Languish.org

QuoteAlthough the playoff teams look forward to what's ahead, 20 organizations are already focused on 2010.

While the dates and game times are yet to be determined, the home and away opponents are set.
AFC East


Buffalo Bills
Home: Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville
Away: Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Green Bay, Minnesota, Kansas City


Miami Dolphins
Home: Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, Tennessee
Away: Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Green Bay, Minnesota, Oakland


New England Patriots
Home: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Green Bay, Minnesota, Indianapolis
Away: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, San Diego


New York Jets
Home: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Green Bay, Minnesota, Houston
Away: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, Denver


AFC North


Baltimore Ravens
Home: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Miami, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Denver
Away: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New England, N.Y. Jets, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston


Cincinnati Bengals
Home: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Miami, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, San Diego
Away: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New England, N.Y. Jets, Atlanta, Carolina, Indianapolis


Cleveland Browns
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New England, N.Y. Jets, Atlanta, Carolina, Kansas City
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Miami, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville


Pittsburgh Steelers
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New England, N.Y. Jets, Atlanta, Carolina, Oakland
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, Miami, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Tennessee


AFC South


Houston Texans
Home: Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Kansas City, San Diego, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Baltimore
Away: Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Denver, Oakland, Philadelphia, Washington, N.Y. Jets


Indianapolis Colts
Home: Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Kansas City, San Diego, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Cincinnati
Away: Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Denver, Oakland, Philadelphia, Washington, New England


Jacksonville Jaguars
Home: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Denver, Oakland, Philadelphia, Washington, Cleveland
Away: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Kansas City, San Diego, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Buffalo


Tennessee Titans
Home: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Denver, Oakland, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh
Away: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, San Diego, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Miami


AFC West


Denver Broncos
Home: Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego, Houston, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Seattle, N.Y. Jets
Away: Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Arizona, San Francisco, Baltimore


Kansas City Chiefs
Home: Denver, Oakland, San Diego, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Arizona, San Francisco, Buffalo
Away: Denver, Oakland, San Diego, Houston, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland


Oakland Raiders
Home: Denver, Kansas City, San Diego, Houston, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Seattle, Miami
Away: Denver, Kansas City, San Diego, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Arizona, San Francisco, Pittsburgh


San Diego Chargers
Home: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Arizona, San Francisco, New England
Away: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, Houston, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Seattle, Cincinnati


NFC East


Dallas Cowboys
Home: N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Tennessee, New Orleans
Away: N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Green Bay, Minnesota, Houston, Indianapolis, Arizona


New York Giants
Home: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Carolina
Away: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Green Bay, Minnesota, Houston, Indianapolis, Seattle


Philadelphia Eagles
Home: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Washington, Green Bay, Minnesota, Houston, Indianapolis, Atlanta
Away: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Tennessee, San Francisco


Washington Redskins
Home: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Minnesota, Houston, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay
Away: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Tennessee, St. Louis


NFC North


Chicago Bears
Home: Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington, New England, N.Y. Jets, Seattle
Away: Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Buffalo, Miami, Carolina


Detroit Lions
Home: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington, New England, N.Y. Jets, St. Louis
Away: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Buffalo, Miami, Tampa Bay


Green Bay Packers
Home: Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Buffalo, Miami, San Francisco
Away: Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington, New England, N.Y. Jets, Atlanta


Minnesota Vikings
Home: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Buffalo, Miami, Arizona
Away: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Philadelphia, Washington, New England, N.Y. Jets, New Orleans


NFC South


Atlanta Falcons
Home: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Arizona, San Francisco, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Green Bay
Away: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphi


Carolina Panthers
Home: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Arizona, San Francisco, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago
Away: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, N.Y. Giants


New Orleans Saints
Home: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Minnesota
Away: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Arizona, San Francisco, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas


Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Home: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit
Away: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Arizona, San Francisco, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Washington


NFC West


Arizona Cardinals
Home: St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Denver, Oakland, Dallas
Away: St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Carolina, Kansas City, San Diego, Minnesota


San Francisco 49ers
Home: Arizona, St. Louis, Seattle, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Denver, Oakland, Philadelphia
Away: Arizona, St. Louis, Seattle, Atlanta, Carolina, Kansas City, San Diego, Green Bay


Seattle Seahawks
Home: Arizona, San Francisco, St. Louis, Atlanta, Carolina, Kansas City, San Diego, N.Y. Giants
Away: Arizona, San Francisco, St. Louis, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Denver, Oakland, Chicago


St. Louis Rams
Home: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Carolina, Kansas City, San Diego, Washington
Away: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Denver, Oakland, Detroit

Quote from: katmai on January 12, 2010, 02:08:24 AM
Cleveland though? cmon Judas Arnold

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on January 12, 2010, 02:06:03 AM
:lol:  Quiet you.  Honestly though, you're telling me you wouldn't want to attend an NFL game and tailgate and what not at the very least for the sheer spectacle and enjoyment factor?  Especially when you spend most of your time very, very far away from any type of professional sporting event's location.

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on January 12, 2010, 02:14:41 AM

Quote from: katmai on January 12, 2010, 02:08:24 AM
Cleveland though? cmon Judas Arnold

Yep.  Go Brownies!  They're far less dysfunctional than The Raiders, and their a team of my picking to root for, whereas I inherited the Raiders as a team.  I really like what Mangini did this year and with the bringing in of Holmgren, now the GM from Philly, Heckert, and 10 draft picks this year, I think they stand a chance of doing better next season and continuing to improve.  I am:  cautiously optimistic.

Quote from: Alcibiades on January 12, 2010, 02:49:51 AM

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on January 12, 2010, 02:14:41 AM
Yep.  Go Brownies!  They're far less dysfunctional than The Raiders, and they're a team of my picking to root for, whereas I inherited the Raiders as a team.  I really like what Mangini did this year and with the bringing in of Holmgren, now the GM from Philly, Heckert, and 10 draft picks this year, I think they stand a chance of doing better next season and continuing to improve.  I am:  cautiously optimistic.

That actually does sound interesting, did they stop low-balling Cribbs yet?

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on January 12, 2010, 02:14:41 AM

Quote from: katmai on January 12, 2010, 02:08:24 AM
Cleveland though? cmon Judas Arnold

Yep.  Go Brownies!  They're far less dysfunctional than The Raiders, and they're a team of my picking to root for, whereas I inherited the Raiders as a team.  I really like what Mangini did this year and with the bringing in of Holmgren, now the GM from Philly, Heckert, and 10 draft picks this year, I think they stand a chance of doing better next season and continuing to improve.  I am:  cautiously optimistic.

Quote from: Vince on January 12, 2010, 07:12:39 AM
I keep Holmgren is going to dump Mangini at the first possible opportunity.

QuoteCincinnati Bengals
Home: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Miami, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, San Diego
Away: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New England, N.Y. Jets, Atlanta, Carolina, Indianapolis

Quote from: Barrister on January 12, 2010, 02:00:51 AM
Cleveland @ Buffalo?

Wow, where do I buy tickets...

QuotePittsburgh Steelers
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New England, N.Y. Jets, Atlanta, Carolina, Oakland
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, Miami, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Tennessee

Quote from: Syt on January 12, 2010, 10:44:39 AM

QuotePittsburgh Steelers
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New England, N.Y. Jets, Atlanta, Carolina, Oakland
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, Miami, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Tennessee

Westernmost trips will be N.O. and Tennessee if I have my geography right?

QuoteORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP)—Chan Gailey's second chance to prove himself as an NFL head coach comes with plenty of challenges.

The Buffalo Bills team he's taking over hasn't made the playoffs in a decade and its fans have been clamoring for Bill Cowher during a coaching search that seemed to take forever.

Instead of landing one of the big-name coaches with loaded resumes such as Cowher or Mike Shanahan, Gailey—who coached the Dallas Cowboys for two less-than-inspiring seasons—was introduced Tuesday as the 15th head coach in Bills history—and fifth in 10 years.

Quote from: Berkut on January 20, 2010, 01:50:08 AM
This is really the best they can do?

Quote from: Berkut on January 20, 2010, 01:50:08 AM
This is really the best they can do?

Quote from: sbr on January 20, 2010, 02:45:08 AM

Quote from: Berkut on January 20, 2010, 01:50:08 AM
This is really the best they can do?

That was my first reaction too.   :huh:  Though if Billick and Cowher weren't interested I am not sure where else they would go.  Another college guy?  A re-tread like Marty Mornhinweg?  Who are the hot young coordinators?

I have no doubt that they could do better than Gailey, but considering this was supposed to be the deepest pool of job seekers in a while it was pretty disappointing.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 20, 2010, 06:28:49 PM
Where's Richie Kotite when we need him the most?

QuoteThe end is near

Kurt Warner sounds a lot like a guy ready to call it quits


Kurt Warner. Flattened like a tortilla. Can hardly breathe. Every rib howling. Wife watching. Can't breathe either. And they pile on. Four of them. Pain doubles. Pain like passing a softball through your kidney. No penalty flag. No nothing.

Of course, this was in Warner's Arizona living room. Monday. With four of his kids. Two days after one of the most eyeball-rattling hits he'd ever taken, in the Arizona Cardinals' blowout playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints.

"This is the sorest I've ever been," says Warner, 38.

And you wonder why he's thinking of retiring?

Still, if Warner does quit in the next couple of weeks -- talk to him, you'll be convinced he will -- it won't be because of his seven kids landing 720 McTwists on him, or 300-pound linemen crushing him from the blind side. It'll be because it's become nine parts job and one part fun.

"Not the Sundays," he says. "The three hours on Sundays are still fun. But it's the whole week, the whole commitment, the ability to sustain it to your fullest, day in and day out.

"You feel the pressure. You have a game that isn't that great and people are like, 'What's wrong with Warner?' That wears on you. You don't have the joy and the fun and satisfaction of having one of those great games because everybody expects you to have one of those games. You never get to exhale."

