Every Thursday Night proCanes.com joins All Canes Radio to bring the latest news on not only current Hurricane football but also proCane news and exclusive interviews with current and former proCanes live from the Titanic Brewery in Coral Ga Gables. Click here to listen to this week’s show and hear our exclusive interview with former Hurricane great Safety Maurice Sikes. Sikes tell is how it is in our interview as he doesn’t hold back while talking about the current state of the Hurricanes while also talking about the glory days that he was part of. The Beast also had a one-on-one interview with World Series Champ Jon Jay.

This article appears in ESPN The Magazine's Dec. 12, 2011 "Interview Issue."

WICKERSHAM: Where do you think you rank all-time among safeties?
REED: Ah, man. I don't know. I guess up there with the greats.

The play that put you on the map came in 2001, your senior year at Miami. Fourth quarter, you're up 12-7 and Boston College has the ball first and goal. Brian St. Pierre throws a slant, which is intercepted by defensive tackle Matt Walters. But as he's tackled, you strip the ball and return it for a TD. So you intercepted an interception? Let's make this right for the record. I didn't take it. Matt looked up, last moment, and gave me the ball. BC robbed us the year before, so we had to cover the spread.

Who are the toughest QBs to read? Brady. Peyton. Brees. Rivers. Palmer.

The easiest? Younger guys -- and most of the QBs in Cleveland.

What are the keys to reading a QB's eyes? You can't. It's a misconception. If he looks a certain way, you might think about going that way, but until he commits, you can't move. My first DB coach with the Ravens, Donnie Henderson, said, "If you break on the ball, you're never wrong." I can't say I always do it perfectly, but it all comes back to being disciplined.

You use the word "disciplined," but on many of your best plays you seem to be freelancing. Are you? I'm never truly freelancing. Most safeties just try to cover ground; I try to make a play and cover ground. To do that, you gotta know where your help is. That comes with practice, games and confidence.

Bill Belichick complimented you in 2009 on an out route that you jumped in a wild-card win over the Dolphins the previous season. You didn't break on the ball; you broke before it was thrown. How was that disciplined? They ran an out route in the first quarter, but the QB [Chad Pennington] didn't throw that route. Everything in football is about running one play to set up another, so in the third quarter, I was in the middle of the field, saw the play and ran to the sideline for the interception. It was a disciplined play within the defense.

What's the biggest difference between playing corner and safety? Corner isn't as mental. We have to get people lined up, make checks and adjustments. Corners are at their best playing brain-dead.

Sluggers often say they can feel a home run as the ball arrives at their bat. Do you feel that way about interceptions? Before the snap, when I'm feeling it and they've thrown a couple of times to a certain receiver, I'll yell, "It's time!"

As you age and your physical gifts decrease, how do you compensate? In the off-season, a few other guys and I work with Dr. Clayton Gibson and his antiaging program in Miami every day for four hours. We do acupuncture, chiropractic work, foot detoxes ...

A foot detox? We put our feet in a bucket of hot water and salt for 30 minutes to nourish our muscles. I was born to do this. This is the talent that the Lord has blessed me with, and I want to take care of myself because football will be only a small part of my life.


(espn.com)

Chicago Bears star Devin Hester’s famous on-field moves couldn’t save him from a cheap shot when he ran into Daniel C. Rago in a Des Plaines casino.

The 52-year-old Rago — described by his attorney as a “huge Devin Hester fan” — pleaded guilty to battery Thursday for slapping Hester across the back of his head on Oct. 14.

Rago didn’t recognize the Bears wideout and kick returner at the Rivers Casino, but confronted him because he mistakenly thought Hester had cut in front of other people in a cashier’s line, Rago’s attorney said.

“He’s a huge Bears fan and a huge Devin Hester fan. He feels very bad about what happened,” attorney Frank Kostouros said of the Mount Prospect man.

After pleading guilty to the misdemeanor offense, Rago was sentenced to serve one year of conditional discharge — a form of probation — and also was fined $315 and ordered to perform 80 hours of community service work.

Cook County Judge Marguerite Quinn also ordered Rago to undergo an anger management evaluation.

Prosecutor Kimberly Przekota said Rago smacked Hester across the head and called him a “moron” in a clash she described as “insulting and unprovoked.”

Hester didn’t retaliate after the run-in, except to tell Rago not to touch him again, Przekota said.

Rago declined to comment after his brief court hearing, but his attorney called the 10:30 p.m. altercation “a complete misunderstanding.”

Rago thought Hester had jumped the cashier’s line when he in fact had been moved into a VIP line, prompting another man to step ahead of several people already waiting, Kostouros said.

“He’s just a suburban sports fan who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he did something stupid,” Kostouros said, describing Rago as “a very good guy.”

Rago, who is married with four children and works as a salesman, faced a maximum sentence of a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

At Bears practice in Lake Forest Thursday afternoon, Hester declined comment on Rago’s plea and sentencing.

Earlier, Hester was in the Skokie courthouse to discuss the case with prosecutors, but he wasn’t in the courtroom for Rago’s plea.

If Rago had recognized Hester in the casino, there would have been no trouble, Kostouros insisted.

“He said he probably would have hugged Devin if he’d recognized him,” Kostouros said. “He’s a big fan.”


(suntimes.com)

Colin McCarthy has proven to be a very good football player as a Titans’ rookie middle linebacker. So much so he might wind up a magician, too. He might make injured veteran Barrett Ruud disappear.

McCarthy’s been the Titans' guy in the middle for the bulk of the past three games, and he’s been an upgrade over Ruud, who has missed time with a groin injury.

A fourth-round pick out of Miami, McCarthy’s an instinctive playmaker who is Tennessee's third rookie in the starting lineup on defense, joining defensive tackle Jurrell Casey and strongside linebacker Akeem Ayers.

Wednesday, both defensive coordinator Jerry Gray and linebackers coach Frank Bush offered big praise of McCarthy, who’s been reporting to work as early as 5:30 a.m.

“I think if he had come from another university other than the University of Miami -- those guys work with a swagger, and I am serious,” Gray said. “He feels like he belongs there. He’s not afraid to get up in front of the huddle and tell those guys, 'Shut up, let’s go.' That’s what it takes out of a middle linebacker -- ‘Just because I am a rookie doesn’t mean I am going to be a shy guy.’”

Said Bush: “He’s done an excellent job coming in and really not being intimidated by the gravity of the whole situation. It’s a tough job to come into a veteran group and be a rookie leader, and he’s done a good job being himself. He’s got a little bit of swagger, a little bit of confidence and all the guys seem to be listening to him.”

McCarthy’s more of a force in the run defense, but he’s also on the field when the Titans go to two linebackers in nickel or just one in dime, so he’s able against the pass as well.

In the three games -- two starts and an early entry as Ruud’s replacement when he aggravated his injury -- McCarthy’s got 33 tackles, four for a loss and an interception.

So long as he's healthy, McCarthy should remain in the spot.

His production is earning him the ultimate, simple praise from teammates that means a lot at the start of a career.

“He’s a player,” safety Jordan Babineaux said.


(espn.com)

Ray Lewis, the Raven’s linebacker, has already missed two games and hasn’t been coming to practice because of a hurt toe.

While it may be hard to believe a toe injury could sideline such a player, doctors say “turf toe” can end careers.

It’s called turf toe because it’s associated with American football players who get hurt on artificial turf. Often a player has his foot planted and another player lands on the back of his calf, driving the toe to hyper-extend.

Dr. Rebecca Cerrato, a surgeon in the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center, said the degree of injury matters. Turf toe is basically a sprain of the ligaments that line the bottom of the big toe joint and it’s graded like any other sprain.

Grade 1 is when the ligaments are partially stretched and it’s considered mild. Grade 2 is a partial tear but not fully ruptured. Grade 3 is usually a complete rupture and maybe some breaks in the little bones in the area.

“The grade has a lot to do with how quickly they can come back,” said Cerrato, adding the injury is typically diagnosed with an X-ray.

Players with a grade 1 sprain can often return by the end of the game if they have no pain. The vast majority with grade 2 sprains are out for weeks as the swelling and pain subside. The toes need to be without pain and have a range of motion. They are often protected with tape and shoes that don’t allow the toe to lift up, Cerrato said.

Grade 3 injuries often need surgery. They are season-ending and can affect a career, said Cerrato, who has not treated Lewis and does not know the extent of his injury. Though, she said, since he’s been out two weeks already, it’s not likely a mild injury.

“The reason it’s debilitating is because an athlete needs to accelerate and change directions quickly, which requires pushing off of the toe,” she said. “That is definitely extremely difficult and painful.”

Athletes who try and play through the pain can more severely injure themselves and develop chronic long-standing problems with the joint, she said.

Athletes that want to avoid turf toe should avoid hard, inflexible artificial turf – which isn’t always an option. Cleats with stiff soles may also help.


(baltimoresun.com)

The New Orleans Saints announced today that second-year tight end Jimmy Graham has been voted by his teammates as the 2011 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award.

The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of neglected children and ending the cycle of abuse. The purpose is to raise Awareness and Prevention of child abuse. That objective is coupled with the Foundation's commitment to celebrating players of inspiration in the NFL.

Since its inception the Foundation through its charter with the Courage House National Support Network for Kids, and an affiliation with the National Football League and Professional Football Athletics Trainers Society has helped to provide hope to countless children and raised millions of dollars.

Graham, a 6-6, 260 pound native of Goldsboro, N.C., graduated from the University of Miami with degrees in both marketing and management in 2009. He was selected by the Saints in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft after playing just one year of college football. Prior to that, Graham was a four-year letterman for the Hurricanes in basketball. Graham spent portions of his childhood living in a group home before being taken in by a legal guardian, Rebecca Vinson. Despite putting herself through nursing school and overcoming financial struggles of her own, Vinson helped mentor and stress the importance of education to Graham while providing him with a caring home.

"The Ed Block Courage Award is one of the most prestigious awards an NFL player receives because it is voted on by his peers," said Saints' Head Athletic Trainer Scottie B. Patton. "The award is a testament to overcoming adversity, whether it is through setbacks on the field or through challenges they have overcome in their lives. Jimmy has touched the lives of so many people he has come into contact with in his short time here and we all recognize and pay tribute to the amazing contributions he has made to our organization."

Graham currently leads the Saints' in receptions (67), receiving yards (967) and touchdowns (eight). Graham is the second-leading receiver in the NFL, trailing only New England Patriots WR Wes Welker (82) in receptions.

"He is an amazing person," said Saints' QB and co-captain Drew Brees. "He is humble, hard-working and I think we all recognize some of the challenges he faced growing up. He doesn't take things for granted and he inspires all of us."

"When I see Jimmy, I see perseverance," said LB Jonathan Vilma, the Saints' recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in 2008 and a co-captain. "He is very dedicated, shows up every day and wants to get better. The adversity he has overcome in his life is something that should serve as inspiration to anyone who is facing tough times. He draws on it and it fuels him. He had every excuse to go the other way in his life. Instead he chose education, he chose to be a great person and to do the best at what's he's doing. And, he genuinely wants to help people. He has a great heart and a smile on his face. He knows he can make a positive difference in peoples' lives and he quietly goes about doing that."

