On Thursday, Pewter Report spoke to Bucs cornerback Phillip Buchanon about his absence from the Bucs first organized team activity on Tuesday. Buchanon was at an NFL function at the Harvard Business School. Buchanon spoke about that obligation on Thursday.

"I was just taking care of some business," said Buchanon. "It was nothing major. It was something I committed to, so I had to go take care of that."

Currently Buchanon's contract with Tampa Bay runs out at the end of the 2008 season. There has been talk that the two sides could come together on a long-term deal this offseason, but no such deal is in place yet.

"Right now I'm just playing football and trying to get better," said Buchanon. "I'll let my agent and the Bucs handle that. I'm just playing football. Hopefully something good will get worked out."

Cornerback is a position the Buccaneers are rumored to be targeting in this month's draft. The 27-year-old Buchanon indicated he follows the draft process and has his own opinions about potential teammates.

"There are some guys that I do like in this draft, but that's for me to keep to myself," said Buchanon. "I'll let the Bucs decide who they want to draft, but I do like some of the [cornerbacks] in this draft."

(pewterreport.com)

The Dallas Morning News is "hearing" that the Cowboys like Miami of Florida S Kenny Phillips.
Drafting Phillips would give Dallas options, particularly with SS Roy Williams, who almost certainly won't play in the nickel package this year. The Cowboys could even consider cutting him if Phillips shows well in early camps. Phillips also would give them leverage in contract talks with Ken Hamlin.

(rotoworld.com)

Alex Cora hurt his arm while throwing before Thursday's game and was sent for an examination. The Red Sox can't afford to be two infielders down with Mike Lowell already hurt, so even if it's a day-to-day problem for Cora, he could go on the DL. Jed Lowrie would be the obvious choice as a replacement.

(rotoworld.com)

CLEVELAND -- Bernie Kosar was drawing plays in the dirt with the Browns long before such artwork contributed him to being run out of town by Bill Belichick in 1993.

Never far away from Cleveland football since his rookie year in 1985, Kosar has reinvented himself as part owner and team president of the Cleveland Gladiators in the Arena Football League. Friday night in Quicken Loans Arena, the Gladiators host the Colorado Crush owned by John Elway.

Yeah, that John Elway.

Three times in the late 1980s the Browns and Broncos dueled in the AFC championship game and each time Elway and the Broncos came out on top.

''After 20-some years, you think I would have gotten over it,'' Kosar said during a press conference yesterday. ''I'm not really sure I have. A game two decades ago is still arguably talked about like it happened two weeks ago.

''It's interesting how life goes full-circle from playing to owning and putting the pieces together.''

Elway dashed the Browns' Super Bowl hopes with The Drive in the 1986 championship game. Trailing 20-13 with 5:32 left, he moved the Broncos from the Denver 2 on a 15-play touchdown drive and threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson with 37 seconds left. Rich Karlis kicked a 33-yard game-winning field goal 5:38 into overtime - a kick Browns fans sitting in the closed end of old Cleveland Stadium swear was wide left.

It was in the AFC Championship a year later that Kosar established himself as Supreme Commander of Cleveland football. He posted better numbers in double overtime against the Jets eight days before The Drive, but on Jan. 17, 1988, in Denver, Kosar simply took 10 players on his back and challenged 11 Broncos, as it were, bare-handed.

The Browns trailed 21-3 at halftime. They posted 148 yards of offense and turned the ball over three times. Kosar was 10 of 19 for 110 yards with one interception.

The Browns had 316 yards of offense in the second half. Kosar was 16 of 22 for 256 yards with touchdown passes to Reggie Langhorne, Earnest Byner and Webster Slaughter. Byner also rushed for a touchdown before the bad thing happened.

The Browns were a team transformed, and offensive coordinator Lindy Infante became a mere spectator.

''I was so slow afoot, I had to have the plays right,'' Kosar said Wednesday. ''I remember like it was yesterday - Lindy, midway through the (practice) week, throwing his plays down and saying a couple bleeped words ÔOkay, just call the plays. Forget it!'

''I said, ÔNo, you can call them. But if we're not doing well with them, I'm going to X you. I'm going to tell you right now, while it's calm and quiet in here, I'm going to fake it like you're calling the plays and I'm doing it if we have problems. I hope we don't have problems.' We had arguments in the week leading up to the game about some formational things I didn't think would work. In retrospect, they didn't work.

''By halftime the game plan was scrapped. I was vocal at halftime and mouthy. I wanted to make sure in the second half I was right in what I did.

''It's really a shame a lot of that game is remembered for Earnest and The Fumble, because he was such a phenomenal player and person. He had such a great game that day.''

Trailing 38-31, the Browns were driving for the tying touchdown. But with 1:12 to play, Jeremiah Castille stripped the ball from Earnest Byner at the Denver 3. The Broncos recovered. The heartbreak continued.

Kosar posted better numbers than Elway in the first two AFC title games. The third was all Elway and the Broncos - 37-21 on Jan. 14, 1990.