Plus, think about the two teams Warner has starred on. The St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals. Before Warner started, they were the AMC Gremlins of the NFL. Neither team had sniffed the playoffs in 10 seasons. With Warner, they were the Stones at Wembley. Without him, monkeys on a rock.

"It's kind of been: if I didn't play well, we lost. And that's a lot of responsibility. It wears you out."

Me, I don't know what he's waiting for.

What's left to prove? He's been MVP twice. He's played in three Super Bowls. Won one. Been Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. Set several all-time postseason NFL passing records. His story -- the Hy-Vee grocery stocker who lived in his in-law's basement and wound up torching the NFL for 12 seasons -- should be a major motion-picture release.

He's a first-ballot Hall of Famer and if he's not, they ought to melt it down and start over. Chew on this: His numbers are better then 16 other QBs already in the Hall, including Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, and Joe Namath. His 7.9 career yards-per-pass-attempt is better than Peyton Manning's or Tom Brady's. The man is a defense-reading mainframe in cleats.

You say: But Brett Favre is having his best season at 40! Warner's only 38 and in better shape!

True, but does Warner want to end up with a right arm like Johnny Unitas, hanging there limply? Does he want two fake knees like Namath? Does he want to be all those guys who need help getting out of their chair on stage at Canton?

You say: But he's leaving millions on the table if he quits now!

True, but he's still got more money than many third-world nations. He got a payout of $19 million last year. And how does it help him to take the money off the table if it leaves him laying on the operating table later?

You say: But he didn't even start an NFL game until he was 28! He's got a lot of football left in him!

True, but he's always had the foot speed of a three-toed sloth. He's had at least three concussions; "probably more like five," he says. In September of 2008, teammate Anquan Boldin took a breathtaking hit that left him sprawled out for minutes. "This is it," Warner texted wife from the bus. "I can't do this anymore. It's time to retire."

"What happened to Q," Warner says, "was personal for me. You realize you're one hit from something that affects you long, long term."

Warner knows about long-term injuries. His adopted oldest son -- Zachary, 20 -- was accidentally dropped on his head as a baby by his birth father and was blinded and mentally diminished.

Brenda Warner -- the most quotable wife in the NFL -- has said the decision is between "Kurt and God." What does that mean, exactly?

"It means I pray that God takes away the desire in me to play this game," he says. "I've loved it for so long. I need Him to take that away from me, so that I can be comfortable with this decision."

So a lung-collapsing, cleat-raising hit like the one in New Orleans is a little message from above?

"Exactly."

I say leave, Kurt Warner. Go walk your daughters down the aisle without a limp. Go play your beloved hoops until you're 60. Go write the books you want to write and host the radio show you want to host and maybe even run for politics the way people are asking you now. Go exhale.

It's not going to be easy. But you always did have a very quick release.

QuoteFavre gets an offer he may not be able to refuse
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 29, 2010 2:19 PM ET
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen wants Brett "Silver Fox" Favre back with the Vikings, and he's willing to pay the price to make it happen.

"Silver fox," Allen pleaded on NFL Network Friday.  "Everything but my backside loves you, but if you come back, I will let you slap my rear end every single day.  In no way gay at all, but I will take that stinging pain and I will eat it every day."

We were going to quit speculating about Favre for a few weeks, but this should basically guarantee his return anyhow.

Quote from: Valmy on January 20, 2010, 09:15:47 AM
We should start a NFL 2011 thread and speculate who the NFL might use as replacement players.

QuoteCINCINNATI - Police in northern Kentucky have arrested Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga on charges of drunken and careless driving.

Covington police spokesman Spike Jones says Maualuga hit a parking meter and two parked cars early Friday with his 2003 Pontiac. There was minor damage.

The 23-year-old was held about seven hours at the Kenton County jail before being released on his own recognizance.

The Bengals' 2009 second-round draft choice from Southern Cal started the first 15 games of his rookie season before breaking his left ankle.

Team spokesman Jack Brennan says he won't comment until the case is resolved. A message has been left for agent Gary Uberstine.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 29, 2010, 04:38:27 PM
his 2003 Pontiac.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 29, 2010, 04:38:27 PM
Lulz, and so it begins anew....

QuoteCINCINNATI - Police in northern Kentucky have arrested Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga on charges of drunken and careless driving.

Covington police spokesman Spike Jones says Maualuga hit a parking meter and two parked cars early Friday with his 2003 Pontiac. There was minor damage.

The 23-year-old was held about seven hours at the Kenton County jail before being released on his own recognizance.

The Bengals' 2009 second-round draft choice from Southern Cal started the first 15 games of his rookie season before breaking his left ankle.

Team spokesman Jack Brennan says he won't comment until the case is resolved. A message has been left for agent Gary Uberstine.

I love the agent's name:  Uberstine.   The OverJew.

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on January 29, 2010, 04:49:57 PM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on January 29, 2010, 04:38:27 PM
his 2003 Pontiac.

:hmm: 

QuoteSmith made his preferences known in a recent interview with Mark "Munch" Bishop of ESPN Radio's Cleveland affiliate.

"There is no doubt about it," Smith said regarding his desire to play for the Browns.  "It has always been a childhood dream of mine.  It's funny how we always talk about Cleveland.  That's the first thing that comes to mind with anything I do whether I get a chance to come home and be a part of that organization or not.  You know, I would love to get that chance if that opportunity comes up, but the political and right thing to say in this situation is that I would love to be anywhere that would give me a chance.  But, without a doubt, there would be no second guessing in my mind if I could come back home and be a part of something that I love."

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on January 30, 2010, 04:09:01 PM
Jim Zorn is the new Ravens QB coach.

Quote"Jim played successfully in the league for a long time," Harbaugh said, "and certainly understands what an NFL quarterback goes through. He has been an NFL quarterback coach, NFL head coach and is familiar with our offense. That's a great resume for us."

Harbaugh added, "I've gotten to know Jim the last couple of years and I'm impressed with him as a person. He's a good, kind and decent man. He's an exciting addition to our staff."

Quote
Who Dat Owns 'Who Dat'? Dat's Us, Sez da NFL
League Moves Against Vendors of T-Shirts with New Orleans Chant

By JENNIFER LEVITZ

For decades, even through a multitude of dismal seasons, New Orleans Saints fans have belted out a cheer they say is as much a part of the fabric of their city as jambalaya and jazz: "Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints? Who Dat? Who Dat?"


Now some are asking, "Who dat trying to spoil our fun?" The Saints' win last Sunday over the Minnesota Vikings vaulted the team into its first Super Bowl, lifting, at least temporarily, the long shadow of Hurricane Katrina over the city. But just as New Orleans is revving itself into a fever pitch about the Feb. 7 showdown in Miami against the Indianapolis Colts, the National Football League is claiming ownership of the phrase "Who Dat."

The NFL asserted rights to the phrase earlier this week through the Florida Department of State, and it has issued cease-and-desist orders against New Orleans vendors who sell Saints memorabilia adorned with the wording. It informed vendors that using the phrase is likely to "confuse the purchasing public into believing that your items" are sponsored by the NFL.

New Orleans locals are outraged and suspicious. The NFL, they contend, never cared about the quirky chant when the football team was dubbed the 'Aints a few decades ago, or after it was ousted from its home stadium in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina and finished 3-13.

"The Saints actually win something and go to the Super Bowl, and the NFL sees a way they can make a penny," complains Dan Frazier, general manager of local sports-talk radio station 690 WIST.

"It's terrible. It's ridiculous," scoffs self-proclaimed Saints "die-hard" Wade Dugas, a 46-year-old computer consultant, speaking by phone as he nursed a beer Friday at Cooter Brown's Tavern, a New Orleans bar. "What are they going to do—charge us if we cheer? Is that the next step?"

Saints Coach Sean Payton weighed in at his news conference Friday, saying "No one should own 'who dat,' " says team spokesman Greg Bensel.

New Orleans is known for its colorful dialect. You "make groceries," you don't buy them. You don't stop by for a visit, you "pass by." Dishes are washed in the "zink." Although its precise origin isn't known, it's clear that "who dat" is a part of local lingo that predates the rallying cry at Saints games.

St. Augustine High School, an all-boys Catholic school in the city, says it started the chant in 1972 at its own football games. "Who dat talking about beating them Knights? Nobody! Nobody!" recalls the Rev. John Raphael, the school's principal. "It didn't originate with the Saints or the NFL," he says.

The saying became the rallying cry for the Saints. In the 1980s, New Orleans singer Aaron Neville made a video, singing "who dat" alongside team members. The cry has become code for local pride as New Orleans unites in an excitement so infectious that many natives who live elsewhere plan to converge on New Orleans—not Miami—to watch the game.

"It's just permeated the city completely. People start their calls on the radio saying `who dat,' they end their calls on the radio that way. You walk down the street and say `Who dat!' and people you don't even know say `Who dat' back," says Jacques Berry, the spokesman for Louisiana's secretary of state. After the win over the Vikings, he says, "everyone loved everyone, and it's still going on."

But now, according to the NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, "If 'who dat' is used in a manner to refer to Saints football, then the Saints own the rights."

Mr. McCarthy says the enforcement isn't new. For two decades, the NFL has been "using and enforcing its rights in the 'who dat' mark to refer to Saints football," he says.

Local residents say they've never heard of any problems until now.

On Monday, the NFL registered a trademark for use of the phrase "who dat" on apparel with the Florida Department of State, according to state records.

Lauren Thom, 29 years old, who makes her living on a tiny New Orleans T-shirt shop called Fleurty Girl, is one of a half dozen Louisiana vendors who received cease-and-desist orders. She makes shirts with local sayings such as: "My-nez. It's not mayonnaise, or mayo, oh no, My-Nez is what you put on dat san-wich." Her black-and-gold "Who Dat" shirts had been selling like crawfish, she says. She says she is complying with the NFL order.

