New England Patriots Reject Seahawks and Jets Offers For Deion Branch

The New England Patriots have treated their star wide receiver Deion Branch like crap. First they fail to offer a competitive contract to him, then fine him something like $14,000 for each day of his training camp holdout, and now they've rejected trade offers from the Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets.

Now, Deion's running -- right to the NFL Players Association to file a grevance.

I hope he wins in arbitration.

David Fleming On Bengals LB Odell Thurman For ESPN

I copied and posted and liked to this article by Dave Fleming because it contains evidence of why there should be more African American head coaches in the NFL: the "father figure" element.

In Thurman's case, he lost both of his parents, and until Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis, had no one really strong figure in his life who actually had control over his future and who cared. According to Thurman, that person is Lewis.

I'm not stating that the same relationship can't be established with a white coach, but that since so many young black men grow up in single-mother homes, the presentation of a strong black male figure is welcome to the kid.

First Person: Odell Thurman

By David Fleming


Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman sits in a green velvet chair 16 floors above the street with his back to Cincinnati's Fountain Square, or what's left of it, as construction workers below loudly tear apart and rebuild one of the city's most famous landmarks. In effect, the same thing has been happening to Thurman this preseason.


While growing up in an impoverished part of rural Georgia, Thurman overcame the deaths of both of his parents to star at UGA. Several off-field incidents in college caused him to fall to the second round of the 2005 draft. But in Cincinnati Thurman emerged as the Chad Johnson of the resurgent Bengals defense. From his Mike 'backer spot he led the team with 148 tackles (46 ahead of the second-place tackler) and led all NFL rookies with five picks while his Tasmanian Devil style of play drew comparisons to Ray Lewis and restored the team's defensive swagger. "The sky's the limit with Odell," said Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.

Those expectations, however, all came crashing down around him this summer when Thurman's second violation of the NFL substance abuse policy led to a four-game suspension to start the 2006 season. He says that missing tests while out of town this summer, as well as appointments with his NFL mandated counselor, are what caused the violation -- not another positive drug test result. (The NFL considers them the same thing.) And he denies, flatly, the notion that he skipped the tests because he was going to test positive. Now Thurman says he'll be tested several times a week and his next violation would result in a yearlong suspension.

Thurman, 23, was allowed to participate in all preseason activities but on Sept. 4 he will no longer be permitted to practice or be with the team on game days. As he neared the isolation of that cutoff date, Thurman, dressed in a striped Coogi polo shirt and sporting a massive chunk of tobacco in his right cheek, sat down after the Bengals' MNF triumph to clear the air with the first in-depth interview of his tumultuous preseason.


Tom Szczerbowski/US Presswire
After a great rookie season in 2005, Thurman received comparisons to Ray Lewis.
He began by placing one finger on the corner of the dark wood coffee table in front of him, saying …

"If this is the edge right here then I got one foot over the edge, I got one whole leg over the edge and the fall would be … I can't even see the ground. A one year [suspension] for me, if I were to make that mistake, it would be like committing suicide.

"I just want people to know I wasn't out there using all types of drugs. Basically, it was me missing a test. To be honest it was my first NFL offseason and I was out doing too much during the summertime, being irresponsible about the whole thing and not taking it real serious. I made a mistake. And I'm living with that mistake. And now I'm refocusing. I just worry that the fans have gotten the wrong impression on me, that they think I'm an addict with real problems with using drugs. I've heard some wild stuff, rumors about crack, methamphetamine, people saying I came into camp 50 pounds underweight. When the main thing to all this was me missing a test -- not failing it, missing it. Even though if you miss a test in this system, it's the same as having drugs in your system. That's the way they see it.

"I'm not the kind of person that's been portrayed by the media, a bad guy or a drug user. I'm not. That's not the case at all. I want people to see the situation I'm in and how critical this is for me. I know some people will still believe whatever they want to believe. But the people around me, they know what kind of a person I truly am. Missing the test is not on the same pedestal as using. Missing the test is irresponsible. Using drugs is stupid. I blame it all on myself, I was just being irresponsible about the whole situation. In some ways I look at it like, man, I didn't really mess up but I still come across in all of this looking like the real bad guy. I'm not perfect but I'm not on meth or crack cocaine, either.

"I knew for a couple of months, I was just waiting to hear back from the league what the punishment would be. The biggest problem was around camp, when the news came out, I was embarrassed and scared and I separated myself from everyone. Coach called me like five or six times but I was in denial. I didn't want to face it. I didn't want to handle it. I was worried how everyone would treat me. I mean, I used to be the happiest guy in the building coming into work. And I wondered if guys would still follow me on this defense. But my teammates welcomed me back with open arms and the Bengals didn't turn their backs on me either. They're, like, 110 percent behind me. Coach is like a father to me. It's that simple.

