Jerry Porter, I Don't Care Who You Are, The Raiders Are A TEAM

Thank you Raiders Head Coach Art Shell. Thank you for bringing things just a touch back into focus. Thank you for returning to the sideline and showing some of these players that not every schmuck who's made a mint in the NFL thinks they write their own rules.

Jerry Porter is a talented wide receiver. He's big. He's fast. He has everything it takes to be star. But, he has never had 1000 yards receiving. He whined that Jon Gruden didn't give him a chance to shine and then merely flickered when Callahan and the Turner tried to ignite him. And now he wants a trade because has to work out with his stinking teammates. Well cry me a salty sweaty stinking river.

Art Shell and receivers coach Fred Belitnikof (ever heard of those guys? Yeah, me too) put their foot down. They told Porter that he could work out in the Raiders off season conditioning program. You know why? Because he's a starting wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders. You know, that team that pays a lot of money to work out everyday and play football? Everyone else on that team is buying in. They love the game, they love the tough love Shell has for the game. They know that if they want to win, following Shell leads to wins. If they love football, they don't need Shell to tell them that chemistry with your teammates starts off the field. It happens in the weight room. It happens on the practice fields when practice is over or hasn't begun.

Porter needs to get his priorities straight. He has the whole off season to chill in Florida. I'm curious, what would happen if I were to walk in to the office and tell my boss that I feel like I deserve to work from home even though all the other guys don't. I'd especially be curious as to her reaction if I said something like that after underperforming for four straight years.

Jerry Porter is up for grabs. The Raiders have set the price at two first round draft picks. They have also moved Doug Gabriel up the depth chart. The high price though, tells me they aren't really wanting to lose Porter. Not a team in the league is going to give up one number one for Porter let alone two of them. I just hope he comes to his senses.

Fidel Castro Steps Down; Puts Brother In Place

I'm not sure the celebration is with merit; Castro's not passed away, and his passing would not necessarily change the state of affairs in Cuba. Sorry to be a kill joy.

Mel Gibson - "Young Turks" Hold Good Conversation On Matter

The "Young Turks" hold a good conversation on the Mel Gibson matter...

Joseph Addai - Impresses Colts In Training Camp

Edgerin, who?

PLAY OF THE DAY - COLTS.COM

Joseph Addai impressed Colts personnel officials enough while in college to be the team’s first-round draft selection last April.

So far in camp, he has continued impressing.

On Monday, Addai -- a running back from Louisiana State University -- had a long run over the right sideline that was the highlight of the day. On Tuesday, Addai got open down the left sideline and caught a 20-yard out from Colts quarterback Peyton Manning

Indy Colts Suffer Heat Wave In Training Camp - Colts.com

EYE ON CAMP - COLTS.COM

The heat has taken a toll on the Colts in the first two days of practice.

A few players have left practice because of heat, and there have been times the tempo has been a bit less than Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy might have liked.

Still, Dungy said Tuesday afternoon the first two days have been productive and that Training Camp 2006 is proceeding as planned.

"We got a little sloppy at the end with some fatigue, but all in all, it's been pretty good," Dungy said after a morning practice at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

The temperature reached the high 80s with a heat index near 100 in the morning, and reached 93 and 104 by mid-afternoon, when the Colts held a one-hour special teams only practice.

The Colts practiced in full pads Monday morning, then went in shorts and shells Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. Dungy said the Colts follow a schedule during training camp that he has used for many years, with rest and recovery time already planned.

"We'll get them a chance to get their legs back a little bit," Dungy said, "but all in all, we had a good first two days."

In other Colts news Tuesday, safety Mike Doss missed practice with a calf strain and cornerback Kelvin Hayden missed after heat issues Monday.

"We just wanted to make sure he’s recovered," Dungy said.

Also, backup quarterback Jim Sorgi did not practice Tuesday and defensive tackle Montae Reagor missed with a knee injury.

"We're just trying to make sure we don’t overwork his arm,” Dungy said of Sorgi. "I think Jim's going to be fine."

Dungy said he didn't believe Reagor's injury to be serious, but that he might miss a day or two of practice.

Tom Brady - New England QB Back, But Deion Branch Is Still Out - NFL.com

Brady's back, but the real story is Deion Branch. Ouch! $14,000 a day in fines? Deion Branch should tack the cost of each day he misses camp due to his poor contract to the level of increase he wants. It's only logical. Think about it. Really. The Patroits know he's unhappy with his level of pay, so why take more money away from him? That's stupid.

