August 2007 Archives

Rodney Harrison just concluded a conference call in which he confirmed that he will be suspended for the first four games of the NFL season.

There was no Q&A. Here's my transcription of the call (fortunately, Rodney speaks deliberately.

"I'm here to let you all know tomorrow that tomorrow the commissioner will announce I've been suspended by the NFL for violating the league policy on banned substances. My suspension will be for four games.

"I want to make it clear that not once did I ever use steroids. I did admit to the commissioner commish that I did in fact use a banned substance. My purpose wasn't to gain a competitive edge but solely to accelearate the healing process of injuries sustained while playing football. I haven't made excuses nor will I. I made a mistake and I'm very sorry for that."

Veteran Patriots safety Rodney Harrison will be conducting a conference call momentarily to address the news he'll be suspended for the first four games of the season because of HGH use.

Harrison has returned from a severe groin injury, a broken forearm and two torn ACLs in the past five seasons. HGH (Human Growth Hormone) aids in recovery and muscle growth.

A message left on Harrison's cell this evening wasn't immediately returned.

We'll update immediately after the call.

That is, of a year ago. Just saw Brady Quinn . I'm pleased to report to the womenfolk out there, i.e., Brady's Ladies, that in terms of his arms, the gun shop is still open fo bi'dness. He may have a crewcut (rookie hazing ritual), but he still could has biceps that scream, "GO MEAT!"

(Oh. I just saw that "GO MEAT!" ad today for the first time, and I giggled. What a brilliant cheer. "GO MEAT!" I mean, is that not the most Midwestern thing you've ever heard?)

So, I was not at the Charlie Weis presser this evening, but Tom Coyne (I believe it was he) asked Weis the following question: "Was it your plan to keep the pressure off the guy who is going to be the starting quarterback by not announcing it sooner?"

And here was Weis' response: "That might be the best question I've been asked this whole time, Tom. It might be the best question I've been asked because it was by far the number one reason that you do this. Why would you want to take somebody after you've had a guy like Brady Quinn, who has been starting here for four years, why would you want to anoint someone a few weeks ago and have them living under the microscope of being the Notre Dame quarterback before they ever even played a down?
"So when everyone sits there and says Weis is an idiot...ta da ta da ta da.... in the meantime, it's not on them (the quarterbacks) , and it's allowed them to be a lot looser in their preparation."

Weis has been ripped by many in the media for being arrogant or haughty in the way that he has handled this process over the past three weeks. In short, this is a little like a teenager bitching to her parents that they won't let her use the BMW no matter how many times she asks, to which their reply would be, "We said 'No' the first time."

Charlie Weis didn't keep this WHOBETHEQB issue festering for three weeks. The media--and yes, the fans--did. And really, all it did (shrewdly) was keep the pressure not only off the rest of the Irish's underclassmen, but also off the three QBs in question.
Think about it. How many articles have you seen about whether Travis Thomas can really take over for Darius Walker at tailback, or whether Pat Kuntz will be the nose tackle the Irish dearly need? How about David Bruton? He's never started a game at safety for the Irish, and he'll be in there on the first play on Saturday? Never mind that whoever lines up for a field goal for the golden helmets will be kicking his first in collegiate play.
But, like simple-minded children, we let the magician take our eyes where he wanted them to go. So instead of focusing on the big picture, we all became myopic, devoting far too much energy over whether Clausen, Jones or Sharpley would take the first snap.

Who cares?
Better questions on this overwrought QB issue would have been:

1. How do you keep Georgia Tech from cheating with eight men in the box, daring your quarterback to beat them with his arm?
2. Is there a chance that two, or even three quarterbacks, will play on Saturday?
3. Will you have different quarterbacks for different situations?
4. Is the quarterback who starts versus Georgia Tech necessarily going to be the one who starts versus Penn State?

A writer at SI.com chastised Charlie, saying that if anything Charlie should have named the starter before the start of camp "so the kid's parents could cut out the newspaper article. Seriously."

Seriously?!? Seriously??? The parents of whoever becomes Notre Dame's next starting quarterback are never going to have to worry about a shortage of newspaper articles written about their son. Yeah, I think their scrapbooking material will be more than adequate.

Is Weis a little gruff at times? Sure. A little imperious? He can be. But he's also very friendly when you talk to him one-on-one after a presser. He's also the guy who kept a wish to a dying kid by calling the play that kid designed (from his own one-yard line) and before you dismiss that as blarney, remember, Weis never wanted that anecdote to get out.
Weis is also the coach who, after the most heartbreaking loss any underdog has had to deal with in a long time, a loss that a lesser coach may have criticized the referees about for what happened on the game-winning TD, visited the winning side's (USC's) locker room to congratulate them. And brought his son along with him.
Weis is the coach who, after the first game he coached back on the home turf of his alma mater, which was also his first loss as a head coach, had to watch as the victorious team (Michigan State) abased themselves by planting a flag at midfield. But Weis, and his players, kept their mouths shut. And the following season, when the Irish staged a furious 17-point 4th-quarter rally to win at East Lansing, Weis made sure that none of his players desecrated the school's reputation by responding in kind with such a crass act.
(Though, if you remember, a few players from the Spartans still guarded the "S" at midfield, oblivious to the fact that not every team treats a football game like a gang war. That act cemented those Spartans as losers far more than any score could.)

"I just think it's a shame," wrote the SI.commer, Stewart Mandel, "that he's taken a program built on such a rich tradition of pageantry and personality....and essentially turned it into a full-fledged, professional-style, strictly X's-and-O's operation."

