Rumor: Houston Texans GM Charley Casserly Fired - Profootballtalk.com

According to today's Profootballtalk.com, Houston Texans GM Charley Casserly has been fired. Here's their report, with a link to it at the title of this post.
CASSERLY OUT IN HOUSTON

A league source tells us that the Texans and G.M. Charley Casserly officially have parted ways after a six-year relationship, which preceded by more than two full years the team's official arrival to the NFL.

For now, we don't know whether the move is being characterized as a resignation or a termination. Our guess is that it will be described to the media as voluntary.

Several weeks back, we reported that Casserly would be fired after the draft. Our report prompted a strong denial from the team and from owner Bob McNair. Our prediction at the time was that all parties were hoping to preserve the appearance that Casserly's ultimate departure was not in any way forced.

His name has been mentioned as a potential replacement for Art Shell in the league office, but we've heard that the rumors of Casserly's candidacy for that specific position trace not to the Park Avenue, but to Casserly himself.

And based on things we're hearing it now appears that the Texans will make a run at Broncos assistant G.M. Rick Smith before moving on to other candidates. Some league insiders believe that the Broncos would never give Smith permission to leave, and other league insiders believe that the Texans don't (or at least shouldn't) want Smith given his close relationship with new head coach Gary Kubiak.

Randy Moss Fires His Agent Over Drug Charges - AP

Moss drops agent facing drug charges

Associated Press and Fox Sports

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss has dropped an agent who is facing drug charges in Florida.

Charleston lawyer Dante DiTrapano, his wife Teri, and three others were arrested March 14 at a St. Petersburg, Fla., hotel. Police there said they recovered 73 pieces of crack cocaine and 21 grams of powder cocaine. All five were charged with felony possession of crack cocaine.
Moss signed an agreement on April 20 designating another Charleston lawyer, Tim DiPiero, as his sole agent, the NFL Players Association told The Charleston Gazette for a story in Tuesday's editions. DiPiero confirmed the agreement on Monday but he told the newspaper that he would not comment on the reasons.

DiTrapano and DiPiero are members of the same law firm, DiTrapano, Barrett & DiPiero PLLC. The law firm has removed DiTrapano's name from the sign outside its Charleston offices.

DiPiero has represented Moss as an agent and attorney since 1995, when Moss was accused of kicking a classmate at DuPont High School. Moss later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery.

Seahawks, A&M reach deal on 12th man phrase - AP

Seahawks, A&M reach deal on 12th man phrase
Associated Press


COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - The fight over the "12th Man" is over and both Texas A&M and the Seattle Seahawks will be able to use the phrase.

Texas A&M and the Seahawks said Monday they had reached a deal settling the university's lawsuit over the nickname for their fans.
As part of the agreement, the Seahawks acknowledge Texas A&M's ownership rights of the trademarked phrase. However, the NFL team may continue using it under license. Neither side admitted any fault or liability.

The Aggies hold a federal trademark rights to "12th Man." They wanted to halt Seattle from using "12th Man" earlier this year.

In February, the university filed a lawsuit in Brazos County over the Seahawks use of the trademark. Days before Seattle faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl, a restraining order was issued calling on the Seahawks to halt any usage of "12th Man," or "12th Mania."

Origins of the term "12th man" aren't exactly clear, but the traditions in Seattle and College Station date back decades.

The Aggies trace their use to 1922, when an injury-plagued roster led the team to pull E. King Gill from the stands and suited him up to play. Gill never took to the field, but the legend strengthened campus-wide commitment to support the team. The words "Home of 12th Man" adorn the stadium and the entire school is considered the 12th Man.

The Seahawks retired the number 12 in 1984 to honor fans who made the old Kingdome one of the noisiest stadiums in football. It hangs alongside Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent's No. 80.

David Blaine - Why Do I Care?