Brady back at Patriots camp after absence
NFL.com wire reports
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (Aug. 1, 2006) -- Tom Brady returned to the field Tuesday after missing three straight practices with the New England Patriots, but the team didn't say why the quarterback had been absent.

Brady participated in all four practices on Friday and Saturday, the first two days of camp, before sitting out Sunday's single session and both on Monday.

That left No. 2 quarterback Matt Cassel to play a bigger role. He is entering his second season after seeing little playing time at Southern California.

Deion Branch, Brady's top wide receiver, held out for a fifth day on Tuesday. He is in the final season of a five-year contract and wants a new deal. He is subject to a $14,000 fine for each day he misses camp.

Michael Vick's Reported Injury Is False According To Profootballtalk.com

Two years ago, Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick tore his hamstring during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. On Tuesday, August 1st, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported a similar accident at this year's training camp, but Profootballtalk.com says the AJC report is overblown. We have both articles here for you to read.


FALCONS TRAINING CAMP

Vick sits with tweaked hamstring
QB might miss two practices after Tuesday injury

By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/01/06

Flowery Branch -- Falcons quarterback Michael Vick suffered a mild right hamstring strain during Tuesday evening's practice and could be held out of Wednesday's workout and possibly Thursday's drills as a precaution, coach Jim Mora said.

"Mike tweaked his hammy a little," Mora said. "He told me when he was walking off that he felt it [pull] so he pulled up, so that was good. He didn't pull it all the way. This is the third training camp right in a row that he's tweaked his hammy a little bit but I don't think this one is significant at all.

"We'll obviously be careful with it."

Vick suffered the injury while scrambling during team drills. As he approached the sideline, he slowed down and grabbed his hamstring but did not to appear to be in pain.

He walked with a team trainer to an area behind the offensive huddle and was briefly examined by the medical staff. Moments later an ice pack was taped to the back of his right leg and he walked off the field unassisted to the training room during practice. He did not return.

Quarterbacks Matt Schaub, Bryan Randall and D.J. Shockley finished the offensive drills.

The scene was far different than when wide receiver Brian Finneran went down with a knee injury Sunday night, when there was a flurry of activity and widespread panic.

In a side note, shortly after Vick left the field, cornerback DeAngelo Hall pulled up on a play holding his right hamstring but he suffered a mild cramp and was walking around moments later.

Here's Profootballtalk.com's corrective article:

VICK INJURY OVERBLOWN BY AJC

We're hearing from some of our industry connections that the supposed injury suffered by Falcons quarterback Mike Vick is being grossly exaggerated by A. Scott Walton of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Walton reported that Vick injured his knee in a collision with a reserve tight end who had fallen off of his blocking assignment, that Vick was on the ground for a "five-count," and that after Vick got up he shook his head in "momentary dejection."

Said the source: "Vick got nudged, hit the ground, and sat there for maybe one second (five count my ass) and then got up. And he was shaking his head because he was pissed that his own guy ran into him. And the reason Matt [Schaub] took over was because they were rotating the quarterbacks."

NFL's Adam Schefter: Matt Leinart Still Unsigned - Returns to Cali..In Private Jet?

Read this carefully -- Leinart has his own private jet from what this reads. Am I wrong about that? It says "One person spotted Leinart exiting his plane in the Orange County Airport, a long way away from Cardinals training camp."

Bush and Leinart in a role reversal

By Adam Schefter - Special to NFL.com

Adam Schefter's "Around the League" reports and commentaries can be seen regularly on NFL Total Access.

(July 31, 2006) -- By Aug. 1, we already have our first significant upset of the football season.

Running back Reggie Bush is in training camp before his former college teammate, quarterback Matt Leinart.


Because Reggie Bush stayed out for so long, the other RBs got more reps.
For weeks, Bush was expected to be the training camp holdout and Leinart was expected to be the happy camper. Now, Bush is the happy camper and Leinart is the training camp holdout.

Bush signed a six-year, $51 million contract that included $26.35 million worth of guaranteed money, according to one source close to the deal. He was scheduled to arrive in Jackson, Miss., on July 31 and begin practicing with the Saints the next day. The deal, notably, makes Bush the highest-paid running back in football history, earning more than LaDainian Tomlinson or Shaun Alexander.

Yet even though the deal is done, the Saints were not entirely celebrating. Bush missed seven practices and missed any potential flights Sunday to tend to personal business he did not wrap up until Monday. The Saints were disappointed Bush did not get in sooner. But they should forget the first time Bush wraps his hands around the football and takes off the way he regularly did at USC.

