SportsFanZCentral

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:02:00 +0000

LSU Good To Go For Saturday in Tiger Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:29:00 +0000

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)—LSU has scheduled its return to Tiger Stadium on Saturday night to host North Texas, one week after postponing its game with Troy because of Hurricane Gustav.

LSU officials say they are confident that Tiger Stadium will ready by the weekend, but wanted to make sure the area would not be threatened by Hurricane Ike.

On Wednesday, Ike appeared to be headed for the Texas coast.

Hurricane Gustav had caused damage to the campus in Baton Rouge, forcing the postponement against Troy.

Saints WR Marques Colston Out 4-6 Weeks With Thumb Injury

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:25:00 +0000

NEW ORLEANS (AP)—Marques Colston, the New Orleans Saints’ top receiver during the past two seasons, had surgery on his left thumb and will miss four to six weeks.

Colston said he had a torn ligament resulting from a play Sunday when he reached forward to make a catch while taking a helmet-first hit to his hands from Ronde Barber.

“I don’t know if my thumb just got caught in an awkward position. It just bent all the way backward,” said Colston, who was wearing a cast over his left hand. “I guess the only silver lining is that I’m going to have a chance to come back and play a good portion of the season and hopefully be back in time for that playoff push.”

Colston tried to continue playing with the injury during the Saints’ 24-20 victory over Tampa Bay, but finished with only three catches for 26 yards. He made one catch after the injury.

Colston was a seventh-round draft choice out of Hofstra in 2006. At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, he provides quarterback Drew Brees a big target and emerged as one of Brees’ favorite receivers during his rookie year. Colston went on to compile 2,241 yards receiving for 19 touchdowns in his first two seasons.

His 168 catches are more than any NFL receiver has had through only two seasons. During the summer, Colston agreed to a three-year contract extension that could keep him in New Orleans through the 2011 season.

“It’s tough, especially when you lose a guy as productive as him,” Brees said after Wednesday’s practice. “But there’s always an opportunity for a younger guy to step up or guys that might not get as much playing time ordinarily to step up and contribute even more.

“I’m confident with all our guys. However we piece it together, whoever is on the field knows what to do and they know they’ll get their opportunities.”

Most of Brees’ 343 yards and all three of his touchdown passes in the victory over Tampa Bay involved receivers other than Colston.

How much tougher it is for other receivers to get open without Colston drawing double coverage remains to be seen. But the Saints also have a new receiving threat in tight end Jeremy Shockey, who made his debut last Sunday with six catches for 54 yards, including a drive-extending 10-yard catch on third down that set up a field goal.

“It was good for him to come out and play as many snaps as he did and make six catches, some of them very big, and third-down conversions,” Brees said. “Certainly, he’s a guy I’m not going to shy away from for any reason even if we haven’t gotten as much time together as we hoped we would have through training camp, the preseason and such.”

Colston’s absence is expected to open the way for Robert Meachem to dress for a regular-season game for the first time since being drafted in the first round a year ago. New Orleans visits Washington on Sunday.

“You see the smile on my face? It’s a dream come true,” Meachem said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make my teammates and coaches proud and so my family back home can hold their heads high.”

Meachem, who had a solid preseason that included a 60-yard touchdown and a 49-yard catch, was not sure why he was left off the active roster in the opener. The active receivers in the game were Colston, David Patten, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson and Terrance Copper. Copper and Moore both also play on special teams.

“Coach, he felt comfortable with the five guys who were at receiver. He’s been in the league a long time, so he knows what he’s doing. I didn’t second-guess that,” Meachem said. “Being a competitor, I wanted to be out there. It hurt not being out there, but we got the victory.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AlM6xYAp1U9lujw6gVNg1_05nYcB?slug=ap-saints-colstonout&prov=ap&type=lgns

Tom Brady Out For Season

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:59:00 +0000

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)—The New England Patriots have come back from injuries before, winning three Super Bowls and reaching a fourth despite losing Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour, Junior Seau and Drew Bledsoe.

Now they will try to do it without Tom Brady.

The 2007 NFL Most Valuable Player will miss the entire ‘08 season with a left knee injury that needs surgery, the team said Monday. That leaves the Patriots without one of the game’s great quarterbacks and severely damages their hopes of a return trip to the Super Bowl.

Coach Bill Belichick would not say what the injury is, but the play, Brady’s reaction and the prognosis all point toward a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

“As a team we all just have to do our jobs. That really doesn’t change,” Belichick said Monday, a day after Brady’s knee collapsed under him when he was hit by Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard in a 17-10 victory over Kansas City. “He played one position, he played it very well. We have somebody else playing that position now.”

The Patriots issued a one-paragraph statement that the two-time Super Bowl MVP will have surgery and be placed on injured reserve. That leaves them in the hands of a backup who’s barely been tested—in part because of Brady’s 128-game starting streak that was the third-longest for a quarterback in NFL history.

Matt Cassel, who guided New England to its 20th consecutive regular-season victory after Brady was hurt, will start Sunday at the New York Jets. It will be the first meaningful start since high school for Cassel, who backed up Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at Southern Cal and spent the last three years holding a clipboard for Brady.

“I’m not trying to be Tom Brady. I’m just trying to be Matt Cassel,” he said when subbing for Brady on his regular weekly radio show. “I don’t know where that’s going to take us.”

Brady took the Patriots to three NFL titles since 2001 and led them to a perfect record in the regular season last year before a loss in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants deprived them of a fourth championship and an unprecedented 19-0 season. They had been favored to return—before Brady’s injury.

“We’re not going to tank it the rest of the season. That’s not going to happen,” defensive lineman Richard Seymour said in a somber and nearly empty Patriots locker room. Seymour was across from where Brady’s locker remained stocked with equipment and personal items. “There’s always a way to win. We’re not going to have a lot of excuses about it.”

Even without Brady, the Patriots remain a team stocked with veterans in a mediocre division, and with one of the most successful coaches in NFL history.

“The leadership on this team will take care of itself,” offensive lineman Matt Light said. “I expect (Cassel) to do his job, and that’s the same thing he expects from each one of us. There’s nobody on this team that we don’t have confidence in. You can’t have a better mentor than Tom Brady.”

The Patriots have just two quarterbacks on the roster: Cassel and rookie Kevin O’Connell. Matt Gutierrez, who signed as an undrafted free agent before the 2007 season and has thrown one career pass, was released in the final cutdowns before the season.

But Belichick denied media reports that out-of-work quarterbacks Chris Simms and Tim Rattay were headed to Foxborough to take physicals or to audition.

“In spite of what some people are putting out there, we haven’t worked out anybody,” he said. “We had a lot of people call us, I can tell you that.”

For now, Cassel is his starter.

“I’m happy for his opportunity to have a chance to play,” said Leinart, who, ironically, is now a backup with the Arizona Cardinals. “I’m bummed for Tom. You just hope he can heal as well as he can and get back out there as soon as he can. But Matt will step up. I think he’ll be all right.”

Pollard, who apologized to Brady immediately after the play, said Monday that it was a normal play and prayed for Brady’s speedy recovery.

“I can’t change what happened,” he said. “As soon as the play happened, I said, `Oh, man.’ When I heard him scream, I knew it was serious.”

While not calling Pollard’s play dirty, Belichick said his players are taught to hit quarterbacks between the knees and shoulders. Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork complained that he was penalized and fined for a hit similar to Pollard’s, but league spokesman Greg Aiello said supervisor of officials Mike Pereira determined it was legal.

“It is not a foul because the defensive player was coming off and affected by a block by the offense,” Aiello said.

A former fourth-stringer who was the 199th overall selection in the 2000 draft, Brady himself took over at quarterback when Bledsoe sustained a life-threatening chest injury in a 2001 game against the New York Jets. Brady led the Patriots to their first NFL title that year, another in 2003 and another in 2004.

Belichick said comparing this season to 2001 was like comparing “apples to grapefruit.”