"One of the things we pride ourselves on is having the right type of people in our locker room," said co-captain DE Will Smith. "Here's a guy you look up to, even though he's just in his second year. He's passionate about playing and learning this game and what he's doing is remarkable. Yet, you never hear him talking about himself. He puts the team ahead of everything else and he fits right in. He's a guy that likes to joke around at the right times, but he's all business when you boil it all down."

"I am rarely at a loss for words," Graham said. "But this is very special. I think anytime the people that you work with every day think highly enough of you to vote for a prestigious award such as the Ed Block Courage Award that it's very special. There are a lot of players in this locker room, as well as coaches, trainers and the people that are here to support our team on a daily basis that have overcome or are battling with tough breaks in their lives. Do I more deserve this more than they do? I don't know, but I do know that there have been some really amazing people in my life that took an interest in me at a young age and helped get my life headed in the right direction. I feel an obligation to them to be the best I can be and maximize the God-given abilities I have been blessed with."

Graham will be honored, along with recipients of the other 31 NFL teams, at the Ed Block Courage Awards in Baltimore, Maryland 2012.


(sportnola.com)

Two offensive starters returned to practice today for the Broncos, but star rookie linebacker Von Miller remains out while recovering from thumb surgery.

Running back Willis McGahee and wide receiver Eddie Royal joined teammates for practice in the South Suburban Sports Dome, where practice was moved because of heavy snow. McGahee missed Wednesday's practice with an illness, while Royal was held out with a toe injury.

McGahee is on track to play Sunday in Minnesota, while Royal will likely remain questionable up until game time.


(denverpost.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Three takeaways from captain Vince Wilfork's news conference at Gillette Stadium on Thursday (11:30 a.m.):

1. Andre Carter's impact. Wilfork was asked what Carter (11th NFL season) has brought to the team, and he touched on his veteran leadership and how he's been an example for others to follow. Wilfork has noticed Carter's work ethic. "That’s one thing that I’ve taken from him, as a veteran myself, just being able to work every day, however your body feels, just fighting through," he said. "That’s what he’s brought and it shows. On Sunday, it shows. He’s 100 miles per hour. The guy never gets tired. We all have to pull our own weight, but just by seeing a guy work like that, however long he’s been in the league, makes it easier for us to go out and contribute."

2. Starting fast, finishing strong. Regardless of record, Wilfork said any time the Patriots face the Colts it means something, and added that he feels the Patriots have a target on their back. He called it a rivalry game. One of the themes this week from the coaching staff is to "start fast" and "finish strong", as 60 minutes of football has been stressed.

3. Channeling his inner Belichick. Wilfork expressed surprise that the Colts are 0-11. "Looking at the guys on film, it’s tough to see [why] they haven’t won a game, to be honest with you, because they’re making plays, but it’s just the little things," he said. "That’s one thing I’m looking at from my point of view. They have the plays downfield, they have the big runs and stuff like that, but it’s just the little things that are holding them back. I’m pretty sure they’re saying the same thing and they’re absolutely right. ... Trust me, you’re not looking at a terrible football team when you’re looking at 0-11 or the Indianapolis Colts this year."


(espn.com)

It didn’t take tight end Fred Davis long to notice the Santana Moss affect at all. While running routes on the first series of the game against Seattle last Sunday, Davis – the Redskins’ leading pass-catcher this season – noticed that he had more room to work with.

Davis had three catches for 53 yards and a touchdown on that opening series. He believes a lot of it has to do with Moss being back on the field for the first time in five weeks because of a broken hand.

“They double-teamed me a lot recently,” Davis said. “But having ’Tana back definitely helps. Hell yeah.”

Moss had four catches for 29 yards. Meanwhile, fellow wide receiver Jabar Gaffney had five catches for 72 yards, running back Roy Helu had seven catches for 54 yards and Anthony Armstrong had a catch for 50 yards and a touchdown to lead the Redskins.

Moss said last week that he hoped to have an impact either by making catches for creating for his teammates, so he accomplished both to a degree.

“I hear from other guys that they get other coverages or looks, but I can never really tell my affect,” Moss said. “All I’m doing is running, trying to beat my guy. If I get two or three guys watching me, then that’s a plus for us, I can say.”

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said that he didn’t notice defenders necessarily double-teaming Moss, but said, “It’s just good to have him out there, Tana’s our captain, one of the best players on our team, a guy we trust a lot and go to a lot, so it’s good to have him out there. It gives everybody more confidence.”

Moss said although he had a decent showing, he still has areas to improve upon so he can gain effectiveness.

“I’m going to be building every day on being more polished in everything I do. … One thing about this game, is you can miss one game and not be as sharp as you were before,” Moss said. “So missing four, I’m going to have to pay attention to detail a little more. And make sure everything I do, I know how to do it.”

Moss said he can afford to patiently work his way back into form because of the other weapons that the Redskins have on the roster.

“I’m cool with knowing I have other guys that can make plays,” Moss said. “I’ve been the guy for so many years that it made it hard for me to do anything. Everyone was depending on me and I had guys just making sure I didn’t have a chance to get open. So now, it’s kinda cool to have guys like Gaffney and Stallworth and all those guys can just come in and make plays any time they come in.”


(washingtonpost.com)

DAVIE — Not much changed here at practice today.

For the second straight day, guard Vernon Carey was the only player to sit out. Carey continues to recover from a sprained ankle he sustained in last week’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The percentage improves of Nate Garner stepping in Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

The good news for the Dolphins is there isn’t much drop-off from Carey to Garner, who have filled in nicely when called upon. We’ll have an update on Carey’s status later today.

Among the other positives was kicker Dan Carpenter seemed closer to 100 percent, perhaps his first full participation since injuring his groin two weeks ago. He could come in handy Sunday in what could be deemed as the Field Goal Bowl based on last week’s performances. The Dolphins and Raiders combined for 10 3-pointers. This isn’t good unless we’re talking about basketball. In the Raiders’ case, at least they were able to win.


(sun-sentinel.com)

With no Bill Belichick press conference on Thursdays, one of the team's defensive captains steps to the podium. Today it was Vince Wilfork.

While the Patriots' defense has shown improvement in recent games, Wilfork said the unit is not content.

"I think you can ask any football team or any professional team, ’Are you satisfied with where you are?’ and you’re never satisfied but you have to keep striving, you definitely have to, to be the best you can be — individually and as a team," He said. "If you just look at film on yourself and critique yourself, it makes the team better. The last thing you want to do is go out there and put the team in a situation where they can’t trust you. That’s one thing we preach around here is, ’Make sure you’re doing your job because the guy next to you is depending on you.’ When we do that, things work out great, but when we don’t, we have problems; it’s a breakdown. That’s one area where you can always continue to get better at. Each day, find something you can get better at and it starts with yourself. Don’t look at the big picture; take care of the little things, the little technique stuff, the little conditioning, whatever it may be. That’s small because the small stuff always takes care of the big things and that’s one thing we’ve been doing."


(boston.com)

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Glenn Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of JACO, the elite performance sports brand that designs apparel for high performance hybrid training, today announced that the NFL's Jonathan Vilma, linebacker for the Super Bowl XLIV Champions, the New Orleans Saints, has joined JACO as its newest Brand Ambassador.

Vilma joins Team JACO just as the company prepares for global expansion, as well as the debut of a new line of athletic apparel that covers training needs from head-to-toe.  Vilma will be among the very first to reveal and wear the new line of athletic wear slated for 2012 release, including new, yet-to-be-released JACO athletic footwear tailored specifically for hybrid training.

"I discovered JACO after seeing it on some of the MMA guys, and I tried it, both in training and just in wearing it around in everyday life, and it performs," said Vilma.  "For my NFL workouts, JACO gives me the smooth fit that all athletes want, but it also allows for motion and movement, not restricting working muscles, which is so important in professional sports. I like it, it looks sharp, and I can relate to JACO. I think it has great potential if we put in the hard work, and since Glenn Robinson is backing it, I think the sky is the limit with this company."

"It goes without saying that we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Jonathan Vilma to the JACO team," said Robinson. "I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with such a talented athlete and gain his insight as we continue to craft the new JACO for hybrid training, and introduce it to the world in 2012. With Jonathan's broad visibility and his depth of expertise as a high performance athlete, we are well on our way to establishing JACO as a major player in hybrid training."

Vilma joins former UFC light heavyweight champion "Suga" Rashad Evans as a JACO Brand Ambassador. In this capacity, Vilma will not only represent JACO as a professional football player, he will also provide input to the design team researching and developing the JACO line. He will often premiere new clothing and footwear via the JACO Clothing website, and he will appear in national advertising and public relations campaigns.

Vilma, a native of Coral Gables, Florida, has been an NFL linebacker for the New Orleans Saints since February 2009. Last year, he was a key defensive player as the Saints charged through the regular season. When the team met the Indianapolis Colts for the Super Bowl XLIV Championship, Vilma made a key defensive audible and deflected a pass on 3rd and 11 in the fourth quarter to lead the Saints to their victory.  In 2010, he competed in the Pro Bowl as a last-minute replacement for the injured Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers.

Originally drafted by the New York Jets, Vilma was selected 12th in the 2004 NFL Draft. That same year, he was named the Associated Press' NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Football Digest Defensive Rookie of the Year, Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team, and the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Month (November). The following year, 2005, he led the NFL in tackles with 169 and competed in the 2005 Pro Bowl.
Prior to joining the NFL, Vilma played college football at the University of Miami. Starting in 2000 as middle linebacker, he led the team in tackles for three straight years from 2001-2003.  Along with his success on the field, Vilma was a three-time Academic All-Big East Conference. He earned a Bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Miami's School of Business Administration.

In 2010, after the devastating earthquake struck the Island of Haiti, Vilma was moved to assist in the massive rebuilding efforts. He started "The Jonathan Vilma Foundation," to raise funds for Haiti, and remains very committed to this cause.
For more information about Jonathan Vilma, please visit www.JonVilma.com.


(prnewswire.com)

Yonder Alonso told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that he has lost 18 pounds this offseason.

The hope is that losing the weight will allow him to be more spry as he continues his transition to left field. "That’s part of being a professional," said Alonso. "You do what you’ve got to do to play and get ready for the season. I’ve been doing that." The 24-year-old is major-league ready with the bat, but has struggled to find a position with Joey Votto blocking first base. His name continues to float in trade rumors and a change in scenery may be the best thing that could happen to him from a fantasy perspective.


(rotoworld.com)

A month after helping the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series in a thrilling seven-game set, outfielder Jon Jay was back in the weight room for the first time Thursday to begin preparing for another title run next season.

Jay took a few minutes Thursday to chat about the World Series, how he's spent the last month and the Cardinals chances of repeating again in 2012.

FSMidwest: Has it sunk in yet that you are a World Champion?
Jay: I don't know. It's just been weird. I guess not, haha. Not really. Everywhere I go, people are fired up and congratulating me but I don't think it's sunk in. It was just a crazy run with how everything went, being down 2-1 to Philly and then going to Milwaukee and then the World Series and being down 3-2. I plan on having my buddies over in the next few weeks and watching all the highlights and go through all the games because I haven't really had the time to do that.

FS Midwest: So you haven't seen any highlights or watched a replay of any of the playoff games?
Jay: I haven't seen anything. I've been so busy running around and traveling and going different places and I started working out today officially so Im' going to get back in the swing of things and in the next two weeks I'll try to watch everything.