At USC, it was Leinart that was getting Bush the football. But now Leinart isn't getting what he wants, so much so that on Sunday night, Leinart decided to up and leave Arizona to fly back to Southern California. One person spotted Leinart exiting his plane in the Orange County Airport, a long way away from Cardinals training camp.

Still, both sides are optimistic that they will be able to reach a deal before the week is through. But it certainly doesn't seem as if there will be any breakthrough in the next 24 hours.

Leinart's contract should be easy enough to figure. The players drafted directly in front of and behind him, linebacker Ernie Sims in Detroit and quarterback Jay Cutler in Denver, have signed. Yet Leinart apparently is seeking more money than the No. 10 overall pick typically has been paid. So far, no go.

Leinart spent much of last week in Arizona, working out, training and throwing. But now, for the time being, Leinart will be doing his work in Southern California. All while waiting to get the call to fly back to Arizona.

Captain Jet Wants You!! - Bill Chachkes At NY Jets Training Camp

Jets Training Camp-Captain Jet

As I walked up and down the sideline in 90+ degree heat at Hofstra university this weekend, I kept hearing a voice in the back of my head saying " Come on People, make some noise for your Jets, Let em know your in the stands." Normally I would tell you that as a coach I'm used to hearing voices in my head, both my own and someone else's.

But this was different. This voice belonged to "Captain Jet" of Staten Island NY, and he was mad as heck. Our brief conversation went like this:

FP: So Captain, can you give me a few quotes, just a few lines?

CJ: What kind of quotes you want pal? What do you need me for, you cooperate types have all the answers (referring to the VIP passes hanging from the necks of pass holders, which look similar to the Media credentials)

FP: Hey Captain (framing credential with hands) does this look like a VIP pass?

CJ: Oh! (smiles now) a Scribe! I thought you were one of those Madison avenue guys who know all about football. You're a bit smarter I guess.



FP: So why are you so annoyed Captain?

CJ: Because some of these fans here just aren't motivated enough ( turns his back to me). Come Ooooon People WAKE UP! This is an NFL Training Camp, not some POP Warner Middle school game(turns back). Sorry, but someone has to do it. A young kid comes over and asks the "Captain" for his autograph, and he gladly signs the mini football.

FP: So what's the one thing you want Jets fans to know Captain, I mean after all, you are the Captain!

CJ: I want people to know that I'm everyman's Jet fan. That Jets fans are the best fans, the best in the world. I want them to know that I'm here, dressed like this to show my support for the Jets and their fans...

FP: So what do you say to the fans further down the fence (who spent the day heckling the Players, coaches, and even us media types)?



CJ: New York Fans are supposed to be smarter then that, that’s why the rest of the world doesn't think we are that smart, because of fans like those guys (waves hand in their direction -- about 30 yards down the fence).

FP: What about the QB competition??

CJ: Doesn't matter who the #2 and #3 are...just the #1


either Pennington or Ramsey will win it. We will see who the back up is after that. Too many other questions to be answered right now.

FP: So Captain, mind if we get a few Photos?

CJ: No Problem, it'll help me get the word out.

FP: And that word is?

CJ: Real Jet fans don't give up on their team…

San Francisco Bay To Breakers - Video Three

Click to Play

This is the third of a four part video series on my San Francisco Bay To Breakers run this year -- my 18th time as a participant. I decided to take my camcorder and film as I went along; I don't know that anyone's done this before from start to finish. The Bay To Breakers run goes from the intersection of Howard and Spear Streets in San Francisco's Financial District (Bay) to the Great Highway on Ocean Beach at the Pacific Ocean (Breakers). It's a 7.7 mile course through the heart of San Francisco; a trek made by over 70,000 people on the first Sunday in May. Some people dress in costume; others in nothing at all. Look carefully at the people passing me. It's a freak show at points. What I like are the bands playing all kinds of music as I go. So that song you hear isn't a soundtrack, it's the real thing from a band

Roger Goodell One More Step Closer To NFL Commissioner

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com

Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NFL-43 7/30/06
SEARCH COMMITTEE SELECTS FIVE CANDIDATES
TO SUCCEED NFL COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE

The special eight-man Search Committee appointed by NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE to recommend
candidates for his successor today announced the names of five individuals to be placed before NFL club owners at a
meeting on August 7-9 at the Renaissance Hotel in Chicago.