But Patriots players cited that experience as proof they could do it again.

“Everybody here understands that things like this happen; they’ve happened before,” Light said. “I feel good about this football team.”

Brady missed the entire preseason with an unspecified foot injury, then left the season opener 7:33 into the first quarter. After being tended to on the field, Brady walked off, limping, between two trainers. He went to the locker room and wasn’t seen on the sideline again.

“We feel badly for Tom about the injury,” Belichick said Monday. “You hate to see anyone go down. No one has worked harder or done more for this team than Tom has.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Agb7JDsC4XKJM9DUiCA3gC05nYcB?slug=ap-patriots-bradyout&prov=ap&type=lgns

UFC 88: Breakthrough Results

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:48:00 +0000

- Ryo Chonan def. Roan Carneiro via Split Decision (3rd round)
- Jason MacDonald def. Jason Lambert via submission (rear naked choke, 1:20 of 2nd round)
- Tim Boetsch def. Michael Patt via TKO (strikes, 2:03 of 1st round)
- Kurt Pallegrino def. Thiago Tavares via Unanimous Decision (3rd round)
- Dong Hyun Kim def. Matt Brown via Split Decision (3rd round)
- Nate Marquardt def. Martin Kampmann via KO (strikes, 1:22 of 2nd round)
- Dan Henderson def. Rousimar Palhares via Unanimous Decision (3rd round)
- Rich Franklin def. Matt Hamill via KO (body kick, 0:39 of 3rd round)
- Rashad Evans def. Chuck Liddell via KO (punch, 1:49 of 1st round)

NFL Opening Day News

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:09:00 +0000

Branch out for Seattle, Locklear unlikely to Play

RENTON, Wash. (AP)—The return of Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Deion Branch is going to wait at least a week.

Branch was ruled out of Seattle’s season opener at Buffalo by coach Mike Holmgren on Friday. Branch was trying to get back in time for the opener just seven months after having major reconstructive surgery on his left knee.

But Branch was very limited in practice this week, only participating in a few snaps of team drills on Friday and did not appear close to full speed.

“The process there is getting him to feel good about where he is at,” Holmgren said before the team departed for Buffalo.

Branch tore the ACL in his left knee during January’s NFC divisional playoff loss in Green Bay. He was hurt running a routine route early in the Seahawks’ 42-20 loss.

Typical recovery time for that type of injury is a minimum of nine months. Had Branch been able to play on Sunday, it would have been seven months to the day of his surgery.

“Next week (he can try) a little bit more and maybe get him into some competitive things,” Holmgren said. “At some point he has to do that just so he knows he can do that. That’s the big hurdle now.”

The sooner Branch can return, the better for Seattle’s thin, inexperienced receiving group. Bobby Engram could be out into October with a broken shoulder. Nate Burleson (50 catches last season) and Courtney Taylor (five catches) will start against the Bills with Logan Payne and Jordan Kent—both practice squad players last year—the Nos. 3 and 4 receivers in Holmgren’s offense. Holmgren has also said using backup quarterback Seneca Wallace is an option if needed.

“I’m expecting a lot of the young guys. It’s very, very important that they play well,” Holmgren said. “It’s as unusual a situation at that position as I have ever had.”

Holmgren also said it’s unlikely that starting right tackle Sean Locklear will play. Locklear is listed as doubtful for the game and has been bothered by a left knee injury for a few weeks. Ray Willis would start in Locklear’s place.

The Seahawks were also preparing special arrangements for left guard Mike Wahle to make the game in Buffalo. His wife gave birth to the couple’s second child Friday morning—a boy named Maddox—and Wahle joined his teammates for the final few minutes of practice. Wahle was greeted by an ovation and handshakes from his fellow offensive linemen, and Holmgren believed he would be traveling with the team Friday afternoon.

“I didn’t expect him to come to practice,” Holmgren said.

Terrance Newman Questionable For Dallas

IRVING, Texas (AP)—Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman is listed as questionable for the season opener at Cleveland.

Newman’s uncertain status on Friday’s injury report was another sign that Adam Jones may make his Dallas debut as a starter on Sunday. It will be Jones’ first NFL game since the 2006 season.

Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said this week that Jones would start if Newman wasn’t in the lineup.

Newman missed nearly all of training camp, and the entire preseason, while dealing with a slightly torn groin muscle. He returned to practice last week and was listed as limited participation going through drills Friday.

49ers QB Alex Smith Doubtful

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP)—The San Francisco 49ers added quarterback Alex Smith to their injury report Saturday, listing him as doubtful for Sunday’s game against Arizona with another problem in his surgically repaired right shoulder.

Shaun Hill will be the backup against the Cardinals.

The 49ers didn’t specify what was wrong with Smith, only saying the injury occurred without contact during practice Friday. Smith, the former No. 1 overall draft pick, was expected to back up J.T. O’Sullivan, who beat out Smith for the starting job in training camp.

“He will be consulting with his surgeon in Birmingham for treatment recommendations,” coach Mike Nolan said in a statement. “At this time there are no specifics to the injury or a timetable.”

Dr. James Andrews performed surgery on Smith in Alabama in December, about 2 1/2 months after Smith’s shoulder was separated on a sack by Seattle’s Rocky Bernard. Smith attempted to play through the injury but struggled and eventually went on injured reserve in mid-November while trading public jabs with Nolan about the severity of his injury.

Running back Michael Robinson, the former Penn State quarterback, is likely to be the No. 3 quarterback.

OT Jason Peters Ends Holdouts Joins Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP)—Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters has ended his holdout and reported to the team.

Bills spokesman Scott Berchtold said Peters reported Saturday and that questions about his physical and roster status won’t be answered until after Sunday’s home game against Seattle. Peters won’t play against the Seahawks.

Peters declined to talk to reporters. He had offseason surgery to repair a sports hernia and is required to pass a team physical. He has three years left on his contract but began his holdout this spring in an attempt to force the Bills into restructuring his deal.

Check out the Forum

SportsForFanz@yahoo.com (Sports For Fanz) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:29:00 +0000

Click Fan Mania Forun on the side bar or click HERE. I'm still updating the forums and trying to purchase a domain to complete the forum. If anyone is interested in Being a mod or admin on the forums please contact me at sportsforfanz@yahoo.com. Mods and Admins will be rewarded for dedicated services. Thanks and comments and feedback is always welcome.

OK City Thunder Logo Leak(Not Official)

SportsForFanz@yahoo.com (Sports For Fanz) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:17:00 +0000

According to The Oklahoma City NBA Sports Blog this could possibly be the NBA's Newest franchise.

Jaguars Player critically wounded

SportsForFanz@yahoo.com (Sports For Fanz) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:11:00 +0000

Article courtesy of NFL.com (Click for full article)

Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier was shot and critically wounded outside an apartment building early Tuesday as he and a former Jacksonville teammate waited for two women they had met at a nightclub, authorities said.

Richard Collier, OT Jacksonville Jaguars Career Statistics: Years: 3G/GS: 8/1
Collier, 26, and former Jaguars defensive end Kenneth Pettway were waiting in a Cadillac Escalade when a gunman fired into the vehicle, said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesman Ken Jefferson. Collier was shot several times, but it wasn't clear where he was hit.

My thoughts: My prayers go out to Richard and his family.

