Source: http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2011/6/9/2215953/espns-new-monday-night-football-logo
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Arizona Wildcats Houston Cougars California Golden Bears Texas Longhorns Baltimore Ravens
2011年6月10日金曜日
Polamalu secondary to Revis on DB list
General consensus says Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is the NFL's best defensive player. He was voted The Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year. ESPN.com's Power Rankings panel made him the unanimous choice when voting on the best defenders last month.
But in a segment for the NFL Network, a pair of opinionated and decorated veterans didn't rate Polamalu even the best defensive back in the game.
New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper and Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber assembled their top-10 list of the greatest defensive backs. With one safety and one corner compiling the order, there was no positional bias.
This is what Sharper and Barber came up with:
- Darrelle Revis, Jets cornerback
- Troy Polamalu, Steelers safety
- Ed Reed, Ravens safety
- Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders cornerback
- Charles Woodson, Packers cornerback
- Champ Bailey, Broncos cornerback
- Nick Collins, Packers safety
- Adrian Wilson, Rams safety
- Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
- Aqib Talib, Buccaneers cornerback
I believe Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL, but it's a little strange to see him rated higher than Polamalu, who's coming off such a great season.
That's also an impressive showing for McCourty after one NFL season. Sharper and Barber ranked him the fifth-best cornerback ahead of guys like Asante Samuel, Antoine Winfield and Tramon Williams.
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/29358/polamalu-secondary-to-revis-on-db-list
Joe DeLamielleure Gene Hickerson Joshua Cribbs USC Trojans football Colorado Buffaloes Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Yankees' Chamberlain has torn elbow ligament
NEW YORK — Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain has a torn ligament in his right elbow, likely ending his season and requiring Tommy John surgery.
Tory Collins Brandon McRae Jermelle Cudjo James Farrior Fred Davis Peter Mayer
The NFL's 'Williams Factor'
Where there's a Williams, there's a way.
A way to do what, you ask?
With not much else going on for the time being except scattered players-only workouts — and the sincere hope that meaningful under-the-radar powwows among the NFL's powers-that-be have only just begun — I have come up with a column that drops a lot of NFL names and touches on a surprising number of topics.
All of which revolve around one very familiar last name.
In case you didn't know, there are currently 57 active NFL players with the last name "Williams," according to NFL.com — from second-round rookie CB Aaron Williams of the Buffalo Bills to sixth-round rookie C Zack Williams of the Carolina Panthers.
That's eight more than NFL players with the last name "Johnson," 18 more than those with the last name "Smith" and 31 more than those with the last name "Jones."
Fascinated yet? Hey, I'm just getting started.
Believe it or not, there are twice as many NFC players named Williams than AFC players (38-19). There is much less of a disparity, however, between offensive players with the last name Williams (30) and defensive players with the last name Williams (27).
There are also eight rookies and 13 potential free agents that share the same last name with baseball greats Ted and Billy Williams, famous playwright Tennessee Williams, comedian/actor Robin Williams, and actresses Michelle and Vanessa Williams, among others.
What would have been really fun is to have put together a Pro Football Weekly "All-Williams" team, but the lack of any candidate at the all-important QB position put the kibosh on that concept.
So let's ponder the following 10 Williams-related questions instead, and see where it leads us:
1. Just how big a NFL star has Texans DE Mario Williams become?
I think we can all agree that former Texans GM Charley Casserly ended up making the right decision selecting Williams ahead of Reggie Bush and Vince Young in the 2006 draft. That said, Williams' sack totals have decreased every season since his high-water mark of 14 in '07, in great part due to injuries (he had 8½ sacks in 13 games before leaving the lineup with a season-ending sports hernia injury last year). After initially envisioning Williams as another Bruce Smith in his 3-4 scheme, new Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips changed his tune after the draft, deciding that Williams would be a better fit as a king-sized version of Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware on the weak side. The big rap on Williams by many league observers is that he doesn't play hard all the time. Entering his contract year, though, he figures to go full throttle on every snap for a defense that needs to step it up to be a legitimate factor in the AFC South.
2. Was there a bigger breakthrough player last season than Packers CB Tramon Williams?
A street free agent in 2006, Williams, who was given a well-deserved contract extension in late November, made a quantum leap in his fourth season, playing as well, if not better, than any cornerback in the NFC. After leading the Super Bowl champion Packers with six interceptions and 23 passes defensed in the regular season, Williams further elevated his game in the postseason with three interceptions, including a game-clinching pick vs. Philadelphia and a back-breaking 70-yard TD vs. Atlanta. Displaying great consistency, he allowed only one TD pass all year and was called for only one penalty the entire regular season. He also has yet to have an injury in four seasons. If he isn't a perennial Pro Bowler for the rest of his career, I don't know who is.
3. Are free-agent RB DeAngelo Williams' days numbered in Carolina?
As is the case with quite a few players at the moment, it could depend on Williams' actual free-agent designation. If the league reverts back to 2009 rules, Williams will be unrestricted, increasing the likelihood that he will leave the Panthers. That would leave the Panthers' backfield with former first-rounder Jonathan Stewart; Mike Goodson, who showed he could play a little last season; and Tyrell Sutton. But if last year's rules apply, Williams would be restricted. He received a first- and third-round tender from the Panthers, and it's doubtful any team would consider giving up anything close to that for a player coming off a season-ending foot injury that limited him to six games. Then again, we are talking about a 28-year-old player who scored 20 TDs (18 rushing, two receiving) only three seasons ago and has an impressive 5.0 career yards-per-carry average.
4. Is Dolphins RB Ricky Williams preparing to move on to higher pursuits?
It's hard to believe Ricky Williams has become an NFL senior citizen, apparently having reached the end of the line at the age of 34. In my mind's eye, I can still see him standing next to Mike Ditka in that goofy wedding dress after Ditka traded all of his 1999 draft picks as the Saints head coach in order to select Williams with the fifth overall pick. What strikes me most about Williams is how gracefully I believe he aged in the twilight of his career after being such a whack job for so long. Williams didn't receive nearly enough credit for his outstanding 1,121-yard, 13-TD 2009 campaign. Suffice it to say, I will be keeping tabs on his life after football, which I have no doubt will be more interesting than most.
