Open Job? Bubba Frank Update

May/19/07 10:49 AM Filed in: Bubba Franks

Bubba Franks has been the Packers' starting tight end since his rookie year of 2000, but the coaching staff sent him a signal at minicamp Friday that he'll have to win back that job this year after his disappointing 2006 performance.

Donald Lee took the first snap of each drill with the No. 1 offense, and Tory Humphrey appeared to work ahead of Franks at times also. Lee, Humphrey and Zac Alcorn all have been taking part in the Packers' offseason workout program beginning March 19.

"They've been working all offseason; I don't have any problems with them in there right now," Franks said. "It's not a problem."

Franks, who caught only 25 passes and had no touchdowns last season, said he went back to the offseason workout program of his first six NFL seasons after staying in Green Bay and taking part in the Packers' offseason workout program last year. Franks is one of about 20 players who attended the University of Miami and return there in the spring and summer to work out in a competitive atmosphere with their college strength coach.

"You go back to doing something that works when things go wrong," Franks said. "… This year, I'm on a mission. There's nothing that's going to get in my way."

(packersnews.com)

Patriots DL Learned Much From The "U"

May/19/07 10:48 AM Filed in: Kareem Brown

FOXBORO, Mass. - Kareem Brown did not have to participate in the Patriots rookie mini camp this weekend to get his first taste of the NFL. New England's second pick in the draft from Miami had already digested plenty from the legion of "U" alumni now playing in the pros.

While holding court in his new Patriots locker room over the weekend, the fourth round pick's outsized personality was matched only by his massive physical stature.

At 6-foot-4, 290-pounds, the defensive lineman described his good fortune of having built-in access to the Miami NFL pipeline thusly, "It helps a lot. I talk to those guys all the time, and they just give me a little bit of their experience in the NFL. It motivates you. You see them every day and you want to be in their shoes."

One of those alumni is the Patriots Vince Wilfork, also a defensive lineman, and when Brown watched Wilfork make his famous fumble recovery last year and start rumbling toward the end zone, Brown gave his best Forrest Gump impression while recalling his only thought: "Run Vince Run." When asked if he would have taken that one to the house, Brown said confidently, "I would have, yeah."

Ed Reed announces local benefit

May/19/07 10:47 AM Filed in: Ed Reed

Former Destrehan High School football standout Ed Reed, now an all-pro safety with the NFL Baltimore Ravens, returned home Friday to announce the first fund-raiser for his charity

Reed has partnered with Valero Energy Corporation to organize the first Ed Reed/Valero St. Charles Golf Classic, which will be held July 2 at Belle Terre Country Club in LaPlace.
Proceeds will go to the Ed Reed Eye of the Hurricane Foundation, which helps needy families in the St. Charles Parish area, as well as in Baltimore.

Tamara James Update

May/19/07 10:47 AM Filed in: Tamara James

Tamara James made the 12-man Washington Mystics Roster.

(washingtonpost.com)

Portis slowed by knee soreness

May/18/07 11:03 AM Filed in: Clinton Portis

Already trying to rehabilitate shoulder and hand injuries, Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis now has to deal with a knee problem.

Portis missed the team's offseason workouts Wednesday and yesterday to travel to Birmingham, Ala., where he was examined by Dr. James Andrews and diagnosed with patella tendinitis.

"It cropped up at the end of last week," coach Joe Gibbs said. "He had some soreness in the knee, but he described that he could run and work out on it and it would be fine the next day. This week it bothered him after the workout day so we decided to have it looked at."

There is no timetable for when Portis can return his running program.

Rams add QB Berlin to roster

May/17/07 09:43 PM Filed in: Brock Berlin

The Rams added another arm to their roster Thursday when they signed former University of Miami quarterback Brock Berlin.

He is expected to be on the field next week when organized team activities (OTAs) resume at Rams Park.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Berlin started for the Hurricanes for two seasons after transferring from the University of Florida. He originally signed with the Miami Dolphins in April 2005 as an undrafted free agent. He played in two preseason games before he was released.

Berlin, 25, re-signed with the Dolphins in January 2006 and was sent to NFL Europe. He completed 99 of 181 passes for 1,041 yards and seven touchdowns, with seven interceptions, for the Hamburg (Germany) Sea Devils.

Miami cut him again during training camp, and he was out of football until April 25, when the Dallas Cowboys signed him.

His stay in Dallas was brief; the Cowboys released him May 10 after picking up another free-agent quarterback, Matt Moore.