Updated NFL Transactions

SportsForFanz@yahoo.com (Sports For Fanz) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:10:00 +0000

Last Transactions(Courtesy of NFL.com)

Detroit Lions
9/2
Rudi Johnson (RB) signed (one-year contract). Tatum Bell (RB) cut.
Atlanta Falcons
9/2
Domonique Foxworth (CB) traded (for undisclosed 2009 draft choice). Tony Taylor (LB) cut. Tony Gilbert (LB) signed/unrestricted free agent. Jason Rader (TE) cut. Justin Peelle (TE) signed/unrestricted free agent.
Carolina Panthers
9/2
Mark Jones (WR) signed/unrestricted free agent. Dominique Thompson (WR) cut.
Baltimore Ravens
9/2
Todd Bouman (QB) signed (one-year contract).
San Diego Chargers
9/1
Cory Withrow (C) Placed on IR (hamstring). Kynan Forney (G) signed. Andrew Pinnock (RB) cut. Kris Wilson (TE) signed.
New England Patriots
9/1
Deltha O'Neal (CB) signed. Jason Pociask (TE) acquired from waivers. Mark LeVoir (T) acquired from waivers. Stephen Spach (TE) cut.
Baltimore Ravens
9/1
David Pittman (CB) cut.
Green Bay Packers
9/1
Derrick Frost (P) signed. Abdul Hodge (LB) cut. Jon Ryan (P) cut.
Jacksonville Jaguars
9/1
Jamaal Fudge (S) cut. William James (CB) signed.
St. Louis Rams
9/1
Gary Stills (LB) signed. Eric Bassey (S) cut. Ricky Manning Jr. (CB) signed (one-year contract).
Oakland Raiders
9/1
Ashley Lelie (WR) signed.
Denver Broncos
9/1
Calvin Lowry (S) acquired from waivers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
9/1
Eugene Wilson (CB) cut.

Final Card for UFC 88: Breakthrough (Liddell vs. Evans)

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:15:00 +0000

By: Josh Boutwell

Preliminary Bouts:
- Don Hyun "Stun Gun" Kim vs. "The Immortal" Matt Brown
- Kurt "Batman" Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares
- Roan "Jucao" Carneiro vs. Ryo "Piranha" Chonan
- Mike Patt vs. Tim "The Barbarian" Boetsch
- "The Punisher" Jason Lambert vs. "The Athlete" Jason MacDonald

Main Card Bouts:
- Karo "The Heat" Parisyan vs. Yoshiyuki "Zenko" Yoshida
- Dan "Hendo" Henderson vs. "Toquinho" Rousimar Palhares
- Nate "The Great" Marquardt vs. "The Hitman" Martin Kampmann
- Rich "Ace" Franklin vs. Matt "The Hammer" Hammil
- "The Iceman" Chuck Liddell vs. "Sugar" Rashad Evans

That is a stacked card and one of the best all year. Also, today at noon UFC President, Dana White, has called a press conference for noon. Rumors around the internet (including Yahoo and several MMA sites) are saying that the UFC and Randy Couture have reached an agreement for him to return to the UFC, and that his first fight back will be against Brock Lesnar later this year. If this is true then that fight will quite possibly be the biggest fight in UFC or MMA history. I'll have a full report after the press conference.

Crimson Domination: Alabama Dominates Clemson In Opener!

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:33:00 +0000

Crimson Domination
By: Josh Boutwell

Growing up in the state of Alabama I was raised on Alabama football. I heard all the stories about Kenny Stabler, Joe Namath, Johnny Musso, Derrick Thomas, Cornelius Bennett, Lee Roy Jordan, and of course the legendary Bear Bryant. I heard about these men and was sitting in front of a TV set watching the Tide on Saturday's even before I could walk. I, myself, grew up on such names as Shaun Alexander, Saleem Rasheed, Antonio Langham, David Palmer, Freddie Milons, Brodie Croyle, DeMeco Ryans, Kindal Moorehead, Jay Barker, Sherman Williams, and Dwayne Rudd. I can vaguley remember sitting with my dad watching Alabama win its 12th National Championship in 1992 (at the age of 6) and remember the 1999 SEC Championship like it was yesterday, but in my 21 years as an Alabama fan the school hasn't been the dominating force that you grow up hearing the legends about. Yes, Alabama went to 5 SEC Championships (winning 2) in the 1990's and had two 10 win seasons in 2002 (where they would've won the SEC West had they not been on probation) and in 2005, but they haven't been able to turn that into consistency year in and year out or return to Championship form. Those were the goals that Nick Saban was brought in to accomplish. Last night, in front of over 70,000 fans in Atlanta's Georgia Dome he took a big step forward in doing that.

Alabama came out fighting from the start pounding Clemson on a 9-play drive that was capped off by a 54 yard FG (a career long) by Junior Kicker Leigh Tiffin. It didnt stop there either, on Clemson's second offensive play Alabama LB Cory Reamer forced Clemson freshman RB Jamie Harper to fumble and was recovered by Alabama freshman LB Don'ta Hightower. Alabama then cashed in that mistake on another FG by Leigh Tiffin, this one from 21 yards out. For a minute it seemed like Alabama's red zone troubles from the last few seasons were carrying over to 2008. That is, until Freshman RB Mark Ingram and Junior Glen Coffee pounded Alabama down to the 1 yard line where Senior QB John Parker Wilson snuck his way into the endzone to give Alabama the 13-0 lead. On Clemson's next drive they started to gain a few yards here in there with All American RBs CJ Spiller & James Davis until Alabama's defense had enough and huge NT Terrence Cody dragged Spiller down in the backfield followed by DE Brandon Deadrick sacking Clemson QB Collen Harper for an 11 yard loss. Clemson was able to cash in, though, with a 33-yard field goal to cut the lead to 13-3. John Parker Wilson then methodically lead a well balanced 14-play drive, capped off by his first passing TD of the season to TE Nick Walker. Late in the 2nd Quarter Wilson lead Alabama in the 2 minute drill and Alabama was able to extend their lead to 23-3 after another Leigh Tiffin field goal as time expired in the 1st half. CJ Spiller started the 2nd half off with a bang returning the opening kickoff 96 yards for Clemson's lone TD of the night. Alabama responded, later, with another long drive capped off by Wilson's 2nd TD pass, this time to Freshman WR Julio Jones. Again Ingram & Coffee pounded Clemson's heralded defense all the way to the red zone. Ingram then followed that up with a 2 point conversion on a sweep to the left. The remainder of the game consisted of Alabama's Running Backs pounding on Clemson's defense and Alabama's defense harassing Harper and not allowing Davis or Spiller any space to move in. Alabama finished the night with another field goal late in the 4th quarter from Leigh Tiffin. The final score was Alabama: 34, Clemson: 10. Thats right the 24th ranked team in the nation completley embarraced the 9th ranked team in the nation on national television in front of the entire football world. Senior QB John Parker Wilson has been critized his entire career on his poor decisions at times, mistakes, and flat out inconsitency. Wilson looked like a poised leader last night. He made quick, good decisions, was very accurate, and looked very comfortable. In the past when the pocket would collapse he would panic and make a mistake, last night he got rid of the ball quickly or took off on a run. Wilson has never looked as relaxed or comfortable leading the Alabama football team as he did against Clemson. If this is a sign of the season ahead for him, it could spell big trouble for the rest of the SEC. Alabama's Running Backs were really the biggest story. Mark Ingram and Glen Coffee flat out pounded Clemson's 'D' all night long, each amassing over 90 yards rushing (90 for Coffee and 97 for Ingram) on 17 carries apiece. Coffee hit the hole very hard and didnt dance around while Ingram ran through numerous tackles all night and showed not only his power but his speed as well breaking a couple of runs. Terry Grant and Roy Upchurch also saw alot of time on the field at RB, which is another reason why Alabama was able to run all over them. They continued to cycle in fresh backs while Clemson's 'D' was being worn down. The biggest reason, though? Alabama's veteran offensive line that crushed Clemson's defenisve line all night. Andre Smith and Antonio Caldwell consistently drove their men 3-5 yards off the line and John Parker Wilson was never sacked. All American Andre Smith left in the 3rd Quarter with a knee injury, but is not expected to miss anytime saying it was a mild knee sprain. Having him healthy is a big key to future success for this team this year. On the defensive side the most impressive man in Crimson was newcomer NT Terrence Cody. The near 400-lb beast was constantly in Cullen Harper's face and forced double and triples everytime he was on the field. Cody's biggest hit was when he came barreling through the line and took CJ Spiller down for a big loss on a 3rd down play. Cody was also pressuring Harper when he threw his INT in the 1st half. DE's Lorenzo Washington & Brandon Deadrick also harrased Harper all game. LB Rolando McLlain was all over the field as usual recording only 3 tackles but batting down several passes, including the tip that resulted in Marquis Johnson's INT. The secondary for Alabama was impressive as well, holding All Star WR Aaron Kelly to just 28 yards on 5 catches. Rashad Johnson was all over the field as well, recording 4 tackles and tipping several passes. Brandon Deadrick, Chavis Williams, & Charlie Higgenbothan each recorded sacks. The Bama defense held Spiller & Davis to just 20 yards rushing combined and held Clemson to 0 total rushing yards as a team, and only 188 total offensive yards. Those are staggering numbers considering Clemson was supposed to have one of the best offenses in the entire nation. Clemson also had the #9 ranked defense in the nation last year and Alabama was able to roll up 419 yards of total offense (239 rushing) against that heralded 'D'.

