Big-play Saints ride magic carpet into NFC title game
Photo Wire
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Who needs Mardi Gras when you're one game from the Super Bowl?
Deuce McAllister and rookie sensation Reggie Bush gave this battered city a reason to throw itself a party, carrying the New Orleans Saints where they've never been before -- one game from the Super Bowl.
To constant chants of "DEUCE!" or "REG-GIE! REG-GIE!" the Saints used an assortment of spectacular plays to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-24.
"This year, some things have happened for us and it's like, wow, this may be destiny," McAllister said.
Outside the Lines
"Outside the Lines" (Sunday on ESPN, 9:30 a.m. ET), takes a look at Peyton Manning's legacy. Full details
"It means everything," Bush said. "All that stuff we went through as a team, these are the type of games we live for. And this game is even bigger for the city."
The Saints are the first team in NFL history to make a conference championship after losing 13 or more games the previous season.
With victory secured for the Saints (11-6) on McAllister's powerful rushes for a clinching first down to run out the clock, team owner Tom Benson did his "Benson Boogie" on the field. The players hugged and saluted their long-suffering fans while a jazz band belted out tunes.
"I think it means a tremendous amount," quarterback Drew Brees said. "You could see it and feel it after the game, people still standing and yelling and screaming."
It was the veteran McAllister with his two touchdowns and team playoff mark of 143 yards rushing, and the rookie Bush with his collection of magnificent moves, that made the difference in the raucous Superdome.
"It's my first opportunity to be in the playoffs, I didn't want to be one and out," McAllister said. "I didn't want to say, 'If I had done this or prepared differently, we would have been successful.'
"It's just the determination of this team and this city -- to give them everything we have."
Even after Brees' high pitchout got away from Bush with 3:18 remaining and Philadelphia recovering, the Saints would not be denied. Their defense held Brian Westbrook, who was brilliant for the Eagles (11-7), near midfield.
McAllister became the first Saints player to rush for more than 100 yards in the playoffs.
"Deuce was fantastic tonight and they weren't going to stop him," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "He ran his heart out."
McAllister scored on a 5-yard run and an 11-yard pass in the third quarter.
The Eagles, who won six in a row after losing quarterback Donovan McNabb, got a superb performance from Westbrook, who rushed for 116 yards and scored twice, including a 62-yard run that was a franchise playoff record.
Quarterback Jeff Garcia's run of success ended, but he combined with former Saints receiver Donte' Stallworth on an Eagles-record 75-yard touchdown in the first half.
McAllister, who missed 11 games last season with a knee injury, has been overshadowed by the spectacular Bush and surprising seventh-round draft pick Marques Colston. But he came through when he was needed most against the NFC's hottest team.
So did Bush, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner whose arrival after Houston passed on him in the draft lifted the spirits of the Gulf Region. He scored on an eye-popping 4-yard run in the first half and had an equally scintillating 25-yarder to set up one of John Carney's two field goals.
So let the parties begin -- at least until the conference title game.
"There's still a lot of work to be done," said Payton, the NFL Coach of the Year. "We just hope we can put a little kick in their step Monday and Tuesday, and give them something to look forward to next weekend."
McAllister's 28-yard run set up Carney's 33-yard field goal for an early lead. And Carney's 23-yarder in the second quarter that made it 6-0 also was the result of a long run -- by Bush.
The rookie started to his right, but with a bunch of Eagles in his way, he reversed field. After faking going down the middle, he sped to the left sideline and picked up 25 yards.
Brees then threw his best pass of the half for a 35-yard gain to Devery Henderson behind Rod Hood, who was in for injured Lito Sheppard, Philadelphia's best cover cornerback.
Garcia trumped that with his perfect pass to Stallworth beyond Fred Thomas, the longest pass play and longest touchdown in Philly's playoff history.
The Saints accepted the challenge and marched 78 yards in 14 plays. Bush pulled off another stunner when, from the Eagles 4, he was stopped up the middle, broke right and outraced the defense to the corner of the end zone for a 13-7 lead.
But Philly's resourcefulness on third downs highlighted an 80-yard drive to the go-ahead TD on a 1-yard leap over the pile by Westbrook. Garcia found Reggie Brown for 32 yards and Hank Baskett for 25 on third-down plays, with both receivers wide open.
The half ended in confusion. First, punter Steve Weatherford gained 15 yards and a first down when he saw his kick was about to be blocked and he took off to the right. Then Brees' desperation pass into a group in the end zone momentarily was caught by Colston. William James then ripped it loose, and the Saints stayed on the field hoping for a video review by the replay booth. The Eagles, meanwhile, headed to the locker room, soon followed by the officials.
Game notes
Eagles All-Pro tackle Shawn Andrews injured his neck in the first half and was taken to a hospital with swelling. ... Eagles LB Shawn Barber injured his ankle. ... The Saints also beat the Eagles 27-24 here during the season. ... Stallworth finished with 100 yards on three catches for Philly, while Colston had five for 55 and seldom-used tight end Billy Miller caught four passes for 64 yards for the Saints.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Indianapolis Colts Beat The Baltimore Ravens 15-6 - Full Recap - ESPN
Vinatieri boots five FGs, boosts Colts over Ravens
Photo Wire
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair wipes his face in the closing minutes of the AFC divisional playoff...
(AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Peyton Manning couldn't get Indianapolis into the end zone and, for once, it didn't matter.
That's because Adam Vinatieri provided the Colts with all the offense they needed to advance to the AFC championship game.
Signed during the offseason specifically for his playoff experience, Vinatieri kicked five field goals Saturday to put his name in the NFL record book and carry Indianapolis past the Baltimore Ravens 15-6.
"Adam's been exceptional all year," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "You just feel like you're going to make it every time when he goes out there. In games like this, it's necessary."
Although unspectacular, Manning was efficient enough to make up for some of his previous playoff failures and keep alive his hope of playing in the Super Bowl for the first time. All he needed to do was get the Colts close enough for Vinatieri, who did the rest.
"I'm not sure if we ever won one before in the nine years I've played here without scoring a touchdown. My guess is no," Manning said. "You want to get touchdowns and it was frustrating to have to settle for field goals. But we saw how our defense was playing early, and we thought field goals would be enough -- if we got enough of them."
Vinatieri won two Super Bowls with late field goals and scored 117 points in the postseason for New England. He was signed by Indianapolis as a free agent to replace Mike Vanderjagt, who missed a 46-yard field goal with 17 seconds left last season in the Colts' 21-18 playoff loss to Pittsburgh.
Vinatieri justified the acquisition with a flawless performance against the Ravens, connecting on field goal tries of 23, 42, 51, 48 and 35 yards. The fourth kick gave him an NFL-record 33 career postseason field goals.
"Baltimore is the No. 1 defense in the league. Points are at a premium with them," Vinatieri said. "It's hard to score on those guys. The way our defense played -- they stepped up and kept them out of the end zone the whole time -- sometimes you win like that."
Indianapolis (14-4) never trailed in eliminating the No. 2-seeded Ravens (13-4), who were coming off a first-round bye and poised to extract a measure of revenge against the franchise that broke the hearts of Baltimore fans by sneaking out of the city to Indianapolis in March 1984.
"This football team is as disappointed as our fans are, which is matched tenfold by the players," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "(The fans) were deserving of better than that, but it just wasn't going to happen and we will move forward now."
Not until next year. The third-seeded Colts, however, will next face the winner of Sunday's game between San Diego and New England. If the Patriots win, the game will be in Indianapolis.
Vinatieri, who kicked three field goals last week against Kansas City, broke the mark of 32 held by Gary Anderson. The record-setting kick came with 10:57 left in the third quarter and put the Colts ahead 12-3.
That was enough support for a defense that during the regular season finished last against the run. The Colts didn't allow a touchdown, held Jamal Lewis to 53 yards rushing and also forced four turnovers -- intercepting Steve McNair twice and recovering two fumbles.
"You can't turn the ball over in a championship-style game," Billick said. "That's an awful lot to overcome."
Like Vinatieri, McNair was obtained during the offseason because of his success in the playoffs. With McNair leading the way, the Ravens finished with nine wins in 10 games for the best regular-season record in franchise history.
But he went 18-of-29 for only 173 yards, and Baltimore managed only two field goals by Matt Stover in its first playoff game since 2003.
Manning finished 15-of-30 for 170 yards. The victory improved his career playoff record to 5-6.
Baltimore fans were looking forward to this game since the Colts advanced with a 23-8 win over Kansas City last week. Many in Baltimore have never really gotten over the Colts' move to Indianapolis nearly 23 years ago, and those emotions came to the forefront Saturday.
In a tribute to former Baltimore Colts quarterback John Unitas, who wore No. 19, someone in the lower deck unfurled a sign that read: "19 WILL ALWAYS BE BETTER THAN 18," the number worn by Manning.
The record crowd of 71,162 did all it could to hinder Manning's calls at the line, but he appeared undaunted by the noise from the outset. After the Ravens went three-and-out on their first possession, Manning put together an 11-play drive that produced a field goal.
The volume of the crowd dimmed even further during the ensuing drive, when Ravens tight end Todd Heap lost a fumble at the Baltimore 31 after being hit by Colts cornerback Nick Harper. Referees ruled Heap down, reversed the call after Dungy challenged the call, and Vinatieri followed with a field goal for a 6-0 lead.
Baltimore halved the deficit with a 40-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Ed Reed then picked off a pass by Manning, and the Ravens moved to the Indianapolis 5 before Antoine Bethea intercepted McNair's third-down throw at the 1.
It was the closest Baltimore would get to scoring a touchdown.
The Colts then held the ball for six minutes before Vinatieri kicked a 51-yard field goal that hit the crossbar and bounced through.
"I don't want to say I missed it. I just didn't hit it as good as I could," Vinatieri said. "Thank goodness it was just long enough."
Photo Wire
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair wipes his face in the closing minutes of the AFC divisional playoff...
(AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Peyton Manning couldn't get Indianapolis into the end zone and, for once, it didn't matter.
That's because Adam Vinatieri provided the Colts with all the offense they needed to advance to the AFC championship game.
Signed during the offseason specifically for his playoff experience, Vinatieri kicked five field goals Saturday to put his name in the NFL record book and carry Indianapolis past the Baltimore Ravens 15-6.
"Adam's been exceptional all year," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "You just feel like you're going to make it every time when he goes out there. In games like this, it's necessary."
Although unspectacular, Manning was efficient enough to make up for some of his previous playoff failures and keep alive his hope of playing in the Super Bowl for the first time. All he needed to do was get the Colts close enough for Vinatieri, who did the rest.
"I'm not sure if we ever won one before in the nine years I've played here without scoring a touchdown. My guess is no," Manning said. "You want to get touchdowns and it was frustrating to have to settle for field goals. But we saw how our defense was playing early, and we thought field goals would be enough -- if we got enough of them."
Vinatieri won two Super Bowls with late field goals and scored 117 points in the postseason for New England. He was signed by Indianapolis as a free agent to replace Mike Vanderjagt, who missed a 46-yard field goal with 17 seconds left last season in the Colts' 21-18 playoff loss to Pittsburgh.
Vinatieri justified the acquisition with a flawless performance against the Ravens, connecting on field goal tries of 23, 42, 51, 48 and 35 yards. The fourth kick gave him an NFL-record 33 career postseason field goals.
"Baltimore is the No. 1 defense in the league. Points are at a premium with them," Vinatieri said. "It's hard to score on those guys. The way our defense played -- they stepped up and kept them out of the end zone the whole time -- sometimes you win like that."
Indianapolis (14-4) never trailed in eliminating the No. 2-seeded Ravens (13-4), who were coming off a first-round bye and poised to extract a measure of revenge against the franchise that broke the hearts of Baltimore fans by sneaking out of the city to Indianapolis in March 1984.
"This football team is as disappointed as our fans are, which is matched tenfold by the players," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "(The fans) were deserving of better than that, but it just wasn't going to happen and we will move forward now."
Not until next year. The third-seeded Colts, however, will next face the winner of Sunday's game between San Diego and New England. If the Patriots win, the game will be in Indianapolis.
Vinatieri, who kicked three field goals last week against Kansas City, broke the mark of 32 held by Gary Anderson. The record-setting kick came with 10:57 left in the third quarter and put the Colts ahead 12-3.
That was enough support for a defense that during the regular season finished last against the run. The Colts didn't allow a touchdown, held Jamal Lewis to 53 yards rushing and also forced four turnovers -- intercepting Steve McNair twice and recovering two fumbles.
"You can't turn the ball over in a championship-style game," Billick said. "That's an awful lot to overcome."
Like Vinatieri, McNair was obtained during the offseason because of his success in the playoffs. With McNair leading the way, the Ravens finished with nine wins in 10 games for the best regular-season record in franchise history.
But he went 18-of-29 for only 173 yards, and Baltimore managed only two field goals by Matt Stover in its first playoff game since 2003.
Manning finished 15-of-30 for 170 yards. The victory improved his career playoff record to 5-6.
Baltimore fans were looking forward to this game since the Colts advanced with a 23-8 win over Kansas City last week. Many in Baltimore have never really gotten over the Colts' move to Indianapolis nearly 23 years ago, and those emotions came to the forefront Saturday.
In a tribute to former Baltimore Colts quarterback John Unitas, who wore No. 19, someone in the lower deck unfurled a sign that read: "19 WILL ALWAYS BE BETTER THAN 18," the number worn by Manning.
The record crowd of 71,162 did all it could to hinder Manning's calls at the line, but he appeared undaunted by the noise from the outset. After the Ravens went three-and-out on their first possession, Manning put together an 11-play drive that produced a field goal.
The volume of the crowd dimmed even further during the ensuing drive, when Ravens tight end Todd Heap lost a fumble at the Baltimore 31 after being hit by Colts cornerback Nick Harper. Referees ruled Heap down, reversed the call after Dungy challenged the call, and Vinatieri followed with a field goal for a 6-0 lead.
Baltimore halved the deficit with a 40-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Ed Reed then picked off a pass by Manning, and the Ravens moved to the Indianapolis 5 before Antoine Bethea intercepted McNair's third-down throw at the 1.
It was the closest Baltimore would get to scoring a touchdown.
The Colts then held the ball for six minutes before Vinatieri kicked a 51-yard field goal that hit the crossbar and bounced through.
"I don't want to say I missed it. I just didn't hit it as good as I could," Vinatieri said. "Thank goodness it was just long enough."
AFC Divisonal Playoffs - Colts Outphysical Baltimore Ravens, 15 to 6
There's more on this, but it should noted that the Colts basically beat the Ravens at their own game of a strong running attack and stout defense. They now will play in the AFC Championship Game.
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue At The World Bowl XIV Press Conference
No. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's not doing a sofft drink taste test, but waiting for a good question to come out of the audience of media types during the World Bowl.
Ray Anderson Eyes A Rum Cake At The NFL Holiday Office Party
Ray (my boss) and Keenan (in blue sweater) - looking over the rum cake, originally uploaded by kriscuz.
Ray Anderson, the NFL's Senior Vice President Of Football Operations and formerly of the Atlanta Falcons, is seen at the right (white shirt) in this photo from the NFL Holiday Open House eyeing a particularly tasty - looking rum cake.
The other person is "Keenan" who I don't know but works with the person who took the photo. On the other hand I met Ray at the Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party in Houston in 2004.