FSMidwest: How different has this offseason been compared to others?
Jay: It's a hundred times different. First of all, that extra month we played in the playoffs was awesome and great, but that kind of delayed everything as far as workouts go because usually I start in the middle of November so that got pushed back a little bit. Just going around and seeing everybody and my family and being at home here in Miami, I can't even explain how crazy its been. It's been nice. I went to the U (University of Miami), I went to my high school, it's just been a lot of fun.

FSMidwest: You mentioned starting your workouts later than usual this year because the season went longer?
Jay: I'm definitely starting later than usual. I took a good four weeks off. I learned a lot after the 2009 season and before my rookie year in 2010 because I went to Venezuela straight after the Triple-A season when we won the championship there and I only took a week off that year and got right back into it which was something I learned from because I think I got kind of tired down at the end of the year in 2012, just mentally. You need that mental break sometimes and I didn't have it so this year I took four weeks off. I was happy to get back in the wight room and back to running and getting in shape again.

FSMidwest: You worked out back at the University of Miami, right? Any other players down there working out with you?
Jay: We've got Yonder Alonzo from the Reds, Manny Machado, a top prospect with the Orioles, a couple other guys. We got a good group and some Miami baseball players and the football team is working out in there so its nice. I felt great. I felt awesome. I told these guys they had been working out for a month so I thought they were going to blow me away but I was the one showing them up out there.

FSMidwest: You recently got engaged. Congratulations on that.
Jay: Thanks. It's been an unbelievable year with everything and I was happy to do that. I'm really happy about that, me and my fianceé. She was definitely surprised. It was nice how it all worked out, but now its time to get ready for the season.

FSMidwest: You hoster a party in Miami with a shoe company down there where you signed autographs and interacted with fans. How was that?
Jay: It was nice. It went well. I just wanted to do something at home where people could come out and say hi and sign some autographs. We had a DJ and it was like a celebratory party down here. I was surprised how many St. Louis fans were down here, either students at the U or people who were fans. A lot of people came out and said hi, it was a lot of fun. I'm currently planning a charity bowling event for January.

FSMidwest: Looking back at the season, when you guys were 10.5 games out in August, did you guys think it was over?
Jay: I honestly didn't think it was over because you know how baseball is, anything can happen, like we saw. When you look at the guys we had around, these are guys that aren't going to give in and quit and Tony always preaches, from Carp to Albert and just the whole team. That was something special this year, We were all on the same page and had the same goals, which was to win. It didn't matter who was starting and who was doing what role, we never had anyone complaining and we just enjoyed being at the field and I think that was a big key this year.

FSMidwest: When did you start to realize that you guys had a chance?
Jay: Once we started gaining ground, every time we got a game closer, a game closer, we could feel it in the clubhouse. We had no pressure on us. We just went out there and had fun and played good baseball.  Obviously we were paying attention to the Braves but we knew we had to take care of our business first and luckily everything worked out for us.

FSMidwest: So many games and moments stand out from the playoff run. What's the one that stands out most to you?
Jay: Every game was crazy, honestly. Just going into Philly with that pitching staff they have, that lineup they have, that bullpen, I mean they had a great team, the best record in baseball and we were able to go in there and pull it out, that was big. Then the same thing with Milwaukee, they had a great offense with Braun and Prince and all the other guys and we were able to go in there to their place where they are almost unbeatable and be able to take some games from them there. Then the Rangers, we both had great teams. It was just a crazy, crazy playoffs. It was just amazing what we did.

FSMidwest: How many times in Game 6 did you think you had lost?
Jay: I honestly didn't think we were done. Its not over until its over and I always tell everybody at home who asks that but you look at the field and you look in the dugout and our reactions, we never gave up we never had that slouch or body language where it was like, ‘Oh man this is over'. We just believed and believed and kept fighting.

FSMidwest: How cool was it to be a part of a game like that, one that will be talked about forever?
Jay: Definitely. It was great. I have so many people telling me that they never watch baseball but they watched us in the World Series because it was so crazy and just to be a part of history and you look at our team, with Albert and Matt and Yadi and Carp and just go around and look at what they've done in their careers, for me to be a part of it, it was something special for me.

FSMidwest: Have you ever been a part of a team that was so close? It just seemed like you guys all really liked each other?
Jay: It's been a while, not since college. And in 2009 in Memphis we had a similar season but I've never seen anything like this year, where everybody got a long and it was just a lot of fun to show up to the ballpark every day.  It was just a great group of guys and we all gelled.

FSMidwest: What was that like when Tony La Russa called you guys into the weight room after the parade and told you he was retiring?
Jay: It was definitely a weird feeling because we thought it was going to be a normal tony speech, 'We won the Series and enjoy the time off and get ready for next year', stuff like that, but it caught all of us by surprise. Everyone was shocked. It was a weird feeling. Everybody was shocked and it was just weird.

FSMidwest: What was your reaction when you heard Mike Matheny got the job?
Jay: I'm happy because I've never heard a bad thing about Mike. Everybody knows his reputation and how hard he played and how hard he worked and I've seen him at Spring Training working with the catchers at 5am. I've gotten to know him a little bit over the years and I've always had great conversations and I'm looking forward to playing under him. I feel like we have a pretty good relationship but it can definitely grow. I'm just excited about the direction we're going. Honestly with Carp and Lance and all the veterans we have coming back, we have a pretty good system in place.

FSMidwest: What are your thoughts on the club's chances of repeating?
Jay: I think we have a good chance and that's what you want going into spring training. We're going to have a chance to get back to the playoffs and see what happens. Everybody is excited.

FSMidwest: When you win it all, does it make you even hungrier to do it again?
Jay: Definitely. The feeling you get and how you are received by everyone, it's just awesome to accomplish such a big goal like that. I'm really looking forward to next season and taking it one day at a time and hopefully going on another run again.


(foxposrtsmidwest.com)

Ryan Braun’s Graffito made changes to its happy hour this week: It runs 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, with $5 small plates from the dinner menu for noshing and $2 domestic bottled beers, $3 imports and $5 martinis for imbibing.

Graffito is at 102 N. Water St. in Milwaukee.


(jsonline.com)

Colin McCarthy MLB: It seems like the further you go down the draft report, the better value you see. Colin McCarthy looks like a stud and has amassed 33 tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and 4 tackles for loss. All of that has come from only 10 quarters of play. He has played amazing football and looks to fill the hole at MLB that the Titans have had since Keith Bulluck left.  Not only that but coaches say he, along with Jake Locker, is the first guy in the door and the and the last one out, going over opponent film, game plans and play calls. Had other GM's known he would be playing at this high of a level he would have been a top tier pick, but the Titans managed to get another late gem at pick number 109.


(tnjn.com)

Kenny Phillips doesn’t think his hit on Jimmy Graham Monday night was illegal. But the Giants safety still expects a fine from the NFL.

“I’m probably gonna get one,” Phillips said. “Some of my friends around the league have texted me and said they’re gonna help me out. So I might be all right.”

Phillips said he doesn’t deserve a fine because, “I don’t hit people illegally. I didn’t lead with the helmet. I didn’t launch at him. It wasn’t helmet to helmet. I was just trying to separate him from the ball.

The only problem is, video replays don’t exactly support that. What they do show is Phillips leveling Graham early in the fourth quarter after the Saints tight end ran a slant and had the coverage beat in the seam. Their helmets clearly touched -- Graham braced himself -- as the violent collision ensued. Flags were immediately thrown.

Graham stayed down on the ground for a bit. Phillips went over to see how he was. The Saints didn’t realize that was the Giants safety’s intension, so they went over and pushed him out of the way.

“I went to school with Jimmy,” Phillips said, harkening back to their days at “The U.” “We actually came into college together and were friends, even though he played basketball. I was just trying to make sure he was all right. He was. We laughed about it after the game.

“The Saints didn’t know we were friends and teammates. But between the lines you gotta do what you gotta do. We kinda joked about it after the game.”

Phillips has already been fined twice this season for a total of $30,000. He hung those two letters from the league in his locker with the words, “Help Me!” attached.


(espn.com)

A man suspected of twice burglarizing the home of a Denver Broncos football player has been arrested.

Jamaica Jamal Crowe, 36, turned himself in to Lone Tree police early this morning, according to a media release from the city.

The arrest was made without incident, Lone Tree officials said, and Crowe is being held at the Douglas County Jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.

The home of D.J. Williams, a Broncos linebacker, has been burglarized twice, according to police, in the past two months.

Crowe is accused of breaking into Williams' home and stealing electronics and other small items Oct. 30 and Nov. 4.


(denverpost.com)

For six seasons, receiver Andre Johnson and cornerback Dunta Robinson went at it during practice.

On Sunday, Robinson, who plays for the Atlanta Falcons, will cover Johnson.

“As you guys know, me and him are good friends,” Johnson said. “I talked to him Saturday. It’ll be different, but it’ll be fun. It’ll be different because I’m used to having him as a teammate.
“At at the same time, we both have a goal we’re trying to achieve, and that’s to help our team win. The friendship will go out the window.”


(chron.com)

Willis McGahee's absence from Broncos practice Wednesday was due to illness, and not an ankle injury.

The wrap McGahee was seen sporting on his ankle Monday was apparently only a precaution. He should return to practice on Thursday, and be no worse than questionable on Friday's injury report. You should be able to start him as you normally would against the Vikings.


(rotoworld.com)

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis missed practice again today, and he’s likely to miss his third straight game on Sunday with a toe injury. But he said after practice that he’s still holding out hope for a return soon.

“I’m doing everything I can to get back and help this team get where we want to go,” Lewis said.

Lewis seems to be somewhat optimistic that he can play this season — maybe even Sunday at Cleveland — but there are others in Baltimore who think that’s unlikely.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Lewis is “probably the guy that’s furthest away” among the Ravens’ injured players, and former teammate Jonathan Ogden, who was plagued by a toe injury late in his career, is urging Lewis not to rush back onto the field.

And so it remains to be seen, as the Ravens march toward the playoffs, whether their longtime defensive leader will be a part of it, or if he’ll be watching from the sideline.


(profootballtalk.com)

This Date In Hurricanes History…November 30, 1985
 
Brought to you by the UM Sports Hall of Fame!

The 4th ranked Miami Hurricanes closed out the 1985 regular season with a 58-7 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish...the largest margin of defeat ever for the Irish !  UMSHoF member Coach Jimmy Johnson's squad tied a then school record with their 10th regular season victory in front of an Orange Bowl crowd of 49, 236 and a national television audience.  The Canes would be ranked #2 in the final regular season polls and accept a bid to play in their first ever Sugar Bowl game against Tennessee.

It was total domination on both sides of the football.  Miami scored on EVERY possession, except when time expired at the end of each half.  Seven of the Irish drives went for five plays or less and the best field position Notre Dame had to start a drive was their own 22 yard line.

Some critics claimed that Miami ran up the score in Coach Gerry Faust's last game as coach of the Irish, but Hurricane halfback and UMSHoF member Melvin Bratton summed it up best..."We have a lot of depth and we played a perfect game-everything went our way."

