Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is a player who will typically be drafted toward the end of the fourth round (possibly later) in most fantasy drafts. A major reason for that is the fact he’s been bitten by the injury bug on two different occasions during his five-year career. With that said, it’s important to look beyond those injuries as you sort through the various rankings and projections that will be released in the coming months.

In the first two games of 2007-08, he had a combined 14 receptions for 262 yards and three touchdowns. After an unfortunate injury that sidelined Johnson through Week 11, he jumped back on the scene with six catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. In the end, Johnson ended the season with 60 grabs for 800-plus yards and eight scores.

Even though he’s already made a name for himself, this might be the year Johnson goes from being a really good wide receiver to en elite player who could have a tremendous fantasy impact.

With its first pick in April's NFL draft, Houston drafted offensive lineman Duane Brown, a former standout at Virginia Tech. Assuming Brown fares well for the Texans, he'll bolster a line that has historically been prone to allowing sacks; extra time in the pocket for a QB means extra time for a wideout to get open, which would obviously give Johnson a chance to thrive.

Moreover, last season’s signing of Kevin Walter provided an additional threat on the opposite side of the field, meaning it’ll be difficult to consistently double-down on Johnson without being burned by Walter. Tight end Owen Daniels and running back Ahman Green are also viable threats who will prevent defenses from keying in on Johnson.

In short, don't be surprised if 2008 is a banner season for Johnson, who's capable of 1,300-plus receiving yards and double-digit TDs. Crazy as this might sound, one should seriously consider drafting him as early as the end of the second round in fantasy drafts.

(realfootball365.com)

EAGLES DEFENSIVE coordinator Jim Johnson was telling reporters last week how excited he was about his defensive-end rotation. Johnson named six players who figure into the mix, as the Birds conclude their final workouts today and adjourn until training camp at Lehigh begins in July.

Jerome McDougle, the 15th selection in the 2003 draft, was not among the six D-ends Johnson named, which is kind of the way McDougle's career has gone, from the complicated hip, knee and ankle injury that ruined his rookie season so many years ago, to the 2005 gunshot wound that might have forever altered his football prospects, to the triceps tear that cost McDougle the 2007 season and probably wrote him out of the Eagles' plans for good.

And yet, McDougle endures. Yes, he is still here, entering the final season of his 6-year, $9.5 million rookie contract. His hair has flecks of gray now; he will be 30 in December. Only eight of his current teammates predate his arrival (not including A.J. Feeley, who left and came back). McDougle rehabbed after the triceps surgery, watching and waiting through yet another year; the Birds have played 80 regular-season games since trading up to draft the quick pass rusher from Miami. He has appeared in 33 of them. He has three career sacks.

"Maybe they're a little bit down on me, but I feel like I'm right there," McDougle said yesterday. "Just like last year, I had a pretty good training camp, but I've just got to stay healthy. That's been the consummate theme of this movie, not staying healthy . . . I'm a warrior. They know that I have it in me."

The fact is, the Eagles don't know that McDougle has it in him anymore. They once thought they knew that - Andy Reid recalled yesterday that McDougle looked great in minicamps and was scheduled to open training camp in 2005 as a starter, following the departure of Derrick Burgess through free agency. McDougle was shot in a robbery attempt in Miami July 28, the night before he was to fly to Philadelphia. McDougle fought back from a terrible stomach wound and was ready to start practicing again that October, only to undergo emergency surgery for an internal hernia caused by scar tissue, the night before he was scheduled to take the field.

The footlong scar down the middle of McDougle's belly, bisecting his navel, no longer looks fresh, but it cuts a deep furrow, below the tattoo McDougle chose to accent it, which reads "TRUE STORY."

The overall sense is that McDougle has never been quite the same player since his 2005 ordeal.

"That was a long rehab process," Johnson said yesterday. "You lose a whole year, with the weights, and the conditioning."

Johnson and Reid said they had never seen a player have to fight through more than McDougle has encountered.

"There's nobody that's been under the microscope more than him, or had the problems that he's had," Reid said. "It's hard. You come in as a first-round pick, see your starting job right there, and then, boom, it gets knocked down. And then you climb the ladder again, get yourself back to where you're competing for that starting job - boom, again. That can kind of wear you out.

"He came off just an unbelievable offseason through these minicamps [in 2005]. He was everything we thought he would be. Then he goes through that thing. Then they have to go in and [operate] again. Then he gets hurt after that."

McDougle was healthy for the 2006 season, the only time he has played a whole, uninterrupted year. He appeared in 14 games, started none, managed one sack. In limited playing time, he looked solid against the run, and pretty much did nothing against the pass. He has not figured seriously in the Eagles' plans since then. It would take a miraculous training camp for McDougle to earn real playing time this season, or even for him to make the roster.

"I have complete faith in God, first of all, and complete faith in myself," McDougle said. "It's all about opportunities. They've continued to give me an opportunity in spite of all the situations I've been through. I have gone through a lot of things, things where people have said I would probably never play football again. I've proven them wrong."

Watching McDougle, it's hard not to wonder when the next misfortune will befall him. This is a man who, in 2004, missed a game with an irregular heartbeat, was cleared to come back and sprained a knee 3 weeks later, causing him to miss four more games.

"If you start believing in that and thinking about that, it starts to manifest itself," McDougle said. "If something happens, then it just happens. I can't worry about it."

"That's a lot to go through, a lot of stress," teammate Trent Cole said. "He's a good-hearted person, very much a gentleman." As a fifth-round rookie defensive end in 2005, Cole got his chance partly because McDougle wasn't around. He established himself and now is a starter and returning Pro Bowler.

Surely, McDougle must think about the dreams he brought with him from Miami - winning the rookie of the year award was among them on an extensive list he once taped to the wall of his locker stall.

"I don't ever have no thoughts about the past, because I can't do nothing about it," McDougle said. "The past is the past. I'm still here, I'm healthy, and I'm just getting ready for the season."

Cole, his view perhaps colored by his affection for McDougle, believes his friend can still help the Eagles, after all these years.

"McDougle's a great player," Cole said. "McDougle could go start for any other NFL team."

The people making the roster decisions haven't said that, as much as they honor McDougle's grit.

"At least he's battling," Johnson said. "This is a big camp for him. A lot of good players out there, and he knows that. He looks healthy. He's moving well. We'll see with the pads on, but he seems fine. He's got a good attitude. We'll know more at camp."

(philly.com)

ENGLEWOOD - Nate Webster is prepared to battle to get a starting job for the second straight year.

Webster, who started 13 games for the Denver Broncos last year at outside linebacker, is practicing primarily at middle linebacker during this week’s minicamp and in Thursday’s practice he took the snaps with the starting defense. Niko Koutouvides signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract with the Broncos this offseason and seems to be the favorite to start at middle linebacker. Koutouvides worked with the second team Thursday.

Minicamp practices hadn’t been open to the media before this week, and Koutouvides took first-team repetitions earlier this week. Webster said he and Koutouvides have been rotating in the middle. Webster said nothing has been promised to either player.

“It’s competition,” Webster said. “I guess we’ll be evaluated throughout the camps, practices and preseason. Nothing has been handed to him or me. We’re going to compete, which I don’t mind doing.”

Webster said he is comfortable being back at middle linebacker. He has played most of his career there, although he can play all three positions.

“That’s almost like being back home,” Webster said. “Middle linebacker is home for me. I can play the other ones, but I’m more instinctive in the middle.”

(gazette.com)

Rocky McIntosh can run and hit, but the Washington Redskins' weak side linebacker doesn't like to talk about those skills. In fact, McIntosh, who declined several interview requests for this story, would rather not talk publicly at all.

McIntosh's season ended with a torn left ACL in December, but that received little attention during a three-week period that included safety Sean Taylor's death and quarterback Jason Campbell's knee injury. His teammates, though, noticed his absence.

"The surprising thing about Rocky is that even though he's a quiet guy, he'll talk a little smack out there," strong side linebacker Marcus Washington said. "That's a football player expressing a different side of his character on the field."

On the field is where McIntosh itches to be, but the Redskins' medical staff has allowed him to participate only in a limited fashion during the ongoing organized team activities. Monday marks six months since he hurt his knee, putting him on schedule to return when training camp begins July 20.