NFL Holiday Open House Party In Full Swing
Here's another photo set from the NFL Holiday Open House Party. This just shows the event in full swing. You can see the throng of office workers meeting and greeting each other.
NFL Headquarters - Commissioner Roger Goodell in Background (in Blue shirt)
Lining the hall - Commissioner Goodell in background (in blue shirt), originally uploaded by kriscuz.
If you've ever wondered what an NFL office party looks like, here you go. This is a holiday party photo I found on Flickr and it features new NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell enjoying a little holiday cheer beer with NFL staffers. A bit of a tight fit for all in the cubicle enviroment, but chummy none the less.
The photo shows why Goodell's so well liked. He doesn't place himself above anyone else and treats all with the respect they deserve. He's "one of the guys" without being so much so that his position is compromised.
NBC NFL Rock Stars Glass Wall Overlooking Midtown
If you've ever wondered where that NBC glass wall that features the "Rock Stars" after each NFL Sunday Night Football telecast was located, here it is. It's right at the top of 30 Rock itself in New York City's Midtown Manhattan, and hence the term "Rock Stars."
NY Giants Give A Great Example Of A 4-3 Overset Front
This defensive front was first used by the Pittsburgh Steelers and is now popularized by the Tampa Bay Bucs and Indy Colts, both coached by Tony Dungy. The idea of the front -- where the weakside defensive tackle is at an angle on the center and the strongside tackle playing between center and guard in what's called a "Three Technique" -- is to make the offensive line constrict, closing off running lanes and makikng an more effective pass rush.
Golden State Gamble - At Least Arnold's Adressing The Problem
Some economists are attacking Governor Schwarzenegger's plan for a kind of universal health care coverage.
But I give him credit for trying something that many have talked about but never actually attempted. It's a very democratic proposal. But more to the point, it does work to solve a real problem and that is the lack of health care coverage in the state of California.
Let's do it and see how we can make it better.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Is Sophia Bush The Next "Wonder Woman"?
Joss Whedon, in the seemingly eternal process of writing and casting the Wonder Woman Movie, has reportedly made an offer to Sophia Bush.
Who's she?
This is Sophia Bush's resume:
Actress - filmography
"One Tree Hill" .... Brooke Davis (81 episodes, 2003-2007)
- Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (2007) TV Episode .... Brooke Davis
- Pictures of You (2007) TV Episode .... Brooke Davis
- Resolve (2007) TV Episode .... Brooke Davis
- Everything in it's Right Place (2007) TV Episode .... Brooke Davis
- Songs to Love and Die By (2006) TV Episode .... Brooke Davis
(76 more)
The Hitcher (2007) .... Grace Andrews
John Tucker Must Die (2006) .... Beth
Stay Alive (2006) .... October
Supercross (2005) .... Zoe Lang
"Nip/Tuck" .... Ridley (3 episodes, 2003)
- Cliff Mantegna (2003) TV Episode .... Ridley
- Megan O'Hara (2003) TV Episode .... Ridley
- Nanette Babcock (2003) TV Episode .... Ridley
Learning Curves (2003) .... Beth
"Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" .... Fate Mackenzie (1 episode, 2003)
... aka Sabrina (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Sabrina Goes to College (USA: promotional title)
- Romance Looming (2003) TV Episode .... Fate Mackenzie
The Flannerys (2003) (TV)
Point of Origin (2002) (TV) .... Carrie Orr
... aka In the Heat of Fire (Europe: English title: DVD title)
Van Wilder (2002) .... Sally
... aka Van Wilder: Party Liaison (Australia) (Philippines: English title) (UK) (USA: working title)
... aka National Lampoon's Van Wilder (USA: complete title)
... aka Party Animals - ... wilder geht's nicht! (Germany)
Filmography as: Actress, Self
Self - filmography
Grrrl Power (2006) (V) .... Herself
"Punk'd" .... Herself (1 episode, 2005)
- Episode #6.2 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
"Late Show with David Letterman" .... Herself (1 episode, 2005)
... aka Late Show Backstage (USA: title for episodes with guest hosts)
... aka The Late Show (USA: informal short title)
- Episode dated 21 January 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
"Total Request Live" .... Herself (1 episode, 2004)
... aka TRL (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Total Request with Carson Daly (USA)
- Episode dated 1 November 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Herself
For me, she lacks the Wonder Woman well-muscled body, so I remain skeptical.
Tim Lewis gone from Giants staff
'D' leader Lewis gets axed-See my Comments at the end....
BY ARTHUR STAPLE
Newsday Staff Writer
January 12, 2007
Tom Coughlin began his staff house-cleaning yesterday, firing defensive coordinator Tim Lewis. No replacement was named.
Lewis, 42, presided over the 25th-ranked defense in the NFL, down from 24th in 2005 and 13th in 2004, his first season with the team. Injuries were a major issue throughout Lewis' tenure. The Giants lost Michael Strahan for a total of 16 games, and in 2005 were without a slew of linebackers.
But Lewis' Cover-2 scheme didn't provide enough good pass defense the past two years, even with a pair of Pro Bowl ends in 2005. The Giants were 27th against the pass in 2005 and 28th this season.
"Different things happened," said linebacker LaVar Arrington, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon Oct. 23 just as he was starting to grasp the system better. "When you have a successful team, they usually feed off one another. Whatever their strengths are, you play to it. You make sure you lean toward your strengths, knowing what your weaknesses are. We just have to find that balance. And whenever you have a team as talented as the Giants that doesn't accomplish enough, somebody has to take the rap for it. Sometimes it's the players, sometimes it's coaches."
The Giants might have an interest in Dolphins defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who was Coughlin's coordinator with the Jaguars from 1999-2001. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Capers turned down requests to be interviewed for the defensive coordinator jobs with the Falcons and Cowboys after he interviewed for the Dolphins' vacant head-coaching job.
Lewis also interviewed for that job, and he was a popular candidate last January, interviewing for five head-coaching slots. He was the Steelers' defensive coordinator from 2000-2003 after five seasons as their secondary coach.
Of the defensive assistants on the Giants' staff, line coach Mike Waufle has the best chance of being retained, having improved his group greatly during his three seasons. Linebackers coach Bill Sheridan also is popular, though his unit has been ravaged by injuries.
My Slant:
Ok so we knew this would happen, even if it wasn't all Lewis' fault because of the injuries. The cover-2 scheme wasn't working with the personnel here. Dom Capers isn't a bad coach either. Our intel informs us Capers is one of the candidates to replace Lewis. He's had his share of successes as well as failures. the Question is: what makes Coughlin think that Capers would do well here? Is Dom the guy he really wanted three years ago when he got the Job? Capers was still coaching the Houston Texans then, his second expansion franchise.
Many People are apt to say that The NFL just keeps recycling Old Coaches, not giving enough chances to new blood.
But look at what happens when college coaches try to make a jump to the Pros. How many have had even short term sucess?
BY ARTHUR STAPLE
Newsday Staff Writer
January 12, 2007
Tom Coughlin began his staff house-cleaning yesterday, firing defensive coordinator Tim Lewis. No replacement was named.
Lewis, 42, presided over the 25th-ranked defense in the NFL, down from 24th in 2005 and 13th in 2004, his first season with the team. Injuries were a major issue throughout Lewis' tenure. The Giants lost Michael Strahan for a total of 16 games, and in 2005 were without a slew of linebackers.
But Lewis' Cover-2 scheme didn't provide enough good pass defense the past two years, even with a pair of Pro Bowl ends in 2005. The Giants were 27th against the pass in 2005 and 28th this season.
"Different things happened," said linebacker LaVar Arrington, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon Oct. 23 just as he was starting to grasp the system better. "When you have a successful team, they usually feed off one another. Whatever their strengths are, you play to it. You make sure you lean toward your strengths, knowing what your weaknesses are. We just have to find that balance. And whenever you have a team as talented as the Giants that doesn't accomplish enough, somebody has to take the rap for it. Sometimes it's the players, sometimes it's coaches."
The Giants might have an interest in Dolphins defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who was Coughlin's coordinator with the Jaguars from 1999-2001. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Capers turned down requests to be interviewed for the defensive coordinator jobs with the Falcons and Cowboys after he interviewed for the Dolphins' vacant head-coaching job.
Lewis also interviewed for that job, and he was a popular candidate last January, interviewing for five head-coaching slots. He was the Steelers' defensive coordinator from 2000-2003 after five seasons as their secondary coach.
Of the defensive assistants on the Giants' staff, line coach Mike Waufle has the best chance of being retained, having improved his group greatly during his three seasons. Linebackers coach Bill Sheridan also is popular, though his unit has been ravaged by injuries.
My Slant:
Ok so we knew this would happen, even if it wasn't all Lewis' fault because of the injuries. The cover-2 scheme wasn't working with the personnel here. Dom Capers isn't a bad coach either. Our intel informs us Capers is one of the candidates to replace Lewis. He's had his share of successes as well as failures. the Question is: what makes Coughlin think that Capers would do well here? Is Dom the guy he really wanted three years ago when he got the Job? Capers was still coaching the Houston Texans then, his second expansion franchise.
Many People are apt to say that The NFL just keeps recycling Old Coaches, not giving enough chances to new blood.
But look at what happens when college coaches try to make a jump to the Pros. How many have had even short term sucess?
Brian Schottenheimer could be headed To Miami
Schottenheimer in demand
Huizenga's plane makes stop at Republic Airport so Dolphins can talk to young offensive coordinator-see my end notes
BY TOM ROCK
Newsday Staff Writer
January 11, 2007
The Dolphins spoke with Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer about their vacant head-coaching position yesterday, the first of what could be many nibbles at the son of Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer, who is an up-and-comer in the eyes of many NFL insiders.
Shortly after the private 737 owned by Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga spent the morning at Newark Airport, where the Dolphins spoke with Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, the plane flew to Farmingdale's Republic Airport for an on-board, tarmac-bound meeting with Schottenheimer, according to a Dolphins official who requested anonymity.
According to flight reports, Huizenga's plane was at Republic for approximately 2 1/2 hours before flying to Detroit and a meeting with Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Over the weekend, the plane also went to Costa Rica, where USC coach Pete Carroll was vacationing.
The search to replace Nick Saban is far from narrow, with more than a dozen coaches expected to meet with Dolphins ownership and management for pre-interviews in the coming days. After that, the group will be whittled down to three or four for more in-depth interviews in Miami, according to the Dolphins official.
Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum yesterday confirmed the Dolphins' interest in Schottenheimer and said the Jets have a "short list" of contingency candidates if they need to replace Schottenheimer - or any coach or player, for that matter. Running backs coach Jimmy Raye was offensive coordinator for five NFL teams, and wide receivers coach Noel Mazzone had that job at three colleges, but the Jets are just as likely to look outside the organization.
"If that situation were to present itself, we would consider in-house people and other coaches that would be available," Tannenbaum said. "It is like any other search. You want to get the best person that you can."
If Schottenheimer leaves, it would mean a fourth different offensive coordinator for the Jets in four years.
Schottenheimer is considered by many to have the makings of an NFL head coach, including a gregarious personality and a mind for the game. His limitation is lack of experience, but the Jets have shown that taking a chance on a young, developing coach can produce results.
Like Eric Mangini before he took the top Jets job last winter, Schottenheimer has only one year of experience as a coordinator. But in that year he impressed many around the league with his innovative no-huddle system based on the West Coast offense and loaded with shifts and misdirection.
The Jets' offense was ranked 25th in the NFL in yardage and 18th in scoring. Those are hardly staggering numbers, but Schottenheimer matched the system to his personnel very well, playing to strengths (Chad Pennington's intelligence) and sidestepping weaknesses (no feature running back). They used short passes to receivers as "extended handoffs" and tinkered with combinations of receivers, tight ends and running backs.
Schottenheimer, 33, was his father's quarterbacks coach for the Chargers from 2002-05 and for the Redskins in 2001. Under his guidance, two quarterbacks have won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award: Drew Brees in 2004 and Pennington in 2006. The Dolphins may hope to sprinkle some of that comeback magic on Daunte Culpepper for 2007.
When Saban bolted for Alabama last week, Mangini was asked about the possibility of members of his staff interviewing for the job at a division rival. His own such move is a main source of the tension between him and Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
"It's part of the nature of the NFL," he said. "People change and move on, and through success, opportunities are created. Sometimes those opportunities are at different places. That's just the nature of the business."
The Dolphins might wind up passing on Schottenheimer, but the first branch of the Mangini coaching tree could be springing forth in the very near future.
And my Slant: This Kid is the reason Why Pennington is the comback player of the year. From the moment i saw him operate at Jets camp last summer, I knew he was the real deal, like his Dad. Infact when the Jets Offense had a miscue he made them run a lap while he foamed at the mouth(also just like daddy)! It would be a big loss for the Jets if he left.
Huizenga's plane makes stop at Republic Airport so Dolphins can talk to young offensive coordinator-see my end notes
BY TOM ROCK
Newsday Staff Writer
January 11, 2007
The Dolphins spoke with Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer about their vacant head-coaching position yesterday, the first of what could be many nibbles at the son of Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer, who is an up-and-comer in the eyes of many NFL insiders.
Shortly after the private 737 owned by Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga spent the morning at Newark Airport, where the Dolphins spoke with Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, the plane flew to Farmingdale's Republic Airport for an on-board, tarmac-bound meeting with Schottenheimer, according to a Dolphins official who requested anonymity.
According to flight reports, Huizenga's plane was at Republic for approximately 2 1/2 hours before flying to Detroit and a meeting with Lions offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Over the weekend, the plane also went to Costa Rica, where USC coach Pete Carroll was vacationing.
The search to replace Nick Saban is far from narrow, with more than a dozen coaches expected to meet with Dolphins ownership and management for pre-interviews in the coming days. After that, the group will be whittled down to three or four for more in-depth interviews in Miami, according to the Dolphins official.
Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum yesterday confirmed the Dolphins' interest in Schottenheimer and said the Jets have a "short list" of contingency candidates if they need to replace Schottenheimer - or any coach or player, for that matter. Running backs coach Jimmy Raye was offensive coordinator for five NFL teams, and wide receivers coach Noel Mazzone had that job at three colleges, but the Jets are just as likely to look outside the organization.
"If that situation were to present itself, we would consider in-house people and other coaches that would be available," Tannenbaum said. "It is like any other search. You want to get the best person that you can."
If Schottenheimer leaves, it would mean a fourth different offensive coordinator for the Jets in four years.
Schottenheimer is considered by many to have the makings of an NFL head coach, including a gregarious personality and a mind for the game. His limitation is lack of experience, but the Jets have shown that taking a chance on a young, developing coach can produce results.
Like Eric Mangini before he took the top Jets job last winter, Schottenheimer has only one year of experience as a coordinator. But in that year he impressed many around the league with his innovative no-huddle system based on the West Coast offense and loaded with shifts and misdirection.
The Jets' offense was ranked 25th in the NFL in yardage and 18th in scoring. Those are hardly staggering numbers, but Schottenheimer matched the system to his personnel very well, playing to strengths (Chad Pennington's intelligence) and sidestepping weaknesses (no feature running back). They used short passes to receivers as "extended handoffs" and tinkered with combinations of receivers, tight ends and running backs.