So is Elizabeth Harvey, whose family owns Storyville, a local shop that sells similar T-shirts. She says the NFL "asked us to remove everything from our Web site Saints related. That definitely hurt us." She says she is cooperating. "They are the NFL, and we are a small company," she says.

Ms. Harvey says her customers are upset. "I have old ladies calling me and telling me that they say 'Who dat at the door?' One woman said her dog is named `Who Dat.'"

The cause is drawing bipartisan support from elected officials. On Friday, Sen. David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican, wrote to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, urging the league to "drop this obnoxious" position.

"Who Dat has become part of New Orleans and Louisiana popular culture," he wrote. "For the NFL to try to claim exclusive ownership of it would be like me registering and trying to claim exclusive ownership of the terms 'lagniappe' and `laissez les bons temps rouler!' "

"Please either drop your present ridiculous position or sue me," he wrote, signing his letter, "Junior Senator of Who Dat Nation."

Democratic Congressman Charlie Melancon, who is a candidate for Mr. Vitter's Senate seat, collected 1,800 signatures in just over 90 minutes for a petition he emailed to supporters and posted on Twitter. It urged the NFL to back off. "No one owns 'Who Dat' except for 'Who Dat Nation," he wrote.

Late Friday, the NFL responded to Sen. Vitter's letter, emphasizing that it doesn't want to entirely control the phrase "who dat"—only when it pertains to the Saints. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy also said that shirt vendors could use the phrase but not on shirts that in any way promote the Saints—such as the ubiquitous black and gold "who dat" shirts the vendors now sell outside games and in fan shops.

QuoteAG says 'Who Dat' spat cleared up with NFL
Merchants can return to selling items with longtime Saints fans' cheer
   
updated 8:46 p.m. ET Feb. 1, 2010

BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana's attorney general said Monday that shops can sell T-shirts with the phrase "Who Dat" and the fleur-de-lis symbol if they don't make other references to the New Orleans Saints or the National Football League.

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said he had a conference call with the NFL's general counsel to discuss cease-and-desist letters some Louisiana T-shirt makers received from the league. The letters demanded they stop selling shirts featuring the phrase that's part of a popular cheer by Saints fans, citing trademark infringement.

"They've conceded and they've said they have no intention of claiming the fleur-de-lis, which would be ridiculous, or the 'Who Dat,' which would be equally ridiculous," Caldwell said in an interview.

The NFL is only objecting to shirts that are marketed or presented as an official Saints or NFL product, Caldwell said. Shirts that are black and gold and say "Who Dat" can be sold, he said, if they don't purport to be Saints gear and don't include the team logo.

The chant — "Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints" — is often shortened to "Who Dat" on shirts and signs and has been a mainstay at the Superdome in New Orleans since the 1980s.

"People can use Who Dat all they want if it doesn't include NFL and Saints trademarks," said NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, in an e-mail. "We explained that we would contact merchants only if a Who Dat item also contained NFL or Saints trademarks or if it is falsely claimed that an unauthorized item is affiliated with the Saints or NFL."

The "Who Dat" spat has outraged many Louisiana residents and merchants, who argued the NFL couldn't claim ownership of a saying or symbol that predates the Saints, who will make their very first Super Bowl appearance Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Gov. Bobby Jindal asked Caldwell to look into a possible lawsuit if the NFL was attempting to declare ownership rights of the phrase.

Lauren Thom, owner of the Fleurty Girl T-shirt shop in New Orleans, said she's changed the product description of her "Who Dat" shirts after getting a letter from the NFL demanding she quit selling them. She's sold out of her stock and is now managing back orders.

"Yes it disrupted business, but it's been kind of great as well. We've had lines of people waiting to buy our merchandise," Thom said. "One lady told me she wanted to buy anything in the store that was not NFL-licensed. I told her 'that's everything in the store!'"

"What started out as a letter that scared the bejesus out of me, has turned out to be the best thing ever for my business," she said.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

QuoteMadden NFL popped into headlines today, predicting a sunny Super Bowl win for the New Orleans Saints, and eight months of winter for the Indianapolis Colts.

Every year, Electronic Arts runs a Super Bowl simulation within their video game, Madden NFL. And five out of the last six years, the game's results have predicted the Super Bowl winner correctly. The simulation's only miss was the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory over the Patriots, and even Nostradamus couldn't have seen that one coming.

This year, Madden NFL predicts a close Saints victory, with a final score of 35 - 31 over the Colts. According to the game, Drew Brees will be named the MVP after passing for 299 yards and three touchdowns. Reggie Bush will account for two more touchdowns, one rushing, and one on a punt return.

On the other side of the football, Colts' QB Peyton Manning will throw for 322 yards and three touchdowns in a great-but-not-good-enough performance.

QuoteBisciotti: Uncapped season won't hamper us

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said today the impending move to an uncapped season should not cripple his team or its ability to improve in 2010.

"The roster is going to stay pretty much intact," Bisciotti said during the team's season-ending news conference today in Owings Mills. "I don't see it hampering us in our ability to do things."

General manager Ozzie Newsome believes there will be a reasonable supply of good players available when teams make cuts, and noted his previous success in landing veterans like Derrick Mason, Trevor Pryce and Samari Rolle.

Newsome acknowledged one of his priorities is to improve the wide receiving position, and that "when it comes to trading any player [to improve the team], I'm open to it." He admitted, reluctantly it seemed, he was also open to trading his first-round pick if it filled the requirement of improving the team.

-- Ken Murray

Additionally, Bisciotti and coach John Harbaugh stressed the importance of having linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs in Baltimore through the offseason to improve his conditioning. "To me, it's vitally important that he's here," Harbaugh said.

Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 02, 2010, 03:53:06 AM
The NFL is only objecting to shirts that are marketed or presented as an official Saints or NFL product, Caldwell said. Shirts that are black and gold and say "Who Dat" can be sold, he said, if they don't purport to be Saints gear and don't include the team logo.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 04, 2010, 05:34:27 AM

Quote from: jimmy olsen on February 02, 2010, 03:53:06 AM
The NFL is only objecting to shirts that are marketed or presented as an official Saints or NFL product, Caldwell said. Shirts that are black and gold and say "Who Dat" can be sold, he said, if they don't purport to be Saints gear and don't include the team logo.

My Dad's cousin is a lawyer for the league.  Scoots all around the country suing people for illegally making non-licensed stuff.  Make a refrigerator magnet with the Bears schedule on it for your plumbing company?  Your ass gets an injunction, macht schnell.

Quote from: Alcibiades on February 04, 2010, 06:57:04 PM
So it is uncapped next year?  Ugh, they way they do it now works well enough.  Baseball sucks because there are teams like the yankees that buy everyone.   :yuk:

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on February 07, 2010, 04:35:08 PM
No Tim Brown. :(

Quote from: katmai on February 08, 2010, 08:37:35 PM
Hey Neil, your boy Boller is getting hitched to the former Ms. California that was asked to step down.

QuoteSorry, ladies -- it looks like former Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller is off the market.

Boller and former Miss California Carrie Prejean got engaged Saturday in San Diego, according to E! News, which refers to the St. Louis Rams quarterback as an "NFL stud."

According to E! News, the 28-year-old Boller and 22-year-old Prejean began dating last July.

Boller appeared in seven games (four starts) for the Rams in 2009, finishing with three touchdowns and six interceptions.

Quote
The Canadian Football League's 2009 leader in sacks won't be bringing his pass rush to New England as defensive end Ricky Foley, formerly of the BC Lions, has agreed to join the Seattle Seahawks, according to The Sporting News.

Foley, who led the CFL with 12 sacks last season, is scheduled to become a free agent Monday. The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder was the fourth overall selection in the 2006 CFL draft and was drawing interest from a handful of NFL teams, including the Patriots.

Foley had 51 tackles to go with 12 sacks last season and is following in the footsteps of former Lions teammate Cameron Wake, who joined the Miami Dolphins last season and tallied 5 ½ sacks.

Quote from: katmai on February 15, 2010, 12:40:13 AM

Quote
The Canadian Football League's 2009 leader in sacks won't be bringing his pass rush to New England as defensive end Ricky Foley, formerly of the BC Lions, has agreed to join the Seattle Seahawks, according to The Sporting News.

Foley, who led the CFL with 12 sacks last season, is scheduled to become a free agent Monday. The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder was the fourth overall selection in the 2006 CFL draft and was drawing interest from a handful of NFL teams, including the Patriots.

Foley had 51 tackles to go with 12 sacks last season and is following in the footsteps of former Lions teammate Cameron Wake, who joined the Miami Dolphins last season and tallied 5 ½ sacks.

Quote from: katmai on February 15, 2010, 01:06:55 AM
mmm, maybe.

Jason Taylor goes about 255, Terrell Suggs though is about 260..so yeah maybe 10-15 lbs if doesn't fuck up his quickness.


* after quick look he was on Ravens Practice squad in '06 it seems.

Quote from: katmai on February 08, 2010, 08:37:35 PM
Hey Neil, your boy Boller is getting hitched to the former Ms. California that was asked to step down.

QuoteStallworth signs with Ravens
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on February 17, 2010 11:53 AM ET
Just nine days after being reinstated by Commissioner Roger Goodell from a one-year suspension, the Ravens have put Donte' Stallworth on their roster.

PFT's Mike Florio reports that Stallworth will make $900,000 on a one-year contract.  He can also earn up to $300,000 in playing time incentives.

SI's Peter King first tweeted the news that Stallworth will sign, and we can confirm the deal is done.

It's a low-risk, medium reward deal for the Ravens, who add a much-needed vertical threat for Joe Flacco to throw to.