UMSHoF member Vinny Testaverde enjoyed a sensational game, going 22 of 32, throwing for 356 yards, two TD's and carried one into the end zone himself from the 1 yard line.   The Hurricanes rolled up 534 yards in total offense, 399 in the air...the most ever given up in Notre Dame history.  The Canes had eight players rush the ball and 11 different receivers caught passes.  Tight end and UMSHoF member Willie Smith caught 6 passes for a then school record career total of 114.

UMSHoF member Daniel Stubbs led the defensive assault with three sacks as the Canes constantly harassed Irish QBs Steve Beuerlein and Terry Andrysiak.  Free safety and UMSHoF member Bennie Blades upped the Miami lead to 20-0 in the 2nd quarter when he picked off a Beuerlein pass and raced 61 yards for a score.

For more information go to UMSportsHallofFame.com

Join the "UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SPORTS HALL OF FAME" group page on FACEBOOK !

The University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame is a non-profit, 501c3 corporation whose sole purpose is to recognize those student-athletes, coaches and administrators who have excelled at their sports and brought acclaim to the university through their accomplishments and championships.  All tax-deductible donations help showcase their achievements for Hurricanes fans to enjoy for generations to come !

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FORT WORTH, TX. (Missouri Sports Magazine – Davey O’Brien Foundation) – The Davey O’Brien Foundation today announced Jim Kelly as the recipient of the 2011 Davey O’Brien Legends Award, in honor of his outstanding contributions to the game of football both on and off the field. Kelly will be presented with the award at the 35th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner on Feb. 20, 2012 at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
“I’m very humbled to receive the Legends Award,” said Kelly. “It’s an honor to be included among some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.”

Established in 2001 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Davey O’Brien Foundation, the Legends Award recognizes a college or professional quarterback who has made a significant contribution to the game of football, distinguished himself as an extraordinary leader and demonstrated exemplary conduct on and off the football field. Past recipients include Bob Griese (2010), Dan Fouts (2009), Joe Theismann (2008), Steve Spurrier (2007), Paul Hornung (2006), Len Dawson (2005), Archie Manning (2004), Terry Bradshaw (2003), Bart Starr (2002) and Roger Staubach (2001). 

“We’re honored to add Jim Kelly to our esteemed group of Legends Award recipients,” said Scott Murray, Chair of the Legends Committee for the Davey O’Brien Foundation. “Not only is he a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, but he’s proven to be a committed leader off the field as well. His leadership and dedication to the game of football make him an ideal addition to the Davey O’Brien family.”

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Kelly declined a scholarship offer from Penn State to play linebacker in favor of pursuing his career as a quarterback at the University of Miami. While playing for the Hurricanes, Kelly passed for 5,233 yards and 32 touchdowns, helping Miami restore itself as a premier collegiate football program. He was inducted into the University of Miami Hall of Fame in 1992.

Kelly was selected as the third quarterback in the 1983 National Football League (NFL) draft by the Buffalo Bills, but opted to play for the United States Football League’s (USFL) Houston Gamblers. In 1984, he was named USFL Player of the Year after passing for a league-record 5,219 yards and 44 touchdowns. Kelly began his career in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills in 1986 after the USFL disbanded.

Revered for quarterbacking one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history, the standout signal caller amassed 35,467 passing yards and 237 touchdowns in 11 seasons with the Bills. Kelly, who perfected the no-huddle offense during his tenure in Buffalo, passed for more than 3,000 yards in eight different seasons, was named to the Pro Bowl five times, and guided the Bills to eight post-season appearances and an unrivaled four consecutive Super Bowls (1991-1994). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002, his first year of eligibility.  

After retiring from the NFL in 1997, Kelly began his career in broadcast as an NFL Game Analyst for both NBC Sports and ESPN. He also runs an annual football camp for kids and serves as CEO of Jim Kelly Inc., which handles all of his business and marketing operations.       

Kelly has also devoted much of his post-football life to his son, Hunter, who was diagnosed with Krabbe disease (Globoid-cell Leukodystrophy) and passed away on August 5, 2005 at the age of eight. Kelly and his wife, Jill, established an organization called Hunter’s Hope, to raise funds to fight the disease. Additionally, Kelly supports disadvantaged and disabled youth in Western New York via the Kelly for Kids Foundation. 

Jim lives in upstate New York with Jill and their two daughters, Erin and Camryn. 

About the Davey O’Brien Legends Award

Founded in 1977, the Davey O’Brien Foundation recognizes champions on and off the field through awards programs encouraging academic and career success. The Davey O’Brien Legends Award was established in 2001 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Foundation and to pay tribute to Davey O’Brien. The Legends Award recognizes a college or professional quarterback who has made a significant contribution to the game of football, distinguished himself as an extraordinary leader and demonstrated exemplary conduct on and off the football field.

About The Davey O’Brien Foundation
The Davey O’Brien Foundation (the Foundation) was founded in 1977 to honor and remember the strong character and leadership of football great, Davey O’Brien. Widely known for its Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award®, the Foundation recognizes champions on and off the field through national awards programs encouraging academic and career success. The Foundation has given away more than $825,000 in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field to leadership in life.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ray Lewis usually helps the Baltimore Ravens win by yelling in the huddle, setting the defense and chasing down the guy with the football.

Lately, the 12-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker has been forced to play the role of cheerleader and sideline coach.

And he’s getting pretty darn tired of it.

The 36-year-old Lewis has missed Baltimore’s past two games with an injured right toe. He was held out of practice Wednesday, but hopes to be back in action Sunday when the Ravens (8-3) face the Cleveland Browns (4-7).

“There is not even a question, I want to be out there with my teammates,” Lewis said. “As a leader it is hard to watch your team go out there and compete, but I can’t be selfish. I didn’t want to push it and play if I wasn’t 100 percent.”

So, while the Ravens were battling against Cincinnati and San Francisco, Lewis watched from the sideline. Before this injury, he started in 57 straight games and was factor in just about every one of them.

“Even though I wasn’t physically out there the last two games, I was with my teammates the whole time cheering them on and in their ears every time I saw something that might help,” Lewis said. “I’m doing everything I can to get back and help this team get where we want to go.”

The Ravens proved they can win without Lewis by defeating the Bengals and 49ers, but Baltimore is clearly better with him in the middle of the defense.

“Even pregame, he motivates us and gives us what we need,” Ravens outside linebacker Paul Kruger said. “I think we just need to get him back as quickly as we can. His presence is definitely missed.”

Without Lewis in the huddle, Jameel McClain has done a fine job of calling plays and setting the defense. McClain even had eight tackles against the 49ers, tied with Bernard Pollard for the team lead.

But he’s no Lewis, and isn’t embarrassed to say so.

“Nobody can be Ray Lewis’ replacement. Ray Lewis is someone phenomenal,” McClain said.

Still, the Ravens have performed remarkably well with McClain in the middle, and his performance as Lewis’ backup has not gone unnoticed by his teammates.

“I’ve always trusted Jameel,” outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “I think he’s getting an opportunity to show you all exactly who he is and what he can do. But we always knew what he can do.”

McClain has played well, but he’s not alone. The Baltimore defense is comprised mostly of veterans who understand that injuries are part of the game, and virtually everyone on the unit stepped up against San Francisco, including Cory Redding (2½ sacks), Suggs (three sacks) and Haloti Ngata (two sacks).

“When one of your brothers goes down, you just have to rally around him, pick him up and let him know, ‘We’re still going to ride, man,’” Redding said. “We’re still going to go out there and do our thing, and play hard. Nothing’s going to change. Yes, we miss you. We want you back on the field like crazy. But you know what? We’re still fighting the mission at hand. We cannot dwell on the situation. If someone is not in the game, you can’t say, ‘Oh my God, what are we going to do?’ You have to keep your eyes on the prize, keep pressing forward.”

If all goes well for Lewis this week, he will return Sunday in a game the Ravens need to win to stay atop the AFC North. The Browns wouldn’t be surprised at all if No. 52 is back in uniform for the first time since Nov. 13 in Seattle.

“I’m thinking he’s going to play,” Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur said. “I know he’s a competitor and he wants to be out there and help the team, so my guess is he’ll play. They have talent and leadership at all levels of the defense, but he’s obviously the leader of the linebacking corps there. I’m sure with him in the lineup, it helps them be better. We’re anticipating he’ll be in there.”

And if Lewis isn’t ready, the Ravens will again hand over the reins to McClain.

“Without Ray in the huddle we still have to go about the same business as scheduled,” Redding said. “Seeing Ray for so many years, Jameel knows what to do. He studies, he prepares, he’s always where he’s supposed to be and makes plays. That builds confidence among the rest of us, knowing that even though Ray isn’t in the game, we still have Jameel to come out and lead us.”

With an assist from Lewis on the sideline.

“Ray is still pretty much out there,” Suggs said. “He’s not playing, but we’re still getting the calls, making adjustments on what he sees. It’s still standard operating procedure.”


(ap.com)

METAIRIE, LA. – The Saints will likely get middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma back this week after he missed the last three games following clean-up surgery to repair a lingering knee injury. The Saints actually fared very well in his absence, winning all three games, with Jo-Lonn Dunbar stepping up as a reliable replacement.

But if Vilma can finally get back to 100 percent because of the surgery, he could give the Saints a huge boost down the stretch. Vilma was originally injured in Week 2, then tried to play through the pain for more than a month. But it was clear that he wasn’t playing up to his full potential, with the knee slowing him down a bit.

When healthy, Vilma is a huge asset for the Saints because of his ability to cover a lot of ground in open space and his playmaking instincts. The Saints count on Vilma to cover a lot of ground when they blitz safety Roman Harper and their outside linebackers often. Vilma could also help with their meager turnover rate. Plus, Dunbar can slide back to the strong linebacker spot and improve the depth at the position overall.


(sportingnews.com)

On Monday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said that linebacker Ray Lewis, who has missed two straight games with a toe injury, was “probably the guy that’s furthest away” from playing on Sunday among injured Ravens.

“Ray has a sprained toe, turf toe kind of thing, so those are a little more unpredictable,” Harbaugh said. “I’m hopeful. I’ve used that word before. I think he’s got a real good chance but we’ll just have to see how it goes.”

Ravens legend Jonathan Ogden, whose career was shortened by a toe injury, said Lewis shouldn’t rush back.

Ogden, who is participating in a charity auction for the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, injured his toe in Week 16 of the 2006 season. He sat out the final regular season game and got an additional week of rest thanks to the team’s first-round bye. But Ogden said he took pain shots so he could start in the playoff loss to the Colts.

“I made it through the game,” he said. “But I really ended up aggravating it to death and I really never recovered.”

Lewis suffered his injury in the Week 10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He was inactive against the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers. The 10-day span between the 49ers win and Sunday’s game in Cleveland is the main reason that Harbaugh is “hopeful” that Lewis will be healthy enough to return against the Browns.

Ogden said his recommendation for Lewis is the same he had for Ben Grubbs earlier in the season: rest, rest, rest.

“If you give it time and rest it properly, it will heal,” Ogden said. “But that’s the key: You have to rest your toe.”

The former Ravens offensive tackle, who is likely headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said that when he first heard about turf toe, his reaction was, “Give me a break.” But now he has endured it, he understands.