"Looking from the outside in, I don't get mad at people when they say that [the Bengals have character issues] because there has been a lot of stuff going on with this team. But there's a lot of people in that locker room and coaches can't control everyone. The Bengals organization can tell people, 'don't do this, don't do that.' But they can't control everyone in that locker room. They can't.

"When I finally came back to camp I sat down with coach and he basically said this to me: 'You're mine. I drafted you, I'm not pushing you away, I'm still behind you 100 percent. Just stay focused from here on out. Don't get down. Don't mess up again. Just get back on the field.' I think he knew that I had heard enough how bad I had messed up. I know what I did and that I had to take full responsibility for what I did. So the team said to me, 'we still love you around here, we're still your family, we're not going to push you out the door because of one mistake.' [Coach] called me every other day making sure I was okay, asking if I needed to talk or if I needed anything. I had tried to push him away at first, I thought I should deal with it on my own, but that was the wrong thing to do. I was really just hiding.


Tom Szczerbowski/US Presswire
Thurman will miss Cincy's first four games in 2006 -- including games at Kansas City and Pittsburgh and vs. New England.
"I feel like I came in as a rookie and I made a statement right away. I may have made some mistakes but I made them at a 100 miles per hour. As a rookie on the field, I could be a tiny, half step out of alignment and coach Lewis would jump down my throat. Like, 'GET UP AND GET OVER THERE, RIGHT NOW ODELL!' And I'd move one tiny step over and that's how far off I was, a few inches. That was the kind of small stuff he stayed on my back about and that's why I had a great rookie season on the field.

"I think coach Lewis is doing the same things with me, only now it's with my life. If I'm two minutes late for a meeting, he's gonna get on me. If I'm not dressed properly for practice, he's gonna get on me. All the small stuff, he's gonna get on me. And I appreciate having someone in my life like that and I know I need it. Being young and being in the situation I'm in right now, I can't make any more mistakes, not one more slipup.

"Missing the test for me was like one more eye-opener or another kick in the butt for me. Like, it's time to get focused again. I've got goals set higher than just being in the NFL. I really do feel like I can be one of the best. But I can honestly say, too, that I haven't worked like that. I haven't worked like I'm the best. I lift weights. I do this. I do that. I run. But there are times when I slip and I don't want to work out and I'm just being young and irresponsible. I've always had that in the back of my mind: that I'm the best, I'm the greatest. What I found out was everyone thinks that. But not everyone prepares to be the greatest.

"But now that I have this mistake on me, the magnifying glass will always be on me. I gotta work. I can't slip. I can't falter. All I have to do is make sure I don't hang myself. I gotta live my life more organized. I gotta plan ahead. And I gotta see the big picture of my life, which is football has gotten me everything I have. That's the main reason for where I'm at: football.

"Looking back on my whole career, this is how it's always been for me. Like at Georgia. I got suspended, I messed up and I knew that if I made another mistake I was out of there. And I went straight. Now I messed up in the league at an early point in my career. I have no more errors I can make. So now I have to make this a 10-year run -- at least.

"I know it doesn't seem like it because I almost blew it all, almost let it all go, but I appreciate what I got now, especially after where I came from. I don't think everyone out there truly understands where I came from. The way I grew up, I had an elbow in the back of my neck my whole life. Like, 'you're gonna do right, you're gonna be the one who makes it.' But 90 percent of the people out there, if they had been through the stuff I've been through in life, they wouldn't be where I'm at.

"I lost both parents at a young age. Basically I came from nothing: I mean 15, 16, 17 people in a four-bedroom house, sharing clothes with my cousins, four people in a bed, man if you came home late you had trouble finding a spot to sleep. I'm serious. We were rich with love, though, we were rich with love.

"My dad's death was much harder to take than my mom's. Being at such a young age when she died [in a car wreck when Odell was in the fourth grade] I kinda didn't really understand it. It hurt but I didn't understand it. When my father died [of liver and kidney failure three years ago] it came at a key point in my life -- when I really needed him he was gone. I was 20, had just had a kid of my own [Odalyus, now 4] and it was the week before my first college game. At that point I didn't have a parent to support me. Nothing. I had uncles and family and my grandma but there's nothing like having your parents behind you.

"My dad came to watch me in the Red-Black scrimmage before my sophomore year at Georgia. I had a good game. We celebrated. Three or four days later my auntie calls and says, 'You need to come see your daddy.' Now, I had just talked to him earlier in the day and when I came home to see him in the hospital, he was already like a vegetable. A few days earlier he had been complaining about a stomachache. But it was kidney failure, they said. He was dying from kidney failure from drinking too much. But he wasn't a drunk. He went to work, sober, every day for eight, nine years. His body just couldn't take it any more.