5. Will Cardinals second-round draft pick Ryan Williams immediately become the team's featured back?
No matter how you cut it, Arizona's backfield just doesn't add up. With former first-round draft pick Beanie Wells, Tim Hightower, LaRod Stephens-Howling and Jason Wright already in the mix, it still seems like the Cardinals could have filled a much greater need than another running back with their first pick in Round Two. Unless, of course, they believe Williams is a really special running back capable of providing an immediate impact. If I were Ken Whisenhunt, I'd be more than a little concerned about Williams' reckless running style and shaky injury history — as if the Cardinals' head coach didn't already have enough problems in the desert.
6. Which Mike Williams will be a more productive fantasy wideout: the one in Seattle, or the one in Tampa Bay?
Before proclaiming the Buccaneers' Mike Williams a no-brainer fantasy selection ahead of the Seahawks' Mike Williams — on PFW's most recent 2011 fantasy draftboard, they are ranked 12th and 35th, respectively, among wide receivers — you might want to take a little closer look at the Seahawks' pass catcher. It's worth noting that Seattle's Mike Williams actually played hurt much of the time in what turned out to be a breakthrough 2010 campaign. He missed two games due to an ankle injury and had other ailments (sore shoulder, broken finger) that forced him to miss his fair share of action in other games. With better health, most close observers believe he could have caught 80-85 passes and topped 1,000 yards. He has made a concerted effort to lose a few pounds this offseason in an effort to be more explosive. That's not to say he will do better than the Bucs' Mike Williams, who had a team-high 964 yards receiving and 11 TDs as a rookie last season. In my fantasy world, though, the Williams in Seattle is worthy of being considered a top-25 wideout.
7. Has the 'Williams Wall' crumbled for good in Minnesota?
Not completely. With 14 seasons under his industrial-sized belt, free-agent NT Pat Williams really does appear to have reached the end of the line in Minnesota, although it remains to be seen just how decent a replacement the Vikings can come up with on the nose (fourth-round rookie Christian Ballard and third-year pro Letroy Guiton are two possibilities). Fellow DT Kevin Williams, however, should be back in his familiar three-technique role, although it's quite likely he could be suspended for the first four games of the 2011 season for taking StarCaps, a banned diuretic substance, back in 2008. Kevin Williams, who turns 31 in August, can still make his presence felt, even though he had only one sack last season, which was a career low. But the Vikings' once-dominant interior defensive line looks extremely ordinary all of the sudden, especially when compared to division rival Detroit's upstart DT duo of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley.
8. Should former Bears first-round draft choice Chris Williams be considered a bust?
Williams was envisioned as the Bears' blind-side protector at left tackle for the next decade when he was drafted in the first round in 2008. Whether it was because of his short arms, nagging injuries, alarming inconsistency, or a combination of all three, he appears to have settled into a much more mundane role at left guard, where his play was serviceable but soft last season. Quite frankly, I think he might have reached his ceiling, which, unfortunately for the Bears, was never real high to begin with.
9.Will WR Roy Williams still be a factor in the Cowboys' offense?
Sources close to the team believe there's a 50-50 chance Williams will be back with the Cowboys this season. In one sense, he shapes up as a very solid third receiver behind Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. But he will never do enough to justify the major price the Cowboys paid to obtain him — first-, third- and sixth-round picks to Detroit, plus $26 million in guaranteed money to Williams, in mid-October 2008. A key could be whether or not Williams would agree to a pretty significant restructuring of his contract.
10. Will Cadillac Williams ride off into the sunset in Tampa Bay?
Here's another free-agent running back who has probably seen his better days but still has a lot to offer in a more complementary role. Will Cadillac continue to complement LeGarrette Blount, who came out of nowhere for the upstart Bucs last season? Williams really came on as a pass catcher in 2010. It will be interesting to see if he catches on with another team as a No. 2 back with a more substantial role than he would have in Tampa Bay, where he really has become more like a very dependable Toyota.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/08/the-nfls-williams-factor
Marion Motley Jim Brown Lou Groza Dante Lavelli Len Ford Bill Willis
Report: NFL planning for eight-game season
The NFL is planning for a season that could be as short as eight games, according to Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal.
Under that scenario, the NFL season would kick off in late November, with five weeks allotted for free agency, training camps and possibly a preseason game.
The league year would have to begin in October for this plan to occur, according to Kaplan.
The way we see it
There have been numerous dates suggested as a deadline for the league and players to reach an agreement. There's no telling for sure how long players would need to prepare before the start of a new season, but full training camps and a complete preseason still remain a possibility if a new agreement is reached in the near future.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/06/report-nfl-planning-for-eight-game-season
Tennessee Titans Buffalo Bills Dallas Cowboys Miami Dolphins New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles
Beck already a folk hero, but can he play?
Meet John Beck, Redskins quarterback and folk hero. So far, his story has been endearing. How it ends, though, is quite another story altogether.
We don't yet know if Beck can be a success in the NFL, much less win the starting job in D.C., but I know this much: It would be a pretty tremendous deal if he did.
As the NFL has ground to a halt this spring, Beck and his fellow Redskins — including Rex Grossman, who played ahead of Beck last season — have gone to work on the practice fields to start the process of figuring out who will be under center in the fall.
The pious, do-gooder Beck has been campaigning in the media that he should be the guy. The NFL might be locked out, but Beck isn't suffering from lockjaw.
"I basically say, 'Screw the awkwardness.' I'm trying to be the starting quarterback," Beck said on SiriusXM Radio. "I'll call whoever, try to set whatever (practice) up. If you don't think like a starter and act like a starter, your teammates probably aren't going to believe you're the starter. So, I'm thinking I'm the starter."
Amen, brother.
Beck, who turns 30 in August, has granted just about every interview that has been requested of him, telling his terrific story.
For instance, we learned that Beck:
• First opened eyes with his arm strength by chucking his bottle in church as a baby. "Quick release," the scouting report read.
• Was an Eagle Scout. His favorite merit badge: dog care. His least favorite: environmental science. These are facts, folks.
• Served two years as a Mormon missionary in Lisbon and got to the point where he was dreaming in Portuguese.