“I like to tell people, ‘Why don’t you just let me step on your toe real quick and see how it feels trying to walk around?’ It’s one of those things you don’t think about until you actually hurt it,” Ogden said Tuesday. “It’s hard because you are out there competing at the highest athletic level. You’re not out there doing intramurals.”


(baltimoresun.com)

Ray Lewis may be injured, but he’s getting around town. Last night, he was spotted at Chazz: A Bronx Original with 20 of his friends, including other Ravens players.

He dined on calamari fritti, a tricolored salad, and pan-seared salmon. Ravens Jarret Johnson and Haloti Ngata chowed down on chicken Parmigiana and fusilloni Caprese, respectively.

Co-owner Chazz Palminteri wasn’t there, but he was alerted that Ray was in the house. The actor followed up with a phone call, according to restaurant personnel, thanking Ray for visiting the restaurant and saying that he “is the greatest middle linebacker from sideline to sideline that ever lived.”


(baltimoremagazine.net)

Since being thrust into an every-down role against New England, rookie outside linebacker Justin Houston has been on a tear.

It’s the kind of production that has turned the heads of teammates and has Houston grading out as one of the Chiefs top defenders over the past two games. No, Houston still hasn’t recorded his first career sack but those around Arrowhead see that as minor side note.

Houston’s play is currently at a high enough level that he rarely leaves the field. He’s played the same amount of defensive snaps as the team’s cornerstone linebackers - Hali and Derrick Johnson - each of the past two games.

“We’re getting some big-time plays from a couple of those young guys, specifically Justin and Allen Bailey,” Haley said.

Bailey has been mixing into the Chiefs sub-package rotation at defensive end throughout the season. Bailey and veteran defensive lineman Amon Gordon have each played pivotal roles in the defense re-finding its pass rush over the past two games.

Houston has aided in the rush as well, but has helped the defense improve on a down-to-down basis as well.


(kcchiefs.com)

SANTA CLARA -- Since Frank Gore became the full-time starter in 2006, he has been widely regarded as one of the NFL's top all-around running backs.

Gore is in the elite class because of the consistency he has shown with his ability to run, catch and block.

He remains one of the top runners in the league. And his determination and skills in pass protection are considered so unique for a player who produces as many yards. In fact, his blocking skills are so valuable that this season he has not been asked to catch as many passes.

Through 11 games, Gore has caught just 16 passes for 101 yards and no touchdowns. In his previous five seasons as the starter, Gore averaged 51 receptions for 430 yards.

When asked why Gore hasn't caught as many passes this season, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh answered, "There might be some reasons schematically that we're looking at in that area."

Quarterback Alex Smith said the changes in the 49ers' offensive system have required that Gore take on more responsibility in pass protection.
"Scheme, obviously, is a little different," Smith said. "Protections are different. That all impacts it, especially a running back getting out into his check-downs. Frank is one of the best in the game, I think, in protecting and he takes a lot of pride in that and the way we use him in our protections.

"Sometimes he doesn't get out (into a pass route) all of the time. You play that game. Do you want the backs out right now? Or do you want them helping out in protection?"

Gore said the 49ers have made the wideouts more a part of the offense, which has taken away opportunities for him to catch passes. And he is not complaining.

"Alex has done a great job of getting the ball down the field," Gore said. "I'm good with that. We have more success with Alex throwing the ball down the field than just looking at me and checking the ball down. It's more about the team than me and my stats."

Here are Gore's receiving stats since entering the league in 2005 as Kevan Barlow's backup (in parenthesis games played/games started):

2011 (11/10): 16 catches, 101 yards, 6.3 avg, 0 TDs 2010 (11/11): 46 catches, 452 yards, 9.8 avg, 2 TDs 2009 (14/14): 52 catches, 406 yards, 7.8 avg, 3 TDs 2008 (14/14): 43 catches, 373 yards, 8.7 avg, 2 TDs 2007 (15/15): *53 catches, 436 yards, 8.2 avg, 1 TD 2006 (16/16): *61 catches, 485 yards, 8.0 avg, 1 TD 2005 (14/1): 15 catches, 131 yards, 8.7 avg, 0 TD
*-Team lead


(csnbayarea.com)

Apparently Willis McGahee didn't get the memo. The one that says running backs hit the wall when they hit 30.

McGahee turned 30 last month (on Oct. 20 to be exact), and on Sunday McGahee put in his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season. He hasn't had five 100-yard rushing games in a season since 2007 — he finished with five that year — and has had at least five in just two other seasons in his previous eight in the league. He had five in 2007 to go with seven in his first year on the field in 2004.

The Broncos have made no secret in John Elway's football plan that they hope to consistently build through the draft, but McGahee is a testament that some well-placed hits in free agency will always have a place in team building, if the pay-to-results ratio works out.

McGahee was one of the first targets, perhaps the first free-agency target for the Broncos in Elway's first time on the open market as a football executive. And in the end all involved, including McGahee, say Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville helped make it happen.

Studesville, who was McGahee's position coach in Buffalo "very strongly recommended" McGahee to the Broncos, according to head coach John Fox. The Broncos looked at the video and agreed, giving McGahee a four-year deal when most of their free agents got one-year contracts. The Broncos wanted to maintain flexibility moving forward in the re-building project.

McGahee has made that investment worthwhile and at his current pace will come close to a career high in rushing yards in his ninth season. That's much like wide receiver Brandon Lloyd did in 2010, going to his first career Pro Bowl in his ninth year in the league.

McGahee's best season was his second year on the field — he sat out his rookie year recovering from reconstructive knee surgery — when he finished with 1,247 yards in 2005.

This year, McGahee, having missed one game, is averaging 77.5 yards per game in the 10 he has played. He missed one game, against Detroit, because of surgery to repair a fractured bone in his hand. That puts him on pace for 1,163 yards for the season, which would be the third-highest total of his career.

What has made it all work for McGahee is he has a rare trait in a running back in that he is both patient and quick to the hole. He sets up blocks well, understands where the running lanes will and he makes quick decisions.

And once he sees the opening, he gets up the field, he doesn't often waste steps or opportunities.

He's also in good enough condition that his 23rd carry of the game on Sunday vs. the Chargers was arguably his best. He powered through two tacklers for a 24-yard run that put the Broncos in position for a game-winning field goal.

In a game where McGahee had 11 carries for three yards or less overall, including two for negative yardage, he had a 16-yard run and the 24-yard run in overtime.

"I'm built for that," McGahee said. "I'm not one of those guys who comes out and starts hitting it on the first play, if that happens, that's a bonus. I know at the end of the game those guys are tired of hitting ... I'm ready."


(denverpost.com)

On the day after a brutal loss to the Saints, Antrel Rolle said the Giants will make the playoffs.

“Absolutely,’’ Rolle said Tuesday afternoon on his weekly WFAN radio spot. “Let me tell you something. We’re gonna fight, I don’t care how we fight, I don’t care what corner we’re gonna back ourselves up to, everyone might be off the Giants bandwagon, which is fine. We only had us from the beginning anyways. We only need us in order to get to where we need to. If the fans want to be there then be there, we would love you, we will love to have you there, we definitely appreciate you but if you’re not there, if you jump off the bandwagon, that’s fine, too. We’re gonna play ball regardless. We are professional football players. We are the New York Football Giants. We are not going to go out without a fight. ‘’

Those are strong words after the Giants put up an extremely weak performance in Monday night’s 49-24 loss in New Orleans. The Giants have lost three straight games and at 6-5 are one game behind the first-place Cowboys in the NFC East and appear for the second straight season to be headed for a collapse.

“I can only speak for myself, I’m a fighter and I fought to the end last night and I’m going to fight until the end of the season, no matter which road it takes," Rolle said. "We have to figure out what’s our purpose and what are we here for. Are we trying to be a playoff contending team or are we just going out there and just going through the motion? I play football for one reason and one reason only, that’s to go to the playoffs. Each and every year. I’m sure my teammates feel the same way but we’re not showing that right now. We’re not showing that as a team. I think everyone within the Giants organization needs to get together, coaches and players, and figure out what is going on and how do we stop this bleeding. Clearly there’s something wrong.’’

Rolle expressed similar sentiments after last week’s 17-10 loss to the Eagles that featured inept offense from the Giants. Monday was a case of no-show defense inside the Superdome, with the Saints gaining 577 total yards, the second-highest total against the Giants and the most yards given up in a game by them since 1943.

“Not taking anything away from the Saints, they are a great offensive team but I think we definitely made them look a whole lot better than they actually are,’’ Rolle said.

If numerous corrections are not made by this weekend, the Packers could make the Giants defense look as silly, or sillier than Drew Brees and the Saints did.

“The Packers are an outstanding team and they are led by Aaron Rodgers, his playmaking definitely speaks for itself,’’ Rolle said. “At the same time when we want to play ball as a Giants team and when everyone’s on the same p[age we play ball. That’s what we need to get back to. We need to find a way to get back to that. I don’t know what it’s going to take and I don’t know what has to happen but we need to find a way to get back to that.’’

Rolle last week questioned the way his team responded to several incidents and physical punishment by the Eagles. Rolle was not at all unhappy to see safety Kenny Phillips early in the fourth quarter deck Saints tight end Jimmy Graham with a shot that got Phillips flagged for unnecessary roughness.

“Kenny Phillips and myself kept talking throughout the game, we’re not gonna quit, we’re going to keep fighting,’’ Rolle said. “I don’t care what the score is, we’re going to fly around and we’re going to make sure we come to play. That’s what he was doing, he was playing football, the guy was trying to hang on and bobble the ball and Kenny Phillips laid him out,. He’s playing fast, trying to decapitate the receiver from the ball, not trying to hurt the guy intentionally, if the guy was leaning down and he was falling and Kenny was trying to run through him. I’m sorry, we have to play ball.’’


(nypost.com)

James Jones, Miami Heat small forward. The Lakers need to clamor aggressively for Jones' services, considering ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported it's unlikely Miami will retain Mike Miller. Jones' 40.2% mark from three-point range would provide another option for the Lakers to address their outside shooting if they don't sign Richardson. Because Jones offers very little else beyond his shooting, the Lakers can sign Jones cheaply.


(latimes.com)

A rival general manager said Cincinnati Reds OF/1B Yonder Alonso doesn't have a position. "He's terrible in the outfield. His best position is first base - and he's not great at first, either," the GM said. Another GM said: "He has to be one of the top hitters in the game to have significant value. You'll probably always be looking to move him to DH."


(kffl.com)

Last week when Reggie Wayne found out about the streak being broken at 149 straight weeks a proCane has scored an NFL TD, he responded by saying: “It sucks.”

Wayne though followed up his comment by saying: “I’ll start a new streak this week.” Sure enough Wayne started a new streak by scoring 56-yard TD (his 1st TD since Week 1) finishing the game with 5 receptions for 122 yards.

Jimmy Graham added 2 TDs to go along with his team leading 84 yards on 5 receptions for the New Orleans Saints in their victory over the NY Giants.

To see the full 149 week streak click here.

So here is to the beginning of a new streak that we will chronicle:

Week 12 2011:
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts
Jimmy Graham - 2 TDs - New Orleans Saints

The Titans might not be ready to make it official just yet, but it is coming.

Rookie middle linebacker Colin McCarthy needs to be the starter for the remainder of the season and beyond.

