-than-resourceful state legislature spell doom for the Detroit Zoo. But considering that this problem was in extense as the Super Bowl was being planned, why didn't someone think to make a plan to help save it using the NFL's marque game as a backdrop?

This is a signal of how far The Motor City has to go to regain its past glory. It's got to find a way to solve this problem.

No zoo? Fans roar back in disbelief

Fighting back: Lawmaker working to reinstate state aid

February 21, 2006

BY MARISOL BELLO and HUGH McDIARMID JR.
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
The fight to keep the Detroit Zoo open became, well, a zoo on Monday as the Detroit City Council defended itself against a firestorm of angry complaints from city and suburban residents who don't want to see the more than 75-year-old institution closed.
At the same time, other city and zoo officials scrambled to come up with a compromise to keep the zoo open even as they moved ahead with plans to shutter it by late spring.
An Oakland County state legislator whose district includes the zoo in Royal Oak, said Monday that she was planning to plead the zoo's case in Lansing today in an effort to save $4 million in state aid to fund it.
State Sen. Shirley Johnson, R-Royal Oak, who proposed the aid, said she planned to call the governor's office and the state's budget director this morning to find a way to reinstate the aid, which had hinged on the city turning over daily operations of the facility to the nonprofit Detroit Zoological Society by Saturday.

San Diego Chargers QB Drew Brees Pushed to Free Agency

The Oakland Raiders should make a run at this guy just to teach the Chargers a lesson.

SAN DIEGO (From the Seattle Post Intelligencer) -- The Chargers are primed to let quarterback Drew Brees test free agency.

San Diego general manager A. J. Smith said Monday the team has declined to designate Brees as its franchise or transition player. The deadline for designating a player with either tag is Thursday.

If the Chargers had slapped either of the tags on Brees, he would be guaranteed nearly $10 million in a one-year salary next season. That's too rich for the Chargers, considering Brees was injured in the team's season finale, tearing the labrum in his throwing shoulder while trying to recover a fumble.

Brees underwent surgery last month and is expected to begin throwing in May. But whether he is at full strength by the Chargers' July training camp isn't known.

Brees and the Chargers are talking about a multiyear pact. But so far, no agreement has been reached and on March 3, Brees can negotiate with any team.

"Our proposals have not been acceptable at this point and time, but we will continue to talk," Smith said. "Drew Brees wants to be here, we want him to be here. Drew wants a long-term contract, we want him to have a long-term contract. We are working on that and continue to work on it."



But the Chargers are confident they have enough depth to reach the playoffs even if Brees walks, according to Smith. Behind Brees is Philip Rivers, the 2004 draft's fourth overall pick, and veteran A.J. Feeley.
Brees, who's entering his sixth season, resurrected his career in 2004. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl after throwing for 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He was also the NFL Comeback Player of the Year while directing the Chargers to the AFC West title and their first playoff appearance since 1995.

Last year, Brees had another solid season, throwing for a career-high 3,576 yards, the sixth-most in team history. He had 24 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions.

San Diego's initial proposal for a long-term deal was shot down by Brees and his representative, Tom Condon.

Brees or Condon weren't available for comment.

Smith said a deal could still be struck, but only if the other party accepts the club's value it has placed on Brees.

The sticking point appears to be the guaranteed money in the pact's first year, with the remainder of the compensation being tied to incentives reached by Brees, if his shoulder is right. Smith said once Brees hits the open market - if he does - the price the Chargers are willing to pay will not fluctuate.

"We already have a value set in our mind; that is not a factor at all," said Smith, who is 25-24 in his three years as general manager. "We know exactly what we do and we have a way of doing our business."

And while Smith said he wants Brees back, it was evident in his remarks that he's cautiously optimistic Rivers can do the job.

Rivers was a standout at North Carolina State where his 13,484 passing yards were second at the time in NCAA history. Rivers has thrown just 30 passes in the NFL.

"I really like Philip Rivers very much, except he has never played in the National Football League, except to dabble in it and that is always a concern for all of us," Smith said. "Anytime a collegiate player enters the National Football League, it starts all over again. There are first-round busts and seventh-rounders that go to (the Pro Bowl) every year."

Ricky Williams' Character Lynch Mob Strikes Again

They can't just leave Miami Dolphins Running Back Ricky Williams alone. Last year it was his use of pot, followed by jokes about it. Now, someone has leaked information that he may have failed a drug test. All of this while Williams is away in India. It may cause him to be suspended for one year from the NFL and in violation of its substance abuse policy.

The question I have is who leaked the information, and why. Also, the report is that he didn't take pot this time; so what was it? Where was he?

The NFL should take steps to suspend anyone who was found to leak the information. The Ricky Williams Lynch Mob should give this a rest and get better jobs.

I hope this turns out to be nothing at all. I think a bit too much of this is being made just to tear down someone. It's not funny at all.

But Ricky and his agent Leigh Steinberg should file an appeal.

Craigslist Earns $20 Million Annually and Worth About $874 Million As An Acquisition - I Guess That Makes Craig Nemark A Philanthropist

I ran accross this story which explains that Craiglist earns about $20 million annually according to CEO Jim Buckmaster.