Quote from: Neil on February 17, 2010, 07:33:02 PM
Well, the best way to cleanse the stench of Cleveland failure is to bring it to Baltimore.  And 900 grand is nothing, especially in an uncapped year.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 17, 2010, 07:51:03 PM

Quote from: Neil on February 17, 2010, 07:33:02 PM
Well, the best way to cleanse the stench of Cleveland failure is to bring it to Baltimore.  And 900 grand is nothing, especially in an uncapped year.

No shit.  And considering what they have at WR, he hasn't even played a down yet, and is already #2 on the roster.

Quote from: katmai on February 17, 2010, 07:59:52 PM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 17, 2010, 07:51:03 PM

Quote from: Neil on February 17, 2010, 07:33:02 PM
Well, the best way to cleanse the stench of Cleveland failure is to bring it to Baltimore.  And 900 grand is nothing, especially in an uncapped year.

No shit.  And considering what they have at WR, he hasn't even played a down yet, and is already #2 on the roster.

And that is why Ravens won't be in Super bowl in 2011.

Quote from: katmai on February 17, 2010, 07:59:52 PM
And that is why Ravens won't be in Super bowl in 2011.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 17, 2010, 08:06:53 PM

Quote from: katmai on February 17, 2010, 07:59:52 PM
And that is why Ravens won't be in Super bowl in 2011.

Fuck you and your Tom Brady fetish.

Quote from: Neil on February 17, 2010, 08:03:09 PM

Yeah, well neither will your Patriots.

Quote from: katmai on February 17, 2010, 08:09:57 PM

Quote from: Neil on February 17, 2010, 08:03:09 PM

Yeah, well neither will your Patriots.

As long as MY Niners make it, i don't give a rats ass about who represents the AFC

Quote from: katmai on February 17, 2010, 09:13:46 PM
But sbr as they said, his shitty talent is still good enough to compete for #1 slot on the Ravens :lol:

Quote from: sbr on February 17, 2010, 12:45:09 PM
Seems to be a lot of cabbage for an aging, mediocre player who has been away from the game for a year.

Quote from: Ed Anger on February 18, 2010, 07:40:35 AM
Donte might bring his car onto the field. Lets see Steelers corners cover that.

Quote
Patriots fan favorite Tatupu dies

Mosi Tatupu, one of the most popular players in New England Patriots history known for his inspired special teams play, has died.

By MARK PRATT

Associated Press Writer
BOSTON —

Mosi Tatupu, one of the most popular players in New England Patriots history known for his inspired special teams play, has died.

Tatupu died Tuesday at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, hospital spokeswoman Ashley O'Brien said. He was 54. The hospital could not disclose a cause of death.

The Plainville Fire Department responded to Tatupu's home on Tuesday and took him to the hospital, Lt. Richard Ball said.

"I know that I share a heavy heart today with Patriots fans everywhere who have learned of Mosi Tatupu's passing," team owner Robert Kraft said in a statement.

"He was a dominant special teams player and a punishing rusher who loved the Patriots as much as the fans did," he said.

Tatupu was chosen by the Patriots in the eighth round of the 1978 draft out of Southern California and played 13 of his 14 NFL seasons with the team, wrapping up his career with the Los Angeles Rams in 1991.

The bruising 227-pound fullback rushed for 2,415 yards and 18 touchdowns, including a career best 578 yards in 1983. He thrived on snowy and icy fields, running for 128 yards on a snow-covered field in a win over New Orleans that season.

While never a superstar, Tatupu was beloved by Patriots fans for his play on kickoff and punt teams and even had his own cheering section known as "Mosi's Mooses." He was selected to the 1986 Pro Bowl as a special teams player.

"As a teammate, he was one of the best," former Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan said. "He was one of those guys that made life fun whether it was in the locker room or on the practice fields. He had a smile that radiated."

Tatupu was selected to New England's 50th anniversary team last season.

After his retirement as a player, Tatupu was the head coach at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, where he coached his son Lofa, now a linebacker with the Seattle Seahawks.

He also served as an assistant at Curry College in Milton from 2002-2007, coaching running backs and special teams.

"Mosi was a vital part of the success of our program," said Vinnie Eruzione, athletic director at the Division III school. "There was no better guy."

Tatupu was born in Pago Pago, American Samoa, and was a high school football star in Hawaii. His Hawaii high school career rushing record of 3,367 yards stood for 17 years, according to the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame Web site.

Quote from: sbr on February 24, 2010, 08:23:46 PM
Chargers released LaDanian Tomlinson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4936783&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines)

Eagles release Brian Westbrook (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-eagles-westbrook&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Neither is shocking, but it is always a bit surprising to see such good players released.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 24, 2010, 08:41:39 PM
Westbrook: Washington

QuoteAnd RIP, Mosi.  May your Polynesian locks flow as you race down the sideline to bust the wedge and hit Jesus for no gain in heaven.

Quote from: Neil on February 24, 2010, 08:47:02 PM
Are they allowed to use the wedge in heaven?

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 24, 2010, 08:41:39 PM

Quote from: sbr on February 24, 2010, 08:23:46 PM
Chargers released LaDanian Tomlinson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4936783&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines)

Eagles release Brian Westbrook (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-eagles-westbrook&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Neither is shocking, but it is always a bit surprising to see such good players released.

My predictions--
Tomlinson: New England
Westbrook: Washington


And RIP, Mosi.  May your Polynesian locks flow as you race down the sideline to bust the wedge and hit Jesus for no gain in heaven.

Quote from: Alcibiades on February 26, 2010, 09:13:51 AM
I think Bush is a sure keep for the Saints.  He's on the upswing now after a rocky first few seasons and if the Saints play it right he should be the face of the franchise for a long  time.

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on February 28, 2010, 06:05:32 PM
Anyone watching the combine?

Quote from: Barrister on February 28, 2010, 06:07:47 PM

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on February 28, 2010, 06:05:32 PM
Anyone watching the combine?

Uh, no.  There are some better sports on right now...

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 06:07:22 PM
So wait, Chargers cut both LT and Sproles :blink:

Quote from: BeebUh, no.  There are some better sports on right now...

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on February 28, 2010, 06:10:26 PM

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 06:07:22 PM
So wait, Chargers cut both LT and Sproles :blink:

Wait so who's their running back now?  :huh:

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 06:12:58 PM
Uh Michael Bennett :unsure: :lmfao:

QuoteOr i guess your post about the combine might answer the question as well :P

Quote from: Barrister on February 28, 2010, 06:07:47 PM

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on February 28, 2010, 06:05:32 PM
Anyone watching the combine?

Uh, no.  There are some better sports on right now...

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 06:09:40 PM

Quote from: Barrister on February 28, 2010, 06:07:47 PM

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on February 28, 2010, 06:05:32 PM
Anyone watching the combine?

Uh, no.  There are some better sports on right now...

Nothing beats football :rolleyes:

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 06:07:22 PM
So wait, Chargers cut both LT and Sproles :blink:

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 08:16:48 PM
Seedy & Neil,

Please tell me reports that Ravens are interested in signing T.O. are false :P

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 08:23:55 PM
But is TO really #1 material anymore.

Not to mention he'll be 37 this year.

Quote from: Neil on February 28, 2010, 08:59:31 PM

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 08:23:55 PM
But is TO really #1 material anymore.

Not to mention he'll be 37 this year.

He's still bigger, faster and more physical than anybody on the roster.

Quote from: Ed Anger on February 28, 2010, 06:52:56 PM

Quote from: Barrister on February 28, 2010, 06:07:47 PM

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on February 28, 2010, 06:05:32 PM
Anyone watching the combine?

Uh, no.  There are some better sports on right now...

Nobody gives a flying fuck about your curling "sport". Sheesh.

Quote from: Strix on February 28, 2010, 09:16:18 PM
And probably drops more passes than the receiving corp combined.

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 08:16:48 PM
Seedy & Neil,

Please tell me reports that Ravens are interested in signing T.O. are false :P

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 04:44:50 AM

Quote from: katmai on February 28, 2010, 08:16:48 PM
Seedy & Neil,

Please tell me reports that Ravens are interested in signing T.O. are false :P

Coach harbaugh said he'd be "interested".  That's all.

Then again, the free agent WR pickings will be slim, since the Ravens are fucked by their success last year.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 04:44:50 AM
Coach harbaugh said he'd be "interested".  That's all.

Then again, the free agent WR pickings will be slim, since the Ravens are fucked by their success last year.

Quote from: Strix on March 01, 2010, 02:58:13 PM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 04:44:50 AM
Coach harbaugh said he'd be "interested".  That's all.

Then again, the free agent WR pickings will be slim, since the Ravens are fucked by their success last year.

The smart move (and thankfully the Ravens won't be smart enough) would be to trade for Anquan Boldin. He is going to be 30, has some history with injuries, and can be light's out when he plays. They could probably get him from the Cardinals for very little in comparison to the returns he would provide the Ravens.

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 07:21:06 PM
If you want a talented head case draft Dez Bryant who is early 20's and skip the guy who won't be around more than another year in TO :P

Quote from: sbr on March 01, 2010, 07:43:21 PM

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 07:21:06 PM
If you want a talented head case draft Dez Bryant who is early 20's and skip the guy who won't be around more than another year in TO :P

Did Dez Bryant do anything besides lie about going to dinner with Deon Sanders?

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 07:47:14 PM

Quote from: sbr on March 01, 2010, 07:43:21 PM

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 07:21:06 PM
If you want a talented head case draft Dez Bryant who is early 20's and skip the guy who won't be around more than another year in TO :P

Did Dez Bryant do anything besides lie about going to dinner with Deon Sanders?

Well if yahoo sports article is to be believed he was just a flake even showing up late for games.

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 07:21:06 PM
If you want a talented head case draft Dez Bryant who is early 20's and skip the guy who won't be around more than another year in TO :P

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 01, 2010, 09:03:18 PM

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 07:21:06 PM
If you want a talented head case draft Dez Bryant who is early 20's and skip the guy who won't be around more than another year in TO :P

Dez is going to be a top 10 pick though, isn't he?  Or has something changed?

