Indianapolis Coach Tony Dungy On The Day After The Jacksonville Loss - Colts.com

The Colts took it on the chin Sunday, weathering a stunning 44 to 17 loss to their division rivals the Jacksonville Jaquars. Coach Dungy sounds ready to learn from the game, and prepare for the Bengals.

STILL TIME

By John Oehser - Colts.com

Colts Have Opportunity to Improve in December, Dungy Says
INDIANAPOLIS – Tony Dungy’s mood didn’t improve much Monday.
Because what the Colts’ head coach saw watching tape Monday was pretty much what he saw from the sidelines of Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., the day before.

Way too many rushing yards.

Way too many mistakes.

Way too much of a lot of things, with the result being a 44-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, a loss that not only kept the Colts (10-3) from clinching a fourth consecutive AFC South championship, but also set off a barrage of questions and criticism from outsiders.

On Monday, at his weekly next-day news conference, Dungy – in his fifth season with the Colts – arrived ready for the questions, and his message was that which he gave the team:

Yes, Sunday’s loss was disappointing.

And yes, the Colts must improve.

But he said he very much believes the Colts – who have lost three of four regular-season games for the first time since 2002 – can make that improvement, and Dungy said despite criticism to the contrary, there is plenty the Colts can accomplish.

“Obviously, not one of our better days yesterday, and that makes the next day a little tough,” Dungy said early Monday afternoon, a day after the Colts slipped from the No. 1 seed in the AFC for the first time since the end of the 2004 season.

“That makes the next day a little bit tough, but what we have to do from here is look at things, examine the breakdowns and improve. That’s going to be our task.

“Fortunately, we still have time to do that.”

Said Colts linebacker Rocky Boiman, “We’ve had a lot of success, especially in the regular season, around here. We’ve got to put this in perspective and say, ‘Hey, winning every game in the regular season is not something that happens all the time.’ ”

The Colts, who won their first nine games of the season, had a chance each of the last two weeks to clinch the AFC South with victories over division opponents. The loss to Jacksonville trimmed their division lead to two games, and meant that a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals (8-5) Monday won’t necessarily clinch the division.

The Colts can clinch the South this weekend if the Jaguars lose to the Tennessee Titans Sunday.

“We’re not going to lose sight of the fact that we’re 10-3,” Dungy said. “It’s easy to forget that at this time, after a game like this. What we have to do is watch the tape, get the corrections, and get ready for Cincinnati. Nothing more, nothing less.”

If the Jaguars win Sunday, the Colts can clinch a wild-card spot with a victory over Cincinnati.

The Colts are currently tied with the Baltimore Ravens for the second-best record in the AFC, and hold the AFC’s No. 2 seed because of strength of victory.

“We don’t have that No. 1 seed in our hands right now,” Dungy said. “We did up until yesterday (Sunday). We have to continue to play and win, and win as many games as we can. But right now, we’re in the thick of things.

“We’re still in the No. 2 slot. We’ve got a lot of good things that can still happen for us, but the big thing for us is going to be playing well. If we’re playing well, I don’t think it really matters what seed you are. You can be the No. 1 seed – if you’re not playing well, it’s not going to help us.

“So, that’s our concern, is to try to get ourselves back playing well. That’s everything.”

The Colts

on Sunday allowed the Jaguars 375 yards rushing, setting a record for the most yards the team allowed by the Colts in franchise history.

The loss also was the third in four games, the first time since 2002 – when the Colts lost three consecutive games in October and early November – the Colts have lost three games in a four-game stretch.

The Colts, after winning 30 consecutive games from mid-2004 to mid-2006 in which they had yet to clinch their playoff seeding, lost to Dallas (21-14) on November 19, beat the Philadelphia Eagles (45-21) on November 26 and lost to the Tennessee Titans (20-17) on December 3.

“It happens,” Dungy said. “You go through those times. You wish you didn’t. Ours is happening at the wrong time, but we still have three games left in December to get it going. We have a very hot team we’re playing, and we’ve got to play a lot better than we did yesterday (Sunday). . . .

“It’s going to take work. It’s not going to be easy. But I think we’ve got the people here who can do it.”

But on Monday, Dungy and Colts players spent less time talking about the scenarios for a fifth consecutive playoff appearance and more about correcting mistakes that have caused a recent slump.

“The thing we have to do is look forward, and pull out of this,” Dungy said. “There are some teams that have had some similar-type things, and they have pulled out of it. We’ve done that in the past as well.

“That’s our task right now, and that’s what we look forward to doing.”

Dungy, as was the case Sunday afternoon, on Monday pointed to several cases in which teams have struggled before recovering for successful late-season runs. One such case: 1999, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – with Dungy as head coach – lost to the Oakland Raiders, 45-0, late in the season before losing in the NFC Championship Game.

“It was much worse than this game – I promise you,” Dungy said. “It’s hard to believe, but it was. . . .

“It was 45-0 only because they slowed the game down and didn’t make it 75-0. We came back and won the last two we had to win and went to the playoffs and played pretty well. Sometimes, those games come out of the blue and you don’t know where they came from. Sometimes, it’s just that particular day, a style.

“One week doesn’t have to say what’s going to happen the next week. It may, but it doesn’t have to.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers last season lost three consecutive games in November and December, including 26-7 at Indianapolis, before winning their final eight games of the season, including Super Bowl XL.

Dungy said the message he gave to the players Monday was the same he gave the Buccaneers in 1999 – that one loss, even a bad loss, in December doesn’t necessarily end a team’s hopes of a postseason run. It’s a message Dungy said he believes the Colts have received.

“I think our team is still upbeat,” Dungy said. “I think they understand that we’re in the middle of a playoff race, and we’ve got a record that a lot of teams would like to have. The negative for us is the last four weeks we really haven’t played up to our standards and played as well as we can play. . . .

“We’re all frustrated. We’re all disappointed. We know we have to play better, but we all feel like we can play better and that’s what’s got to happen these last few weeks. My thought is to look ahead to see how we can improve it and get ourselves going and win these last three games.”

More Coverage On the Giants from Newsday's Beat reporter. Last paragraph will be my commenrary

Giants beat Panthers to end 4-game slide
BY ARTHUR STAPLE
STAFF CORRESPONDENT

December 10, 2006, 4:34 PM EST

CHARLOTTE, N.C -- It took a month of losses for the Giants to reach their desperation point. There's still a month to go until the playoffs begin, but a lot can happen in a month.

The Giants ended their losing streak at four games with a 27-13 win over the fading Panthers yesterday. It wasn't the prettiest of efforts, especially against a quarterback who hadn't played in four years and two little-used cornerbacks, but the Giants never trailed in winning for the first time since Nov. 5 against the Texans.

"A month like that," cornerback R.W. McQuarters said, "feels like two years. It's like, 'Damn, we haven't won in a month!' All it takes is one, no matter how you get it."