McCarthy has played the past three games (two starts) for the Titans while Barrett Ruud has nursed a groin injury.

Ruud was signed to a one-year contract just after the lockout ended and was expected to at least hold the position this season while the Titans evaluated what they had in McCarthy, a fourth-round pick from the University of Miami.

Now 11 games into the season, the Titans can be certain that what they have in McCarthy: a playmaker who is seemingly always around the football creating havoc.

There are two types of defensive players -- some who find the football, and others whom the football finds. In that regard, McCarthy is certainly of the former variety.

In three games filling in for Ruud, McCarthy has posted 32 tackles, including five for losses. He forced a fumble Nov. 20 against the Falcons. On Sunday against the Buccaneers, he not only recovered a fumble, but he also picked up his first career interception.

That pickoff of a Josh Freeman pass in the fourth quarter all but put the game into the win column for the Titans, who were nursing a 20-17 lead at the time with just under three minutes to play. He stepped in front of Kellen Winslow, and as he turned, the ball came right to him.

"It's a play we went through in practice," said McCarthy, who has proven to be a quick study in the meeting rooms and has played the past two weeks despite missing practice time with a sore knee. "Early in the game, they kind of did that 10 yards and just sat there, so it was just a matter of time before they did the shake and tried to hit us deep.

"Coach (Jerry) Gray had a great game plan. We went over it this week. When they throw it to you, you've just got to catch it."

It is also telling just what the Titans are doing in that they allow McCarthy to make the defensive calls and also now are keeping him and fellow rookie Akeem Ayers on the field in the nickel package, bringing veteran Will Witherspoon to the sideline in passing situations.

The Titans had hoped to use the 2011 draft to shore up their weak linebacking corps, and it appears that they have done so with the two rookies, both of whom are playing key roles.

Ayers was expected to contribute all along, but the Titans are no doubt pleased that McCarthy has arrived ahead of schedule.


(foxsportstennessee.com)

The Giants couldn’t handle Jimmy Graham on Monday night.

Big and athletic tight ends like the Saints’ Graham and the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski are dictating to defenses this season, occasionally dunking on them.

Graham was a basketball player at the University of Miami, and to use basketball terminology, Drew Brees could just just throw it inside to the big man. Graham caught five passes for 84 yards, two for touchdowns. He leads the league in both catches (67) and receiving yards (957).

Gronkowski is second with 60 catches. The Falcons’ Tony Gonzalez — “the paragon of the contemporary tight end,” as Mike Tierney described him in The Times on Sunday — is still going strong and is third with 59. (Gonzalez played basketball at Cal.)

The Saints-Giants game got so out of hand that a little channel surfing could be excused, and you might have stumbled upon this clip (at top) on another ESPN channel. Graham has a story to tell. He was set adrift by his parents, abandoned over $98 per month in child support. The accusations at Penn State and Syracuse tell one side of what can happen to vulnerable children. Graham gives the other: what is possible when someone is willing to offer a hand, in this case the woman whom Graham now considers his mother. For more, James Varney of The Times-Picayune chronicled Graham’s upbringing and Miami days last year.


(nytimes.com)

After missing the previous four games due to injury, receiver Santana Moss admitted to some pregame jitters Sunday.

“Once I got out there and got a couple hits here and there and caught a couple balls, it was like normal,” Moss said.

Making his return to the starting lineup, Moss had 29 yards on four catches in Sunday’s win at Seattle. He was targeted seven times, tied for the team lead with Jabar Gaffney and Roy Helu.

Moss broke a bone in his hand Oct. 23 at Carolina and didn’t return to practice until last week. He said his hand caused no problems Sunday.

“I’m glad we got a win,” he said. “My main focus was just to give us the much needed help that I can. I took some of the looks that I know have been missing all week and just tried to do all that I had in my might to give us a chance, give us some hope. As a team, we went out there together, fought hard and came up with one.”

Moss had only one catch in the second half, but the Redskins spread the ball around. Rex Grossman hooked up with eight different pass-catchers on the day. Moss has been among the most outspoken players when it comes to Grossman.

“I think earlier in the season, Rex did the same thing for us: He gave us hope,” Moss said. “As long as we go out there and run our routes the right way and get open, he’ll give us a chance to get the ball.

“His presence alone has kind of lifted a lot of guys’ spirits. Offensively, we had a rhythm with him earlier, and just to have him back, that was one of our keys.”


(washingtonpost.com)

For an idea of just how far and fast the Colts have fallen since losing Peyton Manning before the season, consider that Reggie Wayne has been out of the news since, well, September. This is what happens when you go from one of the NFL's most productive wide receivers to the situation Wayne currently finds himself: a weekly non-factor thanks to a suddenly inept Colts offense.

Manning's replacement, Curtis Painter, has completed just 55 percent of his passes (5 TDs, 7 INTs), and as a consequence, Wayne has just 42 receptions for 530 yards and a lone touchdown. He's on pace for his lowest totals in catches, yards and touchdowns since 2003. Understandably, he's frustrated.

"I always feel 'this week' I'm going to have a big game," Wayne said, according to the Indianapolis Star's Mike Chappell. "So, (today) is going to be my big game of the year. Won't be hard, you know what I mean?"

Wayne's best game came in the opener, a seven-catch, 106-yard effort in a beatdown at the hands of the Texans. In the nine games since, Wayne has had four receptions or fewer seven times and his longest catch of the season is just 36 yards.

"The only way I go without snapping (with) the media is every game when I come in, first thing I do is put my helmet and stuff down and grab my phone," Wayne said. "Always got a text message from my wife and it's a picture of my kids.

"I don't think she's doing it on purpose, but when I see my kids, that calms the storm. They bring everything back."

It was less than four months ago that Wayne was hoping for a new contract. His value has taken a hit this season and he's certainly in line for less than that he could've expected back in August. The drastic drop in productivity isn't his fault, although we suspect that won't much matter when he negotiates his next deal.


(cbssports.com)

PHOENIX - While Patrick Peterson and Beanie Wells got most of the attention from Sunday's win over the Rams, coach Ken Whisenhunt was praising defensive end Calais Campbell on Monday.

"You see what a team leader he is and how he works. This year, he's definitely moved into the special category because he's done it consistently," said Whisenhunt on the Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf show Monday.

Campbell is tied for the team lead in sacks with five and third in tackles with 55.

"To see him play at the level he's playing at right now, obviously he's turning into a force and playing very well in this scheme," said Whisenhunt.
Campbell is scheduled to become a free agent this offseason, so the Cardinals would be wise to reach out towards re-signing him for the future so they can keep one of their most important players.


(arizonasports.com)

The Baltimore Ravens don't need to rush linebacker Ray Lewis back into the lineup. Baltimore has shown it can beat good teams without him --the Bengals and 49ers -- and it needs Lewis' leadership more in the playoffs than in December.

There's no sense of urgency to bring back the 36-year-old linebacker from a toe injury because the Ravens don't face a top-10 rusher in their final five games. Plus, his top backup, Dannell Ellerbe, is expected to return this week after missing Thursday with a groin injury.

Without Lewis and Ellerbe, the Ravens still held San Francisco's Frank Gore to 39 yards rushing Thanksgiving night. Behind Terrell Suggs' strong effort, the Ravens' intensity on defense was as strong as the times when Lewis is on the field.

At his Monday news conference, coach John Harbaugh indicated Lewis is "probably the guy that's furthest away" among the team's injured players.

Harbaugh didn't rule out Lewis and said he is "hopeful" that the team's all-time leading tackler will play Sunday at Cleveland. "Ray has a sprained toe, turf toe kind of thing, so those are a little more unpredictable," Harbaugh told reporters at Owings Mills, Md. "I'm hopeful. I've used that word before. I think he's got a real good chance [of playing Sunday] but we'll just have to see how it goes."


(espn.com)

Vernon Carey's seven-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins will probably end this season, but at least it won't end prematurely.

In Thursday's 20-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys the Dolphins' started right guard had his left ankle rolled up on during a goal line run that took place in the fourth quarter.

Carey left Dallas on crutches. There was initial concern about Carey, who has started 103 of the 117 games he's placed for the Dolphins, missing the final five games of the season. But an MRI of the ankle showed there wasn't a fracture, and the swelling subsided in less than 48 hours.

Carey's improvement has been so rapid he's walking without a boot, and the former University of Miami standout should be able to start Sunday's home game against Oakland if he can make it through this week's practices.

"I thought it was much worse, but it looked and felt worse than it was," said Carey, the 19th overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft.

Having Carey finish the season gives Miami's offensive line a chance to continue developing. Despite allowing a disappointing 34 sacks in 11 games, the unit has shown improvements over the past month from a pass protection standout.

Their continued growth will be critical because Oakland has produced 32 sacks this season.

But the Raiders are fairly soft against the run. Counting the 172 rushing yards the Chicago Bears gained in Sunday's 25-20 loss to Oakland, the Raiders defense is allowing 5.29 yards per carry this season.

The Cowboys held the Dolphins to 3.6 yards per rush. Those struggles has Miami's rushing average at 3.9, and this is the first time the average has been under 4.0 yards per attempt all season.

Carey has started all but two games he's played for the Dolphins the past seven seasons. He's started at tackle every year but this one because Tony Sparano opted to convert him to guard when Marc Colombo was signed and given the right tackle spot.

Because the team opted to restructure his deal during training camp Carey's set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and it's possible that this 30-year-old could, who has lived in South Florida his entire life, could be playing his final games for the Dolphins.

But at least he won't be ending the season on injured reserves.


(sun-sentinel.com)

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is "probably the guy that's furthest away" among the team's injured players, coach John Harbaugh said Monday.

Harbaugh didn't rule out Lewis and indicated that he is "hopeful" that the team's all-time leading tackler will play Sunday at Cleveland. Lewis has missed the past two games with a toe injury.

"Ray has a sprained toe, turf toe kind of thing, so those are a little more unpredictable," Harbaugh told reporters at Monday. "I'm hopeful. I've used that word before. I think he's got a real good chance [of playing Sunday], but we'll just have to see how it goes."

Lewis' top backup, Dannell Ellerbe (groin), is expected to return after missing Thursday's game. With Lewis and Ellerbe out, Albert McClellan, an undrafted rookie in 2010, started at inside linebacker.

"Ray's probably the guy that's furthest away ... but then again, you never know," Harbaugh said.


(espn.com)

WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE— Ryan Braun's restaurant Graffito is holding a week-long celebration running Tuesday through Sunday in honor of the Brewers left-fielder being named the National League MVP.

The Third Ward restaurant on Water Street and Erie will offer a three-course meal you can order for $20.11. You can also order small plates of some of Braun's favorite dishes, such as grilled shrimp and mushroom risotto for $5.

Braun received 20 of 32 first-place votes and 388 points in voting for the MVP honor, as announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Braun led the National League with a .597 slugging percentage, and was second with a .332 batting average. He had 33 homers, 111 RBIs and stole 33 bases. Braun helped lead the Brewers to their first division title in nearly 30 years this past season.


(fox6now.com)

proCanes.com was the first entity to discover and track the amazing TD streak of 149 straight weeks a proCane had scored an NFL TD. Well before ESPN and the rest of the sports world picked up on “The Streak,” proCanes.com had been documenting it for years. Now proCanes.com brings you ANOTHER streak.