"The problem with Rocky is never trying to get him to do stuff," linebacker coach Kirk Olivadotti said. "It's making sure that he's not doing too much. He's doing everything we ask him to do, if not a little bit more."

Indeed, McIntosh has sneaked into the defensive huddle for some drills in which he's not supposed to be involved. The coaches haven't ordered him to the sideline every time.

"I can definitely relate to what Rocky's going through," said Washington, who missed most of last offseason trying to recover from his own physical ailments. "Sometimes an athlete is his own worst enemy because he tries to come back too fast. You're so used to being in there, the rest of the guys are on the field and you want to be a part of it. When they've got to hold you back, that's definitely a good sign. I just told him to be smart. We'd like him to be out there now, but I told him, 'We'll need you when the season starts.'"

After playing mostly on special teams as a rookie in 2006, McIntosh became a starter last year. He totaled 68 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles in the first eight games. He had only 19 tackles in the next five games before the injury ended his season, but Olivadotti said the dropoff didn't bother him. After all, it took the triumvirate of Randall Godfrey, Khary Campbell and H.B. Blades to fill his spot.

"Rocky had opportunities early last season that were kind of obvious," Olivadotti said. "As the season went on, he was still doing a lot of things that were real good, but some of his opportunities weren't so out in the open. He played real physical all year."

That's something McIntosh likes to do.

"He was starting to really fit his name because he was flying around and rocking guys," Washington said. "Even when he wasn't in the right spot, he got there with a bit of an attitude."

The Redskins have been impressed with McIntosh's attitude since he was sidelined.

"Rocky never got down," Campbell said. "He never complained about not being able to play in the playoffs. I know how Rocky feels because I had an ACL, too, [in 2003]. I was back in six and a half, seven months. But there's coming back the first day and there's working every day after that. There are going to be times when he has swelling, when he has discomfort. But Rocky's a tough guy. He'll deal with it fine."

(washingtontimes.com)

If Eric Winston of the Texans can hit a curveball or splitter, he might have a future in baseball.

I've seen Barry Bonds, Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa, Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman and several other players have amazing home run displays in batting practice.

Those guys could put on some displays, but nothing quite drew the awes from baseball players quite like all the fuss Winston caused this afternoon at Minute Maid Park.

Winston, Mario Williams and several other Texans were at Minute Maid Park to help raise money for the Boys and Girls Club. In their batting practice, they raised $31,800.

Winston also raised some eyebrows. "Diablo," said Astros closer Jose Valverde after watching Winston drill several shots into the second deck behind the right field wall with his powerful lefthanded swing. "Sign him. Sign him."

"He's getting through the ball pretty well," Oswalt said of Winston. "It's a long ways, especially a guy who hasn't played baseball in a couple years. It shows how much athleticism there is in football, too."

Valverde said he'd feed Winston a healthy supply of splitters if he ever had to really face him, but Winston modestly admitted he wouldn't want any part of Oswalt or Valverde.

"Those guys are so good," Winston said of Valverde and Oswalt. "I'm not even going to get close to come acting like I can hit off one of these guys. The general public has no idea how good these guys are. They're amazing. I'm not going to act like I can come in here and hit off the worst pitcher in Single-A, much less a major-league talent."

That may be true, but Winston really impressed the Astros.

"I think we should (sign Winston)," Cecil Cooper joked. "Tonight. If he can hit the curveball he might have a contract. That was a pretty awesome display. I haven't even seen Berkman hit them up there. So he put a good swing. He put a lot of good swings today. We might have to keep him for a while."

As for Mario Williams?

"Mario, I don't know about," Cooper said.

Either way, the Texans raised some good funds with their Reliant Energy Home Run Derby for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston.

(blogs.chron.com)

Miami, FL, June 12, 2008 --(PR.com)-- The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation has welcomed Bryant McKinnie of the Minnesota Vikings as the newest ambassador to the foundation. The foundation was inspired and established by Dr. Nelson Mandela over a decade ago with the help of some of the world's most famous athletes, among them Dan Marino, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Nadia Comaneci, & Gale Sayers.

During the weekend of May 17th in Miami, McKinnie hosted the Laureus Foundation’s Third Annual Celebrity Fundraiser along with NFL Hall of Famer Marcus Allen and Olympic Track and Field Gold Medalist Edwin Moses. More than thirty greats of golf, tennis, football, hockey, and the Olympics joined McKinnie for the fundraiser which, along with the foundation’s golf and tennis invitational, raised more than $150,000 to support the formation of CampInteractive’s South Florida chapter benefitting at-risk teens.

“The event was really inspiring. I am truly honored to join this amazing group of people as we work to make a difference in the lives of children,” said McKinnie.

"Bryant's effort to come all the way from Minnesota to join us is indicative of his commitment to using his stature and natural talents towards positive social ends,” said Moses, who serves as Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy. “We warmly welcome Bryant to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation family of athletes. We look forward to working with him and the Minnesota Vikings in the future."

McKinnie, the Vikings’ starting left tackle, was a key component of the NFL’s #1 ranked rushing offense in 2007 and helped pave the way for running back Adrian Peterson’s Offensive Rookie of the Year season last year as well. In 2001, McKinnie was part of the University of Miami’s National Championship team. Known as “The Impenetrable One,” the 6’8” 335 lb lineman did not allow a sack during his entire college career and was honored as the best interior lineman in college football with the Outland Trophy in 2001.

About the foundation:
The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is part of a global movement to help needy children through the positive power of sport, and its mission is to promote and mentor good citizenship among the world's youth. As Dr. Mandela so eloquently stated at the inception of this foundation: “A society can be judged by how it treats its children.” The foundation supports 47 Sport for Good projects worldwide including four in the USA. For information, please see Laureus.com.

(pr.com)

Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin spoke to the Charlotte Touchdown Club on Wednesday at the Westin Hotel. Afterward, Irvin – a Hall of Famer who left his commentator job with ESPN in 2007 and now does a sports-talk radio show in Dallas – answered five questions from the Observer's David Scott:

Q. You've agreed to serve as a mentor to Adam “Pacman” Jones, who's had legal troubles but just signed with the Cowboys. How is that going to work? I'm a former player with a love for all the guys in the league and I understand what they go through. We all need guidance. I've made some bad decisions before, so I can help him. I'll be there for him, because I've been there.

Q. What's your take on the Carolina Panthers' receiving corps, which is led by Steve Smith and added Muhsin Muhammad and D.J. Hackett? Steve is just a strong guy and Muhsin will come in and give them veteran leadership. I never understood why they let (Muhammad) go the first time, after he had one of his best seasons. I understand the salary cap and business, but you've got to try and work the numbers if you want somebody bad enough. Those guys are smart in the front office and you can manipulate the numbers to get something done. I'm glad they manipulated it to get him back here, where he should be playing.

Q. How do you like having a radio show? I love it. I enjoyed TV, which gave you an opportunity to talk to people, but there's no response. Radio is a gift that gives you an opportunity to speak with people, and hopefully I can influence people.

Q. What do you remember about being knocked out early in a 1997 playoff game by the Panthers' Lamar Lathon? Tyrone Poole (who is 5-foot-8) was the corner. I remember lining up and thinking, “I'm going to kill him today! He's only this tall (Irvin holds his arm out about 5 feet off the ground).” It was a slant and I had an opportunity to take that all the way. But I slowed down and tried to make a move. Lamar came up behind me and I said to myself, “Wow.” That one play broke my collarbone and I was out.

Q. Your thoughts on the Panthers next season? John Fox has a squad he can go somewhere with. But they've been saying that for a couple of years, when they've been on the verge and on the verge. They went down, but now he has to step up and do something about it. It's not about talent. They have the talent, but they've got to play like a football family. Then they can be as good as anybody. If they're not, tell them to send Steve (Smith) to Dallas!

(charlotte.com)

His face flushed, wide receiver Santana Moss walked away from Redskins Park in street clothes shortly after practice yesterday.

Moss missed his second workout in seven organized team activity sessions, and this time it was obvious he was battling a case of the flu. Moss skipped the June 2 workout after a weekend of partying to celebrate his 29th birthday and later in the week blamed his absence on a conveniently timed illness.

However, as he moved toward the lobby exit yesterday, it was clear he was actually sick.

"I've got a little flu," Moss said. "It started [Tuesday] morning and continued today."

Coach Jim Zorn said Moss was expected to check with trainers yesterday afternoon to determine his status for the final workout today. Moss had 61 receptions last season, totaling 808 yards and three touchdowns.