Schottenheimer, 33, was his father's quarterbacks coach for the Chargers from 2002-05 and for the Redskins in 2001. Under his guidance, two quarterbacks have won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award: Drew Brees in 2004 and Pennington in 2006. The Dolphins may hope to sprinkle some of that comeback magic on Daunte Culpepper for 2007.
When Saban bolted for Alabama last week, Mangini was asked about the possibility of members of his staff interviewing for the job at a division rival. His own such move is a main source of the tension between him and Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
"It's part of the nature of the NFL," he said. "People change and move on, and through success, opportunities are created. Sometimes those opportunities are at different places. That's just the nature of the business."
The Dolphins might wind up passing on Schottenheimer, but the first branch of the Mangini coaching tree could be springing forth in the very near future.
And my Slant: This Kid is the reason Why Pennington is the comback player of the year. From the moment i saw him operate at Jets camp last summer, I knew he was the real deal, like his Dad. Infact when the Jets Offense had a miscue he made them run a lap while he foamed at the mouth(also just like daddy)! It would be a big loss for the Jets if he left.
Arizona Cardinals Matt Leinart Parties With Britney Spears At Jackrabbit Lounge In Scottsdale, Az
Well, at least it's not the Pussycat Lounge, another hot spot. This comes from Perez Hilton.com. This happened before the New Year, so it's old news but still interesting given Matt's track record. Still does make you wonder about that newborn he's got. I'll also bet Paris Hilton had something to do with this hook up because she was partying with Matt last year.
Britney Spears has been noticeably missing in action the past week.
Now, PerezHilton.com has all the details on where she's been and what star she was seen getting her groove on with at a club on Friday night.
This is good!!!
Sources reveal exclusively to PerezHilton.com that Britney has been spending some time in Scottsdale, Arizona, a town known for its many spas and retreats.
Spears has frequented Scottsdale in the past, most recently escaping there in 2005 with FedEx during her first pregnancy.
Britney has been unwinding with her family and on Friday night she really let loose!
The newly single pop star was spotted at Scottsdale hotspot Jackrabbit Lounge.
The awful hair extensions were gone and the chic blonde bob was back!
Plus....Spears was totally macking it with none other than Matt Leinart!
Britney came sans large entourage. Just two girlfriends and a big burly bodyguard.
However, her attention was focused on Matt all night long!
The quarterback, previously linked with Paris Hilton, plays for the Arizona Cardinals.
And Friday night he was playing Britney Spears!
Sources tell us that the pair were flirting hardcore on the patio area all night long, bumping and grinding and whispering in each others' ears.
Could a love match be in the air???
Possibly!
But before Britney gets too comfortable in Scottsdale, she is heading to Las Vegas, where Spears will ring in the new year at Pure in Caesar's Palace.
New year, new man? Big comeback?
We hope so!
Oakland Raiders Offensive Line Blocking Problems
The Oakland Raiders offensive line was terrible. But as I've stated before, it wasn't because they're bad players, it was the way they were asked to block.
This photo -- of the Raiders in white against the SF 49ers -- is a textbook example of the problem. Here, all of the linemen are retreating, and thus giving space for the Niners pass-rushers to force themselves and manuever. This is a pass pocket that will fold quickly.
What they should do is almost run block and fire out early. This way shown is too old.
Arizona Cardinals Matt Leinart At The CES Show In Las Vegas
What's Arizona Cardinals QB Matt Leinart doing now during the team's offseason? He's signing autographs at the Poloroid booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Domain Barnyard -- not the person's real name -- snapped this photo.
Donald Driver and Vernand Morency Thanking Brett Favre
Donald Driver and Vernand Morency 12.31.06 thanking Brett Favre, originally uploaded by planetexpress.
Regardless of what he does, it's clear that the Green Bay Packers enjoy Quarterback Brett Farve. I think he's going to come back for one more year. I have no inside information on that, just plain gut feeling. Remember, he's still got the gas in the tank, and the problems were not really his in the making.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Zennie At MacWorld In The Microsoft Bloggers Booth (Booth 702)
Well, here I am at the Microsoft booth 702 and I've just been branded as having "Mac Mojo." What that is I don't know, but if I've got it, I've got it.
The booth itself is pretty cool. It has couches to sit on -- overstuffed -- a bin with colas, computers, and a main table. Plus everything's in black.
I wonder who's idea this was at Microsoft? Well, the real main question is how did I find this? I just walked through the main Microsooft booth and started talking with one of the hosts there. She told me about their booth for bloggers and gave me a button -- the one I referred to above.
So I walked out in search of Booth 702, when a woman walked by with the Microsoft logo that's commonly associated with their office products. So I asked her and she happened to be headed over there. As it turned out, my tour guide was none other than "Jane" of Microsoft and "See Jane Direct" at seejanedirect.com
Later, Jane told me that it was Chris Kim who created the booth idea. He's the marketing manager and I guess head blogger at Microsoft.
Chris explained that what is now booth 702 evolved out of a need to have a kind of "team blog" program at the firm. But then he recognized that there would be a lot of bloggers at MacWorld, so he and his Microsoft team bought booth space, and set up shop where I am now.
Not bad.
The show's pretty cool this year, but I wonder if the producers aren't getting enough vendors. It seems to get smaller and smaller each year. I don't think it's a matter of less product or interest, but something the show's producers aren't doing. I think Apple should basically own the show, since it features their products.
Well, more soon.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Giants 2006 season wrap-up
Ok so the Dust has settled, the pressers are over, and WFAN's Mike(Francessa) and the Mad Dog(Chris Russo) have even gotten in their licks(if you call Russo a "Broadcast Journalist"). Tom Coughlin is staying, at least for 2007, and probably 2008 as well. But I would have told you that if you had asked me, even after Sunday, even as i was leaving "the Linc", even as i was riding Amtrak back to New York's Penn Station. No reason to make a change. Sure, the coach might be considered abrasive at times. What does that have to do with running a football team? Most of the Coaches i have met in this business were nasty so-and so-s because they had to be. Football is a tough business, Wimps go home, period. Did you really believe that Bill Parcells was coming back to NY? Never. He wasn't even called. HE called John Mara early this morning to ask him where the rumors were coming from. No one in the Giants organization, thats for sure.
Point is, no matter how dissapointed you are over the Giants 8-8 finish(2-6 in the second half of the regular season) you can't blame the coaching staff or the Front office for the Injury bug that hit for the second year in a row. Ok, so there will be some Scapegoats among the assistant coaches. John Hufnagel is already gone, and infact, was released December 18th, the day after the Loss to the Eagles. He was asked to finish that week out to help prepare for the transition to Kevin Gilbride as play caller and offfensive coordinator. You could argue that his play selection could be vanilla at times(hey vanillia is my favorite flavor of icecream!), but no one said a word when the Giants were winning games. No one ever said "hey this offense with Tiki Barber running the ball reminds me of...of...Joe Morris and the 1986 Giants offense." That's because it wasn't. The 1986 and 1990 teams were so different then the 2000, 2002, and 2005-06 teams. The offense was better at times and the defense, while loaded with Quality, just wasn't there when they had to be.
And what of young Eli Manning? He surely suffered some setbacks this year, he even tired some with his "aww shucks" look on the sidelines. Guess what? All the Mannings look that way when things are bad. Doesn't mean they don't care. Peyton is probably a bit more emotional, and does better in commercials(That Sprint one is a pisser!). Dad Archie is more stoic, and Eli takes after Dad a bit more. He said it himself in his closing presser " i have to continue to learn and get better" Ok Kid, better said then done in the NFL. Former NFL coach Jerry Glanville once said "NFL" means "Not for Long" if you keep that up. I hear all the Giants fans(and probably my former self as well) groaning now " Phillip Rivers is still in the Playoffs." Quit your moaning folks. Eli is a quality NFL QB. It's just taking him longer to get himself together. It doesn't happen overnight. Greatness that is. "What about Vince Young?" Ok so he picked it up a bit faster. Some do and some don't. I don't see the Giants drafting another QB unless a Scouting report tells them they have to get Eli's replacement for 5 years from now and he's available with the Giants next pick. They have needs far beyond QB out of this draft.
So what about the Giants Defense that was supposed to be improved this year? Hey, they hung together when half of them were getting treatment and buying knitting needles to scratch the inside of their casts. Who knew Mathias Kiwanuka would be that good(I knew, but i'm supposed to know)? Mike Strahan will give it another go, but his statement of last summer at the Giants Kick-off affair for charity "i'm not going anywhere until we get rings" is getting hollow. He's going to be 36, and his replacement is already on the team. Surely this will be his last shot, if he gets it at all.
The few Giants players i truly feel sorry for are Tiki Barber, and the Offensive Line. Tiki because he deserved one last hurrah on his way out, and The OL's because they did all they could to get it for him and it wasn't enough. I also feel for the Giants fans that had to take it every week while they were slipping back down to reality in November and December. So that's it for the 2006 New York Giants. All they need to do now is replace the retiring Ernie Accorsi. He was only the second best GM the Franchise ever had, the first being the Late George Young. The announcement won't be this week.
Point is, no matter how dissapointed you are over the Giants 8-8 finish(2-6 in the second half of the regular season) you can't blame the coaching staff or the Front office for the Injury bug that hit for the second year in a row. Ok, so there will be some Scapegoats among the assistant coaches. John Hufnagel is already gone, and infact, was released December 18th, the day after the Loss to the Eagles. He was asked to finish that week out to help prepare for the transition to Kevin Gilbride as play caller and offfensive coordinator. You could argue that his play selection could be vanilla at times(hey vanillia is my favorite flavor of icecream!), but no one said a word when the Giants were winning games. No one ever said "hey this offense with Tiki Barber running the ball reminds me of...of...Joe Morris and the 1986 Giants offense." That's because it wasn't. The 1986 and 1990 teams were so different then the 2000, 2002, and 2005-06 teams. The offense was better at times and the defense, while loaded with Quality, just wasn't there when they had to be.
And what of young Eli Manning? He surely suffered some setbacks this year, he even tired some with his "aww shucks" look on the sidelines. Guess what? All the Mannings look that way when things are bad. Doesn't mean they don't care. Peyton is probably a bit more emotional, and does better in commercials(That Sprint one is a pisser!). Dad Archie is more stoic, and Eli takes after Dad a bit more. He said it himself in his closing presser " i have to continue to learn and get better" Ok Kid, better said then done in the NFL. Former NFL coach Jerry Glanville once said "NFL" means "Not for Long" if you keep that up. I hear all the Giants fans(and probably my former self as well) groaning now " Phillip Rivers is still in the Playoffs." Quit your moaning folks. Eli is a quality NFL QB. It's just taking him longer to get himself together. It doesn't happen overnight. Greatness that is. "What about Vince Young?" Ok so he picked it up a bit faster. Some do and some don't. I don't see the Giants drafting another QB unless a Scouting report tells them they have to get Eli's replacement for 5 years from now and he's available with the Giants next pick. They have needs far beyond QB out of this draft.
So what about the Giants Defense that was supposed to be improved this year? Hey, they hung together when half of them were getting treatment and buying knitting needles to scratch the inside of their casts. Who knew Mathias Kiwanuka would be that good(I knew, but i'm supposed to know)? Mike Strahan will give it another go, but his statement of last summer at the Giants Kick-off affair for charity "i'm not going anywhere until we get rings" is getting hollow. He's going to be 36, and his replacement is already on the team. Surely this will be his last shot, if he gets it at all.
The few Giants players i truly feel sorry for are Tiki Barber, and the Offensive Line. Tiki because he deserved one last hurrah on his way out, and The OL's because they did all they could to get it for him and it wasn't enough. I also feel for the Giants fans that had to take it every week while they were slipping back down to reality in November and December. So that's it for the 2006 New York Giants. All they need to do now is replace the retiring Ernie Accorsi. He was only the second best GM the Franchise ever had, the first being the Late George Young. The announcement won't be this week.
Terrell Owens Fires Kim Etheredge; Harsh Words
The report reads...
Terrell Owens fired his publicist, Kim Etheredge, last week. The two had some harsh words over the last few weeks.
Etheredge didn't want Owens to do a ESPN interview with Michael Irvin, but he did it anyway. She also didn't want a NFL Network interview with T.O. following the Atlanta game, but he did it.
Owens had tuned Etheredge out over the last few months and it all came to a head last week.
Etheredge accepted the firing with dignity but wouldn't talk about it Sunday. T.O. said it was a business decision and nothing personal.
Etheredge is hopeful to get other clients. She is good friends with Cowboys linebacker Kevin Burnett (she even baby sat his kids), and she's cool with Akin Ayodele.
But what it doesn't say is how she came to Owens rescue last year when he took more than the required does of either pills or some combination of meds that had him so dizzy some believed he was trying to take his own life. For a reminder, let's turn to Wikipedia:
A police report filed on the night of September 26[7] seemed to confirm the attempt, saying that Owens' publicist, Kim Etheridge, found him unresponsive with an empty bottle of pain killers, pried two pills from his mouth, and called 9-1-1, after which an ambulance transported him four blocks from his Deep Ellum condo to the hospital.
According to the police report, Owens and Etheridge both said he was depressed, and Owens answered "yes" when asked whether he had intended to harm himself. Owens' publicist, however, refuted the report, stating that Owens had suffered an allergic reaction to the medication combined with a dietary supplement. ESPN reported that about half the police report was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose."
Owens left the hospital later on September 27. At a news conference after his release, Owens denied having made a suicide attempt, stating that he expected to join the team for practice the next morning. He stated that he was "not depressed" and was "very happy to be here," and denied that doctors had pumped his stomach, calling speculation to that effect "definitely untrue."[9] The press conference took place after Owens had run routes and caught passes with the Cowboys' at the team's practice facility in Valley Ranch.
Owens' publicist lashed out at the police and said they took advantage of him. Notably, Owens himself made no such statements, and at his press conference praised both the police and medical personnel who treated him.
I would think that's worth something, but it seems that it is not. I don't know what really went down between him so I'm not going to come to a snap judgment. But as I think about it, Terrell now has a chance to get a real good PR person, the only question is, wiill he listen to that person.
Rebecca Manns Should Copy Courtney Simpson And Go Into The Porn Industry
A lot has been written about Rebecca Manns, the University Of Louisville Cheerleader who was kicked off the cheerleading squad for a large set of photos of her naked that were spread around the Intenet. Rebecca and her parents have been lobbying to get her back on the team. But maybe she should just chuck that effort and go into the porn industry.
TIME OUT! Check out the news on the Miami Super Bowl Party! And wonder how Rebecca would look in any one of the Hybrid Cars out there? Check them out!
That's what Courtney Simpson did. She's the Arizona State Cheerleader who was pushed off that colleges Cheerleading squad for using her cheerleader uniform in of all things a porn movie. The info on her is...
"On December 2, 2005, The Arizona Republic[2] reported that Simpson, who was an Arizona State cheerleader on the 2004-2005 squad was kicked off of the team in the spring of 2005 for undisclosed violations, before she began her career in the adult industry. However, Simpson herself says that she was never kicked off the squad, but instead she claimed that she "couldn't go to [cheerleader] camp with the team as my mom had found out I got drunk or something and she was scared for me to go to camp with them".
It was reported that Arizona State University officials are looking into any legal claims they might have in relation to a "trademarks and intellectual property" for the use of the Arizona State uniform. However, Simpson has said that that the film's producer, Gina Lynn, ultimately decided to change the uniform's appearance on the video's box cover so the initials said "USA" and not "ASU", and also to blur out the uniform during the time she wears it on-screen.