"What I remember the most was the doctor's wording when I asked him a question about talking to my dad the next day. And he said to me: 'If he makes it through the night.' If? I caught that. I remember that. If? My family was hiding from me how bad it was. But I remember that word: if. I left the hospital and drove back to campus and in the hour it took me to get back to Athens, he died. He left me too early. That's what I think. He left me too early. I played that week. I didn't start. But I played a good game. I needed to get back around my teammates.

"And that's what I need now. It's gonna be a long month, I'm not gonna lie about it. But I think I'll be alright. Watching games, being close but not being able to get in there with my teammates, that's the worst punishment right there. Not playing, I've been looking at this team like this: Damn, they're good, but now imagine if they had me too? What if I was out there? I really do believe that I play a key role on this team. Then I look at our offense and it's like, they can just score whenever they want to. Most teams talk about the Super Bowl this time of year but for us, it's a realistic goal to set.

"Man, we could be like the Colts last year, winning 13, 14 in a row. That's not even thinking outside the box with this team. It's not. We've got a great team that can really do something like that this year. We're stacked at every position. Most teams this time of year are like, 'we need a quarterback, we need a running back, we need a safety.' But I can't name one position in that locker room that we don't have guys who are the best in the league at their position. This is a team full of Pro Bowlers.

"And I'm still a part of this team, I'm still a Bengal. That's what I need to stay focused on right now. I've still got a job to do when I get back. I know I have to do the right thing now, so I'm not scared. It's all up to me. I control it. And in my mind I think I'll be a Bengal forever. It's gonna take time, I know, but I think I can be one of the most beloved players around here.

"Once I step back on the field I'm hoping all of this stuff will diminish. People will see that I'm still focused, that I'm still the player I was last year, that I'm still the Bengal they used to love. I think this will pass over. That's what I'm hoping.

"I just want everyone to see the truth: that I made some mistakes but that doesn't make me a bad person. I did make some mistakes. I'm not denying that. I did get in the program to begin with. And to get in you had to be doing something. But I'm not the first and I won't be the last to deal with this type of stuff. I just want people, however they looked at me beforehand, that's what I want to go back to.

"I just don't want to end up a sad case, you know? I don't want to look back one day and have to say, 'coulda, shoulda, woulda been.' I want to be able to look back in 10 years and say I was one of the greatest. I want to be a success story. I want people to say he came from nothing and made it all the way to the Hall of Fame.

"From nothing to the Hall of Fame. That's the story I want. A success story.

"I don't want to end up no sad story."

David Fleming is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. His first book, "Noah's Rainbow: a Father's Emotional Journey from the Death of his Son to the Birth of his Daughter" (Baywood 2006) was hailed by grief educators as a "deeply touching, insightful, fresh and credible voice on the complex journey of grieving and healing." His next book, based on the controversial 1925 NFL Pottsville Maroons (ESPN Books 2007) has been optioned as a movie by Sentinel Entertainment. Contact him at Dave.Fleming@espn3.com

NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Draws 86; Past Grads: Marvin Lewis and Herman Edwards

From NFLMedia.com

FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-50 8/23/06

IN 25TH YEAR, NFL MINORITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP
ATTRACTS RECORD 86 PARTICIPANTS

-- CHIEFS’ HERMAN EDWARDS BECOMES FIRST COACH TO LEAD TEAM WHERE HE INTERNED --

A record 86 minorities took part in this summer’s NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program in the 25th year of the program’s existence, the NFL announced today.

Also this year, the Minority Coaching Program produced its first graduate to be named head coach of the team where he
interned.

The graduate is new Kansas City Chiefs head coach HERM EDWARDS, who interned with the team in 1989. In 2001, he
became the first graduate of the program to be named an NFL head coach when he was appointed by the New York Jets.
“I am a head coach in the NFL today because of the opportunity the Coaching Fellowship provided me,” says Edwards.
“The program is really the thing that jump-starts your career. It really worked perfectly for me. I was in the right place at
the right time.”

Two other NFL head coaches are graduates of the program – MARVIN LEWIS (pictured) of Cincinnati and LOVIE SMITH of
Chicago.

The fellowship, instituted by the NFL in 1981, provides training-camp coaching positions for minority coaches at NFL
clubs. More than 1,000 minority coaches have participated since the program’s inception.

The fellowship had additional head-coaching success this past offseason. Two of its graduates were appointed head
coaches in colleges and another received a lengthy contract extension.