"Santana is sick. . . . I don't think it was the partying type, but I really do think he is sick," Zorn said.

"It was really hot [Monday and Tuesday], so maybe it could have been a little bit of heat exhaustion. He was throwing up this morning. He's going to come in this afternoon and check in with the trainers and see if he feels any better."

(washingtonpost.com)

Speedy cornerback Tanard Davis struggled mightily to field punts, but safety and fourth-round draft pick Quintin Demps has looked smooth in the role.




(courierpostonline.com)

After missing out on his goal last year as a rookie, Jon Beason is raising the bar.

Beason, the Carolina Panthers middle linebacker, wanted to be NFL defensive rookie of the year. He finished second to San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis, although Beason set a Panthers record for tackles in a season with 160.

“I think (Willis) did enough to earn the award,” Beason said after a summer school session at Bank of America Stadium. “I didn’t move into (middle linebacker) until Week 5, so I kind of got a late start. I think it’ll be interesting to see what happens this year.” The goals have changed. Last year, Beason was looking for playing time. Now, he’s focused on team accomplishments, specifically earning a playoff berth.

“Last year (the goal) was rookie of the year, coming in and earning a starting job,” he said. “This year my personal goal is for us to go deep into the playoffs. Anything else will work itself out.”

Beason worked out nicely at middle linebacker for Carolina after Dan Morgan went down with a season-ending Achilles injury. Beason, moved over from the outside, led Carolina in tackles and emerged as the Panthers’ best defender. His success led the Panthers to cut Morgan, who has since retired.

“Coming in, I think you have to have that mindset that you’re going to be successful,” Beason said. “I had no idea I could play the (middle) or play as well as I did. I just went out and gave effort and it worked but I’m kind of happy it happened.”

Beason is more than effort. He calls the defensive signals and impressed coaches with his ability to anticipate where the opposing offense is going. Even after missing a week of training camp while hammering out his contract didn’t slow Beason’s progress.

“Jon is a real instinctive guy for a young player,” Panthers head coach John Fox said. “He was that way in college and he played at a high level at the college level. Last year he came in and was about a week late getting into camp and then was playing outside linebacker early and when Dan got hurt we moved him to the middle. I think he got better every week and he looks that much better this year.”

Said Beason: “Any good player will tell you it’s all about what you know before the snap. If you can steal a play here and there, they add up, so your overall knowledge of the game will enable you to make more plays.”

Beason is applying the cerebral approach to his second year of summer school, where he’s passing on what he’s learned to newcomers like rookie Dan Connor, who is expected to compete for playing time in what’s become a loaded linebacker corps.

“Now it’s just a breeze,” Beason said. “You know the system so you just come out here knowing it versus trying to learn it on the run. Things are flying for rookies right now and I feel bad for them, but at the same time I’m happy I’m in my position.”

And with position comes stature. Beason’s the acknowledged leader of a defense that’s been revamped up front. His expanded role is to get in position to make plays as well as help his teammates succeed.

“Last year I just wanted to come in and earn the respect of the older guys,” Beason said. “There are 11 guys on the field and all you have to do is make the play when it’s your turn to make it. Last year I wound up making more than I thought I would. All in all, it’s a lot of fun and my teammates respect me, and that’s the biggest thing.”

(thecharlottepost.com)

Jeremy Shockey broke his post-Super Bowl silence yesterday.

"Everybody said that I agreed to get traded and that I would welcome a trade or that I'm unhappy. . . . But you can't find one article that had my direct quote, except from an anonymous source or from this person or from that person, OK?" Shockey was saying yesterday at the POWERade Pro Challenge for children and heat-stricken media at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

That was the good news.

It doesn't mean Shockey and the Giants don't desperately need to sit down and clear the air.

His broken leg isn't 100 percent yet and his broken relationship with some member or members of the front office requires immediate healing.

To wit: why was he watching the Giants shock the Patriots from a skybox?

"And the truth is, I went to the Super Bowl game to go watch my team play; the Giants wouldn't let me sit on the sidelines with my teammates - I was forced to sit up in a box," Shockey said.

I said to Shockey: "And that ticked you off."

"Words can't explain," he said.

I asked him: "What is your relationship with the front office right now?"

"That's between the management and myself," Shockey said.

I asked him: "Do you want to and expect to play for the Giants this year?"

"Tough questions," he began. "I'm not the Giants front office, because they feel like they have to tell the world about things that happened . . . when it's a situation like this that's so severe, you don't leak it in the media. I'm not ever going to be a leak, its a team. But they feel like they're obligated to put their feelings in the media, which really hurt my family and myself, with the things I've done for them."

Shockey said he had texted yesterday morning with co-owner Steve Tisch.

"I consider him a father figure to me - and he would never betray me, like some other people that are there," Shockey said.

I asked him: "Would you welcome a trade?"

"I'm not saying that - no comment," Shockey said. "Whatever's happened between the Giants and myself is gonna stick between the Giants and myself."

I asked him: "Will you be at minicamp?"

"I plan on fulfilling my contractual obligation but the No. 1 thing that I'm going there for is to be with my teammates (who) I miss so much," he said.

When he arrived, wearing a black POWERade T-shirt and shorts, he had offered a statement: "I'm here for POWERade, fellas, and the statement I would like to make about the Giants and the speculation in the offseason is that whatever happens between the upper management, the lower management, the owners, any management, is gonna stay between my representation and them. Unlike the Giants, I'm gonna be quiet. They've released multiple things about myself and if you look back into the media, there's always a source. Well I'd like to know who the source is, and we'll go over here and we'll deal it out ourselves because I haven't said one negative thing towards the Giants."

At the event, he instructed youngsters how to catch a football. "Concentrate . . . it's all in your eyes!" He eagerly helped a young child off with the Jets jersey he was wearing: "Take your shirt off, take your shirt off!" He stopped and posed for pictures and signed a football for Jake Weingarten, my seven-year-old nephew.

Antonio Pierce reiterated yesterday that the Giants would be fools to trade Shockey. Yes they would. They need to make him wanted again. It was hell for him watching that magical run on crutches from afar. Their best chance to repeat is with a happy, healthy Shockey. They are a better team with him. Time for a group hug.

(nypost.com)

SANTA CLARA - Marshall Faulk was at 49ers practice Tuesday in his new role with the NFL Network. But the former St. Louis Rams running back was treated more like a visiting coach than a reporter.

Several 49ers, including running back Frank Gore, drifted to Faulk's side during the morning practice, and Faulk was not stingy about with advice for his former division rival.

"I don't call it tutoring," Faulk said of his relationship with Gore. "We just talk football. Frank's a polished athlete. We talk football, and I try to have conversations with him just about the game in general."

Gore's ability to learn to protect the quarterback in new coordinator Mike Martz's offense - which sends many receivers downfield, leaving the quarterback exposed - is the most critical factor for him, Faulk said. Martz's Detroit Lions team, for example, allowed 54 sacks last year and 63 in 2006.

Faulk said Gore's experience in pass protection is nothing like the responsibility he will shoulder this season under Martz, St. Louis' former coach and offensive coordinator.

"Whether (a sack) was his fault or not, you wouldn't know," Faulk said. "In this offense, you're going to know when Frank's guy is the guy and he missed him."

He also predicted Gore wouldn't be featured as prominently as a receiver as Faulk was when he joined the Rams in 1999. Faulk already had had plenty of experience in that role with his first team, the Indianapolis Colts.

"I know a lot of people, including myself, are wondering ... how is that going to work? Because Frank seems like a one-dimensional back," Faulk said. "But I think he hasn't been used in that way, and Mike is going to bring him along slowly."

(sacbee.com)

DAVIE - When the Dolphins drafted an offensive tackle with the No. 1 overall pick, most fans weren't thinking about how it would affect veteran tackle Vernon Carey. They had other things on their minds, like Jake Long's behemoth build and his equally beefy $57.75 million contract, the richest ever given to an offensive lineman.

Now the spotlight is back on the former University of Miami standout, whose progress this season could have a significant impact on the line and the team's overall success in 2008.

Long's addition sends Carey, who started all 16 games at left tackle last season, back to right tackle. That's the position he primarily played at the University of Miami and the first three years of his NFL career. While Carey has previously admitted he feels more comfortable playing on the right side, that doesn't mean the transition has been easy.

