Nfl Football - Football Betting

2005-11-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

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--

2005-11-02T06:47:00.000-08:00

Browns aren’t only thing wrong in NFL football

Tuesday, November 1, 2005

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT TODD PORTER

BEREA - Anyone else wonder if Paul Tagliabue mowed his grass Sunday? Or last Sunday or the one before that? -NFL Football-

The NFL must be proud of the product it’s forcing down fans’ throats. Watching some of these teams — the Browns are near the top of that growing list — is like eating liver and onions, which, by the way, smell a lot better than the supposed highest level of football. -NFL Football-

Think about this a minute. -NFL Football-

The NFC North may be the worst conference in NFL history. Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota have 10 wins between them. Three of the Bears’ four wins are against the other three bad teams in the NFC North. Heck, they even lost to the Browns. If the NFC North didn’t have to play two games against each other, the only team anyone in that division could beat is the vagabond Saints. -NFL Football-

Houston? Unwatchable. Tennessee? You can watch them, but cruel and unusual punishment could be used as an argument. Cleveland had to play a near penalty-free game just to be in position to lose to the previous winless Texans on Sunday. -NFL Football-

Bad Browns have a clue

Just how bad are the Browns? -NFL Football-

Believe it or not, they have a clue. They know they’re bad enough they have to start over. They know they’re bad enough that no one really had expectations this year. -NFL Football-

Things are so bad in Cleveland, some of the guys who have seen this before don’t want to talk after games. Can you blame them? How many different ways can Daylon McCutcheon say this has to turn around? How many times can he say he doesn’t have the answers? -NFL Football-

If the Browns were in the NFC North, FEMA officials would be sending meals ready to eat to those cities (about four weeks too late). -NFL Football-

That may explain why former President George Bush was smiling as officials carted him and Barbara away in the bowels of Reliant Stadium during the final seconds of Sunday’s game. Bush gave a thumbs up to a handful of Browns writers. Had it been Bill Clinton, he’d have hopped out, hugged us and cued up the tears. -NFL Football-

watching soccer? -NFL Football-

Let’s get this straight: The Browns have a plan. Believe that. General Manager Phil Savage is too smart not to have a way out. He was smart enough to drop warnings along the way about a season like this. Head Coach Romeo Crennel has too much pride to watch this happen every week, season after miserable season. -NFL Football-

You think Paul Brown could have imagined this once proud team falling so far? Probably. It was Brown who said if a coach stays in this business long enough, he experiences everything. Besides, Brown also knew what kind of person Art Modell was. -NFL Football-

Seven seasons of this grade of football. A friend didn’t watch Sunday’s game. -NFL Football-

“Mowed the grass,” he said. “Then I watched the University of Akron.” -NFL Football-

The Zips had a football replay on Sunday? -NFL Football-

“No. Soccer.”

Soccer?

What’s the difference? Browns games turn into a soccer match. Phil Dawson trots out, kicks a field goal as the offense fails in the red zone. -NFL Football-

Are the Browns bad? Yes. Is there hope? There has to be. -NFL Football-

Crennel should make at least two changes. Since his team is sinking toward top-five pick status, Cleveland has to find out what it has in Charlie Frye. Savage and Crennel need to know if they have to draft — another — quarterback. -NFL Football-

Throw Frye in the fire. At the very least Frye gives the Browns a QB who can threaten the perimeter inside the red zone, which might as well be the ozone to this offense. -NFL Football-

And keep Braylon Edwards on the field. Edwards should be no worse than the team’s No. 2 receiver. Dennis Northcutt is a decent slot, No. 3, receiver. -NFL Football-

Aside from that, there isn’t much else to do. There isn’t anything to blow up. -NFL Football-

Not until FEMA steps in, anyway. -NFL Football-

Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: todd.porter@cantonrep.com

2005-10-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Ware's TD run a dream come true

For 2 years, Bernard Ware kept telling his son about this dream he had, one that recurred so much it was almost like a vision. In it, Matt Ware was trucking down the sideline , football tucked under his arm on his way to score touchdown. -NFL Football-

“He’s been talking about it forever,” Ware said of his father yesterday. “Every couple of months he’d say, ‘Son I keep having this dream.’ I’d say, ‘OK, Dad, that’s great,’ but inmy head I was thinking, ‘Yeah right.’ ” -NFL Football-

Apparently dreams, even in the literal sense, can come true. When Ware scooped up the ball after Quintin Mikell blocked a San Diego field goal late in the game on Sunday, he did in fact run down the sideline and did indeed end up in the end zone, just as Bernard Ware had envisioned. Not surprisingly then, when Ware’s cell phone started jingling immediately after the game one of the first of the 40-plus folks to call was Ware’s dad. -NFL Football-

“He said, ‘Remember? I told you so,’ ” Ware recalled of his father’s phone call. “Honestly I had forgotten all about that dream of his until he said it.” -NFL Football-

Ware’s touchdo wn not only salvaged a victory for the Eagles, it touched off a wild week for the reserve cornerback. He’s been a regular on the TV circuit, and cameramen and reporters, who usually shuffled by his locker, have spent the past week regularly checking in. -NFL Football-

That may not seem unusual for an NFL football player, but for a 22-year-old who toils in the anonymity of special teams it was like an understudy stepping into the spotlights. -NFL Football-

“You do a lot on special teams that nobody ever sees because you don’t have that ball in your hand,” Ware said. “Now I know what it feels like to be one of those offensive guys.” -NFL Football-

To folks who see and work with Ware every day, the play itself was surprising; that it was Ware on the end of it isn’t. -NFL Football-

Agifted athlete who was actually drafted by the Seattle Mariners out of high school, Ware threw for more than 1,000 yards in high school, rushed for more than 1,000 more and went on to become Pac-10 Freshman of the Year at UCLA. -NFL Football-

The guy whose locker sits next to Ware’s and a guy who knows a thing or two about the NFL thinks Ware will continue on the same path of success at this level as well. -NFL Football-

“Matt has a lot of talent,” Brian Dawkins said. “He’s a big guy that can run. He’s physical and has a mean streak in him. I tell him this all the time —he has some talent inside of him that’s going to come out and that’s going to please all of you.” -NFL Football-

With a glut of talented cornerbacks on the Eagles roster — starting at the top with Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown—Ware has to bide his time to get into the regular rotation. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson brings him in for dime packages and will continue to do so, but for now Ware will have to do most of his damage on special teams. -NFL Football-

“To me he has the makings of great corner,” special teams coordinator John Harbaugh said. -NFL Football-

“You compare him to Bobby Taylor and then add a physical element for a guy that is that rangy. Plus he can probably play safety, corner. He’s tough, fast, he’s athletic and young. Yeah he’s going to be a really good player in this league.” -NFL Football-

Of course right now the biggest challenge for a kid whose previous game highlight was a forced fumble in a meaning less and starterless game against St. Louis last December, is to come back to earth. -NFL Football-

Ware sheepishly admitted he’s been enjoying himself this week, but when asked what’s the most important thing on his agenda, quickly turned all business. -NFL Football-

“I know what I have to do,” said Ware, who is waiting to get his touchdown football so he can find a place of honor for it in his home. “I have to get back to work, put myself in position to make another play or help my teammates.” -NFL Football-

2005-10-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

NFL moves Chiefs-Dolphins game to Friday
--- nfl ---
The game between the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs was rescheduled to Friday night to beat Hurricane Wilma's arrival in Florida.
The game will begin at 7 p.m. Friday instead of Sunday afternoon, which is about when Wilma is expected to hit Florida's southwestern coast.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said broadcast and television details were being worked out.--- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
It's the third time since the start of the 2004 season that the Dolphins have rescheduled a home game because of a looming hurricane. Last year's home opener against Tennessee was played a day early because of Hurricane Ivan, and the Dolphins' Week 3 game with Pittsburgh was pushed back 7 1/2 hours by Hurricane Jeanne. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
Hurricane Wilma also forced the University of Miami to postpone its home game against Georgia Tech. --- nfl ---
--- nfl ---
That game will likely be rescheduled for Nov. 17. --- nfl ---
It's the fourth time a hurricane has necessitated a schedule switch of a Miami home game; Hurricane Georges postponed a game with UCLA for more than two months in 1998, Temple's visit in 1999 was pushed back nearly three months by Hurricane Irene; and Florida State's trip south for the 2004 season-opener was delayed nearly a week by Hurricane Frances.--- nfl ---

2005-10-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

Cadillac Williams inactive for Bucs

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Oct. 9, 2005) -- Tampa Bay rookie running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams was inactive for the Buccaneers' game against the New York Jets because of foot and hamstring injuries. - NFL Football -

Williams tweaked his left hamstring in a 17-13 win over the Detroit Lions last week, and gained just 13 yards on 11 carries before sitting out the fourth quarter. He was replaced in the starting lineup by veteran Michael Pittman, who had 30 yards on five carries and six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown in place of Williams. - NFL Football -

Williams, the first player in NFL history to begin his career with three consecutive 100-yard rushing games, sprained his left foot Sept. 18 against Buffalo. The injury has caused lingering discomfort for Williams, who hasn't practiced the last three weeks.