The Pro Bowl streak.

Since the 1959 Pro Bowl a proCane has been on a Pro Bowl roster 51 out of 52 seasons. Since the 1984 Pro Bowl, a proCane has been named to the Pro Bowl for 27 straight years and it is sure to become 28 straight years this year. Check out the full history of every single proCane in a Pro Bowl below.

Last week when Reggie Wayne found out about the streak being broken at 149 straight weeks a proCane has scored an NFL TD, he responded by saying: “It sucks.”

Wayne though followed up his comment by saying: “I’ll start a new streak this week.” Sure enough Wayne started a new streak by scoring 56-yard TD (his 1st TD since Week 1) finishing the game with 5 receptions for 122 yards.

To see the full 149 week streak click here.

So here is to the beginning of a new streak that we will chronicle:

Week 12 2011:
Reggie Wayne - 1 TD - Indianapolis Colts

proCane starting safety for the CFL BC Lions helped the Lions defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 34-23. B.C. became the first team in CFL history to win the Grey Cup after losing its first five regular-season games. B.C. also became the first squad since the 1994 Lions to capture the league title at home. Reddick finished the game with tackles but was a standout all season for the Lions in his first year in the CFL. Congrats to Anthony!

Thanks to James Bryant for the photo at @BigHit_Bryant24

LONE TREE, Colo. (CBS4) – The mother of a Denver Broncos player says she’s worried about her son’s safety after police in Lone Tree say they are investigating at least one burglary at the home of D.J. Williams.

Against the Miami Dolphins, Williams, a linebacker for the Broncos, stole a play that sealed a Broncos win. What he didn’t know was that around the same time he was being robbed.

“D.J. comes home from that game and tells me, ‘Mom, someone’s been in my house again,” said Sherri Gonzales, Williams’ mother.

Gonzales said her son was then burglarized again when Williams was asleep at home.

“They stood there and knocked and knocked until he woke up. And then the perpetrator opened the door. D.J. didn’t panic because he recognized the voice,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales said Williams was so traumatized by the break-in that he missed a day of work at Dove Valley. She estimates more than $50,000 worth of goods have been stolen, although not all at the same time.

Police are now investigating the incident from earlier this month. They have a suspect and are working on a warrant.

“Oh my God. I’ve been terrified since,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales said she and her son worry things could get dangerous. In 2007 Williams’ college teammate Sean Taylor was killed by a burglar in his Miami home. Now because the circumstances are so similar, his death hits even closer to home.

“It just makes me scared. Sometimes I wish he wasn’t in the NFL because of that. It just doesn’t feel safe anymore,” Gonzales said.

Lone Tree police wouldn’t release the name of their suspect. Williams’ family believes it’s someone who was at one time part of Williams’ inner circle, someone with a long rap sheet, including arrests for burglary and assault.


(denver.cbslocal.com)

SEATTLE — Santana Moss didn’t exactly arrive with a bang, but he arrived. And for a Redskins team in the throes of a losing streak, the return of their best receiver Sunday was a rare bit of good news.

Moss, playing for the first time since breaking his left hand against Carolina on Oct. 23, caught four passes for 29 yards as the Redskins snapped a six-game losing streak with a 23-17 win over the Seahawks.

“I was just glad for the win, whatever role I could play,” Moss said. “Once I got hit a couple of times here and there, it started to feel good.”

With rain and wind in play for most of the game, and two of the NFL’s least productive offenses on the field, the stage wasn’t exactly set for a breakout receiving performance. But just having No. 89 lined up in his familiar spot was a bright spot for a team that hadn’t won a game in his absence.

The Redskins got Moss involved at the outset, Rex Grossman hitting him for a short gain on the game’s second play and then throwing deep down the left side on the ensuing play. Cornerback Brandon Browner denied Moss 38 yards downfield, but notice had been served that Washington’s big-play threat was back.

The ball didn’t go to Moss much — he had three catches in the first half for 16 yards — but he appeared to be the first read on several other plays that turned into short gains for others as Grossman completed 16 of 19 in the half.

“It feels good to be able to take some of the looks that have been missing,” Moss said. “Just being out there, I knew I was contributing however I could.”

Grossman attempted another deep ball for Moss early in the third quarter, throwing 46 yards down the middle. Unfortunately, Moss had run about 50 yards, and the underthrown ball found the hands of Seattle’s Richard Sherman as the Redskins wasted good field position.

“At the start of the second half, the only thing I was unhappy with Rex was that Santana was wide open on a play,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said. “He has got to make that throw every time. You have to make that throw; it’s your read.”

Grossman overthrew Moss on a 20-yard sideline route later in the quarter.

Moss, in his seventh season in Washington, had 301 yards on 25 catches and two touchdowns before his injury, which occurred when he fell on the hand while making a low catch against the Panthers. He underwent surgery and missed four games, having pins removed from the hand Nov. 14. He returned to practice Wednesday.

“Early in the season, we had a good rhythm with Rex and had some things working,” he said. “It’s good to sort of get back toward getting that back. Today was a positive step.”


(washingtontimes.com)

Reggie Wayne caught five passes for 122 yards with a touchdown in Sunday's loss to the Panthers.

Credit the Panthers' embarrassing tackling for Wayne's breakout. On his 56-yard score in the fourth quarter, Wayne spun out of two tackles and hopped through another on his way to the end zone. He also avoided the coverage of Chris Gamble for most of the day. Wayne gets another tasty matchup against the Patriots next week.


(rotoworld.com)

Four years ago today, Redskins safety Sean Taylor died after being shot by intruders who had invaded his South Florida home.

He was only 24.

“It flies by,” Redskins teammate Santana Moss told WUSA.  “It’s four years, but it just feels like yesterday.”

Safety LaRon Landry, a rookie in 2007, said he still thinks every day about the tandem they could have become.

“[Sean] was really coming into his own,” safety Reed Doughty said.  “We were talking in the [defensive back meeting] room the other day about how young and good he was.  Anybody who plays free safety for the Redskins is always going to be compared to him and I’m not sure many can compare.”

Not many can, in Washington or elsewhere.


(profootballtalk.com)

BALTIMORE - Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis was scratched for the second consecutive game due to a painful toe injury.

It marks the second game in a row that Lewis was deactivated after snapping his 57-game consecutive streak Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Lewis attempted to play after being extremely limited in practice all week, but ultimately the toe didn't respond well enough to risk playing him this early in his recovery from an injury suffered against the Seattle Seahawks.

''Can I play with it? Absolutely," Lewis said during an NFL Network interview before the Ravens' 16-6 win last night. "There's a large amount of pain there, but I think it's more importantly about the injury. Do I go and reinjure it on a very short week and fight it the entire rest of the season instead of just going ahead and get through this stretch right now."

Lewis denied rumors that the injury could sideline him for the remainder of the season or cause the end of his career, saying: "I think all of those reports are terrible.''

The Capital first reported that Lewis would definitely miss one game and possibly additional games with a worst-case scenario of him being sidelined for four games.

''Coach (John Harbaugh) walked up to me and we looked at each other and he said, 'The best thing to probably do is just sit this one out,' " Lewis said. "We made the decision based on we have a long rest period coming up after this. So, it gives me a real opportunity to come back totally 100 percent."

With inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe out with lingering hamstring and groin injuries aggravated against the Bengals, the Ravens started a pair of former undrafted free agents at inside linebacker in Jameel McClain and Albert McClellan.

McClain finished with eight tackles, tying safety Bernard Pollard for the team lead. And McClellan had four tackles in his first NFL start.

''I felt good, I just didn't want to be too fast to the ball," McClellan said. "That was my main problem all week and I felt like I played really good. Ray told me what he saw on film. He's more experienced at watching film and picking up tendencies. He let me know what he saw and to be patient. Patience is a virtue. "It's a huge night, another milestone personally, first start as an NFL player. I wasn't that nervous. I'm kind of mad that I was close to getting a sack and missed that opportunity, I missed a tackle for a loss. I was hustling."

They used special team ace Brendon Ayanbadejo on third downs.

Lewis has extra time to recover since the Ravens don't play again until their Dec. 4 game at the Cleveland Browns.

If the Ravens opt to sit Lewis against Cleveland, they could try to get him back on the field Dec. 11 against the Indianapolis Colts or Dec. 18 at the San Diego Chargers.

''The team is well-prepared," Lewis said. "We have three big conference games coming up."


(hometownannapolis.com)

We’ve been talking about the season that Houston’s Chris Myers has been having at center for a while now. We’ve even written an article about it!

PFF was lucky enough to get to talk to Chris during his bye week, and in addition to talking about the usual things, we got his take on the Texans’ prospects with Matt Leinart under center, and what difference that makes to the Houston offense, and Myers himself as that center.

Pro Football Focus: Thanks for taking the time out of your bye week to talk us here at PFF, Chris. First off, can you tell us a little about what an average day for you guys is like – it’s more than just a few meetings, a practice and then going out on Sundays, right?
Chris Myers: For the most part every NFL team pretty much has the same kind of schedule on a day-to-day basis. Mondays you come in after the game and you get a lift in and go over the film from the day before. We’ll get a bit of a run in to get loosened-up from the game the day before, and then Tuesdays are always off. I’m married now with two little daughters so I spend most of my time with the family hanging out.

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are the big work days. I’m usually in the facility from 6:00 in the morning on Wednesdays, and I don’t leave until 3:00 or 3:30-ish. Those are long days. Then on Fridays we get to tone back a little bit, more of a mental preparation. We’ve had our big days of practice and we’re just putting the finishing touches on things getting ready for the game.

Saturday rolls around and we go through a walkthrough, but we’re pretty much traveling the whole day for away games, and that can get pretty tedious. For home games we get pretty much have the day off and then go to the hotel in the evenings.

PFF: How do you get your feedback from the Texans as players?
CM: Just like you guys have your own grading scale, every position with us has their own grading scale. Our offensive line coach John Benton and Frank Pollack, our assistant coach individually grade every single play for every person on the line just like you guys. They check how you did, how your technique was, whether you got someone to the ground and it all gets tallied up into a score. Ours gets worked into a percentage. In our grading scale you have to get knockdowns and cuts to get a positive grade. When you do your job you just get a zero, but if you get a knockdown or a cut you get a plus, so you’ve got to get some cuts just to get above zero.

That’s just the offensive line, every position is different. They rate us early Monday morning and then when we come in as a group we’ll watch it as an offensive line and as an offense and check out the grades.

PFF: How much do you get to watch of other players in the NFL at your position? Do you watch film of those guys?
CM: I don’t specifically watch other centers. Sometimes if we’re getting ready to play a team I’ll try and watch some film of offenses that run a similar offense to ours. Teams that we know runs similar plays like the Raiders, the Falcons, or Seattle runs it a little bit, the zone blocking scheme, and you’ll watch a few different centers throughout the league. Just watching film on guys, you know, you don’t even know them. You don’t talk to them, you don’t have their numbers, you’re not friends with them, but like for instance Matt Birk, a quality center in the league for a long time, whenever we’d get to play the Ravens – or in the past, Minnesota – I’d talk to him after the game, just a mutual respect from center to center, you know what I mean? He watches me on film when he’s scouting defenses he’ll face and vice versa. This past game I got to talk to Alex Mack after the game, the Cleveland center. He’s in his second year, went to the Pro-Bowl last year as a rookie, and had a heck of a season. We kind of just have that mutual respect ’cause there’s only one other guy on that team playing center on the line, so you kind of have that respect and you know every single one in the league.