• Bleeds BYU blue and white. As a kid he dressed as Jim McMahon for Halloween and forced himself to throw lefthanded (to honor Steve Young), and as an adult the former Cougars QB named his firstborn Ty (after Detmer).
• Has shot a coyote dead. Beck also makes how-to hunting videos starring his teammates. If I'm making this up, you can shoot me dead.
But before Beck becomes the next NFL fairy tale, a la Kurt Warner or Tommy Maddox, he'll have to prove he can play. He has but 559 passing yards in five NFL games — about what Detmer used to put up in a half against Utah State — and took 10 sacks and had eight turnovers in 107 pass attempts, all coming in his awful rookie season with the 1-15 Dolphins in 2007. He has had zero regular-season pass attempts since then.
Two teams later, after being cut once and later traded for the immortal Doug Dutch, Beck is practically climbing trees to tell anyone who'll listen that he can play in the NFL.
But the sentiment might not be unilateral. Head coach Mike Shanahan, a tough man to impress, has been saying since November that Beck has shown him something. Of course, that also was around the time when Shanahan chose Grossman over Beck after benching Donovan McNabb.
An NFL assistant who remembered when Beck last played in a game that mattered — seriously, I had to ask — said handling the pass rush could be Beck's biggest obstacle.
"He would get flustered," he said. "You'd see him tighten up, doubt himself. We pressured him, and that's how we beat him."
Beck threw the ball well during seven-on-sevens recently, but that's what he should do in May. Come August (or whenever football starts), he'll have to prove he can add a new chapter to his already interesting life. Don't sell the book rights on him just yet.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/06/beck-already-a-folk-hero-but-can-he-play
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Buffalo Bills Dallas Cowboys Miami Dolphins New York Giants
2011年6月9日木曜日
Irish have three on new ESPNU 150 list
The latest ESPNU 150 list -- ESPN.com's ranking of the top 150 high school prospects for the Class of 2012 -- is now out, and Notre Dame has three committed prospects among the elite. They are: 
No. 70: Ronald Darby, ATH, Potomac H.S. (Md). No. 75: Justin Ferguson, WR, Flanagan H.S. (Fla).
No. 89: Tee Shepard, CB, Central H.S. (Calif.)
Darby is a speedster who recently defended his Maryland state titles in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. The Irish have recruited him as a defensive back, and along with Shepard and Virginia safety C.J. Prosise, they have three players committed for the secondary, which head coach Brian Kelly called a position of need in this class.
Notre Dame also got a commitment on Tuesday from athlete David Perkins, who's from South Bend, Ind. It's rare that the Irish can find top-shelf talent right in their backyard, but Perkins is rated a four-star prospect by ESPN.com.
Notre Dame has 10 known commitments for the Class of 2012.
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/42899/irish-have-three-on-new-espnu-150-list
San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks San Diego Chargers St. Louis Rams Oakland Raiders Kansas City Chiefs
NFL, NFLPA confirm discussions between owners, players
The NFL and NFLPA released a joint statement Wednesday confirming that discussions have resumed this week.
"NFL owners and players have engaged in further confidential discussions before Chief Magistrate Judge Boylan this week. Those discussions will continue."
League spokesman Greg Aiello tweeted that commissioner Roger Goodell, Jerry Richardson, Clark Hunt, Robert Kraft, John Mara and Dean Spanos attended this week's talks. All five of those owners are members of the NFL's labor committee and have been involved in most of the negotiations.
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith was joined by player reps Kevin Mawae, Jeff Saturday, Mike Vrabel, Tony Richardson and Domonique Foxworth at the meetings.
The two sides reportedly met at a hotel on Long Island, per NFL Network's Albert Breer, in talks that resumed on Tuesday. They first reopened the talks without lawyers last week in a western Chicago suburb.
Goodell spoke with Buccaneers season-ticket holders on Wednesday. "Both sides are working hard to reach an agreement. That's a positive step for everybody," he said. "We are going to continue to work at it. I believe both sides want to find solutions. I'm hopeful we're going to be successful."
In a story on NFL.com posted Wednesday, Breer cited sources from both sides acknowledging that there is a window in the month of June to get a deal done. "Both sides feel the pressure now," a league source said in the story. According to the report, the league could lose around $1 billion if the preseason is canceled.
The U.S. 8th District Court of Appeals is expected to have a decision on the legality of the lockout by early July.
The way we see it
As always, any type of discussions between the two sides is always a good thing. For the NFL and NFLPA to release a joint statement confirming the talks also shows the commitment to get to work.
Players have complained that the lack of presence by owners who can get a deal done has made negotiations difficult. But influential owners are on hand for these talks.
Arguably the most important part of this news is the last line of the statement: "Those discussions will continue." As long as the two sides keep talking and negotiations don't hit a snag, there can be much-needed optimism on the labor front.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/08/nfl-nflpa-confirm-discussions-between-owners-playe
Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers
Heckert says Browns will not trade for QB
The Browns will not trade for a quarterback once the lockout ends, general manager Tom Heckert told multiple reporters Tuesday afternoon.
Heckert was speaking during the club's Cleveland Browns Foundation golf tournament, held Tuesday in Akron, Ohio.
Heckert reportedly declined to talk about whether the Browns would be interested in former Giants WR Plaxico Burress, who was released from prison on Monday.
The way we see it
Heckert's comments about the club's lack of interest in trading for a passer takes them off the list of possible suitors for Eagles QB Kevin Kolb, widely regarded as the best young signalcaller who could be available via trade. The Browns seem likely to enter 2011 with second-year pro Colt McCoy as their starting quarterback.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/07/heckert-says-browns-will-not-trade-for-qb
Pittsburgh Steelers Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings Houston Texans
Owners file motion to dismiss players' antitrust case
A date is set for the hearing to dismiss the NFL players' antitrust lawsuit against the NFL owners, according to reports.
The owners filed a motion to dismiss the players' lawsuit on Monday and U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson scheduled arguments in that case to begin Sept. 12 — four days after the regular-season is scheduled to open with a Thursday night game between the Packers and Saints and one day after the first Sunday of the regular season.