Buccaneers safety Jermaine Phillips (thumb) and Jets linebacker Eric Barton (sprained ankle) were also inactive for the Jets game. - NFL Football -

2005-10-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Mexicans Catch Football Fever as NFL Takes Game South of Border

The San Francisco 49ers football team will play before their biggest crowd this weekend in 14 years -- in Mexico City.

The National Football League is using the game between the 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals to try to add to its 20 million fans in Mexico, the largest group for any country after the U.S. The NFL says the Oct. 2 game will draw 85,000 to Azteca Stadium for its first-ever regular-season game outside the U.S.

``We have a great fan base in Mexico and it's been growing dramatically over the last several years,'' said NFL Chief Operating Officer Roger Goodell.

Football is the second-most popular sport in Mexico, trailing only soccer, said Ricardo Perez, director of sports and special events for Grupo Televisa SA, world's largest Spanish- language media company. Perez said NFL games on Televisa, which is co-sponsoring the 49ers-Cardinals match, draw ratings as much as 40 percent higher than baseball.

Sales of NFL caps, jackets and other merchandise in Mexico bring in about $15 million a year, according to the league.

Companies scoop up advertising time during NFL games on Televisa because the audience is made up of ``high-income'' earners, said Perez, 43. He declined to give Televisa's ad prices or revenue from NFL games.

Those wealthy fans include Fernando Villarreal, a 51-year- old independent business consultant based in Monterrey. Villarreal travels several times a year to the U.S. to watch his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys.

`Nightmare'

On his last trip Sept. 19, Villarreal went back and forth to Dallas in the same day to watch the Cowboys play the Washington Redskins. The Cowboys, the most popular team in Mexico, let a 13- 0 lead slip away in the final four minutes of the game and lost 14-13.

``It was the season opener and it was a beautiful night,'' Villarreal, who attended the Cowboys' three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s, said in a telephone interview from Monterrey. ``And then it turned into a nightmare.''

Televisa began airing games in the late 1960s, planting the seeds for the popularity of football in Mexico, Perez said. Games can now be seen on Mexico's television networks as well as cable TV networks ESPN Inc., owned by Walt Disney Co., Fox Sports Networks LLC, owned by News Corp., and Sky Mexico, Televisa's satellite television unit.

Both ESPN and Fox Sports are part of Empresas Cablevision SA's basic cable package in Mexico, which costs 260 pesos ($24) a month.

Football or Baseball

Mexicans prefer football over baseball even though more of them play professional baseball than football. Eighteen Mexicans started the 2005 baseball season on Major League teams. Only one Mexican -- 361-pound (164 kilograms) Rolando Cantu -- plays in the NFL. He is an offensive lineman for the Cardinals who never has played in a regular season game.

``The NFL has done its homework in Mexico,'' Perez said. ``The challenge now is to spread the game to the masses.''

The NFL converted Joshua Olivo, a 14-year-old student in Mexico City, from a soccer fan to a football fan by inviting him to join about 100,000 other Mexican kids in a flag football league set up in 1998 by the NFL. Olivo said he knew nothing about football when he joined the league three years ago.

``I liked soccer more,'' said Olivo as he threw a football to his teammates at his school's practice field this week. ``When they invited me to play, I got interested and now I like football better.''

First Fans

Olivo said he plans to be one of the first of the 85,000 people to file into Azteca Stadium for the Sunday night game.

While the crowd would be the biggest the 49ers have drawn in 14 years, it would be smaller than the crowd of 112,376 that packed into Azteca to watch the Cowboys play a pre-season game in 1994.

Pre-season games in Mexico City in 1997 and 1998 also drew over 100,000. NFL and Televisa officials said they removed the lowest 10 rows of seats from the stadium for this weekend's game so that spectators can see over the players standing on the sidelines.

The 49ers and Cardinals have a combined record this year of one win and five losses. The 49ers, which won five Super Bowls from 1981 to 1995, had the worst record in the NFL last year with two wins and 14 losses.

The Cardinals, which will be considered the home team for the game at Azteca, haven't had a winning season since 1998.

``If this game fills Azteca Stadium with these two teams, then it's a true measure that people indeed love NFL football in Mexico,'' said Jose Manuel Basave, who writes a football sports column for El Norte newspaper in Monterrey.

2005-09-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Mexican fans begin to warm to football

Mexico City -- At 81, Jacinto Licea is still a live wire with no plans of ending a 50-year run coaching American football in Mexico.

Next Sunday, when the 49ers and Arizona Cardinals play here, it will mean that the future is finally now for Licea and millions of Mexicans who follow the NFL, despite the nation's obsession with that other football -- soccer. As many as 100,000 fans are expected to be on hand at Azteca Stadium in a country eager to show the NFL that it was right in selecting its capital city for the first regular-season game staged outside of the United States.

"The game is generating much expectation and enthusiasm," said Licea, whose Nacional Polytechnic Institute team last week lost the 64th "El Clasico" game 37-24 to crosstown rival Nacional Autonomous University of Mexico. The game was a sellout, with some 30,000 fans.

"I see (the 49ers) game as symbolic, mostly a promotion by the big businesses that are sponsoring it," Licea said. "But in Mexico, that is what American football needs. Big business, TV networks, the universities and the fans need to show they're interested in this game. This is our opportunity."

Azteca Stadium, on the city's south side, is a behemoth that's usually home to Mexico's national soccer team. In 1994, Azteca hosted the largest crowd ever to watch a professional American football game: 112,300 people showed up for an exhibition game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Oilers.

That turnout gave the NFL the heads-up it needed for a south-of-the-border marketing blitz that, since 1998, has sponsored more than 100,000 teens in touch-football leagues. Two years ago, the best Mexican touch team won the world championship. The NFL also started a player-development program to scout college players in Mexico's scrappy Major League of American Football.

The payoff is an impressive fan base that has sports enthusiasts speculating that Mexico City, the teeming center of a valley jammed with 20 million people, might one day have its own NFL franchise.

One day may be a long time into the future, given the U.S. cities queued up for new or relocating franchises. For now, the league is content with selling around $15 million a year in licensed products, from jerseys to footballs and coffee mugs, and registering millions of TV viewers each Sunday in Mexico. Football ranks just behind the NBA in season-long ratings for foreign sports, attracting around 5 million viewers a week.

Next week's game is the reward for an estimated 20 million Mexicans who count themselves to pollsters as followers of American football. Mexicans are generally fuzzy on the intricacies, but most marvel at the spectacle of the games, and the size and speed of the players.

Unlike soccer, which is pushed heavily by Mexico's richest corporations and is played by the smallest of boys as soon as they can walk, fans of American football have to go out of their way to witness a game in person. There are 24 organized teams spread out across Mexico, with about 1,500 players ranging in age from 15 to 24, according to Humberto Fernandez, spokesman for the Student Organization of American Football.

"We have a long way to go before our children are picking up footballs as often as they are kicking soccer balls," Fernandez said. "But we have a new generation of players at the college level who are bigger and faster. They have the heart, but not yet the skills, to play in the NFL."

One Mexican player, guard Rolando Cantu, has the dimensions, at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds. He's on the Cardinals' practice squad.

Mexican kickers have done well in the NFL, from Raul Allegre and Efren Herrera, to Alejandro Navarrette of the Monterrey Technical Institute, whom Fernandez believes will one day kick in the big league.