Berlin joins Marc Bulger, Gus Frerotte, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Drew Tate among Rams quarterbacks.

(stltoday.com)

Willis McGahee

May/17/07 06:11 PM Filed in: Willis McGahee

With all of the hoopla -- and rightfully so -- surrounding Ravens quarterback Steve McNair's first comments regarding the unusual DUI charges facing him in Tennessee, running back Willis McGahee seemed like almost an afterthought during the team's first minicamp today.

But McGahee's first workout open to the media went without a hitch. In fact, McGahee, whom the Ravens acquired from the Buffalo Bills in March for two draft picks in last month's draft and a third-round choice next year, looked good, catching a few passes in the flat on seven-on-seven drills and running smoothly.

McNair and McGahee were the highlights of today's session. Equally noteworthy were the absences of linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, cornerbacks Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle, offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, free safety Ed Reed, defensive end Trevor Pryce, defensive tackle Kelly Gregg, center Mike Flynn and running back Mike Anderson -- which didn't seem to bother coach Brian Billick.

"I'm very comfortable with the guys that we have here. I'm excited about that," he said. "And those that aren't here, I'm very comfortable knowing what they're going to be able to do when they get here."

Several players who underwent surgery during the offseason returned to the field. Return specialist B.J. Sams (ankle), fullback Justin Green (knee), defensive tackle Justin Bannan (toe) and running back Musa Smith (neck) all took part in drills. Linebacker Dan Cody, who opted to avoid surgery on his left knee, also practiced.

(blogs.baltimoresun.com)

Bears to give Hester a look at wide receiver

May/17/07 11:04 AM Filed in: Devin Hester

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (May 14, 2007) -- Devin Hester is taking his game-breaking skills to the Chicago Bears' offense.

Hester set an NFL record last year for kick returns for touchdowns, and he started off the Super Bowl with a 92-yard kickoff runback for a touchdown. He rarely played on anything but special teams, though, and when he did, it was as a cornerback.

Now, the Bears will try him as a wide receiver.

Coach Lovie Smith said the All-Pro return specialist will make the switch beginning with the upcoming minicamp.

"I think Devin Hester is one of the most exciting players in the NFL with his hands on the football," Smith told ChicagoBears.com. "I think he would be an excellent defensive back, also. We just feel that this is in the best interest of us and him for him to achieve his full potential as a football player."

Learning the Belichick way

May/17/07 10:26 AM Filed in: The U

Kareem Brown pulled a folding chair featuring the Patriots' logo up to a pack of reporters surrounding Brandon Meriweather, climbed on top of it and commandeered a writer's pad and pen.

"Are you thankful Kareem's your roommate?" the 6-foot-4-inch, 240 pound rookie defensive lineman asked Meriweather to the amusement of the real press.

"I kind of wish I didn't have a roommate anymore but since I've known you eight years I might as well," Meriweather, the 24th overall pick at last month's draft, said.

There was no doubt on Saturday, the opening day of Patriots rookie mini camp, that the Pats' top two draft picks are playful. There are however, two much more important pending questions for the former University of Miami stars who participated in an in-game brawl against Florida International last season.

D.J. Williams: The New Ringleader

May/17/07 10:24 AM Filed in: DJ Williams

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- It was only his first day leading the pre-practice breakdown, and already D.J. Williams was willing to pull rank.

After a short introduction, Williams beckoned first-round pick Jarvis Moss to stand in front of his new teammates and open the morning's work. But Moss couldn't captivate their attention with a dance, nor could he work them into rhythm.

This was no time for a tepid response. Not at the first practice of the year, the opening session of the Broncos' 14 organized team activities between now and June 7.

"It's the first day and we needed more intensity than that," Williams said. "I could tell (Moss) was a little nervous.

No. 21 makes right move

May/17/07 10:23 AM Filed in: Sean Taylor

Driving from northern Virginia to Baltimore this afternoon for today's Preakness Stakes draw, I still had a hard time comprehending what I was going to say in this blog entry.

Sean Taylor did something smart by reporting to the Loudoun County Parkway on Tuesday for the second week of the Redskins' off-season practices/workouts/rehearsals/recesses.
It boggles the mind, right?

Sean Taylor did something right.

Sean Taylor did something befitting a future leader.

Sean Taylor did something smart.

Sean Taylor did something that showed respect for his head coach.

Maybe the kid is getting it after all.

Cora! Cora! Cora!