The five nominees, according to Committee co-chairmen DAN ROONEY of the Pittsburgh Steelers and JERRY
RICHARDSON of the Carolina Panthers, are:

- ROGER S. GOODELL, 47, New York, New York. Executive Vice President and COO, NFL.
- GREGG H. LEVY, 53, Washington, DC. Partner, Covington & Burling law firm.
- FREDERICK R. NANCE, 52, Cleveland, Ohio. Partner, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey law firm.
- ROBERT L. REYNOLDS, 54, Concord, Massachusetts. Vice Chairman and COO, Fidelity Investments.
- MAYO A. SHATTUCK III, 51, Baltimore, Maryland. Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Constellation
Energy.

In addition to Rooney and Richardson, the Search Committee includes AL DAVIS, Oakland Raiders; CLARK HUNT,
Kansas City Chiefs; WOODY JOHNSON, New York Jets; JERRY JONES, Dallas Cowboys; ROBERT KRAFT, New
England Patriots; and MIKE MC CASKEY, Chicago Bears.

The finalists were nominated by the committee from a group of 185 candidates which was narrowed to 11. These 11
candidates were interviewed by the Search Committee in Detroit earlier this week. All candidates underwent an
extensive interview process assisted by the executive search firm of Korn Ferry.

The balloting procedures set forth by Commissioner Tagliabue, who will chair the meeting, will be as follows:
- Each candidate will make a presentation to the 32 clubs on August 7th in Chicago.
- Each club will be represented by an owner or owner designee.
- After these presentations, the clubs will divide into subgroups. Each candidate then will be interviewed by
owners or club representatives in each subgroup for a specific period of time.
- When these interviews and subsequent discussions among the league’s members are completed, the voting
will begin.
- Procedures will be set for determining whether particular ballots will be secret or open.
- commissioner. Attendance by every club in the league is mandatory.
- Deloitte & Touche USA will count the votes.

Mel Gibson's Statement On DUI Arrest - AP

The Associated Press released this report based on Mel Gibson's statement of appology. Well, at least he got it out there quickly; a great publicist, he has. But it's too bad to learn that this is true. I wonder what was going through his head at the time?

The following is the complete text of Mel Gibson's statement regarding his arrest for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol:

"After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed. I drove a car when I should not have, and was stopped by the L.A. County sheriff's. The arresting officer was just doing his job and I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person.

"I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said and I apologize to anyone who I have offended.

"Also, I take this opportunity to apologize to the deputies involved for my belligerent behavior. They have always been there for me in my community and indeed probably saved me from myself. I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry.

"I have battled the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health."

Mel Gibson - Video Reports Anti-Semetic Statements

This video claims that police arresting Mel Gibson orginally attempted to alter the report they were going to file in the belief that if his anti-semetic comments his the public it would flame anti-Jewish feelings.



This video features a South Park segment lampooning Gibson as a kind of backdrop with a collection of reports on the incident in the foreground. It also has a ticker explaining the details of what happened.



I personally will not accept the charge that Gibson actually said this for one reason: the claim that the report was altered or going to be altered. I'm not going to be so quick to try the man before he reaches court.

Joseph Addai - Video Shows Talents No Other Indy Colt RB Has

Joseph Addai could very well be the steal of the NFL Draft at least considering that he hung around long enough to drop into the lap of the Indianapolis Colts.

This video you're about to see shows a running back with a great combination of size and speed, who not only can catch out of the backfield, but has done this deep downfield several times. He's not as quick as Reggie Bush in the video, but check the competition: Arizona State, Miami, and other speedy teams. Bush had his best games against teams like Fresno State. I'm not taking anything away from Bush at all, just putting things into perspective.

Also note that Addai played in a system very much like that of the Colts: single-running-back formations, runs out of the shotgun formation, and so on. If I'm Head Coach Tony Dungy, QB Peyton Manning, and Colts Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore, I'm excited.

Here's the video:

Saints WR Joe Horn - Press Conference - Scout.com

The Saints Joe Horn talks to the local media. Here is the transcript...

Q: Can you discuss your first impressions of this camp?

Joe Horn: "I've been in this game 11 years now, so it was camp. The first day of camp is usually like that. We ran a little bit this morning, so it was kind of hard, the evening practice. It's football; it's all a part of training camp."

Q: What was the first practice like under Coach Payton as opposed to Coach Haslett?

Joe Horn: "It was fun. I was more happy for Coach Payton, because in his first year as a head coach he gets to show the world what he can do as a head coach. I was more happy for him. It was too hot and I wasn't thinking about Coach Haslett. He's doing his thing in St. Louis."