PFF: So when you’re watching somebody like Matt Birk – a bigger type of center who has played primarily in power-blocking schemes – are you watching for technique stuff, or just to check out another center?
CM: Yea, both. I understand that his technique will be a little bit different because he’s bigger, but Baltimore has been trying to implement this zone scheme this past offseason. They brought in Alex Gibbs, basically the founder of the zone schemes, to try and help them get that technique underway. Matt was talking to me after the game about that, saying it’s not easy, especially for bigger centers. I mean, I’m only 285-290, and to be able to be in a zone scheme you’ve got to be quick off the ball and be able to get places and to the second level, be quick at everything you’re doing, and that’s what Matt was talking to me about after the game.

PFF: At ‘just’ 285lbs do you find it more difficult to go up against some of these behemoth 330lb, 2-gap nose tackles?
CM: It depends on our scheme and the plays we have called. Because of the way we block things, offensive linemen aren’t usually alone on defensive tackles, aside from pass plays. In pass plays you’ve got to be able to man-up and do your own thing. Sometimes it’s even harder to block the lighter and quicker guys, because they’re able to react and read faster than bigger guys are. With bigger guys you’re sometimes able to get around them and get play-side technique, and then get them cut. That’s the biggest thing with the 3-4 defenses – we’re trying so hard to get the backside cut, and yeah, 3-4 defenses are tougher, but it depends who it is with those big tackles and what kind of schemes we’re running.

PFF: So who are the toughest guys you’ve gone against?
CM: In my career, Shaun Rogers has been a tough task in his prime. That one season Albert Haynesworth had in Tennessee he was pretty tough, and Kris Jenkins. When Jenkins was on point he was one of the best defensive tackles in the league and nobody could block him. But now you’re up against guys like Haloti Ngata in Baltimore, and he’s unbelievable. He can line up at nose tackle, 3-technique and defensive end and beat guys. Then you’ve got Justin Smith. I rarely have to go against him because he played DE in a 3-4, but speaking with my guards and stuff … and he’s having a heck of a year right now.

PFF: Another Justin Smith fan! We’ve been singing his praises for a long time, he must be one of the most underrated players around.
CM: Oh, by far.

PFF: So you haven’t seen the information behind the PFF paywall yet, I’m curious if our grading matches your perception of games this year. What would you say has been your toughest game this season, your worse performance?
CM: Oh, by far, Oakland! [Chris’ -2.4 grade against the Raiders was more than twice as bad as his next worst game and represented one of only two negative grades he’s received this season] Our whole offensive line didn’t grade well in that game. For some reason … no, I don’t want to say for some reason … Tommy Kelly and Richard Seymour have always been quality players, and this year they’re playing unbelievably. They had a scheme for us, and it worked tremendously. They stopped our run, and when we had to pass because they stopped the run, they’re so tall and so lanky inside that they were batting down balls. I think they batted down like six or seven balls [PFF counted 6] and I honestly think that was the difference in the game. We didn’t have great grades as an offensive line blocking them, and they were able to bat down balls in the passing game. It was definitely our worst game of the season, and we kind of took that personally a little bit, and we’ve been trying to use that for the rest of the year.

PFF: Richard Seymour is currently in our Top 3 for defensive tackles this season.
CM: Yea, I wouldn’t doubt it right now.

PFF: So is there an area of your game you think you’re better or worse at? Are you a better run blocker or pass protector, say?
CM: I don’t know. I definitely enjoy run blocking, I think that goes with the territory with offensive linemen but especially with our scheme and the way we can get on top of defensive linemen and linebackers before they have a chance to react. That helps us out as a line, and the fact that we’ve been together as a unit for a while now, we’re meshing really well. So I definitely enjoy run blocking more, I think any offensive lineman is going to say that, and like we talked about before, pass blocking, with me being a little bit lighter, I’ve got to work on my technique and be a little bit stronger weight room wise to be able to hold in there. But that comes with the territory, because if I gained a few more pounds I woultn’t be able to run block as well as I do. It’s a give and take, but it’s working out right now, knock on wood.

PFF: That was something else we were going to ask, how much of a difference does the time you guys have played together and had a chance to gel make?
CM: It makes all the difference in the world when it comes to offensive linemen, especially in a system like this. We’re all doing the exact same things at the same time, and we really don’t even have to make too many calls anymore. Between Eric Winston, Mike Breisel and myself on the right side we’ve been starting together since 2008, and Mike and Eric together since ’07. Duane has been starting since 2008, and Wade Smith has been starting since the beginning of last season, and he’s a nine-year veteran so he didn’t need much time to pick things up. We’ve all been gelling real well, and for the most part we just go up to the line, don’t make many calls anymore, just call out a number, and they can’t tell if we’re going left or right. It’s really helped us out.

PFF: What about you personally … you’ve always graded well for PFF, but this season you seem to have taken it to a new level. How do you feel about your play this year, are you aware of improvement?
CM: I mean you can obviously tell when you have a decent game compared to an average game, like in the Oakland game I could tell that I didn’t play well, and we didn’t play well as a line. I think that’s the way it goes, the way the offensive line goes, the team goes, and right now we’re playing really well as a team. When our line is playing well the team is playing well. I try not to look at it too much individually, that’s just the way I am, supersititious wise, but I had a decent year last year, and I’m just trying to build on that this year.

PFF: So tell us what happened in Denver, why didn’t things work out there, and you had to come to Houston to get the shot?
CM: I ended up starting most of 2007, the first four or five were at left guard when I had to jump in for Ben Hamilton who was a guard there for a long time. Then Tom Nalen ended up getting hurt and I had to jump in at center. At the end of that season they weren’t sure if Tom was coming back. My contract was up, and they weren’t going to re-sign me as their starting center if Tom was coming back, and so was Ben Hamilton, and that’s when Coach Kubiak searched me out. He was my offensive coordinator out in Denver before he came to Houston, and that’s how that all started with the trade. That’s how it all worked out.

PFF: It worked out pretty well for you it seems.
CM: Yea, I can’t complain too much, you know. That helped out my future big time so I owe a lot to Coach Kubiak and Rick Smith.

PFF: How much does the Pro-Bowl mean to you guys as players these days. It’s become the subject of a lot of derision, what’s your take, do you take it seriously?
CM: Yea, obviously you take it seriously, and if that honor gets bestowed on you at the end of the season it’s icing on the cake. We’re only in the midst of things now, we’re only 10 games in, on our bye week, relaxing and speaking for our guys, you don’t think about it too much. Right now we’re in the hunt to do something this franchise has never done – make the playoffs, and onwards. That’s what our goal is right now, and if all of the accolades like Pro Bowls come afterwards then that’s more icing on the cake, and I can talk to you about that if it happens down the line, but right now I’m not even thinking about that type of stuff.

PFF: We’re curious about Matt Leinart. With Schaub down, we wrote a piece recently about what a great situation this is for Leinart to walk into. Tell us a bit about your take on him coming in to be the guy at QB.
CM: I think you guys hit it right on the head. Aside from everything about Matt, if you were a backup quarterback coming into a team, you’d want it to be a situation like this. 7-3, looking to go to the playoffs, an offense that’s been able to have success on the ground and give you a bit of a cushion. That being said, Matt’s got all the tools in the world to be successful. Things didn’t work out for him in Arizona for whatever reasons, but he’s got the chance now. He’s been in the offense for over a year-and-a-half, and he had his chance to leave and didn’t. He wanted to stay here, and I think that says a lot.

He knows how to run the offense, he does it every day in practice, and we’ve seen what ability he has all through training camp, and now he has the chance to go out and do it on Sundays. I’m thoroughly excited for him. I got a bit of extra work with him before we took off for the bye week and I’m excited to get back to work and see how it’s going to work out.

PFF: Is there anything you have to do differently from a technique or mechanics point of view to deal with a left-handed quarterback like Matt Leinart?
CM: To be honest with you, I had never taken snaps from a left-handed quarterback before he ended up coming here last season. I thought it may be different or feel different on my butt or something, but after a few days of training camp you get used to it. Now when he’s in the huddle as opposed to Matt (Schaub) I don’t notice a difference of where their hands are at. Obviously he takes it with his left hand not his right, but you can’t really notice the difference. He takes pride in being able to do that and makes the centers comfortable, so they don’t have to worry about how they’re snapping the ball, he’ll move his hands around, so he does a good job with that.

Obviously it’s now backwards with the blind side now on the right, those type of things. Our offensive coordinator may have to take that into consideration, but aside from that we’re just rolling with what we’ve been doing.

PFF: How big a deal is something like the blind side moving for a left handed quarterback? The media likes to make it into a big issue, but do you guys really focus much on it, or is it just business as usual?
CM: To be honest with you, I don’t know yet. We haven’t had to deal with it in the regular season. I think it’s more like you say, a media issue, and something for the fans to talk about, or something for the announcers to talk about on gameday as a whole different situation, but it really isn’t. Our protections are already build to go both ways, and if we go a little more to the other side now it’s not like it’s out of the ordinary, because we’ve already been running them to both sides for a long time.

PFF: That’s all we’ve got Chris, thanks again for taking the time to talk to us, and good luck down the stretch, hopefully we’ll see you guys in the playoffs.
CM: Yea, absolutely, any time. I’m a big fan of the website. Thanks guys, I appreciate it


(profootballfocus.com)

The Reds are offering Yonder Alonso as trade bait in their search for a closer or a No. 2 starter, reports Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown.  Reds GM Walt Jocketty has spoken to several teams --- including the A's, Blue Jays, Indians and Rays --- about Alonso, though we heard earlier this week that the Reds thought Alonso was too much to give up for Oakland closer Andrew Bailey.

Alonso is regarded as Cincinnati's top hitting prospect, if one without a Major League position since Joey Votto is cemented at first base.  The 24-year-old has an OPS of .837 in four minor league seasons and hit .330/.398/.545 in 98 plate appearances with the Reds last year. 

If the Reds were willing to move him, you would think Alonso would be too much to deal for any closer, not just Bailey.  Jocketty has said his club's top priority is finding a starting pitcher this offseason, so while the Jays and Indians have some good young arms, they wouldn't be willing to deal a top-of-the-rotation caliber of starter for which the Reds are looking.  The Jays and Tribe also have other options at first base, though Adam Lind, Edwin Encarnacion and Matt LaPorta wouldn't be major obstacles if Toronto or Cleveland had a legitimate shot at Alonso.  The A's and Reds might not be a match on Bailey, but Jocketty might deem possibly-available pitchers like Gio Gonzalez or Trevor Cahill worthy of moving Alonso. 

The most logical match would appear to be Tampa Bay, who has a big hole at first base, lots of pitching and a need for a controllable young talent like Alonso.  The Rays could offer Wade Davis or Jeff Niemann, though the Reds are more likely looking for a pitcher like James Shields.  (Obviously David Price and Jeremy Hellickson are staying put.)


(mlbtraderumors.com)