Beating Elway's team Friday will not ease the pain of the AFC championship losses, but for now it's the game on Kosar's mind.

(zwire.com)

CLEVELAND, Oh. -- A Cleveland jury reached a verdict in the trial of Pittsburgh Steelers' running back Najeh Davenport Wednesday night.

Davenport was found not guilty on all counts, including domestic violence, child endangerment, and unlawful restraint.

Davenport took the stand to testify Wednesday and denied the charges brought against him.

Earlier this week, Anita Person, the mother of Davenport's child, testified that Davenport slapped and choked her and punched her stomach.

Police said Davenport and Person got into a scuffle last October when he went to Cleveland to pick up the 5-year-old.

If convicted, Davenport could've faced up to 14 months in jail.

(wpxi.com)

Sean Payton admitted it last week. Brian Simmons didn’t work out last year for the New Orleans Saints. Simmons, a 10-year pro, only managed 27 tackles and started just three games for the Saints as he never made a real impact.

So Payton and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis went out and got someone who likely will — former New York Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma. The Saints dealt a draft pick in 2008 and a conditional pick in 2009 for Vilma, who fell out of favor in New York thanks to injuries and to head coach Eric Mangini’s 3-4 defensive system. The Saints see Vilma as a middle linebacker would could overtake Mark Simoneau as the starter.

Vilma seemed overjoyed with the trade when he spoke to the New Orleans media for the first time.

Nearly a month later, Payton feels the same way.

“We felt the player (Vilma) fit what we were looking for from a leadership, character standpoint, from a scheme standpoint, all the things matched,” Payton said. “The key was the injury.”

Yes, that is the key, and that makes Vilma a gamble for the Saints in 2008.

Last season a dead piece of bone in Vilma’s knee dislodged itself and gave Vilma so much trouble he eventually needed surgery. He played just seven games and finished with 43 tackles. Worse, he and Mangini sparred publicly. And there was the perception that the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Vilma was a poor fit for the 3-4. He even mentioned after the trade that he was happy to be getting back to a 4-3 defense, which the Saints employ.

Payton had his own take on the injury.

“I think the way it was best described was this dead surface of bone just chipped off and has now been replaced,” Payton said.

Vilma is not game ready yet. He’s still rehabbing the injury. He was in New Orleans for the first week of the team’s offseason conditioning program, but returned to Miami for two weeks to continue training before returning to New Orleans for good. The rehab is the nagging doubt on Vilma.

“We just got to get through this period of time where he’s rehabbing and see how quickly he gets back to being 100 percent,” Payton said.

Before the injury and Mangini’s arrival in New York, Vilma was one of the most talked about defenders in football. He followed his 107-tackle rookie season in 2004 with a 177-tackle season in 2005. He quickly cultivated a reputation as one of the NFL’s most feared young linebackers.

His production before the injury was just part of the reason the Saints were willing to risk a trade for Vilma. The other, Payton said, was the simple fact that he and team official felt they needed to upgrade their talent at linebacker.

And that starts, he said, with Vilma.

“Vilma is one guy we think can compete inside,” Payton said. “We felt pretty good about his health in that decision. And that was an important sign for us we felt.”

The Saints still have Simoneau in case Vilma’s rehab slows, but all signs point to Vilma being ready for training camp, perhaps even earlier.
In some ways the situation is similar to Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who came to New Orleans before the 2006 season as a free agent and coming off a shoulder injury suffered in the 2005 finale for San Diego.

There was some degree of risk when the Saints signed Brees, Payton said. Like Brees, Payton said the first step is to be patient with Vilma as he finishes his rehab.

We knew because of the type of player he (Brees) is and the type of guy he is, he was going to rehab and do everything diligently in his control to improve the injury,” Payton said. “I feel the same way about Jonathan, that he’ll cross all the Ts and dot all the Is and do everything the doctors tell him to get himself healthy. That’s where we’re at.”

ST. PETERSBURG -- An opportunity to wear a baseball jersey with the number "42" on the back would be a special thrill for Mariners outfielder Charlton Jimerson.

"It would be an honor, it really would," he said.

That honor should happen next Tuesday, when the Mariners play the Royals in the second game of a two-game series at Safeco Field, a
day set aside by Major League Baseball as Jackie Robinson Day.

For the second consecutive season, Commissioner Bud Selig has invited all players to wear the number that Robinson wore during his Hall of Fame career with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Introduced in 2004, Jackie Robinson Day was created to honor the enduring impact of Robinson and his legacy as the first African-American player to break the Major League color barrier. Robinson played his first Major League game at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947, as a member of the Dodgers. In honor of the 50th anniversary of Robinson breaking the Major League color barrier in 1997, Robinson's uniform number 42 was retired throughout the Major Leagues.

Robinson's memory lives on today in initiatives such as the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which was founded by Rachel Robinson in 1973 to provide education and leadership development opportunities for minority students with strong capabilities but limited financial resources, as well as Breaking Barriers, which utilizes baseball-themed activities to reinforce literacy skills, mathematics, science and social history in addition to addressing critical issues of character development, such as conflict resolution and self-esteem.

