Nfl Football - Football Betting

2005-11-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

NFL quick hits: Week 9 betting recap
By Shawn Torrey
Mon, Nov 7, 2005
You might remember that we dubbed Week 6 of the schedule, “The Square Affair” when the favorites combined to go 10-3-1 ATS. With that in mind, it’s only fair that we call Week 9, “The Sequel.” --football gambling--

Books have to be feeling the pain as the chalk teams prevailed for the third time in the past four weeks. A quick run back through previous editions of this column shows the favorites bringing home the cash at a mind-boggling 27-13-1 ATS over the past four weeks. --football gambling--

We should mention that the past two Monday Nighters are not included in that total since we changed the publishing time of this piece to Monday mornings. Regardless, without getting nit-picky, that’s one heck of a haul for anyone who would be silly enough to blindly bet the favorites. --football gambling--

Road favorites covered as many as eight games this week depending upon your line, and overall the homers finished just 4-8-1 ATS. There was no distinct advantage for totals players as the under finished with a slight 7-6 edge. --football gambling--

Hang in there underdog bettors, the big payday is coming. --football gambling--
Atlanta 17 at Miami 10 (1 / 40) --football gambling--Since nobody seems willing to give Vick the credit that he says he deserves, we’ll gladly step to the mic. The noted scrambler stayed home in this one and tossed for a season-high 228 yards. More importantly, the Falcons improved to 5-1 (4-2 ATS) in their last six contests. --football gambling--
The Dolphins dropped the cash for the fourth time in five games. --football gambling--

Oakland 23 at Kansas City 27 (-4 ½ / 51 ½)
Why do they kick meaningless extra points when there is no time left remaining on the clock? Well, as far as we can tell it’s merely to give bettors chest pains. --football gambling--Whether you were on the side or total in this one, we’re willing to bet that you were frantically counting pointspreads in your head as time expired. We’re also guessing that you were again reminded to always get the best number. --football gambling--

Houston 14 at Jacksonville 21 (-13 / 36 ½) --football gambling--

Jacksonville didn’t make life very easy for fans, and bettors alike on Sunday as it took 14 fourth-quarter points to gain victory over the one-win Texans. The slow start had Jags supporters chewing on chalk from the word go. --football gambling--

Tennessee 14 at Cleveland 20 (-3 / 37) --football gambling--The Browns now have more wins to their credit than eight other teams in the league and the Titans are included in that list. Technically that means that the Browns are the ninth-worst, which isn’t bad considering they lost to the Texans last week.
The under is now an 7-1 when the Browns hit the field, but unexplainably the posted total has actually gotten higher in each of Cleveland’s last three games. Go figure. Cincinnati 21 at Baltimore 9 (3 / 36) --football gambling--

The Bengals racked up 329 yards on the Ravens, and racked the cash for the fourth time in five road games this season. They pushed in the other. --football gambling--

The under improved to 3-0 in the Bengals’ last three, and 3-0 when they tackle a divisional foe. The Ravens failed to score more than 10 points for the fourth time this year, and the under improved to 6-2 in Baltimore games.

Carolina 34 at Tampa Bay 14 (pk / 37) --football gambling--
Let’s keep it simple. The Bucs finally faced a talented opponent, and they flat-out got their butts kicked. --football gambling--

The win was the Panthers fifth in a row (3-2 ATS), and the over has now hit in six straight Carolina games. The Bucs lost for the second straight time since their bye week and are now just 1-5 ATS over their last six games. --football gambling--

San Diego 31 at NY Jets 26 (6 / 41) Chargers supporters fell victim to the ‘backdoor cover’ after looking like they were going to cover this spread by double-digits. Brooks Bollinger was the unlikely hero for New York bettors, leading a charge that didn’t fall short by much. --football gambling--
The 26 points is the most that the Jets have put up all season. The over has now cashed in three straight Jets contests and this result snapped a four-game under streak, and three-game ATS run for the Bolts. --football gambling--

Detroit 14 at Minnesota 27 (-2 / 38) --football gambling--The Vikings went to bat for steam bettors who had this line moving fast prior to kick-off, easily collecting the coin with a 13-point win. Oddly enough they did it without their best player and quarterback Culpepper, reinforcing they fact that sometimes things go unexplained in this league. --football gambling--

Minnesota has quietly won and covered three in a row at home and has pulled into a second place tie in the NFC North with the Lions. --football gambling--

NY Giants 24 at San Francisco 6 (11 / 43) --football gambling--
The Giants picked up their first road win of the campaign and improved their current win streak to three. So long as Eli Manning stays far away from San Diego, this team will do just fine.
Seattle 33 at Arizona 19 (5 / 43) --football gambling--

Remind us again why Dennis Green decided to go with Kurt Warner, or was that brilliant idea kept a secret? --football gambling--The Seahawks are in cruise control and enjoy a 5-2 ATS run, while over bettors are benefiting from a 5-1 streak. --football gambling--

Chicago 20 New Orleans 17 (3 / 34) --football gambling--
Chicago may have been guilty of playing to the level of its competition here, but ultimately couldn’t help but win its fourth in a row against the lowly Saints. New Orleans has recorded just one win since a season-opening victory over Carolina. --football gambling--The over cashed in a Bears game for just the second time this season- the first since Week 2 of the schedule.

Pittsburgh 20 at Green Bay 10 (3 ½ / 38) --football gambling--Has anyone seen Favre’s mo-jo? The Packers had ample opportunity to go up early in this one, but bad teams tend to squander those chances. The Pack did just that and they are a bad team. Green Bay hasn’t cracked the 20-point plateau in three weeks, and the under is 3-0 in those games. --football gambling--

Philadelphia 10 at Washington 17 (3 / 38 ½) --football gambling--Note to Andy Reid: Umm, you`re allowed to run the ball inside the other team’s five-yard line with less than two minutes left and the game on the line. In fact, some would even say it’s encouraged. --football gambling--

Note to T.O.: Under the safe assumption that you’ll never read this article, I feel compelled to say that you’re an idiot. --football gambling--The Eagles dropped their fourth in a row against the number and matched their season-low points total. The Skins are now 5-2 ATS in their last seven and 3-1 ATS at home. Share your thoughts on this article in the Covers posting forum. --football gambling--

2005-11-02T06:03:00.000-08:00

Bolts recognize game day staff

By Tom Shanahan, Chargers.com
Monday, October 31, 2005

The Chargers carry 53 players on an active roster and dress 45 plus a third quarterback for their 16 regular-season games. But on game day at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego’s home team is much larger than the players and coaches on the field and sidelines. -NFL Football-

To stage an NFL game, it takes an army of team members at the stadium ranging from the moment fans enter the parking lot until they take their seat for the opening kickoff and head home safely after the game. -NFL Football-

The duties of employees range from being stationed at the parking lot entrance, the custodial duties to keep the stadium clean, the concession employees, security to keep the stadium safe and ushers to help fans find their seats and answer questions. -NFL Football-

The Chargers are highlighting the work of employees at the stadium on game day with a new recognition program. Six employees were recognized on the field before Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm. -NFL Football-

Each month the Chargers will honor six employees representing Ace Parking, Centerplate, Elite Security, Elite Ushers, Qualcomm Stadium and the Chargers. The employees are selected for their outstanding customer service and dedication at providing an enjoyable experience for fans at Chargers games. -NFL Football-

All six employees will receive a plaque from Jim Steeg, the Chargers’ Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. -NFL Football-

Tom Harrer, Ace Parking, main gate cashier

The first employees greeting fans on game day are the parking lot attendants. Harrer, stationed at the main gate, has long set the example for parking employees to provide quick and efficient service for the fans on their way into the stadium. He is recognized for his outstanding customer service for all the fans. -NFL Football-

Able Martinez, Qualcomm Stadium, custodian

A stadium can get messy quickly with 60,000 fans in attendance, but Martinez is a hard worker who is quick to identify and solve problems at the stadium throughout game day. His friendly and positive attitude makes him well liked by the customers he serves and the employees who he works beside. He has worked at the stadium for the past 4 ½ years. -NFL Football-