The owners and the NFL players association are involved in a labor dispute and, while representatives from the two sides met in a suburb of Chicago last week, they do not appear close to making a deal on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Tom Brady and nine other players are named as plaintiffs in the players' antitrust suit, which was filed on March 11 after the owners locked the players out. Nelson ruled in favor the players, briefly lifting the lockout in April, but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a permanent stay of the lockout and heard arguments in the owners' appeal of Nelson's ruling on June 3. It's not clear when the appellate court will issue a ruling.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/07/owners-file-motion-to-dismiss-players-antitrust-ca
Ozzie Newsome Joe DeLamielleure Gene Hickerson Joshua Cribbs USC Trojans football Colorado Buffaloes
Terrelle Pryor reaction from the Web
As you might imagine, Terrelle Pryor's decision to leave Ohio State shook college football and dominated the headlines on Tuesday. How many quarterbacks have won as much as Pryor has but still left such a bad taste in fans' mouths? Here's a sampling of some of the media pieces on the now-former Buckeyes star from around the Internet:
FoxSports.com's Thayer Evans: "Pryor’s focus consistently led back to one thing: himself. And while some may foolishly believe Pryor’s statement Tuesday that his decision to forgo his senior year at scandal-ridden Ohio State was out of “the best interests of my teammates,” the truth is that he did it out of selfishness. He did it only to escape being investigated by the NCAA and to try to salvage what’s left of his bleak future.
"Sadly, just like Ohio State made sure that Pryor could play in January’s Sugar Bowl and not serve his five-game suspension for him swapping memorabilia with a Columbus tattoo parlor owner, it once again did him a favor by allowing him to depart on his own terms."
The Columbus Dispatch's Rob Oller: "No question that in losing Pryor the program gets some needed clarity and closure - no more wondering if Pryor gets his job back at midseason - and a positive public relations bump. One more problem removed.
"But regardless of whether Pryor is the killer whale some make him out to be, his presence on the field will be missed. Did he struggle with reading defenses? Yes. And his passing was too erratic. But he also made plays few others can. A former Big Ten coach recently told me the secret to success is having 80 percent of your players not lose the game so that the other 20 percent can win it. Pryor was among that 20 percent.
"Unfortunately for Ohio State, he also was among the 5 percent or so capable of sinking the ship and swimming away from the wreckage. And he's still out there. Approach at your own risk."
SportsIllustrated.com's Andy Staples: "Of course, if he wanted to, Pryor could burn Ohio State's football program to the ground. That's why the Buckeyes had better be nice. Pryor could explain how that gear got out of Ohio State's locker room. He could explain how he wound up taking a two-day, out-of-state test drive. He could explain why he drove cars with dealer plates. No matter what he says, that wouldn't be good for Ohio State.
"If Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith is smart and clings to any shred of hope for his continued employment in Columbus, he has quietly convinced boosters to buy Pryor's silence. That's perfectly legal now, and if we learned anything from Reggie Bush, it's that the cheapskate could have kept USC off the NCAA chopping block had he paid a measly $300,000 to a couple of wannabe agents to keep their mouths shut. Pryor doesn't have to play by the NCAA's rules anymore. Ohio State officials should do everything within their power to keep him happy. They should be good at that; it sounds as if that's how they got in this mess in the first place."
Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto: "Pryor is departing because of the cars, or something else that has yet to become public. There must have been a sense from his camp that a longer suspension could be in the future. Or maybe Pryor sensed that OSU didn't want him back, so he made this decision.
"The bottom line is this is what OSU needs to move forward, despite Pryor having a 31-4 record in three seasons, along with three Big Ten titles and three victories over Michigan. Those glory days are over, thanks to the Buckeyes' poor decisions and the NCAA's intense investigation."
The Sporting News' Dave Curtis: "And so, Pryor walks, defiant like usual. Even in his final words as a Buckeye -- 'In the best interest of my teammates, I have made the decision to forgo my senior year of football,' he said in his farewell statement -- Pryor had it all backward.
"No, Terrelle. Leaving Ohio State is in your best interest. You get to go try the NFL, viewed in the same manner as an early entrant to the draft. You escape signs and chants during road games, reminding you of how you embarrassed your school and devastated your program. our teammates, especially the young ones, will do your penance. Scholarship losses are coming, and the short-handed Buckeyes will struggle to continue the team’s championship run. The best interest of his teammates? Pryor’s decision showed again Tuesday, as it has throughout his time in the limelight, that his first interest is himself."
CBSSports.com's NFL Draft blog by Rob Rang: "There has been a great deal of speculation that Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor would make the jump to the NFL via the July supplemental draft, but I spoke with two NFL sources in the past few days that believe Pryor would be making a mistake in doing so. One source characterized Pryor as a "mid-round pick at best" if he were to enter the supplemental draft. Both sources questioned whether the Buckeye passer had the poise and accuracy to be successful in the NFL. ... Pryor was characterized as a 'basketball player playing football' and one whose lack of maturity could make it difficult for him to find a niche in the pro game despite his obviously unique combination of size and athleticism.
"Said one scout, 'He [Pryor] is a nice college player playing in a system that caters to his strengths. He’s a basketball player playing football, though, when it comes to the NFL. He’s not a quarterback. He doesn’t have the makeup, the release or the accuracy for it. And he isn’t one of those guys that you can make into another position. He’s going to run well and people are going to get excited about him, but he isn’t a football player. What you’ve seen at Ohio State – on the field and off – is what you get with him.'"
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/42886/terrelle-pryor-reaction-from-the-web
Lou Groza Dante Lavelli Len Ford Bill Willis Bobby Mitchell Paul Warfield
2011年6月8日水曜日
Gee: 'Flurry of activity' led to Tressel move
Ohio State president Gordon Gee had publicly and rigorously backed football coach Jim Tressel, even after it was revealed that Tressel had lied about his knowledge of NCAA violations. Gee's support included his infamous comments in a March news conference when he said, "I'm just hopeful that the coach doesn't dismiss me." Fast-forward to Memorial Day, and Tressel resigned under pressure. What changed?
Gee told the Columbus Dispatch on Tuesday afternoon that the continued emergence of damaging new information forced the university to reverse course on its successful coach.
