FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Vince Wilfork did not want to hear his uniform jersey number uttered by an official during a game this season. To do so would be a bad thing, meaning the referee was singling him out for an infraction.

And for the first 13 games, the Patriots’ massive defensive lineman maintained a clean slate.

But against the Packers last Sunday night, in which Wilfork turned in an exceptional all-around effort, Wilfork heard his number called out not once, but twice by referee Ed Hochuli.

The 6-foot-2, 325-pound Wilfork was flagged for an offside penalty and a facemask penalty, which he revisited Wednesday.

“The offside penalty, that was a dumb penalty,” he said. “The other one, I just reached out, [the running back] lowered his head. It was not intentional. Penalties are penalties. I wanted to go through the whole season with any and I got two. I was pretty upset.”

Click here to order Vince Wilfork’s proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

New Orleans Saints middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been named the 2010 Saints "Man of the Year," the team announced Tuesday.

One of the most prestigious awards in the NFL, the honor is voted on annually by members of the media, Saints front office staff and local non-profit and business executives.

The team cited Vilma's dedication to community service, his charitable efforts and his performance on the football field as the reasons for Vilma's selection.

"Jonathan's passion and dedication to making a positive impact in not only the New Orleans community, but also in his hometown Miami and his parents' birthplace of Haiti, speaks to the compassion and generosity that he exhibits," Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis said. "He is certainly deserving of the Man of the Year honor and we congratulate him."

Vilma recently established The Jonathan Vilma Foundation to support the building of a charter school in Haiti, where a devastating 7.0 earthquake wrecked the region and killed more than 230,000 people.
Vilma is now one of the finalists for the NFL Man of the Year.

Click here to order Jon Vilma’s proCane Rookie Card.



(nola.com)

(Buffalo, NY) - Another piece of Cleveland sports history has now been pushed aside.

Tom Brady set an NFL record Sunday while helping the New England Patriots wrap up home field throughout the AFC playoffs.

Brady threw for three touchdowns and the Pats clinched the top seed in the conference by blasting the Buffalo Bills 34-3.

Brady also extended his streak of passing attempts without an interception to 319, topping the previous NFL mark of 308 set by Bernie Kosar with the Browns in the 1990-91 seasons.

Click here to order Bernie Kosar’s proCane Rookie Card.



(wtam.com)

The Redskins apparently have decided not to take immediate disciplinary action against rookie defensive lineman Joe Joseph, who was arrested early Monday on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan declined to discuss the matter Monday until he had a chance to meet with Joseph. The team issued a statement Tuesday evening.

"We have talked with Joe and he is very remorseful for what happened and the embarrassment he caused himself, his family and the organization," the statement read. "We will let the legal system run its course and withhold further comment until the matter is resolved."

Joseph is listed as the team's second-string right defensive end, behind Vonnie Holliday, according to the depth chart released each week to the media. Joseph, a University of Miami product who went undrafted last spring, was signed to the team's 53-man roster last Saturday and made his NFL debut last Sunday at Jacksonville.



(washingtonpost.com)

Texans receiver Andre Johnson did not practice last week, but he and coach Gary Kubiak said he had hoped to be able to play on Sunday against the Broncos. Inactive for the game because of a high ankle sprain, Johnson was unable to make any on-field contributions or work toward a particular NFL record.

Johnson has had more than 1,500 yards receiving in each of the last two seasons. No player in NFL history has ever 1,500 or more receiving yards in three consecutive seasons. So far this season, Johnson has 1,216 yards receiving, 284 yards shy of 1,500.

He would have needed to average 142 yards per game against the Broncos and the Jaguars before the end of the season. Now, Johnson would need to astonish everyone and get that total during the final game of the season against Jacksonville, but he might not play during that game either.

Johnson has emphasized repeatedly that records aren’t that important to him and that he’s more concerned with the success of the team.

“I hope he taps me on the shoulder and says he’s ready to go,” Kubiak said about Johnson’s status for Sunday. “If he tells me Friday that he feels good enough to play, then he’s going to play.”

Fourth-year receiver Jacoby Jones started last Sunday in place of Johnson and finished the game with five catches for 115 yards.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(foxsportshouston.com)

Running back Clinton Portis is ahead of schedule after season-ending abdomen surgery and remains determined to play again next season, he said in a radio interview Tuesday.

During his weekly appearance on 106.7 The Fan's The Mike Wise Show with Holden Kushner, Portis said he has exceeded expectations in his rehab work. Whether it's with the Redskins or another team, Portis said he is determined to return to the field in 2011.

"As far as me getting healthy, I think I'm pretty healthy," Portis said. "I think already did all the requirements that the doc asked me to do. I'm running, I'm doing the ladder, I'm jumping, my legs feel great. I could run routes today if given the opportunity.

"So I think I'll be perfectly healthy. I think I'll be perfectly fine. I actually feel like I could [play right now]. I think the surgery went great. ... I know I'm ahead of schedule. ... I think I'll be healthy and looking forward to next season."

Kushner suggested the Redskins erred in assigning him to the season-ending injured reserve, but Portis disagreed.

"I wouldn't say that," he said. "No one knew that the recovery would be this quick."

The Redskins have not informed Portis whether he is in their long-term plans.

"I don't need to sit around and worry, man," he said. "My mind-set is the enjoyment. It was good times and bad times that I had in this area. The good times were great - '05, '07 - having that run. Going through the death of Sean T. [Taylor] and seeing the team come together. And for a whole region, a whole area a whole city [uniting after Taylor's death].