Norma Jean Lewis, Centerplate, End Zone/Club manager

Centerplate is the company that provides concession services on game day. Lewis was selected for her hard work that goes beyond her responsibilities. She provides every fan with a positive and memorable experience at the stadium. The Club Level included some revamping of the End Zone this year, and Lewis has been able to assist fans with questions. She positions herself to field the questions and listens to the fans’ concerns as well. -NFL Football-

Arlo Magpantay, Chargers, Game Operations Assistant

Magpantay has been working behind the scenes since the 1998 season. He is responsible for providing all premium items at the entrance gates for fans to receive as they enter the stadium, setting up VIP lines and coordinating and positioning Tent Parties and rental items by the time the gates open. His work ethic inspires others around him to work harder. -NFL Football-

Sabrina Hicks, Elite Show Services, security

Hicks’ outstanding service at home games is displayed by providing a welcoming presence with a positive attitude as fans encounter security. She is recognized among her co-workers for being proactive in providing service and safety for fans. -NFL Football-

Andrew Maddy, Elite Show Services, usher/event staff

Maddy might be found outside the stadium helping fans at the Trolley Stop or he might found inside the stadium helping fans with their seats. His reputation among the ushers is for taking on new challenges and directing fans to assist in crowd control. His co-workers appreciate his “go get ‘em” attitude. -NFL Football-

2005-10-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

Even at 1-5, fans stick up for Packers

Optimism runs high despite losing record

Press-Gazette

A 1-5 start and a rash of injuries would be enough for most NFL fans to jump off their team’s bandwagon. But this is Green Bay, and these are the Packers. -NFL Football-

Granted fans are angry with the general manager and the coach and anyone they deem responsible for the latest defeat, but Packers fans remember the ’70s and ’80s and are weathering the team’s worst start since 1991. -NFL Football-

While interest has waned a little in some areas, the Green Bay Press-Gazette found that Packers fans, and those relying on Packers fans, remain optimistic. -NFL Football-

• • •

One losing season can’t dim the Packers’ long-standing national appeal, said Mark Mandel, vice president of media relations for ABC Sports. -NFL Football-

The network — which will air “Monday Night Football” games between the Packers and Vikings on Nov. 21 and Baltimore on Dec. 19 — is not worried about ratings, Mandel said. -NFL Football-

“We have found so many different times that Brett Favre and the Packers always seem to rise to the level of anticipation on ‘Monday Night Football,’” Mandel said Tuesday. “He has a flair for the dramatic. The team still has a national appeal, whether they’re playing well or not.” -NFL Football-

There was no way to predict the Packers’ dismal start in April, when ABC receives its schedule after some discussion with the NFL. -NFL Football-

“You generally want teams that have winning records, but story lines are really what people are interested in. You want a good story line,” Mandel said. -NFL Football-

• • •

The day after a last-second loss to Minnesota tumbled the Packers into sole possession of last place in the NFC North, Packer Fan Tours sold 203 ticket packages — fewer than a typical day’s sales, but not bad for a Monday after a loss. -NFL Football-

While interest in the Green and Gold has dissipated somewhat — and some ticket packages are selling for less — customers still are lining up to support the home team, said Dennis Garrity, president of Packer Fan Tours. -NFL Football-

“It’s not all gloom and doom in our offices. Packer fans are very resilient. I’m amazed, frankly. … You see a 1-5 record and you say, ‘I’m surprised my phone even rings.’” -NFL Football-

Although he can’t be sure why tickets are still in demand, Garrity said rumors that this season could be Brett Favre’s last might have something to do with it. Ticket-sale hits also are mitigated because fans often purchase ticket packages before the season starts. -NFL Football-

Still, the team’s 1-5 start hasn’t gone unnoticed. One package for the Christmas Day contest versus Chicago has dropped from $149 to $109, Garrity said. -NFL Football-

“Sales are down, no doubt about it,” he said. “(But) it’s interesting that we are still seeing, even after the fifth loss, a fair amount of interest in some of those later games.” -NFL Football-

• • •

As the Packers have fallen, the Chicago Bears have risen. Witness the sudden and somewhat surprising rush for Bears jerseys on Monday, according to Heidi Tanner, assistant manager of The Jersey Store, 1931 Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon. -NFL Football-

“We are still mostly selling Packers merchandise and this has been a good year considering their record, but I was blown away by the way sales went up after the New Orleans win,” Tanner said. “I think that when the Packers win the fans get excited. But people jump on bandwagons, and on Monday we were getting calls for Bears stuff.” -NFL Football-

So who is popular now? -NFL Football-

Brett Favre of course. Grady Jackson, too. Al Harris, Ahmad Green and Najeh Davenport. William Henderson would be popular, but Reebok didn’t manufacture a Henderson jersey this year, Tanner said. -NFL Football-

Another popular seller with female Packers fans this season are pink T-shirts and fleece pullovers that bear the Packers name, she said. -NFL Football-

• • •

The Packers’ sorry start comes just in time for the grand opening of Greg Jenss’ Ultimate Packer Room. -NFL Football-

Jenss plans to host 20 to 25 people for Sunday’s away game against the Cincinnati Bengals in the green-and-gold-walled basement bunker of his Green Bay home. The room, lined with Packers memorabilia and featuring a 42-inch TV with surround sound and a leather couch, is the product of nearly a year’s worth of work. -NFL Football-

The 43-year-old admits he’s seen fans who have needed a lot of cheering up this season. But don’t expect to see tears streaming down this fan’s face any time soon. -NFL Football-

“Green Bay will be 11-5 at the end of this season,” he said. “I’m an optimist — period. I will go right down to the last game. I’m an optimist.” -NFL Football-

He’ll be at Lambeau Field for every home game and in his basement for every away game. And if the Pack should lose again for his big event on Sunday, so be it. -NFL Football-

“Then we’ll be 10-6,” he said. -NFL Football-

• • •

Those who are taking the Packers’ season a little harder than Jenss don’t need to feel badly. -NFL Football-

Stuart Korshavn, associate professor of psychology at St. Norbert College in De Pere, said it’s normal in Western cultures to feel an enhanced sense of pride when groups with which we identify are successful, and feel sad when they aren’t. -NFL Football-

“We collectively benefit when the Packers win, and now people miss that,” Korshavn said. That feeling is especially heightened in a small market like Green Bay, which doesn’t have as many other regional sources of pride. -NFL Football-

The downside to being a staunch supporter is the feeling of loss now, said Regan Gurung, associate professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. -NFL Football-

“When one aspect of your life is not going well, it’s a great time to focus on other things,” Gurung said. “Ask yourself what else makes you feel good and find those other interests.” -NFL Football-

• • •

Fewer folks are making a day of catching Packers action on giant-screened TVs at the Bars East and West now that the team is coming up short on the scoreboard, co-owner Jess Miller said. -NFL Football-

“It certainly has an effect on the crowds,” he said. “Business has been down somewhat. But we’ve been spoiled for the past 12 to 13 years with the Packers winning, so I guess there’s both sides. Winning was great. Now that they’re losing, people are somewhat less interested.” -NFL Football-

The Bar West, on Holmgren Way near Lambeau Field, hosts bands after home games and opens plenty early for fans looking for pregame fun. But there’s less of that these days, Miller said. -NFL Football-

“People come later and are less interested in tailgating,” he said. -NFL Football-

Still Miller is philosophical about things. “I can remember years ago before they started having success, you’d have your regulars that would come and watch the games, but that was about it. Their success in the ’90s made coming to watch the games an event.” -NFL Football-

— Terry Anderson, Andy Behrendt, Paul Brinkmann, Mike Hoeft, Kelly McBride and Patti Zarling/Press-Gazette -NFL Football-