The Giants got this one by being smart and unspectacular on offense, relying on Tiki Barber (20 carries, 112 yards), who passed 10,000 rushing yards for his career, and Eli Manning, who threw three touchdown passes and wasn't intercepted for the second straight game.

The Panthers gained 463 total yards, but that was the product of a beaten team trying desperately to rally. Chris Weinke, starting for the first time since Oct. 30, 2002, threw 61 passes, completing 34 for 423 yards. The Giants had three interceptions in the second half, two by Gibril Wilson, to solidify their lead and their playoff position.

The Giants host the Eagles on Sunday; both teams are 7-6, along with the Falcons, and are tied for the lead in the battle for the two wild-card berths. The Giants also moved within one game of Dallas for the NFC East lead. So this is no time to bask in the glow of a long-awaited win.

But perhaps the memories of the past month -- players calling each other out, a coach calling his players out, the headlines screaming for the coach's head -- will quell any lofty thoughts.

"We had a lot of criticism, probably a lot of it deserved, but we knew this was like a playoff game," Antonio Pierce said. "We've got four playoff games to get us to the playoffs. We're 1-0 now."

The first sign that the Giants were approaching this game with a different mind-set came on their second drive. Twice they went for it on fourth down.

The first made sense -- fourth-and-inches from the Panthers' 34 -- and Manning's sneak got the first down.

The next was an atypical Tom Coughlin call, on fourth-and-10 from the 33. Manning avoided pressure by rolling to his left, froze a pair of defenders by faking a run, then fired a pass to David Tyree, who dived forward for the first down. The Giants came away with only a field goal, but it was a tone-setter.

"It's about building up emotion and esteem right there," said Tyree, who caught a 3-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter as the Giants took a 27-10 lead. "We don't get anything there, it definitely does something to your psyche."

Plaxico Burress walked off the field in disgust after the field-goal drive, having gotten open twice without Manning finding him, but Manning completed passes of 45 and 28 yards to Burress to put the Giants ahead 10-0, the latter a touchdown pass into single coverage on third-and-7.

Just 1:49 later, the Panthers made it 10-7 as Weinke targeted Giants rookie cornerback Kevin Dockery for three completions in four plays, the last a 36-yard touchdown pass to Drew Carter. John Kasay's 37-yard field goal tied it at 10 with 3:02 left in the half, but Manning put the Giants ahead for good by directing another crisp two-minute drive capped by a 2-yard TD catch by Jeremy Shockey 27 seconds before halftime. Shockey had recovered Brandon Jacobs' fumble at the 1 a play earlier.

With 10 points in the opening 8:01 of the second half on Jay Feely's 29-yard field goal and Tyree's touchdown reception, the Giants just had to grind out a win. They didn't earn any style points, going without a first down the remainder of the game and picking up only 70 yards in the second half, but the defense held its ground.

The Panthers were without starting corners Ken Lucas and Chris Gamble, then lost backup Christian Morton in the first quarter, forcing them to use two rookies and a backup safety.

The Giants were able to run the ball even with a hodgepodge of offensive linemen in the game. Shaun O'Hara left for two series after Barber rolled onto the back of his right leg, and Kareem McKenzie missed the second half with a strained neck. That forced left guard David Diehl to play tackle against All-Pro end Julius Peppers, who was generally neutralized.

Now the Giants, who will play the Saints and Redskins after facing the Eagles on Sunday, have to make the last month seem like a bad dream.

"We had great purpose over the entire [losing streak]," Coughlin said. "I don't think we had any distractions. They really handled the situation very well."


And my Comments:
Ok so The G-men played a bit smarter this time, infact the last two games prior to this as well, then thy did in the first two losses. Even if the play calling was a bit better-172 yards passing Vs a team with a weak group of d-backs isn't very good. Also no rushing TD's this time, and Jacobs looks stuck again when they bring him in. Still not using the TE enough either, even though he scored a TD (Shockey), he was only 6 grabs for 49 yds. But i guess a win is a win is a win...

Citigroup Inc Pays $400 Million For New Mets Stadium; Jets and Giants Next? - Naming Rights Deals Make Rebound

Stadium Naming Rights Deals Make Rebound

By Ben Klayman
Reuters

Sports stadium naming rights deals seemed bad karma a few years ago amid accounting scandals and the dot-com bust, but they have rebounded with a vengeance, with bigger dollar amounts and more comprehensive plans.

Companies are no longer simply slapping a name on a stadium. They are devising complex brand-burnishing strategies involving logos, advertising and technology deployment with a view to boosting profits.

Financial services company Citigroup Inc. agreed last week to pay the New York Mets a reported record $400 million over 20 years for rights to name their new baseball park, set to open in 2009, Citi Field. In California, the Oakland A’s said network equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc. would pay $120 million over 30 years to name their new stadium Cisco Field, to be built in nearby Fremont.

“What you’re seeing today and why you’re able to get $20 million a year out of a relationship with Citibank, for instance, is that these are strategic alliances designed to drive business between the two organizations,” said David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute.

The Mets-Citigroup agreement tops the 30-year, $300-million naming rights deal the National Football League’s Houston Texans have with Reliant Energy Inc., according to Bonham Group, a Denver sports marketing and consulting firm that has negotiated a number of similar deals.

Teams are only too happy to sign such deals as they look to squeeze every possible dollar from their properties, analysts said. And past scandals have not scared off either side.

The most infamous name change occurred in 2002, when the Houston Astros baseball team re-acquired their stadium naming rights from bankrupt energy trader Enron Corp. in order to sell them to Coca-Cola Co.’s Minute Maid.

Other sports venues have seen similar changes. The football stadiums of the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens, respectively, switched from names linked to a former unit of cable company Adelphia Communications and Internet services provider PSINet, both of which filed for bankruptcy.

As companies look to connect with customers, naming rights deals will remain lucrative for the teams, said Fred Popp, chief executive of SME, a New York sports branding and design firm.

“Clients need to bypass the brain and go right for the heart,” Popp said. “Sports brands are surrogates. They allow the typical consumer brand to engage the consumer in a highly emotional way, in a way that you just can’t establish with your product alone.”

Naming rights alone are not enough, however, The Mets deal also includes the right to put the Citi brand throughout the new park, the use by Citigroup of Mets logos, the bank’s purchase of advertising on the Mets’ cable network and the joint development of business opportunities.

The Cisco deal includes the sale by the company of 143 acres of land to the Oakland team for a new stadium. Cisco’s technology in the ballpark will allow services such as the ability to upgrade tickets in on-site ticket kiosks, order souvenirs or food using a mobile device, and view replays at your seat and save them to a personal Web page.

Cisco treasurer, David Holland, who negotiated the deal, said it aligns closely with his San Jose, California-based company’s business objectives, which include getting more of its technology into sports venues.