Still, American football is a poor stepchild to soccer. Resources vary among teams in the Mexican majors -- some have to borrow time on community soccer fields for their summer games. But two teams now offer scholarships to entice the nation's best prep players to private universities in the northern business hub of Monterrey and in Puebla, east of Mexico City.

"Our technical skills today are good and we are getting better at this game," said Omar Castro, a fleet wideout who plays for Licea's White Eagles. Castro harbors hopes of playing at a higher level.

"We're seeing more invitations each year from the NFL and the NFL Europe to show what we have, so there's hope," Castro said. As many as 60,000 fans have watched the White Eagles and the Pumas play in El Clasico in Mexico City's Olympic Stadium. The game has been played almost every year since 1937.

The only interruption was the three years that Mexico was afire in social upheaval, 1968-71, during which hundreds of students and activists were killed or kidnapped by Mexican police. Coincidentally, American football ignited the Mexican student and free-speech movements.

In 1968, Mexican police used brute force to break up a fight after an impromptu game of tackle football between kids from rival Mexico City high schools. The official overreaction sparked student protests that snowballed into Mexico's free-speech movement -- a social uprising that ended with the deaths of dozens of student activists in the Tlatelolco Plaza riot.

Next Sunday marks the 37th anniversary of the massacre. Licea hopes the 49ers-Cardinals game will erase the negative footnote American football has been for Oct. 2 in Mexican history.

"After '68, American football was tagged as violent sport," Licea said. "I'm just glad people are coming out now to see what this game is really about." Ricardo Sandoval is a Mexico City-based writer who covers Latin America for various publications.

San Francisco Chronicle.

2005-09-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

Former NFL cornerback, Bills QB to help hurricane-ravaged area
NATALIE CHAMBERS

The Mississippi Press

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Former NFL cornerback Terrell Buckley and Buffalo Bills quarterback Shane Matthews have joined one of the wealthiest counties in the country in a quest to raise money to rebuild Jackson County. - NFL Football -

The county was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Homes and businesses were damaged or washed away by the hurricane's powerful storm surge and winds.

When Buckley returned home Thursday, he was heartbroken.

His mother, Laura, lost her Pascagoula home and after driving around the storm-torn county Buckley, who has played for five NFL teams, including last season with the New York Jets, became even more disturbed by the long lines of people waiting for social services.

"I have never seen anything like that where homes are split in half and some homes completely gone," said Buckley, who along with Matthews have teamed with the Bacot/Jolly McCarty Foundation's Rebuild Jackson County Hurricane Relief Fund and Douglas County, Colo., officials.

The onset of football season hasn't allowed Matthews, a Pascagoula native, to tour the area but he is getting regular reports from his dad, Bill, and friends in the area. - NFL Football -

Matthews said his father also lost everything to Hurricane Katrina.

"But, he was smart enough to get out of there," he said. Material things can always be replaced, Matthews said. "It has been rough on everybody down there. It is going to be a long process rebuilding and I think we can do it," he said.

Matthews is soliciting autographed sports memorabilia from the Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys and the Bills for a Sept. 23 auction planned by officials in Douglas County, Colo., one of the wealthiest counties in the U.S.

"I am just calling all my buddies around the league and equipment managers and telling them to send whatever they come up with," Matthews said. "Instead of throwing stuff away, put it up for auction and people can use their money for a good cause." - NFL Football -

Shannon Moynahan, a spokeswoman for Douglas County, Colo., said the goal of the auction is to raise $1 million. Douglas County is located in the southern portion of Denver and according to its Web site, the median income for a family is $88,482.

"Sara Lee has a dollar-for-dollar matching program that has been offered to us," he said. "We believe between our auction and donations, we could easily reach the $400,000 to $500,000 donation mark. If Sara Lee helps us, that is where we will reach our goal."

2005-09-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

Touchdown: Fantasy Football
...lets fans act like big-shot NFL studs

This season, wide receiver Anquan Boldin won't just play for the Arizona Cardinals. He might not know it, but he's been drafted for the Brown Wall Street team in the Clubhouse Crew FantasyFootball League. What about All-Pro Kansas City running back Priest Holmes? He'll suit up for the Apt. 130 Monkey Wrench.

With the kick-off of the 2005 NFL season only two weeks away, fantasy football leagues around the country are filling their rosters. For the uninitiated, the idea is to create a lineup of NFL players who acquire points by scoring touchdowns and amassing yardage. In some leagues, teams play each other each week, while others choose a winner with total points at the end of the season.

The biggest part of fantasy football is drafting the players. Whether you're a yearly subscriber to the NFL Network or don't know the difference between Tom Brady and Peter Brady, there is a league for everyone. Tom is the three-time Super Bowl champion and Peter is the middle brother of the famous TV family, the Brady Bunch, by the way.

Erik Hernandez, 19, is an industrial design junior at ASU and has played fantasy football for three years.

"I have always been into tracking stats and fantasy football just seems like a game that benefits from knowing typically useless football statistics," says Hernandez. "The draft is always a great time to trash-talk and spoil the plans of other people in the league."

Unlike the NFL, you won't see thousands of screaming fans crammed into Madison Square Garden during fantasy football drafts. Instead, you'll see a group of friends huddled around a table amidst a sea of rosters, cheat sheets and empty bags of potato chips.

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue won't stroll across the stage, clutching an envelope to announce each pick. Instead, each owner shouts out his or her picks, followed by moans, chuckles and expletives.

Before the draft begins, Hernandez says it's very important to do your homework.

"To prepare for the draft I read online articles about players in training camp and pre-season, check out previous season statistics, and keep an eye on battles for starting positions," says Hernandez.

Web sites like ESPN.com offer plenty of help for fantasy owners setting up their strategy.

"I cheat," says 20-year-old English sophomore Mike Nevarez. "I really don't know much about football, statistically speaking, so I print out 'cheat sheets' and depth charts [rosters]."

Finance sophomore Surya Srinarayana chooses players by drafting from his favorite team: the Arizona Cardinals, who haven't had a winning season since 1997. Srinarayana says he thinks this year will be different.

"Fantasy football is about individual stats, and actual NFL games are about wins," says Srinarayana.

Hernandez and Srinarayana are just two of many people joining fantasy football leagues and dreaming of creating the ultimate team.

In 2004, an estimated 10 million people played fantasy football and turned it into a $100 million industry, according to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association.

"I think fantasy football is gaining interest because most football fans are closet stat trackers," says Hernandez. "It's also a good way to get groups together to watch games and have some friendly competition."

Even though most sites require you to pay to play, sites like ESPN.com and Yahoo.com let you play for free. And Nevarez says that's fine with him.

"It's all about bragging rights," says Nevarez. "When you are the underdog because sportscasters have [bad] projected a season for your players, there is no better feeling than to stuff it in your friends' faces when your iffy picks have a blowout season."

Copyright © 2001-05, ASU Web Devil. All rights reserved.

2005-08-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

Clarett doesn't work out when it comes to the NFL

A thousand pardons if memory serves me incorrectly.

But wasn't Maurice Clarett the guy who went to court to sue his way into the NFL, sounding as if he was so eager 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 Denver Broncos cut Monday, 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 in the RCA Dome 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 pro football 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 Buckeyes 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.