Q: Do you think Drew Brees is progressing?

Joe Horn: "Sure, he's getting more reps and obviously his arm is strong enough to throw the passes that people didn't think he'd be able to throw right now. He got through today throwing the ball very well and I'm sure they'll be highlighting that a lot tonight on ESPN."

Q: What does he bring to this team that Aaron Brooks couldn't bring?

Joe Horn: "Next question."

Q: How is this team offensively different aside from the addition of Drew Brees?

Joe Horn: "Obviously we added some talent in terms of drafting Reggie Bush and some other guys we got on the roster. We'll see. You can always talk about guys you got on your team, but until that first snap on Sunday when the bullets start flying, you really can't tell, but we definitely have some talented guys that we drafted and some free agents that we brought in here."

Q: What do you think of Reggie Bush not being here?

Joe Horn: "He has to do what he has to do. Every guy is blessed to get drafted, they have to take their time and weight out their options. Reggie Bush is not the first one who sat out training camp being the second pick in the first round. I understand. Reggie was here in the off-season and OTAs and the mini-camps, so he showed New Orleans, Mississippi and the whole world that he wanted to be with the New Orleans Saints. I'm sure he'll be here soon."

Q: How important is it that he be here sooner rather than later?

Joe Horn: "I think it's more important for him because he wants to show the world what he can do. He wants to get in here and learn the plays. He wants to show everybody that he's ready to go. We definitely want Reggie here, but he has to take his time and sort out his options and get the best deal for him and his family."

Q: What kind of impact has Drew Brees had on this team?

Joe Horn: "Big-time leadership from day one when I met Drew, he was 150 percent downhill ready to go. Then when he got on the football field, knowing he couldn't throw the ball, he was still involved. He was still trying to be the general, still trying to be the leader and I like that. I expected that out of Drew and he showed it once he started throwing the ball. He basically told the guys what he expected as the leader of this football team and that's what he stated. He wanted everyone to know that he was the captain; he was the leader of this football team. We didn't have to vote on who the captain of this football team would be, because we all knew Drew would come in here and made that a fact."

Q: Did that happen yesterday?

Joe Horn: "Yes."

Q: What do you think of holding the camp in Jackson as opposed to Metairie?

A: "I think the fans there in New Orleans, they've had us there so many years, and after Katrina, the people in Mississippi and New Orleans, a lot of people suffered and I think for us to be here, you should tip your hat off to the fans in New Orleans. We're here in Mississippi. We're giving the Mississippians a chance to come out and see us practice and be a part of the New Orleans Saints. Some of them couldn't go down to Airline Drive to see us after they get out of work for us on Friday and Saturday. It's good for us to be here and Mr. (Tom) Benson is definitely showing his love here to the fans in the Mississippi area. They should be grateful and I'm sure that they are."

Lendale White Signs With Titans...

And he did so, just as Profootballtalk.com reported that White was "supposedly" taking the whole deal of where he was going in the NFL Draft with a grain of salt, hanging out with Snoop Dog in the process.

No kidding.

Profootballtalk.com's staff is so busy trying to afect that African American slang that blacks like me see through, they miss the story, again and again.

Thank God.

I'm not going to go on a rant, ....but maybe these guys will get a story right, eh?

Makes you wonder what they care about.

Indy Colts Sign Joseph ADDAI - Profootballtalk.com

Profootballtalk.com reports that Indianpolis Colts First Round Pick, Running Back Joseph ADDAI signed for The deal pays $4.7 million in guaranteed money and has a total value of $11.165 million. That's a steal, because Addai is as fast as Reggie Bush, has hands as good as Bush, and is going to a team that's better than the one Bush's on. Period. There's no learning curve that everyone's going through, unllike that for Bush and the Saints.

It takes time to field a winning team. If Head Coach Sean Peyton does it in his first year, he's a genius. Hey, Jon Gruden came from another system that he brought to the Bucs in Tampa, and had the added advantage of seeing that West Coast / Bill Walsh Offense nomenclature repeated around the NFL.

So what? Come on! It means that Jon Grudent had a ready-made set of veterans to call on for help, that's what!!

That was less true for Jon.

Reggie Bush Inks Six-Year, $60 Million Deal With The N.O. Saints- Jay Glazer Of Fox Sports

The single best journalist in sports reports on the top deal; Fox Sports Jay Glazer says that the New Orleans Saints Running Back Reggie Bush signed a deal for six-years and $60 million.