Look. Why do I care that this David Blaine is off doing some weird stunt? It's all just another way to get noticed. I've never known of this guy until last week. I'd prefer he just go into investment banking.

Hacker Attacks Craigslist - Website Posting Disabled Due To Actions Of Kevin Mesiab

I found this guy's blog -- click the title of this post -- on Technorati. I'm surprised it wasn't picked up and sent around the blogsphere ealier. But if you look at it, he's figured out some kind of way to enter user accounts on CL. This happened on May 7th.

Maybe he wants a job with Craig Newmark? Whatever the reason, it's a terrible action on Kevin's part.

Oakland Raiders Mini Camp Under Art Shell: "Leadership" and "Accountability" Are Spoken Words

As reported by "RaiderDee" at Raiderfans.net the Oakland Raiders' first mini camp under new head coach Art Shell featured the players using words like "Leadership" and "Accountability" to describe the style of player behavior this year and the coaching staff' approach to player relations.

RaiderDee reports:

"The recurring themes at today's camp were 'everyone's on the same page' and 'this coaching staff let's us know where we all stand.' Offensive lineman Barry Sims expounded on these themes during today's afternoon break. He talked about how he approached coach Shell about being moved to left guard and how he felt he was a better left tackle. Then later, Shell explained that if the team needs him to be a guard, then he'll be a guard. Shell touched on that conversation between he and Sims and confessed that that was what he expected Sims to say. "Barry said, to his credit, he said 'look coach. I think I'm a left tackle. I can play the position, but if you or the team want me to move to guard, I'll do that.' So, that's a credit to him. If he didn't push back, I would be disappointed. He did push back a little bit, but he understands we're doing what we think is best for our football team. We're going to get the best five guys out there that can play."

Barry Sims also spoke about how different the coaching staff was compared to seasons past. The last few seasons, guys were too loose and lacked leadership. He went on to mention how everyone's being held accountable now.

After Art Shell was hired as the 2006 Oakland Raiders Head Coach, there have been many comments on whether or not he and his assistants have been away from the game too long. I would tell you that time away from the game means nothing! If you are a good coach, then you are a good coach. After what I have seen today, I am convinced that this team can make a dramatic turnaround. Today, I witnessed crisp and surprisingly energetic workouts for it to only being a mini-camp. There was a sense of personal pride and fierce competition amongst the players. Moss was pushing the young receivers, Sapp lending his knowledge, and a head coach understanding that mistakes are to be expected as he (Shell) bellowed out a laugh as he patted a rookie player on the back of his helmet a if he were saying, 'I've been there before…it's alright. You'll get the hang of it' finally, a Raider coach 'gets it' Making his players more productive without having to resort to yelling with a dirty scowl (Jon Gruden), chastising its players for every mistake they made and walking off the field between games (Bill Callahan), and without having a fish-out-of-water, confused, bewildered, and befuddled look of utter impotence (Norv Turner). Once again, there is structure, discipline, and focus.

Welcome to the Art Shell Era (part deux)."

Visit Raiderfans.net for more information.

2006 NFL Draft - More Sights And Sounds, And Bert Sugar

There's no NFL Draft video like the one you're about to see. It's a tour -- a walkaround, as I call it -- and it includes a stop by the NFL Network; we see ESPN's Chris Mortensen as he's preparing to go on the air; we meet such NFL staffers as Craig Ellenport of NFL.com and the people who staff the team tables, take the calls, and write in the names of the players who will become NFL stars.

But the highlight is my now annual meeting with HBO's Boxing Analyst Bert Sugar. Bert always attends the NFL Draft; I first met him last year, and after Bill Chachkes told me to go up, introduce myself, and get a cigar. But Bert's good for more than just expensive cigs, he's got a unique insight into boxing and what's wrong with it. He was not shy about sharing his opinion on that subject as well as how he told NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle that the NFL Draft was something people wanted to see. (Sugar said "Rozelle said 'Who wouild want to watch that?' Look now!")