RON PRINCE, who participated in the program for four years in the late ’90s, was appointed head coach of Kansas State
and believes the fellowship was of immeasurable help to him.

“The NFL Fellowship Program was invaluable for me,” says Prince, who appointed another fellowship grad, RAHEEM
MORRIS, as his defensive coordinator. “The program gave me a great understanding of how to put an organization
together. I was exposed to everything from the position coaches to the scouting departments to the general managers
and I studied every aspect of it. In the end, it gave me the opportunity to advance past where I might have been as a
coach at that particular point.”

Joining Prince as a fellowship grad in the college head-coaching ranks this year is NORRIES WILSON at Columbia
University, who was appointed last December. Wilson spent three summers with NFL clubs in the 1990s and, like Prince,
says the program was a big help to his career.

“All three of my internships were great experiences,” says Wilson. “They were at different points in my career. I learned a
lot about the game, particularly at the NFL level, and a lot about football administration. It was very valuable for me.”
Yet another fellowship graduate who is now a college head coach, KARL DORRELL of UCLA, recently received a
contract extension through the 2010 season. He took the Bruins to a 10-2 record last year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach JON GRUDEN, who had three minority coaches in his camp this summer, believes
in the program’s efficacy.

“The coaches come in to learn and be a second sound for our players, whether that’s encouraging them or talking about
basic fundamentals or techniques that maybe they’ve used,” says Gruden. “They help with team enthusiasm and in a lot
of ways that might not be so glamorous. I really love the program.”

Following is a list of some NFL coaches who have participated in the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program:
NFL GRADUATES OF NFL MINORITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
CLUB COACH POSITION

Atlanta - Ollie Wilson Running backs

Baltimore - Dennis Thurman Defensive backs

Buffalo - Eric Studesville Running backs
Tyke Tolbert Wide receivers

Chicago - Don Johnson Defensive line
Lovie Smith - Head coach

Cincinnati - Jay Hayes Defensive line
Ricky Hunley - Linebackers
Hue Jackson - Wide receivers
Marvin Lewis - Head coach
Denver Thomas McGaughey Ass’t. special teams

Green Bay Ty Knott Off. quality control

Houston Martin Bayless Ass’t. defensive backs

Indianapolis Gene Huey Running backs

Kansas City Herman Edwards Head coach
James Saxon Running backs
Miami Keith Armstrong Special teams
Bo Davis Ass’t. strength & conditioning

New England Pepper Johnson Defensive line

New Orleans Tony Oden Def. ass’t./secondary

NY Giants Andre Curtis Def. quality control

Oakland Robert Ford Off. quality control
Darryl Sims Ass’t. defensive line

Philadelphia Mike Reed Def. ass’t. quality control

Pittsburgh James Daniel Tight ends

San Diego Wayne Nunnely Defensive line
Brian Stewart Secondary

San Francisco Gary Emanuel Defensive line

Johnnie Lynn Defensive backs

Tampa Bay Jethro Franklin Defensive line

Ron Middleton Tight ends

Art Valero Ass’t. head coach

Tennessee Sherman Smith Ass’t. head coach/running backs

2006 NFL MINORITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
CLUB COACH (BACKGROUND & PRESENT AFFILIATION)

Arizona James Harris (Former NFL player), George Hawthorne (Former NFL player), Chris Walsh
(Former NFL player)

Atlanta Ashley Ambrose (Former NFL player), Rodney Bivens (UAB), Natrone Means (Former NFL
player), Tom Williams (San Jose State)

Baltimore Bernardo Harris (Former NFL player), Chris Hewitt (Rutgers)

Buffalo Steve Little (Trinity International), Adrian White (NFLEL, Former NFL player)

Carolina Lonnie Galloway (Appalachian State), Charles Jones (NFLEL), Richard Shelton (Florida
A&M, Former NFL player)

Chicago Robbie Long (DePauw), Chris Wilson (Oklahoma)

Cincinnati Stan Davis (Grand Rapids Rampage-AFL)

Cleveland John Allen (NFLEL), Jimmy Lindsey (Gardner-Webb)

Dallas Larry Brinson (Former NFL player), Steve Smith (Unaffiliated)

Detroit Malik Hall (Fordham), EJ Jones (Aurora, Former NFL player), Marcel Yates (Boise State)

Green Bay Gary Brown (Susquehanna, Former NFL player), Chris Simpson (Wisconsin-White Water)

Houston Perry Carter (NFLEL, Former NFL player), Henry Frazier (Prairie View A&M), Manny
Martinez (Texas Southern), Michael Sinclair (West Texas A&M, Former NFL player)