2005-10-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

Seattle's Hamlin in intensive care after fight outside nightclub
By GREGG BELL, AP Sports WriterOctober 18, 2005
-- NFL --
AP - Oct 17, 11:24 pm EDTMore PhotosKIRKLAND, Wash. (AP) -- The Seattle Seahawks are more concerned with Ken Hamlin's health than when -- or if -- he'll be able to rejoin the team.
The starting free safety was in serious but stable condition early Tuesday with a fractured skull and other head injuries following a fight outside a downtown Seattle nightclub. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
``It's pretty tough,'' said cornerback Marcus Trufant, whose locker is next to Hamlin's. ``I'm very concerned about his health and I'm just hoping and praying that everything goes well.''
-- NFL --
Hamlin's injuries included a small blood clot and bruising of brain tissue. He was to remain in intensive care for the next day or two, team physician Stan Herring said. Herring said doctors are waking up Hamlin every hour or two to ensure he is still stable. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
The fight may have also involved a homicide, according to a published report. A 31-year-old man who was killed near the city's Seward Park on Monday morning was involved in the fight with Hamlin, a man claiming to be the brother of the victim told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer for a story published Tuesday. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Tramaine Isabell saw video of the fight on Seattle TV newscasts and identified one of the men as his brother, Terrell Milam. Isabell told the newspaper the video showed Milam punching Hamlin and knocking him to the ground, and that Milam was the man found dead by a jogger three hours later near Seward Park. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Police spokesman Rich Pruitt confirmed on his office phone voice mail early Tuesday morning that there was a homicide in south Seattle on Monday morning. He also told the newspaper that police were interested in speaking to Isabell, but added, ``At this time, we have no proof there is a connection'' between the death and Hamlin's assault.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
According to a police report, Hamlin and his girlfriend were leaving Larry's Nightclub in the Pioneer Square section of Seattle at about 2 a.m. Monday, several hours after the Seahawks defeated the Houston Texans. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
The girlfriend told officers that Hamlin placed his hand on another man's back and said, ``Excuse me.'' The man told Hamlin to stop pushing, and the men began shoving each other.
According to the report, Hamlin then punched the man in the face; Herring said Hamlin has a fractured right hand. Another man struck Hamlin with his forearm, knocking him down, before the two men began fighting with other men nearby. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Witnesses provided the names of two men to police but there had been no arrests, Seattle police spokeswoman Debra Brown said Monday.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
The club's owner, Larry Culp, said his security guards kept Hamlin separated from the two suspects outside for about 15 minutes as the bar was emptying at closing time. He said guards tried to restrain Hamlin several times and the other man started to back down, but ``as the head of my security team turned his head, (Hamlin) went after him. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
``He had plenty of chances to walk away from this incident,'' Culp said, adding Hamlin ``went out of his way'' to provoke a fight. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Culp released a security videotape showing Hamlin breaking free from club security guards and pursuing the suspects after the initial altercation subsided. -- NFL --
Hamlin was found lying in an intersection outside the club a few blocks north of Qwest Field, surrounded by a crowd of people.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Hamlin told the officers he was in a lot of pain, and when asked what happened, he said, ``I don't remember.'' -- NFL --
The report said Hamlin did not appear intoxicated.-- NFL --
-- NFL --
Seahawks president Tim Ruskell issued a statement Monday that said, in part: ``We are working in concert with the Seattle Police Department. The fact that this is an active assault investigation prevents us from further comment at this time.'' -- NFL --
-- NFL --
``The only difficulty I have with this is, it's such a waste,'' Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. ``It seems rather pointless. It's not like you are playing a football game and all of a sudden you get hit and you get injured. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
``It's one of those things that shouldn't have happened.'' -- NFL --
Holmgren talked to his team about it in an afternoon meeting. The NFC West-leading Seahawks then said a team prayer for Hamlin. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Holmgren said Marquand Manuel, a fourth-year veteran from Florida, will replace Hamlin and make his first career start Sunday against Dallas. -- NFL --
-- NFL --
Hamlin had five tackles in Seattle's 42-10 win over Houston.-- NFL --
-- NFL --

2005-10-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

Jaguars hang on to beat the Bengals 23-20

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Oct. 9, 2005) -- Chad Johnson jokingly resuscitated the football early, and Carson Palmer nearly brought the Cincinnati Bengals back to life late.

Then Jacksonville's defense put an end to all that.
Byron Leftwich threw for two touchdowns, Fred Taylor ran for a season-high 132 yards and the Jaguars made a huge stop in the closing minutes to hand the Bengals their first loss of the season, 23-20.

"This shows how good of a team we have," said Jags receiver Ernest Wilford, who caught an 11-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. - NFL Football -

The Bengals started 4-0 for the first time since 1988 -- the franchise's last Super Bowl season -- and entered the game as one of the last two undefeated teams in the league.

But the Jaguars (3-2) took advantage of good field position early and had two key stops in the fourth quarter that left AFC South rival Indianapolis as the lone unbeaten.

"This was huge," Jags cornerback Rashean Mathis said. "There's a big difference between 3-2 and 2-3. It means a great deal." - NFL Football -

Josh Scobee kicked three field goals, including a 51-yarder in the second period and a 53-yarder with 9:45 to play that gave the Jaguars a 10-point lead.

Jacksonville's defense held on from there -- barely -- and kept Palmer from engineering a dramatic comeback.

Bobby McCray knocked the ball out of Palmer's hand at the Jacksonville 45-yard line with 1:28 to play. Akin Ayodele, who dropped a possible interception the play before, recovered it.

The Jags ran out the clock from there.

The defense's other key stop came on fourth-and-1 at the Jags 39-yard line with 14:30 remaining. Rudi Johnson ran up the middle, and John Henderson and Marcus Stroud stuffed him for no gain. The Jags then drove 26 yards to set up Scobee's final field goal, which tied his previous career long and the franchise record.

The Bengals used two long passes from Palmer to rookie Chris Henry to cut the lead to 23-20 with 5:16 remaining. Palmer hit Henry down the sideline for a 47-yard gain, then hit the third-round draft pick across the middle two plays later for a 25-yard score.

Aside from the final drive, nearly everything went right for the Bengals late. Very little went right for them early.

Cincinnati fell behind 13-0 before Chad Johnson caught a 14-yard TD pass from Palmer. Cincinnati had a 69-yard punt nullified by penalty, dropped an interception, shanked a punt and had another one blocked -- all in the first half. - NFL Football -

The Jaguars had great field possession following the miscues, helping them score a touchdown and a field goal.

"We dug ourselves a hole with field possession in the first half," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "We didn't play very well at the beginning of the game and we were playing up hill."

Leftwich found George Wrighster for a 26-yard score after gaining about 40 yards when Kyle Larson 's long punt was brought back because of an illegal touching. Wrighster caught the pass in the flat, hurdled Deltha O'Neal at the 5 and trotted into the end zone.

When Cincinnati put together a decent drive Johnson turned the wrong way on Palmer's deep pass and couldn't get to it. But Johnson and Palmer got into it on the sideline, and Lewis had to separate them. - NFL Football -

Larson's next punt was blocked, and the Jags got the ball at the Bengals 33. Scobee's 32-yard field goal made it 10-0.

Scobee followed with the 51-yard field goal that made it 13-0.

Palmer and Johnson, having worked things out, hooked up three times on the next drive, including the 14-yarder for a touchdown.

But Johnson complained after the game that Palmer wasn't trying hard enough to get him the ball. - NFL Football -

"They didn't get it to me period!" said Johnson, who had five receptions for 52 yards. "They doubled me the whole game. That happens every week. Does that mean that when a team doubles me that I'm through? It's not too hard to get it to (Terrell Owens) or Randy Moss."

Johnson made good on his promise of having something special planned if he scored during Cincinnati's lone appearance in prime time this season. He beat Mathis in the corner of the end zone, then performed CPR on the football. He pretended to give it mouth-to-mouth and three chest compressions.