We also see the first "walk" of all of the top draftees as they're introduced by Adam Schefter of the NFL Network: Reggie Bush, Vernon Davis, Matt Leinart, Mario Williams, D'Brickshaw Ferguson, and Vince Young.

In all, it's a great view of a fantastic event.

Here's the video:

Partying Out Of The Way, Matt Leinart Works Out Today - AP

He's sporting a jersey with the number "7" after another winner, John Elway.


Andrew Bagnato
Associated Press
May. 5, 2006 02:37 PM

TEMPE, Ariz. - Matt Leinart led Southern California to two national titles.

He won a Heisman Trophy. He hung out with movie stars.

But Leinart couldn't help feeling slightly anxious on his first day on the job with the Cardinals on Friday. Leinart, Arizona's first-round draft choice, participated in his first practice with the team. He took the field as a back-up for the first time since 2002, when he played behind Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer at USC. advertisement

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, but I felt comfortable," Leinart said. "It's definitely different sitting back, but it's a great situation to learn behind a guy like Kurt (Warner, the starter), just to kind of watch and see how he plays and look at coverages."

Of course, Leinart isn't a typical second-stringer, happy to be on a roster. He represents nothing less than the future for a team with little glory in its past.

Leinart is helping to create a buzz around an 87-year-old franchise that has had more home cities (3) than postseason victories (2). And it has nothing to do with the gossip linking him to Paris Hilton.

Five days after drafting Leinart with the 10th overall pick, the club announced Thursday that it had sold out its season-ticket allotment in its new retractable-roof stadium in Glendale, west of Phoenix. The team said it would reserve about 3,000 of the 65,000 seats for individual game sales.

Fan interest perked up in March when the team signed running back Edgerrin James, a four-time Pro Bowler, to a four-year, $30 million deal. The addition of Leinart has prompted full-blown Cardinalmania, or what approaches it in a laid-back sports town.

On Friday, a helicopter from a local news station circled the team's practice facility as players did nothing more than run through plays in helmets, shorts and jerseys. Thousands of fans are expected to attend the annual fan festival at the team's headquarters Saturday.

"There's a buzz," Warner said. "Now we just have to live up to it, right?"

There hasn't been this much excitement surrounding a Cardinal quarterback since Jake Plummer, a product of nearby Arizona State, led the team to a 9-7 record and a playoff victory in 1998. Four years and 43 losses later, Plummer left to sign a free-agent deal with the Denver Broncos.

Plummer was drafted by the Cardinals in the second round in 1997 and thrust into the starting line-up that season. The Cardinals hope they don't have to do the same thing with Leinart.

At the moment, he is slated to spend his Sunday afternoons watching Warner, who is signed through the 2008 season. But Warner hasn't played a 16-game season since 2001. He has started a total of 19 games the last two years.

"Hopefully, (Leinart) doesn't have to play one down during the regular season," coach Dennis Green said. "That would mean that Kurt Warner is healthy all year. That's how we did it with Daunte Culpepper (at Minnesota). He never took a snap. We'd like it that way, just to get in and learn how we do things and learn the pro game."

Actually, Culpepper, the Vikings' first-round pick in 1999, played briefly in one game as a rookie. But he didn't throw his first pass until his second year as a pro, when he led the Vikings to the NFC Central title.

Leinart said he's content to wait his turn while learning the playbook and adjusting to the speed of the NFL. That can come as a shock to young quarterbacks, but perhaps not to Leinart, who spent five years in a pro-style USC offense that featured future pros such as Reggie Bush, the second overall pick in last week's draft.

Still, Leinart was impressed by the Cardinals' receivers, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, as well as James.

"I was very fortunate to play at USC with a lot of great players, (future) NFL players," he said. "But here, it's no different. These guys are the best of the best. Handing the ball off to Edge is pretty cool."