Last season Alabama had a few dominating first half performances like this one, but they usually found a way to lose (the Tennessee & Colorado games being the exceptions) those games by not finishing. Nick Saban has preached "FINISH!" all summer and fall camp long, and boy did Alabama finish. This team just seemed like have a swagger about themselves, not a cockiness more like a quiet confidence. It really feels like a special and different team than the Bama nation has seen in a long, long time. We won't have long to wait to see just how good this Alabama team really is. After home games against Tulane and Western Kentucky (neither games a sure thing for Alabama the last few years, but like I said I beleive this is a different Alabama team) Alabama has to travel to both Arkansas and Georgia in back to back weeks. Those 2 games will tell us alot about the 2008 Alabama Crimson Tide, and if Alabama's long awaited return to the top is in the not so distance future or not. This season should be one heck of ride, thats for sure.

NCAA 2008 Thursday Night Kickoff Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:19:00 +0000

By Josh Boutwell

Last night the NCAA kicked off the 2008 season with a slew of Thursday night games headlined by Oregon State vs. Stanford and South Carolina vs. North Carolina State played on ESPN2 and ESPN respectively. I'm going to recap the key games from the first night of NCAA football for this season here.

#23 Wake Forest: 41
Baylor: 13
Underrated Wake Forest kicked off their season with a dominating performance against the out manned Baylor squad. Wake Forest QB Riley Skinner looked unstoppable last night and hit several amazing passing en route to the blowout victory. The Demon Deacons underrated Defense also was its usual self forcing 5 turnovers and holding Baylor to 250 total yards. Skinner finished the night 27-36 for 220 yards and 3 TDs with no INTs. Neither team had much of rushing game in this one either.

Vanderbilt: 34
Miami (OH): 13
Vanderbilt was lead to victory against Miami of Ohio by QB Chris Nickson and athletic DB/KR DJ Moore in this one. More set up 2 scoring drives for the Commodores, first by making an amazing Interception early in the 1st that set up a FG and then with an electrifying 91 yard Punt Return later in the 1st QTR capped off by a 1-yard Nickson TD run. Nickson did just enough in the passing game to win, completed 9 of 16 passes for 91 yards and a TD. It was on the ground where Nickson really shined, rushing for a staggering 166 yards on 20 carries and scoring 2 rushing TDs.

Troy: 31
Middle Tennesse St: 17
The Sun Belt kicked its 2008 season off with 2 favorites from the conference doing battle. Troy was lead by RB DeJaun Harris who ran for 148 yards on 19 carries and scored 3 TDs (2 rushing, 1 receiving). New QB Jamie Hampton was effecient in his debut completing 17-28 passes for 136 yards and scored 1 TD, but was also Intercepted once. He also added 41 yards on the ground (11 carries) and a rushing TD. Middle Tennessee's QB played well despite the loss completing 20 of 32 passes for 200 yards with a TD and an INT.

Miami (FL.): 52
Charleston Southern: 7
The Hurricanes did exactly what they were supposed to do: destroy a lesser opponent. RB/KR Graig Cooper and QB Jacory Harris, who replaced suspended starter Marve, were the leaders for the 'Canes. Cooper scored 2 TDs (one rushing and one punt return), one of which was an electrifying 66 yard Punt Return for a TD. Jacory Harris completed 16-26 passes for 190 yard and a TD in the passing game while adding 22 yards and another TD on the ground. Javarris James lead the ground game rushing for 73 yards and one TD on 12 carries.

Georgia Tech: 41
Jacksonville State: 14
Former LSU QB Ryan Perrilloux's debut at Jacksonvilel State was a rough one as his Gamecocks were dismantled by the Hornets of Georgia Tech. Perrilloux finished the game with a respectful 22-37 for 136 yards and 2 TDs, but threw 2 INTs as well. He also added 67 yards on 18 carries in the running game (leading his team). Tech debuted its new Triple Option offense and it worked very well, this week. QB Josh Nesbit made his first start and ended up with 2 rushing TDs (11 carries for 60 yards), but was below average in the passing the game only completing 5 of 12 passes for 87 yards and no TDs or INTs. RB Jonathan Dwyer was the star of the game rushing for 112 yards and 2 TDs on only 11 carries.

South Carolina: 34
North Carolina State: 0
The score looks dominating but the Gamecocks were all but that for the first 3 QTRs of this game. Neither team's offense looked even average in the first 3 quarters while both defenses played well. South Carolina starting QB Tommy Beecher played horendously completing 12 of 22 passes for 106 yards, no TDs, and an embarracing 4 INTS. While Beecher was on the field the Gamecocks could not get anything going, on the ground or in the air. The Wolfpack also turned the ball over 4 times (2 INTs, 2 Fumbles) and lost their staring QB, Russell Wilson, was injured early in the game in a freigtening moment. It was later revealed that he only suffered a concusion. It wasnt until late in the 3rd QTR when QB Brad Smelley replaced Beecher that the Gamecocks got it going, partly because of the Wolfpack's defense being worn down and partly because of his effeciency. Smelley only attempted 5 passes but completed all 5 for 92 yards and 2 TDs. RB Mike Davis added 101 yards and a TD on 14 carries on the ground. All Star Kenny McKinley was able to catch 6 passes but only turned those mostly short catches into 37 yards as the Wolfpack kept him in check all game. The Wolfpack's lone offensive star was Andre Brown who ran for 101 yards on 21 carries.

Stanford: 36
Oregon State: 28
Stanford's returning RB Toby Gerhart lead Stanford to a big win over Oregon State in Thursday's most exciting game. Oregon State almost made a thrilling comeback as WR Darrell Catching was litteraly inches away from scoring a TD in the final seconds before Stanford DB Taylor Skaufel forced him to fumble at the one, sending the ball into the endzone and out of bounds: a touchback for Stanford. Gerhart made his return a memorable one rushing for 147 yards on 19 carries and scoring 2 TDs.

This Saturday's games should make for a thrilling night for College Football Fans.

LSU Moves Up Kickoff Time Due to Hurricane Gustav

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:17:00 +0000

Gustav looming, LSU moves up kickoff time Saturday

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)—LSU has moved up the kickoff time of its home opener Saturday against Appalachian State because of concerns over the approach of Tropical Storm Gustav.

A spokesman for the school’s board said Gov. Bobby Jindal’s office asked for the change from 4 p.m. to 10 a.m.

Spokesman Charles Zewe said the switch was required because of concerns over traffic, as evacuees are expected to be heading north through Baton Rouge.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-lsu-appalachianst-kickoff&prov=ap&type=lgns

NFL Reinstates Pacman Jones

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:14:00 +0000

Pacman knows he’s not through proving himself

By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP)—Adam “Pacman” Jones let out an excited scream when he got the news he had waited so long to hear.

Yet that short verbal outburst in a parking lot and a phone call to his mother were about the extent of his celebration after the cornerback-kick returner found out Thursday that he had been fully reinstated by the NFL and cleared to play this season for the Dallas Cowboys.