The agreement guarantees that Bush will not only be in Saints camp, but playing for the organization during the regular season, making several thousand season ticket holders and ticket scalpers happy in the process.

I figured that Bush would sign a deal after Vince Young did, just because the QB arguably outplayed the USC tailback in the 2005 National Championship, and already secured a deal with the Tennessee Titans.

Ann Coulter Says Bill Clinton Is Gay On "The Big Idea" - David Letterman Fires Back

Conservative political pundit Ann Coulter gets a lot of airtime for being a jerk when the cameras roll (I don't know her, so I can't comment on what she's really like, but I'll bet she's a blast in person). Ann makes comments that are designed to piss someone off, but in this media-driven culture she makes a lot of money doing it. It's like I told my Mom, all a media producer cares about his that you're talking about one of their personalities (and at times hating that person's the most bankable emotion you can express -- at least from the media producer's point of view).

But there's such a thing as a little too much of a thing and Ann may have hit that point. Take this video where talk show host David Letterman reports that Ann Coulter said former President Bill Clinton was Gay on Donny Deutch's show "The Big Idea" on CNBC. Letterman's staff made up a response where Bill Clinton said "Well, I did tell her I was Gay, but that was only to give her an excuse for why I didn't hit on her." The video then continues with this statement from Letterman's staff: "Bill Clinton, Gay only when it comes to evil, crazy b----."

But it's statements like that, and the one where she claimed to have sent "that white powder" to the NY Times, that have caused several papers in her conservative base of the South to drop her column. Perhaps we're seeing the beginning of the end of her popularity. I certainly hope so. She seems to be making money from being a little off and not in a good way.

Here's the video:

San Francisco Bay To Breakers - Video Two

San Francisco Bay To Breakers - Video Two

Click to Play

This is the second of a four part video series on my San Francisco Bay To Breakers run this year -- my 18th time as a participant. I decided to take my camcorder and film as I went along; I don't know that anyone's done this before from start to finish.

The Bay To Breakers run goes from the intersection of Howard and Spear Streets in San Francisco's Financial District (Bay) to the Great Highway on Ocean Beach at the Pacific Ocean (Breakers). It's a 7.7 mile course through the heart of San Francisco; a trek made by over 70,000 people on the third Sunday in May.

Some people dress in costume; others in nothing at all. Look carefully at the people passing me. It's a freak show at points. What I like are the bands playing all kinds of music as I go. So that song you hear isn't a soundtrack, it's the real thing from a band.

SF Bay to Breakers Video One | SF Bay to Breakers Video Two

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

San Francisco Bay To Breakers - Video One

San Francisco Bay To Breakers - Video One

Click to Play

This is the first of a four part video series on my San Francisco Bay To Breakers run this year -- my 18th time as a participant. I decided to take my camcorder and film as I went along; I don't know that anyone's done this before from start to finish.

The Bay To Breakers run goes from the intersection of Howard and Spear Streets in San Francisco's Financial District (Bay) to the Great Highway on Ocean Beach at the Pacific Ocean (Breakers). It's a 7.7 mile course through the heart of San Francisco; a trek made by over 70,000 people on the third Sunday in May.

Some people dress in costume; others in nothing at all. Look carefully at the people passing me. It's a freak show at points. What I like are the bands playing all kinds of music as I go. So that song you hear isn't a soundtrack, it's the real thing from a band.

SF Bay to Breakers Video One | SF Bay to Breakers Video Two

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

ESPN - First Rounders Get Signed: Ravens Sign Ngata; Cowboys Lock-Up Clayton; Steelers Ink Santonio Holmes; Reggie Bush Remains

John Clayon and Len Pasquarelli For ESPN

Roundup: Ravens reach agreement with Ngata
ESPN.com news services

The Baltimore Ravens reached agreement Friday on a five-year, $11.9 million deal with first-round choice Haloti Ngata, the 12th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.

Ngata, a 6-foot-4, 337 pounds defensive tackle from Oregon, was considered one of the key offseason additions to the Ravens' defense because he is a big, body along the defensive line who will eat up blockers and make it easier for middle linebacker Ray Lewis.

"I'm really relieved that it's done and I can go play football. I couldn't afford to miss too much time because I only had that one minicamp," Ngata told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "It was a good deal. The Ravens were very fair to me."

-- John Clayton

Cowboys hammer out deal with Carpenter
The Dallas Cowboys completed their draft choice signings by striking an early Friday agreement with first-round selection Bobby Carpenter of Ohio State.