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 09:08:24 PM
He's touted as top of first round pick, except for his possible "character" issues.

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on February 28, 2010, 06:05:32 PM
Anyone watching the combine?  Jahvid Best and CJ Spiller both ran sub 4.4 40's.   Jacoby Ford is also hilariously fast (4.28).

Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 01, 2010, 09:19:08 PM
Those times are fraudulent, do I really have to say it every year?

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 01, 2010, 09:23:39 PM

Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 01, 2010, 09:19:08 PM
Those times are fraudulent, do I really have to say it every year?

:huh:

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:26:52 PM
Well, in Timmay's defense--sort of--they're not exactly game situation times.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:26:52 PM
Well, in Timmay's defense--sort of--they're not exactly game situation times.

Quote from: Neil on March 01, 2010, 09:33:07 PM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:26:52 PM
Well, in Timmay's defense--sort of--they're not exactly game situation times.

See:  Darius Heyward-Bey.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:36:35 PM

Quote from: Neil on March 01, 2010, 09:33:07 PM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:26:52 PM
Well, in Timmay's defense--sort of--they're not exactly game situation times.

See:  Darius Heyward-Bey.

Exactly.  Combine is like checking the teeth at the Derby.  Put some pads on and hit some shit.  Then let's see your time.

Or, in the immortal words of Coach Billick, when questioned about Terrell Suggs' "subpar" 40-yard time at the combine: "If quarterback drops start going to 40 yards, then we're going to be concerned."

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 01, 2010, 09:39:47 PM
Did Heyward-Bey become slow at some point?

Quote from: Neil on March 01, 2010, 09:33:07 PM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:26:52 PM
Well, in Timmay's defense--sort of--they're not exactly game situation times.

See:  Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 09:43:03 PM

Quote from: Neil on March 01, 2010, 09:33:07 PM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:26:52 PM
Well, in Timmay's defense--sort of--they're not exactly game situation times.

See:  Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Renaldo Nehemiah bitches!

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:41:39 PM

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 01, 2010, 09:39:47 PM
Did Heyward-Bey become slow at some point?

Yes he did.  He's been slow in developing the concept of "ball".  You know, like the ones thrown at him.

Quote from: TimEvery year I post an article detailing how the times are not scientifically test and aren't legitimate.

Usually I just look for the article in an old thread, but that might not work this time because of the switch.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:43:25 PM

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 09:43:03 PM

Quote from: Neil on March 01, 2010, 09:33:07 PM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 01, 2010, 09:26:52 PM
Well, in Timmay's defense--sort of--they're not exactly game situation times.

See:  Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Renaldo Nehemiah bitches!

Willie Gault motherfucker!

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 01, 2010, 09:39:47 PM
Did Heyward-Bey become slow at some point?

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 09:08:24 PM

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 01, 2010, 09:03:18 PM

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 07:21:06 PM
If you want a talented head case draft Dez Bryant who is early 20's and skip the guy who won't be around more than another year in TO :P

Dez is going to be a top 10 pick though, isn't he?  Or has something changed?

He's touted as top of first round pick, except for his possible "character" issues.

Quote from: Neil on March 01, 2010, 10:30:35 PM
Crabtree is one of those guys with character issues.

Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 01, 2010, 09:36:58 PM
Every year I post an article detailing how the times are not scientifically test and aren't legitimate.

Usually I just look for the article in an old thread, but that might not work this time because of the switch.

Quote

All top receivers have "character" issues

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 11:13:06 PM

Quote from: Neil on March 01, 2010, 10:30:35 PM
Crabtree is one of those guys with character issues.

no not at all, but of course you fail at football already 3- down faggit.

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 11:15:07 PM

Quote

All top receivers have "character" issues

Jerry rice!

Quote from: sbr on March 01, 2010, 11:13:33 PM

Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 01, 2010, 09:36:58 PM
Every year I post an article detailing how the times are not scientifically test and aren't legitimate.

Usually I just look for the article in an old thread, but that might not work this time because of the switch.

Who cares if the time is measured precisely to the hundredth of a second?  As long as the same watch is used for every player you have a relative idea of how fast everyone is.

Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 01, 2010, 11:49:59 PM
They don't use the same watch, they do they do it be hand which makes it worse.

Quote from: katmai on March 01, 2010, 11:35:29 PM
e.e. cummings bitch!

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on March 02, 2010, 05:45:22 PM
Anyone watch the NFL Network's little thing on Rich Eisen running the 40?  I found it rather entertaining.  Linkage follows: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/09000d5d816b2dca/Rich-Eisen-s-40-yd-dash (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/09000d5d816b2dca/Rich-Eisen-s-40-yd-dash)

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 02, 2010, 06:06:05 PM

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on March 02, 2010, 05:45:22 PM
Anyone watch the NFL Network's little thing on Rich Eisen running the 40?  I found it rather entertaining.  Linkage follows: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/09000d5d816b2dca/Rich-Eisen-s-40-yd-dash (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/09000d5d816b2dca/Rich-Eisen-s-40-yd-dash)

:lmfao:  @  Jacoby Ford just blowing by on the comparison.

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 05, 2010, 07:13:43 AM
Anyway....Antonio Cromartie to the Jets for a 3rd, or 2nd depending on playing time.

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 05, 2010, 07:13:43 AM
I can't remember who the Jets fan on here is.  :blush:  Jacob?  Vince?  Anyway....Antonio Cromartie to the Jets for a 3rd, or 2nd depending on playing time.

QuotePittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been accused of sexual assault by a woman in Georgia, entertainment website TMZ reported Friday. Formal charges have yet to be filed.

The alleged incident reportedly occurred early Friday morning at Capital City, a club in Milledgeville, Georgia.

Quote from: ulmont on March 05, 2010, 04:33:47 PM
Rapistburger strikes again!

QuotePittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been accused of sexual assault by a woman in Georgia, entertainment website TMZ reported Friday. Formal charges have yet to be filed.

The alleged incident reportedly occurred early Friday morning at Capital City, a club in Milledgeville, Georgia.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpps/sports/dpgonc-pittsburgh-steelers-ben-roethlisberger-accused-of-sexual-assault-fc-20100305_6420531

Why Rapistburger would be in Milledgeville, of all places, was not adequately explained.

QuoteRavens acquired WR Anquan Boldin and a 2010 fifth-round pick from the Cardinals in exchange for third- and fourth-round picks in this year's draft.
Boldin signed a four-year, $28M contract upon completion of the trade. While Joe Flacco is doing cartwheels, it's unclear what this means for free agent Derrick Mason. If the Ravens can get three years of 1,000-yard play from Boldin, it's a steal of a deal. Boldin, 29, has topped the mark in all but two of his seven seasons and remains a high-scoring wideout with 24 TDs in his last 39 games. The Ravens' balanced offense curtails Boldin's fantasy upside somewhat, but he's again an obvious No. 1 receiver. 80 catches for 1,100 yards and 6-8 TDs is a realistic 2010 projection for the likely WR2.

Quote from: sbr on March 05, 2010, 08:13:48 PM
Great deal for the Ravens.  My Cards are going to be back to dogshit next year.  Lost Warner and Boldin, on the verge of losing Karlos Dansby.

QuoteDolphins signed ILB Karlos Dansby to a five-year, $43 million contract, including $22 million guaranteed.

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 05, 2010, 07:13:43 AM
I can't remember who the Jets fan on here is.  :blush:  Jacob?  Vince?  Anyway....Antonio Cromartie to the Jets for a 3rd, or 2nd depending on playing time.

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on March 05, 2010, 04:11:57 PM

Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 05, 2010, 07:13:43 AM
I can't remember who the Jets fan on here is.  :blush:  Jacob?  Vince?  Anyway....Antonio Cromartie to the Jets for a 3rd, or 2nd depending on playing time.

I know Vince is.  There's at least one more too.

Quote from: JacobL on March 05, 2010, 08:26:28 PM

Quote from: sbr on March 05, 2010, 08:13:48 PM
Great deal for the Ravens.  My Cards are going to be back to dogshit next year.  Lost Warner and Boldin, on the verge of losing Karlos Dansby.

:D

QuoteDolphins signed ILB Karlos Dansby to a five-year, $43 million contract, including $22 million guaranteed.

Quote from: sbr on March 05, 2010, 11:24:40 PM

Quote from: JacobL on March 05, 2010, 08:26:28 PM

Quote from: sbr on March 05, 2010, 08:13:48 PM
Great deal for the Ravens.  My Cards are going to be back to dogshit next year.  Lost Warner and Boldin, on the verge of losing Karlos Dansby.

:D

QuoteDolphins signed ILB Karlos Dansby to a five-year, $43 million contract, including $22 million guaranteed.

I knew that was coming, looks like Antrell Rolle is going to be gone too.  Oh well, it was a fun 3 year run.

QuoteBrowns: Pro Bowl return specialist Josh Cribbs finally has a new three-year contract with Cleveland. Cribbs and Browns president Mike Holmgren announced the deal, a restructuring of the second half of the six-year, $6.77 million contract Cribbs signed in 2006. He will receive $7.5 million in guaranteed money, and if he reaches incentives, the 26-year-old could make as much as $20 million, according to reports.

Quote from: vcarter706 on March 07, 2010, 07:41:21 PM
Jags get Kampman! Woot woot. Now hopefully we wont get Tebow and can actually have a good season.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 07, 2010, 08:53:05 PM

Quote from: vcarter706 on March 07, 2010, 07:41:21 PM
Jags get Kampman! Woot woot. Now hopefully we wont get Tebow and can actually have a good season.

Tebow can't save that franchise.  Avoid the rush, and start buying your Los Angeles Jaguars stuff now.