"It was a little shaky at the beginning," Carey said during last weekend's minicamp. "I go out and I try to watch film every day and evaluate that. I won't say I'm [comfortable] yet, but it's going to be there."

Coach Tony Sparano, a former offensive line coach, doesn't see Carey's transition as difficult.

"If you can play left tackle in our league, you can play right tackle in our league," Sparano said. "With Vernon, he's a big, strong guy and the right tackle is a more powerful position. I think that's an easier transition, certainly, for him."

Offensive line coach Mike Maser agrees Carey, who is 6 feet 5, 335 pounds, fits better on the right side.

"He's a big guy and you'd like your right tackle to be a big, thick guy like Vernon," Maser said. "I kind of think he naturally fits into that mold."

With 10-year veteran Steve McKinney sidelined with a knee injury, free-agent signee Justin Smiley and Carey are the only veterans practicing on the line, and each says he has relished the opportunity to serve as a leader.

"If I have a question or a problem, I've gone to Vernon, I've gone to Smiley and talked to them," Long said. "They've been around the league for a while. They went through those situations."

Carey says he wasn't as lucky when he first entered the league.

"When I first came in, I didn't have guys come and tell me, help me out," said Carey, a Miami native and Dolphins fan. "That's why I always look at it like, 'OK, a young guy coming in, I'm going to try to help him.'"

Carey's goal is to help Long accelerate his growth during the training camp and the exhibition season.

According to Carey, if minicamp is any indication, training camp, which opens in late July, will be more intense this season.

"It reminds me of a couple years ago when we [were] with [Nick] Saban, when we was just hitting and going hard and competing," Carey said. "It's the words people use. Sparano and Saban, they use a lot of [similar] words like, 'competing, playing hard, playing tough.' Last year we talked about more technique, doing what it takes to win.

"[This year is] more grinding, more toughness, more football."

(sun-sentinel.com)

If the Rams have fewer ankle injuries this season, they’ll have center Brett Romberg to thank.

Romberg convinced the Rams to build a 50-yard long by 8-yard wide outdoor sand pit at Rams Park. The logic behind the pit is that running in sand will build up ankle and leg strength, which will lead to fewer injuries.

Romberg said he and his teammates often ran in a sand pit at the University of Miami.

“I keep getting blamed for the sand pit thing,’’ Romberg said. “It’s just something we used a lot in Miami and I never heard of high ankle sprains or saw any high ankle sprains. I just thought it might be a little bit help.’’

Romberg, who played in only two of the Rams’ final nine games last season after spraining both of his ankles, said he and his teammates have spent a lot of time in the sand this spring.

“We’re in it just about every day, to tell you the truth, when we’re doing the conditioning and doing the offseason workouts,’’ Romberg said. “Pulling sleds, doing agility drills, it’s nothing that people look forward to, but the work will pay off.’’

After having their offensive line decimated by injuries last season — four offensive linemen ended the season on injured reserve — the Rams are willing to try something a little unconventional when it comes to injury prevention.

Romberg said new offensive line coach Steve Loney has stressed that injuries will not be an excuse for the offensive line under performing.

“The first thing he told me and the first thing he told the group as a group was that injuries are no longer an excuse for what is going to happen here,’’ Romberg said. “No longer will we be the Achilles’ heel to this football team.’’

Romberg was a free agent for about three weeks this winter. He ended up signing a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum to return to the Rams.

“At one point, I didn’t think I was going to come back here,’’ Romberg said. “Obviously, the opportunity arose. I wanted to get back here personally. I felt like I had a lot of unfinished business here. I love my teammates here. I definitely wanted to come back.’’

Romberg will be battling Richie Incognito for the starting job in training camp. Romberg was working with the starters, while Incognito was working with the second unit last Thursday during OTAs.

(korte blog)

BEREA Kellen Winslow Jr. suited up for Tuesday's practice but declined to talk to reporters.

Instead, he showed off for them.

At least, it was clear Winslow was trying extremely hard to impress someone, if only himself, during Tuesday afternoon's minicamp practice.

Nobody ran harder or ripped off cuts more sharply than the 24-year-old Pro Bowl tight end.

He was a sight to behold, serving notice he's preparing for a career year.

One drill was particularly interesting. Receivers had to run behind two props the size of a tall cornerback. Assistant coach Frank Verducci fired passes that in some cases got through the props and in some cases took crazy bounces, making it a good idea to have one's helmet strapped on tight.

On one trip through, Winslow failed to make a catch, let out a little curse, then immediately hustled back in line to take an extra throw. After Verducci gave him that throw, too wide to catch, the chippy Winslow said, "That was unrealistic."

Winslow hasn't been around for most of the offseason program. He told public-relations people he won't talk to media today or Thursday, either.

"He wasn't here during the OTAs, so we have to see where he is," Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. "The more he can do, then the more we will let him do. So that's what the medical staff is for."

Winslow had minor knee surgery in the offseason and made noise about getting paid more.

Edwards and Winslow seem to enjoy standing out in a crowd. Edwards wore brown sweatpants. Winslow wore white football pants. Almost every other player was dressed in orange shorts.

One gets the idea Winslow and Edwards are motivated in part by outdoing each other.

(cantonrep.com)

The Washington Post reports Redskins RB Clinton Portis, who wondered aloud last season whether 2007 would be his final year in Washington -- with his ailments and big salary cap number conspiring against him, has been a mainstay of the offseason workout program since March, keeping to a proper diet and working out in the weight room like never before after spending much of the last two seasons trying to overcome injuries and a tendency to become winded. Some days he has trained with linemen, pushing a sled weighed down by teammates, and he is looking more chiseled. He had been at Redskins Park essentially every working day before last Thursday, when HC Jim Zorn excused him indefinitely. Zorn said he had no problems with Portis leaving to attend what Zorn said was "a celebration" and has praised Portis's work ethic.

(ffmastermind.com)

Tight end Jeremy Shockey, who missed the Super Bowl run with a broken leg and asked for a trade this offseason — he was nearly dealt during the N.F.L. draft — came to the minicamp but stayed indoors, while other injured players watched workouts from the practice field sideline.

The Giants had hoped that their biggest issue headed toward training camp next month was in replacing Strahan, the defensive end who retired Tuesday after 15 seasons. That hope lasted about 24 hours.

The bigger issues, apparently, are Burress and Shockey, two close friends who threaten to put a two-pronged wedge through the lingering feel-good aftermath of the Giants’ Super Bowl victory in February. If nothing else, they served as a blunt reminder that the first game of 2008 is now closer than the last game of 2007.

Asked if Shockey was supposed to be outside with teammates, Coughlin added: “That is between Shockey and I.”

Coughlin’s only communication with Shockey this offseason was through a few text messages, the coach said. Through a team spokesman, Shockey declined to speak with reporters.

“Jeremy has stated his position that any discussions of his relationship with the team is something that he wants to keep between us and the club,” Rosenhaus said. “And I’m going to, obviously, respect and honor that.”

Shockey has long been unhappy with his role in the team’s offense, and now senses that the team feels it might be better off without him. He was broke his fibula and injured his ankle in the 14th game of the season and was placed on injured reserve.

He watched the Super Bowl from a luxury box, but did not attend the victory parade in Manhattan or the rally at Giants Stadium. He did not attend the recent ceremony where team members received Super Bowl rings, either.

(nytimes.com)

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Rams newly acquired QB Bruce Gradkowski was on the field Tuesday for organized team activities but didn't take part in team drills. Gradkowski, 25, was signed after the Rams claimed him off waivers last week following his release by Tampa Bay. The Raiders and Chicago Bears also claimed him, but the Rams obtained his rights because they had the worst record of the three teams in 2007. Gradkowski (6-1, 220) will compete with QB Brock Berlin for the No. 3 spot behind starting QB Marc Bulger and backup QB Trent Green.

(kffl.com)

Aubrey Huff matched his career high with four hits, including a tying two-run single, and the Baltimore Orioles came from behind twice to hand the Boston Red Sox a rare home loss, 10-6 on Tuesday night.

Baltimore rebounded from deficits of 1-0 and 6-4 and overcame homers by Manny Ramirez and J.D. Drew as the Red Sox lost for only the second time in their last 17 games at Fenway Park.