2005-08-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

Pac-10 football previews: Trojans looking to win it all again

LOS ANGELES — "Matt," barked a gnarled sportswriter in the first row at Pac-10 football media day, "ever think about the $10 million?"Surely he does, if for no other reason than Matt Leinart is continually asked about it. What he did, in essence, was make the most celebrated snub in history of a rich professional-sports contract, deciding to stay in college for his final year as USC quarterback.Maybe you regard as magnum stupidity turning thumbs-down to an eight-figure signing bonus and opting to return to the NCAA for little or nothing, but this much is also true: What Leinart did is pretty cool. - NFL Football - Yes, he took note of the contract signed by Alex Smith, the No. 1 pick, with the 49ers: six years worth $57 million, $24 million guaranteed."Who knows, it could have been me," Leinart said. "But whatever, I'm happy with what I'm doing. I'm living in L.A., hanging out. I've got a pretty good life."He disputes that it's as glamorous as it's portrayed. He must be talking about the fact that if you Google "Matt Leinart and dating," you come up with, in no particular order, reported relationships with Veronica Kay, actress/pro surfer; CaCee Cobb, Jessica Simpson's personal assistant; actress Alyssa Milano; and Kristen, from MTV's "Laguna Beach."Trojans at a glanceCoach: Pete Carroll, 5th year (42-9).Playmakers: QB Matt Leinart, RB Reggie Bush, RB LenDale White, WR Dwayne Jarrett, WR Steve Smith, LB Dallas Sartz, DE Frostee Rucker, S Darnell Bing.2004: 13-0 (consensus national champion). Defeated Oklahoma 55-19 in the Orange Bowl.Bud WithersAll this, and adulation, too. - NFL Football - "I kind of feel ... not like the spokesman of college football, but I think my decision to return to school has really affected a lot of people," he says. "I've gotten a lot of great compliments — kids, parents, all sorts of people."If I can send a message to people, that's what I'm going to send."Here's another message to college football: Look out.As if USC needed it, it enjoys the bonanza of all that Tom Lemming/Allen Wallace/oh-my-goodness talent surrounding the most accomplished college quarterback in the land.You envision the L.A.-living Leinart, out with a Southland starlet: "Oh yeah. Have I showed you my Heisman?""It's at my parents' house," Leinart said, responding to a question. "I actually asked my mom yesterday. She said, 'Oh, it's on the box in the closet.' "This is a mouthful, but it's what could come to Leinart in 2005: He has a chance to become the most decorated college-football player in history — a repeat Heisman winner (only Archie Griffin of Ohio State has done it) on a team trying to win an unprecedented three straight national titles. - NFL Football - Consider this: In his two seasons, Leinart has an obscene touchdown-to-interception ratio of 71-15. Carson Palmer, who won the Heisman in 2002 — but with a lesser cast in his early years — finished with a 72-49 number at USC.Surely, the offensive arsenal around Leinart affected his decision. The Trojans have eight starters back, including the running-back combo of mercurial Reggie Bush and masher LenDale White, and four of five starters on the offensive line.Leinart is asked to assess his receivers. He wades through Dwayne Jarrett, the Mike Williams clone who caught 55 balls as a freshman; Steve Smith, who made a touchdown catch against Oklahoma while a Sooner was pinning one arm; and tight end Dominique Byrd, who also had a 33-yard scoring reception with one hand against Oklahoma.There's one more — Patrick Turner, the latest 6-5 import from east of the Mississippi, this one a Parade All-American from Nashville, Tenn."We're going to expect a lot from him," Leinart said. - NFL Football - Considerable focus will be on the controversial coaching shakeup that saw the exit of wizard offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who gives way to quarterbacks coach Steve Sarkisian and coordinator Lane Kiffin, each in his early 30s."The people have changed, but the format is exactly the same," insisted coach Pete Carroll."They're coming into a situation where we've got a great team," added Leinart. "Those guys have a great offense with a lot of guys back. It's not like they've got to deal with a whole new offensive line or quarterbacks or receivers." - NFL Football - But on defense, the Trojans are remade. Only five starters return, and among the departed are top-shelf Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson up front and linebackers Matt Grootegoed and Lofa Tatupu."We'll be fine, I think," said end Frostee Rucker, leaning on one of the many trophy cases at USC's Heritage Hall. "We don't rebuild, we reload."In reference to the losses, defensive end Lawrence Jackson says, "Those were all great guys. That's the one thing guys have to get — quick experience. But I think we gain a lot of athleticism in the guys who replace them."Not that punting is a big thing at USC, but when the Trojans do, they turn to Tom Malone, whose 44.5-yard average is ahead of the school's career mark. Meanwhile, the placekicking job is expected to be given to Mario Danelo, son of ex-Washington State and New York Giants kicker Joe Danelo.Mostly, it's an embarrassment of riches here, befitting a program that has gone 40-4 since mid-2001. - NFL Football - "You get the collaboration of the best coaches and the best athletes around the nation," said Rucker.It's enough to make a Heisman Trophy winner come back for more.

Bud WithersSeattle Times

2005-08-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

Football Fever

There's no better time of the year for a fantasy football competitor.
Right now -- with all the NFL preseason mania-- officially marks the beginning of the fantasy season.
Yes, most drafts are right around the corner. Mine, in the Fan Fanatic Fantasy Football League, will take place Sunday. - NFL Football -
I can't wait. The draft is the equivalent of Christmas for a youngster ... every day you wake up and count how many more days are left before the big day.
Every year I preach preparation. My main prep tools are fantasy magazines -- mainly a top-of-the-line product like Fantasy Sports.
But for the first time ever I've taken a fresh new approach. Although I'm still a magazine junky, I dipped into the Internet for some extra knowledge by going to espn.com to partake in the free ESPN Fantasy Football live draft. This straight draft pits 10 other owners from all across the country against one another. There are 16 rounds and every selection must be made within a 1:30 time limit. - NFL Football -
I did one live draft and it just became addictive. Within a week I participated in nine drafts and can say the information I stored away during these drafts was way more helpful than any magazine I've ever read.
You see, drafting against others from everywhere in the United States gave me a much better sense of who's going to be a hot pick and who people want to avoid.
With nine drafts under my belt (It's crazy, but I did it all in the name of research), I'll do my best to give you some insight about what to look for when it's time for you to go on the draft clock. - NFL Football -
In all nine drafts, LaDainian Tomlinson was either the Nos. 1 or 2 picks (not really a surprise, however). Peyton Manning got the No. 1 pick twice.
People are scared of Priest Holmes this year. The eight games he missed because of a bad knee have people second-guessing whether to draft him in the top five. Amazingly he slipped all the way to No.9 in one draft. Kevin Jones and Jamal Lewis were even selected before him.
ESPN hyped Jones to be a force -- an 1,800-yard back this season -- and most are buying into the hype. Be very careful landing him as your No. 1 back, but if he slips or comes fairly cheap, grab him immediately. - NFL Football -
Running back picks that people weren't sure to draft include: Tatum Bell, Tiki Barber, Clinton Portis and Ahman Green.
Perhaps the most baffling players in the draft were rookie backs: Carnell Williams (Tampa Bay), Cedric Benson (Chicago), Ronnie Brown (Miami) and J.J. Arrington (Arizona). In all but two drafts, I got three of the four players in between the sixth and 10th rounds. Maybe I was drafting against some fantasy idiots, or maybe I'm just an idiot drafting rookies. But I'd like to think I'm right. Take a flyer on all four backs -- you can never have enough on your roster. The two guys I really like are Williams -- he went in the third round once -- and Arrington.
Just like every year, the wide receiver pool is very deep. If you don't get Randy Moss, Torry Holt, Terrell Owens or Marvin Harrison, don't panic. Remember there's always second-tier guys like Chad Johnson, Javon Walker, Joe Horn, and other stars can be had with names like Anquan Boldin, Jimmy Smith, Larry Fitzgerald and Nate Burleson (he's going to be Minnesota's No. 1 threat). Hot sleeper picks: Tyrone Calico, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams and Charles "Collarbone" Rogers. - NFL Football -
There's also quality depth at quarterback and tight end. Manning and Daunte Culpepper are the cream of the QB crop, but it would be tough not to be happy with proven slingers like Donovan McNabb, Trent Green, Brett Favre, Marc Bulger and Tom Brady. Carson Palmer is a scorching pick, and the most frightning pick is Michael Vick (you can't trust him; he's simply not an elite fantasy player). - NFL Football -
At tight end, Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates produce like big-time wideouts, but if you can't snag either target, look for tight ends that slipped for one reason or another in my drafts (Randy McMichael, Jermaine Wiggins, Daniel Graham, Jeb Putzier).
The most overlooked positions in fantasy drafts are always defense and kickers. Granted, they're not sexy picks, but good talent all across the board is a must to be able to bring home a title. - NFL Football -
For every Adam Vinatieri out there -- he'll definitely help you -- there's a Jay Feely (he'll hurt you). Don't believe the garbage that kickers are a dime a dozen. They are important ... don't find out the hard way.
If you draft a bone-crushing defensive unit -- Ravens, Patriots, Bills, Steelers, Eagles -- you're all set except for the bye week. If you decide to punt on the kings of the gridiron and go for some bargains or sleepers, check out the Bengals, Colts, Bears, Cardinals and Vikings.
Remember there's no secret formula that will enable you to win each and every year, but I hope some of this information will lead you in the right direction in your quest for fantasy greatness.
Christmas (AKA the fantasy draft) is right around the corner. I can't sleep because I'm way too excited. - NFL Football -

MediaNews Group.