QuoteRex Ryan undergoes lap-band procedure to help lose weight
Former Ravens defensive coordinator says weight may have contributed to missed bid for Atlanta job

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.

AP Sports Writer

8:45 AM EDT, March 14, 2010
Quantcast

NEW YORK (AP) — Jets coach Rex Ryan underwent a weight-loss procedure Saturday to help him fight obesity.

The husky Ryan had lap-band surgery at NYU Medical Center, and was relaxing at his home in New Jersey on Saturday night, team spokesman Bruce Speight told The Associated Press.

Speight said Ryan also had a hernia repaired.

The New York Daily News first reported the story on its Web site Sunday morning.

The outpatient procedure came a day after Ryan and the Jets wined and dined free agent running back LaDainian Tomlinson, trying to persuade him to join the team that had the league's No. 1 rushing offense last season.

The 47-year-old Ryan has frequently poked fun at himself and his rotund midsection, including after unflattering belly bearing photos of him changing into a jersey during a Florida-Carolina NHL game last month floated around the Internet.

"I'm watching ESPN and I'm like, 'Whoa, that's not a real good shot,'" Ryan said during the NFL combine. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I get hit on all the time by women."

Ryan also partially blamed his weight for him not getting a head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons after the 2007 season. He thought he was a shoo-in for the job that eventually went to friend and former Baltimore Ravens colleague Mike Smith.

"I think I was too fat," Ryan said with a laugh in December.

Ryan weighed 340 pounds at the start of last season, gaining at least 30 pounds after he was hired by the Jets in January 2009. He even tried a liquid diet during training camp and lost 20 pounds, but quickly gained it right back.

In a lap-band procedure, a plastic band is inserted that encircles a patient's stomach, effectively shrinking it and curbing their appetite.

Quote from: Syt on March 14, 2010, 04:45:10 PM
Cleveland Browns trade Brady Quinn to Denver for running back Hillis, two draft picks (http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/03/cleveland_browns_trade_brady_q.html)

Quote from: sbr on March 14, 2010, 05:16:14 PMHmm, good for Quinn.  He now has a shot at a real NFL career now that he is out of Cleveland.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 15, 2010, 06:36:56 AM

Quote from: sbr on March 14, 2010, 05:16:14 PMHmm, good for Quinn.  He now has a shot at a real NFL career now that he is out of Cleveland.

And once again, Cleveland is the last to figure out a 1st round bust.

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on March 15, 2010, 06:41:11 PM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 15, 2010, 06:36:56 AM

Quote from: sbr on March 14, 2010, 05:16:14 PMHmm, good for Quinn.  He now has a shot at a real NFL career now that he is out of Cleveland.

And once again, Cleveland is the last to figure out a 1st round bust.

Have you heard of Al Davis?  Jamarcus Russell?

Quote from: Vince on March 15, 2010, 06:44:18 AM
LT to the Jets.  Guess Leon Johnson is on the outs with this.

Quote from: Vince on March 15, 2010, 06:44:18 AM
LT to the Jets.  Guess Leon Johnson is on the outs with this.

Quote from: Alcibiades on March 15, 2010, 08:27:17 PM

Quote from: Vince on March 15, 2010, 06:44:18 AM
LT to the Jets.  Guess Leon Johnson is on the outs with this.

Wow really?  Jet's sounds like they're actually going to be good.   :shutup:

Quote from: Neil on March 15, 2010, 09:05:18 PMThey're certainly driving hard at it.  Still, you can't trust them, because they're the Jets.

QuoteA smiling Suggs ready to sizzle again
Free of injuries and shedding pounds, the linebacker attends offseason workouts


Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs is smiling again these days. He is telling jokes and trading barbs with reporters. He has been attending offseason workouts here with the team for the first time in his seven-year career.

Suggs is happy, happy, happy. And so are the Ravens.

"I wasn't happy about the way I played last season, it was a disappointing year," Suggs said. "My focus in the offseason is to make sure that never happens again. I want to play like the old T-Sizzle again."

The old Suggs had 53 sacks in his first six years and made steady progress as he became a complete player, being named to the AFC Pro Bowl squad three times.

And then came 2009.

Suggs had only 4.5 sacks and 58 tackles. Once one of the most feared pass rushers in the game, he became less of a threat. The poor season can be traced to training camp when Suggs reported 18 pounds overweight and missed most of training camp with an ankle injury.

He was scrutinized by fans even more than second-year quarterback Joe Flacco because Suggs had signed a six-year, $63 million contract ($38 million guaranteed) in July to become the highest-paid linebacker in NFL history.

He was no Lawrence Taylor or Joey Porter, either. Far from it.

"No one was more disappointed about my season than me," Suggs, 27, said. "It was like everybody had a magnifying glass on me. I was like, 'Wow, why is everybody making such a big deal out of this?' I had played my way out of the first contract, and it was time for the second. People just kept talking and writing about it, and it was one aspect of the game that I was uncomfortable with. To me, it was just business.

"The problem was that I went into last offseason with a shoulder injury that required rest, and I couldn't work at the level that I had worked at in the past," Suggs said. "Then I hurt my foot in training camp and never got to where I needed to be. But that's all behind me now. It's time to move on. I won't make any predictions, but it will be different this season."

It already has been. When the team began offseason workouts several weeks ago, Suggs was there. In the past, he often stayed in Arizona working with a personal trainer. But those days are gone, and so are those long vacations Suggs enjoyed after the season.

He has traded in rest and relaxation for time in the weight room, where he has vowed to get bigger and stronger for the 2010 season. Suggs calls it leadership.

"In the past, I always wanted a personal trainer because you got more personal attention," Suggs said. "Why work out with a group of 25 to 50 guys when you could have a smaller group of seven to eight? Before, I was one of the younger guys, but now I'm one of the older ones. It's good for me to be around the younger guys like Paul Kruger and Dannell Ellerbe."

There's also this weight problem. The extra pounds were noticeable, especially in the lower half of Suggs' body. The explosiveness off the snap that made him tough to block disappeared last season.

"I bulked up to play defensive end because I thought it was necessary for me to be able to stop the run," Suggs said. "I played at about 270, and now my goal is to get back to around 255."

The Ravens also would like him to add some moves to his repertoire. Speed has always been Suggs' major asset coming off the edge, but he needs to work more with his hands. He needs to become better at using leverage and playing with power.

"That's a fair assessment," Suggs said. "I'm trying to be the best that I can be, so if that's what I need to do, I'm willing to work at it."

Ravens defensive coordinator Greg Mattison can do Suggs a favor by moving him along the line of scrimmage next season. In the past, Suggs could line up anywhere on any play.

Last season, though, Suggs played and stayed at right defensive end. It was easier for opposing offensive coordinators to turn their protection toward him. Hopefully, that will change.

Suggs is excited about the addition of receivers Donte' Stallworth and Anquan Boldin. When July rolls around, he expects to be 100 percent recovered from injuries and ready to participate in a full training camp.

Suggs won't make any promises but predicts he will be much improved from a year ago. He at least appears happy now, not walking around with the long face he had at the end of last season.

"Where's the Pro Bowl at next year?" Suggs asked, laughing. "Last year, it was in Miami. I couldn't get excited about that. This year, it's back in Hawaii. I like that trip. Put it down, I'm going back to the Pro Bowl."

QuoteOvertime proposal passes
Posted by Michael David Smith on March 23, 2010 3:22 PM ET
The National Football League owners have approved a change in overtime, starting with the playoffs following the 2010 season, that will modify the sudden-death format and prevent a team from winning a game with a field goal on the opening possession.

The vote was 28-4, with the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals voting against. It needed at least 24 votes to pass.

"It was really a good discussion in the sense that there's been a lot of debate, both publicly and privately, over the rule -- which is always good," Competition Committee co-chair Rich McKay said in announcing the vote. "We've had this discussion for a number of years. We felt like this proposal, which we call 'modified sudden death,' was really an opportunity to make what we think was a pretty good rule -- sudden death -- even better."

McKay stressed that the new overtime rule, which says the team receiving the kickoff can't end the game on the first possession unless it scores a touchdown, will apply only to the playoffs.

"Part of the reason we have different rules is we have different consequences," McKay said. "The consequences in the postseason are, go home if you don't win. In the regular season, we have 15 other games."

It's the first major change in playoff overtime rules in the NFL since "The Greatest Game Ever Played," when the Baltimore Colts beat the New York Giants in the 1958 NFL Championship Game.

UPDATE: Here's a previous post explaining the "modified sudden death" overtime format. The rule could be expanded to include the regular season as early as May.

UPDATE II: Your questions answered regarding onside kicks, and safeties in the new format.

UPDATE III: NFL coaches are not happy with the changes.  Let us know if you approve.

Quote from: Barrister on March 23, 2010, 05:36:46 PM
I wonder if, in OT, the smart strategy would now be to choose to kick if you win the coin toss.   :hmm:

Quote from: sbr on March 23, 2010, 06:33:19 PM

Quote from: Barrister on March 23, 2010, 05:36:46 PM
I wonder if, in OT, the smart strategy would now be to choose to kick if you win the coin toss.   :hmm:

I see where you are going with that, but I don't think so.  A TD will still end the game without the kicking team getting a chance to touch the ball, so I could see any way to justify kicking.  It could make for some interesting decisions/discussions though.

Quote from: Judas Iscariot on March 30, 2010, 08:33:13 PM
Just for Neil:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=140394228339&Category=50119  :lol:

QuotePosted by Gregg Rosenthal on April 4, 2010 8:12 PM ET
So much for the Washington Redskins' quiet offseason.

In an insanely gutsy move, the Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to trade Donovan McNabb to Washington, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.  This is not a belated April Fool's joke.

The Eagles have quickly confirmed the move.  Philadelphia will receive the No. 37 overall pick in the 2010 draft and either a third or fourth round pick in 2011.