May/17/07 10:23 AM Filed in: Alex Cora

The Red Sox finally lost last night, dropping the second game of their four game set with the Tigers . Tiger phenom Justin Verlander silenced the Red Sox bats over 7 and 2/3 innings, and the 7-2 decision marked the end of their 11 game winning streak.

Yes, I am aware that the Sox have played 38 games, so far this season. I’ll even concede that they have come out on the losing side 12 times. However, none of the other 11 losses had come after manager Terry Francona had scribbled 13 Cora onto his lineup card to start the game. Up until last night the Red Sox had been a perfect 11-0 with Cora as a starter.

In reality, that 11-0 is a misleading stat, as his stellar .392 batting average. To be sure, this is Cora’s best start to a season (I haven’t done any research, but it seems likely), and the fact that he has terrific stats has only served to call attention to a guy who plays the game the right way and is able to excell in a reserve role. One of the keys to winning a championship is having a deep bench with guys that are versatile and can produce despite not getting regular at bats. In Alex Cora, the Red Sox have just such a player.

Pitching and catching with Chudzinski

May/16/07 10:41 AM Filed in: Rob Chudzinski

New Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski hasn't had a day off since he was hired on Jan. 20. And he won't enjoy one for another month.

Chudzinski is busy installing a new offense that, he hopes, will resemble the explosive one he left behind with the San Diego Chargers.

It's the fifth offensive system the Browns have used since 1999.

Chudzinski is the team's sixth offensive coordinator in that time. He was put in charge as the team faces a crossroads.

The Browns are the only team in the NFL that has finished last in its division the past four years.

The offense has been bolstered by the signings of left guard Eric Steinbach and running back Jamal Lewis in free agency and the selections of left tackle Joe
Thomas and quarterback Brady Quinn in the draft.

Taylor at last reports for work

May/16/07 10:41 AM Filed in: Sean Taylor

Safety Sean Taylor was a surprise participant as the Washington Redskins began their second week of organized team activities yesterday at Redskin Park.

Taylor, who had not been in touch with the coaching staff while absent last week, acted as if his return wasn't a big deal even though he and still-absent cornerback Shawn Springs had been the only players missing.

"I don't think there's a problem," said Taylor, who didn't participate in any voluntary offseason work in 2005 and wasn't a regular in 2006 either as his felony assault case made its way through the legal system. "I should've been here with everybody else, but I'm sure I'll make it up the next couple of weeks."

Nose for news tackle - Kareem Brown

May/16/07 10:39 AM Filed in: Kareem Brown

The best reporter in Foxboro is 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 290 pounds. He also has an assortment of colorful tattoos across the vast canvas of his body and ranks No. 2 all-time among Miami defensive tackles with 20?sacks in his college career.

If fourth-round draft pick Kareem Brown doesn't make the Patriots, he'll probably find a job in the media.

As a pack of reporters gathered around Meriweather on Saturday, Brown perched himself on a chair and took notes as a favor to an accredited journalist. When other newsfolk realized the gigantic scribe was Meriweather's Miami teammate, they gave him the chance to ask a question.

"What kind of a car do you drive?" Brown asked.

The question produced the most interesting Meriweather material to come out in two consecutive days of interviewing.

Brown eyes label of playmaker

May/15/07 04:10 PM Filed in: Kareem Brown

Kareem Brown bristles at the word: "underachiever." He can't get around it, as if an offensive lineman were grabbing a fistful of his jersey.

The label doesn't make sense to Brown, a defensive lineman who was the second player selected by the Patriots in this year's draft, taken in the fourth round (No. 127 overall).

How could he be an underachiever?

He -- not first-round pick Brandon Meriweather -- was the University of Miami's 2006 Defensive Player of the Year after recording 11 sacks, the second-highest total by a defensive tackle in school history. We're talking about a school that has produced Warren Sapp, 1991 No. 1 overall pick Russell Maryland, and New England nose tackle Vince Wilfork. Still, it sticks to Brown like a piece of gum wedged on the bottom of a shoe.

Brown out to show what he can do

May/15/07 04:07 PM Filed in: Kareem Brown

FOXBORO — Many would have you believe it's next to impossible to leave the University of Miami's football program and not have at least a little controversy on the horizon. That's Patriots' first-round pick Brandon Meriweather's reality.

And that of Kareem Brown.

Just like Meriweather, who's still in the wake of the Florida International brawl/stomping incident last fall, Brown is proud of his pigskin lineage. It's not limited to the fourth-round pick's J.C. Penney portrait-sized tattoo of the former Hurricanes logo on his left bicep, either.