Since starting her career she has done many porn films becoming a very busy and popular performer. Some of these titles include Barely Legal 58, Black Dicks In White Chicks 11, Ass Whores From Planet Squirt, Double Play 3, Gag Factor 20, My Girlfriend's Whore Friend, Young And Nasty 2, Max Faktor 14"
Now, I know that Rebecca didn't mean for this kind of PR to become associated with her name, but in a pornified America, that's what happened. She might as well cash in.
She could have a website, or a blog, or video-blogs. The imagination runs. She could make it so she could do movies without really doing anything sexual in them. It could be left to the imagination.
And boy it does run!
NCAA Players Declared For The 2007 NFL Draft Or Returning To College - List By Bill Chackhes The Draftnik
Here is the list of players who have either declared for the draft or will return to school. The deadline is this Monday the 15th.
There is also an undecided list.
Declared for the draft
Jon Abbate, junior LB, Wake Forest
Jamaal Anderson, junior DL, Arkansas
Jon Beason, junior LB, Miami
Alan Branch, junior DT, Michigan
x-Michael Bush, senior RB, Louisville
Keenan Carter, junior DT, Virginia
Stanley Doughty, junior DT, South Carolina
x-Gabe Hall, senior OT, Texas Tech
Chris Henry, junior RB, Arizona
Chris Houston, junior CB, Arkansas
Calvin Johnson, junior WR, Georgia Tech
Charles Johnson, junior DE, Georgia
Rory Johnson, junior LB, Mississippi
Marshawn Lynch, junior RB, California
Robert Meachem, junior WR, Tennessee
Greg Olsen, junior TE, Miami
Darrelle Revis, junior CB, Pittsburgh
xx-Sidney Rice, redshirt soph. WR, S.C.
Gary Russell, junior RB, Minnesota
JaMarcus Russell, junior QB, LSU
x-Luke Smith-Anderson, senior TE, Idaho
Ramonce Taylor, junior RB/WR, Texas
Lawrence Timmons, junior LB, Fla. St.
Danny Ware, junior RB, Georgia
x-Chaz Williams, senior CB, La.-Monroe
Eric Wright, junior CB, UNLV
Returning to school
SirDarean Adams, junior LB/S, Mich. State
Kirk Barton, junior OT, Ohio State
Heath Benedict, junior OT, Newberry (S.C.)
Tommy Blake, junior DE, TCU
x-Zackary Bowman, senior CB, Nebraska
Cory Boyd, junior RB, South Carolina
Jasper Brinkley, junior LB, South Carolina
Gosder Cherilus, junior OT, B.C.
Bruce Davis, junior DE, UCLA
Jerome Felton, junior RB, Furman
C.J. Gaddis, junior CB, Clemson
Quentin Groves, junior DE, Auburn
Mike Jenkins, junior CB, South Florida
Steve Justice, junior C, Wake Forest
Jake Long, junior OT, Michigan
Frank Okam, junior DT, Texas
Paul Oliver, junior CB, Georgia
Undecided
Beau Bell, junior LB, UNLV
Ahmad Bradshaw, junior RB, Marshall
Colt Brennan, junior QB, Hawaii
Keenan Burton, junior WR, Kentucky
Andre Caldwell, junior WR, Florida
x-John Carlson, senior TE, Notre Dame
Antoine Cason, junior CB, Arizona
Dan Connor, junior OLB, Penn State
Fred Davis, junior TE, USC
Glenn Dorsey, junior DE, LSU
De'Cody Fagg, junior WR, Florida State
Andre Fluellen, junior DT, Florida State
xx-Jared Gaither, sophomore OT, Maryland
Ted Ginn Jr., junior WR, Ohio State
Anthony Gonzalez, junior WR, Ohio State
xx-Michael Hamlin, redshirt soph. DB, Clemson
Louis Holmes, junior DE, Arizona
Amarri Jackson, junior WR, South Florida
Dwayne Jarrett, junior WR, USC
Dwight Lowery, junior CB, San Jose State
Zach Miller, junior TE, Arizona State
Marcus Monk, junior WR, Arkansas
Dre Moore, junior DT, Maryland
Jarvis Moss, junior DE, Florida
Reggie Nelson, junior DB, Florida
Adrian Peterson, junior RB, Oklahoma
Antonio Pittman, junior RB, Ohio State
Barry Richardson, junior OT, Clemson
Martin Rucker, junior TE, Missouri
Glenn Sharpe, junior CB, Miami (Fla.)
Brandon Siler, junior ILB, Florida
Shannon Tevaga, junior OG, UCLA
xxx-Walter Thomas, junior DT, NW Miss. C.C.
xx-Mario Urrutia, redshirt soph. WR, Louisville
Philip Wheeler, junior LB, Georgia Tech
Trae Williams, junior CB, South Florida
x-Tom Zbikowski, senior S, Notre Dame
x - Seniors with one year of eligibility available
xx - Sophomore three years removed from high school
xxx - Junior college prospect with remaining eligibility
There is also an undecided list.
Declared for the draft
Jon Abbate, junior LB, Wake Forest
Jamaal Anderson, junior DL, Arkansas
Jon Beason, junior LB, Miami
Alan Branch, junior DT, Michigan
x-Michael Bush, senior RB, Louisville
Keenan Carter, junior DT, Virginia
Stanley Doughty, junior DT, South Carolina
x-Gabe Hall, senior OT, Texas Tech
Chris Henry, junior RB, Arizona
Chris Houston, junior CB, Arkansas
Calvin Johnson, junior WR, Georgia Tech
Charles Johnson, junior DE, Georgia
Rory Johnson, junior LB, Mississippi
Marshawn Lynch, junior RB, California
Robert Meachem, junior WR, Tennessee
Greg Olsen, junior TE, Miami
Darrelle Revis, junior CB, Pittsburgh
xx-Sidney Rice, redshirt soph. WR, S.C.
Gary Russell, junior RB, Minnesota
JaMarcus Russell, junior QB, LSU
x-Luke Smith-Anderson, senior TE, Idaho
Ramonce Taylor, junior RB/WR, Texas
Lawrence Timmons, junior LB, Fla. St.
Danny Ware, junior RB, Georgia
x-Chaz Williams, senior CB, La.-Monroe
Eric Wright, junior CB, UNLV
Returning to school
SirDarean Adams, junior LB/S, Mich. State
Kirk Barton, junior OT, Ohio State
Heath Benedict, junior OT, Newberry (S.C.)
Tommy Blake, junior DE, TCU
x-Zackary Bowman, senior CB, Nebraska
Cory Boyd, junior RB, South Carolina
Jasper Brinkley, junior LB, South Carolina
Gosder Cherilus, junior OT, B.C.
Bruce Davis, junior DE, UCLA
Jerome Felton, junior RB, Furman
C.J. Gaddis, junior CB, Clemson
Quentin Groves, junior DE, Auburn
Mike Jenkins, junior CB, South Florida
Steve Justice, junior C, Wake Forest
Jake Long, junior OT, Michigan
Frank Okam, junior DT, Texas
Paul Oliver, junior CB, Georgia
Undecided
Beau Bell, junior LB, UNLV
Ahmad Bradshaw, junior RB, Marshall
Colt Brennan, junior QB, Hawaii
Keenan Burton, junior WR, Kentucky
Andre Caldwell, junior WR, Florida
x-John Carlson, senior TE, Notre Dame
Antoine Cason, junior CB, Arizona
Dan Connor, junior OLB, Penn State
Fred Davis, junior TE, USC
Glenn Dorsey, junior DE, LSU
De'Cody Fagg, junior WR, Florida State
Andre Fluellen, junior DT, Florida State
xx-Jared Gaither, sophomore OT, Maryland
Ted Ginn Jr., junior WR, Ohio State
Anthony Gonzalez, junior WR, Ohio State
xx-Michael Hamlin, redshirt soph. DB, Clemson
Louis Holmes, junior DE, Arizona
Amarri Jackson, junior WR, South Florida
Dwayne Jarrett, junior WR, USC
Dwight Lowery, junior CB, San Jose State
Zach Miller, junior TE, Arizona State
Marcus Monk, junior WR, Arkansas
Dre Moore, junior DT, Maryland
Jarvis Moss, junior DE, Florida
Reggie Nelson, junior DB, Florida
Adrian Peterson, junior RB, Oklahoma
Antonio Pittman, junior RB, Ohio State
Barry Richardson, junior OT, Clemson
Martin Rucker, junior TE, Missouri
Glenn Sharpe, junior CB, Miami (Fla.)
Brandon Siler, junior ILB, Florida
Shannon Tevaga, junior OG, UCLA
xxx-Walter Thomas, junior DT, NW Miss. C.C.
xx-Mario Urrutia, redshirt soph. WR, Louisville
Philip Wheeler, junior LB, Georgia Tech
Trae Williams, junior CB, South Florida
x-Tom Zbikowski, senior S, Notre Dame
x - Seniors with one year of eligibility available
xx - Sophomore three years removed from high school
xxx - Junior college prospect with remaining eligibility
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
NFL 2006 TV RECAP - MORE THAN 220 MILLION AMERICANS WATCHED NFL GAMES
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 1/9/07
NFL 2006 TV RECAP
VIEWERSHIP INCREASES FOR ALL TV PARTNERS
MORE THAN 220 MILLION AMERICANS WATCHED NFL GAMES
NFL RATES RECORD 66 PERCENT HIGHER THAN OTHER PRIMETIME PROGRAMMING
NFL GAMES ARE 3 OF TOP 7 NETWORK PROGRAMS;
TOP 5 AMONG MEN 18-49; TOP 16 CABLECASTS
Football fans across America continued to tune their televisions to NFL games in large and growing
numbers in 2006. According to Nielsen Media Research, 222 million Americans (up from 195.8
million in 2005) – or approximately three-quarters of the U.S. population – watched NFL games in
2006; and all NFL TV partners experienced increases in viewership for their NFL games.
In 2006 – the first year of new television contracts featuring “flexible scheduling” and earlier start
times for primetime games – viewership increased on all NFL TV partners for the first time since
2002.
INCREASED VIEWERSHIP ON ALL NFL TELEVISION PARTNERS
Network Average Viewers Increase From 2005
CBS 15.2 million +1%
FOX 16.6 million +5%
NBC 17.5 million +7%*
ESPN 12.3 million +41%**
NFL Network 4.1 million --
Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research
*compared to ABC MNF in 2005
**compared to ESPN SNF in 2005
In addition, NFL viewership on broadcast television finished ahead of network primetime viewership
by its widest margin ever. NFL games on CBS, FOX and NBC averaged 16.3 million viewers – 66
percent higher than the average primetime viewership among the four major over-the-air
networks (9.8 million average on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC).
NFL VS. PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP ON BROADCAST TV
NFL on Broadcast NFL
Broadcast Primetime % Advantage
2002 Avg. Viewers 15.8 million 10.3 million 52%
2003 Avg. Viewers 15.5 million 9.9 million 56%
2004 Avg. Viewers 15.4 million 9.8 million 57%
2005 Avg. Viewers 15.6 million 9.7 million 61%
2006 Avg. Viewers 16.3 million 9.8 million 66%
Source: NFL & Nielsen Media Research. NFL regular season on Broadcast television
(CBS, FOX & NBC…ABC prior to 2006). Broadcast primetime on BIG 4 networks (ABC, CBS,
NBC & FOX) all programs, NFL regular season dates used.
Consider these additional end-of-season facts:
• 2006 NFL national games on NBC, CBS (Sunday national & Thanksgiving) and FOX (Sunday
national & Thanksgiving) averaged a 12.1 rating which exceeds playoff broadcast averages for
other sports: 2006 NBA Playoffs (3.8 rating) & NBA Finals (8.5 rating) on ABC; 2006 MLB
Playoffs (6.0 rating) & 2006 World Series (10.1 rating) on FOX.
• NFL games account for 3 of the top 7 programs on network television this season (chart
below). In addition, NFL games account for the top seven (and 9 of the top 10) programs
among men 18-49 (chart below).
• ESPN NFL games accounted for the 16 most-watched basic cable programs in 2006 (chart
below).
• NFL Network concluded its inaugural Thursday and Saturday Night Football package with
each of its eight games ranking as the top-rated show of the day among all programs on cable
networks. The games averaged a 5.4 cable rating and (including fans who watched locally
over the air) 4.1 million viewers.
• NFL games were the top-ranked program locally a record 80 percent of the time – up from
69.3 percent in 2005 and surpassing the previous record of 73 percent set in 2003. That
means that eight of 10 times the NFL game drew higher local ratings than Dancing with the
Stars, CSI or any other popular TV show.
Following are the top network television programs nationally in average total viewers each week:
Network Program Viewers
1. FOX Sunday National Game 21.8 million
2. Desperate Housewives 20.7 million
3. Dancing With The Stars 20.5 million
4. CBS Sunday National Game 19.5 million
5. Dancing With The Stars Results 19.0 million
6. CSI 18.8 million
7. NBC Sunday Night Football 17.0 million*
8. Grey’s Anatomy 16.9 million
9. CSI: Miami 16.1 million
10. Deal Or No Deal 16.0 million
*does not include Kickoff or Christmas games
Following are this season’s top 10 programs on network television in a key demographic (avg. rating):
Men 18-49
Program Rating
1. FOX Sunday National Game 11.3
2. CBS Sunday National Game 9.7
3. NBC Sunday Night Football 9.1
4. FOX Sunday Single Game 7.9
5. CBS Sunday Single Game 7.2
6. The OT (FOX NFL Postgame) 6.8
7. FOX Sunday Regional Game 6.4
8. Heroes 6.1
9. NBC Sunday Night Pre-Kick 5.9
10. CBS Sunday Regional Game 5.8
Broadcast Notes:
Regional -- First window of a doubleheader
National -- Second window of a doubleheader
Single -- Only window on network not airing doubleheader that week.
Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 9/7/06-12/31/06
Following are the 10 most-watched regular-season games in 2006:
Date Program (Game) Viewers
Dec. 3 FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Giants) 27.6 million
Nov. 26 FOX Sunday National (mostly Bears-Patriots) 24.2 million
Nov. 23 FOX Thanksgiving Day (Bucs-Cowboys) 23.8 million
Nov. 19 CBS Sunday National (mostly Colts-Cowboys) 23.4 million
Dec. 25 NBC Christmas Day (Eagles-Cowboys) 23.2 million
Sept. 10 FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Jaguars) 22.7 million
Sept. 10 NBC Sunday Night (Colts-Giants) 22.6 million
Oct. 8 FOX Sunday National (Cowboys-Eagles) 22.1 million
Oct. 29 CBS Sunday National (mostly Colts-Broncos) 21.97 million
Nov. 5 NBC Sunday Night (Colts-Patriots) 21.95 million
Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 9/7/06-12/31/06
Following are the 10 most watched programs on basic cable in 2006:
Program, Date Viewers
1. ESPN Monday Night Football (Giants-Cowboys), 10/23 16.0 million
2. ESPN Monday Night Football (Falcons-Saints), 9/25 15.0 million
3. ESPN Monday Night Football (Bears-Cardinals), 10/16 14.23 million
4. ESPN Monday Night Football (Bengals-Colts), 12/18 14.22 million
5. ESPN Monday Night Football (Steelers-Jaguars), 9/18 13.3 million
6. ESPN Monday Night Football (Packers-Eagles), 10/2 12.9 million
7. ESPN Monday Night Football (Packers-Seahawks), 11/27 12.7 million
8. ESPN Monday Night Football (Vikings-Redskins), 9/11 12.6 million
9. ESPN Monday Night Football (Ravens-Broncos), 10/9 12.5 million
10. ESPN Monday Night Football (Patriots-Vikings), 10/30 11.9 million
Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 9/7/06-12/31/06
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 1/9/07
NFL 2006 TV RECAP
VIEWERSHIP INCREASES FOR ALL TV PARTNERS
MORE THAN 220 MILLION AMERICANS WATCHED NFL GAMES
NFL RATES RECORD 66 PERCENT HIGHER THAN OTHER PRIMETIME PROGRAMMING
NFL GAMES ARE 3 OF TOP 7 NETWORK PROGRAMS;
TOP 5 AMONG MEN 18-49; TOP 16 CABLECASTS
Football fans across America continued to tune their televisions to NFL games in large and growing
numbers in 2006. According to Nielsen Media Research, 222 million Americans (up from 195.8
million in 2005) – or approximately three-quarters of the U.S. population – watched NFL games in
2006; and all NFL TV partners experienced increases in viewership for their NFL games.
In 2006 – the first year of new television contracts featuring “flexible scheduling” and earlier start
times for primetime games – viewership increased on all NFL TV partners for the first time since
2002.
INCREASED VIEWERSHIP ON ALL NFL TELEVISION PARTNERS
Network Average Viewers Increase From 2005
CBS 15.2 million +1%
FOX 16.6 million +5%
NBC 17.5 million +7%*
ESPN 12.3 million +41%**
NFL Network 4.1 million --
Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research
*compared to ABC MNF in 2005
**compared to ESPN SNF in 2005
In addition, NFL viewership on broadcast television finished ahead of network primetime viewership
by its widest margin ever. NFL games on CBS, FOX and NBC averaged 16.3 million viewers – 66
percent higher than the average primetime viewership among the four major over-the-air
networks (9.8 million average on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC).
NFL VS. PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP ON BROADCAST TV
NFL on Broadcast NFL
Broadcast Primetime % Advantage
2002 Avg. Viewers 15.8 million 10.3 million 52%
2003 Avg. Viewers 15.5 million 9.9 million 56%
2004 Avg. Viewers 15.4 million 9.8 million 57%
2005 Avg. Viewers 15.6 million 9.7 million 61%
2006 Avg. Viewers 16.3 million 9.8 million 66%
Source: NFL & Nielsen Media Research. NFL regular season on Broadcast television
(CBS, FOX & NBC…ABC prior to 2006). Broadcast primetime on BIG 4 networks (ABC, CBS,
NBC & FOX) all programs, NFL regular season dates used.
Consider these additional end-of-season facts:
• 2006 NFL national games on NBC, CBS (Sunday national & Thanksgiving) and FOX (Sunday
national & Thanksgiving) averaged a 12.1 rating which exceeds playoff broadcast averages for
other sports: 2006 NBA Playoffs (3.8 rating) & NBA Finals (8.5 rating) on ABC; 2006 MLB
Playoffs (6.0 rating) & 2006 World Series (10.1 rating) on FOX.
• NFL games account for 3 of the top 7 programs on network television this season (chart
below). In addition, NFL games account for the top seven (and 9 of the top 10) programs
among men 18-49 (chart below).
• ESPN NFL games accounted for the 16 most-watched basic cable programs in 2006 (chart
below).
• NFL Network concluded its inaugural Thursday and Saturday Night Football package with
each of its eight games ranking as the top-rated show of the day among all programs on cable
networks. The games averaged a 5.4 cable rating and (including fans who watched locally
over the air) 4.1 million viewers.
• NFL games were the top-ranked program locally a record 80 percent of the time – up from
69.3 percent in 2005 and surpassing the previous record of 73 percent set in 2003. That
means that eight of 10 times the NFL game drew higher local ratings than Dancing with the
Stars, CSI or any other popular TV show.
Following are the top network television programs nationally in average total viewers each week:
Network Program Viewers
1. FOX Sunday National Game 21.8 million
2. Desperate Housewives 20.7 million
3. Dancing With The Stars 20.5 million
4. CBS Sunday National Game 19.5 million
5. Dancing With The Stars Results 19.0 million
6. CSI 18.8 million
7. NBC Sunday Night Football 17.0 million*
8. Grey’s Anatomy 16.9 million
9. CSI: Miami 16.1 million
10. Deal Or No Deal 16.0 million
*does not include Kickoff or Christmas games
Following are this season’s top 10 programs on network television in a key demographic (avg. rating):
Men 18-49
Program Rating
1. FOX Sunday National Game 11.3
2. CBS Sunday National Game 9.7
3. NBC Sunday Night Football 9.1
4. FOX Sunday Single Game 7.9
5. CBS Sunday Single Game 7.2
6. The OT (FOX NFL Postgame) 6.8
7. FOX Sunday Regional Game 6.4
8. Heroes 6.1
9. NBC Sunday Night Pre-Kick 5.9
10. CBS Sunday Regional Game 5.8
Broadcast Notes:
Regional -- First window of a doubleheader
National -- Second window of a doubleheader
Single -- Only window on network not airing doubleheader that week.
Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 9/7/06-12/31/06
Following are the 10 most-watched regular-season games in 2006:
Date Program (Game) Viewers
Dec. 3 FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Giants) 27.6 million
Nov. 26 FOX Sunday National (mostly Bears-Patriots) 24.2 million
Nov. 23 FOX Thanksgiving Day (Bucs-Cowboys) 23.8 million
Nov. 19 CBS Sunday National (mostly Colts-Cowboys) 23.4 million
Dec. 25 NBC Christmas Day (Eagles-Cowboys) 23.2 million
Sept. 10 FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Jaguars) 22.7 million
Sept. 10 NBC Sunday Night (Colts-Giants) 22.6 million
Oct. 8 FOX Sunday National (Cowboys-Eagles) 22.1 million
Oct. 29 CBS Sunday National (mostly Colts-Broncos) 21.97 million
Nov. 5 NBC Sunday Night (Colts-Patriots) 21.95 million
Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 9/7/06-12/31/06
Following are the 10 most watched programs on basic cable in 2006:
Program, Date Viewers
1. ESPN Monday Night Football (Giants-Cowboys), 10/23 16.0 million
2. ESPN Monday Night Football (Falcons-Saints), 9/25 15.0 million
3. ESPN Monday Night Football (Bears-Cardinals), 10/16 14.23 million
4. ESPN Monday Night Football (Bengals-Colts), 12/18 14.22 million
5. ESPN Monday Night Football (Steelers-Jaguars), 9/18 13.3 million
6. ESPN Monday Night Football (Packers-Eagles), 10/2 12.9 million
7. ESPN Monday Night Football (Packers-Seahawks), 11/27 12.7 million
8. ESPN Monday Night Football (Vikings-Redskins), 9/11 12.6 million
9. ESPN Monday Night Football (Ravens-Broncos), 10/9 12.5 million
10. ESPN Monday Night Football (Patriots-Vikings), 10/30 11.9 million
Source: NFL, Nielsen Media Research, 9/7/06-12/31/06
AFC and NFC Conference Playoffs
From NFLmedia.com
Four games played by the top eight.
That is the quick rundown as the NFL takes the next step towards Super Bowl XLI with its Divisional Playoffs this
weekend that feature the top four seeds in the AFC and NFC conferences.
“The intensity rises,” says Baltimore Ravens quarterback STEVE MC NAIR, who has traveled this route before on the
way to a Super Bowl. “In the regular season, you can make up games. In the playoffs, you lose and you go home.”
In addition to the drama of the weekend due to its sudden-elimination import, there are numerous additional storylines:
• Three games are between teams now either tied in wins (Indianapolis-Baltimore) or separated by only one win
(Philadelphia-New Orleans and New England-San Diego).
• There are two 2006 regular-season rematches (Philadelphia-New Orleans and Seattle-Chicago).
• One game features the NFC’s top seeds of the past two seasons (Seattle, 2005; Chicago, 2006).
• Another game – New England-San Diego – pits a three-time Super-Bowl-winning quarterback – TOM BRADY –
against a QB making his first postseason start – PHILIP RIVERS.
The lineup for all this excitement:
NFL DIVISIONAL PL AYOFF WEEKEND
Saturday, January 13
AFC: 4:30 PM ET
Indianapolis (13-4) at Baltimore (13-3) (CBS-TV)
NFC: 8:00 PM ET
Philadelphia (11-6) at New Orleans (10-6) (FOX TV)
Sunday, January 14
NFC: 1:00 PM ET Seattle (10-7) at Chicago (13-3) (FOX-TV)
AFC: 4:30 PM ET New England (13-4) at San Diego (14-2) (CBS-TV)
Four games played by the top eight.
That is the quick rundown as the NFL takes the next step towards Super Bowl XLI with its Divisional Playoffs this
weekend that feature the top four seeds in the AFC and NFC conferences.
“The intensity rises,” says Baltimore Ravens quarterback STEVE MC NAIR, who has traveled this route before on the
way to a Super Bowl. “In the regular season, you can make up games. In the playoffs, you lose and you go home.”
In addition to the drama of the weekend due to its sudden-elimination import, there are numerous additional storylines:
• Three games are between teams now either tied in wins (Indianapolis-Baltimore) or separated by only one win
(Philadelphia-New Orleans and New England-San Diego).
• There are two 2006 regular-season rematches (Philadelphia-New Orleans and Seattle-Chicago).
• One game features the NFC’s top seeds of the past two seasons (Seattle, 2005; Chicago, 2006).
• Another game – New England-San Diego – pits a three-time Super-Bowl-winning quarterback – TOM BRADY –
against a QB making his first postseason start – PHILIP RIVERS.
The lineup for all this excitement:
NFL DIVISIONAL PL AYOFF WEEKEND
Saturday, January 13
AFC: 4:30 PM ET
Indianapolis (13-4) at Baltimore (13-3) (CBS-TV)
NFC: 8:00 PM ET
Philadelphia (11-6) at New Orleans (10-6) (FOX TV)
Sunday, January 14
NFC: 1:00 PM ET Seattle (10-7) at Chicago (13-3) (FOX-TV)
AFC: 4:30 PM ET New England (13-4) at San Diego (14-2) (CBS-TV)
Steve Jobs And Apple Show iPhone At Mac World
Apple Computer's chief executive, Steve Jobs, unveiled on Tuesday a new mobile phone that downloads and plays music as well as a set- top box that allows people to stream video from their computers to their televisions.
Jobs said Apple's iPhone would "reinvent" the telecommunications sector and "leapfrog" past the current generation of hard-to-use smart phones.
Jobs said Apple's iPhone would "reinvent" the telecommunications sector and "leapfrog" past the current generation of hard-to-use smart phones.
Cal-Sac State -01 - Steve From CAA Awards Committee
I recognize this guy on the left from serving on the awards committee of the California Alumni Association. Steve's his name. I always see him but he never says hello to me.
He seems to be one of the kind of African American men that don't want to be seen talking to other blacks in a meeting situation. I'm serious. I hate to say it, but everyone else I've served with talks to me except him. Just Steve.
Earl Robinson was a direct contrast to him by far; had no problem talking to me and let's face it -- there were only a handful of us on the CAA so what's wrong with talking? Nothing! Well, this is sure to change all that!
He seems to be one of the kind of African American men that don't want to be seen talking to other blacks in a meeting situation. I'm serious. I hate to say it, but everyone else I've served with talks to me except him. Just Steve.
Earl Robinson was a direct contrast to him by far; had no problem talking to me and let's face it -- there were only a handful of us on the CAA so what's wrong with talking? Nothing! Well, this is sure to change all that!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Disney World's Tigger Strikes Teen In The Face - Video
Well, you do have to see this. It seems whomever was playing Tigger at Waly Disney World in Florida had enough of this particular teenager and hauled off and hit him. I've seen it again and again. Disney can't have this kind of behavior from its characters.
Check it out:
Check it out:
Atlanta Falcons Hiring Louisville Cardunals Coach Bobby Petrino
Hopefully Falcons Owner Arthur Blank THINKS he has the right man for the job now...
see my comment at the end
From the NY Times.....
Louisville’s Petrino to Leave for the N.F.L. and the Falcons
By PETE THAMEL
Published: January 8, 2007
When Coach Bobby Petrino signed a 10-year contract extension last summer at Louisville, he insisted that it include a million-dollar buyout as a sign of his commitment to the university.
Skip to next paragraph
Lynne Sladky/Associated Press
Petrino signed a 10-year contract extension last summer with Louisville, but decided to leave to take the head-coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons.
Division I-A
At the news conference announcing his extension, Petrino said that Louisville was the place where he and his family wanted to be.
“I want everyone to really believe it,” Petrino said in July.
But in what is becoming a familiar trend on the coaching carousel, it did not take long for him to have a change of heart. Louisville announced last night that Petrino was taking the head-coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons. He will replace Jim Mora, who was fired.
The Louisville sports information director, Kenny Klein, said in a telephone interview last night that Petrino informed the athletic director Tom Jurich and the Cardinals team of his decision yesterday.
Klein said that Jurich typically did not put buyouts in contracts, but Jurich did so at Petrino’s request. That was because until Petrino, 45, declared his undying love for the university this past summer, he had been regarded as a flirt in coaching circles.
In the last three years, he talked with Auburn, Louisiana State, Notre Dame and the Oakland Raiders about coaching vacancies. But all of that wanderlust appeared to dissipate with the comments that followed the signing of his 10-year, $25 million contract.
“I know I’ve said it, that this is where my family wants to be,” Petrino said. “This is where I want to be. I want everyone to really believe it."
His words were not unlike those of Nick Saban, who left the Dolphins last week to take the job at the University of Alabama despite multiple denials. Also, earlier this off-season, Dennis Erickson left Idaho for Arizona State despite saying that the Vandals job would be one he would be happy to retire from.
Petrino was 41-9 in his four seasons at Louisville, where he became known as one of the top offensive masterminds in college football. He led the Cardinals to the biggest win in the program’s history last week when they defeated Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl. They finished this season 12-1 and would have been considered a top contender for the national title in 2007 if the junior quarterback Brian Brohm and the junior tailback Michael Bush had returned for their senior years.
Instead, Louisville will be looking for a new coach. The top name on the list will most likely be Tulsa Coach Steve Kragthorpe, whom Jurich has long admired from afar.
“I certainly appreciate all the hard work he did in elevating this program to where it stands today,” Jurich said in a statement last night. “I wish him and his family all the best. We’re going to move quickly in hiring our next coach to keep our momentum going.”
It will be interesting to see how Petrino’s low-key personality meshes with N.F.L. life.
He could struggle with the media scrutiny and dealing with the egos of N.F.L. players. He’ll also have the challenge of trying to maximize the talents of quarterback Michael Vick, who despite his talent and promise, has not been able to win consistently in Atlanta.
Petrino’s hiring came as something of a shock in N.F.L. circles; his name had not come up as a possible candidate.