We heard some big name veterans mentioned in rumors Saturday like Albert Haynesworth and LaRon Landry, but the deal didn't turn out that spicy. Jay Glazer first mentioned the Redskins' interest in McNabb Saturday.

The move is reminiscent of New England's trade of Drew Bledsoe to the Bills.  Not only do the Eagles not want McNabb, they are confident they can beat him twice a year.

The Redskins were clearly offering the best deal, but Philadelphia's amazing confidence in Kevin Kolb made this deal possible.  Andy Reid and G.M. Howie Roseman better be right.

This is going to be fun.

QuoteThis isn't the first time the Eagles traded their starting quarterback to the Redskins. They did the same thing in 1964. Remember old No. 9 from Duke?

Jurgensen, Sonny. Canton, Class of 1983.

Quote from: sbr on April 06, 2010, 09:47:10 AM
Damn the Cards lost Rackers too?

Quote from: Ed Anger on April 06, 2010, 12:35:12 PM

Quote from: sbr on April 06, 2010, 09:47:10 AM
Damn the Cards lost Rackers too?

The Nuge is available

Quote from: Neil on April 05, 2010, 06:50:49 AM
Kevin Kolb?  Do they not remember what happened last time they went with him, while benching McNabb?

Quote from: Barrister on April 06, 2010, 12:48:25 PM

Quote from: Neil on April 05, 2010, 06:50:49 AM
Kevin Kolb?  Do they not remember what happened last time they went with him, while benching McNabb?

I just don't get that move.

McNabb isn't the top QB, but honestly if you rank the league's starting QBs he's probably around 6-10.  Do they really think Kolb is going to be an upgrade over McNabb?

QuoteThe New York Jets acquired talented but troubled receiver Santonio Holmes from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night for a fifth-round pick in this month's draft, sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

Quote from: Vince on April 12, 2010, 06:28:19 AM
And the Jets continue their habit of picking up Ohio State Alumni.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5077088 (http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5077088)

QuoteThe New York Jets acquired talented but troubled receiver Santonio Holmes from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night for a fifth-round pick in this month's draft, sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 06, 2010, 02:40:48 AM

QuoteThis isn't the first time the Eagles traded their starting quarterback to the Redskins. They did the same thing in 1964. Remember old No. 9 from Duke?

Jurgensen, Sonny. Canton, Class of 1983.

Quote from: Valmy on April 12, 2010, 10:50:42 AM
Works for me.   Hey anybody has got to be better than Jason Campbell.

Quote from: Valmy on April 12, 2010, 10:50:42 AM
Works for me.   Hey anybody has got to be better than Jason Campbell.

Quote from: sbr on April 14, 2010, 01:54:11 PM
Broncos trade Brandon Marshall to the Dolphins (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AnFGOrhIUf_D.hXmpgc09NxDubYF?slug=ap-broncos-marshall)

QuoteRoethlisberger's accuser says she told him 'no'

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (AP)—The 20-year-old college student who accused Ben Roethlisberger(notes)  of sexual assault told police she tried to get away from the Pittsburgh Steelers star, but he cornered her in a nightclub bathroom.

The woman's statements to police were included in hundreds of pages of police documents released Thursday. Earlier this week, prosecutors said no charges would be filed against Roethlisberger, who has denied the college student's accusations through his attorney.

The student told police Roethlisberger assaulted her in the bathroom of a bar in the college town of Milledgeville early on the morning of March 5. They had met earlier in the night as they bar-hopped, she with her sorority sisters and he with an entourage.

On Friday, Milledgeville Police Chief Woodrow Blue confirmed that Sgt. Jerry Blash, the officer who took the first report from Roethlisberger's accuser, resigned from the force Wednesday, a day before the Georgia Bureau of Investigation released the case documents.

The documents show Blash acknowledged to investigators that he made derogatory statements about Roethlisberger's accuser to other officers and that some in Roethlisberger's party may have overheard him. He was the only officer to interview Roethlisberger, with whom he had posed for pictures earlier in the night. Calls to a number listed for him rang unanswered Thursday evening and Friday.

The documents also show that after the college student's accusations surfaced, a 16-year-old in a youth law enforcement program run by the Milledgeville police told authorities he had been told about incidents involving Roethlisberger and a friend's sister. The 16-year-old told police the woman's brother told him that Roethlisberger twice made unwanted sexual advances.

Authorities repeatedly tried to interview the woman, who is in her early 20s, but she declined. A message seeking comment was left Friday with Roethlisberger's lawyer, Ed Garland.

The documents released Thursday for the first time detail the events through the eyes of Roethlisberger's accuser.

In a statement to police on March 5, the young woman said Roethlisberger encouraged her and her friends to do numerous shots. Then one of his bodyguards escorted her into a hallway at the Capital City nightclub, sat her on a stool and left. She said Roethlisberger walked down the hallway and exposed himself.

"I told him it wasn't OK, no, we don't need to do this and I proceeded to get up and try to leave," she said, according to the police documents. "I went to the first door I saw, which happened to be a bathroom."

According to her statement, Roethlisberger then followed her into the bathroom and shut the door.

"I still said no, this is not OK, and he then had sex with me," she wrote. "He said it was OK. He then left without saying anything."

Two of her friends said they saw a bodyguard lead her into the hallway and then saw Roethlisberger follow. They said they couldn't see their friend but knew she was drunk and were worried about her.

Ann Marie Lubatti told police she approached one of Roethlisberger's two bodyguards and said, "This isn't right. My friend is back there with Ben. She needs to come back right now."

She said the bodyguard wouldn't look her in the eye and said he didn't know what she was talking about. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified that bodyguard as Ed Joyner, a Pennsylvania trooper, and the man who led Roethlisberger's accuser down the hallway as Anthony Barravecchio, an officer on the force in the Pittsburgh suburb of Coraopolis.

Attorney Michael Santicola, who represents Barravecchio but said Joyner also is a longtime friend, confirmed March 10 that the two officers were present, but not in an official capacity. He said the two men are friends with Roethlisberger and did not witness any criminal activity or inappropriate behavior. He said the officers "have no memory" of meeting his accuser.

Lt. Myra A. Taylor, a spokeswoman for Pennsylvania State Police, said Thursday night the agency is getting a copy of the investigative report from Georgia authorities and will review it.

Roethlisberger also is being sued in civil court by a former Nevada hotel employee for an alleged sexual assault in 2008. No criminal charges were filed in that case.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is reviewing the Georgia case and Steelers president Art Rooney II said Thursday that the league and team probably won't settle on any punishment until after next week's draft.

Rooney said the team is prepared to discipline Roethlisberger now, but will wait for the league's decision. Roethlisberger told him that he will accept the punishment, Rooney said.

Prompted partly by the Roethlisberger incident, Goodell sent a memo last week to NFL owners, executives and head coaches emphasizing the importance of the league's personal conduct policy. According to the memo, first reported by the New York Times, the absence of criminal charges is not enough to excuse poor behavior.

"The policy makes clear that NFL and club personnel must do more than simply avoid criminal behavior," the memo said. "We must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, that promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful."

The Roethlisberger case has infuriated the Steelers.

"I have made it clear to Ben that his conduct in this incident did not live up to our standards," Rooney said. "We have made it very clear to Ben that there will be consequence for his actions, and Ben has indicated to us he is willing to accept those consequences."

AP Sports Writer Alan Robinson in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.

Quote from: katmai on April 16, 2010, 06:45:52 PM
Niners picked up Ginn jr for 5th rd pick
:mellow:

Quote from: katmai on April 16, 2010, 06:57:06 PM
From what I've read they mainly picked him up for returns.
I'd think he be #3 or lower on depth chart at wr.

Quote from: katmai on April 16, 2010, 07:35:11 PM
Josh Morgan was making a name for himself  as #2 most of last season.

Quote from: katmai on April 16, 2010, 07:35:11 PM
Josh Morgan was making a name for himself  as #2 most of last season.

Quote from: katmai on April 16, 2010, 06:45:52 PM
Niners picked up Ginn jr for 5th rd pick
:mellow:

QuoteSuspend Ben Roethlisberger
The wrong QB got traded this month. Too bad the Steelers don't have McNabb on roster

If not for an ethical district attorney, an angry but fatherly owner, and a depth chart that's chin strap-thin at quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger might not be a Pittsburgh Steeler today.

As it is, Roethlisberger isn't going to be in the Steelers' starting lineup anytime soon. I'd be stunned -- and disappointed -- if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell doesn't bring the wood and suspend Boozin' Ben for at least three games and preferably four: two games for embarrassing his team and the league, another two for being dumber than a blocking sled.

Forget, if you can, that Roethlisberger has left a trail of police reports from Lake Tahoe to Milledgeville, Ga. Or that women seem to accuse him of sexual assault a lot. Or that he's lucky to be alive after a 2006 motorcycle accident. (Go figure: A guy who wears a helmet for a living didn't wear one on a motorcycle.)

What amazes you most is that Roethlisberger never seems to learn. He treats life with the same indifference he treats oncoming rushers. He just stands there, takes the hits, staggers up and does the same thing again and again.

Meanwhile, Donovan McNabb -- model citizen, model teammate, model representative of the league and the Philadelphia Eagles -- gets shipped to the Washington Redskins in a cardboard box. All he did was win games, conduct himself with dignity and never appear in a police mug shot.

The wrong Pennsylvania quarterback got traded. Roethlisberger ought to be in another uniform today, not McNabb. I'd say the Oakland Raiders and Roethlisberger deserve each other, but I'm not sure even Al Davis deserves what Ben has become. Anyway, hasn't Davis already suffered enough with the galactically apathetic JaMarcus Russell?

In Thursday afternoon's news conference, Steelers president Art Rooney II said "at this point" the team had not discussed a Roethlisberger trade with another franchise. At this point.

Intriguing, isn't it?