After missing all last season while serving his NFL suspension, Jones realizes he’s only one misstep from messing up all he has accomplished to get back on the field 20 months after playing his last game.

“I’ve been waiting for this time for a long time, but it’s not like we won a Super Bowl,” Jones said after his suspension was lifted. “I know my responsibilities to the NFL and I’m going to hold my own and do what I need to do to make sure I stay where I am right now, which is reinstated.”

Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Jones in April 2007 after an accumulation of arrests and legal problems while Jones was with the Tennessee Titans.

Jones, acquired by Dallas in April, has been arrested six times and involved in a dozen incidents requiring police intervention since Tennessee drafted him in the first round in 2005. That includes his connection to a shooting at a Las Vegas strip club.

“I work hard every day to make sure I don’t make the same mistakes,” Jones said. “Can I say I would never ever make the same mistakes? No, I can’t say that. I’ll make sure I put myself in way better situations than I have put myself in the past.”

Goodell said in June that Jones could practice and play in preseason games. But the commissioner still waited to rule whether to let Jones play in the regular season.

The news finally came hours before Dallas’ final preseason game. Jones didn’t play Thursday night against Minnesota, wearing his No. 21 jersey and shorts while on the sideline with the Cowboys starters watching the game.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an e-mail that Goodell planned no comment regarding the reinstatement.

Jones said he spoke to Aiello, but not the commissioner. The cornerback received congratulatory text messages from teammates as word of his reinstatement spread.

“Adam has worked hard to get to this point, but he also knows that there is still a lot of work ahead of him,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “He is fully aware of the opportunity that he has been given, and he knows that this is an ongoing process.”

Two weeks ago, “Pacman” sent a letter to Goodell asking to be cleared for the regular season, and saying he would stay out of trouble.

On Thursday, Jones said that includes “surrounding myself around the right people and staying out of gentlemen’s clubs, having a great relationship with God and spending more time with my family.”

Jones played in the first three preseason games, and started the third one when he was at left corner in place of injured Pro Bowler Terence Newman after rookie Mike Jenkins started the first two games. Jones had eight tackles and a pass deflection in his three games.

Newman (groin) is expected to be back for the Sept. 7 opener at Cleveland, but Jones will still be a prominent player on passing downs and special teams. Jones had punt returns of 18 and 24 yards during the preseason, and coach Wade Phillips said this week that he was considering Jones for kickoff returns because of injuries in that spot.

The Cowboys had been operating under the assumption that Jones would indeed be reinstated for the season. Jones’ involvement in different schemes increased throughout camp as he got comfortable in the system.

“We’re certainly gratified that Adam Jones is going to be with us,” Phillips said. “We planned that way, but it always could have been different. We’re glad to have him and we think he’ll do a good job for us.”

After Jones first joined the team for practice in June, he said he had owned up to his bad decisions and was focused on the future and getting back into the game for the first time since his NFL game Dec. 31, 2006.

“I think from the beginning there were a lot of critics saying that this couldn’t be done, that he couldn’t turn his life around,” said Manny Arora, Jones’ agent and attorney. “I’m very happy for Adam. He’s proven everyone wrong. He’s got a very bright personal and professional future.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=An4uKLiBg8hvUmC70_me759DubYF?slug=ap-cowboys-pacmanreinstated&prov=ap&type=lgns

De La Hoya To Fight Pacquiao!

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:12:00 +0000

Manny Pacquiao

Oscar De La Hoya

Sources: De La Hoya finishing deal with Pacquiao

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer

Oscar De La Hoya has nearly wrapped up a deal to finish his boxing career Dec. 6 against Filipino star Manny Pacquiao, two people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because any deal won’t be announced until Thursday, said De La Hoya’s long-stalled talks with Pacquiao recently revived when the sides found an acceptable way to split the possible $100 million in revenue from what’s certain to be boxing’s most lucrative fight since De La Hoya’s split-decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year.

Barring any last-minute changes of heart in a sometimes contentious negotiation, the fight will bring together boxing’s most bankable star and arguably its most talented fighter at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The deal was first reported by ESPN.com.

It hasn’t been an easy match to make. Both boxers must make physical sacrifices for the 147-pound bout, with De La Hoya dropping down to welterweight for the first time in nearly eight years while Pacquiao bulks up to the heaviest weight of his career by far.

The fighters’ camps also argued over the split of the purse, with De La Hoya angling for 70 percent while Pacquiao pursued a 40 percent cut. The resolution to this impasse wasn’t immediately clear, but should be announced Thursday.

De La Hoya (39-5-0, 30 KOs), the six-division champion and Olympic gold medalist, repeatedly has said he won’t fight again after this year. After a proposed rematch with Mayweather in September was scuttled by Mayweather’s retirement, De La Hoya has struggled to find a suitable opponent for his final bout before turning his full attention to his burgeoning promotions company and other business interests.

De La Hoya now thinks he has his man in Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs), the five-division champion widely considered the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter. Pacquiao hasn’t fought since stopping David Diaz in late June to claim the WBC lightweight title in his first fight at 135 pounds.

Pacquiao will have to move up to welterweight to fight the 5-foot-10 De La Hoya, a surprising weight surge for a 5-foot-6 fighter who began his career at 106 pounds.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s longtime trainer, has said his fighter won’t have trouble maintaining his peerless hand speed at that weight, since Pacquiao routinely puts on 10 pounds or more in the 24 hours between weighing in for his bouts and actually stepping in the ring.

De La Hoya beat Steve Forbes by unanimous decision in his most recent fight, but has won just three of his six bouts over the past five years. He considered Miguel Cotto and Sergio Mora for his farewell fight, but realized the most lucrative challenge would be Pacquiao, the relentless Filipino hero who has won eight straight fights since early 2005.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AvavpQ.cuA2xiKkbLXcGmEA5nYcB?slug=ap-delahoya-pacquiao&prov=ap&type=lgns

BIG UPDATE Shawne Merriman To Play!

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:31:00 +0000

Merriman to play on despite damaged knee

By BERNIE WILSON, AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP)—The surgeon’s knife can wait. Shawne Merriman is going to play football, two torn knee ligaments and all.

A day after visiting a fourth doctor, the San Diego Chargers’ star outside linebacker decided Wednesday to play this season rather than have his damaged left knee repaired now.

“To be as simple as possible, I just want to play football,” Merriman said. “That’s what it comes down to. I know what’s on the table, I know what’s on the line. I put a lot of work in this and I want to play.”

Merriman said late last week that he has tears in both the posterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee, which he hurt in a game at Tennessee in December. He spent several days seeking outside opinions. He returned Tuesday after seeing a doctor in Miami.

Merriman said all four doctors he saw said he needed surgery, but there “just wasn’t a time frame on that. My knee still looks pretty good. The decision was left up to me to play. If you give a football player a decision to play, you know, I’m going to play.”

When he does have surgery, he’ll be looking at a rehab of six to seven months.

“I’ll have the surgery at any point,” he said. “Nobody knows. I kind of left it on the table when to have it. Not even doctors can tell me that.”

While denying reports the situation could be career-threatening, he pledged to be “the same old Shawne Merriman. That’s what I’m hoping.”

With his nonstop energy and spasmodic sack dance, the player known as “Lights Out” has been the face of the Chargers’ defense the past three seasons. He has 39 1/2 sacks in that span, more than any other NFL player. He’s played in three straight Pro Bowls.

Right or wrong, Merriman’s decision was big for a team that has Super Bowl expectations.

Star running back LaDainian Tomlinson, knocked out of last season’s AFC championship game after aggravating a knee injury, was happy to hear Merriman will play.

“How do you tell a warrior to sit down? That’s what he is, a warrior. He’s trained for this. It’s hard to tell a guy to sit down,” Tomlinson said.

“Obviously it was a big relief for a lot of us. We all know what Shawne brings to this team, especially the defense,” the running back added. “He’s an impact player, a difference-maker. You just kept your fingers crossed that he was going to be able to play. But I think in the back of all our minds, knowing Shawne, we know what was in his heart and that he really wanted to play, and that any cost possible he was going to find a way to get out there on that field.”