“In the past, we have not been a company that looks to hang our sign on these kinds of venues,” he told Reuters. “If you look at how Cisco’s business has evolved, particularly in the last few years and most recently with the acquisition of Scientific Atlanta, we are moving closer and closer to the (consumer) of our equipment.”

While still growing accustomed to new ballpark names, fans accept them as the price to be paid for competitive teams and lower taxes related to stadium construction.

“Nowadays, when you talk about the costs of stadiums, you understand eventually it’s going to go to the highest bidder,” said Mets fan Nick Parente.

“I’m just looking forward to the new stadium, in all honesty, because even though Shea was one of the older stadiums, it wasn’t one of the prettiest,” said the 37-year-old Hoboken, New Jersey, resident, who works in aviation insurance underwriting.

The Mets shouldn’t get too comfortable with their record-setting deal, however.

Analysts said the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets’ new football stadium—planned for 2010—features a large venue, two major teams in a popular sport and the New York market, suggesting yet another new record is likely.

San Francisco 49ers, Monster Park, Stadium Naming Rights, And Corporate Responsibilty

Oracle, who's name now graces the Oakland Arena, and Monster Cable, which placed its name on the stadium where the San Francisco 49ers play, have got themselves into a big mess.

Now that both companies have their names on publically-owned stadium, they're discovering they can't get away with treating the public poorly.

This Oakland Tribune article tells the story:

Naming rights not all companies get
Oracle, others find monikers on arenas bring community expectations

By Barbara Grady, BUSINESS WRITER - Oakland Tribune Article Last Updated:12/10/2006 02:50:10 AM PST
A cheerleading squad from an inner city Oakland high school and their parents are angry with Oracle Corp. ever since the company -- whose name is emblazoned on the arena of the Golden State Warriors -- turned the students away from an Oracle trade show.

A San Francisco neighborhood of immigrants and members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors are upset with Monster Cable Products Inc. because the Brisbane company -- whose name is all over the 49ers football stadium -- has laid off 120 employees who have scant chances of finding new jobs.

What Oracle and Monster Cable are learning -- the hard way -- is that with the naming rights to big professional sports stadiums comes higher expectations about how the companies will behave in the community. Redwood Shores-based Oracle, one of the world's largest software companies, is paying about $3 million a year for Oracle Arena to be the name of the Warriors' home. Huge red Oracle signs are not only highly visible to every driver on Interstate 880, every pedestrian in the neighborhood and every basketball fan coming to the arena for games, but Oracle's name also appears in newspaper, magazine and online accounts of games played at the arena.

Monster, paying $6 million over four years for naming rights to the 49ers stadium, gets the same huge publicity benefit by having its name on the former Candlestick Park not far from Highway 101.

So when the Oracle signs piqued the interest of the cheerleaders from Castlemont High School, the coach, a parent and squad members decided one October afternoon to visit the huge Oracle OpenWorld trade show in San Francisco.

To their hurt and dismay, the students were turned away from the show. "They didn't have to act that way to teenagers," said Lillian Foster, coach of the Castlemont cheerleading squad. "They asked us not to come in because they thought all we wanted to do was pass out fliers."

Said Ethel Davis, grandmother to one student, "You have these kids trying to go to learn about computers and people are shunning them."

Strike one for Oracle community relations in the hometown of its arena. Oracle officials did not know about the visit and said contracted security guards, not Oracle employees, turned the students away.

"We would have gladly welcomed the students if we knew" in advance of their interest, said Bob Wynne, chief spokesman at Oracle. The squad later was hosted at a Warriors' basketball game and is in discussions with Oracle about a donation.

Still -- like Monster Cable -- Oracle learned a lesson. "Getting the naming rights has put more expectations on Monster to explain our actions as a business," said Daniel Graham, spokesman for Monster Cable.

Citing pressure from overseas competitors, Monster laid off 120 employees from its Brisbane plant in late October. Almost all of them were longtime employees of immigrant background and limited English skills, said San Francisco Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, who represents the district in which many laid-off workers live.

Now Monster Cable faces threats of losing naming rights to the 49ers stadium because of community anger over layoffs.

"He should take the letters M-O-N-S-T-E-R off the walls of that ballpark and we will gladly release him from the contract. He can use the money to help the workers," McGoldrick said of Monster Chief Executive Noel Lee. Lee founded the company 27 years ago in the Richmond district, which McGoldrick rep resents.

When Monster moved to Brisbane, many workers followed him. Monster gave four weeks severance pay and four weeks extended health benefits to the laid-off workers. But the workers want the same severance that Monster gave to previously laid-off workers, which is four weeks plus one week for every year an employee worked at Monster, according to McGoldrick and an association representing the workers.

"The City and County of San Francisco shares a special connection with your company since your name is attached to the stadium at Candlestick Point," Supervisors Aaron Peskin, McGoldrick and Ross Mirkarimi wrote to Monster Cable. "We have seriousÊconcerns about the layoffs. As a major employer in the Bay Area, Monster Cable's mass layoffs will be felt throughout the City and County."

Lee responded in a letter to the supervisors that four weeks of severance pay is more than what other manufacturers often do and that "we are one of the highest-paying employers in the local manufacturing industry" by paying $12 to $25 an hour. "To imply that we do not treat our people well is uninformed."

But sports marketing consultant Zennie Abraham, chief executive of Sports Business Simulations of Oakland, said the high public exposure a company gets from a sports stadium naming contract puts a higher obligation on that company to act on behalf of the community.

"The name is in the public's face and because that company is associated with a good organization -- for example, the Warriors -- the general expectation from the community is that the company is going to be good," Abraham said.

"Only a big company has enough money to demand that its name is placed on a facility, but they do it because they know they are going to get enormous marketing benefits," Abraham said. With that publicity, "it's absolutely inherent in naming-rights contracts (that) they open themselves up to community concerns."

In some stadium naming contracts, such as ones crafted by American Airlines in Dallas and FedEx in Landover, Md., the naming-rights contract comes with agreements to sponsor community programs in the city, he said. The most infamous mistake involving naming rights might have been Enron Park in Houston. After the Enron scandal erupted, the Astros quickly bought out the 30-year, $100 million naming-rights deal with Enron and found a new, more palatable sponsor, Minute Maid.

NFL INJURY REPORT - WEDNESDAY | MARVIN HARRISON CLOSES IN ON 1,000

FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-PER-14A 12/6/06

MARVIN HARRISON CLOSES IN ON 1,000

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver MARVIN HARRISON has 995 receptions in his 11-year career. With five catches this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Harrison will join JERRY RICE (1,549), CRIS CARTER (1,101) and TIM BROWN (1,094) as the only players in NFL history with 1,000 career receptions. Harrison will play in his 167th game this week and can reach 1,000 catches in the fewest games in league annals. Rice accomplished the feat in 181 games.