The 18th player chosen overall, Carpenter will sign a five-year contract with a maximum value of $11 million, including $7.5 million in guarantees.

A tall, athletic linebacker (6-foot-2, 256 pounds), Carpenter possesses the kind of size head coach Bill Parcells has long favored at the position. He is the son of former New York Giants and Houston Oilers running back Rob Carpenter, grew up around the game, and has a strong sense of the league.

A starter in 26 of his 50 appearances for the Buckeyes, Carpenter finished his college career with 191 tackles, including 23½ tackles for losses, 14½ sacks, three interceptions, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two recoveries.

Not surprisingly, given his bloodlines, Carpenter is an instinctive player with good diagnostic skills. Although the Cowboys have retooled their linebacker corps over the past two seasons as they continue to transition to a 3-4 defense, Carpenter should vie for playing time as a rookie.

-- Len Pasquarelli

Holmes agrees to five-year deal with Steelers
First-round draft pick Santonio Holmes reached terms on a five-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a deal that apparently does not include added contract language protecting them against additional off-field problems.

By reaching terms with Holmes minutes before coach Bill Cowher held his first full-squad meeting of camp, the Steelers locked up their last remaining unsigned player. Earlier in the day, they signed third-round pick Willie Reid, the former Florida State receiver.

Holmes, a former Ohio State star wide receiver, has been arrested twice since being the No. 25 pick in the April draft. He faces an Aug. 15 trial on an assault charge involving a woman in Columbus, Ohio, who is the mother of one of his three children. He also pleaded innocent to disorderly conduct charges brought Memorial Day weekend in Miami.

Despite Holmes' off-field problems, which clearly agitated Cowher and cast doubt on whether Holmes has the maturity and focus to be a productive NFL player, Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert said the team is protected enough by the standard player's contract.

-- The Associated Press

Bills reach agreement with McCargo

The Buffalo Bills have reached an agreement in principle with one of their two first-round draft choices, defensive tackle John McCargo.

McCargo, a 6-foot-2, 302-pound three-year starter at North Carolina State, agreed to a five-year deal worth more than $8 million that included $5.2 million in guarantees. The Bills began practice Friday morning, and McCargo, the 26th overall pick, will try to get to camp at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y. for the afternoon practice.

It's likely, given the turnover in Buffalo, that McCargo will battle for a starting spot as a rookie. At worst, he figures to be a part of Buffalo's tackle rotation in 2006 and log considerable playing time. McCargo has a nice mix of power and quickness and can play either tackle spot. He is one of three former Wolfpack defensive linemen chosen in the first round of this year's draft.

He had 134 tackles in 30 appearance, all but one of them as a starter.

The Bills still have to work on safety Donte Whitner, the eighth pick in the draft.

-- John Clayton and Len Pasquarelli

Jaguars sign first-round pick Lewis
First-round draft pick Marcedes Lewis signed a five-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday, a day before the team opens training camp.

The tight end, chosen with the 28th overall pick, is expected to back up veteran Kyle Brady. But the Jaguars are counting on rookie's versatile skills to help replace Jimmy Smith, who abruptly retired in May and left the team with little experience at receiver.

Lewis' deal is worth about $7.5 million, with a little more than $4.8 million in guaranteed money.

Linebacker Clint Ingram, a third-round pick from Oklahoma, also signed Friday. He had been the last unsigned rookie.

Bill Clinton on Current Israel-Lebanon Conflict

Leave it to former President Bill Clinton to shed light -- a clear light -- on the Israel-Lebanon conflict, as he does in this video. President Clinton informs us that Hezbollah presents a problem in that they hide within civilian communities as is the case in Lebanon and thus any attack on them will cause innocent people to die.

If that's the case -- and the Israelis know that -- then a sustained invasion is really almost a form of exterminating a whole group of people for the actions of a scant few. It seems like a perfect vessel for Anti-Arab forces to carry out a campaign of race hate. And the US under President Bush is right in support of those people who may very well have a kind of extermination in mind.

Here's President Clinton:

Israeli Kids Shown Signing Bombs Sent To Lebanon

I had to post this because I just plain could not believe what I was seeing. Israeli kids -- kids -- signing bombs that were then sent over to Lebanon to kill. It's painful not only to watch this go on, but to not only see one person's inhumanity to another played out for all to see, but to witness youngsters doing something that they will certainly regret later in life.