On a steamy night with a game-time temperature of 93 degrees, the Orioles scored in just three innings with four runs in the second, three in the seventh and three in the ninth. They've scored 29 runs in their last four games, three of them wins.

Huff's two-run single tied the game at 6 in the seventh and chased Hideki Okajima (1-2). Kevin Millar then hit a sacrifice fly off Manny Delcarmen.

(theolympian.com)

PLAYER OF THE DAY: Baraka Atkins

On back-to-back plays, the second-year defensive end stood up tackle Sean Locklear and beat tackle Will Robinson to stuff one running play and blow up another.

Atkins' efforts were timely, seeing as how the line for the rotation at D-end now includes first-round draft choice Lawrence Jackson as well as incumbent starters Patrick Kerney and Darryl Tapp.

The plays also were significant because after selecting Jackson, defensive coordinator John Marshall admitted that Atkins might be more of a project than anticipated when he was selected in the fourth round of the 2007 draft.

There was a time when Clinton Portis would spend a good portion of the offseason in Miami's South Beach, relishing the spoils of his profession. The Redskins running back still enjoys his weekends as much as anyone, flashing that devilish smile when the topic of partying is raised, but his more regular attendance at Washington's offseason workout program has been a departure from years past.

Portis, entering his seventh NFL season and fifth with the Redskins, is taking a more mature and healthy approach to his preparation, he says, at the behest of team owner Daniel Snyder and Vinny Cerrato, the vice president of football operations. Snyder and Cerrato provided another apparent impetus in the form of a lucrative new contract for Portis -- despite his injury and conditioning issues the past two years -- essentially guaranteeing his contract through 2010, a rarity in a league of non-guaranteed contracts.

The deal with Portis, the fourth-leading rusher in franchise history, was one of several restructured contracts the Redskins executed to get under the NFL salary cap, and by far the most significant. Portis ended up with a $9.3 million signing bonus in March, and a guarantee of at least $15.7 million through 2010, creating millions in salary cap space but also binding Washington to a player who has been both adored and criticized here and has averaged just 4.0 yards per carry as a Redskin, below the NFL average.

Portis, 26, played down any link between his latest payday (the Redskins have reworked his contract each of the last three years) and his improved work ethic, but even he was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events. Portis wondered aloud last season whether 2007 would be his final year in Washington -- with his ailments and big salary cap number conspiring against him -- but instead management showed faith in him.

"You want to make it a money thing, but it's what they think of me" that matters, Portis said recently. "I'm grateful to have the opportunity because they didn't have to do that. I was never worried about not being able to play; I was just worried about being in D.C. But I'm here now, and you've got three more years of talking to me."

Portis has been a mainstay of the offseason workout program since March, keeping to a proper diet and working out in the weight room like never before after spending much of the last two seasons trying to overcome injuries and a tendency to become winded. Some days he has trained with linemen, pushing a sled weighed down by teammates, and he is looking more chiseled. He had been at Redskins Park essentially every working day before last Thursday, when Coach Jim Zorn excused him indefinitely. Zorn said he had no problems with Portis leaving to attend what Zorn said was "a celebration" and has praised Portis's work ethic.

"It wasn't [the new contract], it's just he simple fact that I'm now six years in," said Portis, who still has a distaste for practice in general. "How many good years do I got left? This is a golden opportunity, why let it slip away? They asked me to be here; I might as well be here. And I'm here, so I might as well work and take advantage of the opportunity.

"I feel much better. As much as I didn't want to be here [in the offseason], to go out there and be able to run downfield 100 yards and jog back and turn around and run 100 yards again [without being fatigued], it feels great."

Along with Snyder and former coach Joe Gibbs, Cerrato, who declined to comment for this story, embraced Portis's outsized personality and outlandish ways; Portis dressed in costume to meet the media for much of the 2005 season. Management has staunchly defended his production throughout his Redskins career, but some fans, teammates and coaches have been less enthused about Portis's style.

He remains a polarizing figure, piling up yardage but being inconsistent at times and failing to approach the success he had in Denver, where he played for two years before the Redskins traded cornerback Champ Bailey plus a second-round pick for him. His body of work as a Redskin, like his persona, is akin to abstract art -- open to interpretation.

Portis averaged 5.5 yards per carry and 107 yards per game as a Bronco, scoring 29 rushing touchdowns in 29 contests. With the Redskins he has averaged just 4.0 yards per carry and 84 yards per game, scoring 34 rushing touchdowns in 55 games. In 2005 Portis led a playoff run and set a franchise record with 1,516 yards on the ground, but, a year later, could only watch as Ladell Betts topped 1,000 yards in half a season with Portis injured.

Portis slumped through the first half of 2007 (he went 12 games between 100-yard games dating from 2006), coming back from injury and playing behind a makeshift offensive line at times, but still finished with 1,262 yards, sixth most in the league, though he averaged less than four yards per carry. Only six backs have more rushing yards than Portis since 2004, but one, Tiki Barber, has been retired since 2006, and Thomas Jones of the Jets has amassed four fewer yards than Portis in that span while earning a fraction of what Portis has.

Portis can be as selfless as any runner in the NFL, sacrificing his body in pass protection, but his practice habits and comments have turned off some within the organization, too.

Portis will have earned $37.6 million from Snyder by the end of the 2008 season (though some of that money is deferred), and Washington's repeated reworking of his deals has irked some teammates, who feel he gets preferential treatment. During the past four years it was not uncommon for teammates to complain to coaches about what they perceived to be a double standard for Portis, sources said.

"A lot of things Clinton does rub people the wrong way, but Joe Gibbs looked the other way on all of that," said one former member of the organization. "Joe would always talk to the team about being totally focused on football during practice -- he didn't want guys talking about movies or what they did last night; even if you were hurt you were taking mental reps -- that was something he really harped on. But then you look over [during practice] and there's Clinton over there having fun with Vinny and Dan. How's that totally focused on football?"

His input and apparent sway in personnel matters has raised the ire of some as well; Portis regularly expressed his opinion on possible free agents and draft picks to Gibbs and management and often jokes about being an assistant general manager of sorts.

Portis often broke from the prescribed dress code during practices and games and usually was the last person to arrive for a team meeting, players and coaches said. While the general rule was for players to report and do rehabilitation before morning meetings, he would arrive just in time, then others had to scramble in order to accommodate his rehab in the afternoon. Portis regularly would be allowed to miss much of practice but was not listed on the injury report, players and coaches said, fueling his reputation as a player who did not take practice seriously.

"He's getting a little older, and he knows that," said wide receiver Santana Moss, a close friend who also played at the University of Miami.
"Regardless of what Clinton does he comes out and plays ball, but he's showing everybody he's not the guy everybody thinks he is when it comes to how he handles his offseason training and how he prepares.

"He knows he gets a lot of BS on why he's not here or what he's doing when he's not here, but I ain't never seen Clinton when it comes to game time that he didn't go out there and perform. He's just showing you now, 'Hey, if you want me here I'm gonna be here.' "

With a new coaching regime in place, many of Gibbs's tenets no longer apply, including an arrangement that allowed Portis to take himself out of games, and to make way for Betts whenever he felt it necessary.

"I don't think that's something that's going to happen here," Zorn said. "That's not the way our offense is designed. I don't think that will be the way that we function on the football field."

Portis averaged nearly 350 carries per season in his first two years under Gibbs, and, while the pounding takes a toll on running backs, he will play a critical role, particularly early this season, as the quarterbacks and receivers adjust to a new offense.

"He has a great feel for the zone running game," Zorn said. "I did not change the run game from what has been run here in the past. He ought to feel very comfortable with what we are doing."

(washingtonpost.com)

Santana Moss knows what’s happened when he’s played this spot in the past: big years. The Redskins, and Moss, hope that happens again.

In the new West Coast offense, Moss will play the X, or outside receiver, position. He last played that spot during his first year in Washington. He responded with 84 catches for 1,483 yards and nine touchdowns.

He also played this spot during his third season in New York — and caught 74 passes for 1,105 yards and 10 scores.
“Those were my best seasons,” Moss said. “Hopefully I’ll do the same thing.”

Moss played the Z, or flanker, spot the past two seasons with Antwaan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd playing X. But new coach Jim Zorn wanted Moss at X.

“The group before us, they had him at flanker and motioned him down and saw him as a move guy,” Zorn said. “But I see him as a vertical threat.”