"We need to win these," Johnson said. "I'm not satisfied with 4-1. The Bengals of old might have been OK keeping it close. We're not supposed to be close anymore." - NFL Football -

2005-10-01T16:04:00.000-07:00

Giants, Jets reach agreement on new stadium
NFL.com wire reports

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Sept. 29, 2005) -- The New York Giants and Jets have reached agreement on a deal for a new stadium in the Meadowlands. - NFL Football -

The new facility will be built near Giants Stadium, which is currently home to both teams.

Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey announced the deal at a news conference, saying it would guarantee that both teams remain in New Jersey for the next 99 years. - NFL Football -

Codey, appearing at Giants Stadium with the owners of both teams, said the Jets would also relocate their practice facility to New Jersey. He noted it will be the first time an NFL stadium will be jointly operated by two teams. - NFL Football -

Specific details about the stadium plan are to be developed over the next several months.

Jets president Jay Cross estimated the cost would be more than $800 million, and Giants chief operating officer John K. Mara figured the new stadium will hold at least 80,000 spectators. The teams will be paying the cost of building the stadium and will share in the revenues.

Current plans envision a stadium on which a retractable roof could be added, Mara said.

Both teams -- as well as the NFL and New Jersey -- would like a roof, but the teams have said the $200 million cost is beyond them. A roof would allow the Super Bowl and college basketball Final Four to be played at the Meadowlands. - NFL Football -

Regarding a roof, Codey said, "The state will not pay one penny for it."

The state agreed to help both teams find new practice facilities, although Mara said he hoped the Giants would be able to get a new location at the sports complex. - NFL Football -

Mara said that while his family, a co-owner of the Giants, was sad that the stadium would have a new name, it would be necessary to sell naming rights in order to finance the project. He had no immediate estimate as to how much the naming rights would bring. - NFL Football -

He said he hopes the facility could open for the 2009 season.

2005-09-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

Chargers' top picks will get their chances

NFL.com wire reports

SAN DIEGO (Sept. 15, 2005) -- The San Diego Chargers' draft-day defensive bounty might start paying off Sept. 18.

There's a good chance lineman Luis Castillo will make his first NFL start when the Chargers play at Denver, and outside linebacker Shawne Merriman is expected to make his pro debut.

The Chargers drafted Merriman with the 12th pick overall and Castillo with the 28th in hopes of pumping up their lethargic pass rush. Both were slowed by injuries in the preseason, and Merriman missed the season-opening loss to Dallas because of a sprained left knee.

"It's about time we all get in there together," Castillo said. "That's what the public wants to see. They want to see me and him meet at the quarterback, and I'm more excited about the opportunity to do that together."

Right end Igor Olshansky is doubtful with a leg injury. If he can't play, Jacques Cesakire would move to right end and Castillo would start on the left side.

Castillo wants to make up for his big blunder in the third quarter in Week 1, when he hit Dallas' Drew Bledsoe on the helmet with his right hand, drawing a roughing-the-passer call that kept alive a Cowboys scoring drive.

"I just can't wait to make up for last week," Castillo said. "They brought me in to pass rush, and for me to actually get there and then have that big mistake, I just can't wait to get back in there and do it the right way this time."

Castillo, who could be fined for that hit, said a Cowboys lineman prevented him from getting a clean shot at Bledsoe.

"I really didn't feel like I could grab him and actually bring him down, so I just tried to smack him on the shoulder as hard as I could," Castillo said. "I saw the ball going up, and I didn't want him to get the ball off. Right there he just sort of sidestepped and my hand went right to his head."

Castillo played tackle at Northwestern. Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said he's a prototypical end in a 3-4 scheme.

"If you look at what I am, I'm just a big, athletic 300-pounder, and I guess that's what a 3-4 defensive end is," Castillo said.

"He's got a such a big motor," Schottenheimer said. "He goes so fast all the time. He's got really good quickness in his hands and his feet."

One thing Castillo doesn't have is a sack celebration. Merriman, nicknamed "Lights Out" for his hard hits, has a tattoo of a light switch on one forearm, and he celebrates big hits by pretending to flip the switch.

Whether he gets a chance in Denver remains to be seen.

Schottenheimer plans to use him on special teams and to a limited extent on defense.

"It won't be a prominent role, at least not as we approach the game," Schottenheimer said.

"I haven't flipped the switch yet," Merriman said. "It's the second week of the regular season. That's kind of disappointing to me, but it's coming. I might not see the field on defense until the second half. I really don't know."

But he believes he can go in and make some good things happen.

"I've been practicing a lot of defense, but I won't mind running out there and knocking some heads off on special teams," said Merriman, who sprained his knee on the opening kickoff of a preseason game Aug. 26 at Minnesota.

Left guard Toniu Fonoti sustained a hairline fracture in his right hand when his fingers got caught in another's player's facemask during practice Sept 14. He didn't practice the next day but is expected to play, Schottenheimer said.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

2005-09-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

Is city ready for some women’s football?

Ladies, have I got a personal ad for you.

“Single semi-pro football league seeks bold, aggressive females interested in proving they’re as capable of beating the tar out of each other as any testosterone-driven male.”

Are you ready for some football? The National Women’s Football Association thinks you are, and invites you to prove it at tryouts for a possible Fort Wayne team on Oct. 1 and 8 at Northside Park. - NFL Football -

They’re in search of Edgerrin Jane.

“It’s all about girls getting a chance to play football,” NFWA Vice President Debby Lening said.

The NWFA touts itself as “the largest full-contact, tackle football league in the world.” My guess is the NFL would take issue with that self-description, as would anyone who caught a glimpse of Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Corey Simon. Believe me, if the NWFA has a player larger than Simon, I don’t want to see her play, although I’d be hesitant to tell her she couldn’t.

On the other hand, the NWFA had 35 teams last season (three more than the NFL) and plans to expand, so maybe it is the largest in number of teams.

Whether Fort Wayne joins the NWFA depends on how many soccer moms yearn to be place-kickers, how many attorneys long to play for the defense and how many college instructors wish to be semi-pro destructors. - NFL Football -

If enough players emerge, we’ll soon be able to tell a woman she looks like a defensive tackle and have it come off as a compliment.

“We’re looking for girls who want to play football,” Lening said. “If we get the interest we hope we get, it’ll be ‘Let’s do it!’ I know Fort Wayne is crazy about football.”

Would Fort Wayne be crazy about women’s football? I don’t know and neither does the NWFA, which is why attendance at the tryouts will determine whether a Fort Wayne team moves past the curiosity stage. - NFL Football -

Lening said the league would like a Fort Wayne team to debut in spring 2007, with some possible exhibition games when the league opens its 2006 season next April. The league runs April through July.

It takes time, Lening said, to build a roster from scratch and find an owner. The Fort Wayne franchise will initially be operated by the league, tapping the local community for players and coaches. Prospective buyers would need $35,000, payable in installments, to purchase the team.

Lening expects that once players arrive, an owner will follow.

It’s kind of a “build it and they will buy,” approach. - NFL Football -

People come to the tryouts and see the prospects “and fall in love with them and want to make it happen,” Lening said. “You just see so much dedication and willingness to learn.”

Coaches from the Toledo Spitfire will run the tryouts, which are open to women at least 18 years old. A $35 tryout fee and proof of insurance is required. Most players are 27-32 years old, Lening said, but women up to age 50 play in the league. The league includes teams from almost all parts of the country, from Maine to California, but teams play most of their games within their own general region.

A lack of experience doesn’t disqualify anyone from playing, since most players had no opportunity to play in high school. - NFL Football -

Lening joked that some tryouts begin with a coach saying “This is a football.”

“They don’t need to know how to play football,” Lening said. “They just need to want to learn. We’ll teach them everything.” - NFL Football -

Fort Wayne’s most notable foray into professional or semi-pro women’s sports was the Daisies of the All-American Girls Baseball League in the 1940s and 1950s. An attempt to launch pro volleyball in 1999 failed to take off. The Fort Wayne Fever soccer team consists solely of amateurs.