Listed at 6-4, 290 pounds, the defensive lineman is adamant his college program suffers from a case of mistaken identity. There's no denying the brawl happened, but the Miami-native Brown reiterated there's no better place to get a player ready for life in the National Football League.

"It's a perception. That's what it is. It's not a fact. People can think what they want to think and we're going to continue to work hard," Brown explained during the team's just-concluded rookie mini-camp. "People have no idea. We as a program, we let people think what they want to think. We're going to continue to work hard. They're going to continue to coach us hard and we're going to continue to get better."

McDougle, Moats might have to face the music

May/15/07 04:06 PM Filed in: Jerome McDougle

Dead men walking?

Even if they are, there isn't much Ryan Moats and Jerome McDougle can do about it, except work their hardest and hope for the best.

Moats and McDougle don't seem to figure into the Eagles' 2007 plans, unless other players are injured or they are able to produce some sort of miraculous, 11th-hour revival of their faded promise.

Hester will now catch them if he can - Potential upside huge, but Bears need to keep it simple for it to work

May/15/07 04:03 PM Filed in: Devin Hester

See defender. Run past him. Catch the ball.

Celebrate.

If the instructions for new Bears wide receiver Devin Hester are much more complicated than that, the team risks turning a necessary position switch into a failed experiment.

Don't issue Hester an offensive playbook. Give him a cocktail napkin with doodles. The simpler it is for Hester the harder it will be for opposing defenses to stop one of the fastest players in the league.

"There are only a few guys in the league who can make people miss and do the things [Hester] can do with the football," coach Lovie Smith said.

Phillies’ Burrell has Hill’s number

May/15/07 04:03 PM Filed in: Pat Burrell

PHILADELPHIA — Michael Barrett seemed to sense the imminent danger.

The Cubs’ catcher had just watched pitcher Rich Hill fall behind Phillies batter Aaron Rowand 2-0 to start the fourth inning.

So Barrett paid a visit.

“I just didn’t like the feeling of those 2 pitches,” Barrett said. “I just didn’t like the way those balls came out. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page and we were together.”

Barrett proved prescient as Hill walked Rowand and hit Chase Utley on an 0-2 pitch before giving up a 3-run homer to sleeping giant Pat Burrell.

Burrell part of solution

May/15/07 04:02 PM Filed in: Pat Burrell

One night after the veteran general manager blamed the Phillies' poor start primarily on the middle of the batting order, one of the culprits responded.
With a rare display of power.

Leftfielder Pat Burrell, the poster child for the club's struggles, slammed a pair of homers and knocked in five runs last night, steering the Phils to a 7-2 win over the Chicago Clubs at Citizens Bank Park.

Cole Hamels (5-1) pitched seven strong innings to notch the win. Lefthander Rich Hill (4-2), who took a third-in-the-league 1.73 ERA into the game, absorbed the loss.

Rex Grossman Gets Another Weapon: Devin Hester

May/14/07 06:31 PM Filed in: Devin Hester

It was only a matter of time, I guess. After six special teams touchdowns his rookie season, Devin Hester -- a man without a true position -- will be joining the offense. Hester was listed as a cornerback at the University of Miami, but that's not why the Bears selected him in the second round of the 2006 draft. Whatever, he's taking his skillz to the other side of the ball:

Hester will work with the wide receivers at minicamp, but he's also expected to line up in the backfield at times and could be utilized like the New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush.

Well, Chicago could utilize him like Reggie Bush, but I'm pretty sure that'll be where the comparisons end. I'm envisioning more of an Antwaan Randle El-type role. Whatever, I think it's a good idea. Hester is obviously a scoring threat, and if nothing else, he'll take some of the pressure of Rex Grossman. Which reminds me, maybe Hester can line up at quarterback for a few snaps every game too. It couldn't hurt.

(nfl.aolsportsblog.com)

Cardinals notebook: Whisenhunt happy to see sharp Edge

May/14/07 12:33 PM Filed in: Edgerrin James

Running back Edgerrin James was back Sunday, after missing Saturday’s minicamp opening practices because of a family funeral.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said James looked “sharp” and in shape, which was really little surprise.

Whisenhunt also said the two had discussed how many of the voluntary organized team activities James will attend.

“I don’t know exactly,” Whisenhunt said. “He’s probably not going to be there for all 14, but it is my understanding he will be there for a number of them.”

The Cards’ organized team activities begin Wednesday, with the 14 workouts spread over four weeks and ending June 7.

(eastvalleytribune.com)