As he was seeking medical advice, Merriman said he was also talking with teammates, family members and friends, as well as coaches with the Chargers and from high school and college.

“But they all know me,” he said. “It’s not a decision of anything else but me wanting to play football, and whether that’s a good decision or not, I’m going to go out and try first to see what I want to do.”

Coach Norv Turner expects Merriman to play in the opener against Carolina at home on Sept. 7.

“It is something he has put an awful lot of time into and we are going to manage it and hope he can manage it and be ready to play,” Turner said. “We are not going to put him on the field if he’s not able to go out and perform and he is not going to want to be out there if he doesn’t feel like he can perform.”

Merriman said he will continue to wear a brace on the knee, as he did last season after hurting it. He worked out on a side field on Wednesday while his teammates went through a regular practice.

Merriman had offseason arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in the knee. He said it didn’t become a problem until he started doing more and more work during training camp.

“The days he practiced out here, was going 100 percent, he looked like Shawne Merriman to me,” Turner said. “It is going to be something he has to manage. I see him going out and playing. Playing on first and second downs and playing on third downs and rushing the passer. If managing it means reducing his snaps at different times or picking specific situations where he doesn’t need to be on the field, that is what we will do.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ai5tjS8he.IjEYPW07paVdVDubYF?slug=ap-chargers-merriman&prov=ap&type=lgns

*MY 2 CENTS*
I watched the press conference/interview he gave on the situation and I really could not believe my ears. This could be a very dangerous thing for him to do. I know he says that it isnt career threatening but just the other day a report came out saying the opposite. The Chargers will come out of this looking very bad if Merriman gets hurt more and it hurts his career in the long run for allowing him to play, because in the end they have the final say. I, myself, have had knee injuries and it isn't anything to play around with. He's making a huge mistake in my opinion, but my opinion really doesn't count does it? Hopefully he has a great season and doesn't further injure himself but that is hard for me to believe will happen.

Giants Place David Tyree on PUP

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:32:00 +0000

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—Wide receiver David Tyree was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform reserve list by the New York Giants on Tuesday, meaning the player who made a game-saving catch in the Super Bowl won’t be making any for at least the first six weeks of the season.

Tyree, whose spectacular one-handed catch against his helmet sparked the Giants’ late game-winning drive against the previously unbeaten New England Patriots, has not practiced since training camp opened in July because he is rehabilitating a surgically repaired right knee. He had surgery in May.

The Giants can take Tyree off the PUP list any time from the first day after the sixth week of the season until the last day of the ninth week. Once he is taken off the list, he has 21 days to either be activated or he is finished for the season.

The move was expected with the Giants set to open the season at home against Washington a week from Thursday.

“At one point I argued with the decision, but I am still about three weeks away,” Tyree said. “I have been running routes and I have not had any drawbacks which is good.”

Tyree had four catches for 35 yards and no touchdowns in 12 regular-season games last season. He added four catches for 47 yards and a TD (in the Super Bowl) in the postseason.

The one everyone remembers was in the fourth quarter of the title game.

Eli Manning somehow escaped the clutches of would-be sackers and heaved a pass 32 yards downfield that Tyree snares, pinning it against his helmet while falling to the ground with safety Rodney Harrison draped all over him.

The Giants on Tuesday also waived receiver Michael Jennings and waived safety Terrance Stringer from the injured list. Safety Craig Dahl was waived injured on Monday. Receiver D.J. Hall and safety Miguel Scott were also waived.

New York signed linebacker James Terry and acquired receiver Marcus Monk on waivers from Chicago.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AsRJPjkKHL.5bk8iFtgWknBDubYF?slug=ap-giants-tyree&prov=ap&type=lgns

Tennessee Volunteers Suspend 2 Players For Opener

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:01:00 +0000

Two Vols suspended for season opener at UCLA

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—Tennessee starting defensive back Brett Vinson and defensive tackle Donald Langley were suspended for the No. 18 Volunteers’ opener at UCLA next Monday.

Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said after Monday’s practice that academic issues led to the suspensions.

Vinson, a sophomore, started 10 games last season at left cornerback. Langley is a redshirt freshman.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-t25-tennessee-suspensions&prov=ap&type=lgns

UPDATE Umenyiora Out For Season With Knee Injury

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:18:00 +0000

Giants DE Umenyiora needs surgery, to miss season

By TOM CANAVAN, AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—With the retirement of seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan, the job of repeating as Super Bowl champions was going to be difficult for the New York Giants.

Now it might be near impossible with the news that fellow Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora is out for the season with a knee injury.

An MRI on Sunday showed that Umenyiora tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee in a preseason game against the archrival Jets on Saturday night.

The two-time Pro Bowler will have surgery on Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. The recovery period is about four months.

Dr. Russell Warren, the team surgeon, never discussed a non-surgical option, coach Tom Coughlin said.

“My number one concern is about Osi,” Coughlin said in a telephone conference call on Sunday. “I did talk to him on the phone a short while ago and told him that he is in everyone’s thoughts and prayers.”

The devastating report came less than 24 hours after the team had thought it had caught a break in the wake of the second-quarter injury, which happened when Umenyiora’s foot seemed to stick to the turf as he tried to beat Jets tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson to the outside.

Umenyiora was carted off the field with what the team described as a locked knee. X-rays taken during the game revealed no ligament damage. An MRI on Sunday found the torn meniscus on the 26-year-old who led the team with 13 sacks last season.

“It was obviously the news that I did not want to hear,” Coughlin said. “But after listening to the explanation and Dr. Warren’s thoughts on it, I am convinced that this is the right procedure and the right way to go.”

The combination of the injury and Strahan’s retirement leaves the Giants very thin at defensive end.

Coughlin said the team is considering all its options, with the most obvious being enticing the 36-year-old Strahan to come out of retirement.

Strahan retired in June, ending a 15-year career highlighted by the Giants’ stunning Super Bowl victory over the unbeaten New England Patriots.

Coughlin recently talked with Strahan about his new career working on Fox’s pregame NFL show on Sundays.

“The only thing I talked with Michael about was his new challenge, moving forward in his new assignment and he was very excited about that,” Coughlin said.

Agent Tony Agnone said the Giants have not contacted him to ask about Strahan, who is out of the country on vacation.

“Obviously, he loves the Giants and obviously he is working for Fox,” Agnone said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “Right now he is relaxing and getting ready for his Fox gig.”

Strahan missed all of training camp last season while mulling retirement. He reported to the team a little more than a week before the season opener and played well.

However, he trained while thinking about retirement last year and was in good shape.

The Giants open the season on Sept. 4 against the Washington Redskins.

Justin Tuck has replaced Strahan at left end. Replacing Umenyiora at right end will not be easy. He has had 40 1/2 sacks over the last four seasons. His team-high 13 sacks last season was highlighted by a franchise-record six against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 30 at Giants Stadium.

Coughlin has three choices to replace Umenyiora. He can start either Renaldo Wynn, the veteran free agent who was signed in the offseason, or second-year pro Dave Tollefson, who played well late last season in a backup role.

The other option would be to move strongside linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end. He was switched to linebacker last year so the team could put its best 11 players on the field.

“I haven’t talked to any of the players or to Kiwi or anyone this afternoon and until I do that, I will just refrain from any thoughts about what might happen within our team,” Coughlin said.

Coughlin said losing a player in a preseason game is difficult.

“I think the number one thing that brings frustration, anxiety, and knots in your stomach, all the things that go along with the injury to the players which do not allow your team to function as it is presented on paper,” Coughlin said. “Those types of things are very difficult for coaches, no matter what age you are.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AialjJDzx_oI_iItrQudjLZDubYF?slug=ap-giants-umenyiora&prov=ap&type=lgns

*MY 2 CENTS*
This is the worst fear for the New York Giants' defense. There is nomore Michael Strahan for the Giants to lean on, Umenyiora was the heart of the defense, and now Justin Tuck will be leaned on even more to gain pressure on the QB. That might be even harder now with Osi out because teams will no doubt double team him every game. This puts a huge damper on the Giants chance at a repeat.