"We had the facts as we had them in our first news conference," Gee said while preparing to testify at the Ohio Statehouse on an unrelated matter. "... [The] decision made at the time was based on what we knew, number one, and number two, was based upon what was an incredible body of work as the football coach and as a university citizen.
"We have a process at the university in which we do not immediately make decisions. We try to be deliberate and that was the process. Two months later, I think there were a lot of additional facts, and I think there was also the reality that we were facing serious issues. And the coach realized that and made what I think is the best decision on behalf of the university, which was to resign."
Tressel's resignation came just hours before a Sports Illustrated article alleged a pattern of misdeeds under his watch. Other stories, including one in the student newspaper The Lantern, also contained troubling allegations. Gee said that "flurry of activity" and "accumulation of issues" made a change necessary.
Gee also said that Tressel was given a chance to defend himself from March to May.
"I think that it was important for us to give the coach an opportunity to make his case, and to also be able to engage in appropriate conversation regarding the mistakes he had made," Gee said. "I think snap judgments about issues are not in the best interest of the person. We don't do that with our students, we don't do that with our faculty, and we don't do it with our football coach."
Gee called the Tressel affair "a national black eye." The school president was not, in fact, dismissed by his football coach. But will the fall of that football coach also lead to the president's own demise?
"The university itself has not been damaged," Gee said. "Our fundraising is up, our student applications are up, but now we need to make our case on the national stage that it's a great university and when we stumble we take appropriate action to make sure we correct (those issues).
"But just remember, our university is doing very well. I live in the world of the university, which is a magnificent university doing very well. And I live in the world of football, in which we have problems we are addressing."
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/42846/gee-flurry-of-activity-led-to-tressel-move
Tennessee Titans Buffalo Bills Dallas Cowboys Miami Dolphins New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles
Report: Ravens S Zbikowski plans to return to boxing following NFL career
Ravens S Tom Zbikowski plans to return to boxing once his football career comes to an end, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Zbikowski had a 3-0 record as a professional boxer this offseason and is 4-0 for his career. He had another match scheduled for June, but canceled it to focus on football.
"I'd like to play football as long as I can," Zbikowski told that paper. "I still believe I can box after I'm done (playing) football. … It's a sport where maybe you're better as you get more mature, older, stronger and a lot more wise."
Zbikowski recorded 17 tackles in eight games last season, but could play a bigger role this season, especially if S Dawan Landry departs in free agency.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/06/report-ravens-s-zbikowski-plans-to-return-to-boxin
Nebraska Cornhuskers North Carolina Tar Heels Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Arizona Wildcats Houston Cougars California Golden Bears
Report: Goodell calls NFL-NFLPA talks a "positive sign"
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Friday that this week's meetings between league and NFLPA representatives are a "positive sign," The Associated Press reported.
"The importance is to have the principles talk," said Goodell, who spent Friday meeting Army soldiers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, according to the AP. "That's what we were interested in doing, have the owners and players talk to one another. That was accomplished this week."
Goodell, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, NFL owners and players met in St. Charles, Ill. on Wednesday and Thursday in advance of Friday's hearing in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in St. Louis. At the conclusion of the hearing Friday, Judge Kermit E. Bye urged both sides to strike a deal before the judicial panel rules on the lockout.
According to The Associated Press, Goodell didn't offer specifics on how negotiations between the NFL and NFLPA would proceed, but he did say both would continue to communicate.
"I would just tell you that both sides are committed to continuing the dialogue," Goodell said.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/03/report-goodell-calls-nfl-nflpa-talks-a-positive-si
Eugene Sims Aldrick Robinson Tory Collins Brandon McRae Jermelle Cudjo James Farrior
From lockup to lockout, Burress needs a job
Out of prison, Plaxico Burress will be pursued by NFL teams and won't have trouble finding work in 2011. That's what his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, claimed in an email to The Associated Press: "Many teams will want [Burress]. He will be a top free agent. He is healthy and ready to go. He will be signed shortly after the lockout ends."
Rosenhaus has been known to bluff about interest in his clients before. He declared "several teams" were hot for Terrell Owens in 2009, when the receiver made the Buffalo Bills his first visit and then signed before leaving town.
Teams must approach Burress with a healthy amount of skepticism. He will be 34 in August, hasn't caught a pass since before Thanksgiving 2008 and was slowing down even then. His average yards per catch had diminished for four straight seasons.
That said, Burress still is 6-foot-5 and can outmaneuver defensive backs as a third-down and red-zone threat.
Michael Vick's successful NFL return from prison also will make more teams open-minded about Burress, who spent 20 months in prison on handgun charges.
ESPN analyst Cris Carter estimated "a half-dozen" teams would be interested in Burress but expressed concern over Burress' ability to remain explosive. Burress had motivation problems to begin with and has had limited access to training facilities for nearly two years. Carter used New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis as an example. Revis merely missed training camp last year, yet was dogged by hamstring problems. Revis is eight years younger than Burress.
ESPN.com's blog network examined each NFL club's potential interest in Burress. You can read the rundown in chart form. I predicted the Jets would be the most interested, the Miami Dolphins would be lukewarm and the Bills and New England Patriots largely uninterested.
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/29319/from-lockup-to-lockout-burress-needs-a-job
Wichita State University Nebraska Cornhuskers North Carolina Tar Heels Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Arizona Wildcats Houston Cougars
Redskins could seek to bolster backfield
Much like at quarterback, the men who make up the Redskins' current depth chart at running back might not be the ones who ultimately factor in at the position when the season begins.
The Redskins, we hear, are considering some free-agent additions to the backfield to pair with the bodies they currently have. It's certainly possible that Ryan Torain, who had his moments of excellence last season, could win the job. And many already are touting fourth-round RB Roy Helu, whose one-cut running style might be a perfect fit in Mike Shanahan's zone running game.
But other options include sixth-year free agents such as Joseph Addai and Darren Sproles, two backs with divergent skills. Addai is like a younger Clinton Portis, perhaps with less power and short-yardage ability. Sproles is a cat-quick scatback; he burned the Broncos badly twice in 2008 (including in Shanahan's final game as head coach there), so there is some familiarity.