The idea of "unretiring" Robinson's number last year was the brainchild of former Mariners star center fielder Ken Griffey Jr., who personally petitioned the Commissioner for the opportunity.

While stars like Griffey, Andruw Jones, Dontrelle Willis, Torii Hunter, Jermaine Dye, Derrek Lee, Mike Cameron, Gary Sheffield and, C.C. Sabathia honored Robinson by wearing the number "42" last season, Jimerson was at his home in Houston wishing he could have been doing the same thing.

But he had been released by the Astros on March 30 and was out of work until May 1, when he signed a Minor League contract with the Mariners.
As he watched television coverage of Jackie Robinson Day, Jimerson said he remembers reflecting on the fact there are so few African-American players in the game and the number seems to be dwindling. He is the only one currently on the Mariners' 25-man roster.

"It's a tough thing to talk about," he said.

Asked what he would say if had a chance to sit down with Robinson, Jimerson said, "I would ask him about some of the things he went through that he had never talked about publicly. I think it would be very interesting, very enlightening."

(mariners.com)

ARLINGTON -- Watching the numerous former Texas Rangers walk out onto the field during the pregame ceremonies was like the old days for Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Aubrey Huff.

Huff, who starred in baseball and basketball at Brewer High School in White Settlement, grew up watching the Rangers and had the chance to see one of his favorite players up close.

"I grew up watching guys like Steve Buechele here and Pudge Rodriguez," said Huff, who led Baltimore's offense Tuesday with a 4-for-4 showing and four runs driven in. "Steve Buechele was one of my favorites, so when I saw him walk by today, that was a cool experience."
Huff came into Texas with only two hits in four games against Seattle, but he did hit a game-winning home run Monday. Tuesday, he had a walk to go with his 12th career four-hit game.

Coming off hernia surgery in January, Huff is erasing the slow start he had last season.

"When he had the surgery for the hernia, he had to go through a lot more to get back and be ready to play, and I think that's benefited him," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said. "I said it in spring training -- there was no way that he was going to get off to the slow start this year that he did last. I was confident that he was going to hit right from the get-go and he's doing that."

After playing at Brewer, Huff went to Vernon College before becoming an All-American at the University of Miami. He was Tampa Bay's fifth pick in 1998 and spent five full seasons with the Rays before he was traded to Houston in 2006.

Huff signed with Baltimore last year as a free agent, hitting .280 with 15 home runs and 72 RBI. In his career, Huff has 11 homers against Texas.

"I've always enjoyed playing here and still see some friendly faces in the stands every now and then," he said. "It's a good hitter's park and the ball always travels good here. It definitely helps the offense for sure."

Huff walked on four pitches in the first inning and singled up the middle in the third, scoring on a Luke Scott home run. He had his second single in the fifth.

"I just came off a pretty bad Seattle series where I didn't get a lot of hits, and I didn't feel too great coming into this series," Huff said. "I just felt a little more relaxed and let the ball get deep."

Huff nearly had his third homer of the year in the sixth inning, as the ball hit off the yellow line in the right-field corner but bounced back onto the field. It was called a home run, but was changed to a double.

"This ballpark is friendly," Huff said. "I hit it on the barrel but didn't have a whole lot of great extension on it, but in this park I thought it was going to go."

(star-telegram.com)

BUFFALO, N.Y.: Kevin Everett is recovering after having minor surgery this week to relieve pain in his neck, which was related to the severe spinal cord injury that nearly left the Buffalo Bills tight end paralyzed last September.

"He's doing OK," Eric Armstead said Wednesday. Armstead is an attorney and associate of Everett's agent, Brian Overstreet.

The operation, performed at a Buffalo hospital, was initially scheduled for Tuesday, but pushed up to Monday, forcing Everett to cancel an appearance at a news conference. Everett was in town to announce a golf tournament and tailgate party scheduled for early July to benefit his newly established foundation to advance spinal cord injury research.

Everett was initially paralyzed from the neck down while attempting to make a tackle in the Bills' season opener on Sept. 9. He is now walking on his own since being released from a Houston rehabilitation facility in November.

Orthopedic surgeon Andrew Cappuccino, who has treated Everett since he was hurt, performed the most recent surgery. He termed the latest operation as a "a very minor procedure," in an interview with Buffalo's WIVB-TV.

"Over the course of the last few months, the parts below his injured area, just one level, became loose and needed a very minor procedure to shore them up, to make them stable so he wouldn't have neck pain," Cappuccino said.

Cappuccino did not return several messages left for him by The Associated Press.

On Friday morning, the Dolphins will hold their local pro day. The mass workout session gives players from South Florida colleges and high schools an extra chance to make an impression and helps the Dolphins mine regional talent.

The Miami Hurricanes will be well-represented Friday. Among them will be three highly rated prospects: outside linebacker Tavares Gooden, defensive end Calais Campbell and safety Kenny Phillips. Also expected are receiver Lance Leggett and guards Andrew Bain and Derrick Morse.