It is a shame. It's a shame that Notre Dame had its most players drafted by the NFL last April (seven) in thirteen years. It's a shame that Brady Quinn broke 36 school passing records, mostly in his final two seasons, while never representing his school in anything but the brightest light (wedding reception Village People impersonations notwithstanding). It's a shame that Weis made it a point to have a different Heisman Trophy winner speak at each pep rally last season (rallies that can attract as many as 40,000 fans on a Friday evening), that he's had everyone from Joe Montana to Jerome Bettis to Digger Phelps (me, I'm still waiting for him to extend an invitation to Mark May) address the team, that on the day he was hired Ron Powlus phoned Notre Dame associate athletic director John Heisler and in effect said, "I've never met the man, but whatever I can do to help the program, I'm in." And so today, three years later, Powlus is the quarterbacks coach...quite the siginificant job, if you've been reading the papers the last few weeks.

So, yeah, it's a shame that Charlie doesn't walk to the beat the media sets. It's funny how the media has a lot less problems with Notre Dame and its coaches when Northwestern and their ilk are taking down the Irish.

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Hung out for awhile on Thursday night at the apartment of the incandescent, the uber-incredible, the surreally wonderful Mary Carillo. We had red wine and Cheetos, I sh*t you not. Mary told us this hilariously dirty joke, the context of which I will not repeat here, but I will provide the punch line: "And the bear says, 'Clearly, you're not here for the hunting."

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Thank God for the Red Sox. You can always count on them to swoon this time of year. The Yankees may not catch them, but was anyone really surprised that they got swept in the Bronx? Every time rookie of the year candidate Dustin Pedroia comes to the plate, by the way, I can't help but see Giovanni Ribisi. Is it just me? Honestly, I envision a scene in the clubhouse where a few Sox are sitting around a table, playing poker, and Pedroia marches up to the game, confiscates all the cards, and admonishes, "The entire (bleeping) First Airborne Division is marching by."

Oh, and did you see when Pedroia overslid 2nd base on the steal attempt on Wednesday evening and was tagged out by Derek Jeter. He gets back to the dugout and all you see is this non-stop litany of "F___! F___! F___! F___!" Hilarious.

Funny game, the baseball. On Monday night New York was blanked 16-0 at Detroit, their worst road loss ever. Three days later they've swept a three-game series from the team with the best record in baseball and are in the lead for the wild card.

My editor phoned me in a blather this morning. He always does, but this was an even frothier blather than usual. As you may already know, the Chicago Tribune has a story this morning with the headline "Blogs report Jones as QB starter."

According to the story, AOL Sports and (though not mentioned by name) the Irish fan site "Rakes of Mallow" have found are saying that Demetrius Jones will start at QB on Saturday (ending our long national nightmare of mystery). The reasoning? "Rakes of Mallow" blogger CW writes that he checked out Jones' Facebook wall and he then posts comments of encouragement that D.J. received, such as:

"glad u got the startin nod how many td's u gonna throw?'

and

"I hear your gonna be the starter. good luck, ill be in the stands"

And my reactions to these comments?

1. Maybe I still could get in to Notre Dame today, if the above grammar is any indication (then again, I'm part of the pre-texting generation)

2. It could very well be true. But then, Jones has been the favorite among the media covering the Irish for most of the past week. He's been the smart pick for nearly a week now.

3. For what it's worth, when the Irish held a practice open to the students earlier this week, it was Jimmy Clausen who took most of the snaps.

4. Who cares? Robot Genius is going to be relying on Travis Thomas/James Aldridge/Armando Allen to be his offensive juggernaut this Saturday.

5. It's August. The first week of school. And you've got a campus full of smart-alecks. In my senior year, during this week, we got our jollies by phoning the hottest (relative term, I know) female R.A.s we knew after midnight and pretending that we were freshmen who were still in her dorm after parietals (for the uninitiated, ND has single-sex dorms and you cannot be in a female dorm after midnight on weeknights, 2 a.m. on weekends; if you get caught, you're out for at least a semester. It lent a fun air of danger to undergrad life). So, maybe if we'd had exams upcoming or if the weather was inclement, we wouldn't have been so cheeky. But I can imagine a group of ND students seeing how far they can pull a prank on the internet. I'd almost be disappointed if they didn't.
By the way, Nanette Lafond: We're sorry about the late-night calls.

6. Before you base too much import in predictions, let me remind you that before the 1990 Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Colorado, prognosticator Danny Sheridan came out in print and predicted, "Lou Holtz will leave Notre Dame before or after the Orange Bowl." Well, six years later Sheridan was correct.
Which is to say, if Rakes of Mallow (and Robot Charlie, another ND student site purporting to know the truth on this issue) is correct, then bully for them. But if they're wrong, what are the odds that they'll post a blog reminding us that they got it wrong?

It's been a few days, so let's catch up, shall we?

--Sat down with my good pal Chris Hansen last Friday night to watch the Miss Teen USA pageant on NBC. "Chris, buddy, it should be illegal to have this much fun watching television."

Okay, I've never met the "To Catch A Predator" host, but how beautiful is it that Miss Teen USA and that show both air on the same network (love of my job precludes me from naming that network at this moment)? How beautiful? No more beautiful than Miss Texas, who did not win. Miss Colorado did.

You probably saw the YouTube-worthy response given by Miss South Carolina, Lauren Upton, to the question about how come so many Americans cannot locate the USA on a map. It was rambling and incoherent, and though Upton failed to answer the question in so many words, certainly her response did. After I saw this clip, my first reaction was, "If there's a God, this woman will be the next person to interview Holly Hunter about her new show, "Saving Grace".

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Notre Dame held a practice a few days ago that they opened up to Irish students only. Reporters from the school paper, "The Observer", were admonished not to write anything about it. You wonder if ND officials have heard of message boards, MySpace and Facebook yet. The word out of Stalag South Bend is that all three quarterbacks played and that none looked too effective.