"All the bad times, all the comment, 'Oh, Clinton this and Clinton that.' ... For me, it's enjoyment. Nobody could ever say I gave up. Nobody could ever say I turned my back on the team. For me not practicing or anything else, on Sunday when the film came on, I tried to fight and gave everything I had for the player standing next to me, trying to help them and trying to win for this city."

If the Redskins do not attempt to re-sign him, Portis said he will leave content.

"I'm okay," he said. "If it don't work out here, I'm okay with walking away with a smile on my face and understanding it's business."

Click here to order Clinton Portis’s proCane Rookie Card.



(washingtonpost.com)

Riding a perfect record in the National League and buoyed by its fans donned in red, Hapoel Tel Aviv became the first second-tier team in seven years to knock out a club from the first league when it beat Hapoel Holon 93-85 in the State Cup round of 16 last night.

The fan-owned team, which has worked its way up from the fourth tier, looked charged with energy to take another giant step and advance to the quarterfinals. But both teams were running up and down the court during the first two quarters, which was virtually absent of defense, as Holon went into halftime with a 51-48 lead.

Holon, lacking a deep bench, paid the price for the fast pace as it began to run out of steam in the fourth quarter. Tel Aviv's Brian Asbury looked like a dominant Super League big man down the stretch. Asbury, a graduate of the University of Miami, exploded for 34 points and 14 rebounds.
Trailing by two, Asbury tied the game at 78, then Elad Eliyahu hit a three to make it 83-80

Holon's Moran Roth, who scored 29 points the last time a National League team beat an opponent from the Super League when Ramle knocked out Rishon Letzion, scored 17 yesterday but was unable to stop Hapoel's run when he went down with an injury with three minutes to go.

Asbury then buried a three from downtown to give Tel Aviv its biggest lead of the game at 87-80, and Tel Aviv turned up the defense to come away with the upset.



(haaretz.com)

John Salmons scored 18 points on 5-of-17 shooting (including two threes) with four rebounds, two assists, and a block in 41 minutes of action on Tuesday.

With Earl Boykins serving a one-game suspension for bumping an official on Tuesday, Salmons got the nod as backup PG, but it didn't help him expand his game like owners would have liked. Expect him to continue to be the lead horse while Brandon Jennings is out, while Keyon Dooling had a pedestrian 11 points and six assists tonight.



(rotoworld.com)

Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson(notes) needs 284 more receiving yards this season to become the first player in NFL history to have 1,500 yards receiving or more for three straight years.

It certainly didn't help him that he missed Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos due to a high ankle sprain that also kept him out of practice all last week. Now he has one more game, this time against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

According to the Texans, it isn't clear if Johnson will play in that one, either. The site reports that Coach Gary Kubiak is going to let Johnson decide on Sunday whether he can give it a go or not.

Click here to order Andre Johnson’s proCane Rookie Card.



(yahoosports.com)

Washington’s first win in more than a month didn’t come without a little drama.

Redskins defensive tackle Joe Joseph was arrested for DUI Monday morning at 3 a.m. according to Jason Reid of the Washington Post.  The team activated Joseph from its practice squad Friday and he played in Sunday’s victory in Jacksonville.

Based on the usual NFL coaching sliding scale of punishment-to-production, Joseph will probably get cut.  If he recorded two sacks against the Jaguars, he’d get a stern lecture.



(profootballtalk.com)

Coach John Harbaugh said linebacker Tavares Gooden is sore after dislocating his shoulder, according to Aaron Wilson.

Our View: The good news is that Harbaugh said he thinks Gooden "will be okay." The same injury to the same shoulder sidelined him for five weeks earlier in the season, but he finished Sunday's game after having it popped back into place, and he's not expected to miss any additional time.

Click here to order Tavares Gooden’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rototimes.com)

Texans rookie LB Darryl Sharpton will miss Week 17 with a dislocated shoulder that may require offseason surgery.

Sharpton "subluxed" the shoulder in the first half of Sunday's loss to Denver, and impressively gutted it out for the final two quarters. Correll Buckhalter was constantly open over the middle, however, so Sharpton might've done more to hurt his team than help. An athletic fourth-round rookie, Sharpton's first season ends with 34 tackles and a nine-yard sack.

Click here to order Darryl Sharpton’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rotoworld.com)

Ravens coach John Harbaugh wasn’t present when free safety Ed Reed admitted that his lateral to cornerback Lardarius Webb after his second interception of Sunday’s 20-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns was the result of a “dumb decision.”

Harbaugh was pleased to hear that even a six-time Pro Bowler and nine-year veteran can acknowledge that he is prone to making mistakes. But Harbaugh also said he has faith in Reed when making those split-second decisions.

“It just depends on how it works out,” Harbaugh said Monday. “That’s how I feel about it. [It was] the same thing in the Carolina game [on Nov. 21]. I was a big ‘no’ until he flipped it, and [strong safety Dawan Landry] ended up scoring a touchdown. Sometimes with a player like that, you do have to trust their judgment a little bit. When Ed steps up after the fact and says it was not a good decision, then I can accept that because he’s earned that. I think he knows how important it is not to turn the ball over once you get a turnover. To me, if he would have kept up the left sideline – Hey, I’m coaching Ed Reed on how to score touchdowns off interceptions now. He’s the best ever at it, right? – if he would have stayed up the left sideline, I think he would have scored. So that was my advice. That, and stay a little further away from the heater.”

Click here to order Ed Reed’s proCane Rookie Card.



(baltimoresun.com)

Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork said he and the other veterans made it clear last week to the rookies how important the Buffalo game was.