Can semi-pro women’s football find its niche?

It depends on how many women feel the urge to hit the ground running, and run the grounds hitting.

2005-09-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

NFL, state discuss Superdome damage from Hurricane Katrina

Bloomberg News and The Associated Press

The NFL and Louisiana officials are trying to determine if hurricane damage to the Louisiana Superdome might affect the New Orleans Saints' regular-season home opener against the New York Giants on Sept. 18.

Two sections of the 30-year-old stadium's roof were blown away by Hurricane Katrina on Monday as more than 10,000 people sought shelter inside.

NFL spokesman Michael Lipman said in a telephone interview yesterday that the league is monitoring the situation and will continue to be in contact with Saints' officials before making a decision about the game.

The NFL Network, without citing the source of its information, reported the Saints would be able to play at the Superdome on Sept. 18.

Although the roof and water leaks will require repair, Gov. Kathleen Blanco said that an engineer had checked the dome and found it sound.

Possible alternatives to the Superdome for the home opener include Louisiana State's stadium in Baton Rouge and Reliant Stadium in Houston.

The Saints left New Orleans on Sunday, moving their practices and football staff to San Jose State in California in advance of tomorrow's exhibition game against Oakland. After the game, the Saints will head to San Antonio.

College games postponed

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana State postponed its scheduled football game Saturday night against North Texas because of the hurricane.

"The events of yesterday and this morning have made it clear that this is not the time to play a football game," LSU athletic director Skip Bertman said. "This is a dire situation that rivals any in the history of our state, and our priorities are on participating in recovery efforts."
LSU has canceled classes until Tuesday.

The Tulane-Southern Mississippi game scheduled for Sunday in Hattiesburg, Miss., has been moved to Nov. 26.

Note

• Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre spent most of the past two days waiting to hear from family members in his hometown of Kiln, Miss. The NFL star spoke to his mother, Bonita, late yesterday afternoon.

Bonita Favre told Brett that Hurricane Camille, which the family experienced in 1969, didn't compare to this one and the damage it has caused. She indicated the family home is destroyed and probably will have to be bulldozed, but the good news is that everyone in the family appears to be fine.

2005-08-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

No Mo: Clarett's NFL career over before it starts?

A thousand pardons if memory serves me incorrectly. But wasn't Maurice Clarett the guy who went to court to sue his way into theNFL, sounding as if he was so anxious to play pro football, he'd walk barefoot over hot coals at the tailgate parties?
Wasn't he the supposed victim of injustice, held back from his dream by Ohio State and the NCAA
and the NFL and all their rogues in suits?

Wasn't he the misunderstood future superstar who needed only a break from a cruel world to fulfill his stifled destiny?

Sure. That Maurice Clarett. The one the are expected to cut Tuesday, without him showing his face in a preseason game. Apparently, they had seen enough to know they had seen enough.

He got his break from the Broncos. Denver drafted him in the third round, when no other team would touch Maurice Clarett with a 10-foot tackling dummy. Presumably, coach Mike Shanahan figured he could find the right buttons to push.

Guess he's tired of looking.

He apparently didn't think much of Clarett turning a groin injury into an extended vacation from camp. NFL coaches are demanding cusses. They like their players to show up for practice. Especially one supposedly eager to win a job. Especially one given a mulligan after his times at the draft combine looked as he were dragging a house trailer.

"I just don't want to make them look stupid," Clarett told the Denver media about the Broncos.

Stupid? Perish the thought.

Clarett, with not a game played since 2002, had everything to prove, and proved none of it. A man with self-professed hunger for profootball apparently never showed much of an appetite for what is required to play it.

And so one of the era's more perplexing squanderers of talent is back on the open market, waiting on the waiver wire for the team that can finally figure out what makes him tick.

The Clarett trail has never been easy to follow. He was the gifted Buckeye freshman who spent Fiesta Bowl week castigating his school and collegefootball in general for its lack of sensitivity to social injustice.

Then he scored two touchdowns to help win the national championship.

That was his last football outing, you might recall. Followed by academic trouble, legal trouble, NCAA trouble. A messy divorce from his old school that included Clarett accusing the Buckeyes of everything short of the Lindbergh kidnapping. He might have first hurt that groin shoveling dirt on Ohio State.

The NCAA found few infractions, meaning either the investigators were blind, the Buckeyes had been able to flush all the evidence or Clarett had slandered his school in retribution.

On that cheery note, his NFL door opened. Now it is closed, as far as the Broncos are concerned. Other buyers beware, but at least Clarett will come cheap.

As for the outside world, Clarett is still the Buckeye enigma, after so many years and headlines. Where'd the talent and promise go?

But then, maybe the applause came too quickly in the first place. He was an outstanding freshman. Nothing less, and nothing more. He played 11 games. He scored 16 touchdowns. That was the beginning, and the end.

His cameo at Ohio State never provided proof of his durability. It never showed how he could handle fame or fortune or defenses set to stop him.

But he somehow transformed into a fascinating prospect by not playing. All the controversy and absence added to the mystique. Then the Broncos got a good look at him.

Apparently, they didn't find him so fascinating.

Mike Lopresti USA TODAY

2005-08-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

NCAA Football Preview - Virginia Cavaliers
From The Sports Network

2004 SEASON IN REVIEW: There was certainly a great deal of talent on the Virginia roster in 2004 and it showed at season's end, as the Cavaliers had an ACC-best five players earn First-Team honors, with a record seven Virginia players selected in the NFL Draft. While the passing game was nothing much to speak of, the rushing attack was lethal, ranking ninth nationally at 242.8 yards per game. Al Groh's fifth year could bring much of the same, as the team finished the 2004 campaign with an 8-4 overall record and a third-place (tied) finish in the ACC at 5-3. The Cavaliers won their first five games of the season a year ago, all in impressive fashion, including a 51-0 whitewashing of Akron. The team's first loss was a humiliating one in Tallahassee (36-3). The team also dropped games to powerhouse newcomers Miami and Virginia Tech down the stretch, keeping an ACC crown well out of reach. By virtue of their solid record, the Cavaliers earned their third straight bowl appearance, but fell in a close game to Fresno State in the MPC Computers Bowl, 37-34 in overtime.
2005 ANALYSIS:
OFFENSE: Although the Cavaliers lose their top tailback from a year ago, with workhorse Alvin Pearman moving on to the NFL and taking his 1,037 yards and 10 TDs with him, there is every reason to think that Virginia will once again be one of the top rushing teams in the nation. Senior tailback Wali Lundy has been explosive at times in his career in Charlottesville and is a superb duel threat out of the backfield. Last season, he rushed for 864 yards and was one the country's top scorers, reaching the end zone an amazing 17 times. Michael Johnson will also get some carries in 2005, as will quarterback Marques Hagans, who rushed for nearly 400 yards a year ago. A duel threat in his own right, Hagans completed almost 63 percent of his passes last year, for 2,024 yards and nine TDs. All-American tight end Heath Miller (41 receptions, five TDs) will surely be missed, but junior WR Deyon Williams could be ready to take center stage. The return of Ottowa Anderson, who redshirted last season, will also aid the receiving corps. The offensive front will be without All-ACC performer Elton Brown inside, but left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson turned down NFL glory for one more season in Charlottesville. Ferguson was a First-Team All-Conference selection in 2004.
DEFENSE: While there is some key personnel missing from last year's squad, there is enough returning to the field to suggest a vast improvement on the defensive side of the ball for Virginia. The leader on this side of the football is clearly Second-Team All-American Ahmad Brooks. A superstar from the very first time he stepped on campus, Brooks has not disappointed and is coming off a huge year in which he led the team in tackles (90), while finishing second in sacks (8). Fellow junior Kai Parham will again line up next to Brooks. Parham was second on the team last season with 80 tackles and nine TFLs. Senior end Brennan Schmidt is the top performer along the defensive front, as he posted 50 stops and two sacks a year ago. Cornerbacks Marcus Hamilton (54 tackles, team-high four INTs) and Tony Franklin (78 tackles, one INT) will anchor the play in the secondary.
SPECIAL TEAMS: As good a placekicker as there is in the ACC, Connor Hughes returns for his senior season. After earning All-American honors in 2003, Hughes made 17-of-24 field goals attempts last season with a long of 50 yards. Sophomore Chris Gould will handle the punting duties after taking over late and really improving the punt game for Virginia down the stretch.
OUTLOOK: The non-conference schedule for Virginia is appealing, with home games against Western Michigan and Temple, with a road trip to Syracuse on September 17th as the only real threat there. The ACC slate is always tough, but the Cavs do get Florida State, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech all in the friendly confines of Scott Stadium. The road tests will come at Maryland, Boston College, North Carolina and Miami in the season-finale. The team is saddled with playing in the Coastal Division with the Hurricanes, Hokies and Yellow Jackets, so winning a division title won't come easy. Still, with another year under his belt, Hagans has a chance to lead his team to a solid season and its fourth straight bowl game.