2005-08-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

Football season is my favorite time of year

Yesterday, if you were willing to be up at 5 a.m., you witnessed the official start of football season. In Japan, the Atlanta Falcons beat the Indianapolis Colts in the first pre-season NFL game of the year.This is the time of year that any football fan for any football team has every reason to be excited. - NFL Football -
Every team has a chance to win it all. Sure, some are expected to do better than others, but right now, expectations mean nothing.High school football will begin in our area in just over two weeks from today when Dadeville plays Reeltown Thursday, Aug. 25. I'm hearing a lot about how far Benjamin Russell's team could go this year. - NFL Football -
There's a buzz in the air coming from Horseshoe Bend where a new head coach and his new approach will be looking to turn around last year's 1-9 record.Alabama, Auburn and UAB will kick off the college season slightly more that a week later on Saturday, Sept. 3. The weekend will be highlighted on the Plains of Auburn as the Tigers host Georgia Tech in an attempt to avenge their loss to the Yellow Jackets two years ago in Atlanta. ESPN will be there as they make their 49th stop in their "50 States in 50 Days" tour. - NFL Football -
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love football. I am a football fan. I'm the guy they created CSS for. The reason they replay college games day after day throughout the week is for guys like me. The same could be said for the NFL Network.Don't misunderstand me; I'm not a fanatic about the game. I don't get superstitious. I don't have a lucky shirt or hat that I have to wear every time my team plays. I don't have a special place I have to sit when I watch a game. It's nothing like that at all. - NFL Football -I appreciate the strategy. I can enjoy a 3-0 game as much as a 42-41 game. I may enjoy it even more. I went to school at Auburn so, naturally, I pull a little more for the Tigers than I do any other college. With that said, I've watched the Alabama-Miami Sugar Bowl game from 1992 more than half a dozen times because of how that defense played. I would love to see former Alabama defensive coordinator and former Auburn head coach Bill Oliver coaching somewhere because of the defenses he's put on the field- at both Alabama and Auburn. In my opinion, he's the best I've ever seen. - NFL Football -
I'll be there Thursday night when Dadeville plays Reeltown. One of Dadeville's own, former Auburn cornerback and Oliver prodigy Rodney Crayton is coaching the secondary for Dadeville this year. I'm curious to see just how much he remembers and if can coach 'em up like Brother Bill. Then again, I'll be at several local games this year. - NFL Football -

Tommy Chandler

2005-07-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

NFL Notebook: Williams begins his NFL return

Running back Ricky Williams reported to Miami Dolphins training camp yesterday morning, nearly one year to the day after he told the team he was retiring from football.
Williams, driving a blue sport utility vehicle, arrived at the team's training facility around 8:45 a.m. He did not comment to reporters waiting outside the complex. The team's first formal training-camp media availability is scheduled for today.
The 2002 NFL rushing champion decided to seek reinstatement after sitting out last season, saying at the time he'd lost the urge to continue playing. - NFL Football -
Williams faces a four-game suspension at the start of the season for violating the league's substance abuse program, yet likely will be able to play in preseason games.
Williams acknowledged shortly after retiring that he failed drug tests and faced a suspension for testing positive three times for marijuana. - NFL Football -
Williams rushed for 3,225 yards and 25 touchdowns in two seasons with the Dolphins. He informed former coach Dave Wannstedt of his retirement plans last July 23, one week before the start of training camp -- a move that stunned teammates, and played a role in Miami's downward spiral. The Dolphins were 4-12 last season.
A court later found the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner in breach of contract by retiring, and ordered him to repay the team $8.6 million. - NFL Football -
The team has not yet sought to collect the settlement, and new coach Nick Saban offered Williams another chance to play for the Dolphins. - NFL Football -
More Dolphins - NFL Football -
Rookies Matt Roth and Kevin Vickerson agreed to deals yesterday, leaving former Auburn running back Ronnie Brown as the team's only unsigned draft pick going into the first training camp practice. Brown, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, is waiting to sign after top choice Alex Smith reaches an agreement with the San Francisco 49ers.
Bears - NFL Football -
Chicago signed quarterback Kyle Orton, a three-year starter at Purdue, to a four-year contract. Orton, a fourth-round draft pick, was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate until his abdominal muscle was torn midway through the season. Orton completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 9,337 yards and 63 touchdowns with 28 interceptions at Purdue. He had seven 300-yard passing games, including one 500-yard game and two 400-yard games.

The Associated Press

2005-07-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

Monk entering fifth year in NFL

While he's still living out his dream, Quincy Monk understands he's no longer in a fantasy land.
Monk, a former White Oak High School football standout, is preparing for his fifth season in the National Football League and is now a member of the Houston Texans. He joined the AFC South division team late last year after being cut by the New York Giants, who had drafted him out of the University of North Carolina in the seventh round of the 2002 draft.
When the Giants fired Jim Fassel and brought in Tom Coughlin as head coach, Monk was released and spent three months unemployed before catching on with the Texans.
"I was out of there for a long time," Monk said Saturday while signing autographs after volunteering for the inaugural Gideon T. Johnson football camp at Jacksonville High School. "I know what it's about now. The first year â?¦ was like a kid in a candy store, a dream come true. You don't really know the business side of things. - NFL Football -
"After a while you kind of learn, open your eyes and realize how the NFL really is. I've always known it was a business. (After) what happened last year, I really know that it's only a business." - NFL Football -
Monk, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound linebacker, spent three years with the Giants, mainly seeing action on special teams. He played in 13 games his first two seasons, recording seven special teams tackles and one solo tackle.
A 4-12 record in 2003 cost Fassel his job, and the arrival of Coughlin was followed by a roster purge and that included Monk, who was released on September 5, 2004, just one week before the start of the season. - NFL Football -
"Things got kind of haywire, it was a bad situation for me to be in with a new coaching staff," Monk said. "They tried to bring their own guys in. But I feel like I'm definitely gonna try to take advantage of the situation I'm in now.
"They try to scoot you out of there â?¦ they pretty much dismantled that whole team that came in with me. So not too many of the original guys that were with me are still on the team. Normally when a new coach comes in he has his own set of players."
Monk signed with Houston on December 15, 2004 - joining former Carolina Panthers head coach Dom Capers, who now coaches the Texans - and was inactive for one game before playing the final two contests against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns. He finished with two special teams stops, and even landed a game ball for his return effort.
"The first game I got back I got a special teams game ball," Monk recalled. "I felt good to be back out there even though I'd been out for a while. I've been doing this for so long; you never really forget how to play football." - NFL Football -
As the 2005 campaign approaches, Monk is listed second on the depth chart at middle linebacker according to the team's Web site http://www.houstontexans.com/. He is expecting to battle for a starting position with Jason Babin, who was a first-round draft pick in 2004 and started last year at outside linebacker. - NFL Football -
He understands the difficulty in the challenge that lies ahead.
"I'm competing â?¦ for the starting job, just trying to give myself the best opportunity to help the team," Monk said. "That's my goal is go out there and give myself the best opportunity to help the team any way I can. - NFL Football -
"I want to compete for a starting job and whatever happens with that happens. But I'm just trying to go out there and mentally be ready to take on anything. Last year with a new staff coming in (in New York) it was kind of haywire. Now I'm more focused and I know really what time it is." - NFL Football -
No matter where he ends up on the depth chart, Monk is excited about the prospects of the upcoming season. The Texans finished 7-9 last season and have improved each year since their inaugural season in 2002, going 5-11 in '03 after a 4-12 mark in '02.
"I feel really good, we've got a great team, a lot of talent," Monk said. "I really think we have the potential to do really great things with the amount of talent we have."

