SPORTS LEGEND, 72, BACK AT STANFORD
They are together again, the legendary coach and the university he loves. Bill Walsh and Stanford -- together for the fourth and final time, walking arm in arm into the twilight of his career.
Walsh and Cardinal Athletic Director Ted Leland hatched the plan a few years ago, then kept it quiet until March, when Walsh was named special assistant to the athletic director. Walsh helps with fundraising and special projects. He mentors coaches and athletes, and he provides organizational advice to the struggling football program.
It's probably the last full-time job he'll ever hold.
Walsh watched a handful of spring practices and was impressed with senior tight end Alex Smith and sophomore quarterback Trent Edwards, who has replaced Chris Lewis as the full-time starter. He certainly doesn't expect another dreary season from the Cardinal, 4-7 in 2003.
``I think they'll be much better than some people are anticipating,'' Walsh said. ``Edwards has great potential. He has leadership qualities and good command in the pocket.
Walsh hopes to travel with the team this fall, but that means clearing time in his schedule. When it comes to saying no, Walsh fails miserably.
``We just had our end-of-year meeting, and Bill talked for about an hour,'' Gould said. ``He talked to us as a coach, but he didn't say, `This is how you do it.' He just shared the experiences that have made an impact on him. . . . He was phenomenal.''
posted by Anonymous @ 3:43 PM
Eli Manning vs. Kurt Warner
It's hard to throw a rookie quarterback in as an immediate starter, no matter how talented. That's why the Giants signed Warner, a two-time MVP who wants to show the world he can still play after the Rams gave up on him. Manning will someday be a heck of a quarterback, but it might take time. He's smart and instinctive, but this is the NFL, not the SEC. Warner gives the Giants a chance to ease Manning in, maybe this year but likely late in the season. But, what happens if Warner plays so well Manning can't get on the field? Did the Giants do the right thing in acquiring him? Or should they taken their lumps and let Manning play this year? Tough call.
posted by Anonymous @ 2:30 PM
Miller also joins the Patriots as their quarterback!
Quarterback Jim Miller signed with the New England Patriots and will compete for the backup spot behind Tom Brady.
Miller and newly signed Kurt Kittner join Rohan Davey and Kliff Kingsbury in the competition for the No. 2 job.
Miller, a 10-year veteran, missed last season because of a shoulder injury and had surgery on his right shoulder in February. He won't be ready until Sept. 1 at the earliest, said his agent, Joe Linta.
"They were looking for a veteran quarterback who can step in and win games for them, and Jim's done that," Linta said.
Miller has played for Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Chicago and Tampa Bay. His best season was 2001 with Chicago, when he threw for 2,299 yards and 13 touchdowns and the Bears went 13-3.
posted by Anonymous @ 2:06 PM
Which one would you go for?
Within a 10 year time period the NFL has had 2 great players which one would you pick?
Emmitt Smith: Emmitt rushed for 13,963 yards in 10 seasons. With 136 touchdown’s.
or
Barry Sanders: Barry rushed for 15,269 yards in 10 seasons. With 99 touchdowns’s.
???
posted by Anonymous @ 11:52 AM
or
Barry Sanders: Barry rushed for 15,269 yards in 10 seasons. With 99 touchdowns’s.
???
Virginia Tech's Marcus Vick suspended for DRUG use.
Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was suspended indefinitely from the team yesterday, the same day it was revealed he was charged in Richmond, Va., with reckless driving and possession of marijuana.
Michael Vick was charged after an early-morning traffic stop Saturday, state police said. He was convicted in May of three misdemeanors stemming from a drinking party with three underage girls.
posted by Anonymous @ 10:31 AM
NO way out for Jamal...got busted real good.
Prosecutors in the drug conspiracy case against Jamal Lewis and his friend Angelo Jackson played a videotape in a federal courtroom yesterday that showed Jackson allegedly arranging a drug deal and mentioning the name "Jamal."The surveillance tape is potentially damaging to the Ravens running back, but only if U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Walker rules it is admissible when the federal case goes to trial.
In yesterday's hearing, government and defense lawyers argued over what evidence could be used to try the men, and when the defense lawyers will gain access to evidence ruled admissible.Both men have pleaded not guilty, and no trial date has been set.Lewis, 24, raised in Atlanta, was indicted in February and charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute at least 5 kilograms of cocaine and using a cell phone in the commission of a drug crime.