Scott Haynes, College Football Senior Editor

2005-08-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

A football model for staying grounded

Hearing one too many reports of football stars whining about the indignity of their multimillion-dollar contracts set me on a course for a field at Starbuck Middle School.That's where the Racine Threat practice twice a week.I didn't go there for their benefit, but for mine - to stay grounded.Otherwise, the weirdness of those reports starts to wear off. Then you start to think things like, "Come on, if that other dude's worth $10 million, this guy's getting shafted at $7 million." It's all relative, right? Yeah, relatively silly. I'll pass on the brainwashing, thanks.To step back, I fired up my pseudo-truck and went to a Threat practice Wednesday night. Coach Brett Beaugrand had invited me to check it out. - NFL Football -
Yeah, I could've gotten the same cleansing from the Racine Raiders, but we know about them already. They're a local institution. Something about the Threat, whose league is two levels below the Raiders, seemed like the right prescription.In case you missed the story one of our sports writers did last fall, I'll recap. The Threat are a semi-professional football team made up of Racine-area players who dig the game but typically didn't play much beyond high school.As I watched from the sideline, I didn't have to wait for a PR schmoe to sweet-talk players into talking to me. Nose tackle Angel Ortega generously offered to hold me for ransom if I didn't put his name in the paper. - NFL Football -
Guess he takes the team nickname seriously.He's the guy who went house to house, piling up the cash needed to rent a bus to take them to a game in Green Bay last season. Was the charter pilot sick that day? On most other road trips, the players just carpool. Always a sure sign of status, I asked them what car they drive. Some guys did drive classics. Nobody said, "Depends on the day."I gravitated toward defensive back Kerry Cook's broken-down '93 Ford Escort. Or defensive tackle Rudy Villarreal's multicolored '97 Dodge Stratus, which one guy called "the Flintstone car. - NFL Football -
"Must've done something else with their signing bonuses.Which amount to the same as their salary: zero. The guys reminded me they pay for their own jerseys, helmets and stuff, about $100 each for equipment."And nobody's represented by Drew Rosenhaus," said John Anderson, uniform guy and all-around utility player who started the team under a different name several years ago.Don't know of Rosenhaus? He's the slick agent who convinces his millionaire clients they're victims in some vast pigskin conspiracy to underpay them, then negotiates till they're slightly less whiny.Starbuck Middle School is way off his turf. - NFL Football -
"My brother's pretty much the QB, so I don't have to do any negotiating," Max Adrian said between Threat drills.Yeah, Ben Adrian did win the league MVP award, so I suppose he's earned some clout. Didn't get him out of having to help print the playbooks."If you give me five seconds every play, of course I'm gonna look good," he said.His offensive line will appreciate that. The pros can provide an unlimited supply of quotes about unselfishness, too. - NFL Football -
At least he stayed away from, "We've just got to go out and execute," or "I'm taking it one game at a time."After practice, Beaugrand asked the defensive players to come back for a quick session later in the week. One guy complained it'd be tough to cram it into his schedule, between his three jobs.How about when stars spout off on TV about putting their bodies on the line? The Threat are on their own for medical insurance. Lloyd's of London isn't on call, waiting to respond to that torn knee ligament.They're not dreaming of NFL careers. Except maybe for tailback David Williams.I'm not suggesting the networks scrap their NFL deals and flock here. A day after that practice, I was hoarse from cheering at Lambeau Field - too rabid an NFL fan to stay away longer.Still, my visit to the Threat did the job. - NFL Football -
It helped clear up the boundary between fantasy and reality. Next time a pro rookie cries disrespect or a star defends his tantrum, I'll recognize when they cross that boundary.

Mike Moore

2005-08-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Rolling Stones link with NFL

The worlds of music and football will collide this year as the legendary British band – the Rolling Stones - will partner with the NFL for a season-long campaign, it was announced today.
The Rolling Stones will help kick off the 2005 season from their “A Bigger Bang” World Tour with footage from their August 31 concert in Detroit as part of "NFL Opening Kickoff 2005" – a one-hour pregame special on Thursday, Sept. 8 leading into the season opener between the Patriots and Oakland Raiders at Gillette Stadium - a rematch of the memorable 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff “blizzard” game - NFL Football -
ABC also will feature music and video footage of The Rolling Stones throughout the 2005 season in its “Monday Night Football” promotional campaigns and in-game highlight and tease packages. The campaign will feature new music from their highly anticipated CD, A Bigger Bang, to be released on Virgin Records on Tuesday, Sept. 6, along with hits from their catalog.
The Rolling Stones’ performance in “NFL Opening Kickoff 2005” is part of a football and music celebration of the NFL’s “Road to Forty” season that will look back at the history of the Super Bowl, honor the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and down the road to Super Bowl XL, slated for Feb. 5, 2006 in Detroit on ABC. Other acts will be announced shortly.

NFLUK.com

2005-07-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

The Only Game on Campus
A deal with the NCAA gives Electronic Arts a monopoly on licensed football games. Is that good for gamers?

The latest installment of an eight-year-old franchise, NCAA Football 06 from Electronic Arts delivers just enough razzle-dazzle to camouflage the fact that its core audience likely plunked down $49.99 for a similar version a year ago. This game's best features -- highlight-reel animations, voluminous playbooks and commentary from ESPN announcers -- were on NCAA 2005. The improvements are subtle: crisper graphics and a Race for the Heisman mode (which explains why Desmond Howard is on the cover) that begins with the gamer as a recruit. After choosing a school, one can decorate a virtual dorm room with the trophies and fan mail that come with on-field success -- a new take on the rewards systems that have been standard in games for years.
If that's not what you're looking for in a college football game, tough. In April the NCAA and EA signed a six-year deal that prevents other companies from using real college teams in their games. Such arrangements are becoming common in the $1.3 billion sports-game market. Last December, EA, which also makes Madden NFL, outbid its competitors -- including Take-Two, which made NFL 2K5 -- for exclusive NFL rights. EA's five-year deal was worth more than $400 million. EA also shelled out $800 million to ESPN for the exclusive rights to its broadcasters and logo and locked up Arena Football League rights for four years. Take-Two countered with a $200 million deal with Major League Baseball that locks EA out of the baseball market. Bryan Intihar, the editor of Electronic Gaming Monthly, calls that a "minor obstacle" for EA. "Football's where the money is," he says. "Especially NFL games."
Exclusivity deals are a boon for the leagues; the NFL doubled its game licensing revenue this year. Whether EA's massive outlays pay off won't be known until after the new Madden hits shelves on Aug. 9. Its competition will be knockoff titles, most notably Midway's Blitz: The League, which is reminiscent of ESPN's Playmakers -- players cheat, gamble and do drugs. And just because there are no NFL stars doesn't mean there won't be some recognizable players. Blitz has a team called the Atlanta Redhawks, who have a quarterback called Ron Mexico, whose athleticism brings to mind Michael Vick. "Will these games take away from the sales of the legit titles?" says Intihar. "Probably not." But they should push the exclusive-rights holders to keep improving their titles every year -- something EA could have done a little better with NCAA Football 06.