Appearing on WEEI on Monday morning, Wilfork said that it's rare for the Patriots to place special significance on a certain game -- maintaining that they're all important -- but that last week in practice "we needed to get it through to players what it means to win this game."

Walking in the locker room after the game to find AFC East Champions hats and T-shirts helped capture the significance of the victory, he said.

And now that the Patriots are AFC East champions and can look ahead to having home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, the veterans may need to explain to the rookies the difference between regular-season and playoff football.

Wilfork said it's simple: Now's the time the team definitely has to play "60 minutes of football."

His main advice to the young players?

"Every game is like a championship game."

Click here to order Vince Wilfork’s proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

Both literally and figuratively, Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed was on fire in their 20-10 victory against the Cleveland Browns. On the sidelines, Reed's jacket caught fire, which you can see here. But on the field, the future Hall of Famer took advantage of Cleveland rookie quarterback Colt McCoy's inexperience. Reed recorded two interceptions against McCoy, who threw three picks total. McCoy said Reed was reading his eyes the entire game to stay one step ahead. "Ed Reed is one of the greatest football players, and he has been over the last 10 years, and we knew that going in," McCoy said. "I told you guys I have to be aware of him. I have to know where he is at all times."

When Reed gets hot, his interceptions can come in bunches. According to ESPN's Stats and Information, Sunday marked Reed's 10th career multi-interception game. Reed is the NFL's active leader in that category, two games ahead of Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel.

Click here to order Ed Reed’s proCane Rookie Card.



(espn.com)

FOXBORO —  If it seemed like Vince Wilfork played every snap in Sunday night’s game against the Packers, it’s because he practically did. With Green Bay possessing the ball for more than 40 minutes and the Patriots’ defensive line depleted by injury, No. 75 barely got a breather. He was on the field for 75 of 84 Packer snaps.

“I feel I can play however long the coach needs me to play,” Wilfork said yesterday. “Conditioning has never been an issue for me. That’s something I take pride in — being able to go the long haul.”

In the face of constant double teams, Wilfork finished with six tackles and recovered a fumble that ended the game as the Patriots’ defense stopped the Packers deep in New England territory in the closing seconds.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick called Wilfork’s game “probably one of the best he’s played.”

Wilfork, who signed a five-year, $40-million contract in the offseason, is having another strong year and ranks second among defensive linemen in fan Pro Bowl voting.

Wilfork has played all along the defensive line this season, with starts at left tackle, nose tackle, left end and right end, you name it.

“He has good skills to rush the passer, to play the run, to stunt, to play on tackle, play on the guard, play in the center — he’s done all of those throughout the course of his career,” Belichick said. “He’s certainly done all of them this year as well, so he’s been a versatile guy for us and he’s also been a productive player. We’ve asked him to play more in recent games in terms of the number of snaps in all situations and he’s come through with some really outstanding performances the last couple of weeks.”

Wilfork, who has 73 tackles and a pair of quarterback hits on the year, said he enjoys playing different positions.

“It’s fun,” he said. “It’s very fun, but at the same time it’s challenging. Bill has confidence in me going out and playing it. It gets challenging, but I love challenges. I think for me to go out and play different positions, it just shows the young guys that if you commit to what you’re doing, you’ll be OK.”

The Patriots extended their winning streak to six games by beating the Packers, but one of Wilfork’s season-long streaks — one he takes great pride in — came to an end. Through the first 13 games of the season, Wilfork had not committed a penalty. He was called for two infractions Sunday night.

The first was an offside call in the second quarter. The other was a facemask in the third. Both came during Green Bay scoring drives.

“The offsides was a bonehead penalty,” Wilfork said. “And the facemask, I was kind of caught between a rock and a hard spot right there, but it wasn’t anything intentional that I would try to grab a facemask. Just reaching out and with the running back lowering his head, I got a part of it. That’s one thing I try to strive for — no penalties. And I got two in one game. I was pretty upset about that. I was trying to go the whole season without one, and obviously it didn’t end up that way, but as long as I end up with two, I’m fine.”

The Patriots were without three defensive linemen — Ron Brace, Mike Wright and Myron Pryor — for last week’s game, and Brandon Deaderick suffered a shoulder injury in the first quarter.

That meant a lot of Wilfork, Gerard Warren and Kyle Love. Linebacker Jerod Mayo was not surprised by Wilfork’s endurance.

“He’s a great athlete,” Mayo said. “He can play all day. That’s what makes him so valuable to this team.” As the Patriots prepare for Sunday’s game against the resurgent Buffalo Bills, they were again without Wright (concussion) and Pryor (back) for yesterday’s practice. Deaderick did not participate, either. Brace, however, did return as a limited participant.

The Bills started 0-8, but they put up 30 points on the Patriots in a 38-30 loss in Week 3. The 30 points were the second-most scored against New England this season. The Browns scored 34 in a 20-point blowout of the Pats in early November. That game, in Wilfork’s opinion, was the turning point of the year for the Patriots.

“Cleveland was a wakeup call for us,” said Wilfork, a defensive captain. “We had a gut check, and I think we came together as a team and started putting more emphasis on the little things. It’s all about the little things because the little things take care of the big things in the end.”

Click here to order Vince WIlfork’s proCane Rookie Card.