What Addai and Sproles both have in common is that they each come from pass-heavy schemes in Indianapolis and San Diego where they both were asked to pass protect heavily. Addai is more of a workhorse back, although Sproles offers the additional game-breaking ability as both a punt and kick returner.
Expect the team to add at least one additional back to the Torain-Helu duo. Torain has been injury-prone dating back to college, and Helu ran very hot and cold at Nebraska. Shanahan has made some previously unknown backs into standouts, and even stars in some cases, but he also needs more insurance at the position.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/04/redskins-could-seek-to-bolster-backfield
Minnesota Vikings Houston Texans Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars
Coach Woodson will aid Raiders' secondary
Even though free agency hasn't started, the Raiders already might have made their biggest off-season acquisition: Rod Woodson. A Hall of Fame defensive back who suited up for Oakland in 2002 and '03, Woodson was hired away from the NFL Network to be the team's cornerbacks coach. He'll also help out with the safeties and try to keep a unit that is expected to lose its two best players afloat by imparting the guidance and wisdom he accumulated during a 17-year NFL career that saw him earn Pro Bowl nods at both cornerback and safety. CB Nnamdi Asomugha and FS Michael Huff both will hit free agency as soon as the market opens, and it would be a shock to see either one return to the team. There is depth at corner, though none of the players on the team's depth chart at the position can match Asomugha's physicality. In Huff's place, Mike Mitchell could move into the starting lineup, alongside SS Tyvon Branch. The team is high on both players, and third safety Hiram Eugene also could see the field when they opt for their "Wolverine" package, which features a third safety playing in place of a linebacker.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/03/coach-woodson-will-aid-raiders-secondary
Minnesota Vikings Houston Texans Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars
2011年6月7日火曜日
Video: Matt Leinart's reaction
Matt Leinert reacts to USC being stripped of 2004 BCS national championship.
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/42804/video-matt-leinarts-reaction
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Pittsburgh Panthers Florida State Seminoles Miami Hurricanes Georgia Bulldogs Texas A&M Aggies
Parcells: Team leaders vital during lockout
With the New England Patriots gathering this week for informal practices, all four AFC East teams now have banked lockout sessions sans coaches. The Buffalo Bills got together last week. The Miami Dolphins have been working out semi-regularly because so many players live in South Florida. New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez summoned some mates to California a month ago for his second annual "Jets West" camp.
Will any of this matter when we return to our regularly scheduled offseason programming? That question has been debated among analysts and observers.
I decided to call somebody whose opinion everybody can respect on the subject of preparation and sports psychology.
Bill Parcells has gone through a few work stoppages over the decades. He predicted the informal workouts will have mixed results based on the players organizing them. Maybe the sessions are overrated, but Parcells stated if he still were in charge of the Dolphins he would prefer his players work out together.
"Anything that is well-run is beneficial," Parcells said while driving around upstate New York, where he has a summer home. "It also helps conditioning to have guys working collectively. That's always a stronger motivator than individual stuff. Some guys are very capable of working out as individuals, but the more ... I don't want to say peer pressure, but guys don't want to look bad when they're around each other. They work a little harder to keep up or to be seen as leaders."
Even so, the results will be exponential.
The greater the team's guidance is, the more significant its player-organized workouts will be. While congregating merely for the sake of getting together won't help.
"Anybody that's got good leadership on a team," Parcells said. "In some teams' cases, it would be well-run because the team leaders and the quarterback are organizing these things. That could be a pretty good situation.
"But it doesn't have to be a really good team. It could be a young and up-and-coming team like St. Louis, you know? They've got a good chance to improve. They look like they're getting better."
Teams with genuine infrastructures -- like the Patriots -- will gain substantially more than those with less direction. Players don't have access to coaches, training guidance, facilities or film. But veterans such as Tom Brady who can communicate team doctrine will be at a premium.
"They know what the coaches want," Parcells said.
Parcells noted the players who will get the most out of these kinds of workouts are those who participate in seven-on-seven drills: quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends on offense, linebackers and defensive backs on defense. They can stay sharp on terminology and work on their calls. Offensive and defensive linemen have much less to gain.
Two of the biggest preparation concerns about the lockout are how rookies will be developmentally damaged and how the compressed offseason schedule will lead to sloppiness.
Parcells doesn't necessarily agree with either theory, even when it comes to rookie quarterbacks.
"They're not getting the benefit of the best chance," Parcells conceded. "I'm sure some of them are working out the vets, and that's good. But it's nothing like a rookie camp or having an OTA.
"But listen: They can catch up quickly. It's not that big a deal."
Some might be surprised to hear Parcells doesn't support fully loaded offseason schedules. Parcells is known as a hardcore football man who demands his players eat, breathe and sleep the game at all times.
Not true, apparently.
"I've never been one to think more is better," Parcells said. "It goes back to when I first got into the league. We didn't have everything back then that we have now. Do I think an offseason program that's well-run and focused on conditioning is good? Yeah, I do. But football practice all year round? I don't think that's good.
"I don't think it's more helpful than anything else. It's just something that has become important in football. Conditioning is necessary to prevent injuries, but the year-round pounding on the body without giving it some rest could also be a deterrent."
Parcells echoed statements from a St. Louis radio interview he did earlier this week. He stressed less offseason time could force teams to be more efficient when they do eventually get back to work. The problem with some bad teams is that they tinker too much. Less time eliminates that problem.
"All these little ideas that they're experimenting with that may or may not come into play and takes time to practice, they're not quite as important all of a sudden," Parcells said. "When you have more time, you're more casual. You're experimenting with other things and maybe not always working on what the important things are."
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/29300/parcells-shares-thoughts-on-lockout-prep
Florida Gators Northwestern Wildcats Wichita State University Nebraska Cornhuskers North Carolina Tar Heels Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Tressel forecasts another win vs. Michigan
Jim Tressel began his career as Ohio State's coach with a famous promise about the Buckeyes' archrival, Michigan. Who could forget what Tressel told the Buckeyes faithful at a basketball game the day he was hired in January 2001?
"I can assure you that you will be proud of our young people in the classroom, in the community and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Mich., on the football field."