In a typical setting, Moss would be by himself on one side while Randle El and tight end Chris Cooley is on the other. Before, Moss would be paired with Cooley. Teams would double one or the other.

“Now if they double me, then you’ve got two guys one on one [on the other side],” he said. “With X, I get a lot of good opportunities.”

There will be plenty of times, in four- and five-receiver sets, that Moss will line up inside. But, for now, he’s strictly working at X. Only Randle El and James Thrash are working at multiple receiver positions.

“[Moss] has enough muscle and grit to run slants and how are you going to press him and leave that DB one on one?” Zorn said. “I’m thinking about different ways to create formations for us that will create a real uncomfortable situation for coordinators. He’s outside this play; now he’s inside; now he’s over here. What are you gonna do?”

(examiner.com)

Kellen Winslow (knee) and DB Gary Baxter (knee) will participate at Browns minicamp on a "limited" basis, according to GM Phil Savage.
Baxter needs to get healthy to have any chance of making the roster. Winslow had his surgery in mid-February, so it's surprising that he's not at full strength roughly four months later. The procedure was originally reported as a scope, and the recovery time for those can be as brief as two to four weeks.

Ten years is longer than it sounds. In 1998, there were roughly 15 million Americans surfing the Internet. Today, it's over 70 million. There were around 65 million Americans using a cell phone. Today, that number is nearly 200 million. There weren't any TiVo or any iPods 10 years ago. A Blu-Ray was something an alien in a movie might use. And High Definition might have been used to talk about a dictionary, but was certainly not a way to watch television.

Ten years ago, Pat Burrell was a 21-year-old kid playing in the College World Series for the University of Miami when Phillies scout Miguel Machado approached him only minutes before what would ultimately become Miami's elimination game to tell him that the organization had chosen him with the first overall selection in the Draft. Today, he is the right-handed power bat in the middle of the Phillies' high-octane offense and the longest tenured player on the club, climbing his way up the all-time franchise home run list.

The call
It's been an interesting decade for the West Coast slugger. He played only a little more than 200 Minor League games before being called up to the big leagues in May 2000 to take over first base for an injured Rico Brogna. The fateful phone call came not from his Minor League manager at the time or the farm director -- the people who usually tell a player he's going to the Majors -- but directly from then Phillies general manager Ed Wade.

"I was asleep and Ed called," Burrell said. "He said, 'What are you doing?' I said, 'I'm sleeping.' Then he said, 'Are you too tired to go to Houston?' I didn't play the first night, but Scott Rolen got hurt, and the next day, I'm hitting fifth. Octavio Dotel started for Houston and he was really, really good. My first thought was, 'Wow, there aren't guys like this in the Minor Leagues.'"

Burrell went 2-for-5 with two RBIs in his Major League debut, including a ninth-inning triple off Astros closer Billy Wagner. The two would meet later on in their careers in more meaningful games.

The year 2000 was the final one of a difficult run for the Phillies. Despite high hopes entering the season, injuries decimated the roster and the team finished at 65-97, leading to the dismissal of manager Terry Francona.

"We didn't have a very good team at the time," said Burrell. "We were light years away from where we are now, so it was actually a good opportunity for me to get my feet wet and get comfortable because the expectations weren't that high. Terry stuck with me, even after Rico came back."

The mentors
Burrell is more of an old-school type of player than most would think. He believes in playing the game one way -- the right way, as he sees it. He doesn't talk a big game or show up pitchers. He doesn't talk much about himself because he believes his actions speak louder than any words could. Much of this was impressed upon him from some of his major influences. One of those was an old coach with a rough exterior and a heart of gold, whose impact has been felt on the last few generations of Phillies players.

"Even when I was in the Minor Leagues, I always came to big league camp [in Spring Training], so John Vukovich was a big influence," Burrell said. "A lot of guys called him Uncle John, and that's kind of how he was. He knew when to come over and put his arm around you and he also knew when to fire on you, too. He was really good for me. Scott Rolen was probably our best player at the time here and I think a lot of players looked up to him for the way he played. He was helpful in a lot of ways, both in terms of how to go about things and how to play the game."

There have been others who helped shape Burrell into the player -- and man -- he is today, but he's quick to point out one person in particular: Curt Schilling. The ace of the Phillies' staff in 2000, Schilling was attempting to come back from his latest in a series of arm injuries. He was the starting pitcher that night in Houston when Burrell made his debut and allowed seven runs in 4 2/3 innings, hardly a line that anyone would expect from one of the best pitchers of the last 10 years.

Schilling's next three starts weren't much better. But then he faced the Braves at Veterans Stadium and his whole season turned around. That night made a lasting impression on Burrell. The Phillies were clinging to a one-run lead in the eighth inning when Schilling had runners at the corners with nobody out and the heart of Atlanta's potent lineup coming to bat. He then reached back for something more, something that separates the men from the boys in the big leagues. He proceeded to strike out Chipper Jones and Andres Galarraga, walked Brian Jordan to load the bases and then struck out Javy Lopez to end the threat. The Phillies held on for a 2-1 win.

"He just absolutely blew these guys away -- and it was the middle of their order," remembered Burrell. "Schill was able to take his game to a whole new level and that was pretty impressive.

"People always talk about Curt and the things he says and does, but all that stuff doesn't matter. It's what you do on the field and there's nobody you'd rather want out there when the game counts than him. He's a big-time pitcher and I have a tremendous amount of respect for that. It's one thing to walk around here and talk a big game, but if you can go out there and back it up and shove it down somebody's throat, it's pretty fun to watch."

The understated leader
Since Darren Daulton was traded to the Marlins in 1997, it seems the Phillies have looked far and wide for a "team leader," the guy who would take care of business both on the field and behind closed doors. Over the years, the media and the franchise have anointed many players that title, whether it was Rolen, Jim Thome, Chase Utley, Aaron Rowand or Jimmy Rollins. Except for a brief time early on in his career, the guy mostly left out of the equation was Burrell.

What most people haven't seen, however, is how he's gone about his business with younger players. While Burrell won't get into specifics, his teammates know the lasting impression he leaves, especially on younger players who the Phillies call up to the big leagues for the first time. He's seen the first Major League game of players like Jason Michaels, Nick Punto, Johnny Estrada, Rollins, Ryan Howard, Utley, Brett Myers and Cole Hamels -- all products of the Phillies' scouting and player development system.

"It's important [to help the younger guys] because you never forget about the way things happen when you first come up," he said. "And the people that are here never forget how you act when you get here. So, it's important to have people to bounce things off of so you do the right thing. If you plan on being here a long time, you don't want to [tick] anyone off."

The first player to arrive at the ballpark every day, Burrell believes in leadership by example, but won't hesitate to let someone know what's on his mind if he feels it's appropriate. However, he'll never divulge when those things happen.

"One of the things that people don't understand is that you don't have to talk about it," said Burrell. "The media can think what they want, but I know that the other 24 [players] are pulling for me every day. There's a right way to do things and that's the only way. What we have here is special. You spend 180 days with these people and it's important to make sure that there's no [nonsense]. If that's not important to you then eventually it breaks up the most important part of this, which is the relationship you have with your team. Without that, you don't win."
2003

In 2002, Burrell hit .282 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs. Four months after the season ended, the Phillies locked him up to a six-year, $50 million contract extension, which concludes at the end of this season. In the first year of the deal, though, he had the roughest year of his life, hitting .209 with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs.

"The problem I had is that I just couldn't believe what was happening," he said. "I had never really been through any period of time where I wasn't playing well and so when things started going bad I just assumed they'd turn around. But I didn't know how to make that happen. I wish I wouldn't have gone through it and I know the fans feel the same way [laughing]. I think in the long run it made me a better player. You see guys going through bad times and unless you've been in that situation, you have no idea what it's like. We're still playing a game here, though, and there are tougher things in life."

Everyone, it seemed, had the answer for how to fix his season. He was getting phone calls while the Phillies' PR department was getting e-mails from former players, former hitting coaches, college coaches and even golf pros. He did his best to block it all out and just work one-on-one with Greg Gross, the Phillies' hitting coach at the time.

"The one thing I kept hearing around the clubhouse was, 'Stay with it and keep working,' but sometimes you have to change things and be proactive. As bad as it was, though, I really think it helped me out down the road because I don't think it could get any worse. It's just a constant reminder that this game is very difficult to play."