As for Saturday's Georgia Tech-Notre Dame game, hear me now and listen to me later: Win or lose, I am more excited about this weekend's game than any Irish game (with the possible exception of USC) from 2006. Last year's edition of the Irish played a lot like the Jackson 5 on their "Victory" tour. The enthusiasm of '05 was missing. The Irish had gone from unranked underdog (first game of the Weis era) to No. 2 ranked overdog (last year's opener) so swiftly that they didn't have their heads on straight. The Irish played a little smug, a little arrogant, all season. Only in the fourth quarter in East Lansing did they really play with the heart and joy that draws fans to a team.

This year's team is a lot like that son or daughter of yours in their first year of T-ball. As long as you see the effort and the sincerity, you'll get behind them. In so many ways this is a wonderful year to be a Notre Dame fan. The burdens of great expectations that are so pervasive most of the time at ND are absent this season. And even if this teams struggles--I see a 7-5 record, maybe 8-4-- anyone watching them knows that this team will be a year older and better in '08.

It's Our Lady's version of the Lady Madonna edition of the Irish: "Lady Madonna/Children at your feet/Wonder how you manage to make ends meet."

And that should have been the theme of this year's inexperiencd Irish: "See how they run."

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Johntourager E.W. asks an insightful question about not just summer movies, but movies in general. "How come they report how much money the movie made as opposed to the actual attendance?" It's a great point. I'll never forget driving past the movie theaters on Highway 35 in New Jersey in the summer of '75 as moviegoers waited in lines that wrapped around the theater for the chance to see Jaws . Summer movies were an event then. I imagine that "Jaws" failed to make as much money at the theaters as "Spiderman 3", but did it draw more fans? I bet it did...or if it did not, that might be only because there were far less movie theaters, particularly multi-plexes, back then (i.e, "in the day").

Wouldn't it be cool, though, if we knew what film actually drew the greatest number of people to see it a theaters? And isn't that a far more accurate standard as to the popularity of a film than box office receipts?

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Five Thoughts On Michael Vick

1. My colleague Alan Abrahamson, for whom I have great respect not only as a writer but also because he has a law degree, was unmoved by Vick's mea culpa on Monday. I'd have to disagree. I didn't listen to Vick's apology and instantly want to give him a hug, but I thought he acquitted himself well (pun intended). Now the best thing he can do for himself is to not utter another word in public until he's done serving his time.

2. I've heard this a lot this week from Vick apologists: "It's not as if he murdered somebody". Three reactions to that: First, by saying that you're really illustrating that you do not really find dogfighting that reprehensible (which, by the way, has become the buzzword of the week in regards to this case). If I or any white member of the media had appeared on a talk show last April in regards to the Don Imus fiasco and said, "Why the uproar? It's not as if he murdered somebody?", how racially insensitive would I be? Two, he actually did murder some body--not a person, but a pet. He didn't kill an animal for food or clothing or for any reason having to do with survival. He killed it for fun. That's tantamount to murder. Three, in the words of Chris Rock, "You're not SUPPOSED to murder somebody." In other words, you don't get credit for doing what you're supposed to do, or inversely, for not doing what you're not supposed to do.

3. It struck me as bizarrely comical that the NAACP would come out in support of Michael Vick. Sometimes things are so obvious we fail to see them. NAACP is an acronym for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. And that's laudable, of course, that this civil rights organization exists and does so much to promote the rights of minorities. But, from a purely literal sense, how could an organization whose very title informs us that its charter is to advance colored people do anything other than support Vick?
I guess what I'm asking is, Why was it news that the NAACP came out in support of Vick? Any more than it was news that PETA came out in condemnation of the Falcon quarterback? What's next? Does Rod Stewart come out in support of blondes half his age?

4. More than a few jocks or ex-jocks (Keyshawn Johnson, Roy Jones, to name two) went directly to playing the "it's time to move forward" card. Beautiful. I'd love it if Keyshawn caught his wife cheating on him and she just said, "Can't we just move forward?" Not so easy then, is it, Keyshawn? Johnson's "NFL Live" co-host, Emmitt Smith, made more sense than anyone I've heard in discussing the clamor. Smith talked about accountability, and how pro athletes need to learn that lesson.

5. Michael Vick is not a victim. The animals that he and his friends wantonly killed are victims. Roy Jones, speaking on ESPN Radio last Wednesday, seemed preoccupied with lobbying for Vick to return to the NFL, saying that it wouldn't be fair if Vick wasn't allowed to do what he does best.
Everybody deserves a second chance is the notion there. First, if you're already talking about that, then you really do not appreciate the gravity of the crime committed. You just don't think it's that depraved.
Second, here's the problem I have with second (and third, and fourth) chances: People seem to take them. And that, as much as anything, is what plagues that nation that not enough of us can find on a map, these days.

Don't let LANCE BRIGGS borrow your car.

Fantasy Draft - NBCSports.com Crew - Last Night - 7th Pick

Herrrreee'ssss who I will be counting on to take me far into the playoffs this year. I present to you PRIME TIME-Tiff's Fantasy Football Team for Double 07.
*The boys are listed in the round they were taken.

1. Willie Parker
2. Chad Johnson
3. Anquan Boldin
4. Donovan McNabb (Please Please Please stay healthy.. I beg of you!)
5. Lendale White
6. Lamont Jordan (I realized later.. prob not the best to have both but could prove to be a worthy trade later)
7. Jason Witten
8. Bernard Berrian
9. Leon Washington (You think I'd really go a whole draft and not have at least two FSU guys?)
10. Chargers D (Thank you.)
11. Matt Leinart (If McNabb goes down, Leinart better be ready.. NOT on diaper duty or Paris Hilton's arm.)
12. Derrick Mason
13. Ron Dayne
14. Dwayne Jarrett (Wishful Rookie Pick)
15. Dallas Clark
16. Sebastian Janikowski (Also the point of "I don't care anymore just let this thing end!")