(telegram.com)

Did you know that a former Miami Hurricane/current proCane has scored at least one touchdown in 138 consecutive regular season NFL weeks? Dating back to Week 15 of the 2002 season where Clinton Portis scored 4 TDs, at least one proCane has scored a TD in each regular season week since then. We have chronicled every touchdown since 2002. See below:

Week 16 2010:
Kellen Winslow - 2 TDs - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears

Week 15 2010:
Santana Moss - 2 TDs - Washington Redskins
Andre Johnson - 1 TD - Houston Texans
Jimmy Graham - 2 TDs - New Orleans Saints
Devin Hester - 2 TDs - Chicago Bears

Week 14 2010:
Javarris James - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Kellen Winslow - 1 TD - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Santana Moss - 1 TD - Washington Redskins
Andre Johnson - 2 TDs - Houston Texans
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens

Week 13 2010:
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Javarris James - 2 TDs - Indianapolis Colts

Week 12 2010:
Andre Johnson - 1 TD - Houston Texans
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Kellen Winslow - 1 TD - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 11 2010:
Santana Moss - 1 TD - Washington Redskins
Ray Lewis - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts

Week 10 2010:
Javarris James - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Andre Johnson - 1 TD - Houston Texans
Frank Gore - 1 TD - San Francisco 49ers
Kellen Winslow - 1 TD - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (first TD of the season)

Week 9 2010:
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens
Jeremy Shockey - 1 TD - New Orleans Saints
Javarris James - 2 TDs - Indianapolis Colts (first career TD)
Jimmy Graham - 1 TD - New Orleans Saints (first career TD)
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Roscoe Parrish - 1 TD - Buffalo Bills

Week 8 2010:
Frank Gore - 1 TD - San Francisco 49ers
Andre Johnson - 1 TD - Houston Texans
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts

Week 7 2010:
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens
Santana Moss - 1 TD - Washington Redskins

Week 6 2010:
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Andre Johnson - 1 TD - Houston Texans

Week 5 2010:
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens
Jeremy Shockey - 1 TD - New Orleans Saints
Frank Gore - 1 TD - San Francisco 49ers

Week 4 2010:
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens

Week 3 2010:
Jeremy Shockey - 1 TD - New Orleans Saints
Santana Moss - 1 TD - Washington Redskins
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears

Week 2 2010:
Greg Olsen - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Devin Hester - 1 TD - Chicago Bears
Clinton Portis - 2 TDs - Washingon Redskins
Andre Johnson - 1 TD - Houston Texans
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Frank Gore - 1 TD - San Francisco 49ers

Week 1 2010:
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Roscoe Parrish - 1 TD - Buffalo Bills
Willis McGahee - 1 TD - Baltimore Ravens

Click below to see the rest of the list:



Read More...

Rookie weak-side linebacker Darryl Sharpton continues to impress the coaches.

"He got a chance to play and kept getting better and better," coach Gary Kubiak said. "He's proven every week that he belongs here.

"He's a downhill, physical player. It's just his physical presence on the field."

Click here to order Darryl Sharpton’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chron.com)

CHICAGO — Jets punter Steve Weatherford executed three of his four punts just like he wanted: two out of bounds, and one downed at the Chicago 10-yard line.

But in the third quarter, one punt that he said he didn’t hit well went right to dangerous returner Devin Hester.

“He had a (38-yard) return on me, so no, I’m not satisfied,” Weatherford said after the Jets’ 38-34 loss. “That’s the mystique of playing up here. It’s a tough place to kick, and he’s the best returner in the game.”

The Jets’ game plan was to avoid Hester, who set the NFL career record last week with his 14th return for a touchdown. But he had two big returns in the Bears’ 21-point third quarter.

The 38-yard punt return put the Bears on the Jets’ 32-yard line, and Hester caught a 25-yard touchdown three plays later. Later in the quarter, Hester returned Nick Folk’s kickoff 40 yards to the Jets’ 49-yard line. The Bears scored on a 26-yard touchdown pass to Knox on that drive.

Coach Rex Ryan said it was his “understanding” that the ball would not go to Hester.

“That was disappointing to say the least,” Ryan said. “That’s when you see how important it is to kick the ball away from that kid. He’s the best returner in the game.”

The weather changed all afternoon, with wind and intermittent snow. Weatherford noted the elements but said he just didn’t hit that punt well.

A bigger question on special teams, though, was the fake punt on fourth-and-3 on the Jets’ first possession of the third quarter. Sanchez took the snap out of the punt formation and threw to Brad Smith, who dropped the pass.

“We worked it all week,” Ryan said. “We felt good about it. Obviously we made that call. ... It’s just one of those things where we thought that play was there, and we knew that play was there. Again, we have to execute that play.”

Click here to order Devin Hester’s proCane Rookie Card.



(nj.com)

Safety Randy Phillips was signed from the practice squad Friday to take Stafford’s place on the roster. Phillips was on the active roster for 3 games before being demoted to the practice squad.

The Lions need help at safety because of the uncertain status of Louis Delmas.

Delmas was held out of practice again Friday. He left early in the last game with a concussion

Click here to order Randy Phillips’s proCane Rookie Card.



(foxsports.com)

Redskins signed DL Joe Joseph to the active roster. The former Titan was signed to Washington's practice squad last week, and will replace Kedric Golston, who was just placed on IR.

Click here to order Joe Joseph’s proCane Rookie Card.



(fantasysp.com)

The AFC North will come down to the final weekend of regular season football.

Baltimore took care of business 20-10 in Cleveland on Sunday, keeping them alive for a possible playoff bye and AFC North title.  The Ravens need a win next week against the Bengals and a loss by the Steelers in Cleveland to win the division.