Matt Ryan Named Falcons Starting QB

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:16:00 +0000

Falcons pick Ryan as starting QB
By GEORGE HENRY, Associated Press Writer

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP)—Rather than give Matt Ryan a few games to watch from the sideline, the Falcons decided on Sunday to throw the rookie into the fire as their starter.

“Everything that you get in this game you’ve earned, whether it be a touchdown, a win, whatever it is,” Ryan said. “In some sense, it is satisfying in that light, but trust me, there’s a lot of work ahead, and I know that probably just as much as everybody around here. There’s going to be some ups and downs, but you’ve just got to stay mentally tough and grind through it. That’s where my mind-set is right now.

First-year Atlanta coach Mike Smith said the No. 3 pick in the draft outperformed Chris Redman, Joey Harrington and D.J. Shockley on the field and in the classroom. In Smith’s view, there was nothing ceremonial about this announcement even though Ryan signed a six-year, $72 million contract in May.

Smith said the staff “watched every move he made” in observing Ryan’s interaction with teammates and other club personnel. Offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and Bill Musgrave told Smith that they had watched 3,000 snaps Ryan took in mini-camps, offseason workouts, training camp, scrimmages and preseason.

Though Ryan is a rookie, Smith likes the fact that his quarterback is 23 and spent four seasons in a respected football program at Boston College.

“We feel like he’s earned this opportunity to start,” Smith said. “We feel like he gives us the best chance to win.”

Smith, who took charge of a team that went 4-12 following Michael Vick’s federal prison sentence and Bobby Petrino’s abrupt resignation last year, praised Ryan’s mature approach to the job.

“Matt is very astute,” Smith said. “He’s picked up our system. I’ll have to keep repeating this, but it’s a learning curve for a quarterback in this league. He’s going to see some things he hasn’t seen before, but I think Matt is the kind of guy who might get fooled once, but the next time it comes up, he’s going to be able to handle it. I really anticipate that we won’t see the gaffes that a lot of people think.”

Ryan will play the first series or two of the preseason finale Thursday at Baltimore. His performance in a 17-3 exhibition victory last week against Tennessee carried some weight, too, after Ryan completed 15 of 21 passes for 102 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

As the Falcons use their last exhibition game as a tuneup for the Sept. 7 season opener against Detroit, Smith indicated that Ryan will not lose the job if he struggles badly in Baltimore.

Smith seemingly gave a lot of significance to the manner in which Ryan handled an interception he threw two weeks ago that Indianapolis’ Kelvin Hayden returned for a 67-yard touchdown.

“He just shook it off and said, ‘I’m glad I got that one out of the way in the preseason,’ ” Smith said. “He’s got a very good outlook about the game of football. He’s got a good understanding to play quarterback in this league. He’s prepared for it. He’s mature beyond his years, and it’ll be a great season for him to come in and be out leader.”

Center Todd McClure, who has made 96 straight starts for the Falcons, believes Atlanta’s running back tandem of Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood will take pressure off Ryan to succeed mostly with his arm.

“He’s going to have his growing pains just like anybody,” McClure said. “You look at Peyton Manning in his first year. He struggled. I just hope the fans and the media give this guy a chance. He’s not going to go out there and be a Hall of Famer every game this year. He’s going to have some mistakes, and we’re going to help him out as much as possible.”

Ryan still believes his team can contend in 2008, but he also acknowledges that every young quarterback makes plenty of mistakes at the game’s highest level.

“We’re going to play against some really good players, and there’s really good coaches on other teams as well,” Ryan said. “So there’s going to be good schemes and sometimes we’re not going to be at our best, but you’ve got to learn from those mistakes and you’ve got to understand that they’re going to happen and you’ve got to bounce back from them as quickly as you can.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AvEccXreEczvhGCJipUTc9JDubYF?slug=ap-falcons-ryan&prov=ap&type=lgns

6 More Hurricane's Suspended For Opener

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:13:00 +0000

Miami suspends 7 players for season opener

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP)—Miami coach Randy Shannon wanted to avoid a quarterback controversy similar to last year, so he declared Robert Marve his starter Sunday night.

Marve’s first start for the Hurricanes will have to wait until Game 2, however.

He and six others were suspended by coach Randy Shannon for the Hurricanes’ opener and debut at Dolphins Stadium Thursday night against Charleston Southern.

Marve, a redshirt freshman, will miss the game due to an incident stemming back to last year. He was arrested Oct. 31 for smashing a car mirror and was initially charged with two misdemeanors. Those were later lifted, but Marve is being punished by the University now.

He will be replaced by true freshman Jacory Harris, a Miami native.

The other suspended players are running backs Damien Berry and Eric Houston, defensive end Adewale Ojomo, defensive back Randy Phillips, wide receiver Kayne Farquaharson and long snapper Chris Ivory. Miami officials would not say why those six were suspended.

Of the group, Ojomo had the best chance to start. He would have replaced Allen Bailey and Eric Moncur. Both Moncur and Bailey were not on the depth chart that Shannon released, and have been held out of practice for most of the fall for conditioning-related reasons.

Shannon said Marve’s suspension wasn’t a surprise and he didn’t tell Marve about it earlier because he wanted him and the other quarterbacks to “have a chance to compete.”

“Some people may think this is a harsh decision, but one thing I do know is the little things, if you forget about them they add up to big things and they cause a lot of problems for your team,” Shannon said.

Marve said he was OK with the decision.

“I trust whatever he did,” Marve said. “I messed up, so it’s best for the team and I’m here for them.”

Marve, Harris and Cannon Smith were in a three-way competition for the starting position. But Marve distanced himself from the two, and was taking snaps with the first team throughout most of fall camp.

Harris said he was thrilled about having the opportunity to start at home in front of friends and family and was going to use the start as an audition.

“This is an opportunity for me to prove myself and showcase my skills and showcase my leadership so that’s how I’m looking at it,” Harris said.

Shannon said Marve was his starter for Game 2 against No. 5 Florida, no matter how well Harris plays.

“Jacory will play in every game,” Shannon said. “Robert Marve will be the starter. We will not have a controversy. If a guy like Jacory can go in and have a tremendous game, Robert Marve still will be the starter. We have to build depth at that position.”

Last year, Kirby Freeman and Kyle Wright took turns at quarterback with neither having much success

Miami Hurricanes Starting QB Suspended

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:30:00 +0000

MIAMI (AP)—Miami quarterback Robert Marve has been suspended for the season opener for an incident stemming back to last year, the Miami Herald reported on its Web site Saturday.

Marve was expected to be named the starter against Charleston Southern on August 28.

Marve’s father, Eugene Marve, confirmed the suspension to the Herald and said that his son was very upset about it.

Miami officials declined to confirm the suspension Saturday.

Robert Marve, a redshirt freshman, was arrested on October 31 for smashing a car mirror. He was initially charged with two misdemeanors, but they were later lifted.

Marve won a state championship and was named “Mr. Florida Football” in 2006 as a senior at Tampa Plant.

He redshirted last season after breaking his wrist in a car crash in July 2007.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-miamiqbsuspended&prov=ap&type=lgns

Dream Team Beats Spain, Wins Gold!

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:21:00 +0000

US hoops back on top, beats Spain for gold medal
By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer

Some players flashed their Olympic medals to the crowd. One pretended to take a bite, just to make sure it was real.

Yep, it was gold—the color the Americans always used to win but hadn’t since 2000.

Culminating a three-year mission to end years of embarrassment, the U.S. team survived a huge challenge from Spain, winning 118-107 in the gold-medal game Sunday.

Order was restored in international basketball.

“Much respect to Spain, but the U.S. is back on top again,” LeBron James said at a press conference attended by the entire team.