PAUL THOMPSON
DAILY NEWS STAFF SPORTS EDITOR

2005-07-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

Truth and rumours

"I hope to see you here next year," Eagles WR Terrell Owens told a group of youth football campers at Rosemont College (near Philadelphia) on Sunday. Owens, who wants the Eagles to renegotiate his contract, repeatedly mentioned how adulation from the fans "pumps me up" on the field, and recalled the huge crowds that flocked to training camp at Lehigh last year. -- Philadelphia Daily News

That the Eagles haven't traded Owens is the most intriguing aspect of this serial. There are two ways to look at this. Either the Eagles are unable to deal him because the NFL's other 31 teams have observed Owens' behavior and decided his talent is not worth his trouble, or the Eagles are unwilling to deal him because ... well, why? Here's a thought: The Eagles need him. And deep down, they know they need him. Clearly, Andy Reid, Joe Banner and Jeffrey Lurie are banking that as those markers approach, Owens will weigh his options, decide that earning $3.25 million is better than earning nothing, and end his holdout. -- Phillyburbs.com

However, there is a strong sense around the NFL that Philadelphia will use a late second-round pick in the supplemental draft on USC tackle Manuel Wright, who could eventually succeed high-priced starting defensive tackle Corey Simon. "You're basically talking about what's almost a third-round pick if you're the Eagles," one NFL executive said. "I could easily see them doing that." -- Miami Herald

Jacksonville Jaguars Coach Jack Del Rio might be getting a little nervous about his running game. The reason? No one seems to be saying anything about starting running back Fred Taylor's health. In recent weeks, Taylor has said team officials lied when they said he had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in January. Instead, he said, he had major surgery to repair ligament damage. Taylor said he hopes to be ready for the start of the season. But the rehab from the surgery would seem to mean Taylor won't be 100 percent when training camp starts in about a month. -- Orlando Sentinel

Seattle RB Shaun Alexander said signing the Seahawks' $6.32 million franchise tender is "out of the question," and he said he could sit out a while. Under NFL rules, the Seahawks can't reopen negotiations with Alexander until July 15. "I honestly believe that they're going to make a great deal for me," Alexander said. -- Orlando Sentinel

In just three weeks, when the Jets report to camp, all eyes in the Jets locker room will be on kicker Mike Nugent, selected -- amid controversy -- with the first of two second-round picks, the 47th selection overall. Nugent, from Ohio State, was the first kicker taken this year and the highest one chosen since the Oakland Raiders grabbed Sebastian Janikowski with the 17th pick overall in 2000. "If you watch his career, he has been a guy that has played in a lot of big games," Jets coach Herm Edwards said. "He kicked a lot of tough kicks in pressure situations. He's an outdoor guy. The weather doesn't bother him. If he continues to do what he did in college, you're talking about a guy that can be here for 10 years-plus." -- New Jersey Star Ledger

With Onterrio Smith suspended for the year, the Vikings haven't given up on acquiring another running back. -- St. Paul Pioneer Press
The Texans are determined to lock up Domanick Davis for future seasons before the third-year running back can become a restricted free agent. The two sides soon will be discussing a long-term contract extension that would keep Davis, now aiming for his third consecutive 1,000-plus-yard rushing season, in Houston for at least the next five seasons. -- NFL.com
Highly-touted Browns rookie "no-show" Kellen Winslow, Jr., will be in court Monday. He'll take a break from rehab from his motorcycle accident tomorrow to appear in Rocky River court for operating his bike with wanton disregard for safety, a misdemeanor that carries a small fine and no jail time.

Sports Illustrated

2005-07-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

Off-season list of NFL's retiring players

The countdown to NFL training camps has picked up serious steam, with most teams kicking off drills later this month. But some veterans are more busy with their golf games this summer instead of staying in shape.
As many fantasy football fans are more concerned about finding the next great superstars, here's a chance to remember some of the players who have moved on to retirement during this off-season.
The following players have announced their retirements from the NFL during this off-season.

EMMITT SMITH Running back
Career in a nutshell: Not a bad draft pick by Jimmy Johnson, huh? Smith may have faced a few doubts entering the NFL, but he put together a pretty decent little resume: NFL all-time records with 18,355 rushing yards and 164 touchdowns, three Super Bowl rings with the Cowboys, both the NFL's MVP and Super Bowl MVP awards in 1993, and basically one of the all-time best running backs ever to play the game. Don't let a mostly journeyman two seasons in the Arizona desert taint his legacy. Some might argue he ran behind a dominant O-line in Dallas and may not be the BEST RB ever, but to be in the conversation ain't too shabby.

RICH GANNON Quarterback
Career in a nutshell: The ultimate late-bloomer, Gannon proved to be one of the best free-agent signings in league annals with the Raiders before the 1999 season. After putting up wins without ground-breaking numbers with three other teams in his first twelve seasons, Gannon found an unlikely boss in deep-ball lover Al Davis — unlikely because Gannon was known for his accuracy, mobility and game management rather than his big arm. The Raiders were the AFC's team to beat before the Patriots' dynasty, with Gannon reaching four Pro Bowls and being named 2002 league MVP. The veteran has not officially retired yet, but he's clearly not in the Raiders' 2005 plans and would reportedly rather avoid risking re-injuring his neck for a backup job.

TIM BROWN Wide receiver
Career in a nutshell: Here's another guy who hasn't signed his playing days away on paper, but for all intents has hung up the cleats. Though Brown never won the elusive Super Bowl ring for Al Davis, he has nothing to be ashamed of after a Hall of Fame career. The former Heisman Trophy winner was known more as arguably the AFC's best return man for his first five years before starting a streak of nine straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 1993-2001, including AFC highs in receiving yards four times. At age 36 in 2002, he and Jerry Rice led Oakland to the Super Bowl before losing to Jon Gruden's Bucs, where Brown finished up last season. With the 3rd-most catches and 2nd-most yards all-time, plan a Canton party for the classy Brown at the end of this decade.

GARY ANDERSON Kicker
Career in a nutshell: This guy was supposed to retire last year, but as is common with those old-timer reliable legs he got an emergency offer to return. Sure, maybe he looked a little dorky sporting the single-bar facemask all those years. But Anderson was calm and cool when it counted as he rewrote the kicking chapters of the NFL record books. The South Africa native leaves as the NFL's all-time leading scorer in both the regular season and playoffs, and gained notice by going an entire season without missing a field goal or extra-point attempt in 1998 — only to miss a potential game-clinching field goal in the NFC title game against Atlanta. The Falcons tied the game, won in overtime, and Anderson never got his Super Bowl shot. Still, that can't take away from what should be a Hall of Fame career — yes, even as a kicker.

RICHMOND WEBB Offensive tackle
Career in a nutshell: The long-time Dolphins tackle actually hadn't played since 2002 with Cincy, but finally gave up the battle of rehabbing for a hopeful return to the trenches, where he ruled for a decade. The eighth overall pick in the 1990 draft certainly earned his share of Isotoner gloves as one of Dan Marino's main protectors in Miami. Webb was a Pro Bowl mainstay in the 1990s, earning trips to to Hawaii in each of his first seven seasons. As a sign of his fine work, the Dolphins allowed 30 or fewer sacks in nine of his 11 seasons with Webb on the line — including an NFL-low 16 in 1990. And this June, even after two seasons away from playing, Miami signed Webb to a one-day deal to retire as a 'Phin.

OTIS SMITH Cornerback
Career in a nutshell: Even though he seemingly played for 20 teams (and most of them twice), it was only four over 13 seasons — which is pretty impressive for an undrafted free agent. Then consider he made the Philadelphia Eagles roster after going undrafted in 1990, the Gang Green defense of Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Eric Allen, et al. Through a tough work ethic, Smith turned into a solid NFL player who notched 29 career interceptions and twice led the NFL in INTs for TDs. He landed with the Jets in 1995 and became a Bill Parcells/Belichick favorite for his steadiness, as well as his penchant for the big plays in the biggest games. New England honored him by signing him to a one-day deal in May to retire as a Pat, a fine honor for Mr. Smith.

MO LEWIS Linebacker
Career in a nutshell: Lewis spear-headed the Jets defense during the bulk of his days wearing green, and was the team's defensive captain at linebacker for his final seven seasons of active duty — starting with the 1997 turnaround season when the Jets went from 1-15 jokes to 9-7 playoff contenders under Bill Parcells. That year marked the comeback of the Jets defense, which has ranked among the top third in the NFL in almost every year since. From 1997-2000 Lewis averaged 7½ sacks per season in leading the Jets back to respectability, and he earned three Pro Bowl trips during that time. Lewis was a cap casualty after the 2003 season in NYC, but signed this June in order to retire as a Jet.