4=1
Following is a list of quarterback injuries for Week 14 Games:
Miami Dolphins Out Daunte Culpepper (Knee)
Minnesota Vikings Doubtful Brooks Bollinger (Left Shoulder)
Carolina Panthers Questionable Jake Delhomme (Right Thumb)
Cleveland Browns Questionable Charlie Frye (Right Wrist)
New England Patriots Probable Tom Brady (Right Shoulder)
New York Jets Probable Chad Pennington (Calf)
Philadelphia Eagles Probable Jeff Garcia (Neck)
St. Louis Rams ms Probable Marc Bulger (Ribs )
Following is a list of injured players for Week 14 Games:
CLEVELAND BROWNS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS on Thursday
Cleveland Browns
OUT DE Orpheus Roye (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE QB Charlie Frye (Right Wrist); S Justin Hamilton (Back); CB
Jereme Perry (Knee); LB Mason Unck (Groin); TE Kellen
Winslow (Knee)
PROBABLE LB Willie McGinest (Pectoral); S Brian Russell (Elbow); LB
Chaun Thompson (Ankle); CB Leigh Bodden (Ankle)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
TUES Orpheus Roye; Charlie Frye; Mason Unck; Kellen Winslow
WED Orpheus Roye; Charlie Frye; Mason Unck
Pittsburgh Steelers
OUT WR Hines Ward (Knee); WR Cedrick Wilson (Ankle); S Troy
Polamalu (Knee); S Ryan Clark (Groin)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
TUES Hines Ward; Cedrick Wilson; Troy Polamalu; Ryan Clark
WED Hines Ward; Cedrick Wilson; Troy Polamalu; Ryan Clark
TENNESSEE TITANS AT HOUSTON TEXANS
Tennessee Titans
OUT DE Antwan Odom (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE RB LenDale White (Hip); TE Ben Hartsock (Hamstring); DE Josh
Savage (Hamstring); DT Robaire Smith (Hamstring); G Benji
Olson (Back)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Antwan Odom; LenDale White; Josh Savage; Robaire Smith;
Benji Olson
Houston Texans
PROBABLE RB Jameel Cook (Knee); DT Thomas Johnson (Hamstring); DE
Anthony Weaver (Knee); DE Mario Williams (Foot)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Jameel Cook; Anthony Weaver; Mario Williams
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Baltimore Ravens
DOUBTFUL LB Dan Cody (Knee); RB Musa Smith (Neck)
QUESTIONABLE LB Dennis Haley (Ankle); G Keydrick Vincent (Thigh); TE Daniel
Wilcox (Thigh)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Dan Cody; Musa Smith; Dennis Haley; Keydrick Vincent; Daniel
Wilcox
Kansas City Chiefs
PROBABLE TE Tony Gonzalez (Shoulder); T Kyle Turley (Shoulder)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Tony Gonzalez; Kyle Turley
NEW YORK GIANTS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS
New York Giants
OUT T Luke Petitgout (Fibula)
DOUBTFUL DE Michael Strahan (Foot)
QUESTIONABLE CB Corey Webster (Toe)
PROBABLE LB Antonio Pierce (Knee)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Luke Petitgout; Michael Strahan; Corey Webster; Antonio Pierce
Carolina Panthers
QUESTIONABLE QB Jake Delhomme (Right Thumb); RB Nick Goings (Shoulder);
LB Brandon Jamison (Thigh); CB Ken Lucas (Thigh); TE Kris
Mangum (Hip); S Mike Minter (Knee)
PROBABLE WR Taye Biddle (Tooth); RB DeShaun Foster (Elbow); RB Brad
Hoover (Back); G Mike Wahle (Shoulder)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Jake Delhomme; Nick Goings; Brandon Jamison; Ken Lucas; Kris
Mangum; Mike Minter; Taye Biddle
OAKLAND RAIDERS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS
Oakland Raiders
OUT T Robert Gallery (Elbow); RB LaMont Jordan (Knee)
DOUBTFUL WR Jerry Porter (Hip); DE Lance Johnstone (Knee); G Corey
Hulsey (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE G Barry Sims (Abdomen)
PROBABLE TE Randal Williams (Back); DT Anttaj Hawthorne (Shoulder); K
Sebastian Janikowski (Back)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Practice Not Complete
Cincinnati Bengals
OUT T Levi Jones (Knee)
DOUBTFUL C Rich Braham (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE C Eric Ghiaciuc (Knee); WR Kelley Washington (Hamstring)
PROBABLE WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Back); DT Shaun Smith (Illness);
DT John Thornton (Knee); S John Busing (Knee); DT Sam
Adams (Knee)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Levi Jones; Rich Braham; Eric Ghiaciuc; Kelley Washington; T.J.
Houshmandzadeh; Shaun Smith; John Thornton; Sam Adams
MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT DETROIT LIONS
Minnesota Vikings
DOUBTFUL RB Chester Taylor (Ribs); QB Brooks Bollinger (Left Shoulder)
QUESTIONABLE G Artis Hicks (Ankle)
PROBABLE C Matt Birk (Neck); T Marcus Johnson (Foot); TE Jermaine
Wiggins (Knee); DT Pat Williams (Knee); CB Cedric Griffin
(Neck); LB Napoleon Harris (Wrist); P Chris Kluwe (Wrist); WR
Marcus Robinson (Ankle)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Chester Taylor; Brooks Bollinger; Artis Hicks; Matt Birk; Marcus
Johnson; Jermaine Wiggins; Pat Williams; Cedric Griffin;
Napoleon Harris; Chris Kluwe; Marcus Robinson
Detroit Lions
OUT DT Shaun Rogers (Knee/IR); CB Fernando Bryant (Concussion)
QUESTIONABLE WR Devale Ellis (Shoulder); LB Teddy Lehman (Hamstring)
PROBABLE T Jeff Backus (Foot)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Shaun Rogers; Fernando Bryant; Teddy Lehman; Jeff Backus
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Indianapolis Colts
OUT TE Dallas Clark (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE RB De De Dorsey (Quadricep); CB Antoine Bethea (Shoulder);
WR Brandon Stokley (Knee); S Bob Sanders (Knee); LB Keith
O'Neil (Ankle); DE Robert Mathis (Knee); T Ryan Diem
(Abdomen)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Dallas Clark; Bob Sanders
Jacksonville Jaguars
PROBABLE G Vincent Manuwai (Wrist); RB Montell Owens (Shoulder); LB
Jorge Cordova (Hamstring); CB Terry Cousin (Groin); WR
Cortez Hankton (Hamstring); P Chris Hanson (Left Hamstring);
LB Clint Ingram (Shoulder); RB Maurice Jones-Drew
(Hamstring); CB Ahmad Carroll (Groin); LB Kenneth Pettway
(Knee); LB Daryl Smith (Shoulder); S Nick Sorensen
(Hamstring); DT Marcus Stroud (Ankle); CB Brian Williams
(Hamstring); RB Derrick Wimbush (Ankle); TE George Wrighster
(Shoulder)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED All Players Participated
ATLANTA FALCONS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Atlanta Falcons
DOUBTFUL CB Jason Webster (Groin)
PROBABLE CB Jimmy Williams (Ankle); DE John Abraham (Groin); DT
Grady Jackson (Knee); T Todd Weiner (Knee)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Jason Webster; John Abraham; Grady Jackson; Todd Weiner