YouTube - "Crawley Kids In A Tilgate Park"

You've got to see this. Someone decided to hook up the power wheel end of a motorcycle to a small kids carosel and in such a way that the playground machine spins. It seems the Crawley kids thought it was a good idea to sit in the middle of the carosel while it spun faster and faster. Watch what happens when it goes too fast...

ROCKETBOOM? BOOM OR BUST? Randy Wicker Reporting

ROCKETBOOM? BOOM OR BUST? Randy Wicker Reporting

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While Amanda Congdon makes videos of her getting fired from fast food joints, Andrew Baron shows the audience at the gathering of the vlogger group NYVideo.org how Amanda's departure has impacted Rocketboom's traffic -- it's way up -- and sponsorships sales have increased as well.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

This video was originally shared on blip.tv by Randolfe Wicker with a No license (All rights reserved) license.

Amanda Congdon Get's Fired...From A Fast Food Restaurant

Ok, it happened in a video. It's really a cool new video that Amanda and her friends produced and is now up on her Amanda Unboomed site.

Amanda's still not decided on her future as of this writing. Here's hoping that something clicks, soon.

Vince Young Signs - NFL Rookie Signing Tracker

Vince Young signed with the Tennessee Titans Thursday. Young, the No. 3 overall pick out of Texas, agreed to a five-year deal, with an option for a sixth, with $25.7 million guaranteed and an overall value that could reach $58 million with option and roster bonuses and salary.

That would top the six-year, $54 million deal with $26.5 million guaranteed for the top draft pick, defensive end Mario Williams of Houston. That essentially means Young has opened the door for Reggie Bush's agent to argue that his client deserves a contract at least as good as Vince Young's.


Latest Transactions From Scout.com

Atlanta Falcons - Signed second round pick CB Jimmy Williams

Dallas Cowboys - Reached contract agreements with third round pick DE Jason Hatcher and sixth round pick DT Montavious Stanley

Detroit Lions - Reached contract agreements with RB Brian Calhoun, fifth round pick OL Jonathan Scott, sixth round pick CB Dee McCann, seventh round pick LB Anthony Cannon

Jacksonville Jaguars - Reached a contract agreement with first round pick TE Marcedes Lewis.

Minnesota Vikings - Reached a contract agreement with first round pick LB Chad Greenway

New York Giants - Signed 1st round pick DE Mathias Kiwanuka

New York Jets - Reached a contract agreement with first round pick C Nick Mangold

World Trade Center - Kevin Cosgrove's 911 Call From 105th Floor Of 2 World Trade Center

This is absolutely the most chilling and shocking video I have seen from September 11, 2001 -- 9-11 -- to date. It features Kevin Cosgrove's plea for the New York Fire Department to come and get he and his co-workers out of the building as fire races through it.

As I watched this, I wondered why there were not helicopters with water hoses going up there, or at least copters that could get close enough to get someone down. I don't know. I realize that it was dangerous, but I feel like something could have been done.

Here's the chilling video. Remember that as a warning. Regardless, it's something people must see. If only to understand the magnitude of the power of the disaster and why we should never let that happen again.

New NFL Player Agents Not Prepared - Profootballtalk.com

This was bound to be the result of so many new players coming into the athletic representation game, and some at such a young age. Until the NFL Players Association starts actually enforcing its own rules and regulations without prejudice -- again, without prejudice -- this pattern of allowing green agents will continue. Good for Profootballtalk.com to point to this problem. IT seems the way things are going, some player would be better using a Verbot (pictured) to negotiate their contracts.

TEAMS PISSED AT NEW AGENTS

In conversations we have had today with several NFL front office personnel, the same point is being hammered to us: the newer NFLPA Contract Advisors are increasingly pissing off NFL contract guys with their lack of preparation and/or "I am the sh-t" attitude. Club statements to us such as "the guy has no fu--ing clue what he is doing, " "it's a joke how stupid some of these guys are" and "don't they have to pass a test or something?" are some of the mild complaints we are getting from the management side.

We were the first to acknowledge that the absence of a definitive CBA and the inherent conflict between what the player wants and what the team is willing to pay is the basis for some of this frustration. But as noted on this site before, the increased dollars going to players has caused more individuals -- whether competent or not -- to enter into the agent business and entice players to sign with them for a variety of reasons other than their competence (think green paper, female companionship and method of transportation, but not necessarily in that order).

As one experienced front office type told us "Hell, they don't even talk to their own union before they do these deals. The benefit of sneaking things past them is almost outweighed by the friggin' time I waste dealing with some of these knuckleheads."