Reggie Bush' Agent Segal Says Bush Will Attend Saints' Rookie Camp

There's much concern around the league that Joel Segal, Reggie Bush's agent, will keep his client out of training camp as deal leverage. He seems to dispell that idea in this Times-Picayune article:

DEAL WITH IT

Getting Saints No. 1 draft pick Reggie Bush's contract completed before training camp may be unrealistic, but negotiations with agent Joel Segal don't take long

Friday, May 05, 2006
By Jimmy Smith
Staff writer - Times-Picayune

In one of his first trips to the plate, sports agent Joel Segal kept fouling off the best pitches Cincinnati Bengals owner/general manager Mike Brown could offer.

Thrown into the lineup as a pinch-hitter after the Bengals' 1993 first-round draft choice, John Copeland, fired his first agent just before the start of Cincinnati's training camp, Segal, who'd just been certified by the NFL Players Association as an agent six months earlier, worked Brown, the Bengals' notoriously penurious boss, for everything he could.

After a holdout of 23 days, it appeared Copeland, a defensive lineman who was the fifth overall selection that year, had agreed to terms.

Then there was some disagreement regarding a workout clause in the deal. Copeland, who'd hired Segal because he was impressed with the work Segal had done getting Miami receiver O.J. McDuffie into camp on time earlier that summer, missed a flight to sign the contract. Finally, two days after agreeing to a five-year, $5.925 million contract that included a $3.2 million signing bonus, Copeland made it to training camp for the team's last walkthrough workout. Total holdout: 25 days.

In the ensuing years, the majority of Segal's clients who were first-round draft picks experienced holdouts of anywhere from zero to 16 days.

But Segal, who represents Saints first-round draft choice Reggie Bush, said his goal always is for clients not to miss any part of training camp.

"I always like to get a player in on time," Segal said this week, adding, "I never discuss negotiations. Ever. I've had guys drafted all over the first round, three, nine, eight. But I don't discuss negotiations."

Segal wouldn't even talk about his negotiating style.

The Saints, who last dealt with a Segal first-rounder in 2004 when he represented defensive end Will Smith, who missed two practices, would not allow senior football administrator Russ Ball, with whom Segal will be negotiating, to comment about Segal.

But it appears likely, based on Segal's track record, that coming to a contract accord before training camp with Bush could be difficult for the Saints.

Since 1993, Segal has represented 13 first-round picks, the highest being Cleveland defensive tackle Gerard Warren (third overall in 2001), the lowest being Atlanta receiver Michael Jenkins (29th in 2004).

Of Segal's first-round picks, four have not missed any camp time; Copeland's 25-day ordeal is the longest.

Warren sat out for nine days before agreeing to a six-year, $33.6 million contract with a $12 million signing bonus.

Segal will be working below the figure the Houston Texans gave No. 1 overall pick Mario Williams, whose five-year contract is worth $54 million with guaranteed money of about $26.5 million and includes a team option for a sixth year.

According to the NFLPA, since the advent of contracts that included guaranteed money for rookies beginning in 2003, never has the second overall pick gotten more guaranteed money than the first pick.

In 2000, according to NFLPA researchers, linebacker LaVar Arrington of the Washington Redskins signed a contract which, through incentive and escalator clauses, conceivably could have paid him more than the first overall pick, defensive end Courtney Brown, chosen by Cleveland.

When the Texans passed on Bush last week to take Williams, the defensive end from North Carolina State, the NFL draft grapevine buzzed with word that Bush's "signability" was the reason.

Reports had surfaced in the days leading up to the draft that Segal initially sought $30 million in guaranteed money from the Texans, who reportedly contacted Williams the next day.

Houston general manager Charley Casserly squashed rumors about "signability" in an interview this week on ESPN radio.

"I have been asked the question: 'Did signability enter into this? Was this a money decision?' Absolutely not," Casserly aid. "We made a statement that signability may be an issue. That's a negotiating statement on our side. You're negotiating with two people. They make negotiating statements on their side.