Prosecutors allege he and Jackson conspired with a woman, who turned out to be a government informant, to sell cocaine. Jackson was arrested outside an Atlanta apartment complex on July 19, 2000.Yesterday, prosecutors played the hidden surveillance tape of Jackson's activity minutes before his arrest. The tape showed Jackson enter the informant's apartment and ogle two individually wrapped kilos of cocaine, which was provided by FBI undercover agent Mark Webster. Jackson allegedly had negotiated the sale of 50 kilos over the phone with Webster and was inspecting the first two kilos.In the videotape, Jackson asked, "Want me to call Jamal?" and the confidential witness replied, "He came, did he tell you?" No last name is spoken.The prosecution also played an audiotape of a phone conversation between Jackson and the confidential witness. The witness is heard saying, "I got it [the coke] now baby, I'm just waiting for you to get off the phone with Jamal.
posted by Anonymous @ 10:16 AM
DRUG BUST AGAIN...What's happening to the NFL players nowadays...
Observers expect a dogfight as Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis and his childhood friend, Angelo Jackson, prepare for trial on federal drug conspiracy charges.
"It's going to be a lot more about the facts than the number of years in the courtroom," said Kent Alexander, a former U.S. Attorney in Atlanta.Lewis, 24, is accused of helping broker a cocaine deal for Jackson during conversations with a government informant during the summer of 2000. Both Lewis and Jackson have pleaded not guilty.Lewis' defense team includes Ed Garland, who represented Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis on murder charges and is one of the lawyers for Atlanta Thrashers forward Dany Heatley, who was involved in a car crash that killed a teammate.Heatley has not been charged.Another lawyer representing Jamal Lewis is Jerome Froelich, who defended Fred Tokars against charges of money laundering, racketeering and arranging his wife's murder in 1992.Steve Sadow, who defended former Gold Club owner Steve Kaplan in a federal racketeering case, is a lawyer for Lewis co-defendant Jackson."That's an all-star team," said Alexander. "They're all very good."On the government's side are prosecutors Mike Brown and Stephanie Elaine Gabay-Smith. Brown has handled numerous drug cases while working in the Atlanta office the last several years after transferring from the U.S. Attorney's office in Miami. Gabay-Smith is a member of the Southeast Drug Task Force.Sadow, on vacation in Greece on Thursday, described Brown as a "highly competent, thorough trial attorney." He is "aggressive yet congenial in front of a jury," Sadow said.Gabay-Smith is an aggressive prosecutor who has played on the U.S. Attorney's office basketball team, said Alexander, her former boss and the person who hired her. She used to work as a prosecutor in New York City, he said."If she's half as competitive in the courtroom as she is on the basketball court, the government will be well-served" in the Lewis case, Alexander said. "She's got a lot of years of experience."Lawyers in the Lewis case continue to seek documents from each other. No trial date has been set.Froelich said Thursday there have been no discussions in the Lewis camp about a plea deal."I'm preparing for trial," he said.The prosecutors declined through a spokesman to comment.Lewis and Jackson, who both grew up in the same area of Atlanta, are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms of cocaine and using a cell phone in violation of federal law.Jackson, 26, is additionally charged with attempted cocaine possession.Prosecutors say audiotapes and videotapes of conversations involving Jackson, Lewis and the informant tie the defendants to the conspiracy.Defense lawyers have attacked the informant's credibility, noting that she has used several aliases and has numerous convictions in several states.
posted by Anonymous @ 10:10 AM
Raider boys get busted on a steroids test.
Chris Cooper and Barret Robbins of the Oakland Raiders and free agent Dana Stubblefield have been fined three game checks each by the NFL for testing positive for the steroid THG.
They also are required to have "reasonable-cause testing" for the rest of their careers, and will be suspended for eight games if they test positive for any steroid again. All four players were with the Raiders at the time they were tested and when THG was identified.
posted by Anonymous @ 9:53 AM
Chillar signs with Rams.
Brandon Chillar, the Rams' fourth-round draft choice from UCLA, has signed a three-year contract and will be ready to go when training camp opens July 27 in Macomb, Ill. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Chillar was an All-Pacific 10 Conference linebacker. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Chillar, 21, was in town for the Rams' rookie minicamp, but the NFL bars rookies from further participation until their senior class graduates. Because UCLA is on a quarter system, its spring semester concluded in mid-June. So, Chillar was absent from the three-day session in May. "That was hard on me, having to sit that out," Chillar said, "but it's made me even more excited to get to (training) camp." Running back Steven Jackson of Oregon State, the team's top pick, also missed the full-squad camp, for the same reason. He is unsigned, as are defensive end Anthony Hargrove (third round), quarterback Jeff Smoker (sixth round) and tight end Erik Jensen (seventh round).
posted by Anonymous @ 8:39 AM
Alcohol is a banned substance in the player's treatment program!
The Bucs' release of Darrell Russell came almost a month after he tested positive for alcohol.
Though as the Bucs had indicated Russell did not break any laws, alcohol is a banned substance in the player's treatment program, ESPN reported Thursday.
According to the NFL substance abuse policy, a positive test could result in another indefinite suspension. League spokesman Greg Aiello declined comment.