Tressel still had Michigan on the brain Saturday when about 200 Ohio State fans showed up for a rally in support of the coach at his house. Tressel, forced to resign as Buckeyes coach a week ago, spent about 20 minutes shaking hands, taking pictures and talking with his supporters.
His most memorable line took a jab at the hated Wolverines, a team Tressel beat nine out of 10 times during his tenure as Ohio State's coach.
"Don't forget: Nov. 26th we're going to kick their ass!" Tressel said, eliciting a big cheer.
It won't be easy for Tressel to watch Ohio State from afar this season. I'd imagine the Michigan contest will be especially difficult for the coach, who always put The Game on a pedestal and mastered the art of preparing Ohio State for its archrival.
"We're going to be Buckeyes for life," Tressel told the crowd Saturday. "What's that old saying? Buckeye born and bred, a Buckeye 'til I'm dead."
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/42760/tressel-forecasts-another-win-vs-michigan
Houston Cougars California Golden Bears Texas Longhorns Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns
Coach Woodson will aid Raiders' secondary
Even though free agency hasn't started, the Raiders already might have made their biggest off-season acquisition: Rod Woodson. A Hall of Fame defensive back who suited up for Oakland in 2002 and '03, Woodson was hired away from the NFL Network to be the team's cornerbacks coach. He'll also help out with the safeties and try to keep a unit that is expected to lose its two best players afloat by imparting the guidance and wisdom he accumulated during a 17-year NFL career that saw him earn Pro Bowl nods at both cornerback and safety. CB Nnamdi Asomugha and FS Michael Huff both will hit free agency as soon as the market opens, and it would be a shock to see either one return to the team. There is depth at corner, though none of the players on the team's depth chart at the position can match Asomugha's physicality. In Huff's place, Mike Mitchell could move into the starting lineup, alongside SS Tyvon Branch. The team is high on both players, and third safety Hiram Eugene also could see the field when they opt for their "Wolverine" package, which features a third safety playing in place of a linebacker.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/03/coach-woodson-will-aid-raiders-secondary
Northwestern Wildcats Wichita State University Nebraska Cornhuskers North Carolina Tar Heels Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Arizona Wildcats
Nevada oddsmakers hoping lockout is over soon
You can widely bet on Super Bowl XLVI at Nevada's casinos, though good luck finding the words "Super Bowl" on any casino signage. The term is the NFL's, and the NFL cares not for gambling on its product — and you can put that in lights.
Nevertheless, gambling on pro football is big business, even if the NFL isn't keen on that business. So you can be sure that some of the most interested observers of the labor battle between NFL owners and players are the oddsmakers who set the lines and the bettors who try to land on the right side of those lines.
Football is king in the sportsbooks. And the prospect of losing some of the NFL season — or even all of it — has oddsmakers nervous. A cutdown or complete elimination of NFL games from the betting card means fewer wagering opportunities, which could be bad for the bottom line.
"Week One is where we start feeling the impact," Jay Rood, race and sports book director at MGM Resorts International, said in late May. He noted that the NFL's opening week is the highest-handle week of the regular season.
Jay Kornegay, the vice president of race and sports book operations at the Las Vegas Hilton, is already prepared for the prospect of no preseason football in August.
"I think this is going to be an 11th-hour decision," Kornegay predicted of a potential resolution to the NFL work stoppage.
Jimmy Vaccaro, the director of sports operations and public relations at Lucky's Race and Sports Book, which operates 16 sports books, noted that if the NFL goes away, so goes a major revenue stream for Lucky's oddsmaking-focused business.
"All we derive our money from is booking races and sports," Vaccaro said.
According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which regulates casinos in the state, the 181 sportsbooks that took football wagers (single bets, not parlays) in 2010 cleared about $56.4 million in profit on such bets in the calendar year. Handle on football games was roughly $1.185 billion, per PFW's calculation (the board did not release football handle numbers for the year, but does release profit and win percentage figures). Though the gaming control board does not distinguish between wagers on the NFL and other football leagues, three oddsmakers interviewed by PFW all said the annual handle, or money wagered, on NFL and NCAA games is similar.
Football wagers also drive the sportsbooks' parlay card business, too, as Dan Shapiro, the director of marketing at Lucky's, pointed out. One example: in August 2010, 135 reporting casinos made about $170,000 off sports parlay cards in Nevada (the data does not distinguish between parlays on football and other sports). In September — when the NFL regular season begins and college football gets into high gear — 174 reporting casinos cleared a little more than $5.2 million in profit on parlays.
All three sportsbook directors interviewed by PFW agreed that should the work stoppage result in the cancellation of games, some money normally devoted to NFL betting would find its way to college football games, thus filling some of the void. And know this: Oddsmakers would be some of the biggest proponents of college conferences moving some games to Sundays if the NFL shutdown drags well into the fall.
However, that's a scenario oddmakers would rather not face. In May, over lunch at the Riviera, whose sportsbook Lucky's will soon manage, Vaccaro explained why NFL Sundays are so important.
"What you have going for you with (Sunday) is the absolute churn," he said, referring to the stream of bets taken by the book. "You've got multitudes of people running in there between 7:30 and 10 o'clock (a.m. Pacific). They sit down, bet their halftime bets and they stick around. And then they run up to the counter and cash their early bet or re-bet their second bet.
" ... We have 16 shots on Sunday, with 16 halftimes, 16 (first-half lines), 16 totals, 16 everything else. That's the great mix in booking — the more events you have, the better off you are. As great as Auburn-Alabama would be on Sunday, you get one shot. That's the difference.
" ... If you have Auburn-Alabama, if you get high on one side, that's going to be your day, win or lose. And you don't want to book that way."
Should NFL games disappear from the slate, Kornegay estimated that about 40 percent of the handle that would have been wagered on those contests would end up being wagered on college games. He's heard a wide variety of opinion on the subject.
"It's anyone's guess as to how much it's going to cost us," he said.
In the short term, pro football bettors can still get a bet down on Super Bowl XLVI at various Nevada casinos, and lines for Week One are already up at Lucky's and the Hilton. (However, Bryan Leonard, a professional handicapper, said that because of the labor uncertainty, breaking down the opening-week games was tantamount to studying a baseball game where there was an 80 percent forecast of rain.)