Breaking through
While the city of Philadelphia celebrated the Phillies' first National League East title in 14 years last September, perhaps no one felt more vindicated than Burrell. He and Rollins had been part of more "near misses" than anyone else on the club. In 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the Phillies went into the final week of the season with a chance to make the playoffs and each time fell just short.

"I always try to be realistic about things," said Burrell. "We had a lot of help [last year]. A lot of people would say that the Mets just gave it to us, but we beat them. However you want to look at it, it worked out and, in the end, it was a great feeling. All the years of being here and seeing how close we had gotten and finally seeing us push it over the edge was a great experience."

Coming full circle
When the Phillies drafted Burrell in June 1998, he had the confidence to know that he would be a Major League player some day. It's that same confidence that helps him propel a baseball into the stratosphere of Citizens Bank Park, treating Harry the K's Restaurant in left field like a shooting range.

"I've got to be honest, 10 years ago when I got drafted I had a pretty good idea that I'd be in the big leagues and then after that I had absolutely no expectations," he said. "Once you get up here and play a couple years, then you start thinking that you found your niche and now you have to build on it and keep going and keep grinding. However, I don't think I envisioned being on a team this good from what it was when I got here."

When he talks about the future, Burrell doesn't claim to be Nostradamus. But, where does he see himself 10 years from now, at age 41?
"I think it's pretty far-fetched to think I'll still be playing, but I'd like to think that in some way I will still be around the game. A lot can happen in 10 years. Starting a family is important, but I'd like to stay a part of this somehow. It's all I know."

(mlb.com)

Jeremy Shockey does not sound like a happy camper. And the disgruntled tight end might not make it to the Giants' minicamp on Wednesday.

Making his first public comments since breaking his leg last December, a defensive Shockey pointed the finger at the Giants for all the offseason speculation about his future and reported unhappiness. And, perhaps indicating a rift with the only pro team he has ever played for, Shockey left the question of whether he would attend the mandatory minicamp up in the air.

"The statement I would like to make about the Giants and the speculation in the offseason is that whatever happens between the upper management, lower management, the owners, any management, is going to (stay) between ourselves," the six-year veteran said yesterday at a promotional appearance at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. "Unlike the Giants, I am going to be quiet. They have released multiple things about myself, and if you look back into the media (reports), there is always a source. Well, I would like to know who the source is.

"I haven't said one negative thing towards the Giants in the newspapers," he added. "I have never expressed the feelings of the things that you guys (the media) made up. You guys will be able to talk to me (more) if I make it to minicamp."

Ownership, management and coaches have repeatedly said that the Giants want to keep the 27-year-old Shockey, who was a no-show at the team's Super Bowl parade, its visit to the White House and last month's championship-ring ceremony.

Still, the team has listened to offers for the emotional tight end and turned down one from the Saints that would have given the Giants a second-round pick this year and a fifth-rounder next year.

Shockey has told friends that he is unhappy with his role, his contract and the notion that the Giants were better without him after he broke his leg in Week 15 because Eli Manning didn't have the burden of having to pass the ball to Shockey to keep him happy.

Yesterday, Shockey, who was rarely seen around the team during its Super Bowl run, seemed to be irritated with the idea that he is a disruption.

When told by one reporter that the team has repeatedly said it wants him back, the tight end shot back, "Why wouldn't they want me? Of course they want me. I just spoke to the owner an hour ago."

Shockey, who just finished the first season of a five-year, $26.3 million extension, didn't say which co-owner he spoke with - John Mara or Steve Tisch. However, he twice made it clear that the Giants should want him back at least in part because he is not a troublemaker who has had numerous run-ins with the law, perhaps counteracting the perception that he is a negative influence.

"I want him here," said linebacker Antonio Pierce, who sported his gaudy Super Bowl ring at the event in Flushing. "What he wants to do and what the organization wants, you have to ask them that question. Antonio Pierce wants Jeremy Shockey."

But does Shockey still want to remain with the Giants? When asked if he is going to stay in town for a bit, Shockey replied, "Who knows? I might go to see my mother in Texas. I have no idea.

"I feel like I am getting better," Shockey said, referring to his broken leg. "Obviously I am not 100%. And if I do show up to minicamp, it's going to be ... I wouldn't imagine me doing much, just getting treatment on my leg. This is the only statement I am going to make. Like I said, it's going to be between the Giants and myself. That is really about it."

(nydailynews.com)

Repeated slurs directed at a succession of ineffective Mets relievers (Mel Rojas, Doug Sisk, Jorge Sosa) has long been a CSTB crutch tradition, but on the weekend Armando Benitez was cut by Toronto, let’s spare a positive thought for Danny Graves, who seems to be getting his life back together in the Twins organization. From the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Kelsie Smith :

After spending 2007 in the Atlantic League, Graves e-mailed about 20 general managers in January. He asked for a last chance, said his drinking was under control and he had found peace after his divorce. He was ready, mentally and physically, he wrote, to pitch again. Graves got three or four thanks-but-no-thanks responses and, from Twins GM Bill Smith, one maybe.

“Over the course of a year, we get a ton of e-mail,” Smith says. “Once in a while, something just strikes you. It was a heartfelt letter that said “I’ve made a lot of changes in my life, and I’m looking for one last chance.” Once in a while, you see that and you think, “well, what the heck.” It didn’t cost us anything to bring him down (to throw for scouts in Fort Myers). You might get lucky on the field, and maybe something benefits him off the field.”

Throwing in front of senior adviser Terry Ryan, minor league pitching coordinator Rick Knapp and vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff, Graves “made enough of an impression for us to sign him and give him that chance,” Smith says.

Graves began in extended spring training, the first time he’d been there in his career. He moved to Class A Fort Myers, then to AA New Britain and finally to Rochester.

“The timing of everything,” Graves says, “was almost like it was on time for Danny Graves.”

When he arrived in Rochester, Cliburn had a question for the reliever — would he start?

Starting baseball games does not bring back good memories for Graves, who went 4-15 with a 5.33 ERA during his season as a Reds starter and who says he “always told myself that if I ever had to start again I would probably retire.” But throughout his evolution as a person, Graves has evolved as a pitcher. Unable to throw in the mid-90s as he did during his closer days, Graves says, he has finally learned how to pitch, throwing four pitches for strikes with a hard-sinking fastball that induces ground outs.

So when Cliburn asked about starting, Graves said yes. He’s now 2-1 with a 3.99 ERA in six starts for the Red Wings and, to his own surprise, “it turns out that this is the most fun I’ve had. I love starting now.”

(cantstopthebleeding.com)

KEYSTONE - The Environmental Protection Commission has cited former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Vinny Testaverde for ripping out mature cypress trees from the shoreline of his Lake Keystone home.

The trees were in protected wetlands, the county said.

"Three or four weeks ago I was getting all these calls from people who saw the trees being ripped up right on the shoreline," said Keystone resident Jim Swain, president of the Lake Keystone Property Owners Association.

He said Testaverde removed between 40 and 50 trees altogether.

Testaverde has been ordered by the EPC to replace 20 of those trees, some as tall as 40 feet.

"We sent an inspector to the site and some of the trees were removed from wetlands," said Bob Owens, a supervisor with the EPC. He said complaints from neighbors began coming into the department April 22.

On April 24, Bill Inch, environmental scientist for the county, visited the property and cited Testaverde for violations of the wetlands division code.

By April 30, Testaverde called Inch and told him all tree removal had stopped. He asked if the already-cut debris could be removed from the property. Inch said it could.

A third visit on May 1 documented 19 cypress tress and one dahoon holly tree removed from protected wetlands on the shoreline.
No Fines Assessed

In a certified letter dated May 13, Testaverde was ordered to plant 40, 15-gallon palm cypress or bulb cypress trees in the wetland area within 30 days.

The letter also required "100-percent survival of the trees one year after planting."

Tallahassee-based attorney Clayton Studstill, representing Testaverde in the discussions, acknowledged receipt of the letter four days later and asked whether fewer trees could be planted if they were larger.

The EPC told them they could instead plant 20, 30-gallon trees (a gallon is the measured unit of soil and root ball in the container of a planted tree), along with "beneficial herbaceous planting on the shoreline."

Studstill said the replanting was finished two weeks ago.