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
QUESTIONABLE CB Juran Bolden (Quadricep); LB Shelton Quarles (Knee); TE
Alex Smith (Ankle); DT Ellis Wyms (Ankle)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED All Players Practiced
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Philadelphia Eagles
QUESTIONABLE CB Roderick Hood (Hamstring); DE Darren Howard (Knee); S
Michael Lewis (Concussion)
PROBABLE LB Shawn Barber (Knee); QB Jeff Garcia (Neck); CB William
James (Knee); LB Matt McCoy (Shoulder); S Quintin Mikell
(Foot); LB Jason Short (Knee); RB Brian Westbrook (Toe)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Roderick Hood; Darren Howard; Michael Lewis
Washington Redskins
QUESTIONABLE CB Kenny Wright (Knee); LB Khary Campbell (Hamstring)
PROBABLE S Troy Vincent (Hamstring); TE Todd Yoder (Thigh); DE Phillip
Daniels (Ankle); T Jon Jansen (Calf); C Casey Rabach (Shin)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Kenny Wright; Todd Yoder; Jon Jansen; Casey Rabach
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS
New England Patriots
OUT S Eugene Wilson (Groin); S Rodney Harrison (Shoulder)
QUESTIONABLE LB Eric Alexander (Shoulder); LB Don Davis (Knee); TE Daniel
Graham (Ankle); T Ryan O'Callaghan (Neck); CB Ellis Hobbs
(Wrist); WR Chad Jackson (Groin); RB Laurence Maroney
(Back)
PROBABLE QB Tom Brady (Right Shoulder); LB Corey Mays (Hamstring);
DE Richard Seymour (Elbow)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Eugene Wilson; Rodney Harrison; Eric Alexander; Don Davis;
Daniel Graham; Ryan O'Callaghan; Ellis Hobbs; Chad Jackson;
Laurence Maroney
Miami Dolphins
OUT RB Ronnie Brown (Hand); QB Daunte Culpepper (Knee); G
Jeno James (Knee)
PROBABLE CB Will Allen (Groin); RB Sammy Morris (Ankle); WR Wes
Welker (Shoulder); DE Jason Taylor (Forearm); DT Keith Traylor
(Knee)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Ronnie Brown; Daunte Culpepper; Jeno James
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Green Bay Packers
DOUBTFUL T Mark Tauscher (Groin)
QUESTIONABLE RB P.J. Pope (Hamstring); LB Ben Taylor (Hamstring); TE David
Martin (Ribs)
PROBABLE LB Nick Barnett (Hand); CB Patrick Dendy (Concussion); RB
Noah Herron (Ankle); RB Ahman Green (Knee); CB Charles
Woodson (Shoulder)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Mark Tauscher; David Martin; Ahman Green; Charles Woodson
San Francisco 49ers
OUT TE Eric Johnson (Knee); LB Derek Smith (Hamstring); T Adam
Snyder (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE DT Anthony Adams (Knee); CB Shawntae Spencer (Ankle)
PROBABLE T Jonas Jennings (Ankle)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Eric Johnson; Derek Smith; Adam Snyder; Anthony Adams;
Shawntae Spencer; Jonas Jennings
DENVER BRONCOS AT SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Denver Broncos
OUT RB Cecil Sapp (Ankle)
QUESTIONABLE TE Stephen Alexander (Ankle); K Jason Elam (Left Hamstring);
T Adam Meadows (Hamstring); LB Al Wilson (Neck)
PROBABLE S Hamza Abdullah (Hip); LB Keith Burns (Knee); DE Patrick
Chukwurah (Finger); G Ben Hamilton (Thigh); S Quentin Harris
(Finger); TE Nate Jackson (Ribs); TE Mike Leach (Thumb); WR
Brandon Marshall (Ankle); T Erik Pears (Ankle); TE Chad
Mustard (Shoulder); CB Darrent Williams (Shoulder); DT
Demetrin Veal (Knee)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Practice Not Complete
San Diego Chargers
QUESTIONABLE G Kris Dielman (Ankle); WR Keenan McCardell (Calf); S Marlon
McCree (Calf); DE Luis Castillo (Ankle); WR Malcom Floyd
(Ankle); LB Randall Godfrey (Calf); S Clinton Hart (Ankle); DE
Derreck Robinson (Foot); RB Michael Turner (Hamstring)
PROBABLE WR Kassim Osgood (Elbow); S Bhawoh Jue (Knee); DE
Jacques Cesaire (Finger); LB Shaun Phillips (Calf)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Practice Not Complete
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS
Seattle Seahawks
DOUBTFUL LB D.D. Lewis (Toe); C Robbie Tobeck (Hip); TE Itula Mili
(Concussion)
QUESTIONABLE RB Mack Strong (Ankle); WR Bobby Engram (Illness)
PROBABLE DT Rocky Bernard (Foot)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Practice Not Complete
Arizona Cardinals
DOUBTFUL DT Kendrick Clancy (Ankle)
PROBABLE RB Marcel Shipp (Ribs); LB Brandon Johnson (Illness)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Kendrick Clancy; Marcel Shipp; Brandon Johnson
BUFFALO BILLS AT NEW YORK JETS
Buffalo Bills
OUT LB Angelo Crowell (Fibula)
QUESTIONABLE LB John DiGiorgio (Ankle); RB Willis McGahee (Ankle); CB
Terrence McGee (Ankle)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Angelo Crowell; John DiGiorgio; Willis McGahee; Terrence
McGee
New York Jets
QUESTIONABLE DE Bryan Thomas (Shoulder); RB B.J. Askew (Foot); CB David
Barrett (Hip); LB Matt Chatham (Foot); S Rashad Washington
(Illness); S Eric Smith (Foot)
PROBABLE RB Kevan Barlow (Calf); CB Andre Dyson (Thigh); DE Shaun
Ellis (Ankle); RB Cedric Houston (Knee); WR Justin McCareins
(Foot); DT Rashad Moore (Hand); QB Chad Pennington (Calf);
WR Brad Smith (Shoulder)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Bryan Thomas; B.J. Askew; David Barrett; Matt Chatham;
Rashad Washington; Eric Smith
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT DALLAS COWBOYS
New Orleans Saints
DOUBTFUL RB Aaron Stecker (Hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE WR Marques Colston (Ankle); DE Will Smith (Knee); WR Joe
Horn (Groin)
PROBABLE T Jon Stinchcomb (Stomach); LB Scott Fujita (Ankle); RB
Reggie Bush (Shoulder)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Aaron Stecker; Marques Colston; Joe Horn; Jon Stinchcomb;
Reggie Bush
Dallas Cowboys
No injuries to report
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED All Players Participated
CHICAGO BEARS AT ST. LOUIS RAMS on Monday
Chicago Bears
OUT DT Tommie Harris (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE LB Leon Joe (Hamstring); S Todd Johnson (Ankle); CB Nathan
Vasher (Hamstring)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Practice Not Conducted
St. Louis Rams
DOUBTFUL LB Isaiah Kacyvenski (Concussion)
QUESTIONABLE CB Tye Hill (Thigh); S Jerome Carter (Ankle); S Oshiomogho
Atogwe (Concussion); DE Victor Adeyanju (Forearm)
PROBABLE WR Kevin Curtis (Calf); RB Stephen Davis (Hamstring); WR
Torry Holt (Knee); QB Marc Bulger (Ribs); RB Paul Smith
(Neck); G Adam Timmerman (Ribs)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
WED Isaiah Kacyvenski; Tye Hill; ll; Jerome Carter; Oshiomogho Atogwe