But not by that much anymore.

After overwhelming everyone for seven games, the Americans led by only four points with under 21/2 minutes to play. Then they proved they could handle a close game that it seemed would never come in Beijing.

Their prize: the first U.S. gold medal since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Argentina won the bronze with an 87-75 victory against Lithuania.

Dwyane Wade scored 27 points for the Americans, who found a much gamer Spanish team than the one they humiliated by 37 points earlier in the tournament. Kobe Bryant added 20 points.

In a game so devoid of defense that it felt more like an NBA All-Star game than one with a title at stake, the Americans had too much offense down the stretch. Bryant converted a clutch four-point play with 3:10 remaining, holding his finger to his lips to quiet the rowdy Spanish crowd behind the basket.

Wade added another 3-pointer that made it 111-104 with just over 2 minutes left, and only then could the Americans relax a little.

They began to celebrate during a break after some technical fouls on Spain with 26 seconds left, then partied at midcourt when it was over with “Born in the USA” blaring over the arena’s speakers.

“We played with great character in one of the great games in international basketball history, I think,” U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

Nobody else had been close to the Americans in Beijing. This team’s only Olympic competition had been history, in a Dream matchup with guys named Jordan, Magic, Bird and the rest of the U.S. team that dominated the Barcelona Games in 1992.

Forget comparisons to those guys. The Americans were lucky to be better than Spain on Sunday.

Rudy Fernandez scored 22 points and Pau Gasol had 21 for the Spanish, the reigning world champions who were hoping to win their first Olympic gold.

U.S. players appreciated the challenge, hugging the Spanish players afterward. Bryant had an especially long embrace for Gasol, patting his Los Angeles Lakers teammate on the back.

“They did what they were supposed to do,” Gasol said. “We fought hard all the way.”

Seeming to appreciate the moment, after congratulating Spain, the team joined in a circle, jumping up and down at center court and waving triumphantly to the crowd as Krzyzewski applauded on the sidelines.

BEIJING - AUGUST 24: Head coach

“I know that we had a tough road ahead of us. We knew that these guys weren’t going to roll over and give up that easily,” U.S. forward Chris Bosh said. “So we had to be men, and that’s what it takes to win.”

The Americans had won their first seven games by 30.3 points, including a 119-82 rout of Spain. But they never had control of this game, giving up open looks from the perimeter and plenty of points in the paint against the defending world champions, who were playing without injured point guard Jose Calderon.

Bryant, who waited so long to finally wear the red, white and blue, hit two 3-pointers in a big fourth quarter to add the gold medal to his collection of basketball hardware. The three-time NBA champion and league MVP pounded his hands toward the floor in celebration at the end.

James scored 14 points, while Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul had 13 apiece for the Americans, who had won bronze medals in their last two international events, the 2004 Olympics and ‘06 world championships.

The U.S. started planning for this game after the Athens Games four years ago, the low point in its hoops history, following a sixth-place flop two years earlier in the world championships. Jerry Colangelo was given control of USA Basketball and constructed a national team program in 2006, requiring those who wanted to play to commit to three years.

BEIJING - AUGUST 24: LeBron James

He got Bryant and James quickly on board and landed almost everyone else he asked for, finding a group of NBA stars eager to give up their summer to get back what they felt belonged to their country.

And he needed all of them against a Spanish team that on this day would have likely beaten any other recent U.S. squad.

“Being a part of the ‘04 team, we really didn’t get the opportunity to showcase our talent,” said Wade, one of four holdovers from Athens. “We really wanted to come in and help lead this team.”

Jason Kidd ran his record to 56-0 in senior international play and collected another gold to place alongside the one he earned in 2000, becoming the 13th U.S. player with multiple golds.

That elite list, which includes Michael Jordan and seven other Dream Teamers, could grow in 2012. Paul and Dwight Howard said they would be in London if asked, and perhaps half this team could join them.

BEIJING - AUGUST 24: LeBron James

James ran out for pregame warmups with his finger in the air, already believing the U.S. was No. 1. But even though the Americans were shooting better than 70 percent for most of the first half, it would take a long time to prove it.

James and Bryant were both on the bench after picking up two fouls in the first 31/2 minutes, and though Wade came in and picked up their scoring load, the U.S. reserves couldn’t open their usual cushion.

Spain hit seven of its first nine shots, leading for much of the first quarter. A quick burst of 10 points by James and Wade had the U.S. advantage up to 14 points with 4 minutes left in the half, but Spain chipped away and trailed only 69-61 at the break.

“We faced some incredible teams here,” Bryant said. “We knew coming in that Spain was going to be a big problem.”

Fernandez’s 3-pointer cut it to 91-89 with 8:13 remaining in the game, but Bryant answered with a bucket and then a 3, and things seemed safe when James scored to make it 103-92.

Spain made one last push to close within 108-104 on Carlos Jimenez’s 3-pointer, but Wade hit one on the other end, and the final score became lopsided when the Americans hit a bunch of free throws after the Spanish became frustrated and were called for the technicals.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/basketball/news;_ylt=Am3NHaVjmdu0xTZ_UR.pZG85nYcB?slug=ap-bko-spain-us&prov=ap&type=lgns

Giants Pro Bowl DE, Osi Umenyiora Injures Knee

noreply@blogger.com (Josh Boutwell) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 05:15:00 +0000

Pro Bowl DE Osi Umenyiora hurts left knee
By TOM CANAVAN, AP Sports Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora injured his left knee in the second quarter of the New York Giants’ preseason game against the New York Jets, but coach Tom Coughlin said that early indications are that he did not suffer ligament damage.

X-rays taken during the Jets’ 10-7 win were negative. An MRI is planned on Sunday.

“I talked to him when he was in the locker room, in the training room,” fellow defensive end Justin Tuck said of a halftime exchange. “Obviously, he was down. It’s unfortunate when any injury occurs, but hopefully, it is nothing serious and he will not miss any time.”

Umenyiora left the locker room before the game ended and was not available for comment.

Umenyiora told Tuck that “he was good,” Tuck said.

The two-time Pro Bowler was hurt with 10:48 left in the half on a third-down incomplete pass by the Jets’ Brett Favre.

Defensive tackle Barry Cofield did not get a chance to talk to Umenyiora but he recalled the play.

“It looked like he was turning the corner and just kind of took an awkward step,” Cofield said. “The turf is hard and playing at that speed on that edge, you can tweak things.”

The 26-year-old could not put any weight on his leg. He was helped off the field with his arms wrapped around the shoulders of two trainers.

Coughlin said Umenyiora was in pain.

“The doctors told me there was no ligament damage,” Coughlin said when pressed.

Umenyiora started all 16 games last season and had 52 tackles and a team-high 13 sacks. He added seven tackles in the Giants’ run to the Super Bowl.

The Giants are a bit thin at defensive end this season with the retirement of seven-time Pro Bowler Michael Strahan. Justin Tuck has replaced Strahan. New York also signed veteran Renaldo Wynn in the offseason.

If Umenyiora was sidelined for any considerable time, the Giants could move strongside linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end. He was switched to linebacker last year so the team could put its best 11 players on the field.

“You are always concerned any time a player like that goes down,” Kiwanuka said. “That’s not good. We know the type of player he is and if he can come back he will. But we have the personal to step up in his absence.”

Kiwanuka sidestepped moving back to defensive end, saying that decision is up to the team.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AusEZSUO0VQhWL8C62BLcSk5nYcB?slug=ap-giants-umenyiorainjured&prov=ap&type=lgns

*MY 2 CENTS*
Man, this is a huge blow for the Giants if Umenyiora is injured seriously. He is a young stud at DE, one of the elite pass rushers in the NFL and is irreplaceable. He & Tuck were going to form one of the best DE tandems in the league this season and having him out is going to be even more hurtful with Michael Strahan being retired. This was supposed to be the season that the Giants defense becomes Umenyiora's.