(palmbeachpost.com)

Cat Crave:  What kind of treatment did you receive from your teammates as a rookie?

Jon:  When you come in as a rookie you have to earn your respect and the way that I performed off the bat the vets really respected it.  It made my transition a whole lot easier.

Cat Crave:  You lit up the NFL last year.  Do you see yourself getting even better as you get more experience?

Jon:  With it being my first year at the mike LB position the more experience that I get the better.  Especially with everyone talking about the sophomore slump, it makes me work harder to make sure it doesn’t happen to me.

Cat Crave:  Who or what do you credit for helping you reach the NFL?

Jon:  First off, my mom instilling good values in me like hard work, not quitting and an attitude of anything I do to give 100%.  Secondly, my HS coach Mark Guandolo came into my life at an important time.  At that time, football was fun and he taught me how to work, train and how to prepare to be successful.

Cat Crave:  Is there anyone on the team that you hate to face in practice everyday?

Jon:  I hate going against anyone that doesn’t give it there all.

Cat Crave:  Do you have any special gameday routines to help get you up for the game?

Jon:  Before my sophomore year of college I used to be really uptight and private but then I learned to be a lot looser and joke a little and made me looser on the field and allowed to move around better.

Cat Crave:  What would you want to be doing with your life if you weren’t involved with football?

Jon:  Tough one, because football was always my goal.  My mom used to dress us up for Halloween as doctors when we were younger and then I learned you couldn’t save everyone so i gave it up.

Cat Crave:  What other athletes in any sport do you admire?

Jon:  Jerry Rice was my favorite player growing up (his work ethic, attitude and how he was represented off the field) and Michael Jordan because of how consistent he was in being a good player game after game.  Every game was like the finals for him.

Cat Crave:  Which players on the team helped make your transition to the NFL easier?

Jon:  Dan Morgan because he was a friend and I knew I could trust him.

Cat Crave:  How do you keep yourself in shape during the offseason?

Jon:  I usually gave myself two weeks off but I was told to take a little more this year.  I always want to make sure that nobody is doing anymore than me out there.

Cat Crave:  What songs are most popular on your iPod now?

Jon:  Any Lil’ Wayne song, I’m a big R&B guy, Alicia Keys and of course my boy Fat Joe.  And also Rick Ross

(catcrave.com)

Nez Balelo, the agent for left fielder Ryan Braun, was in town to check in with clients Braun and reliever David Riske, and for a face-to-face meeting with general manager Doug Melvin. The Brewers have already submitted at least one long-term contract proposal to Braun, first baseman Prince Fielder and at least one other player, according to principal owner Mark Attanasio.

Neither Balelo nor Melvin would divulge any details Tuesday, which was not surprising. Balelo's policy is to not comment on ongoing discussions, and Melvin has said in recent weeks that he does not want to give public play-by-play of negotiations.

Attanasio last week confirmed the team's interest in locking down some of its young stars with long-term deals, preferably "buying out" at least one year of free agency. In Braun's case, that likely would require a contract through 2014.

"There's nothing really to talk about," Melvin said.

Another benchmark was set in place Tuesday, when the Arizona Diamondbacks finalized a five-year extension with outfielder Chris Young that buys out his first year of free agency and includes a club option that would cover his second year. Young, who has already signed for $400,000 this season, got a $1 million signing bonus and is guaranteed $1.75 million in 2009, $3.25 million in 2010, $5 million in 2011, $7 million in 2012 and $8.5 million in 2013. The club option calls for an $11 million salary or a $1.5 million buyout.

Young is represented by agent Jeff Berry, who also represents Brewers outfielder Corey Hart and is affiliated with Los Angeles-based CAA Sports. Balelo is affiliated with the same firm.

(mlb.com)

CLEVELAND (KDKA) ― The prosecution rested its case in the trial of Steeler Najeh Davenport.

He's charged in connection to an alleged fight with Anita Person, a former girlfriend and the mother of his 5-year-old son, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Davenport is accused getting into a physical altercation with Person over custody of the boy.

Javonne Rankin, of New Castle, Davenport's friend, witnessed the incident and took the stand in his defense.

She told the jury how a weekend visit turned into an ugly confrontation and described the fight.

"She grabs ... the head rest and just sits on Ali, he's in the child seat behind me, and I'm just in shock so I sit back, like against the dashboard and just like in total shock that this is going on," Rankin told the court.

"And Najeh starts yelling, 'Get off my son, get off my son!' and, 'You're crazy,' just like pleading her, 'Get off her son' and Najeh's just trying like get her to move, like, 'What are you doing?' ... He stopped the car."

Davenport is expected to take the stand in his own defense on Wednesday and then the case will go to the jury for deliberations.

(kdka.com)

Chicago coach Lovie Smith plans to have Devin Hester more involved in the Bears' offense this year. In fact, at last week's NFL owners' meetings, Smith said Hester had asked for more turns at wide receiver, with Smith seeing no reason not to grant his request.