This game showed why the Browns could be a tricky matchup for the Steelers next week.  The Browns led the Ravens in yards and first downs, but four turnovers crushed their chances.  Ed Reed picked off Colt McCoy two times and Ray Rice helped close the game out with 92 yards on the ground.

Ray Lewis made good on his promise, helping to shut down Peyton Hillis to only 35 yards rushing.

At 11-4, the Ravens have made the playoffs for the third straight year.

Click here to order Ed Reed’s proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballtalk.com)

Even after all these years, Santana Moss is still the Redskins' top wideout.

The 10-year veteran adapted well to Coach Mike Shanahan's version of the West Coast offense, and Moss needs only one reception to establish a new personal best. He had another solid performance (five receptions, 85 yards) in Sunday's 20-17 victory in overtime against Jacksonville.

Although the Redskins have only one game remaining in another disappointing season, Moss continues to deliver.

"You just never know how it's gonna work out, man," Moss said after the game. "When I heard I would get more opportunities in this offense, more chances to do some things, you know, that's great. But you just never can say for sure what's gonna happen in this game.

"So it's just a blessing to stay healthy and just be able to contribute to this team. You just want to take advantage of every opportunity you get out there, 'cause you don't know how many more you're gonna get. That's just the way I looked at it."

Moss has 84 receptions for 1,041 yards (a 12.4-yard average) with six touchdowns. He also had 84 receptions during the 2005 season, his first with the Redskins.

The former University of Miami star also had at least 1,000 yards receiving during the 2003, '05 and '08 seasons. He established a personal-best total for yards with 1,483 yards in '05.

Moss can set his personal best in Sunday's season finale against the New York Giants, "but that's not what it's about," Moss said. "We're just trying to keep getting better as an offense. We got one more game to work on some things, and that's what we're gonna do."

Click here to order Santana Moss’s proCane Rookie Card.



(washingtonpost.com)

METAIRIE, La. -- When Jimmy Graham was still a college basketball player at Miami, he got some sound career advice from people with backgrounds as divergent as university President Donna Shalala and former star quarterback Bernie Kosar.

Shalala, who attends Miami sporting events and gets to know the athletes, repeatedly urged Graham to try playing for the Hurricanes' football team.

"I guess I was fouling so much," Graham, a former power forward known mostly for defense and rebounding, recalled with a grin.

Then one day nearly two years ago, Graham was throwing a football around with Kosar, who also broached the subject of switching sports.

"It was weird. I just remember throwing the ball with him in the backyard," Graham began. "He said, 'Jimmy, I think one day you can be a play-maker in the NFL.' I just kind of laughed."

Last Sunday, when Graham was making a leaping, twisting, one-handed touchdown catch - one of two TDs the Saints rookie tight end scored in Baltimore that day - it was apparent that Kosar was on to something.

So, too, were the Saints when they made Graham their third-round draft choice last spring.

New Orleans hoped to develop the 6-foot-6, 260-pound Graham into a player like Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez or San Diego's Antonio Gates, two tight ends with college basketball backgrounds who've thrived in the NFL.

Gonzalez leads all tight ends in NFL history with 1,061 catches for 12,398 yards and 87 touchdowns.

Graham has a long way to go to approach those kinds of numbers, but Gonzalez said the young Saint is showing that type of potential.

"I've been watching him," said Gonzalez, who'll be on the opposite sideline from Graham when the Saints visit the Falcons on Monday night. "When it's all said and done, I think he's going to be one of the best tight ends in the league if he stays healthy. He has the ability and the talent, and he seems like a real smart kid."

After playing basketball for four years at Miami, Graham played only one year of college football in 2009 while taking graduate courses. But Saints quarterback Drew Brees said that year may have been the key to Graham emerging as a trusted receiving target in his first NFL season.
"Jimmy's so much further along than Gates was when Gates first came in," Brees said, recalling how Gates, who didn't play college football, spent his first NFL season on the Chargers' practice squad.

Gates eventually became one of Brees' top targets in San Diego before Brees left for New Orleans in 2006.

"The benefit that basketball players have is most of them have pretty soft hands, so catching the ball is not a problem," Brees said. He added that basketball players have "great body control and body position on a defender," which they learn from playing offense in the low post and from rebounding.

Graham said his circus catch for a score at Baltimore reminded him of rising in transition to grab an alley-oop lob with one hand. He added, a bit bashfully, "I definitely got lucky there."

Graham said he's grateful to Gonzalez and Gates for showing NFL scouts how effectively some basketball players can transfer their skills to football.

"They kind of led the way for me and made this process a lot easier," Graham said. "I owe a lot to them."

Graham watches video of both players regularly, but said his biggest mentor now is his teammate, former Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey.
"He teaches me everything," Graham said. "He's there every day in practice and every game, telling me what I'm doing wrong."

Like Graham, Shockey played in college for Miami. The pair met while Graham was still in school and have grown close.

Shockey said Graham is blessed with natural athletic gifts - speed, height, jumping ability and good hands. What gives Graham the whole package, Shockey said, is his ability to process information quickly.

Shockey recalled some of the difficulty he had learning the play book during his rookie year with the New York Giants, when current Saints coach Sean Payton was his offensive coordinator.

"I was like, 'Damn, that's a lot of things to remember,'" Shockey said. "The first couple years, it sucked. I'm not going to lie to you. And (Graham) has done a great job with knowing what to do."

So far this season, Graham has 25 catches for 315 yards and three TDs, and Payton and Brees say he's improving rapidly.