NY Giants' LaVar Arrington to Testifiy in Court for Carl Poston

Another Great Piece by Mr. Staple-see my endnote:

LaVar to support agent before House
BY ARTHUR STAPLE
Newsday Staff Writer

December 7, 2006

LaVar Arrington will testify before a House subcommittee today on behalf of his agent, Carl Poston, who drew a two-year suspension from the NFL Players' Association for his representation of Arrington when he signed a contract with the Redskins in 2003.

The injured Giants linebacker, who thought he was cheated out of a $6.5-million roster bonus by the Redskins, yesterday lashed out at the union.

"They suspended [Poston] without a hearing, the NFLPA," he said. " ... They do a lot of foul stuff. It's like organized crime, to be honest with you. They are bad.

" ... Richard Berthelsen, general [counsel] of the NFLPA, was basically representing the Redskins. I'm a conspiracy-type guy. Then you've got a guy who's supposedly going to take Gene Upshaw's job, Troy Vincent, and he ends up in Washington with a good deal. Just seems like the whistle doesn't want to be blown. I know the PA does things they definitely shouldn't do. I don't think, by any stretch of the imagination, they have the best interests of the players at heart."

Poston was suspended after the NFLPA's committee on agent relations and conduct determined Poston erred in having Arrington sign the deal in which the roster bonus was omitted.

The hearing to which Arrington referred never took place, Berthelsen said. The case was settled and Arrington didn't get his money.

My take: i'm a union man and a moderate democrat, which may annoy some(sorry) but i can tell when union is acting like a Union and when it's only out to benefit itself. I was a rep. for the NYC teachers Union for over ten years(they leave something to be desired as well). Arrington isn't the first player to complain about Upshaw and Co. And they stopped calling themselfs a "UNion" a long time ago...so if a Player has an agent and a manager, why do they need a PA for?? Todays players aren't our fathers Players Playing in our parents NFL, when they needed the pensions they get. They is why it's more of a business now then it was 30 years ago..

NFL - WEEK 14 INJURY REPORT -- TUESDAY - NFLMEDIA.com

FOR USE AS DESIRED - NFL
NFL-PER-14 12/5/06
WEEK 14 INJURY REPORT -- TUESDAY

Cleveland Browns Questionable Questiona ble Charlie Frye (Right Wrist)

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS on Thursday
Cleveland Browns
DOUBTFUL DE Orpheus Roye (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE CB Leigh Bodden (Ankle); QB Charlie Frye (Right Wrist); S Justin
Hamilton (Back); CB Jereme Perry (Knee); LB Willie McGinest
(Pectoral); S Brian Russell (Elbow); LB Chaun Thompson (Ankle); LB
Mason Unck (Groin); TE Kellen Winslow (Knee)
Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
TUES Orpheus Roye; Charlie Frye; Mason Unck; Kellen Winslow
Pittsburgh Steelers

OUT WR Hines Ward (Knee); WR Cedrick Wilson (Ankle); S Troy
Polamalu (Knee); S Ryan Clark (Groin)

Listed players who did not participate in ''team'' practice:
(Defined as missing any portion of 11-on-11 team work)
TUES Hines Ward; Cedrick Wilson; Troy Polamalu; Ryan Clark

Let New York Giants RB Brandon Jacobs Loose!!

Arthur Staple covers the NY Giants for Newsday, and also runs the Paper's Giants Blog-here is his piece today-see my notes at the end!-Draftnik

Use the big guy more and let him loose
December 6, 2006

The lessons learned from the most recent Giants loss are pretty simple, the way we see it:

1. Don't take stupid penalties.



2. Put Brandon Jacobs on the field more.

The first is obvious to everyone. The second may be as well, even though the coaching staff doesn't necessarily agree. But the Giants' two red-zone failures - worse than inside the 20, these were inside the 5 - illustrate how Tom Coughlin and offensive coordinator John Hufnagel got a little too cute with their play-calling.

The first try was in the third quarter, with the Giants trailing 10-7. On first-and-goal from the 4, Eli Manning tries one of the Giants' signature passes, a fade to Plaxico Burress in single coverage, but Burress is well covered by Anthony Henry and the pass falls incomplete.

Second-and-goal, Tiki Barber is on the field. He is stopped for a 1-yard loss by linebacker Akin Ayodele, who sprints through the line untouched. On third-and-goal, Manning's throw to Jeremy Shockey would have been a touchdown, but the ball was off target by a couple feet.

OK, lesson learned. Right? Anyone?

In the fourth quarter, again trailing by a field goal, the Giants marched down to a first-and-goal, this time from the 8. Jacobs rushed for 4 yards, then came off the field. Manning tried what Coughlin called a "knockdown" screen, a dump pass at the line of scrimmage, but the Cowboys' blitz obscured Manning's view of Barber and the pass went to his feet.

On third-and goal, Manning made a poor decision, looking nowhere else but for Burress, who had Aaron Glenn and Roy Williams close by. Glenn nearly picked off the pass, and the Giants settled for another field goal.

Here was Coughlin's explanation: "[Jacobs] comes in by circumstance, by situation, with the personnel that goes along with it. If it was goal line, Brandon would have been in there. If it was short-yardage, Brandon would have been in there. He plays by personnel and by situation. He's not in there in certain personnel combinations."