Well, I do. Smith risks losing what he has, and what he has is the best return man in the business. 

"We're not going to risk anything special-teams wise," Smith insisted when I brought up the subject. "I know what you're saying, and, yeah, there's a danger. But we're not going to do that.

"We know he's special as a returner, and we're going to try not to mess with that as much as we can. But I still I see him being able to make an impact as a returner (while) giving him a few more reps on the offensive side of the ball."

For Smith's sake, and for the sake of the Bears, I hope he's right. Because if he's not this could be a disaster.

Look, we all know what Chicago has in Hester as a return specialist. What we don't know is how playing more like a full-time wide receiver will affect him. But I know how it could.

It could exhaust him. He could be injured. And it could influence what he does best. But don't take it from me; take it from another NFC special teams coach who has to face Hester during the season.

"There is no question that, as an opponent, you would much prefer to kick the ball to someone who plays a lot more than someone who's more of a part-time player or a specialist," he said. "I don't know what the odds are, but my experience is that guys who play a lot are more apt to fair-catch the ball.

"The quickness isn't the same, and sometimes the speed isn't, either. I don't know, but when guys play a lot on offense or defense they're just not the same."

Hester didn't play a lot on offense last year, but he did play enough to qualify as a weapon. He caught 20 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns and was the deep threat the Bears needed when they rallied to catch Minnesota in the dying minutes of a game they eventually lost.

If you're looking for a wide receiver, Hester is hard to resist. He's fast. He's elusive. And he knows how to find the end zone.

But look what Chicago gained from him last year as a return specialist: He scored a league-high six times, including four by punt returns. His eight TDs led the Bears and were more than full-time stars like Edgerrin James, Steven Jackson and Frank Gore each produced.

More importantly, they were enough to have people question if he's the best returner of all time.

But it's not just that Hester can beat you with his legs. He can change games just by taking the field. Look back at Seattle's defeat of the Bears last season, and see how the Seahawks covered Hester on his last punt return

They didn't. They kicked the ball out of bounds.

"I'm pretty sure I never told a punter to intentionally kick the ball out of bounds -- and I mean in my career -- until that game," said Seattle special teams coordinator Bruce DeHaven. "I've told him to kick to one side, to directional kick or to punt to the end zone, but I'm pretty sure I never told anyone to kick the ball out of bounds until that Chicago game. Devin Hester is a tremendous weapon who can change a game."
Precisely. So why risk sacrificing that? I understand what Smith is saying, but I also understand what he's looking at for wide receivers: Marty Booker, Brandon Lloyd and Mark Bradley. If they were my top pass catchers I'd be dialing 911, too.

Except I'm not sure you call Hester. When you have the top return man in the league, why tap him to bail out a mediocre passing attack?
No offense, Bears' fans, but have you taken a look at your quarterbacks lately? Before thinking about Hester as an outside receiver maybe you should think about a quarterback who can throw as many touchdown passes as interceptions or a running game that ranks higher than 30th.

Hester is not the answer unless, of course, you're talking about beating someone with your special teams. The guy is so dangerous, so intimidating, so downright frightening that I have no idea why anyone kicks to him. But they do, and ask Mike Shanahan how that worked out for Denver.

Once you start tinkering with him as something more than a bit player at wide receiver, though, you risk losing what you have as a returner. And what you have is something no one else does.

"I think there were more plays we could've given him last year," said Smith. "Yes, there is a risk involved with it, but we won't worry about that."

Maybe they should.

"As much as anything," said Smith, "this is what he wants to do, too. He is working very hard right now to be a receiver. That's what he sees himself becoming -- a receiver we can go to and make an impact."

Devin Hester already makes an impact -- as a special teams star. Why not leave it at that?

(cbs.sportsline.com)

Steelers running back Najeh Davenport is scheduled to take the stand in his own defense today in a jury trial in Ohio in connection with a domestic violence incident involving the mother of his son.

Davenport, 29, is on trial in Cleveland Municipal Court on charges of punching and choking Anita Person, 27, of Cleveland during an Oct. 4 child custody dispute outside her home.

Davenport told police that he was supposed to have his 5-year-old son for the weekend, but Person took the child away from him, according to Cleveland police. The jury could begin deliberations later today.

(pittsburghonline.com)

By the way, the Dolphins will be working out a number of local players this Friday, and one of them is former UM linebacker Tavares Gooden, who had a breakout senior season when he was moved inside, becoming the Hurricanes middle linebacker. Gooden's stock has dropped a little because he's been battling a hip injury that's prevented him from working out fully. He's a freakish athlete, but isn't very instinctive, so he'd be ideal as a outside linebacker in a 4-3. But he does have the size and strength (22 reps of 225 pounds) the Trifecta likes and excels in the special teams aspect of the game.