So no one knew this was coming?? I don't buy it! Somewhere someone had to know... I believe that when the other "usual" suspects were not called-or in the case of Bears D-Coordinator Ron Rivera, called back. you had to know something weird was going to happen. Not that Petrino isn't a good coach, Quite the opposite, he is a very good coach. but as stated above, will he "mesh" with the pro style of "getting things done"....
What Did Miss Nevada 2007, Katie Rees Do To Lose Her Crown? Take A Look!
What did 2007 Miss Nevada Katie Rees -- pictured in the red blouse -- do to lose her crown and yet be given no second chance, unlike Miss USA Tara Conner? Well, she was partying a bit too much and was captured on camera. What she did could be described but the photos are not X-rated, but R-rated and some of the tame ones are included here.
Why would she, or any young girl, do this? I'll explore that in a future post because it's a good question.
Who is Katie Rees? According to Wikipedia...
Katie Rees (born 11 August 1984 in St Petersburg, Florida) is a former American beauty queen who has held the Miss Nevada USA title. She was to compete in the Miss USA 2007 pageant but was dethroned in December 2006 following the release of pictures of her semi-naked, kissing, sucking the nipples of other women, and simulating cunnilingus at a Florida nightclub three years prior.
Rees won the Miss Nevada USA 2007 title in a state pageant held in Las Vegas on 8 October 2006; it was her first attempt at this title. Rees was crowned by outgoing titleholder Lauren Scyphers. Her "sister" titleholder, Miss Nevada Teen USA 2007, was Danielle Hashimoto.
Controversy
On 20 December 2006, allegations of Rees exhibiting raunchy behaviour in a Florida nightclub were made, and several photographs of Rees exposing her breasts, kissing and licking other women, and simulating sexual acts were released to the media.[1] This followed a scandal involving Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, in which news reports claimed Conner had been drinking underage; Conner was allowed to retain her title.
On 21 December 2006, Rees was stripped of her crown by the Miss Universe Organization,[2] with the approval of pageant co-owner Donald Trump. She was succeeded by pageant first runner-up Helen Salas, who will represent Nevada in the Miss USA 2007 pageant in March.
Becca Manns Picks Up Where Texas High School Cheerleaders Leave Off - Litterally
Not to be out-done in the young-white-girl-gets-naked-has-picts-taken-which-are-on-Internet storyline is Becca Manns. Becca Manns is the University of Louisville Cheerleader who had her sexy pics spread all over the Internet. Some say it was the fault of a jealous boyfriend, but whatever the reason Manns was kicked out of college entirely and her parents are fighting to get her back in. This is far worse than anything Britney Spears has done, but given the buzz on this, she may start later on.
Time Out! Click here to buy or sell NBA home tickets online!
I've got to wonder why it is that the woman of focus is always white and blonde? Why? I mean it's not as if there aren't Black women out there shakin it for the camera, right? But the ones that are always mentioned are blonde. That's weird. It can be this or some teacher-sex scandal, but the one constant is the woman is a hot blonde.
I don't think that's the fault of hot blondes, but rather a kind of racial and sexual discrmination commonly practiced. But what seems to make this just fine with the people in charge is how many women-of-color are going to step-up and claim equal time with horny white chicks?
I am waiting for the one who does. It could happen with the right backing. Meanwhile, Ms. Manns should consider the sex industry.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
The Apprentice LA: Resting In Its Own Tent City
I'm watching The Apprentice LA now and as a person who's not missed one of these segments, I've got to write that I'm not really down with the LA style. OK, I like the women -- who would not?
But look, the relocation to LA was just plain stupid. New York's the center of commerce, so either keep it there or if Donald Trump's going to try a new city, it should have been Chicago.
But LA? It's not working for me.
The other aspect of the problem with this show is that by placing one group in a mansion and another -- the losing group -- in a kind of tent city, the drama and interplay of the people as a whole is totally destroyed. There's no rivalry to really sink one's teeth into at all. Whoever came up with that idea may have doomed Apprentice LA to a tent city of its own, right at the bottom of the ratings.
Finally, while his daughter's certainly good-looking, I can't see her as a viable replacement for Carolyn. She just does not have "it." What she has is a bitch-approach that she thinks passes for being a woman in business. It's played. I know far too many women who are not like her and get the job done just as well.
I'm not sure this is the right formula..
Time will tell.
But look, the relocation to LA was just plain stupid. New York's the center of commerce, so either keep it there or if Donald Trump's going to try a new city, it should have been Chicago.
But LA? It's not working for me.
The other aspect of the problem with this show is that by placing one group in a mansion and another -- the losing group -- in a kind of tent city, the drama and interplay of the people as a whole is totally destroyed. There's no rivalry to really sink one's teeth into at all. Whoever came up with that idea may have doomed Apprentice LA to a tent city of its own, right at the bottom of the ratings.
Finally, while his daughter's certainly good-looking, I can't see her as a viable replacement for Carolyn. She just does not have "it." What she has is a bitch-approach that she thinks passes for being a woman in business. It's played. I know far too many women who are not like her and get the job done just as well.
I'm not sure this is the right formula..
Time will tell.
NFL Superad - Vote At http://www.nfl.com/superad/vote
Today's the day -- and the last day -- to vote for your favorite Super Bowl ad. The winner gets a trip to Super Bowl XLI in Miami. You can see all of them at Super Bowl Ad
Zennie Returns!
Yep. I'm back. It was just a long layoff and much needed rest, not to mention a landlord controversy. But I'm back!
mnhsfabfive2007's photos - Texas High School Cheerleader Scandal Pt 2
More of her or as she put's it "Me." As to the rest of the story...
From MSNBC...Jan. 2, 2007 - The pictures posted on MySpace.com looked like the latest installment of "Girls Gone Wild." In them, cheerleaders from McKinney North High School in Texas exhibited all variety of bawdy behavior. One shot showed a bikini-clad girl sharing a bottle of booze with a friend. Another featured a cheerleader and several other girls in risqué poses offering glimpses of their panties. But the most infamous photo of all was taken in a Condoms To Go store. Five smiling cheerleaders dressed in uniform posed with large candles shaped like penises. At least one of them appeared to be simulating fellatio. "It would be an overstatement to describe any of the photographs as pornographic, but it would be an understatement to describe them as harmless high jinks," wrote Harold Jones, a lawyer hired by the school district to investigate the incident. "Quite frankly, I personally found it 'creepy'."
From MSNBC...Jan. 2, 2007 - The pictures posted on MySpace.com looked like the latest installment of "Girls Gone Wild." In them, cheerleaders from McKinney North High School in Texas exhibited all variety of bawdy behavior. One shot showed a bikini-clad girl sharing a bottle of booze with a friend. Another featured a cheerleader and several other girls in risqué poses offering glimpses of their panties. But the most infamous photo of all was taken in a Condoms To Go store. Five smiling cheerleaders dressed in uniform posed with large candles shaped like penises. At least one of them appeared to be simulating fellatio. "It would be an overstatement to describe any of the photographs as pornographic, but it would be an understatement to describe them as harmless high jinks," wrote Harold Jones, a lawyer hired by the school district to investigate the incident. "Quite frankly, I personally found it 'creepy'."
mnhsfabfive2007's photos - Texas High School Cheerleader Scandal Pt 1
To me, this is just a normal photo, but it seems to be part of a set from a girl that's the ring-leader of a group of high school white girls who acted like "The Heathers": totally out of control and in control of the school. I don't know why this is so fascinating to everyone, but it is. So let's take it away...
Also, check out our new blog "San Francisco's Sexiest!"
Here's a video on the story from Fox Television:
Also, check out our new blog "San Francisco's Sexiest!"
Here's a video on the story from Fox Television:
Friday, January 05, 2007
Giants Playoff coverage#2
NY Times Reporter David Picker tells us the difference between Vishante Shiancoe and Jeremey Shockey
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Jan. 4 — There is nothing subtle about Jeremy Shockey. His hair is surfer-dude blond, his arms are emblazoned with tattoos, and he barks at opponents and officials when things do not bounce his way.
Shockey’s teammates would not change him one bit.
“He’s our emotional leader,” center Shaun O’Hara said before practice Thursday. “Sometimes for good, sometimes for bad. But you know you’re going to get the same thing from him every time, and I love him for it. I wouldn’t want anybody else out there.”
There is a chance the Giants will have to play with the backup tight end Visanthe Shiancoe instead of Shockey in Sunday’s wild-card game in Philadelphia. Shockey, who practiced Thursday for the first time since injuring his left ankle against the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 24, was listed as questionable. Coach Tom Coughlin said Shockey was making progress.
When Shiancoe has started in place of Shockey, the Giants’ offense has changed considerably. Shiancoe is widely regarded as a blocking tight end; Shockey led the team this season with 66 receptions.
But in terms of confidence and self-promotion, Shiancoe and Shockey appear to be on equal footing.
“Look, man, I’m 6-5, 255 pounds,” said Shiancoe, who is listed as 6-4 and 250 pounds in the Giants’ media guide. “I run a 4.5. I’m strong as — excuse me — hell. So I can basically do anything the coaches tell me to do, and they know that.”
He added, “If Shockey is not able to go, of course I could get 100 yards.”
That would be a first. Shiancoe had a career-high 12 catches this season for 81 yards and no touchdowns. He has never caught a pass longer than 17 yards in his career.
But Shiancoe might be a better blocker than Shockey, who was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl this season. And he certainly seems to be more durable. Shiancoe has played in every game since being drafted by the Giants in the third round in 2003, while Shockey has missed 11 games in five seasons.
The swollen ankle forced Shockey to miss last Saturday’s regular-season finale in Washington.
“I just felt like I couldn’t compete as hard as Visanthe Shiancoe and the other guys,” Shockey said Wednesday when asked about not playing against the Redskins. “They got an opportunity and they did very well.”
Shiancoe started in Washington and had 1 reception for 8 yards in the Giants’ 34-28 victory. Tiki Barber rushed for a club-record 234 yards on 23 carries. Coincidence? Shiancoe said he did not think so, and he may have had a point. The Giants appeared to stick with the running game longer than they would have had Shockey been available.
The Giants also did not miss a beat when Shockey was limited by an injured right ankle at the start of the season. They won six of their first eight games with Shiancoe occasionally filling in. With Shockey sidelined in the overtime of the Giants’ 30-24 victory in Philadelphia on Sept. 17, Shiancoe wrested away a 9-yard pass from safety Brian Dawkins, sustaining the game-winning drive.
But Shockey is clearly a better fit in the offense. When Barber was asked Tuesday about the impact Shockey’s absence had in Washington, he said: “We were forced to run the ball. It hurts our intermediate pass game, and this is not a slight on Shiancoe at all. But he’s inexperienced in there.”
Barber, who ran for touchdowns of 15, 55 and 50 yards against the Redskins, added that Shiancoe was a good blocker.
“I try to maul people, man,” Shiancoe said about the subtleties of blocking. “Tiki’s all over the place, man. You don’t know where he’s going to go. And usually, for some reason, he follows behind me.”
Even if Shockey is healthy enough to play Sunday, Shiancoe will likely work up a sweat. He started three games in which the Giants opened with dual tight-end sets, and he is a fixture on special teams, playing on most kickoff returns and field-goal attempts.
But if Shockey is on the field, Shiancoe’s role will be limited at best. Still, he insisted he was not bothered by being overshadowed by Shockey.
“Everyone thinks that they’re starters,” Shiancoe said. “Nobody wants their whole career to not be really a strong part of the offense. But it’s my role here — the backup tight end.”
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Jan. 4 — There is nothing subtle about Jeremy Shockey. His hair is surfer-dude blond, his arms are emblazoned with tattoos, and he barks at opponents and officials when things do not bounce his way.
Shockey’s teammates would not change him one bit.
“He’s our emotional leader,” center Shaun O’Hara said before practice Thursday. “Sometimes for good, sometimes for bad. But you know you’re going to get the same thing from him every time, and I love him for it. I wouldn’t want anybody else out there.”
There is a chance the Giants will have to play with the backup tight end Visanthe Shiancoe instead of Shockey in Sunday’s wild-card game in Philadelphia. Shockey, who practiced Thursday for the first time since injuring his left ankle against the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 24, was listed as questionable. Coach Tom Coughlin said Shockey was making progress.
When Shiancoe has started in place of Shockey, the Giants’ offense has changed considerably. Shiancoe is widely regarded as a blocking tight end; Shockey led the team this season with 66 receptions.
But in terms of confidence and self-promotion, Shiancoe and Shockey appear to be on equal footing.
“Look, man, I’m 6-5, 255 pounds,” said Shiancoe, who is listed as 6-4 and 250 pounds in the Giants’ media guide. “I run a 4.5. I’m strong as — excuse me — hell. So I can basically do anything the coaches tell me to do, and they know that.”
He added, “If Shockey is not able to go, of course I could get 100 yards.”
That would be a first. Shiancoe had a career-high 12 catches this season for 81 yards and no touchdowns. He has never caught a pass longer than 17 yards in his career.
But Shiancoe might be a better blocker than Shockey, who was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl this season. And he certainly seems to be more durable. Shiancoe has played in every game since being drafted by the Giants in the third round in 2003, while Shockey has missed 11 games in five seasons.
The swollen ankle forced Shockey to miss last Saturday’s regular-season finale in Washington.
“I just felt like I couldn’t compete as hard as Visanthe Shiancoe and the other guys,” Shockey said Wednesday when asked about not playing against the Redskins. “They got an opportunity and they did very well.”
Shiancoe started in Washington and had 1 reception for 8 yards in the Giants’ 34-28 victory. Tiki Barber rushed for a club-record 234 yards on 23 carries. Coincidence? Shiancoe said he did not think so, and he may have had a point. The Giants appeared to stick with the running game longer than they would have had Shockey been available.
The Giants also did not miss a beat when Shockey was limited by an injured right ankle at the start of the season. They won six of their first eight games with Shiancoe occasionally filling in. With Shockey sidelined in the overtime of the Giants’ 30-24 victory in Philadelphia on Sept. 17, Shiancoe wrested away a 9-yard pass from safety Brian Dawkins, sustaining the game-winning drive.
But Shockey is clearly a better fit in the offense. When Barber was asked Tuesday about the impact Shockey’s absence had in Washington, he said: “We were forced to run the ball. It hurts our intermediate pass game, and this is not a slight on Shiancoe at all. But he’s inexperienced in there.”
Barber, who ran for touchdowns of 15, 55 and 50 yards against the Redskins, added that Shiancoe was a good blocker.
“I try to maul people, man,” Shiancoe said about the subtleties of blocking. “Tiki’s all over the place, man. You don’t know where he’s going to go. And usually, for some reason, he follows behind me.”
Even if Shockey is healthy enough to play Sunday, Shiancoe will likely work up a sweat. He started three games in which the Giants opened with dual tight-end sets, and he is a fixture on special teams, playing on most kickoff returns and field-goal attempts.
But if Shockey is on the field, Shiancoe’s role will be limited at best. Still, he insisted he was not bothered by being overshadowed by Shockey.
“Everyone thinks that they’re starters,” Shiancoe said. “Nobody wants their whole career to not be really a strong part of the offense. But it’s my role here — the backup tight end.”
Jets Playoff coverage#2
NY TIMES Jets Beat Reporter Karen Crouse's take on this weeks Wildcard game-My Slant at the end...