That explanation doesn't hold, though. Jacobs has had 15 touches inside the 10 this season, eight for touchdowns, and only half of those were from the 1 or 2. He is the short-yardage back, and he is behind Barber, who does so much for the offense.

But when you've lost four games in a row and had two such glaring offensive failures in one winnable game, it's hard to make the argument that you did the right thing and just didn't execute.

Jacobs is not infallible - he did bounce outside a little too fast on the fourth-and-1 play in the second quarter Sunday instead of just bulling his way behind Jim Finn - and he's still a young, brash player, as shown by a taunting penalty after a big run against the Bucs. And he's still a little raw as a blitz protector and blocker, which is why Coughlin seems so against putting Barber and Jacobs on the field at the same time.

But when Jacobs is supposed to be in, he needs to be in. And here's a suggestion, now that Derrick Ward has shown that even a straight-ahead runner cannot overcome the Giants' bad kick-return blocking: Make Jacobs the kick returner.

He's already out there as Ward's lead blocker, so he knows the schemes. He's 6-4, 264 pounds and almost welcomes contact, because he runs over at least one opponent every game. And his open-field decision-making is improving rapidly. Manning trusts him as a check-down receiver, and Jacobs' acrobatic catch and 43-yard run against the Cowboys should cement his status as a guy who makes things happen when he has the ball.

He's the back of the future and he certainly appears ready to take over next season when Barber is retired. Why not see what he can do with more time and more touches now? What have the Giants to lose?

Storylines

Just win one, baby

The Giants have lost four straight, they're a bit demoralized, but they are amazingly now the No. 5 seed in the NFC. It's all still in their hands. "We just need to win one," Shaun O'Hara said. Some of O'Hara's teammates talked about running the table, but it starts with one win on Sunday against the Panthers.

Revenge?


The 23-0 rout by Carolina in January might not be foremost in the Giants' thoughts, with both teams fighting just to reach the postseason, but the playoff shutout at home could become a rallying cry for the Giants, who look for anything to motivate them. More pertinent is how Eli Manning will handle DE Julius Peppers, and how the secondary will contain Steve Smith.

Whither Strahan



No. 92 gave his foot a test on the Giants Stadium turf on Sunday before deciding that he wasn't ready. He may still not be ready for this week's game, despite its huge implications. "I'm not putting any time limit or time frame on it now," Strahan told WFAN Monday. "This thing just takes time to heal."

Statlines

Brandon Jacobs has eight touchdowns on 87 touches (77 rushes, 10 receptions) this season. How that stacks up against some of the leading all-purpose backs in the NFL:

Rush/Rec.

Attempts Yards Avg. TD

M. Barber, Dal. (left) 123 714 5.8 13

B. Jacobs, Giants 87 509 5.9 8

L. Tomlinson, SD 308 1794 5.8 26

L. Johnson, KC 342 1687 4.9 15

B. Westbrook, Phi243 1493 6.1 10


Ok So "B-Jac" doesn't get used enough-agreed, but hey..it's like every time you put him in you Telegraph to the other team that your going to get him the ball. Manning's skills Just are not as developed yet as they could be. He still looks to the lead receiver too often, which is why he throws some Dumb Picks at times. He looked better Sunday then he did throughout the whole losing streak...and Carolina will be P.O.ed that they let Philly get past them....

NFL Super Bowl Game - Our New Blog

We've got a new blog. This one's specifically on the largest single-day sports event in the World, the Super Bowl. Check out this new blog in our network with a click on the title of this post.

The New Yorker Cartoon - A Widget Here

Another cool widget I found is one of the famous New Yorker cartoons. This one, which is at the top of this blog, changes each day -- or at least it's supposed to. We'll see. But I've got it here.

We've Got Cool Widgets Here! - Streampad Music Player and Haystack Social Media Widget

Ok. You certainly hear the music playing here. Not too jarring, catchy, rock but more easy-listening. But you're wondering where it comes from, right? It's from the Streampad Music Player located in the left side bar of this blog. Just scroll down and you'll see it. And right below it is the Haystack Social Media Network, where you can see who's who in business around the country. No, not necessarily big players in business, just people like you and me, who hope to get big.

If you're wondering where I got these widgets, it's a place in cyberspace called Widgetbox. Check it out!

San Francisco 49ers Had Secret Stadium Talks With City of Santa Clara For One Year

Clear evidence that the 49ers were not working honestly with the City and County of San Francisco and like any lie, it's eventually revealed.

NINERS SECRETLY WOOED SANTA CLARA FOR A YEAR
Newsom aides say paper trail shows the team was not honest with S.F.
Cecilia M. Vega, John Coté, Chronicle Staff Writers
Thursday, November 30, 2006

The San Francisco 49ers engaged in detailed talks with South Bay officials about the possibility of relocating the team to Santa Clara for more than a year before the team actually announced its intention to move there, records show.

Written correspondence between the 49ers and South Bay officials obtained by The Chronicle indicate that talks had taken place since at least October 2005 and remained active through this fall while the team simultaneously worked on brokering a deal to build a new $600 million to $800 million stadium at Candlestick Point in San Francisco.

Aides to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom say the yearlong paper trail shows the team was not honest with the city during its stadium talks over the past year.

Niners representatives, however, say the documents simply illustrate how the five-time Super Bowl championship team explored all its options in Santa Clara to ensure that city would be an adequate stadium site in case San Francisco was not.

"The mayor's office, city attorney, developer and community leaders were all under the impression that the 49ers were committed to San Francisco," Newsom's spokeswoman Jennifer Petrucione said Wednesday. "It's clear from these documents that wasn't the case. ... The level (of detail) in the documents demonstrates that the 49ers were pursuing Santa Clara at a level that does not indicate good faith."

In the months leading up to the 49ers' Nov. 9 press conference announcing plans to relocate to a parking lot near Great America amusement park, there were confidential meetings between the team and South Bay officials, team requests for a soil report from land near the proposed stadium site and offers of game tickets to a Santa Clara County official, according to the documents.

But while San Francisco officials say the documents suggest the team was not negotiating in good faith with the city, the 49ers contend they were always forthright about their intentions and made it clear that Santa Clara was long considered the backup plan in the event that the San Francisco deal fell apart -- as it eventually did.

"As I look at backup sites around the Bay Area, I'm going to do my due diligence checklist and I'm going to see if a site works or doesn't work," said Larry MacNeil, the team's chief financial officer, who has been involved in talks with both Santa Clara and San Francisco.

The Chronicle obtained the series of e-mails between South Bay officials and the team from San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera's office through San Francisco's Public Records Act. Herrera had requested copies of the documents from Santa Clara officials in the wake of the team's announcement it would move south.

The written communication between the team and officials in the South Bay show a long-standing relationship, sometimes a light-hearted one, with 49ers officials anxious to learn more about the site and Santa Clara officials eager to woo the team.