MARVIN JONES Linebacker
Career in a nutshell: Jones was one of the more high-profile Jets draft picks in the past couple decades (fourth overall pick in 1993 out of Florida State) and actually one that didn't get booed by fans attending the draft in New York. While he didn't put up some of the career numbers that his teammate Lewis did, Jones was a force in the middle of the defense for many years with blinding, freakish speed at linebacker. Despite playing three fewer seasons than Lewis (Jones missed the entire 1998 season to injury), Jones averaged 120 tackles to 105 for Lewis and was often the more disruptive player until his body wore down toward his final seasons.

MARVIN JONES Linebacker
Career in a nutshell: Jones was one of the more high-profile Jets draft picks in the past couple decades (fourth overall pick in 1993 out of Florida State) and actually one that didn't get booed by fans attending the draft in New York. While he didn't put up some of the career numbers that his teammate Lewis did, Jones was a force in the middle of the defense for many years with blinding, freakish speed at linebacker. Despite playing three fewer seasons than Lewis (Jones missed the entire 1998 season to injury), Jones averaged 120 tackles to 105 for Lewis and was often the more disruptive player until his body wore down toward his final seasons.

DORSEY LEVENS Running back
Career in a nutshell: An unrestricted free agent, Levens is expected to retire unless he gets an offer he can't refuse — which is unlikely at this point since he turned 35 in May. Still, the former Packer finished strong in Philly as Brian Westbrook's backup, with Dorsey as the horsey between the tackles (4.4 yards per carry, 410 rush yards, 4 TDs). Levens began his days as Packer understudy to Edgar Bennett in winning a ring in 1996, but with his versatility Levens won the starting job in '97 and rushed for 1,435 yards. His injury issues prevented him from being a full-time starter for more than a couple seasons, but that didn't keep the Eagles from using him as a valuable backup.

JOSH EVANS Defensive tackle
Career in a nutshell: A solid defensive tackle for the Oilers/Titans and the Jets, Evans is retiring just shy of 33 after missing all but one game of the 2004 season due to back surgery. Evans was drafted into the NFL's team in limbo, the Houston Oilers, back in 1995 when the franchise was getting ready for an ugly divorce in Houston. After the move to Tennessee, Evans found more playing time and became part of a strong D-line rotation. However, Evans was suspended for the first month of 1999 en route to a Super Bowl appearance, then for the entire 2000 season due to the NFL's substance abuse policy. His ensuing two years were his best ever statistically, though he never did reach the upper echelons of the NFL's defensive tackles.

ROB KONRAD Fullback
Career in a nutshell: Six seasons may not seem like a lot, but it sure is at a position where the body endures dozens of head-first car crashes every Sunday. Fullback is not a glory position, but Konrad was never a glory hound. The final rushing numbers will never make the highlight shows: 38 career carries, 114 rushing yards, seven total TDs. But Konrad was a steady fullback on mostly a ground-oriented team under head coach Dave Wannstedt, which means he withstood quite a few head-butts in his career. Here's to a solid blocker — thanks for having such a hard head.

FOXSports

2005-06-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Ex-NFL vet Unutoa to start vs. Alouettes
or the first time since 2003, the Renegades are turning to an American for protection.

Seven-year NFL veteran Morris Unutoa is expected to be the starting left guard when Ottawa hosts the Montreal Alouettes in their Canada Day home opener Friday. Unutoa will become the first non-import on the line since Seth Dittman was traded to Calgary two winters ago.

His addition -- plus the fact George Hudson spent yesterday's practice back at centre -- suggests Val St. Germain could start at left tackle.

Coach Joe Paopao, who saw quarterback Kerry Joseph sacked seven times in the regular-season opener last Friday, refused to confirm his alignment for fear of helping the Als out with their preparation.

Unutoa, who spent most of his NFL career as a backup guard and long snapper, hasn't played in a game since 2002 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last winter, he was preparing to play for a semi-pro team in Utah when he decided he wanted one more shot at pro football. A Samoan by decent, he had heard that a Paopao was in the CFL, and after doing a Google search on the name, he discovered where.

A phone call to the Renegades led to tapes being sent and then a free-agent tryout for the coaching staff in California, from which Unutoa earned an invite to the team's camp in Kemptville.

Barring the unforeseen, he will be activated from the practice roster today.

"I'm grateful for this opportunity," said Unutoa, a 34-year-old who checks in at 6-foot-2, 289 lbs. "I've just got to play my game and not lose focus.

Hopefully, I'll make all my mistakes now (in practice) so I won't make them in the game."

Paopao calls Unutoa a "pit bull" and says he is probably the best "pulling lineman" on the team.

He also likes the player's pass blocking ability, saying he learned his technique at a college known for its spectacular air shows.

Unutoa attended Brigham Young with Als slotback Ben Cahoon.

YEOW NOW: The Renegades are also expected to debut their first- round draft choice Friday: LB Cam Yeow. The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder had to steer clear of contact drills through training camp as he recovered from Jan. 20 shoulder surgery. "I'm ready," said Yeow. "I've had a couple of hitting days ... (Monday) I tried to hit everyone to show them I'm ready." Yeow will play special teams and could also be used on defence for a few plays at middle linebacker, if Keaton Cromartie doesn't play. Cromartie, who suffered a mild concussion last week, says he is fine and symptom-free, but Paopao is reluctant to take any chances with a head injury ... Jason Kralt and D'Wayne Taylor will also likely play at middle linebacker if Cromartie doesn't go ... Paopao said yesterday DE Kai Ellis is "50-50, more questionable than probable," to play against the Als. Ellis, who had Ottawa's only two sacks last week, has a sprained ankle. He would be replaced by A.C. Collier ... The Renegades will showcase their new third jerseys tonight (6 p.m.) at Fat Tuesday's in the market ... The team will observe a moment of silence prior to Friday's kickoff in honour of Frank Clair, the legendary coach and GM who died in the off-season. The Renegades are also wearing FC stickers in his memory.

By DON BRENNAN, Ottawa Sun

NFL FOOTBALL MOCK DRAFT

2005-06-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

NFL FOOTBALL MOCK
In a year when moviegoers were rooting for a fictional fighter from South Philadelphia, Vince Papale was a real-life Rocky Balboa."The scenes with Rocky running through the streets of South Philadelphia -- that was Vince," said Ray Didinger, a senior producer and writer for NFL Films who covered the Philadelphia Eagles for the Evening Bulletin in 1976. "People knew who he was and they would holler out his name whenever he passed by."
A 1964 graduate of Interboro High School, Papale made the Eagles roster as the longest of long shots -- a 30-year-old free agent who had never played a down of college football.