Punishment Laps Help Jets Kick Penalty Habit
By KAREN CROUSE
Published: January 5, 2007
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Jan. 4 — The realization came during training camp. The Jets’ owner, Woody Johnson, was watching a practice from the sideline when his franchise quarterback, Chad Pennington, jogged past while running a punishment lap for making a rare mental error. It was then that Johnson knew that his new coach, Eric Mangini, would be a stickler for correctness.
Under Mangini’s predecessor, Herman Edwards, the Jets did a good job when it came to self-discipline. They led the N.F.L. in fewest penalties during Edwards’s rookie season, in 2001. And last season, despite a 4-12 record, the Jets inflicted relatively little harm on themselves, finishing with the fifth fewest penalties in the league.
But this season has been even better, with the Jets ranking No. 3 in the league in fewest penalties (70) and No. 2 in penalty yardage (560). Of the 12 teams in the postseason, no one has better penalty numbers than the Jets, a testament to their self-control and a clear factor in their surprising success.
In a season in which the Jets were breaking in a rookie head coach, using coordinators who had never called plays in the N.F.L. and relying on a backfield bereft of Curtis Martin, there was virtually no margin for error, no way for the Jets to succeed if they tripped themselves with repeated penalties. They didn’t.
Mangini’s message of playing smart was reinforced through the running of extra laps for practice infractions that fell under the category of self-destruction, like turnovers, penalties and mental errors. All those laps later, the Jets are getting ready for a first-round playoff game on Sunday against New England.
“Those laps have a lot to do with it,” safety Rashad Washington said Thursday with a wry laugh. “Those things get tiring, especially after you’ve been practicing twice a day and you end up having to run a lap in the middle of practice, then come back and jump right back in. You try your best in practice not to make dumb penalties so you don’t have to run, and it carries over to the game.”
The discipline displayed by the Jets received mostly lip service from the playoff-bound Giants. Despite having a coach, Tom Coughlin, with a reputation for being a disciplinarian, the Giants were among the most penalized teams in the league this season. They ranked No. 22 in fewest penalties, with 101, and were 23rd in fewest penalty yards (881). Last season they were even worse.
In fact, each New York team has been a reflection of its coach, with the Jets playing with the dispassionate poise of the poker-faced Mangini and the Giants (8-8) playing with the questionable composure sometimes displayed by Coughlin.
The Giants were called for 18 personal fouls in 16 games this season, the worst number of any team. The Jets had five, which was tied for the second-fewest in the league with five other teams.
The Jets were also one of five teams that did not incur an unsportsmanlike penalty during the regular season. Jets tight end Doug Jolley was called for one in a preseason game against the Giants, when he head-butted defensive back Sam Madison.
After that game, a 13-7 loss, Mangini talked about Jolley’s foul being “really unacceptable” and “selfish.” Within days, Jolley was gone, traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a seventh-round draft pick.
If the laps did not drive the message home about penalties, Jolley’s banishment probably did. “The coaches emphasize not making stupid penalties,” Washington said, “and being focused and committed to what we’re trying to get done.”
There are at least two people with officiating experience at every practice, and at Mangini’s behest, they call practice as tightly as any game crew. “It is a significant emphasis,” Mangini said.
Erik Coleman, the Jets’ third-year safety, gave an assist to the practice officials for the feat the Jets pulled off of going nearly eight games this season without drawing a defensive pass-interference penalty.
The streak was snapped when safety Kerry Rhodes was called for interfering with Oakland tight end Courtney Anderson in the fourth quarter of the Jets’ 23-3 victory last Sunday. “I didn’t think it was pass interference,” Rhodes said, smiling.
Corwin Brown, the Jets’ defensive backs coach, said during a chance encounter in a hallway Wednesday that he was not aware of the streak. His players are positive that his fingerprints are all over their success.
“Corwin’s been working with us on being patient and calm when the ball is in the air and just looking at the receiver,” the rookie cornerback Drew Coleman said. “We call it not losing your moxie.”
What does the moxie mantra cover? “Playing with a little poise instead of getting rattled when stuff goes bad and getting all out of whack,” Washington said. “Just calming yourself.”
Moxie by proxy: it is the Jets’ way. The question to be answered Sunday is if the Mangini-mirroring Jets are disciplined enough to defeat a team that is heavily favored to beat them.
EXTRA POINTS
Eric Mangini tried to make light Thursday of the cold-fish handshakes that he and his mentor, Patriots Coach Bill Belichick, exchanged after each of their regular-season meetings. “We do a lot of self-scouting after the game: what we did well, what we did poorly,” Mangini said. Breaking into a smile, he added that he thought his handshake was strong and firm. “I’ve experimented with a couple other different kinds that haven’t worked for me,” Mangini said with a laugh. ... Center Nick Mangold did not receive any votes for offensive rookie of the year despite making 16 starts and few mistakes. But, Mangini said, “He got center of the year for us.”
So Karen Is Right: The Jets are one of the Least Penalized teams in pro football. When we attended Training camp in July, They ran 2 laps in the 90+ degree sweltering heat(that made my wife pass out after a panic attack) for every Penalty incurred.
Punishment Laps Help Jets Kick Penalty Habit
By KAREN CROUSE
Published: January 5, 2007
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Jan. 4 — The realization came during training camp. The Jets’ owner, Woody Johnson, was watching a practice from the sideline when his franchise quarterback, Chad Pennington, jogged past while running a punishment lap for making a rare mental error. It was then that Johnson knew that his new coach, Eric Mangini, would be a stickler for correctness.
Under Mangini’s predecessor, Herman Edwards, the Jets did a good job when it came to self-discipline. They led the N.F.L. in fewest penalties during Edwards’s rookie season, in 2001. And last season, despite a 4-12 record, the Jets inflicted relatively little harm on themselves, finishing with the fifth fewest penalties in the league.
But this season has been even better, with the Jets ranking No. 3 in the league in fewest penalties (70) and No. 2 in penalty yardage (560). Of the 12 teams in the postseason, no one has better penalty numbers than the Jets, a testament to their self-control and a clear factor in their surprising success.
In a season in which the Jets were breaking in a rookie head coach, using coordinators who had never called plays in the N.F.L. and relying on a backfield bereft of Curtis Martin, there was virtually no margin for error, no way for the Jets to succeed if they tripped themselves with repeated penalties. They didn’t.
Mangini’s message of playing smart was reinforced through the running of extra laps for practice infractions that fell under the category of self-destruction, like turnovers, penalties and mental errors. All those laps later, the Jets are getting ready for a first-round playoff game on Sunday against New England.
“Those laps have a lot to do with it,” safety Rashad Washington said Thursday with a wry laugh. “Those things get tiring, especially after you’ve been practicing twice a day and you end up having to run a lap in the middle of practice, then come back and jump right back in. You try your best in practice not to make dumb penalties so you don’t have to run, and it carries over to the game.”
The discipline displayed by the Jets received mostly lip service from the playoff-bound Giants. Despite having a coach, Tom Coughlin, with a reputation for being a disciplinarian, the Giants were among the most penalized teams in the league this season. They ranked No. 22 in fewest penalties, with 101, and were 23rd in fewest penalty yards (881). Last season they were even worse.
In fact, each New York team has been a reflection of its coach, with the Jets playing with the dispassionate poise of the poker-faced Mangini and the Giants (8-8) playing with the questionable composure sometimes displayed by Coughlin.
The Giants were called for 18 personal fouls in 16 games this season, the worst number of any team. The Jets had five, which was tied for the second-fewest in the league with five other teams.
The Jets were also one of five teams that did not incur an unsportsmanlike penalty during the regular season. Jets tight end Doug Jolley was called for one in a preseason game against the Giants, when he head-butted defensive back Sam Madison.
After that game, a 13-7 loss, Mangini talked about Jolley’s foul being “really unacceptable” and “selfish.” Within days, Jolley was gone, traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a seventh-round draft pick.
If the laps did not drive the message home about penalties, Jolley’s banishment probably did. “The coaches emphasize not making stupid penalties,” Washington said, “and being focused and committed to what we’re trying to get done.”
There are at least two people with officiating experience at every practice, and at Mangini’s behest, they call practice as tightly as any game crew. “It is a significant emphasis,” Mangini said.
Erik Coleman, the Jets’ third-year safety, gave an assist to the practice officials for the feat the Jets pulled off of going nearly eight games this season without drawing a defensive pass-interference penalty.
The streak was snapped when safety Kerry Rhodes was called for interfering with Oakland tight end Courtney Anderson in the fourth quarter of the Jets’ 23-3 victory last Sunday. “I didn’t think it was pass interference,” Rhodes said, smiling.
Corwin Brown, the Jets’ defensive backs coach, said during a chance encounter in a hallway Wednesday that he was not aware of the streak. His players are positive that his fingerprints are all over their success.
“Corwin’s been working with us on being patient and calm when the ball is in the air and just looking at the receiver,” the rookie cornerback Drew Coleman said. “We call it not losing your moxie.”
What does the moxie mantra cover? “Playing with a little poise instead of getting rattled when stuff goes bad and getting all out of whack,” Washington said. “Just calming yourself.”
Moxie by proxy: it is the Jets’ way. The question to be answered Sunday is if the Mangini-mirroring Jets are disciplined enough to defeat a team that is heavily favored to beat them.
EXTRA POINTS
Eric Mangini tried to make light Thursday of the cold-fish handshakes that he and his mentor, Patriots Coach Bill Belichick, exchanged after each of their regular-season meetings. “We do a lot of self-scouting after the game: what we did well, what we did poorly,” Mangini said. Breaking into a smile, he added that he thought his handshake was strong and firm. “I’ve experimented with a couple other different kinds that haven’t worked for me,” Mangini said with a laugh. ... Center Nick Mangold did not receive any votes for offensive rookie of the year despite making 16 starts and few mistakes. But, Mangini said, “He got center of the year for us.”
So Karen Is Right: The Jets are one of the Least Penalized teams in pro football. When we attended Training camp in July, They ran 2 laps in the 90+ degree sweltering heat(that made my wife pass out after a panic attack) for every Penalty incurred.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Jets Playoff Coverage#1
Jets Beat writer Tom Rock Leads off our best of the Jets coverage leading up to Sunday's Match up with New England
My Comment at the end:
Why not them?
BY TOM ROCK
Newsday Staff Writer
January 3, 2007
No one came out and said "I told you so," likely because no one had actually said it to begin with. But mixed in with the feelings of elation and joy that pervaded the Jets' locker room following Sunday's playoff-clinching win over the Raiders was a tone of vindication.
"I'm glad I'm not in the business of making predictions," left guard Pete Kendall said of the dire reports many in the media provided at the beginning of the season, prognostications that proved to be quite wrong. "I never took personal offense at what people from the outside said. It seemed, I guess, relatively well thought out. But the perception and the reality that I saw when we got together in August, there was quite a bit of difference. I'm not going to sit here and say that I thought at that point we were a 10-win team, but I knew that what I had read and what I was seeing were two different things."
The Jets trudged through the season, overcoming bad losses to the Browns and Bills, earning emotional wins over the Patriots and Dolphins, and now head into the playoffs. Finally, this team gets some respect.
But then comes the nine-point spread from Vegas, even though the two Jets-Patriots games this season were decided by an average of five points, one of them a Jets win, and five of the last eight meetings were decided by a touchdown or less. Following closely behind are the statistical analyses, pointing out that the Jets are ranked 25th in overall offense, 20th in overall defense and 24th in rushing defense. Then come the backhanded compliments, about how the Jets have had a nice season and it's an accomplishment just to be in the playoffs, but how can they compete with the dynasty Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have forged in New England?
The Jets played 16 games to escape the doomsday predictions that were floated in August, only to emerge and find similar thoughts in January.
"I don't really put much stock in what people from the outside think or say about us," Kendall said. "We know that we control our own destiny, so whether people think we're a one-and-done team or we're going all the way. If we play poorly, we're a one-and-done and if we play well enough, we'll see where it winds up. There's nothing that any talking head or pundit is going to do to affect that."
The Jets may not be putting any weight into the buzz surrounding their wild-card game against the Patriots in Foxborough on Sunday, but they certainly hear it. Whether it rankles them, drives them or amuses them depends on the player.
Tight end Chris Baker said he's pretty sure about the answer most teams would give when asked whether they preferred to play the Jets or the Chiefs, the other AFC wild card.
"People would probably say they'd rather play the Jets, that nothing jumps out at you on film," he said. "They don't do this well, they don't do that well. That's been the perception all year. They're a product of this or that or whatever. I think we had a pretty good year."
Linebacker Matt Chatham has been on the other end of the Rodney Dangerfield scale of respect when he won three Super Bowls with the Patriots. He said the NFL is set up for teams like the Jets to outperform any preseason naysaying.
"This is such an odd league that we have where you can come in and do anything each year," Chatham said. "I know the mentality of this city is tough and expectations might not have been quite as high for us, but any team in the league should have the expectations that they are going to do things until proven otherwise."
Which is why the Jets refuse to believe they don't have a very good chance to win Sunday.
"Why wouldn't we?" receiver Laveranues Coles asked. "When you say we don't have a chance, it's probably the same people who are doubting us. Look at who's saying we don't have a chance. How smart have they been this far?"
Key matchup
Justin Miller vs. Laurence Maroney
One foot. That's how much better the Jets' Justin Miller was than the Patriots' Laurence Maroney when it came to returning kickoffs this season, topping the NFL with a 28.3-yard average compared to the rookie's 28.0. Where Miller separated himself was in touchdowns (he had two, including a 103-yarder) and volume (his 46 returns were fewer than only one other returner whose average was in the top 10). Although Miller hasn't busted one loose since Week 8, he has been steady, averaging 26.0 yards during the second half of the season and 25.7 in the last four games. In what is expected to be a slugfest Sunday, every foot of field position will help. Edge: Jets
Previous matchups:
D'Brickashaw Ferguson vs. Richard Seymour. Edge: Patriots
Reche Caldwell vs. Hank Poteat. Edge: Jets
And my Slant: The Jets are right: Why Not them? if anyone can beat New England, it's the Jets. So why won't the Oddsmakers in Vegas give the Jets any Play? maybe it's because they never give anything away to an east coast team, much less a NY team. I remember SB XXI, and the Vegas Boys were giving the edge to Denver, weather they were close geographically, or everyone loved Elway and Reeves. there was lost of Denver money on that game. I even heard that a few Texas Gamblers who just Despised NY were going with Denver. Guess they losta few oil wells that day. My point is that here goes the oddsmakers again going against a New York Team. If anyone can make it happen like last years Steeler's team,..it's Eric's Genius Jets.
My Comment at the end:
Why not them?
BY TOM ROCK
Newsday Staff Writer
January 3, 2007
No one came out and said "I told you so," likely because no one had actually said it to begin with. But mixed in with the feelings of elation and joy that pervaded the Jets' locker room following Sunday's playoff-clinching win over the Raiders was a tone of vindication.
"I'm glad I'm not in the business of making predictions," left guard Pete Kendall said of the dire reports many in the media provided at the beginning of the season, prognostications that proved to be quite wrong. "I never took personal offense at what people from the outside said. It seemed, I guess, relatively well thought out. But the perception and the reality that I saw when we got together in August, there was quite a bit of difference. I'm not going to sit here and say that I thought at that point we were a 10-win team, but I knew that what I had read and what I was seeing were two different things."