In October 2005 -- as the 49ers publicly acknowledged their desire to build a stadium, housing and retail development at Candlestick Point -- the records show that team officials were at the same time engaged in secret discussions with a Santa Clara County official about the possibility of building a stadium there.

In an Oct. 5, 2005, e-mail marked "confidential," Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone wrote to MacNeil and suggested that "separate, confidential meetings" be scheduled with then-San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales, Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez and officials from the San Jose Sports Authority.

On Wednesday, Stone said the team subsequently decided that official talks were premature and that no meeting with Chavez or Gonzales ever took place.

Still, he wanted the meetings to be kept quiet in part out of concern that the team could be perceived as unfairly negotiating a stadium deal with two different cities -- which is exactly how some in San Francisco interpreted the action after learning of the written exchanges.

"We didn't want to put the 49ers in a position where they were seen as playing one community off against another, which is absolutely not what they were doing," Stone said.

San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano said he was "chagrined but not surprised" to learn the team had been communicating with South Bay officials about a possible stadium there since October, 2005.

"Was it disingenuous? Yes," he said. "But in my point of view, it's what's accepted as business practice and it's about the bottom line. That's the carnivorous part of it."

In the October, 2005, e-mail, Stone also declined an offer by the team for tickets to a game in San Francisco, but asked if MacNeil "could arrange a couple of tickets" to a 49ers game in Seattle, his hometown, and to "let me know the cost."

When asked about the request, Stone said he attended the Seattle game and paid for the two tickets.

"I paid for everything that I got from the 49ers. I don't take gifts," Stone said.

Though the written exchanges date back to 2005, communication between the 49ers and South Bay officials over a potential stadium move stretch back to at least Dec. 19, 2003, when Kevin Moore, a member of the Santa Clara Stadium Association who has since become Santa Clara's vice mayor, sent a letter to 49ers co-owner John York touting the advantages of moving the team to Santa Clara.

And Stone acknowledged he and 49ers officials have had about a dozen meetings or phone calls since the fall of 2005 about potential sites in Santa Clara County. The team looked at about six different sites and may have conducted a wind velocity test at a site in San Jose, Stone said Wednesday.

South Bay officials repeatedly echoed 49ers assertions that throughout all of the talks during the past year, the discussions were preliminary and meant to illustrate that Santa Clara would be the backup in case problems arose at Candlestick Point.

"They made it clear in the first meeting and they made it clear in every meeting after that that their first choice was San Francisco," Stone said. "But they said this was a problematic site, and it's only prudent for us to a have a backup site if the project feasibility study doesn't indicate that it's workable."

The team's announcement in early November to leave San Francisco caught Newsom and his top aides, who had been negotiating with the team for nearly a year, by surprise. Reeling from the shock of possibly losing a National Football League franchise founded in the city 60 years ago, Newsom said the day after the team's announcement that 49ers co-owner John York had not been a "straight shooter" during the talks.

On Wednesday, however, team officials challenged that assertion. MacNeil provided copies of his own e-mail exchanges showing that in July he warned San Francisco officials that Santa Clara was the backup site.

"I wanted everybody to be clear that we were ... working on backup sites because it's the prudent thing to do," said MacNeil, who also said he reminded San Francisco officials during numerous meetings that discussions about a possible stadium in Santa Clara were also occurring.

In the end, the 49ers rejected the San Francisco stadium plan because the team had so many concerns about the project, which included a plan to build 6,500 housing units around the stadium and a retail hub.

Insiders also say Newsom's failure to return York's phone calls during the negotiations did not make for a pleasant relationship between the two camps.

In Santa Clara, the dealings appear to have been friendlier.

More than 30 pages of e-mail and other communications between the 49ers and Santa Clara officials suggest that many of those involved developed a casual working relationship.

In one exchange, MacNeil and a city official joked about technical snafus, including how the official accidentally called a psychiatrist's office when he attempted to dial the 49ers phone number. MacNeil later responded: "I may need the number to that psych office. Hang on to that."

The exchanges, however, contain few details about how a proposed stadium deal would actually work or be financed.

On July 18, the 49ers went public with their preliminary stadium plans for Candlestick and excitedly showed off computer renderings of what a new 68,000-seat arena would look like. A spokeswoman for the team cautioned then that if the proposal fell through in San Francisco, Santa Clara was the backup.

The next day, a Santa Clara city official wrote in an e-mail that the 49ers had made it clear to Santa Clara that they were "committed" to building at Candlestick Point. But in the same note, the official acknowledged that City Councilman Moore, who initially helped lure the team to Santa Clara, "has been in conversations with the Niners for a number of months."

By September, the 49ers were fully engaged in discussions at San Francisco City Hall about the Candlestick plans, and the team even backed city efforts to host the 2016 Olympic Games and said the Games could be held in the new stadium.

But even though the team was pushing ahead with talks in San Francisco, on Sept. 11, MacNeil sent an e-mail to Santa Clara officials requesting soil reports and geological studies done on land across the street from the proposed Great America stadium site.

"One of the things about a stadium is it's a really heavy building," he said when asked about the exchange Wednesday. "The soil can be a really significant factor in construction costs."

That same day, MacNeil reportedly expressed concern about the Candlestick site development during a meeting with San Francisco officials. A few days later, his boss, John York, was so concerned about the future of the deal that he sent a letter to Newsom saying the city should not base the centerpiece of its Olympic plans on a stadium project that had not yet been finalized. Like the stadium project, the Olympic dreams also fell through.

Santa Clara officials, however, were happy to oblige the 49ers in their request for information.

"They are trying to figure out what the structural challenges might be in siting a stadium in the Great America parking lot," Assistant City Manager Ronald Garratt wrote in the Sept. 11 e-mail. "They are anxious to get the info."

Oct. 5, 2005
Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone indicates he and 49ers Vice President Larry MacNeil held "productive and informative" meetings. Stone suggests "separate, confidential meetings" with San Jose officials. The meetings never happen.

Oct. 9, 2005

The San Francisco 49ers publicly confirm they're contemplating building a major stadium development at Candlestick Point.

July 18, 2006

Niners go public with preliminary stadium plans for Candlestick Point and show off computer renderings.

July 19, 2006

Santa Clara Assistant City Manager Ronald Garratt writes that City Councilman Kevin Moore "has been in conversations with the Niners for a number of months," but 49ers have made clear they're "committed" to building at Candlestick Point.

Sept. 11, 2006

49ers officials are "anxious" to get Santa Clara soil reports or geological studies from the nearby convention center as they consider building a stadium across the street, Garratt writes.

Sept. 14, 2006

Team co-owner John York sends a letter to Mayor Gavin Newsom saying the city should not base the centerpiece of its 2016 Olympics plans on a stadium project that has not been finalized.

E-mail the writers at cvega@sfchronicle.com and jcoté@sfchronicle.com.