"The site has been replanted at the same density of trees and the site condition has been returned to its native state," he said.
Studstill would not say which tree-removal service worked on the property, but said he was certain Testaverde had hired someone to do the work.

"He was not aware of the EPC rules," he said. "You've got to rely on the advice of these people. Whoever cut down the trees didn't do a very good job of informing him."

No fines will be assessed to Testaverde as long as he continues to comply with the citation, said Debbie Sinko, general manager with the county's wetlands division.

Resident Isn't Happy
Swain isn't completely satisfied with the outcome.

"It doesn't replace what was there," he said. "The damage is done. We're talking about a massive cutting."

Testaverde, who could not be reached for comment, made the county's most expensive home purchase of the year for 2007 when he bought the 7,090-square-foot, 3-acre lakeside estate in August for $4.5 million.

The gated home at 17120 Gunn Highway features seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, an eight-car garage and a three-story elevator.

(tbo.com)

ENGLEWOOD • Nate Webster is prepared to battle to get a starting job for the second straight year.

Webster, who started 13 games for the Denver Broncos last year at outside linebacker, is practicing primarily at middle linebacker during this week's minicamp and in Thursday's practice he took the snaps with the starting defense. Niko Koutouvides signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract with the Broncos this offseason and seems to be the favorite to start at middle linebacker. Koutouvides worked with the second team Thursday.

Minicamp practices hadn't been open to the media before this week, and Koutouvides took first-team repetitions earlier this week. Webster said he and Koutouvides have been rotating in the middle. Webster said nothing has been promised to either player.

"It's competition," Webster said. "I guess we'll be evaluated throughout the camps, practices and preseason. Nothing has been handed to him or me. We're going to compete, which I don't mind doing."

Webster said he is comfortable being back at middle linebacker. He has played most of his career there, although he can play all three positions.

"That's almost like being back home," Webster said. "Middle linebacker is home for me. I can play the other ones, but I'm more instinctive in the middle."

(gazette.com)

CHICAGO - Devin Hester will have little time to catch his breath this season.

Along with returning kicks and punts, Hester is eyeing a tripling of his workload at wide receiver.

At least, that is the plan based on what offensive coordinator Ron Turner told fans Sunday at the Bears Expo inside Soldier Field.

“He's the premier return guy in the NFL and probably in the history of the game, so he's got to obviously have an opportunity to do that,” Turner said.

“We've talked in the area of 30 to 35 [passing] plays a game. If we can get him that many plays and we can get the ball in his hands five to seven times a game, he's going to make our offense much more productive.”

The increased role was Hester's idea as much as Turner's. At the end of last season, Turner said, Hester spoke to him about wanting to truly become a full-time receiver.

With Bernard Berrian off to Minnesota in free agency and Mark Bradley limited by injuries the past few seasons, the Bears need a receiver who can stretch the field.

Hester showed last season he can be a vertical threat in spots, and his task this offseason is to become more well-rounded.

“I told him if you're going to make that commitment to try to be the No. 1 receiver, then you've got to make that commitment and you've got to work at it like you do as a return guy,” Turner said. “It's got to be a full-time commitment, which means you're going to have to practice full-speed all the time so the quarterbacks can get the timing.”

Turner said he has been delighted with Hester's approach during voluntary workouts and mini-camp.

“He's done a great job of learning the position, going out every day and learning all the little intricacies of playing the position,” Turner said.

“It's one thing to know your assignment. It's another thing to be able to line up and play and adjust to Cover-2, Cover-3, to press coverage, to the blitz - to all the different things that you have to do, and so far Devin has stepped up and is doing a great job of that.”

Turner said Hester's motivation stems from his desire to be the best at anything he does.

Of course, Hester's contract situation also could be a motivating factor. He has two years left on his rookie deal and has said he wants an extension.

As great as he is returning kicks and punts, Hester's leverage would be far more substantial if he shows signs of developing into a top receiver.

(daily-chronicle.com)

Talked to Vernon Carey about the switch back to RT. “I’m back home,” he said.

He didn’t see the switch back as any sort of insult. He did say it took him some time to re-adjust.

“It was shakey at the beginning but that passed,” Carey said. “I’m happy.”

(phinsreport.com)

CHICAGO – Getting a taste of the Bears offense last season made Devin Hester hungry for more.

After catching 20 passes for 299 yards and 2 touchdowns in limited action, the electrifying playmaker spoke to coordinator Ron Turner about becoming a starting receiver in 2008.

“Devin and I had a real good talk at the end of the season,” Turner told fans during a seminar Sunday at the Bears Expo. “He talked about wanting to be more of a full-time receiver.

“I told him if you’re going to make that commitment to try to be the No. 1 receiver, then you’ve got to make that commitment right now and you’ve got to work at it like you do as a return guy. It’s got to be a full-time commitment, which means you’re going to have to practice full speed all the time so the quarterbacks can get the timing.”

Five months after their initial discussion, Turner couldn’t be more pleased with how Hester has responded to the challenge.

“He’s accepted all that, and so far through the minicamp and the OTAs, he’s done a great job of learning the position and going out every day and learning all the little intricacies of playing the position,” Turner said. “It’s one thing to know your assignment. It’s another thing to be able to line up and play and adjust to cover-two, cover-three, to press coverage, to the blitz; all the different things you have to do, and so far Devin has stepped up and is doing a great job of that.”

After Hester played an average of 10-12 snaps on offense last season, Turner said Sunday that the Bears plan on tripling his workload—even as he remains the team’s primary return specialist.

“He’s the premier return guy in the NFL and probably in the history of the game, so he’s got to obviously have an opportunity to do that,” Turner said.

“We’ve talked in the area of 30-35 plays a game. If we can get him that many plays and we can get the ball in his hands 5-7 times a game—whether it’s some quick passes or down the field or whatever—he’s going to make our offense much more productive.”

Hester has high expectations for himself—and Turner would never bet against him.

“He’s a guy that has a burning desire to be the best,” Turner said. “He is driven to be the best at whatever he does, and right now he is driven to be the best receiver in the NFL, and I wouldn’t sell Devin short of accomplishing anything.”

(chicagobears.com)

Ken Dorsey holds the clipboard on Sundays and he is always around Brady Quinn helping him learn on the sideline.  Dorsey doesn’t have much of an arm and the Browns would have to take some plays out of the playbook if he were forced into action.  But, he does have experience which is more than most #3 QBs can say.  Dorsey didn’t get to play in a game last season for the Browns.  He has now played in 12 games (10 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 171 of 317 passes (53.9%) for 1,712 yards with 8 TD passes and 11 interceptions (63.5 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 9 times for 18 yards (2.0 ypc) in his career.

(brownslocker.com)

Washington Redskins RB Clinton Portis was at the Redskins training facility on Thursday receiving treatment on his hip, which has given him trouble since May when he reportedly tweaked it after racing SS Laron Landry in a friendly forty yard dash.

Portis has sat in on team meetings, but hasn’t practiced this week. This isn’t anything for his owners to worry about, as he’s clearly resting up for the season. There’s no need to risk any further injury at this point, and taking it easy in the off-season is good for him, since he’ll likely see the rock more times in 2008 under new head coach Jim Zorn than he ever has.

(nooffseason.com)

With veteran closer Jason Isringhausen struggling mightily before landing on the disabled list with a cut on his pitching hand, the St. Louis Cardinals are looking for a late-inning solution to fill the void. While Ryan Franklin has been the emergency stopgap, the team's future closer could very well be rookie fireballer Chris Perez.

The Cardinals recalled the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Perez as soon as Isringhausen hit the DL, and the youngster certainly impressed in his first inning of big league ball. Working the seventh inning of a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, Perez was perfect, striking out one while not surrendering a single hit or walk. The 22-year-old right-hander was simply overpowering, routinely registering over 95mph on the radar gun. He even touched triple digits on at least one of his offerings. That's exactly the kind of intimidating fastball needed to become a dominant closer.

Of course, it takes more than just nasty stuff to close games in the big leagues. The job is as much mental as it is physical, and asking a 22-year-old to thrive in such a pressure-packed situation, where the slightest mistake can turn victory into defeat, is risky to say the least. But St. Louis manager Tony La Russa was admiring more than Perez's fearsome fastball. He also liked how composed the kid was on the mound, carrying himself like a true professional. If Isringhausen is unable to recapture his form, the future could become now for Perez and the Cardinals.