He has also come a long way, personally, from his poor and emotionally straining childhood in North Carolina. Since Shalala honored him during commencement ceremonies at Miami, many have learned of how Graham, who never knew his father and was abandoned by his mother as a child, became a popular athletic and academic success in college. Much of the credit, Graham said, went to his adoptive mother, Becky Vinson, who was going to nursing school and living in a trailer with a daughter of her own when she took Graham in.

Now Graham, 24, has an NFL career and an apartment in downtown Miami near the Miami Heat's American Airlines Arena, which will make it easy to see his favorite player, LeBron James, after football season.

Graham also pledged that Vinson will "never have to worry about anything."

Vinson "helped me and believed in me when nobody did," Graham recalls. "I remember being a kid and everyone told me I was going to be nothing and she believed in me. I owe her everything."

Click here to order Jimmy Graham’s proCane Rookie Card.



(miamiherald.com)

Saints TE Jeremy Shockey has not done much since returning from injury and could be in for another slow game in Week 16 against the Falcons. Over his last three games, the 30-year-old has nine catches for 82 yards while rookie TE Jimmy Graham has posted 122 yards nine catches, including two touchdowns. Shockey is having a down season all around and has seen his role in the passing game diminish with the emergence of Graham. Both are tall products of Miami (FL) but the rookie has seen more looks over the last few weeks. Shockey had eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown when he faced Atlanta in Week 3, but a lot has changed since then.

Click here to order Jimmy Graham’s proCane Rookie Card.



(gridironfans.com)

Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell played his best game of the season Sunday against the Panthers, finishing with 11 tackles, including a sack. But that doesn't make up for a disappointing overall season, at least in coach Ken Whisenhunt's eyes.

"I'm not really going to get into how Calais has played or hadn't been playing," he said. "I just think the last game, it was nice to see Calais play the way that he did. What he's got to do is establish some consistency and do that, week-in and week-out. He's a good young player. On this team, where we are now, we need our guys like him to play that way more consistently."

Campbell had seven sacks in 2009, his first year as a starter, and much was expected of him this season. But he didn't play well in the first month and started splitting time with Alan Branch at right end.

Campbell believes he started playing better at midseason but that an ankle injury in late November set him back.

"I had the confidence I was going to dominate the rest of the season, but the ankle injury held me back a little bit," he said.

Click here to order Calais Campbell’s proCane Rookie Card.



(azcentral.com)

Tight end Kellen Winslow caught seven passes for 98 yards Sunday. He scored two touchdowns. He ran through and by Seahawks tacklers.

But what he wants most is something he has not yet achieved: A shot at the playoffs.

"Never," Winslow said when asked if he’d ever been to the postseason.

"It would mean everything. It’s all about that moment. We’re ready for it and I’m ready for it."

More plays like those he made Sunday would give the Bucs a chance. Winslow caught touchdowns of 10 and 21 yards, in addition to a few receptions that resulted in first downs. And his two forays into the end zone came a week after a would-be game-winning touchdown against the Lions was erased by an offensive erroneous pass-interference call. The league office notified the Bucs last week of the incorrect ruling.

Don't think Winslow had forgotten.

Asked whether the play was on his mind, Winslow said, “Most definitely. They took two (touchdowns) away from me this year. It’s unfortunate. You have to control what you can control and move on.”

Winslow’s five touchdowns this season matches a career high for him. But he’s got a lot more on his list of things he’d like to achieve. A national champion while at the University of Miami, what Winslow wants now is to win in the postseason as a pro.

"You play to win," Winslow said. “That’s the only reason to play."

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.



(tampabay.com)

Ravens safety Ed Reed was fined $10,000 for his roughing-the-passer penalty on New Orleans Drew Brees last Sunday.

The NFL disciplined Reed because "he unnecessarily struck the quarterback in the head and neck area with his forearm," a league spokesman said.

The spokesman said there was no fine for Saints defensive end Will Smith, who appeared to knee Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco in the head after getting sacked. Flacco yelled at officials after the play because they didn't throw a flag.

Click here to order Ed Reed’s proCane Rookie Card.



(baltimoreravens.com)

Bears Hall of Famer Dan Hampton says Devin Hester can make the Hall if he keeps producing as he is.

"There has not been a lot of acquiescence towards special teams players in the Hall of Fame," he said. " Jan Stenerud is in but how do you not have Ray Guy in. … Devin is producing at that level but let's not forget that the Bears took him out of that role for a long stretch because they wanted to try to make him a No. 1 wide receiver. Had he caught 70 passes he would never have gone back to his most dominant role which is as a kickoff and punt returner."

Click here to order Devin Hester’s proCane Rookie Card.



(chicagotribune.com)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is going to be the runaway winner of Comeback Player of the Year honors and may well win Most Valuable Player acclaim as well. But one of Vick's fellow starters on the 10-4 likely NFC East champion has been through much worse than the convicted felon/dog-killer.

Consider what defensive tackle Antonio Dixon endured before he even reached high school:

• Before he turned four, Dixon's father, Frazier Hawkins, a high school wrestling coach in Miami, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for drug trafficking.

• Without a high school diploma, Dixon's mother, Corenthia, was unable to secure steady employment that would have allowed her and her five children to afford to rent an apartment. So they shuttled for years between homeless shelters and between relatives in Miami and Atlanta.

• When Dixon was 11, his mother became so hooked on drugs that a social worker took the children from her and placed them in foster homes for nine months.

• Dixon attended what he believes were 15 elementary schools without learning how to read. It wasn't until he was in sixth grade that his dyslexia was discovered. He also had a severe stutter -- one that is only slightly better now that he's 25 -- that often caused other kids to tease him.

And yet, Dixon persevered. While he was attending Miami's Booker T. Washington High School, he re-established a relationship with his father and began speaking to him regularly and visiting him when possible. His mother had kicked her drug habit and found work in the kitchen of a shelter in the downtrodden Overtown neighborhood where the family had lived on and off during their worst struggles. And Dixon, who was always a big child, discovered organized football and finally learned to read. After a year at a prep school in New York following high school, Dixon enrolled at the University of Miami.

Dixon started just 10 games during his four years with the Hurricanes, but he would spend 20 hours a week in study hall in order to become the first member of his family to graduate from college. And in the spring of 2009, Dixon walked across the stage in cap and gown, a feat he topped when he was named as one of just six student-athletes nationwide to win the Wilma Rudolph Award for persistence in overcoming hurdles on and off the field.

After being bypassed in the NFL draft, Dixon signed with Washington as a rookie free agent. Although he debuted with five tackles, four for losses, in a preseason game against Baltimore, he was not in great shape even before suffering a back injury. Dixon couldn't beat the long odds of winning a job at the Redskins' deepest position and when the team cut him with the idea of grooming him on the practice squad, Philadelphia pounced and signed him to its roster.

"He was playing good for us in the preseason," said Redskins co-captain London Fletcher. "You saw him as a guy who should have made your football team and eventually work into your rotation. And we just gave him away."

To a division rival, no less. Dixon played in every game for the Eagles last year, recording 17 tackles and a sack.

"I think he's always had the ability," said Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. "He was very raw. It was really a matter of sculpting him. Sculpting his body, sculpting his technique, and really just trying to train him. It's a good story -- a very good-hearted kid who's made it from nothing, basically, and now he's a starter."

Indeed, when three-year starter Brodrick Bunkley injured an elbow during the first quarter in Week 6 at San Francisco, Dixon took over and although Bunkley was back within four weeks, Dixon has remained the starter.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity and I've just been busting my tail," said Dixon, still fighting his stutter. "I'm a way better player, technique-wise just from learning the system for a whole year. My penetration has been my best thing. Teams are using two blockers on me on almost every down because of my strength.

"I'm proud of myself, but I can't let it go to my head. I've gotta keep on working hard so I can reach my full potential. I know I've still got a long way to go. I had some problems in my life, but I never gave up. I kept on working hard and it paid off."

For the Eagles that is. One of Washington's starting tackles from 2009, Cornelius Griffin, was cut in March as was backup Anthony Montgomery. The other, Albert Haynesworth, was suspended for the rest of the season 16 days ago. Reserves Lorenzo Alexander and Kedric Golston have switched to outside linebacker and defensive end, respectively, in the Redskins' new 3-4 scheme which really could use a space-eater like Dixon at nose tackle where Ma'ake Kemoeatu came up short this year. Washington is last in overall defense, 27th against the run and headed toward at oblivion at 5-9 after going 4-12 last season.

"I don't think Dixon should have ever gotten off this roster," said Redskins center Casey Rabach who has battled him the last two seasons and raved about his playing with leverage and his bull rush. "We knew he was going to be good. Every time he was out there in preseason, it seemed like he was making plays."

Still listed at 6-foot-3 and 322 pounds, Dixon doesn't look as good as 2006 first-rounder Bunkley and he doesn't shine that often in practice, but he has 36 tackles and two sacks to Bunkley's 28 and zero.

"If you watch the film, you'd think he was a high draft pick," Golston said. "Dix was always a hard worker and he was coachable and with the ability that he had, he's thriving up in Philly. It's just a testament to the character that he has. I'm proud of him."

The Eagles, 2-2 in Bunkley's four full starts, are 7-2 with Dixon in lineup. And their defense, in the bottom third of the league in September, is 13th overall and 11th against the run.

"He hasn't that imposing, but he is tough to move," McDermott said of Dixon.

"I've always been better in games than in practice," Dixon said. "I don't know why, but when the lights come on, I'm just a different person."

And a man who has overcome so much to attain the success that he has achieved.

Click here to order Antonio Dixon’s proCane Rookie Card.



(fanhouse.com)

The Twins have announced the lineups and schedule for their winter caravan, with stops at over 60 communities within the region.

Former Twins outfielder and current radio broadcaster Dan Gladden will be joined by infielders Danny Valencia and Matt Tolbert when the caravan stops in Sioux Falls on Monday, Jan. 24. The time and site of the visits will be announced at a later date, though Sioux Falls will be the last of three stops on Jan. 24, following Sioux City and Yankton. The group will also visit Watertown the following day.

Valencia should be a good draw, as this will be the first chance for many fans to get a chance to see the youngster up close.

The 26-year-old third baseman began last year in the minor leagues, but ended up finishing third in American League Rookie-of-the-Year voting, as he gave the Twins a big boost at a position they'd struggled to fill.

In 85 games, Valencia hit .311 with seven home runs and 40 RBI.

Tolbert, 28, will compete for a utility role after bouncing back and forth between the Twins and the minor leagues in recent years. In three seasons with the Twins, Tolbert has played in 160 games, batting .246 with three home runs.

Gladden has spent several years doing color commentary on the Twins Radio Network after a memorable career as a Twins outfielder. He hit a grand slam in Game 1 of the 1987 World Series, and scored the winning run in their historic 1-0 victory over Atlanta in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.



(argusleader.com)

Cardinals outfielder Jon Jay spends his winters in Florida, where he enjoys sunny Christmases on a yearly basis. Jay checked in with MLB.com to talk about a few of his favorite things at Christmastime, including the Cuban Christmas traditions of his family and the football team of his beloved University of Miami.