One common concern of Super Bowl bettors, according to oddsmakers, is whether they will get a refund if the season is cancelled. The answer: Yes.
Rood reported that Super Bowl wagering was a little down at the MGM properties and chalked that up to the lack of trades and free agency this offseason. A lack of such moves hasn't allowed teams to add veteran quarterbacks — exactly the type of splash moves that get bettors dreaming of better days to come.
"We're missing out on those wagers," he said.
Rood said he's had to be careful setting Super Bowl odds, lest he be caught with too high of a number should transactions resume and teams' fortunes change.
"We don't want to get ourselves for serious liability on a team that may jump into the free-agency market big-time," said Rood, who added that MGM's Super Bowl odds are discounted 10-20 percent because of the uncertainty.
Wagers on Super Bowl XLV totaled nearly $87.5 million in Nevada, with sportbooks clearing about $724,000 in profit, according to the state's gaming control board, citing handle data from 183 books. Handle increased about 5.9 percent compared to 2010, the second year in a row betting revenue has risen after three years of declines. Nevada sportsbooks have done well on the Super Bowl recently, collectively making money in 15 of the last 17 years, with profit reaching seven figures for 13 of those Super Bowls.
That's one of the many reasons it's not too early for oddsmakers to be just a little wary of the prospect of the NFL slip-sliding off the league calendar, with owners and players pointing fingers at each other all the way.
At the Riviera, Vaccaro asked a waitress if he she wagers on the NFL. She answered in the affirmative.
"There's a Sunday customer for a $20 parlay card," Vaccaro said after she walked away.
"There won't be any of them."
The effects could be far more chilling than just a few less parlay cards turned in around town. The trickle-down effect of a work stoppage lingering into the season isn't lost on oddsmakers.
"We can't afford to have too many weeks pass by, otherwise it's going to flow through and start showing on the bottom line," Rood said of the potential of missed games.
In the worst-case scenario — no NFL season at all — Kornegay said cost-cutting would be a likely outcome. If there were no NFL games, "We're not going to need as many people," Kornegay said.
The good news for the oddsmakers of Las Vegas?
The calendar hasn't even hit summer yet. And gambling, of course, is the city's business. Even if labor uncertainty continues to rule the day, Rood holds out hope that visitors will still follow through with their trips and spend money in other areas of the casinos.
At the Hilton, lines for select regular-season games are on the board, including five slated for Jan. 1, 2012 — Week 17. Perhaps this will all be in the rear view mirror by then.
Time is still on the sportsbooks' side, but the clock is ticking.
"I'm a little more comfortable now than I would be in late August," Kornegay said.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/03/nevada-oddsmakers-hoping-lockout-is-over-soon
Otto Graham Paul Brown Marion Motley Jim Brown Lou Groza Dante Lavelli
Mel Kiper identifies AFC East shortcomings
Draft industrialist Mel Kiper began a series of "Summer Audits" for ESPN Insider. Kiper takes a look at the infusion of talent from the draft, remaining questions and the hypothetical best fit for next year's draft. The AFC East is in the leadoff spot Thursday. Although the article is for subscribers, I can share some snippets from each club.
Buffalo Bills
Kiper likes the Bills' draft, especially Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus with the third overall selection. Problem areas continue to be the pass rush and the offensive line. Kiper writes the "Bills simply believe they have more at O-line than the results seem to bear out." He still sees quarterback as a concern, but notes Ryan Fitzpatrick might be the most stable quarterback for any team that drafted among the top 10.
Miami Dolphins
Kiper already is targeting quarterback as the Dolphins' biggest draft need for 2012, pairing them up with Oklahoma's Landry Jones. That coincides with Kiper's biggest remaining question, Chad Henne, who ranked 26th in passing efficiency despite the addition of Brandon Marshall. "To put that in context from a developmental standpoint," Kiper writes, "Sam Bradford was ranked just ahead of Henne, with a total absence of viable targets."
New England Patriots
The draft wasn't enthralling, but it was solid in Kiper's eyes. But he's unsettled that "New England didn't have a greater sense of immediacy" when it came to adding immediate impact players to a 14-2 team. The Patriots went more with longer-range talent, leading Kiper to believe they will be active in free agency when it comes to bolstering an unsatisfactory pass rush.
New York Jets
Kiper loves the Jets' first-round pick, Temple defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. Outside linebacker should be a free-agency priority, and with the Jets becoming a popular consideration for seemingly all unattached veterans, they shouldn't have trouble getting one interested.
Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/29278/mel-kiper-identifies-afc-east-shortcomings
Jim Brown Lou Groza Dante Lavelli Len Ford Bill Willis Bobby Mitchell
2011年6月6日月曜日
DirecTV: Fans need not pay until season confirmed
DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket is a must-own for hardcore football fans who want to watch every game on a Sunday, not just the ones shown in their local area. The service costs roughly $335 for the season, but the TV network isn't charging fans quite yet.
In a statement released Thursday on their website, DirecTV informed subscribers they won't be responsible for paying for Sunday Ticket until it is confirmed that there will be a 2011 season.
"Like all football fans, we are hoping for a positive resolution to the current NFL labor negotiations. And when the NFL is ready to play, we will be ready to bring you every game every Sunday," the statement reads. "If the NFL negotiations result in a shortened or canceled season, rest assured that DIRECTV has you covered. Your subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket is risk-free: You will not pay for any game that the NFL does not play."
The statement also states that fans that have an automatic renewal package for the service will not be charged until there is a confirmed start date for the season.
The way we see it
There has been a lot of talk recently about DirecTV and the other television networks that have agreements with the NFL, as the league has a deal in place that it will be paid even if there is no season. The players are arguing for a cut of that money, and it could turn out that the networks won't be responsible for making the payment at all. This is an honorable move by DirecTV, which could still end up paying the NFL even if their subscribers are not forced to pay them.
Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/06/02/directv-fans-need-not-pay-until-season-confirmed
Arizona Wildcats Houston Cougars California Golden Bears Texas Longhorns Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals
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