"The reality is both sides (the Bush and Williams camps) agreed to $54 million. Both sides wanted a signing bonus of over 26-and-a-half (million dollars), and we didn't want to pay (more than) 26-and-a-half. Thursday morning (before the draft), we felt it was time to make a decision. We wanted to have an honest shot to sign the player we were going to choose before the draft. We thought we needed 48 hours to finish the negotiations.

"We thought that was fair. (Coach) Gary (Kubiak) and I sat down on Thursday morning and independently came to the same decision. (Houston owner Bob McNair) was in New York. He signed off on the decision."

Segal said the Heisman Trophy winner will participate in the Saints' three-day rookie camp.

"If He's The Future, I'd Better Get Out Of This Game" - NY Giants DE Mike Strahan On Vince Young

From the USA TODAY:

NFL Report: Opinions still vary on Young; Hasselbeck on Favre
Posted 5/3/2006 6:01 PM ET


By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY

Vince Young is a fear-factor quarterback.

The 6-5, 229-pound Young scares defenders with his size and 4.48 speed. He also scares some old-school talent evaluators, raised on the traditional definition of a drop-back passer, who can't figure out what to make of him.

Opinions on the Titans' third overall selection in last weekend's draft range as wildly as one of Young's electrifying broken-field runs.

Here are a few:

"I think if that's the future of quarterbacks, then I better hurry up and get out of this game," Giants Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan says. "He's fast. He's strong, and he has a great arm. He's the next-generation Randall Cunningham, except that he's bulkier. He's got a real cool demeanor and never gets flustered.

"He's phenomenal. I've never seen a guy take a game in his hands and take it over like he did in the national championship game against USC. He's the type of player you can build around in this league as a franchise player."

Titans general manager Floyd Reese clearly sees Young that way, selecting him with the No. 3 pick. So does former Broncos, Giants and Falcons coach Dan Reeves, who says Young's playmaking ability and rugged style is reminiscent of a Hall of Fame quarterback he coached in Denver, John Elway. Reeves says Young just needs time to refine his passing skills.

"John was further along as a passer than Vince at this point," Reeves says. "But John loved the shotgun because it gave him an extra second to see the field.

"John and Vince have a lot of escapability and they have the size and strength to shake off that first tackle. I don't think it'll take Vince long to catch up. He improved a lot last year as a passer. Like John, Vince seems to thrive when the game's on the line, and he can hurt you as a runner as well as throwing."

Last September, Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian openly pondered the league's new trend toward more athletic and rugged quarterbacks raised on the shotgun formation.

While Young is considered a better passer coming out of college than Michael Vick, the top overall pick in 2001, personnel men such as Polian worry about Young's shelf life in the bigger, tougher NFL world. Young's predecessor and longtime mentor, Steve McNair, has absorbed many injuries with his rugged playing style, possibly taking years off his career.

"For me, the biggest question is how the game is going to change; if it's going to change to accommodate the Michael Vicks and Vince Youngs, because Steve McNair, for all of his greatness, has spent a lot of time being hurt," Polian said. "The question is, can the pure running quarterback, the guy who makes his living running the ball, can that guy survive in the NFL? Steve Young did it. But there's more and more of those guys coming in.

"That's what I see at the college level every week. It's an interesting down-the-road trend. Whither Vince Young? Will he hold up? I don't know."

That day is here.

And now it's Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow's job to get Young ready to play because McNair's ongoing contract dispute might lead to a trade and backup Billy Volek isn't the long-term answer.

Chow coached Philip Rivers, the Chargers quarterback with the same funky sidearm throwing motion as Young, at North Carolina State. But that's where the similarities end. Rivers is a classic drop-back quarterback. Young, who completed 61.8% of his passes at Texas, is attempting to show he can make the transition from shotgun, one-read-and-go college quarterback to polished drop-back NFL passer.