(gomiamidolphins.com)

Aubrey Huff went 4-for-4 with four RBI and a walk Tuesday in the Orioles' 8-1 defeat of the Rangers. This makes three times in a week that Huff has been the key hitter in Orioles' wins. It might have happened three times all of last year. Huff thought he had a three-run homer in the sixth inning today, but the call was correctly overturned. Replays showed the ball hit the top of the fence in right field and bounced back into play, giving Huff a two-run double instead.

(rotoworld.com)

The Saints hosted Miami (Fla.) linebacker Tavares Gooden in New Orleans on Monday. Sean Kiernan, the agent for Gooden, confirmed the visits.

Gooden could be a possible second-round caliber player. He projects to play at any linebacking spot and ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at Miami's pro day. Gooden led the Hurricanes with 100 total tackles.
(sunherald.com)

How great would it be to have a Bermuda Triangle of Vilma, Morgan and Gooden in New Orleans?

CLEVELAND (AP) - A woman who accused Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najeh Davenport of domestic violence testified today that he slapped and choked her and punched her stomach.

Anita Person, the mother of Davenport's 5-year-old child, said Davenport had physically abused her on several occasions, at times more severely.

The Steelers player is charged with misdemeanor domestic violence and child endangering. City prosecutors say he slammed Person to the ground, hit her and tried to choke her after he drove from Pittsburgh to Cleveland on Oct. 4th to pick up his 5-year-old son for a weekend visit.
Davenport's attorney, Patrick D'Angelo, has said photos showed that Person had no marks on her face and neck.

If convicted, Davenport could face a jail sentence of 14 months and a suspension from the National Football League.

Q: How is Frank Gore going to play a factor in you style of offense? Can he be as effective out of the back field as Marshal Faulk was for you in St. Louis and do you plan on using the running game as much as it has been in the past years?

A: We just have to make sure that Frank has a lot of touches in every game, whether we throw it to him or hand it to him. Some weeks he might have more carries, and some weeks he might get more catches. To compare anyone to Marshall is almost unfair. Frank has his own style, and I wouldn’t compare Frank to anybody. He has his own way of receiving and running. He’s very unselfish. He’s a very violent and physical runner and yet he has the jump cut and quickness that Marshall has. The difference between Marshall and Frank is that Frank can carry the load 25-30 times a game. Marshall can too, but Frank is a very stout and physical player. Marshall was a lot more slight and he could take those amount of carries, but we would have exposed him to potential injuries. I’m just excited for the competitiveness and the ability that Frank has. When I first met him, I was taken aback by what an engaging personality he has and I can see why this team has so much respect for him as a man and a player.

(sf49ers.com)

For those of you who have not heard by now, professional wrestling commentator Jim Ross talked in passing on his WWE blog about an alleged source that claimed Shockey would be on the move by draft day.

“My sources tell me that the New York Giants are going to trade outstanding TE Jeremy Shockey to Bush’s Saints, prior to the NFL draft. Shockey is an Oklahoma kid from Ada who told me last week he was looking forward to playing for the Saints. “

(portfolio.com)

The New York Daily News reports Saints HC Sean Payton, as far as I can tell, became the first person to speak on the record about the exact nature of LB Jonathan Vilma's surgically repaired knee: “We feel comfortable that the knee is going to heal. I think the way it was best described was this dead surface of bone just chipped off and now has been replaced … They went back in and grafted some bone and repaired that little hole, if you will.”

(ffmastermind.com)

Rookie outfielder Brian Barton has started three games in the major leagues. All three came over the weekend when the Cardinals swept the Washington Nationals, and Barton had much to do with that, with four hits and a walk.

Manager Tony La Russa gave Barton his first start to rest struggling Skip Schumaker, who is nothing for 14.

The other two he earned, although La Russa, not wanting to bury Schumaker either and wanting to upgrade his defense late in the game, inserted Schumaker roughly halfway through the game on all three occasions.

"Baby steps defensively," said La Russa of his use of Barton. "Next time he gets out there, maybe he (goes) seven and by the middle of the season, he’s playing nine innings. I think he’s done very well."

Barton said, "I’m a competitor and obviously, you would like to stay in. But at the same time, if we’re winning, everything is fine. I just want to win.

"I feel like Tony knows what he’s doing out there. If it’s time for me to come out, I come out."

La Russa said Schumaker would play considerably on the seven-game trip to Houston and San Francisco that starts tonight at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

(stltoday.com)

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Aubrey Huff's solo homer in the eighth inning lifted Baltimore over Seattle, 5-4, in the finale of a four-game set from Camden Yards.

Melvin Mora hit a two-run home run for the Orioles, who swept the series and have won five straight games. Brian Roberts also drove in two runs while Luis Hernandez added two hits and scored once.

Dennis Sarfate (2-0) notched the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. George Sherrill continued to bedevil his former club by posting his fourth save of the season and third of the series. Starter Daniel Cabrera allowed five hits and four runs over six innings, walking four and fanning five.

"The guys we brought over in trades are really helping this team right now," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "Especially the bullpen."
Raul Ibanez finished 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI for the Mariners, who have dropped five of six. Ichiro Suzuki also collected two hits, including a home run.