Thursday, a Bucs spokesman wouldn't confirm or deny that Russell had violated his treatment program.
posted by Anonymous @ 8:26 AM
NFL HEADLINES FOR THIS WEEK
Jul. 15, 2004
• Bengals DE Clemons gets contract extension
• Ditka says he won't run for Illinois Senate
Jul. 14, 2004
• Cardinals to honor Tillman in season opener
• Packers-Colts trade nixed; Reynolds waived
• Trotter, Eagles agree to one-year deal
• NFL, NFLPA resolve THG appeals
• Eagles sign seventh-round pick Clarke
• Surf and turf served at Cayman Challenge
Jul. 13, 2004
• Chargers sign seventh-rounder Bingham
• Bucs release Darrell Russell, waive Ziemann
• Seahawks sign fifth-round pick Hackett
Jul. 10, 2004
• Dolphins LB Thomas faces six-week rehab Jul. 9, 2004
• Elway, Reeves reconcile before induction
• Dolphins' Thomas has minor knee surgery
2004 team schedules
http://www.nfl.com/schedules/teams
posted by Anonymous @ 8:15 AM
Bengals extrend Clemons contract.
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Duane Clemons has signed a two-year contract extension that runs through the 2006 season.
The Bengals did not disclose contract terms.
Last season, Clemons tied for the team lead in sacks with six and finished second among linemen with 53 tackles.
Clemons, a nine-year NFL veteran, signed with the Bengals in 2003 as a free agent.
posted by Anonymous @ 8:12 AM
Thomas is ready to start with the Dophins for opening weekend.
No worries
It wasn't known how Dolphins linebacker hurt his knee, but whatever happened required surgery. With the team nervous about how much time the three-time Pro Bowler would miss, everyone's minds were put to ease when it was learned that Thomas would be ready to go for opening weekend. In fact, he will only miss training camp and some preseason games.
posted by Anonymous @ 8:06 AM
989 Quarterback challenge.
The 989 Sports Quarterback Challenge will air July 17 (5-6 p.m. ET) and July 18 (2-3 p.m. ET) on CBS Sports.
Competing in the challenge will be Josh McCown (Arizona), Jake Delhomme (Carolina), Carson Palmer (Cincinnati), Joey Harrington (Detroit), Byron Leftwich (Jacksonville), Trent Green (Kansas City), Marc Bulger (St. Louis), Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle) and Mark Brunell (Washington).
From Santa Monica, Calif., the nine competitors go head-to-head in a skills competition in four events including Accuracy; Speed and Mobility; Distance; and "No Huddle."
The "No Huddle" competition includes top NFL wide receivers Anquan Boldin (Arizona), Troy Brown (New England), Torry Holt (St. Louis) and Keenan McCardell (Tampa Bay).
Also participating in the 989 Sports Quarterback Challenge are former NFL QBs Randall Cunningham, Boomer Esiason, Jim Kelly and Warren Moon.
posted by Anonymous @ 7:52 AM
Kittner new quarterback for the Patriots
The New England Patriots signed quarterback Kurt Kittner as a potential backup for two-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady.
Kittner, 24, spent two years with the Atlanta Falcons, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2002 draft. Last season he played in seven games, starting four, and completed 44 of 114 passes for 391 yards and two touchdowns.
Since April, Kittner has been waived by the Falcons, Bengals and Giants.
Kittner will compete for a roster spot with World League offensive MVP Rohan Davey and Kliff Kingsbury.
posted by Anonymous @ 7:24 AM
Davenport joins the Giants.
The New York Giants signed free agent tight end Joe Dean Davenport on Thursday.
Davenport started two games for the Indianapolis Colts last season, catching three passes for 23 yards. The former University of Arkansas player had 11 receptions for 93 yards in three seasons with the Colts.
posted by Anonymous @ 7:20 AM
High School football players seems to be leaning towards Miami for his choice in schools
“Florida Stand stands out to me right now,” running back Conredge Collins of Miami (Fla.) Pace said. “They have a pretty good depth chart and my father likes them the best. He also likes Miami.” “I also like Miami, North Carolina State, Ohio State, and Michigan.”What does he like about the hometown Canes and North Carolina State?“Miami is home,” the 6-foot-0 and 225 pound standout said. “They have the tradition and send the most players to the NFL. I took an unofficial visit to North Carolina State and I like them a lot.”Collins will take his official visits after his season.“I probably won’t travel much during the season.” He said. “I’ll probably go to a lot of Hurricane games because it’s close to home.”What will Collins’ future college team be getting in him?“They will be getting an all-around back that can run, block and catch passes out of the backfield,” he said. “They will also get a team leader that leads vocally and as a leader.”Collins is an excellent student who is on track to qualify academically with a 2.9 core grade point average.As a junior he helped lead his team to a state championship with 1,600 and 16 touchdowns rushing.Collins father (Tony) played in the NFL for the Dolphins and Patriots.
posted by Anonymous @ 6:12 AM