MLB.com: Where will you be spending Christmas this year? With whom?
Jay: I'll be at my parents' house on Christmas Day. We get together. I've got a couple of little cousins, and we just kind of hang out all day.

MLB.com: What are you asking for this year?
Jay: I don't really ask for much. I do much more giving these days.
Our biggest celebration is on the 24th. We have a Cuban tradition; we celebrate Christmas Eve. It's called Noche Buena. We cook a pig, so we'll be doing that with my family at my grandparents' house.

MLB.com: What's your favorite Christmas memory from when you were a kid?
Jay: I think every Christmas was fun, getting all geared up, waiting for the gifts under the Christmas tree. I don't have one specific one. I think every Christmas was good.

MLB.com: What's your favorite holiday-time food or drink?
Jay: My favorite is the Cuban tradition. We cook the pig, and I really enjoy eating the pig with the traditional rice and beans, especially since nowadays I tend to stay away from that kind of food.

MLB.com: You're from Florida -- have you ever had a white Christmas?
Jay: Never had a white Christmas. We usually have a sunny Christmas around here.

MLB.com: Do you prefer traditional carols or modern rock and pop holiday songs?
Jay: I'm not really into either, but I like traditional carols more.

MLB.com: Is this a big vacation time of year for you?
Jay: I usually stay home and hang out with family. I like to get away a few days after Christmas, do a little traveling. This year, I'm going down to the Florida Keys. I'm heading down the 28th, and I'll spend New Year's down there.

MLB.com: So that means you won't be going to Miami's bowl game?
Jay: No, I won't be going, but I'll be glued to a TV.



(mlb.com)

Tamara James spent most of December in a country where she ``forgot'' it was Christmas season, and will endure New Year's Eve stuck on a plane flying halfway around the world.

But there is one celebration she won't miss.

James, now a pro basketball star in Israel, will be showered with love and appreciation on Thursday as the University of Miami will lift her No. 2 jersey up to the rafters.

James' jersey will be the third retired in the history of the Hurricanes' women's basketball program, joining Maria Rivera (1984-1988) and Frances Savage (1988-1992).

``It hasn't quite hit home yet,'' said James, a 5-9 guard and the Canes' all-time leading scorer. ``Me? Tamara James? Wow.''

James, who will fly back to Israel on Friday, will be honored in between the Canes' 6 p.m. men's game against Pepperdine and the women's 8 p.m. matchup vs. Morgan State.

``I'm thrilled for Tamara,'' Miami coach Katie Meier said. ``I've been waiting for this moment to recognize a young lady who chose to stay at home and change the face of the UM program.''

Meier said she hoped ``all of South Florida will come out to celebrate this incredible young woman.''

James' friends and family will certainly do their part. Her parents, grandmother, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, close friends and about 100 members of her church have promised to attend.

Missing will be her boyfriend -- who also plays basketball in Israel but does not get a Christmas break -- and the coaches and players at South Broward High, her alma mater.

``I'm upset about it, but [South Broward] has a tournament out of town,'' James said. ``So I understand.''

South Broward is where James first rose to prominence, leading the Bulldogs to three state titles (2000-2002).

James became an immediate hit at UM, leading the Big East in scoring (21.0) as a freshman. She went on to earn first-team honors in the Big East and ACC before the Washington Mystics made her the eighth pick of the 2006 WNBA Draft.

ROCKY ROAD
That's when James faced the biggest obstacle of her career. As a rookie, she got just 7.4 minutes per game from coach Richie Adubato and averaged only 2.7 points. The numbers improved slightly the next season -- 12.9 minutes and 5.4 points.

But it was her last hurrah in the WNBA.

``I'm pretty sure I'm done with the WNBA,'' James said. ``I didn't have the best experience, but I'm fine with that.''

James believes her WNBA career was brief because she struggled to adjust from college star to pro reserve.

``I sat the bench my whole rookie year,'' James said. ``That killed my spirits and made me question myself. Issues with the coach made me not want to be there. I handled myself unprofessionally.

``My second year, I had a pretty decent season. But in my third year, when it came down to keeping me or someone else, my past came back, and I paid for it.''

Israel has been much kinder to James. In five games with Maccabi Ashdod this season, she is averaging 20.8 points and 9.0 rebounds, making 54.7 percent of her shots.

James said the competition in the WNBA is tougher than overseas because there are more Americans. But even in Israel, she is routinely matched up against other well-established Americans.

Basketball aside, she is enjoying her experience in Israel.

``I live three minutes from the beach -- you can see it from my apartment,'' said James, who added that the average temperature is about 72 degrees. ``Pretty much everyone speaks English. The food is OK, but I love to cook, so it doesn't really matter.

``There is a lot of support for women's basketball here. It's different than in America. Over here, they are really into the game.''

James said she had security concerns when she decided to play in Israel. Her perception of the country was ``constant war,'' but she said she was wrong and hasn't had any scary incidents.

Christmas in Israel, however, has been a adjustment for James, who said she has seen few if any decorations to mark the event.
``I've seen maybe two Christmas trees in a store,'' she said.

FACING THE FUTURE
James, 26, said she wants to play professionally for two or three more years before moving on. A theater major, she has her degree from UM, but she's not sure what's next.

``Last summer, I had a financing job in Dania Beach,'' she said. ``I liked it a lot, but I'm not sure I'm ready for a 9-to-5 job.''

One thing she is ready for is Thursday night.

``I'm humbled,'' she said of the ceremony. ``And I'm grateful.''



(miamiherald.com)