Adam Duerson

2005-07-18T08:49:00.000-07:00

Collinsworth goes to NBC
Commentator will be studio analyst on Sunday night

NEW YORK (AP) -- Cris Collinsworth will leave Fox to become a studio analyst and co-host of NBC's Sunday Night Football, which will begin during the 2006 NFL season.
It will be the second stint with NBC for Collinsworth, the former Cincinnati wide receiver, who was with the network from 1990-96.
Last season, Collinsworth was an analyst along with Troy Aikman on Fox's lead game telecast team with Joe Buck doing play-by-play. Collinsworth joined Fox in 1998 as a studio analyst and also has worked on HBO's "Inside the NFL."
He played for the Bengals from 1981-88.
Under its new contract with the NFL, NBC will have a one-hour studio show before the game telecast, which will start shortly after 8 p.m. on the East Coast.

Associated Press.

2005-07-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

Stram was the happy warrior, and NFL Films proves it

For the last week, "The NFL Network," the cable television station, has been running the famous film of Hank Stram at work in Super Bowl IV. That's the one that followed Stram up and down the sideline in New Orleans' old Tulane Stadium as he urged his players to "matriculate the ball up the field, boys," cackling away as his underdog Kansas City Chiefs pounded the Minnesota Vikings.
Stram died last week at age 82, so the film is a perfect goodbye to the man who was pro football's happy warrior.
When Lamar Hunt founded the American Football League along with fellow Texan Bud Adams in the fall of 1959, his Dallas Texans' franchise found itself confronted by an immediate rival in the Cowboys. The established NFL, which had resisted expansion for a decade, quickly expanded into Dallas in an attempt to kill the new league where it began.
The Texans and Cowboys sought to hire the same coach, Tom Landry, the old Texas Longhorn standout who was offensive coach of the New York Giants (they didn't call them coordinators in those days). Landry chose the Cowboys, and the Texans were left without much of an option. Hunt was a graduate of Southern Methodist University and was fascinated by a man who had been an assistant coach there a few years previously. That's how Stram, who spent a dozen years as a college aide, got his first job as a head coach.
Years later, someone asked him why he always seemed to be so happy.
"I married the only girl I ever loved and I got the only job I really wanted," he said.
The Texans, who moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs in 1963, were always in the same division as the Chargers, so for years Stram matched wits with Sid Gillman, father of the modern pro passing game. He wasn't overmatched. Stram designed the moving pocket and the double-tight end formations so common today. His triple-stack defense was a variation of defenses used by Bud Wilkinson at the University of Oklahoma. He was an innovator, but like many top football coaches also a borrower and a reviser.
Hunt's organization was full of talented people, including super scout Don Klosterman, who provided him with the material to build two Super Bowl teams. But Stram's rehabilitation job on quarterback Lenny Dawson was the key to the success of the franchise.
Stram had been Dawson's quarterback coach at Purdue. Pittsburgh made Dawson the fourth pick in the college draft in 1957. Buddy Parker became coach of the Steelers that year, and in 1958 dealt for the quarterback who won championships for him in Detroit, Bobby Layne. Like a lot of young quarterbacks in the 12-team NFL of the '50s, Dawson wasted away on the bench. Parker dealt Dawson to Cleveland, but the Browns had finally stabilized their quarterback situation in their post-Otto Graham period, so he sat again. Stram kept in touch with Dawson and suggested the quarterback petition Paul Brown, the Browns' coach-GM, about obtaining his release. Surprisingly Brown, an old friend of Stram's, freed Dawson.
Brown also warned Stram, "Hank, he's not the player you had at Purdue. His arm isn't as strong as it was, and he's lost his confidence."
Stram threw himself into Dawson's rehab, correcting flaws that had developed in Dawson's passing mechanics and reinforcing his confidence. In his first season in the AFL, 1962, he led the then-Texans to the league championship.
After Stram's Chiefs had been beaten, 35-10, by Green Bay in Super Bowl I, the Packers' Vince Lombardi gave a brutally candid assessment of the vanquished: "Dallas is a better team. Kansas City is a good team, but they don't even rate with the better teams in our division. There, that's what you wanted me to say, wasn't it?"
Will McDonough of the Boston Globe was at the Lombardi news conference, and when he came into the Chiefs' dressing room, he told Stram about Lombardi's words.
"Vince didn't say that, did he Will?" said a stunned Stram. "Vince is a friend of mine. Tell me he didn't say that."
Seven months later, the AFL teams were playing NFL teams in exhibition games for the first time. Kansas City entertained the Chicago Bears, "one of the better teams" in Lombardi's division. The honor of the AFL was at stake. The Chiefs bludgeoned the Bears, 66-24. George Halas, the Bears' owner and coach who virtually invented the NFL, left the field with tears in his eyes.
When the Chiefs were preparing to play the Vikings in Super Bowl IV, Ed Sabol, founder of NFL Films, visited Stram's hotel room to pitch the idea of wiring Hank for sound during the game. "I've got a better idea, Ed," said Stram. "Why don't you go over to the Vikings' hotel and ask Bud Grant to do it?" Sabol, knowing what makes a great film, wanted the animated and chatty Stram. It was a master stroke.
That's what we've been seeing on the NFL Network for the last week, Stram on the day the sporting public finally accepted the AFL as equal with its bitter rival.

LARRY FELSER

2005-07-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

NFL: Stram changed the game

Breaking the mold from the staid, predictable style that NFL teams played for 40 years, Stram devised wrinkles that produced three AFL titles and two Super Bowl appearances for the Chiefs/Texans franchise.
"I don't know if there is anything ever new in football, but we were doing things in the '60s that teams are doing now," said Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson. "Hank came up with so many new twists and doesn't get the credit he deserves.
"He wasn't afraid to try things. Back in those days, guys didn't try anything. They pretty much stayed with what the Green Bay Packers or New York Giants were doing. Well, Hank decided let's do some things different. We were playing the West Coast offense before it was the West Coast offense."
Stram, who died Monday at age 82, created the "Offense of the '70s" with a moving pocket as a way to keep mammoth defensive linemen such as San Diego's Ernie Ladd and Earl Faison away from Dawson.
He came up with the Tight I Formation, lining up the tight end behind the quarterback and shifting to one side or the other, creating a moment of indecision for the defense. He created the Triple Stack defense, putting tackles Curley Culp and Buck Buchanan over the center, which disguised the front and enabled Culp to manhandle undersized Vikings center Mick Tingelhoff in one of the key matchups of Super Bowl IV.
And Stram deployed zone defenses in the early 1960s as a way to combat the wide-open passing games of the AFL when teams were loath to defend receivers in anything but man-to-man coverage.
Stram attributed that defense to the Texans' intercepting five passes in the 1962 AFL championship win over Houston.
Stram also was one of the first coaches to devote more than cursory attention to special teams and weight training.
After the Chiefs won the AFL championship in 1966 but lost to Green Bay in the first Super Bowl, Stram hired a strength coach, Alvin Roy, and introduced a weight-lifting program, long before weight training became a routine practice.
"We didn't have people who lifted weights," Dawson said, "so the guy Hank had to convince was me. I was the quarterback, and the rest of the players would follow my lead. Hank had to do the sell job on me, and frankly I don't know how he did it because I didn't lift anything over 12 ounces. He said he had to have me (lift weights) for the good of the team.
"I said, 'You expect me to lift the same weights as Ed Budde and Buck Buchanan and those guys?' He said, 'Oh, no, yours will be much lighter. But you still have to go through the program with the rest of them. Hank was a great salesman,."