I've also read that Craiglist receives about 23 million unique visitors a month. So, according to a recent Business 2.0 article on the "return of web eyeballs_ and one that valued one unique visitor at $38 from the perspectives of the average value of unique visitors of those web firms that had been purchased. This would place CL at about $874 million in value.

For all of those who are still under the impression that Craiglist is a poor nonprofit organization, this should serve as a wake up call.

I remember having just such a conversation with a woman about two years ago. She tried to convince me that CL was this poor little activist firm. "Why do you insist on this view?" I asked. "Well, it's a Dot.org for starters," was the answer I got.

Ooo Boy. Meanwhile, the staff of 18 continues to run the most efficient machine on the Web.

Curt Gowdy Passes - Another Signpost of The Zeitgeist

A voice that I grew up with and came to associate with some of the most legendary sports events in history passed today. Curt Gowdy. He passed at the age of 86, and although he battled leukimia, lived a good long life.

It didn't matter what game it was, NFL or MLB, he gave a kind of magic to the game that let you know what you were watching was special. Subconciously I came to associate his voice with a special moment.

Gowdy is especially remembered as the "Voice of The Boston Red Sox" and so will be very much missed.

Gowdy covered eight Super Bowls, 13 World Series, 16 Baseball All-Star Games, and Seven Olympics Games, as well as a number of NCAA Final Four games, and countless NFL and MLB games of note. He is a legendary broadcaster that NBC Sports President Dick Ebersol said once carried NBC Sports.

Exhale.org - It's Funny Who You Meet at The Gym

I just got back from working out at the gym. As the facility is smack in the middle of the Lake Merritt Neighborhood of Oakland, everyone comes there. But few really know each other because, well, some folks don't talk much. Now, I'll have to say the African Americans there talk to everyone and each other, so we pretty much know who the other black person is.

But I digress.. I met this cool lady who I joke with once and awhile, as our conversations started when we were in the same room as this guy who, in trying to park his car, almost ran into me. So I called him on it in a very friendly way, and she and I started talking, but I never knew what she did.

Well, today, I found out that she runs a company called "Exhale" and they have a talk line for women who have abortions. It's a really novel idea that frankly I never considered personally but is very logical. It's been in existence since 2000 and has this website at www.4exhale.org where you can learn more about them and contribute online.

Go do it!

NFL-Bound Texas QB Vince Young Already Making Critical Business Mistakes

Not even days before the NFL Draft and Vince Young's making critical business errors that could negatively impact both the position where he's selected in the draft and his overall endorsement income.

While Matt Leinart, Young's NCAA Football National Championship Game counterpart, makes his meetings and shows up at events like Leigh Steinberg's A-List Party, shaking hands and chatting with everyone including this author, Young misses meetings.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Young hired a family attorney to be his agent and his uncle to handle his business matters. Neither have NFL experience, and according to the article...

"several companies have expressed interest in talking to Mr. Young about endorsement deals, including MasterCard, American Express, Nike, Reebok and the urban clothier Rocco Wear.
Former Dallas Cowboys scouting director Gil Brandt knows that Reebok is one of the companies, because Mr. Brandt helped set up a meeting between Mr. Young's team and Reebok officials in Detroit on the Saturday before Super Bowl XL.
According to Mr. Brandt, Mr. Young and his management team never showed for the meeting, and it had to be rescheduled.
"Promise and responsibility are big things," said Mr. Brandt, who talks to Texas juniors in Austin every year about their NFL options at coach Mack Brown's request. "And if you have a business meeting set up, you've got to make sure you're at the meeting because people are anxious at spending large amounts of money."
Mr. Brandt also gave Mr. Young, Mr. Adams and Keith Young tickets to a party thrown by NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue before the Super Bowl. Mr. Brandt did the same for USC quarterback Matt Leinart.
"Leinart was there, dressed nicely and making a big impression on everyone he met," Mr. Brandt said. "I didn't see Vince there. Everybody who's anybody is at the commissioner's party. When you impress somebody, it opens a lot of doors. All these things, Vince has kind of missed the boat on."
Keith Young and Mr. Adams didn't respond to calls seeking comment on Mr. Brandt's statements. Last week, they said they're simply taking their time and working at their own pace. They said they don't want to rush into any deals."

This is a remarkable error. First, if anyone gives you a ticket to the NFL Commissioners Party, you take it and go. Every heavy hitter in sports and its related industries is there. What Vince's family fails to understand is that the part of the sports business they're in rests on relationships. If I were them, I'd call Gil Brandt and do some fence mending.

Krugle - I just joined "Krugle" So I Guess I'm A Developer

I just learned about Krugle, the self-described search engine for developers, and went to the website. I've got to admit, the intent of the product aside, it looks great. They've got a flair for simplistic design.

Now, as to the product itself, I wonder how they plan to make money as I've not seen the actual search engine. But that written, it's a good idea to have a device that allows me to look up code quickly. I'm still a novice in my book, even though I've managed to learn quite a bit -- HTML, FML, some Java -- over the last three years. It's also good to have a specialized search engine rather than walking around Google in frustration.

Well, let's see how Krugle comes along.