Notables: Peyton Manning taken in the first round, 6th overall pick.
Larry Johnson taken first round, number 2.
Gregg (of all people) Mr. Wait to take your QB stole my pick and took Tom Brady as his fourth round pick. I took McNabb right after.
7th Round, 7th pick .. I wanted to take the Chicago Bears D.. was told to wait.. they'd be there the next round. Two picks later they are GONE. Gee.. thanks.
Just to prove a point (what I'm not sure) .. the first pick of the final round .. in a surprise move, Michael Vick - formerly of the Atlanta Falcons - was drafted.

"I will redeem myself.. I have to." -Vick earlier today.

Hopefully he will have the chance to do just that. You'd think a year and some change in prison would give someone an ample amount of time to figure out how to do just that.

I just finished up in the Eagles locker room a short time ago.

Safety Sean Considine suffered a mild concussion in the first half. Other than that, Philly came through their preseason loss to the Steelers without a scratch

The Eagles defense allowed nearly 300 yards of offense in the first half and more than 260 in passing yards. Eagles coach Andy Reid, when asked about his defense, said, "I think we'll be all right."

Reid mentioned that both teams struggled to cover the tight ends down the middle of the field and that Considine butchered a play in the first half by going for a hit instead of playing the receiver. Reid also noted the inability of the Eagles to get off blocks downfield on screen passes which Pittsburgh used effectively in both halves.

Reid said that, despite a decent job done by rookie Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley will remain the No. 2 quarterback.

He added that McNabb is still the No. 1 "just so there's no confusion on that."

The Eagles have 89 first-half yards.

The Steelers had 297.

Ben Roethlisberger threw for 247 yards (13 for 25). Eagles QBs threw for 67.

Philly's 1 for 7 on third down. Pittsburgh's 4 for 7.

The NFC continues to be worse than the AFC. By a lot. And don't give me that, "It's preseason crap." You know it. I know it. The gap is widening

I've gotten two e-mails from readers/viewers about audio difficulties on the broadcast.

I asked Al and John if they noticed anything different. Al said, "Who the *&*% are you?! Get out of here!" While being whisked from the booth I noticed that a cord had jiggled loose. I secured it. Hope the sound's better where you are.

Also, I need some reader assistance. I was cordially invited to join in a media fantasy football league by the head rabble-rouser at Profootballtalk.com, Mike Florio. This is my second foray into fantasy football. My former franchise, The Daisy Prancers, languished in back-to-back seasons earlier this decade and was disbanded.

I could use some assistance naming the club (speculation with my former squad was that the name wasn't "manly" enough and that caused softness).

So far, “The Balding Gentrlmen” is the name I’m leaning toward. Thoughts?

Eagles receivers have let down Donovan. Reggie Brown has a pair of drops and Kevin Curtis alligator-armed one on the goal line.

McNabb had a rollout throwaway in the first quarter that was as good a test as any of his knee. He passed it.

He's done after going 5 for 11 for 66 yards. Shoulda been 8 for 11.

Aside from the moronic pick on the first drive, Roethlisberger's been nicely in command and made a ton of good decisions for Pittsburgh. When you talk about "mobile" quarterbacks, he's the kind of mobile quarterback I want - big enough to shake a tackle, fast enough to get out of the pocket but not so fast that he gets too inventive.

Ike Taylor looks like he dodged a bullet. The Steelers corner just went down after making a tackle and was clutching at his left knee but he made it off the field under his own power and is trotting around on the sidelines.

After Steelers rookie Daniel Sepulveda "uncorked" a less than awesome 14-yard punt from his own end zone, he returned to the sidelines where he was comforted by head coach Mike Tomlin with a gentle pat on the back.

Had the Steelers former head coach been on the sideline, his spittle would have traveled further than the punt.

On the heels of that, Eagles receiver Kevin Curtis short-armed a slant pass at the goal line that probably would have resulted in a touchdown. Curtis has been impressive for the Eagles so far but that wasn't a shining moment. Philly took the field goal.

Our pal Ron checks in to ask what the green dot on the back of the helmets is.

It's to show that they purchased the helmet. Clearly, they forgot to remove them prior to the game. Preseason means fine tuning.

Actually, it's to show which players have helmet-to-sideline communication via wireless communication. (Of course, it's wireless, Tom, what do you think they're going to do, run around with an extension cord all night?)

It's not that fashionable though, is it?

The 49ers made their first round of cuts today.

Four-year veteran LB Roderick Green, second-year WR Marcus Maxwell, first-year players K MacKenzie Hoambrecker, G Nick Steitz, and LB John Syptak and rookies P Ken Parrish, CB Sammy Joseph, FB Steve Dildine, and WR Dominque Zeigler.

The 49ers placed DE Melvin Oliver and WR C.J. Brewer on injured reserve. Oliver suffered an ACL injury during the OTAs in June, while Brewer suffered an ACL injury earlier in the week.

In short, nothing earth-shaking.

After a terrific first-down throw to Kevin Curtis on the Eagles first play from scrimmage, Donovan McNabb found himself under siege on two of the next three plays getting sacked first by Clark Haggans then by James Farrior and Troy Polamalu.

The second sack came as a disgraceful effort by tight end Matt Schobel in blitz pickup as he got steamrolled by Farrior, allowing McNabb to get accordioned.

There's a cement-headed play by Ben Roethlisberger to harpoon a promising drive.

The Steelers offense, which Bruce Arians told me a few weeks back would look like the explosive Steelers offense of the '05 playoffs was on the march with a 9-yard reverse, a 6-yard Willie Parker run and a flair pass to Parker for 16. Then Roethlisberger's strength got him in trouble as he held up in the grasp of a pair of Eagles defensive linemen and tried to flip a pass out to Wilson that got intercepted.

Bad play.

Talking to Reuben Frank, a terrific Eagles beat writer for the Burlington City Times, I got a rundown of some of the areas the Eagles need to get more feedback on defensively.

Starting up front, second-year defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, a stiff as a rookie first-rounder from Florida State, has had a very good offseason and is going to be relied upon to help keep the heat off of another second-year second-year man, middle linebacker Omar Haither.

Strongside linebacker Chris Gocong, another second-year man, is the strongside backer and Takeo Spikes is the weakside guy. The ability for linebackers to work in concert and not worry about whether or not a guy has his responsibility down is vital. This will be an area to watch tonight as Pittsburgh brings an offense that gets to the second level with the running game.

Another question, is Jevon Kearse, in his ninth year, still Jevon Kearse. As Frank mentioned, he hasn't been a force since he was an Oiler. He's not far off.

It's a perfect night here as opposed to last week's Sunday Night Football game in Baltimore when players were basically sucking on a humidifier for four quarters.

It's clear and - unofficially - about 72. Trust me, I'm good at guessing temperatures. And at telling time without looking at the clock. I swear, I can come within 5 minutes of the exact time. Talented? Yes. I am.

PITTSBURGH - It's the big one (Elizabeth!). Of the four preseason games each NFL team plays, the third is the one that most closely resembles an actual NFL game. It's the mall Santa with a real white beard and glasses.

Opposing coaching staffs do some game-planning for this game instead of just running the same plays with each group on the depth chart. The starters play longer. Superstars whose former girlfriends just had a baby on one coast fly cross-country to be in uniform on the other coast for this one.

In his first preseason action, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was statistically outstanding going 6 for 9 for 137 yards.

But that was against a Panthers defense that, in this preseason, has shown itself to have serious issues to iron out.

How will McNabb do tonight against an AFC defense? A good one in Pittsburgh.

PITTSBURGH - Zipping up in the elevator at Heinz Field, a scout for an AFC East team said that "bar research" is indispensable in the Steel City.

"I'm telling you, you get here three, four days early, go to the bar and you know all you need to know about the whole team," said the scout. "I'm sitting next to a guy the other night and he has all the cuts already made down to 53. He knows what the depth chart needs to be, has the special teams figured out. These guys could help the coaches, I'm telling you."

John Clayton from ESPN.com, a Pittsburgh native, was in the lift with me and said that the same phenomenon exists in Green Bay but there it's the ushers that carry the encyclopedic knowledge.

Drew Weatherford. Congrats. Now don't f*#@ it up.

Fantasy Fix Live premiered just a short two hours ago.

We handled our first live call in show pretty decent (so bias I know). Gregg, as always, can answer anything thrown at him. I still say Joseph Addai over Frank Gore but whatever. Also, lets just get it out there.. if you can grab BRANDON JACOBS do it. We spent at least 50% of the show talking about that guy. Same answer every time: PICK HIM UP!

We (Gregg, myself and our co-worker Brett) had our NBC Fantasy Football Draft last night. We had the 11th pick (14 teams total). Lesson Learned: NO SUCH THING AS A STRATEGY. We took Reggie Bush as our first pick.. and then on the way back picked up Chad Johnson. Now let me just say that after that second round was done Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Carson Palmer and Marc Bulger were all gone. Cause Gregg's the pro.. we held off on our QB until the 6th round and picked up Big Ben. Another surprise (maybe you won't think so) but one team took the Bears D in the 6th round.

Here's our team in the order we drafted:
R. Bush
C. Johnson
M. Colsten
M. Lynch
S. Moss
Big Ben
L. Betts
B. Watson
L. Washington
J. Campbell
R. Curry
Packers D
D. Graham
A. Peterson (Chicago)
E. Wilford
J. Hanson

Monday night is the big draft... we have a league here at the office. Gregg and I each must manage our own team. He has the 8th pick. I have the 7th. Sucker!

One of my best girlfriends from college works for this place in London and got a great review in Marie Claire Online.

So what if I'm bragging and it has nothing to do with sports?

Go here to read alllll about it!

Jason Whitlock on Michael Vick and what the future should hold for the QB.

If the guy goes to jail and serves his time, doesn't he deserve a second chance? Isn't that the strength of our country... those who make mistakes, can be forgiven and afforded the opportunity at another chance?

"We have to put an end to the political game of "racial gotcha." It's backfiring on everybody. We no longer seek understanding. We seek vigilante justice. We want high-profile people to serve as examples of the kind of harsh punishment America is willing to dole out if you make a mistake. We think if Vick and Imus lose their jobs and are totally disgraced, their demise will make the world a more civil place."

No one is saying what the guy did is acceptable or worthy of anything less then a harsh punishment. But you have to believe that within everyone is a person who is good. Yes, even Michael Vick.

At some point in life, we all encounter a situation where our hearts wish to dictate the punishment rather then the law. A person we care deeply about makes a bad choice. They are forced to pay the consequences. But do we just give up on them? Does a horrible mistake (and yes, what he did is horrible and proves he is capable of using the worst judgement) equal a total lost cause?

Or because we are humans, do we allow Vick the chance to prove over time, that he is in fact at the very least decent?
Or maybe more directly, if it was you.. would you deserve a second chance?

Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis knows who will take the first snap of the 2007 season for the Irish, and you don't. On Tuesday Weis, speaking to South Bend-based TV station WNDU, which 1) abuts the western edge of campus and 2) may have the only brother-sister anchor team in local news (Terry & Maureen McFadden), replied "absolutely" when asked if he knew who his starter was.

Weis called the identity of his starter "no big secret", then kept it the biggest secret heading into Notre Dame's Sept. 1 opener with Georgia Tech by not revealing the identity of the player. "People think that you vacillate," Weis told WNDU. "You know what you're doing. I'm not trying to sandbag anyone, but I think that going into your first game, it's important that any additional ammon that you could have to help you win that one game you should use.

Unlike his Notre Dame counterpart, Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey has open practices and even allowed media members to record last Saturday's scrimmage (requesting only that we keep the shots tight on players and not show formations). Weis is Gailey's opposite in that respect. In terms of media accessibility, you have to love Gailey's approach. In terms of "strategery", I'd do exactly what Weis is doing considering his QB situation.

So, it's no big secret to Weis as to whether the starter will be junior Evan Sharpley, sophomore Demetrius Jones or freshman Jimmy Clausen. But it remains so to the rest of us. Given the success Weis enjoyed in New England when his Patriots were compelled to go with an unproven rookie (Tom Brady) when the incumbent (Drew Bledsoe) went down, do not at all be surprised if the starter is Clausen.

What do I always tell the Johntourage? Baseball is amazing because on any given day you'll see something you've never seen before. Texas' 30-3 win against Baltimore on Wednesday afternoon, for example. The records set are one thing, but consider just how freaky it is that the Texas Rangers, of all teams, did this.

Odd notes about the game you can swap with your buddies!

1. This is the same Texas Ranger team that was no-hit earlier in the season (I believe the only no-hitter of the season) by the Chicago White Sox and that was struck out 17 times just a couple days earlier by Johan Sanatana of the Minnesota Twins.

2. This is the same Texas Ranger team that last month traded its only bonafide slugger, Mark Texeira, to the Atlanta Braves.

3. Only hours earlier the Orioles had announced that manager Dave Trembley would return for the 2008 season. I hope you got that in writing, Skip.

4. That was only the first game of a doubleheader (Texas swept the twinbill, winning 9-7 in the nightcap) and yet in the first game alone the Rangers set a franchise record for most runs in a doubleheader.

5. The 30 runs were an American League record for runs in one game and the 39 in the doubleheader were also an American League record.

6. The last time any team scored more runs than this in the Majors, the American League was not yet born. The Chicago Colts beat the Louisville Colonels 36-7 on June 28, 1897. The ten other National League teams in that year? Boston Beaneaters, Cleveland Spiders, Washington Senators, New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Philles, St. Louis Browns and yes, the Baltimore Orioles.

7. After three innings at Camden Yards, the Orioles led by a score that would later, take away the dash between the digits, be the number of runs Texas would score: 3-0.

8. The Rangers' Travis Metcalf was making his Major League debut, and he was one of two Rangers to hit a grand slam.

9. Texas outscored its run total of the previous nine games combined (28) and also had more hits (29) than they made outs (27).

10. Somehow, and this may be where the MLB needs to amend its rules, a Ranger pitcher notched a save even though Texas won by a 27-run margin. Wes Littleton, by pitching three scoreless innings in relief when the outcome was still in doubt, earned a save.

A suggested prison reading list for Michael Vick while he's serving his time. Here's hoping two things: 1) that the prison library has these in stock, and 2) that Andy Dufresne hasn't carved through the pages of any of them in order to hide his little geologist's hammer. And so:

1. Where The Red Fern Grows , by Wilson Rawls

2. Clifford The Big Red Dog , by Norman Bridwell

3. White Fang , by Jack London

4. Old Yeller , by Frederick Gipson

5. Snoopy, Come Home , by Charles Shulz

6. Lassie, Come Home , by Eric Knight

7. Marley & Me , by John Grogan

8. The Pokey Little Puppy , by Janette Sebring Lowrey

9. Sounder , by William H. Armstrong

10. Cujo , By Stephen King.

This is something you never want to have to read, regardless of what team you pull for. I can't imagine how hard this must be on the Andrews' family... I'm sure all sports fans hearts and prayers go out to them.

Mickey Andrews' son dead at age 41

Here's yet another person telling you just how screwed Michael Vick is.

Two little girls run up to me after the SKB Park competition. The conversation goes like this:

Tweens: "Do you know Ryan Sheckler?!"
Tiff: "Yup. I do."
Tweens: (insert squeal) "Is he nice? What's he like? He's so cute, don't you think!?" (insert squeal)
Tiff: "Haha.. yes he is nice."
Tweens: "Are you friends with him?"
Tiff: "Yes, we're friends." *Mentally thinking: "Where in the hell is this convo going?"
Tweens: "Do you have his phone number?"
Tiff: "Umm...."
Tweens: (squeal is notched up a few levels, the jumping begins, the grins grow wider, their goal in sight)
In unison (just like the Olsens) "Will you give it to us?!"
Tiff: "Umm.. no."

Serioulsy. 17 and this kids a stud. So much so he's got his own MTV show coming out. Add another to the list of shameless TV I will be watching during the week.

Will Demps dislocated his elbow. Rookie wideout Steve Smith has a concussion. Tom Coughlin has indigestion and, perhaps, teetering toward a panic attack.

Wideout Michael Jennings, corner Sam Madison and safety Will Demps just left the field with assorted injuries, two of which are going to linger.

Jennings, Al Michaels reported, ruptured his Achilles and that's a season ender. Madison went down with a hamstring and that's always serious enough to limit a guy for as long as a month.

Demps looked like he got a stinger after leading with his head but he also looked like he was gripping at his ribs. Bad deal either way.

Jennings is a guy I got to know when I was on the Patriots for the Providence Journal and he joined the team as a

Good Eli vs. Bad Eli. The struggle continues.

After making the kind of forehead-slapping mistake he's been guilty of way too often - an unforced fumble after he turned to handoff - Eli Manning just strung together a pretty nice drive.

The last few plays he hasn't made anything happen.

I spent a long time talking to the Ravens director of pro personnel Geoge Kokinis the other night in Foxboro where he was scouting the Patriots and Titans.

One thing I wanted to figure out was just how the Ravens figured Willis McGahee would alter their offense at the running back spot.

I did too many Ravens games last season and came away shaking my head about the monumental struggle they seemed to have generating yards when it mattered.

The plodding style of Jamal Lewis, to me, seemed a real encumberance to their explosiveness.

The Society of Bloggers, or SOBs, sent a memo this morning informing me that I am obligated to weigh in on the Michael Vick situation, so here are a few thoughts:

1. For now, from a legal standpoint, I'm going to presume that Vick is innocent. If it turns out that he pleads guilty or is found guilty, that's another blog for another day. Ever since those two dudes whose names I cannot spell (for the record, Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams...okay, one dude whose name I cannot spell) released "Game Of Shadows", it's as if we're allowed to presume everyone's guilty.

2. I wonder if Michael Vick used to subscribe to or at least get his hands on Sports Illustrated when he was a boy. I wonder if he ever thought that, with all the covers featuring NFL quarterbacks he must have seen, that it was the July 27, 1987 cover story on pit bull terriers that would come closest to defining his legacy (you can buy that issue on eBay right now for $3.95...imagine what that issue would fetch [intended] if you could get Vick to autograph it).

3. A confession: I love animals. Love 'em love 'em love 'em. Now, true, I'll eat 'em if they're tasty (as they would me), but dog fighting fans are seriously depraved folk. And, yes, any serial killer profiler will tell you that most of them start out in their youth by torturing and killing animals. It's the absolute lack of respect for life that stuns you when you hear about this case.

4. Say you're Michael Vick's defense team, and you want to gauge the NFL's reaction to a guilty plea before you decide whether to go that route or decide instead to go to trial. So you call up the NFL commissioner's office and ask, "Um, how is this going to go down if we plead guilty?"
And if I'm NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, here's my response. "Why would you do that? Michael assured me himself last spring that he had no involvement in this. And I'm taking him at his words. Because isn't that what athletes are always asking those of us in positions of authority to do? Just take them at their word? That's what I'm going to do then. Take Michael at his word."
"Um, thanks, Commish. But, you know, we're just spitballing here. What if Michael does plead guilty?"
"Hmm. So let me get this straight. You're telling me that four months ago you asked me to take Michael's word for it, and I did and the league did not punish him then. Now you're asking me not to take his word for it and hoping that I'll be lenient about that as well? I'm going to reserve the right to be as truthful with you in replying to your request as you and your client have been with the league. How's that?"
If Vick pleads guilty, Goodell could and should suspend him an extra year just for insubordination. For looking the commissioner of his league in the eye and flat-out lying to him.

5. Which is why Vick should learn from O.J. and take this to trial. He only needs one juror of twelve to be on his side here. If Vick cops a plea, he gets reduced jail time but likely at least a two-year ban from the NFL plus a career's worth of vitriol from most fans who ever encounter him. And the endorsement pool will be empty. His NFL career could very well be over.
If Vick goes to trial, there's always the chance that the defense attorneys can attack the character of the witnesses, i.e. his friends, who turned state's evidence on him. If he goes free, he's back in the NFL by next year. Whether or not you or I want that to happen, or believe he's guilty, once exonerated Vick would be able to return to the life (and contract) he has enjoyed.
The downside risk is potentially greater jail time, but that's just more fodder for an updated, Essence Awards-friendly version of The Longest Yard . ESPN will begin bidding for the rights to prison football games almost immediately. Vick, Rae Carruth, Lawrence Phillips, Maurice Clarett...there's some real talent in the joint.
If one takes into account the manner in which Vick has always played the game of football--a risk taker, a quarterback who will exhaust every last option rather than take a sack or throw a pass out of bounds--it seems in his character that Vick would not take the plea deal. Which means that America might just have the most polarizing case since O.J. and that George Smith and Kelly Naqi will be Pedro Gomezing it all autumn in Richmond.

6. I have a great deal of respect for ESPN's John Clayton (unlike Sean Salisbury), but I "strenuously object" to a point he made in a recent column abou the Vick case (I love that espn.com has its own "Vick" tab now, by the way..."MLB", "NCAA", "Vick"). Clayton wrote that for Vick, either post-trial or post-plea, a good p.r. strategy would be to do "public service announcements to stop people from fighting dogs."
Wait, I thought it was dogs fighting dogs...anyway, that's not my bone of contention. It's the entire idea of sinners warning the innocent not to commit the sins they have. Like when Darryl Strawberry or Doc Gooden would speak to kids about the evils of doing drugs, usually a week or so before either was arrested yet again for possession.
"Kids, don't get involved in dog fighting because if you do then some day you may have to do a humiliating public service announcement of the evils of dog fighting when really, what you'd rather be doing is laying down twenty large on that speckled brown pit bull fighting in Jasper's barn this evening."
Didn't Dave Chappelle just rip this entire practice to shreds in one of his skits a couple years ago?

On Saturday I attended the Georgia Tech football scrimmage in Steamylanta. Afterward, I was waiting to interview Yellow Jacket tailback Tashard Choice , whose brothers Tasters and Peoples (What we all do if Gene Rayburn hadn't been invented?) were not there. Well, let me tell you, if there were a personality component to the Heisman Trophy award, then Tashard, who happened to lead the ACC in rushing in 2006, would be the early favorite.

It was 98 degrees and sunny, so Choice had doffed his helmet and shoulder pads when we met. He was only wearing a T-shirt, which happened to bear the name of his high school (in Georgia) alma mater. And so the gray sweaty T-shirt was adorned with two words:

Lovejoy Football .

I decided, especially after meeting Choice and being inspired by his extroverted nature, to hijack that term from two words to three, and then to make it my new mantra:

Love.
Joy.
Football.

Sorry, John and Paul, but that's really all you need.

By the way, how cool are Coach Chan Gailey and the gang at Georgia Tech? On the Saturday morning before classes begin, they stage a free open scrimmage in their stadium. Anyone was allowed to attend, and if Notre Dame did not have at least one spy (I know what you're thinking...zip it!) inside Bobby Dodd, I'd be shocked. I, in fact, was standing on the sidelines with my camcorder and was inconspicuous save for my tattered Catholics vs. Convicts T-shirt.

A few impressions from the scrimmage:

1. Southpaw quarterback Taylor Bennett, leading the first-string offense against the second-string defense, did not look particularly sharp. Bennett was 10-20 for 95 yards.
2. Durant Brooks, a preseason first-team All-America punter by many experts' standards, had three kicks of 50, 48 and 53 yards. That bodes well for Mr. Zbikowski, who will not have to fair catch as many long balls.
3. True freshman dual threat (i.e., he's black and he's fast...why deal in euphemisms?) quarterback Josh Nesbitt was facing 2nd- and 3rd-string defenders, but he looked fantastic. Nesbitt had three carries for 17 yards and completed a 26-yarder to fullback Lucas Cox, who looks like a reincarnation of Tom Rathman.
4. If the Wreck is looking for motivational fodder, here's some. The regional Athlon College Footbal Preview has Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford on the cover. Inside, the mag does team profiles on all of the SEC teams, Conference USA teams and Sun Belt Conference teams, but not on ACC teams. Then, in their "regional teams" section, you're thinking, Okay, this is where Gailey's Gang will get some love, right? The four teams the mag chooses to feature are Louisiana Tech, Louisville, South Florida and....and...wait for it....Notre Dame. Four pages on the Fighting Irish, under "regional teams". Nada on Georgia Tech. And I bought this mag at the base exchange in Fort Benning, Ga.

FOXBORO - Vince Young went 5 for 17 for 102 yards, got sacked four times and failed to lead the Titans to the end zone Friday night against the Patriots.

After being benched for violating a team rule last week, the 2006 Pro Bowler was a little sluggish in a game eventually won by Tennessee, 27-24.

"There were little things here and there,' said Titans head coach Jeff Fisher. "He misfired a couple of times. I thought he was in command with what he was doing and had a good understanding of what they were trying to do."

FOXBORO - Rainy night in Foxboro. The commonly used slang for the conditions here are “raining like a mutha” but I’m not sure that’s wholly appropriate for a family blog. Suffice to say the precipitation is heavy.

And it’s already entered into the equation in this preseason grudge match between the Patriots and Titans as Donte Stallworth slipped on a third-and-6 throw into the flat and Titans corner Cortland Finnegan went 51 yard the other way for the score.

Heat was applied on the play by Titans maniac Kyle Vanden Bosch.

As I got that typed up, Brady came back with a five-play, 58-yard drive including a 28-yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker. On the play, Brady scurried out of some chaos to the left, directed Welker back to the left pylon and drilled him in the chest for the score.

The AST Dew Tour has set up camp in Portland, Oregon. Already 4 of the 6 prelims have taken place.

Surprises:
BMX Dirt: No Cameron White, Luke Parslow, Steven McCann or Allan Cooke.
Looks like marriage suites Morgan Wade- he took first place with James Foster and Diogo Canina right behind. Ryan Guettler and Ryan Nyquist rounded out the top 5.

BMX Vert: Congrats to Austin Coleman who made it to his first BMX Vert Final ever! Steven McCann looking like a real threat in the Vert world as he placed third in prelims. Jay Eggleston came out swinging and placed second behind the big guy himself, Jamie Bestwick.

SKATEBOARD Vert: Shaun White just might be the real thing. He wants to be an amazing skateboarder. He won in Baltimore, Cleveland, X Games and now takes first in place in prelims in Portland. Bucky Lasek, the defending champ, finished in fifth place... for now.

SKATEBOARD Park: Lights, camera, Sheckler. MTV is here (again) filming the 17 year olds new reality show and he definitely gave them some good footage as he took first place in prelims. But Greg Lutzka, who looks so smooth, is right behind him in second. Austen Seaholm is back in the action sitting in third going into tomorrow's Finals.

Be sure to watch NBC this weekend and catch SKB Park on Saturday and then BMX Park on Sunday. Also on USA Network there will be an hour show of BMX Vert Friday night followed by SKB Vert on Saturday night.

I can say it's official. I've played basketball with an NBA player.

David Lee of the New York Knicks had a basketball camp for aspiring youngsters last week. I caught up with him at his camp and took on the challenge of playing a little game of "Knock Out". No, inspite of what you might think, the NBA coaches have not started calling to sign me up.

So what if my NBA career will never be, this is a guy who is certain to have an amazing career. He enjoyed hanging out with the kids and did an excellent job of staying positive while offering constructive advice to help the young athletes better their skills.

Go here to watch the video!