Randy CovitzKnight Ridder Newspapers

2005-06-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

Bengals release former NIU quarterback

DeKALB - He wanted to control the controllable.

That was former Northern Illinois quarterback Josh Haldi's motto after signing with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Watch film, lift weights, study the playbook and throw the football until his arm got tired. That was the controllable. The uncontrollable came on Tuesday morning.

Haldi was cut by the Bengals after signing a free agent contract on April 28th.

He was the odd man out in a numbers game following Cincinnati's signing of former Chicago Bears and Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel earlier this month. The Bengals elected not to bring five quarterbacks to training camp. The Bengals currently have Carson Palmer, Jon Kitna, Casey Bramlet and Krenzel on the depth chart at quarterback.

Krenzel started five games for the Bears last year, and Bramlet strengthened his position on the depth chart following a successful stint in NFL Europe.
"The handwriting was on the wall when they signed Krenzel," Haldi said. "I'll just play it by ear for the next couple of weeks. I'm going to stay positive and continue to work."
Haldi was informed of the roster move on Saturday, one day after P.J. Fleck's "Live Your Dreams" scholarship fundraiser. An assistant called Haldi and said the move was pending with Krenzel passing his physical, which he did on Tuesday. A player personnel worker and head coach Marvin Lewis called Haldi on Tuesday.

"We'll see what happens in the future," Haldi said. "Craig and Casey had more experience than I did. It's the NFL. There will always be competition. You have to compete and beat somebody out. I understand and realize that. The NFL is the best of the best. I'm just going to stay positive and try and get better."

The Ohio native benefitted from his two-month NFL experience, taking all the reps in Cincinnati's three-day rookie camp.

"I got a crash course in the NFL during rookie camp," he said. "That was great. I liked that a lot."

Haldi also participated in the veteran camp, and even played in Palmer's golf tournament. He became friends with Palmer, who won the 2002 Heisman Trophy and was the first pick of the 2003 NFL Draft.

"Carson's such a laid-back guy," Haldi said. "I have so much respect for that guy. He's an awesome guy and it was a pleasure to meet him and his wife."

Haldi's immediate plans include working out in Cleveland and Rolling Meadows, moving out of his DeKalb apartment and enjoying a family vacation in Wisconsin. His plans also include to gain five pounds from his 215-pound frame.

Haldi relinquished a spring internship with PricewaterhouseCooper in order to pursue his NFL dream. The experience from his first foray into the NFL and the recent success of several former teammates has caused Haldi to rethink his short-term goals.
"I've created enough support and connections that I think I can go back," Haldi said of his internship. "I'm not going to walk away from football until I know 100 percent it won't work out for me. I don't give 50 percent in anything I do. I'll give football 100 percent and see what happens."

By Bobby Narang - Chronicle Sports Staff

Nfl Football Photo

2005-06-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

Nfl Football Photo
NFL

As week two of the Chiefs' search for a cornerback began Monday, Ashley Ambrose emerged as the realistic favorite, and Ty Law kept his spot somewhere high on the speed dial. Coach Dick Vermeil said Monday night that the Chiefs are "very interested" in Ambrose, a 13-year veteran who worked out in Kansas City late last week. The holdup, at least in part, is Law, the Pro Bowl corner who visited the Chiefs in March and is still on the market. The Chiefs want Law if he will sign for a dramatically reduced price. But Law, who just began making cuts on his surgically repaired foot, reportedly wants big money. "The thought is to play the whole scenario out," Vermeil said, "and the scenario does include a final evaluation of Ty Law in terms of what is actually going to happen from a financial standpoint.
--The Kansas City Star - Nfl Football

Former Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law indicated the Dolphins would like to have him visit a second time but made it sound as if the chances of him playing for Miami were remote, at best.
--Miami Herald - Nfl Football

After releasing free safety Lance Schulters earlier this month, the Titans plan on locking up his replacement, Lamont Thompson, to a long-term deal in the near future. Titans General Manager Floyd Reese said yesterday he has received a proposal from Thompson's agent and will start the negotiating process later this week.
--Nashville Tennessean - Nfl Football

The hands on Byron Leftwich's NFL-quarterback growth clock are approaching the midnight hour. When the alarm goes off, say, on Sept. 11 when the Jacksonville Jaguars open their 2005 season at home against Seattle, there will be little room for Leftwich to make the mistakes considered normal for a rookie or second-year quarterback. He will have crossed over to veteran territory, an area in which fans and coaching staffs expect near-flawless execution from their offensive leaders. And with the team's new offense and a beefed-up receiving corps, Leftwich should have all the tools he needs for a breakout season this fall. Whether through media questions or directions from his coaches, Leftwich is reminded almost daily of this fact. A large portion of the team's success -- or failure -- for the upcoming season will rest on his shoulders. No problem. "My expectations for myself are higher than anything others put on me," said Leftwich, who was the seventh overall pick in the 2003 draft. "Nobody on this team allows outsiders to put pressure on us that we don't already put on ourselves."
--The Orlando Sentinel - Nfl Football

Martin Gramatica underwent surgery last week to fix a problem that his brother said had been bothering the former Bucs place- kicker for more than two years. The procedure repaired tears in Gramatica's lower adductor and lower abdomen, both on the right side. Gramatica was referred to specialist William Meyer in Philadelphia by international soccer star Marcello Balboa. The injury is common in soccer players. ``It has been a problem for him for about 2 1/2 years,'' said Gramatica's brother, Bill. ``But you've never heard Martin complain, and he never used it as an excuse. People knew he was hurt, though.'' Gramatica signed with the Indianapolis Colts a week after the Bucs released him. He became a free agent when the season ended.
--The Tampa Tribune - Nfl Football

The Titans are still only in the beginning stages in trying to extend center Justin Hartwig, a restricted free agent who was tendered at the first-round level of $1.43 million. Agent Drew Rosenhaus, who recently replaced Tom Mills as Hartwig's agent, said, "We're still in the process of talking with Floyd about an extension. Right now, we're still at a very early stage."
--The Nashville City Paper - Nfl Football

Packers QB Brett Favre, at brettfavre.com, on how his surname came to be pronounced "farve": "Where I grew up [in Mississippi] ... some spelled it Favre, others Farve. Somewhere along the line, someone probably was on a little moonshine and wrote it down wrong."
--Seattle Times - Nfl Football

It surprised nobody who knows Warrick Dunn to learn that he was in something of a hurry Monday as he was honored by The Sporting News as the, "No. 1 Good Guy." The Falcons running back often seems to have somewhere else to be, more places to flash his smile, someone else to help. Like most NFL players, Dunn aimed to get out of town to enjoy little down time before training camp ramps up in a month.
--The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Nfl Football

The Jets signed former linebackers Mo Lewis and Marvin Jones yesterday so they can retire as members of the team. Lewis and Jones were released in March 2004 and never signed with another team. They officially will retire today and will be honored at a home game during the upcoming season. "The Jets are proud that Mo and Marvin are retiring as New York Jets," general manager Terry Bradway said. "It's rare today to have one player play his entire career with one team, and in this instance, the Jets have two and it's a tribute to both gentlemen."
--The New York Times - Nfl Football

It's going to be interesting to watch Ben Roethlisberger handle his fame. So far, he and his people have been cautious, limiting his endorsements and public appearances. For each time they have said yes to Big Ben's Beef Jerky or to David Letterman or the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational, they probably have said no to dozens of offers. That's encouraging. If Roethlisberger pursued all of his opportunities, he wouldn't have time to get ready for the football season. The demands on Roethlisberger will increase if he and the Steelers continue to have success. He's just 24. As he gets older and matures, it's nice to think he'll be able to gracefully walk the fine line between football and, as Navratilova called it, a second career.-
-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Nfl Football

Pittsburgh Steelers broadcast legend Myron Cope, who last week retired after 35 years in the booth, has been selected as the winner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award.
--New York Daily News