Eric O'Flaherty (0-1) took the loss after allowing the game-winning blast. His one-third of an inning in relief reversed a solid start by Carlos Silva, who allowed nine hits and four runs over seven innings, striking out five without issuing a walk.

To start the eighth, O'Flaherty retired Kevin Millar on a grounder. Huff then stepped up and drilled a high fastball deep into the right-center field seats to give Baltimore a 5-4 lead. Following a Luke Scott walk, Sean Green entered and sent down the final two batters.

"I was looking fastball and I guessed right," Huff said. "It was a good pitch to hit."

Sherrill came on in the ninth and retired the Mariners in order to seal the win.
(sportsnetwork.com)

CINCINNATI — Needing to win today to secure a split of their four-game series against the Reds – and with a hotly anticipated three-game series against the rival Mets on deck – the Phillies resorted to playing old-fashioned home-run derby.

The Phillies swatted four long balls – two by sizzling left fielder Pat Burrell – against Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo in a 5-3 victory before an announced crowd of 14,647 in a matinee at Great American Ball Park.

But before the Phillies jetted to New York to face the Mets in the final home-opener in the 44-year history of Shea Stadium, the Reds threatened in the ninth inning, loading the bases and bringing the winning run to the plate against new closer Brad Lidge.

A two-out walk to No. 8 hitter Paul Bako and a dropped fly ball by left fielder So Taguchi, who replaced Burrell for defense, allowed the game to continue. After Lidge intentionally walked Ken Griffey Jr., a wild pitch allowed Bako to score.

But Lidge struck out pinch-hitting Javier Valentin to pin down his first save for the Phillies.

Jimmy Rollins opened the game with his club-record 27th career leadoff homer, a shot to right field. Arroyo retired the next two batters before allowing a Ryan Howard double and a long homer by Burrell to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead.

Burrell and Geoff Jenkins blasted back-to-back homers in the third inning, marking the first time Arroyo had allowed four home runs in a game. Burrell, in the final year of his contract, finished 2-for-4 and is batting .435 (10-for-23) with three homers and nine RBIs through seven games.

Cole Hamels allowed two first-inning runs but recovered to toss seven solid innings. Hamels, the Phillies' ace lefty, allowed five hits, walked three and struck out four.

(delawareonline.com)

CHARLOTTE -- Not only does Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Beason look forward to hearing voices in his head, he's wishing he heard them a year ago.

The precocious middle linebacker -- thrust into the starting lineup in the responsibility spot earlier than anyone planned last year --said he was very much in favor of the just-passed resolution allowing a radio receiver in a defensive player's helmet to protect the signal-calling process.

There's been no official announcement that he's going to be the one hearing defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac, but since he calls the signals, it's a safe assumption he'll get the first one. Teams are allowed two, although only one can be on the field at a time. Another safe bet would be that safety Chris Harris would likely have a backup helmet with the receiver at the ready if anything happened to Beason, since it's needed on a player who's sure to be on the field for every snap in every defensive package.

"Who knows who the lucky guy might be?" Beason laughed, knowing full well it's coming his way. "It's good that that one passed, because as we found out last year, you don't know who might be watching."

The measure had been discussed in recent years, but gained momentum with New England's "Spygate" controversy.

Having signals spoken to him will be a relief for Beason, who was thrown into the deep end of the pool his rookie year when Dan Morgan was injured in Week 3.

That meant he got the wristband full of defensive codes, and he had to decipher the hand signals coming from Trgovac on the sideline, refer to his notes and communicate the calls to his teammates, all while the play clock was running and he was learning his own responsibilities.

On a basic play, he had to make at least three calls, setting the defensive front, the coverage and any checks that might need to be made at the line of scrimmage. It was a lot to do in a little time for a rookie, and he said several teams (notably Seattle) went hurry-up or shifted alignments at the line to try to confuse him.

"Being a rookie, and trying to get a defense full of vets and All-Pros lined up, it was pretty stressful, because it was all on you," Beason admitted. "That's why (the radio) is going to help, because it's going to make the whole thing a lot faster, a lot smoother. There's so many words, so many signals coming at you so fast, it's hard sometimes.

"It's going to help me a lot. Coach Trgovac is going to make it smooth. He's calm under pressure, so having him in my ear is going to be good."

(heraldonline.com)

One of Kenny Phillips' few regrets is never meeting the former University of Miami safety with whom he was so frequently compared.

Even so, the late Sean Taylor influenced Phillips more than the former will ever know.

Taylor's killing last November — combined with the still-unsolved 2006 shooting death of Hurricanes defensive end Bryan Pata — helped sway Phillips to turn pro after his junior UM season.

"I don't want to say that kind of had something to do with my decision, but I thought about it," Phillips recently said. "I've been dreaming my whole life to get a chance to play in the NFL and here it is. I didn't want to lose that opportunity because you never know what's going to happen."

Phillips is only 21, but he already knows how fleeting life can be.