"Vince Young is the wild card of this draft," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock says. "He has a lot to learn regarding an NFL passing system. He doesn't understand how to process yet where to go with the football. Norm Chow has this unbelievable talent; he has to figure out how to best utilize what Vince can do."

Old ally one key to Favre return

Matt Hasselbeck says he wouldn't have been surprised if Brett Favre rode off into the sunset on his John Deere tractor.

Favre's former understudy believed the Packers legend wouldn't risk a repeat of the worst season of his career — a 4-12, 29-interception nightmare compounded by injuries that left Favre with receivers straight from an NFL Europe lineup.

"I'm a little surprised, but at the same time, the whole time I've known Brett, he's always surprised me," Hasselbeck said. "I know that he loves to win, and it's no fun when you lose."

Hasselbeck thinks one of the deciding factors for Favre was the relationship he forged with new Packers head coach Mike McCarthy when McCarthy was the Green Bay quarterbacks coach in 1999.

McCarthy, 42, the son of a fireman, is a blue-collar guy players enjoy. But when it's time to work, McCarthy is known for his toughness and emphasis on preparation.

"I know that Brett's relationship with Mike McCarthy has got to have a lot to do with the fact he's coming back," Hasselbeck says. "That's not to say anything about Mike Sherman. But I was there with Brett and (McCarthy). That was a year in his life when a lot of things changed. Brett quit drinking. He became a really good dad, a really good husband. There's a special friendship there between those guys."

Favre just had to take time to get his mind right.

"The thing Brett talked about with me was he was discouraged about how last year ended," McCarthy says. "But he said the familiarity we have with each other and the system was important and he was looking forward to coming back strong.

"When it's a tight game, there's nobody you want more with the ball in his hand than Brett Favre."

Was Bush too pricey?

One analyst's opinion on why the Texans took Mario Williams over Reggie Bush: money.

The former North Carolina State defensive end signed a six-year, $54 million deal, a 9% increase over last season's six-year, $49.5 deal that 49ers quarterback Alex Smith signed.

"This deal doesn't explode the rookie deals in line with the growth of the salary cap," Sirius Radio analyst Pat Kirwan says. "I would think Reggie's deal was going to be richer than that. Let's say Reggie's deal that he wanted was 12-13% over last year's deal. Basically, 5% more than Mario's. If you run that 5% growth for every rookie contract this year, you're talking about an NFL expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars.

"You have 31 other owners looking at the first deal. Can they influence (Texans owner) Bob McNair? No. But I think they're happy as can be it came in like that."

Quick slants

Years from now, the winner of the great debate of the 2006 draft —Reggie Bush or Mario Williams — might be clear to see.

For now, here are a couple of prominent NFL Bush supporters:

"Breathtaking, that's the word," says 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, Bush's former high school teammate. "He sees things on the field, and he ends up doing things only he can see. No one else has that imagination he has."

Says Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers: "He's one of a kind, the fastest guy I've ever seen on a football field. He's a guy I'm looking forward to seeing how he does in this league, and I'm looking forward to playing against him."

•Vince Young had his mom, Felicia, accompany him to the podium when he addressed the media on draft day.

"We're very close," Young says of his mom. "We've been through a whole lot. I feel like the world should see where I come from and that's why I brought her up here."

Asked how he would spend his first NFL paycheck, Young smiled.

"Mommy, what you want? You've got to ask her. Whatever she wants."

"Pick Vince Young" Song and Video Shows Anger Of Texans Fans - Says "Don't Mess Up This One"

This video was produced and added on You Tube on April 7th, just before the draft. Yeah, I just found it, but it communicates just how much some Houston Texans fans wanted the team to draft Vince Young.

Take a look:

Vince Young: A Highlight Film Of His Texas' Years

This is a great film video on Vince Young, set to the music of The Gap Band. If you've never seen Vince Young, and didn't know he could catch as well as throw and run, look at this: