Steelers' Parker ready, returns to practice
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SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL
Steelers' Parker ready, returns to practice
Running back says he's 'ready to play'
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Peter Diana / Post-Gazette
Willie Parker -- "I'm ready to
play, man."
Willie Parker returned to practice yesterday. Now can he return to form?
Parker revealed after practice that the injury to his left knee Sept. 21 was a sprained medial collateral ligament.
"That's what bothered me, my lateral movement and stuff," Parker said.
As most anyone knows who has seen Fast Willie run, he needs lateral movement the way a rocket needs a booster. The
injury occurred near the end of the Steelers' 15-6 loss in Philadelphia, where Parker carried 13 times for 20 yards. Before
that, he was the NFL's third-leading rusher after two games and has 263 yards and a 4.0 average. He has the team's only
three rushing touchdowns, all in the opener.
"I'm ready to play, man," Parker declared. "I went out there and my main focus was to get my timing down, just practicing so
I can help the team out the best way I can Sunday.
"I can pick it right back up, that ain't no problem. I have enough motivation and self-pride, that's not a problem."
The Steelers entered the season hoping to have one of their more dynamic one-two punches at halfback in years with Parker
and rookie Rashard Mendenhall. But Mendenhall was knocked out for the season with a broken shoulder in his first pro start,
against Baltimore Sept. 29.
With their top two halfbacks out and fullback Carey Davis joining them with a sprained ankle, the Steelers won their past
two games. Mewelde Moore, who had no carries through three games, led them with 99 yards rushing in their most-recent
victory, at Jacksonville Oct. 5.
"We won both games, that was a plus, so we have to keep it going," Parker said. "It's real good just to get back on track.
We're 4-1 but we had a bye this week and you know how teams play when they come off that bye. Some of them are
sluggish in the first half of the game and then they pick it up the second half, so we just have to start fast."
On paper, that does not appear to be a looming problem as the Steelers prepare to play at winless Cincinnati (0-6), where
they have won their past seven visits. Four of Parker's 23 100-yard rushing games have come against the Bengals.
"As an offensive unit we always ran the ball on them, no matter what," Parker said. "Even when they stopped us, we come
back the next series and just run and run and run. That's been our M.O. against them and they'll just have to stop it."
Parker has injured his right and left leg in two of his past four games. His right fibula was broken in the 15th game of last
season. He has not felt sorry for himself, though.
"I don't really say that. Last season I was injured, it was a season-ending injury. [Now] it's just a little stumble in the road.
Now I'm back at it."
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Steelers' Parker ready, returns to practice
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One thing he's trying to develop this week in practice is to regain confidence in his left leg because the tendency is not to
want to push off it.
"I felt good out there, but you know how it is. Practicing and stuff, I have to get all that back. Just practice and confidence
pushing off my leg and stuff like that. I feel good for the most part."
His teammates were happy to see him return.
"It definitely brings a different pace of running back," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "He's definitely a game-breaker. He's
one of those guys who can take the ball and score on any given play. And he's fresh, he's had a few weeks off.
"It's always great to have your starter out there. He means a lot to this team."
As Davis said, "For him to come back and go out there and make plays for us is always a good thing."
Ed Bouchette can be reached at [email protected].
First published on October 14, 2008 at 12:00 am
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Steelers Notebook: Bengals will go without Palmer
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SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL
Steelers Notebook: Bengals will go without Palmer
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer will not play for the second
consecutive week.
As if the Steelers have not had enough success in Cincinnati, now they're getting the breaks before the game, too.
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer won't play again Sunday because of an inflamed right elbow that kept him on the
sideline Sunday against the New York Jets.
"I believe he's the leader of that team," Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. "He's the guy everybody rallies around. So I
think not having his presence there affects how they play. There's definitely a difference."
Ryan Fitzpatrick will start against the Steelers, Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis announced yesterday. He has thrown one
touchdown, three interceptions and has a passer rating of 57.7.
Linebacker Larry Foote said the Bengals obviously are better with Palmer at quarterback.
"Of course they are. Any team in the league would be different with Carson Palmer from a positive standpoint, not to take
anything away from the other guy."
Kick coverages improve
The biggest improvement in the Steelers may be their pass rush, it may be their defensive line depth, it may be their play in
the secondary or it just may be their kick coverage.
Last year, the Steelers allowed 8.6 yards per punt return with one touchdown against them. They allowed 22.6 yards per
kickoff return with one touchdown.
Through five games, they've allowed 4.5 yards per punt return with a long of 12 and no touchdowns. This, even though they
lost punter Daniel Sepulveda for the season with a torn ACL. Veteran Mitch Berger has been inconsistent but averages 43.5
gross yards per punt, and 10 of his 25 punts have been inside the 20.
Their kickoff coverage team has allowed 20.1 yards per return with no touchdowns and a long of 40.
The difference?
"I think everybody has just made a commitment to go down and make a play," said Anthony Madison, who leads the
special teams with nine tackles, six solos. "Everybody can make a play at any given time.
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Steelers Notebook: Bengals will go without Palmer
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"Guys are willing to just give up their bodies, sell it out, that's what you have to do."
Gator bait
Ryan Clark, normally among the well-dressed Steelers, wore a goofy looking headdress in the locker room that sprouted
long blue and orange "hair."
On close inspection, an alligator graced the middle of the headband. Oh-oh, Clark had lost a bet over the weekend.
"Yeah, this is a gift from my friend Max," Clark said.
Tackle Max Starks played at the University of Florida, Clark at Louisiana State. Florida routed LSU, 51-21, Saturday.
"It tells you what type of people go to Florida, that people go into a store and actually purchase this hat," Clark said. "Or that
they would actually make this hat. That is why I'm not concerned because I know what type of people graduate from that
institution -- or don't graduate from that institution."
As part of the bet, Clark must wear the hat all week.
"Glorious," said Starks, who shrugged off his teammate's comments about Florida. "I wouldn't expect anything less from an
LSU guy."
Fine protest
Steelers chairman Dan Rooney sent a letter to the NFL to protest the $5,000 fine leveled against wide receiver Hines Ward
for "unnecessary roughness" against the Baltimore Ravens Sept. 29.
The NFL did not stipulate in the letter to Ward a specific play for which he was fined. Ward was not penalized in the game.
Rooney said he wrote to the league to say that Ward "plays the game the way it's supposed to be played."
Ward thought he was fined for stepping over cornerback Cory Ivy after one play.
"At least he stepped over him," Rooney said, "and not on him."
Injury updates
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned to practice for the first time since the week before they previously played, in
Jacksonville Oct. 5. He sat out both practices last week. Ward also was back on the practice field.
But nose tackle Casey Hampton, full back Carey Davis, kicker Jeff Reed and wide receiver Dallas Baker did not practice.
Hampton and Reed are expected to return this week.
First published on October 14, 2008 at 12:00 am
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NFL Notebook: Injured pinkie finger shelves Dallas' Romo
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SPORTS / STEELERS & NFL
NFL Notebook: Injured pinkie finger shelves Dallas' Romo
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
From wire dispatches
Matt Slocum/AP
Brad Johnson -- Cowboys
quarterback will replace the
injured Tony Romo
The already slumping Dallas Cowboys now must survive a few games without two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo,
who has a broken finger on his throwing hand.
There was indeed something wrong when Romo badly missed on his last two pass attempts to Terrell Owens in a 30-24
overtime loss at Arizona Sunday, the Cowboys' second defeat in three games. Romo broke his right pinkie on the first play of
overtime.
Brad Johnson, the 40-year-old backup whose previous start was in 2006 for Minnesota, takes over Sunday when Dallas plays
at St. Louis.
The Cowboys lost Sunday when Arizona blocked a punt and recovered it for a game-ending touchdown -- a play that also cost
Dallas its punter, Mat McBriar. McBriar was carted off the field, and an MRI yesterday showed he has a broken foot. He
could be out two months.
Seahawks
The Seahawks will be without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck for at least one more game because a months-old bulging disk in
his back is causing problems with his knee. The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback will not play Sunday when the Seahawks (14) are at Tampa Bay (4-2). If backup Seneca Wallace can practice this week after missing last week with a calf injury, he will
start. If not, No. 3 quarterback Charlie Frye will start.
Jaguars
Offensive tackle Richard Collier, paralyzed from the waist down after a shooting in September, has been released from the
hospital. He will continue his recovery at an undisclosed location because the person who shot him remains at large. Collier
had 14 gunshot wounds to his back, left groin, left leg and right buttock. A bullet severed his spinal cord, causing the paralysis,
and his left leg had to be amputated because of blood clots. ... A judge accepted wide receiver Matt Jones into a drug treatment
program that could erase a felony cocaine charge against the former Arkansas star. He must participate in NFL-sponsored
substance-abuse counseling and random drug testing through the end of the football season, then return to Fayetteville to
complete the intervention program.
Bears
Offensive lineman Terrence Metcalf was suspended for four games for violating the league's policy on anabolic steroids. He is
eligible to return to practice Nov. 17.
Elsewhere
John Madden will miss calling an NFL game this weekend after working 476 in a row. Madden, who travels by bus because
of a fear of flying, will take a break to spend time with his family. Cris Collinsworth will fill in for Madden.
First published on October 14, 2008 at 12:00 am
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10/14/2008
Steelers' Ward puzzled by fines - Tribune-Review
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Ward puzzled by pair of fines
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Hines Ward is one of the best blocking wide receivers in the NFL and has long
been lauded for his toughness.
The NFL, however, has blurred the line between aggressive and unacceptable
play for the 11th-year veteran.
Ward said Monday he is seeking answers after being fined a total of $15,000
for unnecessary roughness in each of the past two Steelers' games.
The league fined Ward for separate incidents even though he wasn't penalized
for either one.
"I don't understand, if you don't get flagged for it, then how can they fine you? I
still thought this game was football," Ward said. "Obviously I need to have a
better understanding of what it is I'm doing that keeps getting me fined."
Ward plans to appeal the fines. He said the NFL specified why it fined him after
the Steelers' 23-20 win over the Ravens on Sept. 29. He said he was not told
why he received another fine following the Steelers' 26-21 win over the Jaguars
on Oct. 5.
"I jumped over a guy's head (in the Ravens game), he fell and my momentum
carried me, and I jumped over his head and the back of my butt hit his head,"
Ward said. "Jacksonville, I just walked into my locker (Monday) and had a
$10,000 fine."
Ward is one of three Steelers players who incurred a fine from the Jaguars
game. Outside linebacker James Harrison was docked $20,000 for making
what the NFL called inappropriate comments about the officiating.
Ward, long considered one of the best downfield blockers in the NFL, said
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has warned him that the league is keeping an eye
on him.
The four-time Pro Bowler said he wants to make sure he isn't being unfairly
targeted.
"If anything, I want to see what they're fining (other players) for personal fouls
against me," Ward said. "It would be kind of weird that I get fined and some of
those players aren't getting fined. If I'm the only one getting fined and other
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players aren't getting fined, that brings up a huge question for me."
Ward and the Steelers, who are coming off a bye week, returned to practice
yesterday for the first time since last Wednesday.
Among those who practiced were running back Willie Parker and quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger.
Parker has missed the past two games with a sprained medial collateral
ligament in his left knee.
"I felt good out there," Parker said. "I'm ready to play so I can help the team out
the best I can Sunday."
Barring a setback, Parker is expected to return Sunday when the Steelers play
the winless Bengals in Cincinnati.
The trip will represent another return to his native state for Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger has won 32 of the 34 games he has started at quarterback in
Ohio dating to high school. It looks like he will be close to full strength when he
tries to continue his dominance in his home state.
Roethlisberger has been bothered by a sprained joint in his right shoulder.
"It feels good," he said of his shoulder. "It's not 100 percent, but it's getting
close."
Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.
Images and text copyright © 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com
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Injured Steelers skip practice - Tribune-Review
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Several injured players skip practice
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Nose tackle Casey Hampton and kicker Jeff Reed were among the Steelers
players who didn't practice Monday.
Reed, who has a strained calf in his plant leg, sounded confident that he will
play Sunday against the Bengals.
Hampton, who has missed the last two games with a strained groin, said it is
too early to tell if he will return for the 1 p.m. contest at Paul Brown Stadium.
Hampton said he plans to test his groin by doing some running this week.
"I'm ready to go, but I can't make my body do something it's not going to do,"
Hampton said. "I've just got to make sure I don't hurt myself and subject myself
to being out longer."
Reed, who hurt his left leg in the Steelers' 26-21 win over the Jaguars on Oct.
5, said he will try to kick Wednesday in practice.
"If I feel good, it will just be a normal routine after that," said Reed, who has not
missed a field goal in nine attempts this season. "I think I'm going to be fine. It
feels a lot better and I think as the week goes on, it's going to gradually get
better."
Among the other Steelers players who didn't practice yesterday were starting
left tackle Marvel Smith, wide receivers Santonio Holmes and Nate
Washington, and running back Carey Davis.
Davis, who is nursing a sprained ankle, has said he plans to play against the
Bengals.
TO THE VICTORS
School spirit was on display in the Steelers' locker room, though not in the way
Ryan Clark would have preferred.
The Steelers' safety sported a University of Florida hat with orange and blue
hair rising from it.
Offensive tackle Max Starks bought what looked like a part of a Halloween
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costume over the weekend, and Clark has to wear it all week at the Steelers'
facility since Florida beat LSU, 51-21, on Saturday.
Clark, who went to LSU, said he didn't watch the game. Starks, a Florida
product, attended the game in Gainesville, Fla., and kept Clark updated on
what was happening.
"All I know is I'm driving home from church and Max Starks texted me, 'What's
wrong with your boys?'" Clark said. "At that point, I realized we weren't
winning."
And what would the 6-foot-8, 345-pound Starks have been wearing had LSU
won the game?
"I was just going to give him one of my shirts," said Clark, who is 5-11, 205
pounds, "like a shirt that fits me."
GO BLUE?
A handful of players used the bye week to return to their alma mater and watch
their former team play.
Unfortunately for inside linebacker Larry Foote, he got an up-close look at
Michigan's first loss to a Mid-American Conference team in school history.
Foote, who starred at Michigan from 1998-2001, was on the sidelines for the
Wolverines' 13-10 loss to Toledo. He got an earful about it from his teammates
yesterday.
"It didn't change that we're the all-time winningest program in the history of
college football," Foote said of the stunning defeat. "That didn't change."
Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.
Images and text copyright © 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
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.: Print Version :.
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TUESDAY OCTOBER 14, 2008 :: Last modified: Monday, October 13, 2008 11:57 PM EDT
Notes from the Steelers beat: Not fine for Hines
By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff
FINE TIME
Hines Ward has forked over $15,000 to the NFL in the past two weeks, and doesn’t know why.
In two separate incidents, league watchdogs claim Ward has been guilty of unnecessary roughness.
That’s mind-boggling because in those two games — wins over Baltimore and Jacksonville — Ward
wasn’t even flagged for penalties on the plays in question.
The presiding referees didn’t think the Steelers’ star wide receiver did anything wrong. But after
watching videotape, someone in the league office did.
“Obviously, I need a better understanding of what I’m doing that keeps getting me fined rather than
getting me flagged,” Ward said in frustration.
Ward is right to feel angry. The fines levied against him are a joke.
Football is a physical, violent game. Hitting the opponent is part of football.
What the league should do is take the advice of Steelers linebacker James Harrison: Fine officials if
they make bad calls, or if they fail to make the right call.
DON’T COUNT ON IT
It is said that on any given day in the NFL, anything can happen. The latest example of that theory is
Sunday’s stunner in our nation’s capital: St. Louis 19, Washington 17.
The hapless 0-4 Rams, who had lost eight straight dating back to last year, shocked a 4-1 Redskins
squad.
Can such an upset happen again Sunday in Cincinnati when the hapless 0-6 Bengals host the 4-1
Steelers?
No way.
Not with Carson Palmer sitting out again with a sore elbow.
Not with a quarterback match-up of Ryan Fitzpatrick, a Harvard grad, against Ben Roethlisberger.
Fitzpatrick will be making his sixth pro start. He’s 0-5 in his first five starts (three as a rookie in St.
Louis in 2005 and two this year with Cincy).
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In games he’s started, he’s thrown only two TD passes but 10 interceptions.
In games he’s started, his teams have been outscored by average of 23-13 .
There is no way Fitzpatrick is going to lead the demoralized Bengals to a win over the surging
Steelers.
BAD BET
Free safety Ryan Clark is not getting an early start on Halloween.
That funny looking orange and blue wig he’s wearing is his punishment for losing a wager to tackle
Max Starks.
Clark, who played college football at LSU, placed a bet with Starks, an ex-Florida star, before
Saturday’s SEC showdown. Because the Gators routed the Tigers, 51-21, Clark must wear wig this
week at team headquarters.
If LSU would have won, Starks would have had to wear an LSU jersey for a week.
FREE WILLIE
Willie Parker returned to practice Monday and said he’s all but 100-percent recovered from a sprained
knee injury that kept him out the last two games.
He’d like to play Sunday in Cincinnati. In six regular-starts against the Bengals, Parker has rushed for
71, 131, 134, 133, 87 and 126 yards (an average of 113 per game).
But considering that the Bengals rank 28th in the league in rushing, the Steelers don’t need to play
Parker if there’s any doubt that his knee isn’t 100 percent healed.
Mewelde Moore, Najeh Davenport and Gary Russell can get the job done, just as they did in
Jacksonville.
Mike Bires can be reached at [email protected]
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Palmer won't play against Steelers
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Palmer won't play against Steelers
Associated Press
CINCINNATI - Quarterback Carson Palmer will miss at least one more game because of a sore passing
elbow, an injury that has left the Cincinnati Bengals' offense in chaos.
Palmer stayed behind in New York after a 26-14 loss to the Jets on Sunday to get a second opinion from
Dr. David Altchek, who works with the Mets. Palmer was hoping to hear that he can get back on the
field quickly for the winless Bengals.
Instead, coach Marvin Lewis said Monday that Palmer will miss a second straight game and his third
overall because of the injury. Ryan Fitzpatrick will start Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who
lead the AFC North at 4-1 and are coming off a bye.
"Some further study and scans were done, and what he recommended is a further conservative approach
right now," Lewis said. "We'll talk with Carson and see what he feels."
Lewis didn't want to discuss the team's plans for Palmer until he had a chance to talk to the quarterback
about the latest findings.
"But I don't think any option's been closed off at this point," Lewis said. "Let's just see what's the best
thing. I want to talk with Carson and see where he is. He's texted me a couple of times, but I just want to
see what his thoughts are."
The Bengals (0-6) had another woeful day on offense during the loss in New York, which left them with
the worst record in the NFL. For the second time this season, their quarterback was their leading rusher:
Fitzpatrick scrambled for 23 yards.
Palmer damaged a tendon in his right elbow when his arm was hit while passing during a loss to the
Giants on Sept. 21. He finished the game and practiced the next week despite inflammation in the elbow.
The Bengals decided to sit him for the next game, a 20-12 loss to Cleveland behind Fitzpatrick.
Palmer returned a week later and went 23-of-39 for 217 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 31-22 loss
at Dallas. He was limited in practice last week, and the team decided to sit him against the Jets on the
advice of the medical staff. Palmer, who is eager to play, decided to get a second opinion from Altchek.
The quarterback has insisted the injury is not season-ending. Doctors have told him the elbow will likely
be healed in a few more weeks.
"I was told that it's not going to take much more than a month or two, and it's gotten better every day,"
Palmer said after the game Sunday.
With Palmer gone, the offense has been stagnant. The Bengals' offense has scored two touchdowns in
Fitzpatrick's two starts, his first since he played for the Rams in 2005. It didn't help that the running
game was virtually nonexistent in those two games.
Fitzpatrick was the leading rusher against Cleveland, getting 41 yards on four scrambles. The offense
managed only 211 yards overall.
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It was even worse against the Jets, gaining only 171 yards. The Bengals didn't even get a first down on
their first four possessions. Chris Perry carried 11 times for 14 yards overall.
Lewis wants to get running back Cedric Benson more involved once Benson figures out the offense. The
Bengals signed Benson as a free agent two weeks ago.
"I think everybody involved is trying really hard to turn over every stone and find every way we can to
find a way of how we can block more consistently in the running game, and be more consistent in pass
protection," Lewis said. "We are looking at everything we can do, and we will go back and evaluate the
things we are doing well in the running game, who we are doing it with."
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The Herald Standard - Sports - 10/14/2008 - Anderson sharp in Browns' victory
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10/14/2008
Anderson sharp in Browns' victory
By:
CLEVELAND (AP) - The Cleveland Browns may have flipped around their season.
Led by tumbling wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who announced his team's
Advertisement
return to Monday night after five years by sticking an Olympic-caliber
cartwheel and back flip during pregame introductions, Cleveland ended New
York's 11-game road winning streak with a 35-14 win over the defending
Super Bowl champions.
Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson, whose job was in serious jeopardy
just a few weeks ago, threw one of his two touchdown passes to Edwards,
cornerback Eric Wright intercepted Eli Manning and returned it 94 yards for a
touchdown and the Browns (2-3) finally looked worthy of a prime-time TV
slot.
Anderson finished 18-for-29 for 310 yards, Edwards caught five passes for a
career-high 154 yards and Jamal Lewis scored on a 4-yard run for the Browns,
who won a Monday night game for the first time since 1993 and handed the
Giants (4-1) their first loss, leaving the Tennessee Titans as the NFL's only
unbeaten team.
Manning was picked off three times and the Giants, so dominant through their
first four games, were roughed up by a Cleveland team running out of time to
make good on lofty preseason expectations.
Aside from some more silly penalties, the Browns were superior to the Giants,
who had reeled off 11 straight wins - 12 counting the Super Bowl - outside of
New Jersey since Week 1 last season. But Manning was not himself and New York missed an opportunity to open a two-game lead in the
brutal NFC East.
Edwards' 11-yard TD reception on the first play of the fourth quarter gave the Browns a 27-14 lead, and he punctuated it with a reverse
dunk over the goal post. The score capped an 87-yard drive which was bogged down by five Cleveland penalties.
The Giants then drove to the Cleveland 9, but on second-and-4, Manning locked onto wide receiver Amani Toomer, allowing Wright time
to dart in front, make the interception and tiptoe down the sideline to the end zone. It was a satisfying turn for Wright, who was burned
twice by the Giants during the Aug. 18 matchup between the teams.
While fans danced in the aisles, Anderson hit Edwards for the 2-point conversion to put the Browns ahead by 21.
Cleveland had its best game this season despite playing without Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow, who was hospitalized last week with
an undisclosed illness.
Manning went 18-of-28 for 196 yards and threw a 22-yard TD pass to Plaxico Burress, who was back after serving a one-game suspension
for violating team rules.
Moments after New York went up 7-3 on Brandon Jacobs' 7-yard run, Edwards turned cornerback Aaron Ross around with a nice outside
fake and hauled in a 70-yard pass from Anderson to set up Cleveland's first TD, a 4-yard run by Lewis.
On the Browns' next possession, Anderson put together his best-looking drive of the season. Given time to throw, he made all the correct
reads and went 5-for-5 for 74 yards, threading a 22-yard TD pass over the middle to backup tight end Darnell Dinkins to give Cleveland a
17-7 halftime lead.
Manning countered with an 80-yard scoring drive - helped by a critical Cleveland penalty - to pull the Giants within 17-14. From the 3, he
lofted a perfect 3-yard TD pass to Burress, who easily ran past defensive back Terry Cousin. Three plays earlier, Manning had been
sacked and fumbled on third down, but Browns safety Mike Adams was called for illegal contact, giving New York a first down.
Browns defensive end Corey Williams had provided the Giants with some bulletin-board material leading into the game. Williams, who
was with Green Bay last season and lost to New York in the NFC title game, had said Cleveland's defense planned to "hit him (Jacobs) in
the mouth" and that "their ain't nothing physical" about the Giants' offensive line.
Williams also said he was going to try to knock Jacobs' head off, remarks that were prominently displayed on the back pages of New
York's tabloid newspapers.
After Jacobs barreled through several Cleveland defenders for his TD early in the second quarter, he jawed with Williams.
It was the Browns, though, who got the last word.
©The Herald Standard 2008
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Family values important to Zeeland's Riemersma - Grand Rapids Press Sports Impact
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Family values important to Zeeland's Riemersma
Posted by jslagter October 12, 2008 01:05AM
AP File PhotoZeeland native Jay Riemersma had 23 career
touchdown catches in the NFL.
ZEELAND -- In his post-NFL career, former Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jay
Riemersma feels like he has found his true calling.
It's promoting Christian family values.
He joined the Family Research Council, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., as the
director of a six-state region that includes Michigan.
"I'm out there promoting the family agenda," said Riemersma, a father and husband of three small
children. "It's interesting. I've always been interested in politics. I was the nerd in the NFL who woke up
Sunday mornings and instead of watching 'Edge NFL Matchup' I watched 'Meet the Press.' "
He accepted the position with the Family Research Council last November following a three-year stint
as football coach at his alma mater, Zeeland (now Zeeland East).
His teams posted a combined 1-26 record.
LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL
Jay Riemersma
• Age: 35
• High school/college: Zeeland/University of Michigan
• NFL career: Buffalo Bills (1996-2002); Pittsburgh Steelers (2003-04). He started 74 of 112 games and
caught 221 passes for 2,524 yards and 23 touchdowns.
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Family values important to Zeeland's Riemersma - Grand Rapids Press Sports Impact
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• Occupation: Family Research Council's Midwest regional director.
• Hobbies: Deacon at Parkside Bible Church in Holland and woodworking.
• Family: He and wife, Cara, married since 1997, have three children -- daughter, Sophia, 8, and sons,
Trip, 5, and Nick, 3.
"We won just one game while I was there," he said of guiding Zeeland East's program from 2005-07.
"I'm really proud, though, of what we tried to accomplish in building character in the kids. I've been to a
few games this year.
"I'm cheering those boys on as hard as I can."
He tackles his current profession with the same enthusiasm.
Riemersma has an office in Holland, but spends time traveling throughout the Midwest to supervise the
efforts of numerous FRC chapters.
"It is rewarding because I feel like I am making a difference. The Lord places you in certain positions to
help take advantage of your influence," he said. "Hopefully, He's got me right where He needs me to
be."
He still misses the football.
It's a topic he and retired Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr discussed while Riemersma made a stop in
Ann Arbor on a recent business trip to Detroit.
"He's in the same place I am right now since he just retired," Riemersma said. "I think the biggest thing
we both miss about the game is the competition. We miss it more than we should, but we agreed we're
not sure you ever get over it."
His wife helps keep him humble.
"We were high school sweethearts. I've told her the only reason she went to (Michigan) State is because
she couldn't get into Michigan," he said with a laugh. "Of course, she's quick to remind me that I
couldn't have gotten into Michigan, either, if it wasn't for football. Yeah, she's right about that."
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N.F.L. Roundup - John Madden Will Skip Sunday’s Game at Tampa Bay - NYTimes.com
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October 14, 2008
N.F.L. ROUNDUP
Madden Will Skip Sunday’s Game at Tampa Bay
By RICHARD SANDOMIR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
John Madden will sit out NBC’s Sunday night game at Tampa Bay to take a breather from cross-country bus
trips. He will be replaced by Cris Collinsworth.
“I just wanted to have a bye,” Madden said by telephone Monday. He had been in Jacksonville on Oct. 5, had
traveled to San Diego for Sunday’s game and would have had to immediately drive south and east for the
game between the Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks.
“The whole thing starts with the Raiders and 49ers not being good,” said Madden, who lives in Pleasanton, in
northern California. “I never get a home game. I’ve got five grandkids now and I want to be home a little. Last
year, I never got home at all.”
Madden will actually get two weeks off. On Oct. 26, NBC will not carry a game rather than go head-to-head
with Game 4 of the World Series on Fox.
He will return Nov. 2 for the New England-Indianapolis game.
Madden has had Sundays off in the past, at CBS and Fox, after the N.F.L. went to a 17-week schedule, and
when he did not work on a Sunday after a Thanksgiving Day game.
“It used to work so well when the 49ers and Raiders were good, and the Rams were in Los Angeles,” he said.
“We’d be out there and I’d be home one week a month.”
STOKLEY HAD 10TH CONCUSSION Denver’s Brandon Stokley acknowledged that he actually sustained his
10th career concussion on his first catch against Jacksonville, not on the third one, when he lost his balance
and fell to his knees. In between, he scored his second touchdown of the season. (AP)
JAGUARS’ COLLIER LEAVES HOSPITAL Jacksonville offensive tackle Richard Collier, paralyzed from the
waist down after a shooting in September, has been released from the hospital.
Collier will continue his recovery at an undisclosed location because the person who shot him remains at
large. (AP)
AROUND THE LEAGUE Seattle will be without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck for at least one more game
because a months-old bulging disk in his back is causing problems with his knee. ... Buffalo Bills quarterback
Trent Edwards was back at work after being knocked out in a Week 5 loss to Arizona and said he expected to
play Sunday against San Diego. ... Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer will miss at least one more game
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because of a sore passing elbow. (AP)
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10/14/2008
NFL deadline looms: Chiefs' Gonzalez awaits word - USATODAY.com
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tony Gonzalez practiced with the Kansas City Chiefs for what could be the last time Monday and then went home
to await word on whether he's been traded.
Several teams are thought to be interested in the nine-time Pro Bowl tight end, including Buffalo, Philadelphia and the New York Giants.
But a Chiefs spokesman who asked not to be identified because talks were still ongoing told The Associated Press that no deal was pending.
THE HUDDLE BLOG: Who's most likely to be traded?
The trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Gonzalez, who holds tight end records for receptions, touchdowns and yards receiving, asked the Chiefs to explore trade talks because he
wants an opportunity to make a Super Bowl run before his career is done.
Gonzalez had left the Chiefs' locker room Monday by the time reporters were admitted.
At 32, Gonzalez plans to play at least one more season and possibly two. His age could be an impediment to a deal because the Chiefs are
not likely to let him get away cheaply.
With the rebuilding Chiefs having quarterback problems while working 15 rookies into their system, Gonzalez's numbers are down. He caught
21 passes and scored two touchdowns the first five games as the Chiefs went 1-4.
Gonzalez's teammates came back Monday from their bye week and tried to get ready for Sunday's game against unbeaten Tennessee without
letting the possible loss of one of the best and most popular players in team history become a distraction.
"It was business as usual," said left guard Brian Waters. "We were back to work. When we had the walk-through, Tony was in there as our
starting tight end. Nothing had changed. Until his jersey changes, he's still going to be a Kansas City Chief and we're going to treat him as
such."
Waters dismissed speculation that the Chiefs would resent Gonzalez for wanting to bolt the young, developing team, and that he might not
give 100% if he ends up staying with a team he tried to leave.
"I think that's a lot of (nonsense) to tell you the truth," Waters said. "We realize that Tony Gonzalez is a great football player and regardless of
whatever decision happens now, as these games go forth, we're going to need him if he's still here. We're going to need him to win football
games.
"All that resentment and those things, that's brought up by (the media)," Waters added. "I don't think that happens in the locker room. We
understand the business aspect of it."
Rookie tight end Brad Cottam, who becomes the starter if Gonzalez leaves, admitted the situation makes him feel awkward.
"Hopefully, eventually I will be the No. 1 tight end here," Cottam said. "But he definitely adds something to this team that can't really be
replaced. It's been perfect for me to come in and learn from him. It's been great."
Rookie fullback Mike Cox, who won the starting job in training camp, said all the rookies have tried to take a lesson from Gonzalez's
commitment to excellence.
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"Tony's always out there before practice running his routes, doing them on the sideline," Cox said. "He's run those routes thousands of times,
but he's still out there. It kind of blew me away when I first saw it."
When the defense is practicing and the offense is resting, Gonzalez often asks Cox to throw to him.
"Here's a guy who's already punched his ticket to the Hall of Fame and he's still doing all this. Here I am a rookie, and I haven't accomplished
anything in this game yet," Cox said. "It makes me push myself. He's the best tight end who ever played the game and he's out there working
harder than anyone.
"I remember I dropped a pass during practice one day. He said, 'I saw that drop. We'd better stay after practice and catch some extra balls.' So
we went out there and he ran the route with me about 10 times to show me how to do it," Cox said. "He's a great leader for us by what he does
and by what he says.
"The guys on this team want only the best for Tony Gonzalez."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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10/14/2008
'A hell pit?' Raiders remain in turmoil as Cable era begins - USATODAY.com
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By Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY
NEW ORLEANS — Tom Cable knew he would have a rapt audience on the eve of his first game as Oakland Raiders interim coach, so like a
candidate with a good stump speech amid election season, he was determined to deliver talking points with extra juice.
For the team's typical Saturday night meeting at its hotel, the offensive line coach plucked by Raiders owner Al Davis to replace ousted Lane
Kiffin tried to chart the course with a unity theme. He also urged the team to find the spirit to finish the game strong.
PHOTOS: Al Davis' coaching carousel
According to some players, Cable's first Saturday night speech was a well-received hit.
Then the Raiders went out and got drubbed 34-3 by the New Orleans Saints.
BOX SCORE: Saints 34, Raiders 3
"He may have touched some people," wideout Ronald Curry said of Cable's address, "but it's not about speeches. The bottom line is
performance. So the obvious is out there. We've got to take care of that."
The Raiders were mowed down on a day when Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed his first 16 passes and finished with 320 passing
yards and three touchdowns.
It left Cable, 43, marveling over Brees' outing: "You have to use him as a model."
JaMarcus Russell, the Raiders' second-year quarterback, completed 13 of 35 passes for 159 yards with an interception. His 40.1 passer rating
matched the ineptness of an offense that scratched out 12 first downs and crossed midfield once in the second half.
"Obviously, not the start we were hoping for," said Cable, who failed to inject the spark the NFL's other fresh interim coach, Jim Haslett, had
with the St. Louis Rams. Haslett's team sprung the upset of the day, as the previously winless Rams snapped the Washington Redskins' fourgame winning streak.
For the Raiders, 1-4 after coming off a bye week, it was more of the same.
"I thought we could have played harder," Cable said. "We worked with a real purpose this week. We have to look in the mirror and say we can
do better, and it starts with me."
'You kind of get immune to it'
When the Raiders look in the mirror, they'll see a black hole — and not the sea of fans dressed in black at home games. It is the deep abyss
that has swallowed the franchise since it advanced to Super Bowl XXXVII after the 2002 season.
Kiffin, fired Sept. 30 because of what Davis considers "just cause" after internal bickering — or, as Davis says, insubordination — and months
of speculation regarding his status, was 5-15 in a little more than a season. Including that tenure and the four seasons prior, the Raiders were
15-49. They've finished in the AFC West cellar five seasons in a row.
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"Unfortunately, that's the way it's been around here," said Curry, a seventh-year pro. "You kind of get immune to it."
Several players refused to blame the continued losing pattern on Kiffin's dismissal, maintaining the drama was not a distraction that carried
over to the field. But Curry said it was enough of an annoyance to affect the start of this season.
"It was a buildup from the offseason," he said. "It was just a matter of when it was going to happen. It just kept us on edge until the change was
made. It was better to either fire him or say he was going to be here for the whole season. It was worse for us to be watching SportsCenter like
everybody else, wondering if we'd have a coach the next day."
During a news conference Sept. 30, a frail Davis, 79, said his issues began with Kiffin when the coach became interested in the Arkansas job
late last year. The job eventually went to former Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino.
Davis said Kiffin also wanted to fire defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and replace him with his father, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coordinator
Monte Kiffin. Davis said he then began discussing exit plans for Lane Kiffin, who was 31 when Davis hired him off Pete Carroll's staff at
Southern California and made him the league's youngest head coach.
Interview requests for Davis were denied; a team spokesman said the owner stood by comments made at the news conference, during which
he also unveiled, using an overhead projector, a letter to Kiffin dated Sept. 12 in which the coach was warned by Davis that he was on the
verge of being fired.
Kiffin's agent, Gary Uberstine, would not respond to the specific allegations made by Davis in the news conference but reiterated that they
planned to file a grievance with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, seeking to collect the $2.6 million remaining on the coach's three-year
contract. Davis said last week that, considering "cause," he won't pay.
"It's common for things not to work out and for an owner to fire a coach," Uberstine said. "But it's not common for an owner to fire a coach with
cause."
'The place is a hell pit'
The episode leading to Kiffin's ouster has prompted several former Raiders players to point fingers at Davis and fuel the notion that a
dysfunctional organizational structure is at the heart of the on-field problems.
Rich Gannon, who won league MVP honors in 2002 as quarterback, told Yahoo Sports in a story published Sept. 19, "Every day was a fight
inside that building to do what we did."
Former all-pro defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who retired from the Raiders in March, said coaches were often handcuffed by Davis and forced
to abandon plans late in the week because Davis — who habitually attends Thursday practices — demanded changes.
"That place was like purgatory," Sapp, who previously starred in Tampa Bay, said during a weekend interview. "I signed up for it, so I couldn't
be mad. I couldn't say anything about it while I was there. But now that I'm gone, somebody's got to know this. The place is a hell pit. It's not
what a football organization is supposed to be."
Indianapolis Colts running back Dominic Rhodes echoed Sapp. Rhodes rejoined the Colts this season after being cut after one season with the
Raiders.
"I'm glad I'm not in that mess no more," Rhodes said. "You kind of knew another change was coming, with the way things were going down last
year. Lane wasn't able to do what he was capable of. But he's young, cocky. He wasn't going to back down from Al. But Al is running the
show."
Sapp said he wished players who had previously played with the Raiders had warned him before he signed on as a free agent in 2004.
"I don't know what experiences Sapp had when he was out here, but I think it's been a good move for me," said cornerback DeAngelo Hall,
unwinding after Wednesday's practice.
Hall, a two-time Pro Bowl pick, was obtained from the Atlanta Falcons in one of the Raiders' big offseason moves and signed to a new sevenyear contract that could be worth as much as $70 million.
"No one likes to lose," he added. "Maybe that's got a lot to do with how Warren felt about it. When you've lost damn near every game you've
played here — this team has lost more than Detroit the past few years — I wouldn't tell anybody to come here, either, for that."
Asked if he'd agree to come to Oakland again, considering the slow start, Hall said, "I wouldn't change a thing, except I'd try to squeeze him for
more money."
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After Sunday's loss, Hall was a bit despondent but still upbeat as he left the locker room. "At some point, it's going to turn around."
'Every situation is different'
Nnamdi Asomugha, the Raiders' other Pro Bowl-credentialed cornerback, has been telling himself that for years. It hasn't happened yet.
He is playing this season under a one-year franchise tag, and the prospect of leaving as a free agent is just around the corner. Is he ready to
bolt?
"That's kind of an unfair question," Asomugha said in an empty locker room Sunday. "Give that to me at the end of the season."
In the meantime, Cable, who was head coach at Idaho from 2001 to 2003, hopes to earn permanent status for a job many people connected to
the league insist no established coach would want — because of Davis' involvement.
Since 1989, the Raiders have had an NFL-high nine coaches.
"This is an opportunity to bring this team together and win football games," Cable says. "In the back of my mind, I don't really worry about it too
much. But I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't like to be the head coach here for a long time."
The day Kiffin was fired, Cable got the call from Davis and became convinced this is a moment he's been waiting for.
"A lot of times, people want to put line coaches over in the corner," he said. "They don't pick us as coordinators or head coaches. But Mr.
Davis convinced me that this is the right thing."
Exactly what's that contract? "I don't want to talk about that," Cable said.
Reminded of the revolving door of Raiders coaches, he shot back, "I'm not even thinking about that now. Every situation is different."
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ESPN.com - Possible violation of probation could play part in Goodell's decision on Pac...
ESPN.com: NFL
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Monday, October 13, 2008
Possible violation of probation could play part in Goodell's
decision on Pacman
By Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's pending decision on disciplinary actions against Cowboys
cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones is expected to weigh a potential violation of probation in which Jones
was prohibited from alcohol-related incidents, according to league and law enforcement sources.
When Goodell reinstated Jones from suspension before the season opener, sources say one of the
commissioner's conditions for Jones to remain an active player was that he remain in compliance with
all aspects of his three-year probation from when he pleaded no contest in February to a felony in
Fayette County, Ga.
Police reported that Jones might have been drinking when he was involved in a scuffle with a Cowboysassigned bodyguard late Tuesday night. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has refuted many of the
allegations and speculation. Even though police were called to the scene, no arrests were made or
charges filed.
Regardless of the owner's contention that Jones' actions do not merit a suspension, sources say NFL
security's independent findings would be most influential in Goodell's ultimate decision on discipline.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello had no comment and maintained that the matter remains under review.
Chris Mortensen is a senior NFL analyst for ESPN.
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10/14/2008
ESPN.com - Sources: Former Hawk Alexander to visit Redskins, might join team
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Monday, October 13, 2008
Sources: Former Hawk Alexander to visit Redskins, might
join team
By John Clayton and Mike Sando
ESPN.com
The Redskins have scheduled a visit Tuesday with former Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander,
and, if the meeting goes according to plan, Washington will sign him to a contract, according to two
sources close to the situation.
Alexander, released by the Seahawks in the offseason, has visited the Saints, Bengals and Lions, but this
appears to be his first real chance of landing a job. The opening was created when backup Ladell Betts
suffered a knee injury in Sunday's game against the Rams.
Betts' injury isn't considered serious, but it appears he might miss a couple of weeks. Alexander could
fill in until Betts is healthy and back up Clinton Portis. The fit is natural because Alexander worked with
Redskins head coach Jim Zorn and running backs coach Stump Mitchell in Seattle.
Alexander, who is 5-foot-11 and 228 pounds, has been working out in Seattle during the first two
months of the season waiting for a chance to sign with a team. He rushed for 9,428 yards in eight
seasons with the Seahawks.
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10/14/2008