The Miami high school Phillips attended (Carol City) is fed with students from Opa-Locka, a city with one of the nation's highest rates of violent crime. There is danger even 18 miles away at UM, which is located in a far more upscale area of South Florida.

In July 2006, two other UM defensive backs were forced to defend themselves following a robbery attempt at their South Miami home. Brandon Meriweather, who now plays for New England, fired his legally registered gun three times at a group of assailants after Willie Cooper was shot in the buttocks. Click here to continue reading...

The Texans are getting new fans and a new center. I spoke with Chris Myers, Sr., also know as 55Olinesdad. He is the father of Chris Myers, who was acquired last month for this year's 6th round pick. After talking to Chris' dad, I learned that the Texans are getting their best 6th round pick ever. Read the interview and see. (We did the interview on the phone, so this is a summary of my notes from the conversation).

How many games in a season do you attend?

The Myers family lives in Miami, Flordia. They attended 3-4 games in 2005 and 2006. They made it to just 2 games in 2007. They have DirecTV, so they watch Chris play every game. His father really enjoys attending parts of training camp. He's working on arrangements to attend training camp here in Houston this year.

Other than your son, who is your favorite Bronco?

Without missing a beat, he said, "Tom Nalen." Nalen has been mentoring Myers for the last three years. Myers was a little starstruck playing with Nalen, but has grown into the same mold as the All-Pro center.

And other than your son, who is your favorite Texan?

He told me that Eric Winston was his favorite Texan. He said that he's known Eric personally since he and Chris played in Miami. Eric comes to his home for dinner and has come to his office on several occasions. They too affectionately refer to him as "Neanderthal."

Have you bought a battle red Chris Myers jersey yet?

He's waiting to be sure that Chris is No. 55. Once training camp is complete, he can be sure what Chris' number will be. Then he'll buy a Chris Myers Texans jersey.

Does anyone else in your family have football ties?

The Myers family has a long pedigree of football players. Tom Kelleher, Chris' maternal grandfather was an NFL referee. He holds the distinction of officiating in 5 Super Bowls. Now the NFL restricts referees to 4 Super Bowls in their career, so his grandfather's record could stand forever. The Myers family is campaigning for him to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. They even have a picture of Tom Kelleher arguing with Vince Lombardi on the sideline. Chris and his siblings keep this picture in their locker as inspiration. Click here to continue reading...

ST. LOUIS -- With the Cardinals riding a four-game winning streak and another lefty on the mound for the Nationals, right-handed-hitting outfielder Brian Barton was in the leadoff spot for the third consecutive game on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Barton, a Rule 5 Draft selection from the Indians, got his first Major League start on Friday and had two hits, including a double. On Saturday, the left fielder had a triple among his three at-bats.

"It's just great having the opportunity to play, whether I'm leading off, whether I'm starting, whether I'm pinch-hitting, just for the coach to have confidence in me to contribute -- it says a lot and I'm thankful for it," Barton said before Sunday's series finale at Busch Stadium. "But at the same time, I have a job to do, and hopefully I continue to do that job so I can stay here."

Barton, playing left field, entered Sunday batting .444 (4-for-9) with a double, a triple and a run scored.

"He's hit a couple shots and he's helped us win, so we'll stay with it," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.

The Cardinals are in the middle of a stretch of facing four left-handed pitchers on consecutive days. Washington threw Odalis Perez on Friday, Matt Chico on Saturday and John Lannan on Sunday. For their home opener on Monday night, the Astros are expected to start Wandy Rodriguez.

Outfielder Skip Schumaker started the Cards' first three games in left field and at the top of the lineup. But the left-handed-hitting Schumaker, who batted .333 in 112 at-bats in 2007, is hitless in 13 at-bats this season.

La Russa said before Sunday's game that Schumaker is going to be the Cardinals' primary leadoff hitter. Schumaker has been a sixth-inning defensive replacement for Barton the last two games as well.

"I just see a bunch of right-handers coming up on our road trip, so I'm not worried about him missing a start here or there," La Russa said. "He's played both the last games, so he's staying sharp."

(mlb.com)

Ryan Braun drove in three runs on three hits, including a homer, in a 7-0 blanking of the Giants on Sunday. Braun drove in one run each time on a single, double, and homer. The left fielder now has 16 home runs in 119 big league at-bats against left-handed pitching. He has 'only' 20 homers in 360 at-bats versus right-handers.

(rotoworld.com)

The re-signing of Brett Romberg helps stabilize the center position, though the starting job is anything but assured. The team seems committed to giving G Mark Setterstrom a shot in the middle. Romberg has good footwork but lacks ideal size and strength.



(thesportingnews.com)

Jason Geathers picked up Cleannord Saintil's slack and had a good game with 188 yds and 2 TD's. Pretty much the only bright spot for the San Jose Sabercats tonight.




(nolasaints-blogandgold.blogspot.com)

One glaring omission from this year's team is WR Magic Benton. Benton, the league's all-time leading scorer and receiver, looks to be unofficially retired at this point in time. His presence will be missed.

(oursportscentral.com)