The Jets trudged through the season, overcoming bad losses to the Browns and Bills, earning emotional wins over the Patriots and Dolphins, and now head into the playoffs. Finally, this team gets some respect.
But then comes the nine-point spread from Vegas, even though the two Jets-Patriots games this season were decided by an average of five points, one of them a Jets win, and five of the last eight meetings were decided by a touchdown or less. Following closely behind are the statistical analyses, pointing out that the Jets are ranked 25th in overall offense, 20th in overall defense and 24th in rushing defense. Then come the backhanded compliments, about how the Jets have had a nice season and it's an accomplishment just to be in the playoffs, but how can they compete with the dynasty Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have forged in New England?
The Jets played 16 games to escape the doomsday predictions that were floated in August, only to emerge and find similar thoughts in January.
"I don't really put much stock in what people from the outside think or say about us," Kendall said. "We know that we control our own destiny, so whether people think we're a one-and-done team or we're going all the way. If we play poorly, we're a one-and-done and if we play well enough, we'll see where it winds up. There's nothing that any talking head or pundit is going to do to affect that."
The Jets may not be putting any weight into the buzz surrounding their wild-card game against the Patriots in Foxborough on Sunday, but they certainly hear it. Whether it rankles them, drives them or amuses them depends on the player.
Tight end Chris Baker said he's pretty sure about the answer most teams would give when asked whether they preferred to play the Jets or the Chiefs, the other AFC wild card.
"People would probably say they'd rather play the Jets, that nothing jumps out at you on film," he said. "They don't do this well, they don't do that well. That's been the perception all year. They're a product of this or that or whatever. I think we had a pretty good year."
Linebacker Matt Chatham has been on the other end of the Rodney Dangerfield scale of respect when he won three Super Bowls with the Patriots. He said the NFL is set up for teams like the Jets to outperform any preseason naysaying.
"This is such an odd league that we have where you can come in and do anything each year," Chatham said. "I know the mentality of this city is tough and expectations might not have been quite as high for us, but any team in the league should have the expectations that they are going to do things until proven otherwise."
Which is why the Jets refuse to believe they don't have a very good chance to win Sunday.
"Why wouldn't we?" receiver Laveranues Coles asked. "When you say we don't have a chance, it's probably the same people who are doubting us. Look at who's saying we don't have a chance. How smart have they been this far?"
Key matchup
Justin Miller vs. Laurence Maroney
One foot. That's how much better the Jets' Justin Miller was than the Patriots' Laurence Maroney when it came to returning kickoffs this season, topping the NFL with a 28.3-yard average compared to the rookie's 28.0. Where Miller separated himself was in touchdowns (he had two, including a 103-yarder) and volume (his 46 returns were fewer than only one other returner whose average was in the top 10). Although Miller hasn't busted one loose since Week 8, he has been steady, averaging 26.0 yards during the second half of the season and 25.7 in the last four games. In what is expected to be a slugfest Sunday, every foot of field position will help. Edge: Jets
Previous matchups:
D'Brickashaw Ferguson vs. Richard Seymour. Edge: Patriots
Reche Caldwell vs. Hank Poteat. Edge: Jets
And my Slant: The Jets are right: Why Not them? if anyone can beat New England, it's the Jets. So why won't the Oddsmakers in Vegas give the Jets any Play? maybe it's because they never give anything away to an east coast team, much less a NY team. I remember SB XXI, and the Vegas Boys were giving the edge to Denver, weather they were close geographically, or everyone loved Elway and Reeves. there was lost of Denver money on that game. I even heard that a few Texas Gamblers who just Despised NY were going with Denver. Guess they losta few oil wells that day. My point is that here goes the oddsmakers again going against a New York Team. If anyone can make it happen like last years Steeler's team,..it's Eric's Genius Jets.
Giants Playoff coverage#1
Newsday's Shaun Powell Let's us know why The Giants have Eagles Coach Andy Reid to thank for This Sunday's Game in Philly. My comment at the End:
Shaun Powell
SPORTS COLUMNIST
Just Reid and weep for Coughlin
January 2, 2007
The upcoming Giants-Eagles game was made possible by a coach who was set up to fail. Midway through the season, he lost his best player for good, his team began losing, the city began grumbling, his job came into question and everything was on the verge of collapse. All those forecasts about making the playoffs died quickly, like a New Year's resolution to hit the gym.
Andy Reid found a way, though. The better ones do. He plugged in a replacement quarterback with a weak arm, tweaked his game plan, changed his clipboard and challenged his players.
Instead of accepting disaster, which was widely assumed once Donovan McNabb went down, the Eagles shook up the NFC East and all conventional thinking. Rather than finding excuses for losing, the way the Giants do, Philly listened to Reid and believed him when he said the season wasn't over, it was just beginning.
That's why Reid should be coach of the year over the two boy wonders: Eric Mangini of the Jets, who had a healthy quarterback and enough sick-looking opponents, and Sean Payton down in New Orleans, blessed with Pro Bowlers Drew Brees, Will Smith and Jammal Brown.
Reid had to adjust his approach on the fly, without much time to prepare, the hardest task in the coaching biz. This is what separates the good from the average, or more bluntly, Reid from Tom Coughlin.
While East Rutherford burned all around him, Coughlin did not find a way, and the Giants reached the postseason mostly despite him, not because of him.
Like Reid, Coughlin was handed a joker from the bottom of the deck. He lost Michael Strahan, the Donovan McNabb of his defense. There were plenty of other injuries to various parts of the team. And the bad luck spilled onto the field, where Mathias Kiwanuka didn't wrap up Vince Young.
Coughlin had unexpected issues, agreed. But again, this is where coaches earn their large paychecks. This is where they can make an impact. They can't tackle or pass or run the football, but they must plug holes and inflate confidence when all looks lost and the bandwagon is broken.
Given how the Giants ruined a 6-2 start with too many bad and unforgivable losses and needed the mediocrity of the NFC to slip into the playoffs, we can all conclude that Coughlin's job should be and is on the line.
The question now is: Does he make the decision to fire him a tough one or an easy one? Does he go to Philly and beat Reid, or do the Giants take yet another foot in the behind?
What Coughlin needs to do, for the first time this season, is surprise us. Make us notice his coaching. Shake up the playoffs. Do a better job of dealing with weakness: Cover his team's, exploit the other team's. Instill faith, belief and confidence in a locker room lacking all three. Remind his players, over and over, that they're playing in the NFC, where everyone's got problems. Most of all, do for the Giants what Reid did for the Eagles.
That's really what this season, and Coughlin's employment, comes down to: his performance in a game nobody expects the Giants to win.
He took one step forward when he stripped the play-calling responsibilities from John Hufnagel, something that should've been done long ago, back when Tiki Barber was feeling "insignificant." Now Coughlin must get radical with a defense that gave up nearly 400 yards and almost blew a 27-7 lead to the Redskins. The Giants can't pressure the quarterback or defend against the pass or stop the run when it counts. Good luck, Coughlin.
Reid was hearing about his job when the Eagles were 5-5 when McNabb went down. Then they were slapped around by the Colts. They've won every game since, after Reid gave up the play-calling duties and balanced an offense led by Jeff Garcia, who couldn't keep a job in Cleveland last year. They passed the division leaders along the way, leaving the Giants and Cowboys choking on exhaust, and won the NFC East.
"We're a little bit like zombies," Reid cracked. "Back from the dead."
"Dead" is a fair description of the Giants right now and Coughlin's chances of coming back next season. Too many bad mistakes and losses and, to be fair, injuries have us checking for a pulse. To rise like Lazarus, or even Andy Reid, will require a big game from someone in particular. Will we see Coughlin or coffin?
My only disagreement here is that it doesn't matter what we all(Fans-Writers-Bloggers-radio and TV hosts) Think. John Tisch and John Mara are not firing the Coach THIS year. Why?? simply because for thesecond year in a row the Giants have had too many injuries, esp on the Defense, to cost a coach his job.
Shaun Powell
SPORTS COLUMNIST
Just Reid and weep for Coughlin
January 2, 2007
The upcoming Giants-Eagles game was made possible by a coach who was set up to fail. Midway through the season, he lost his best player for good, his team began losing, the city began grumbling, his job came into question and everything was on the verge of collapse. All those forecasts about making the playoffs died quickly, like a New Year's resolution to hit the gym.
Andy Reid found a way, though. The better ones do. He plugged in a replacement quarterback with a weak arm, tweaked his game plan, changed his clipboard and challenged his players.
Instead of accepting disaster, which was widely assumed once Donovan McNabb went down, the Eagles shook up the NFC East and all conventional thinking. Rather than finding excuses for losing, the way the Giants do, Philly listened to Reid and believed him when he said the season wasn't over, it was just beginning.
That's why Reid should be coach of the year over the two boy wonders: Eric Mangini of the Jets, who had a healthy quarterback and enough sick-looking opponents, and Sean Payton down in New Orleans, blessed with Pro Bowlers Drew Brees, Will Smith and Jammal Brown.
Reid had to adjust his approach on the fly, without much time to prepare, the hardest task in the coaching biz. This is what separates the good from the average, or more bluntly, Reid from Tom Coughlin.
While East Rutherford burned all around him, Coughlin did not find a way, and the Giants reached the postseason mostly despite him, not because of him.
Like Reid, Coughlin was handed a joker from the bottom of the deck. He lost Michael Strahan, the Donovan McNabb of his defense. There were plenty of other injuries to various parts of the team. And the bad luck spilled onto the field, where Mathias Kiwanuka didn't wrap up Vince Young.
Coughlin had unexpected issues, agreed. But again, this is where coaches earn their large paychecks. This is where they can make an impact. They can't tackle or pass or run the football, but they must plug holes and inflate confidence when all looks lost and the bandwagon is broken.
Given how the Giants ruined a 6-2 start with too many bad and unforgivable losses and needed the mediocrity of the NFC to slip into the playoffs, we can all conclude that Coughlin's job should be and is on the line.
The question now is: Does he make the decision to fire him a tough one or an easy one? Does he go to Philly and beat Reid, or do the Giants take yet another foot in the behind?
What Coughlin needs to do, for the first time this season, is surprise us. Make us notice his coaching. Shake up the playoffs. Do a better job of dealing with weakness: Cover his team's, exploit the other team's. Instill faith, belief and confidence in a locker room lacking all three. Remind his players, over and over, that they're playing in the NFC, where everyone's got problems. Most of all, do for the Giants what Reid did for the Eagles.
That's really what this season, and Coughlin's employment, comes down to: his performance in a game nobody expects the Giants to win.
He took one step forward when he stripped the play-calling responsibilities from John Hufnagel, something that should've been done long ago, back when Tiki Barber was feeling "insignificant." Now Coughlin must get radical with a defense that gave up nearly 400 yards and almost blew a 27-7 lead to the Redskins. The Giants can't pressure the quarterback or defend against the pass or stop the run when it counts. Good luck, Coughlin.
Reid was hearing about his job when the Eagles were 5-5 when McNabb went down. Then they were slapped around by the Colts. They've won every game since, after Reid gave up the play-calling duties and balanced an offense led by Jeff Garcia, who couldn't keep a job in Cleveland last year. They passed the division leaders along the way, leaving the Giants and Cowboys choking on exhaust, and won the NFC East.
"We're a little bit like zombies," Reid cracked. "Back from the dead."
"Dead" is a fair description of the Giants right now and Coughlin's chances of coming back next season. Too many bad mistakes and losses and, to be fair, injuries have us checking for a pulse. To rise like Lazarus, or even Andy Reid, will require a big game from someone in particular. Will we see Coughlin or coffin?
My only disagreement here is that it doesn't matter what we all(Fans-Writers-Bloggers-radio and TV hosts) Think. John Tisch and John Mara are not firing the Coach THIS year. Why?? simply because for thesecond year in a row the Giants have had too many injuries, esp on the Defense, to cost a coach his job.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
New York Giants and New York Jets In NFL Playoffs
It's been a few years since both NY city area Pro Teams made the Playoffs at the same time. During this week we will keep all of our readers updated on the doings of the Jets and Giants as they prepare for their matchups with New England and Philidelphia.
The Jets drive to the post season has been a great story to say the least, while the Giants rise and fall has been anything but steller. Later today we will start posting matchups for both teams, as well as various beatwriters' take on both teams, as well as my own commentary on both teams.
The Jets drive to the post season has been a great story to say the least, while the Giants rise and fall has been anything but steller. Later today we will start posting matchups for both teams, as well as various beatwriters' take on both teams, as well as my own commentary on both teams.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank's Firing Of Jim Mora, Jr. Not A Good Business Move
Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank's New Year's Day firing of Head Coach Jim Mora, Jr. was not a good business decision. The simple reason is that his record not just of 26-22 will be hard to top but his record of winning the NFC South division and his development of Quarterback Michael Vick as well.
The problems the junior Mora had were very fixable. The real focus should be on the defense, but the media's fixation with Vick seems to have infected the Falcons ability to adress this area. The counter to this is that they did make trades to improve the defense, but more change is needed in the area of scheme. Their defense is far too predictable. Perhaps making a change in defensive coordinator would have helped. Indeed, certainly it would. But Blank has thrown out the baby with the bathwater.
I think what did in Mora Jr. was his comment that he would want to coach at Washington. I understood what he meant, but it was taken far out of context. It was the focus of too much anger and in some cases way over the top. But what's done is done. It should not have cost him his job.
Arthur Blank will be hard-pressed to find a coach that will be as successful as Mora has been. I know that watching his team lose game after game this year was hard. But he needs to take a long terms view of the firm under Mora Jr. and take a few steps back. His decision seems based more on emotion than on cold hard analysis. For example, after three years of development of Vick into a passer, the Falcons now leave themselves without a guarantee of continuity in his training. This is a bad situation. What's the plan? I'll bet there's not a business plan in Blanks's office that answers this question. There should be one.
The weeks ahead will show what kind of owner Blank is. Does he have a good plan? Can he make a coaching choice that will cement the progress of Vick as a passer? We shall see.
The problems the junior Mora had were very fixable. The real focus should be on the defense, but the media's fixation with Vick seems to have infected the Falcons ability to adress this area. The counter to this is that they did make trades to improve the defense, but more change is needed in the area of scheme. Their defense is far too predictable. Perhaps making a change in defensive coordinator would have helped. Indeed, certainly it would. But Blank has thrown out the baby with the bathwater.
I think what did in Mora Jr. was his comment that he would want to coach at Washington. I understood what he meant, but it was taken far out of context. It was the focus of too much anger and in some cases way over the top. But what's done is done. It should not have cost him his job.
Arthur Blank will be hard-pressed to find a coach that will be as successful as Mora has been. I know that watching his team lose game after game this year was hard. But he needs to take a long terms view of the firm under Mora Jr. and take a few steps back. His decision seems based more on emotion than on cold hard analysis. For example, after three years of development of Vick into a passer, the Falcons now leave themselves without a guarantee of continuity in his training. This is a bad situation. What's the plan? I'll bet there's not a business plan in Blanks's office that answers this question. There should be one.
The weeks ahead will show what kind of owner Blank is. Does he have a good plan? Can he make a coaching choice that will cement the progress of Vick as a passer? We shall see.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Just a very Happy New Year wish to everyone who reads our blog. 2007 will be an exciting time for us!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)