The Steelers, the fifth-oldest franchise in the NFL, are the ultimate mom-and-pop shop, a family-owned business that has roots as deep as the Monongahela River. The team is so serious about its history that Art Rooney's original office (the old man bought the team in 1933) is preserved in the Steelers' headquarters.

So when Rooney II says the franchise's good name has "taken a hit," he's talking about the legacy of the Rooneys. Maybe that's why he did little to hide his displeasure with a series of off-the-field incidents involving Roethlisberger, kicker Jeff Reed and now-former Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes.

Holmes was traded to the New York Jets for a fifth-round draft pick and some mouth guards. A little more than a year ago, Holmes was a Super Bowl MVP.

If you attached Rooney II or owner Dan Rooney (who serves as U.S. ambassador to Ireland) to a lie detector, you wonder if you'd find they had kicked the tires on a McNabb trade. It's not like the Redskins gave up a lot for McNabb: a second-rounder in next week's draft and a fourth-rounder in 2011. McNabb is everything that Roethlisberger isn't, beginning with responsible.

I know, Roethlisberger is 28, McNabb is 33. Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl rings, McNabb has zero. But Roethlisberger also has issues that lean toward self-destruction. Why else would he keep putting himself and his career in such compromising situations?

Roethlisberger wasn't charged with a crime in the Georgia case, but he is guilty of stupidity. And who knows how the Tahoe case is going to play out.

Reading between the lines of Rooney's comments Thursday, it sounds as if Roethlisberger is going to remain a Steeler. I'm not sure the team has much of a choice.

Charlie Batch is 35 years old and a dependable backup -- but that's all he is, a backup. The Steelers like the potential of Dennis Dixon, but Dixon has a grand total of 13 completions in two years. A trade to somehow move up to the No. 1 pick and take Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford is a possibility, I suppose.

And all because Roethlisberger keeps failing the only multiple-choice test that matters.

If I think there's a possibility I'm about to do something really dumb, do I ...
A. Walk away.
B. Order another round.

Roethlisberger is running out of B answers and chances. If he's lucky, he'll still be a Steeler at the end of next week and only get suspended for four games by Goodell. And if that happens, he needs to call someone for advice on how to be a pro's pro.

McNabb.

QuotePittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II, angry about recent off-field problems involving his players, made it clear Thursday afternoon that the organization is ready to discipline quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Reading between the lines, you can deduce that Roethlisberger is probably heading toward a suspension, possibly two to four games. Commissioner Roger Goodell is reviewing how Roethlisberger violated the league's player conduct policy with two incidents involving women. Although neither incident led to criminal charges, Roethlisberger clearly has put his Steelers career in jeopardy because of his off-field behavior.

Roethlisberger has two strikes against him in the eyes of Steelers ownership. The next off-field incident will be strike three, likely leading to a trade or release.

That point was made clear Sunday night when the Steelers dumped wide receiver Santonio Holmes, Roethlisberger's best young wide receiver. Once the Steelers found out Holmes violated the substance abuse policy, the Steelers considered that offense his third strike. Holmes also has a domestic violence incident and a marijuana charge in his past. According to sources, the Rooney family gathered a few front-office people and doled out the phone numbers for 28 teams -- every NFL team except those in the AFC North. Those involved were ordered to call those teams and ask if any were willing to give the Steelers a draft choice for Holmes.

Had the New York Jets not stepped up and offered a fifth-round choice, Holmes reportedly would have been cut.

If there's another negative Roethlisberger incident, expect the quarterback to be gone, too.

A former district attorney, Rooney was succinct in describing how the Steelers are handling their star quarterback. First, they are willing to suspend him for a number of games even if it means opening the season with a loss or two. The Steelers were willing to weaken the offense by getting rid of Holmes, making an example of him. They are equally willing to go without Roethlisberger for an unlimited number of games. But like a good attorney, Rooney is building a case against him.

Even though there is no salary cap, Roethlisberger has $12.8 million of signing bonus proration still attached to his contract. If he were to be released for cause, the Steelers would have the chance to recoup some of that money. Holmes had only $890,000 remaining, a number that wasn't large enough to affect the organization. Dumping Holmes -- though difficult from the personnel sense -- was easy. But the Roethlisberger situation goes beyond money. The Rooney family realizes the quarterback's value to the team, but is not willing to suffer another embarrassment.

Roethlisberger has been allowed to rejoin the team in offseason workouts. In past years, he attended the mandatory offseason sessions but skipped a lot of the voluntary work. The Rooneys are giving him a chance to win back his teammates. Later, they will see if he can win back some of the lost fans. That's why trading him now -- which according to sources was one many options discussed internally -- isn't an option.

For now, Roethlisberger has one more chance. How he handles it will determine whether or not he completes the final six years of a contract that runs through 2015.

Quote from: Strix on April 17, 2010, 11:54:02 AM
The suspension talk is a joke at best. There is no way the Player's Union could allow Ben to get suspended. I was watching ESPN's Mike and Mike Show the other day and they had done some research concerning suspensions in the NFL for conduct. No one in a similar legal situation as Ben has ever been suspended by the league. If they allowed Ben to get suspended it would lower the bar setting a whole new precedent for the NFL. The NFL had very few issues with one of it's more prominent players helping some friends commit murder so why would they with Ben?

Do I think his behavior is out of control. Yes I do.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 18, 2010, 04:54:19 AM
:lol:
Steelheads.

Quote from: Strix on April 18, 2010, 11:49:04 AM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 18, 2010, 04:54:19 AM
:lol:
Steelheads.

You...you....you Raven....er what do they call you?

Quote from: Barrister on April 18, 2010, 11:57:11 AM

Quote from: Strix on April 18, 2010, 11:49:04 AM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 18, 2010, 04:54:19 AM
:lol:
Steelheads.

You...you....you Raven....er what do they call you?

Raventard works for me...

Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 18, 2010, 04:37:09 PM

Quote from: Barrister on April 18, 2010, 11:57:11 AM

Quote from: Strix on April 18, 2010, 11:49:04 AM

Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 18, 2010, 04:54:19 AM
:lol:
Steelheads.

You...you....you Raven....er what do they call you?

Raventard works for me...

We call them the Ratbirds here.

Quote

Before the New York Jets traded for Santonio Holmes of the Pittsburgh Steelers, they were in the hunt for Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

According to a report in the Denver Post, the Jets were willing to give up their first-round pick for Marshall. However, Marshall's representatives and the Jets were unable to agree on contract terms.

Marshall was traded last week to the Miami Dolphins for second-round picks in 2010 and 2011.

The Jets traded a fifth-round pick in 2010 to the Steelers for Holmes, who has been suspended for the first four games of 2010 by the NFL.

QuoteNEW YORK (AP)—Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger(notes)  violated the NFL's personal-conduct policy, commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday.

Goodell said on the Dan Patrick radio show the key issue is a "pattern of behavior" and "bad judgments."

Last week, prosecutors in Georgia declined to charge Roethlisberger after a college student accused him of sexual assault in March.

The NFL is expected to discipline Roethlisberger, although it says there is no timetable for such a decision. The Steelers have said they expect a decision next week.

Roethlisberger also is being sued by a different woman who says he raped her in 2008 at a Lake Tahoe hotel-casino. Roethlisberger denies the accusation and was not charged. He has claimed counter-damages in a lawsuit.

"The issue here is with respect to a pattern of behavior and bad judgments," Goodell said. "You do not have to be convicted or even charged with a crime to be able to demonstrate that you've violated a personal-conduct policy, and reflect poorly not only on themselves, but all of their teammates, every NFL player in the league, and everyone associated with the NFL. That is what my concern is, and I have expressed that directly to Ben, obviously, and I'll be making a decision as soon as I possibly can."

Roethlisberger practiced Monday for the first time since the season ended.

Quote from: sbr on April 19, 2010, 04:04:26 PM
Rapistberger violated conduct policy, discipline coming

QuoteSteelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be suspended for six games and must undergo "comprehensive behavioral counseling," the N.F.L. announced on Wednesday after Commissioner Roger Goodell decided Roethlisberger had violated the league's personal-conduct policy in relation to a sexual assault allegation against him.

Quote from: Alcibiades on April 21, 2010, 03:06:44 PM
FAILvre coming back?

Quote from: Alcibiades on April 21, 2010, 03:08:57 PM
:yuk:

Quote from: Barrister on April 21, 2010, 03:02:56 PM
Thanksfully they do get Washington and Buffalo thrown in as well.

Quote from: Valmy on April 21, 2010, 03:17:28 PM

Quote from: Barrister on April 21, 2010, 03:02:56 PM
Thanksfully they do get Washington and Buffalo thrown in as well.

<_<

Quote from: Alcibiades on April 21, 2010, 03:06:44 PM
FAILvre coming back?

Quote from: Ed Anger on April 21, 2010, 04:00:20 PM
I noticed the jets gave up on Vernon as rush linebacker and are going to try and salvage him at DE.

If the kid hurts Brady somehow, I will erect a shrine to him.

Quote from: Vince on April 21, 2010, 04:15:00 PM
I do hope the Jets repeat what the Ravens did in the playoffs and beat the hell out of Brady in Week 2.

Quote from: Barrister on April 21, 2010, 03:10:26 PM

Quote from: Alcibiades on April 21, 2010, 03:08:57 PM
:yuk:

What do you care?

Quote from: Alcibiades on April 21, 2010, 05:00:38 PM

Quote from: Barrister on April 21, 2010, 03:10:26 PM

Quote from: Alcibiades on April 21, 2010, 03:08:57 PM
:yuk:

What do you care?

I was a Favre fan for 16 years, and am still a Packer fan.  I was a Favre fan before you started worshiping curling let alone heard of the amazing sport of American Football.  :homestar:

Quote from: Vince on April 22, 2010, 09:08:05 PM
Tebow is a Bronco.     :hmm:

EDIT:  And Denver just gave the Ravens some nice picks for him.