His story resonated not only in Philadelphia, but across the country. It led to a write up in Sports Illustrated, an appearance on the "Mike Douglas Show" and more than 200 speaking engagements in 1977 alone."They line up to see this freak of nature," Papale joked with a reporter during his first training camp with the Eagles. "Step right this way, folks. Come and see the tattooed lady and the 30-year-old rookie."Some 30 years after "Rocky" made the Philadelphia Art Museum a tourist destination as much for its steps as its paintings, Disney Studios has decided to take a chance on another Italian underdog."Invincible," a film that chronicles the 10-month period where Papale morphed from substitute teacher and bartender to professional football player, could appear in theaters as soon as the fall of 2006."It’s a feeling I can’t even describe," said Papale, 59, a Glenolden native who lives in Cherry Hill, N.J., with his wife, Janet, and children, Gabriella and Vincent. "I have always thought it was a good story, but reading the script and watching the production team put in 14- and 16-hour days to make it a reality is something else. I think it’s going to turn out great."After playing two years in the World Football League for the Philadelphia Bell, Papale made the improbable leap to the Eagles, a team he had rooted for his entire life and the former employer of his childhood idol, wide receiver Tommy McDonald."About three years ago, the people at Monday Night Football contacted NFL Films wanting to do a piece on me for their pre-game show," Papale said. The segment, which aired before the Eagles’ Nov. 25, 2002, Monday night game against the 49ers, piqued interest in Hollywood.Producers Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, who worked on "The Rookie" and "Miracle," pitched the story to Disney Studios, which bought the rights last fall. First-time director Ericson Core will lead a cast that features Mark Wahlberg ("Boogie Nights," "Three Kings") as Papale. Greg Kinnear ("As Good as it Gets") is reportedly close to signing on for the part of Vermeil.The script, set in 1976, was written by Brad Gann ("Static") and Mike Rich ("Finding Forrester" and "The Rookie")."Mark Wahlberg has the kind of grit that people from Philadelphia can relate to," said Papale, who played three seasons for the Birds. "He has the athletic ability and the toughness and he is the kind of person who looks you in the eye and absorbs what you are saying."By the time shooting begins in Philadelphia later this summer, Papale, now a marketing executive with college lending firm Sallie Mae, expects Wahlberg will have his act, circa 1976, down pat."I had the open collars, the long hair, the unibrow -- the whole nine yards," Papale said with a laugh. From sandlot to stardomIt was a meaningful catch in a meaningless scrimmage that convincedDidinger and other writers covering the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976 that Vince Papale might be something more than a novelty act."Until that touchdown pass against the Jets, it was hard to take Vince seriously," said Didinger, who started his career with the Daily Times and retired from the Philadelphia Daily News in 1996. "He was a 30-year-old free agent who had never played college football. For Vince, that catch was a seminal moment."After the game, Didinger, a graduate of St. James High School in Chester, asked Papale, a graduate of Interboro High School in Prospect Park, whether the touchdown was the biggest of his life."Probably," Papale said. "The next one would be the 99-yard touchdown I scored on a double reverse for the Glenolden Boys Club."It was an odd answer -- comparing a peewee football TD to a catch that might launch an NFL career -- but one Didinger fully understood."I was a defensive end for the Folsom Boys Club and I think it was the first game where my parents came to watch me," Didinger said. "The play was moving away from me and my job was to stay put and contain."Instead, with visions of making a tackle in the end zone, Didinger abandoned his assignment and started running down the line of scrimmage in search of the ball carrier. "Before I knew it, the ball changed hands and someone knocked me to the ground," he said. "When I looked up, there was a guy from Glenolden running past me."It would take a touchdown pass on Long Island 20 years later for Didinger to put a name with a helmet."You’re not going to believe this," he told Papale, "but the defensive end on that play who was out of position and allowed you to score ..That was me!"New attitudeDick Vermeil knew he would not be inheriting a playoff-caliber team when he took his first head coaching job in Philadelphia."His mantra that whole first summer was to keep the guys who wanted to play and wanted to win," Didinger said. "He was looking for people who were competitive and willing to pay the price. Well, Vince was the poster child for that. He was hungrier than everyone he lined up against and played like a guy who had just come down from the 700 level."Those who witnessed it say Parris Island has nothing on Vermeil’s first summer at Widener. See PAPALE: Page 17"In the 30-plus years I have been covering football, it was the most brutal training camp I ever saw," said Didinger, who was enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame in 1995 for his football writing. "A lot of the writers thought Buddy Ryan ran a tough camp, but that was Aruba compared to what Vermeil was putting those guys through."People would cut themselves. They would throw their suitcases in the back of the car and take off."Papale said many of the veterans were not prepared, mentally or physically, for what Vermeil threw at them that first summer at Widener. "He expected players to play to the best of their ability," Papale said. "It didn’t matter whether you were a starter or a rookie, you had to prove yourself. It was a completely different atmosphere than people were used to."Like his mentor, Hall of Fame coach George Allen, Vermeil entertained all comers. "Back then, you could bring 150 guys to camp -- anyone who had a pair of cleats," Didinger said. "George Allen was the first to do it and hundreds and hundreds of guys would turn out."A three-sport athlete at Interboro who played on the Bucs undefeated 1963 squad his senior year, Papale was too small coming out of high school to garner much attention from college football recruiters. But when he pole vaulted 14 feet, 4½ inches at a summer track meet in West Chester -- at a time when the world record was 16 feet -- he landed a track and field scholarship to St. Joseph’s.After a terrific college career on the track oval, Papale began a six-year teaching stint at Interboro. To stay in football shape, he played in the Delco Rough Touch League in Milmont Park and for the semi-pro Aston Knights of the Seaboard League."The rough touch league was hand-to-hand combat," Papale said. "Most of the teams were sponsored by bars and there were more fights than you could count. Those guys killed each other." Papale played for Canon’s Café in Chester and, later, Maximillian’s Tavern in Norwood, where he tended bar before joining the Eagles. It was a coach in the Seaboard League who steered him toward a professional football career with the Philadelphia Bell of the newly formed World Football League. "There were about 650 guys who came to the tryout and when it was all over, two of us were left standing," Papale quipped.With a $16,000 contract and an army of fans, Papale eventually broke the Bell’s starting lineup at wide receiver, thrilling a Delco fan base, who turned out in droves for the team’s home games at JFK Stadium.When the WFL folded in Papale’s second season, it appeared he would be heading back to Interboro to prepare lesson plans. But his performance with the Bell got him a tryout with the Eagles. Vermeil quickly recognized the same qualities in Papale that his high school coach, George Corner, spotted in 1963. "I don’t care if Vince is a 50-year-old rookie," Vermeil said, "he makes things happen."Papale was still sweating his chances when Vermeil told him he had made the team."Coach walked up to me while we were stretching and said, ‘Congratulations, old man, you’re a Philadelphia Eagle.’"I asked him if I could make a phone call and he thought I wanted to call the press."Instead, Papale dialed up the Westinghouse plant in Tinicum where his father, Frank "Kingie" Papale worked as a burner for 50 years. "The shop foreman answered and I could hear him yelling ‘Tell Kingie his little boy is an Eagle!’ Then I heard everyone in the background going crazy."Papale, whose father died in 1999, looks forward to the father-son dialogue as much as anything else in the film."When I read the scenes between me and my father, it gave me goose pimples," he said. "The script is better than anything I could have imagined."True to lifeAs the football coordinator for "Invincible," Mark Ellis is charged with bringing a 30-year-old Papale, the 1976 Eagles and Veterans Stadium back to life."It’s tough enough to try to fool the fans of America, but the Philadelphia fans scare me to death," said Ellis, who worked on "The Longest Yard," "Any Given Sunday," and "Miracle.""Our job is to make everything from the cleats right up to the helmets look like 1976. If we don’t then people won’t buy it."A co-founder of ReelSports Solutions, a company that specializes in making sports movies look as realistic as possible, Ellis said "Invincible" will be a challenge for everyone involved."The heroes in football movies are usually the quarterbacks, who tend to have a natural swagger," he said. "Vince was a guy whose bread and butter was special teams and a big part of our job will be showing all the nuances of being a special teams guy with the Eagles." The game scenes will be shot at the Eagles former home, Franklin Field, which, through the magic of computer graphic imaging, will be made to look like its successor on Broad and Pattison."The rule changes in football work in our favor," Ellis said. "The game was a little more violent back then, which will really allow us to pay homage to that sense of pride and the measure of importance Vermeil, the Eagles and Vince put into special teams.""Invincible" will be a mix of football and drama that focuses not only on Papale’s football achievements but his relationships with friends, family and a group of veteran players who want nothing more than to see him fail. "We will definitely see the down-and-out guy going through his personal struggles," Ellis said, "but football is going to be a big part of this movie. Football is what moves the story and the character along and, as I’ve said many times, it’s hard to believe the tears in the locker room if you don’t believe the catch in the end zone."Of all the scenes in "Invincible," there’s one Ellis looks forward to more than any other. "The media pegged Vince as the real Rocky and I can’t wait to see Mark Wahlberg running down the streets of South Philly getting ready for training camp," he said.Didinger looks forward to it, too. In 1976, he wrote a story with the same title as the movie, which made the Papale-Balboa connection. The piece was reprinted in the Eagles program and, later, rewritten by Didinger for a national audience and placed in the program of every team in the NFL."While the Eagles were practicing, (reporters) would talk about how they were going to make a movie some day about the 30-year-old guy who makes his hometown football team," Didinger said. "We also had enough time on our hands to cast the entire movie. We had Robert Urich playing Vince and we all agreed on Robert Redford for Vermeil."We were way ahead of Hollywood."Didinger thinks "Invincible" has a chance to be something special. "I’m curious to see how literally the story will be told and what facts will be sidestepped for the sake of Hollywood," he said. "Vince’s story is such that you don’t really have to do much with it."

By TIMOTHY LOGUE