Indianapolis Eugene Rafael Robinson (Former NFL player), Detron Smith (Former NFL player), David
Kelly (Duke)

Jacksonville William Bell (Edward Waters College, Former NFL player), Cheston Blackshear (Columbia),
Rick Comegy (Jackson State)

Kansas City Kimble Ambers (Avila College, Former NFL player), William Jones (Pearl River CC), Wandja
Muller (NFLEL coach, NFLEL inern)

Miami Cornell Brown (NFLEL, Former NFL player), Cris Dishman (Former NFL player), Eric Green
(Former NFL player)

Minnesota Henry Lusk (Weber State, Former NFL player), Kanavis McGhee (NFLEL, Former NFL
player), Corey Raymond (LSU, Former NFL player)

New England Fred Baxter (Former NFL player), Otis Smith (Former NFL player),
New Orleans Andrew Dees (Temple, Former NFL player), Tim Watson (Former NFL player)
New York Giants Fred Armstrong (Unaffiliated)

New York Jets George McDonald (Western Michigan), Sean Spencer (Hofstra)

Oakland Radames Carrillo (International - Mexico), David Duggan (NFLEL), Patrick Esume (NFLEL),
Derek Mason (Ohio University), Cedric Pearl (Alabama A&M), Tang Hai-Yan (International -
China)

Philadelphia Eugene Chung (Former NFL player), Frank Gonzalez (Monterey Tech), Alonzo M. Hampton
(Arkansas-Pine Bluff), Willie Taggart (Western Kentucky), Chris Vaughn (Arkansas)

Pittsburgh Kedrick "Ricky" Brumfield (Fairmont State), James Martin, Jr. (Alabama A&M), Curtis
Modkins (Georgia Tech)

St. Louis Thomas Balkcom (Central Florida), Ron Cox (Lake Forest College), James Lott
(Independence College),

San Diego Marvin Marshall (Former NFL player), Wilfred Martin (College of the Desert), Thurmond
Moore (Unaffiliated), Larry Porter (LSU)

San Francisco Eugene Lockhart (Former NFL player), Broderick Thomas (Former NFL player)

Seattle Shelton Gandy (Louisiana Tech), O'Neill Gilbert (Unaffiliated)

Tampa Bay Shawn Gregory (Samford), Tracy Rocker (Arkansas, Former NFL player), Tyrone Wheatley
(Former NFL player)

Tennessee Granville Eastman (Austin Peay State), Lemanski Hall (Christ Presbyterian Academy, Former
NFL player)

Washington Michael Bryant (Prairie View A&M), Corey Chamblin (NFLEL, Tennessee Tech), Eddie
Robinson, Jr. (Former NFL player), Erik Ware (College of DuPage)

NFLEL = NFL Europe League
# # #

NFL and Telemoundo Join For NFL Kickoff 2006

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000 * FAX (212) 681-7573
WWW.NFLMedia.com

Joe Browne, Executive Vice President-Communications
Greg Aiello, Vice President-Public Relations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Pete Abitante (212/450-2065)
NFL-51 8/29/06

NFL PARTNERS WITH TELEMUNDO FOR
NFL OPENING KICKOFF 2006

Spanish-speaking football fans can enjoy NFL events in their own language as Telemundo becomes the new Official Hispanic Media Partner of the 2006 NFL Opening Kickoff. This partnership, recently signed by both the NFL and the US Hispanic
network, involves the broadcasting of the upcoming September 7th NFL Kickoff Concert scheduled to take place in Miami, which will air on September 9th, and a Celebrity Flag Football Event, which will air on Super Bowl Saturday, February 3rd.
"We are excited to provide our Spanish-speaking fans with special programming to celebrate the start of the 2006 NFL season,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL director of marketing. "Our Telemundo partnership will serve as the first ever Spanish television extension of NFL Opening Kickoff. We look forward to working with Telemundo to
better serve our Latino fans."

On Saturday, September 9th, at 9pm Eastern/ 8pm Central/ 9pm Pacific, Telemundo will televise a two-hour NFL Opening Kickoff special entitled “Coors Light Presenta NFL Kickoff 2006” that will include footage of a music concert in Miami with three-time Grammy winner Diddy, Cassie, reggaeton singer Tego Calderon, the Latino rock band Ozomatli and DJ Riz, as well as interviews with Hispanic NFL players.

“This partnership is significant and symbolic because it combines the strength of two powerful organizations and recognizes the importance of the Hispanic community that our network serves,” said Jorge Hidalgo, senior executive vice president of sports and news for Telemundo Network. “The NFL is the premiere professional league in the country and the fact that they, as an organization, have tasked themselves to become more involved with our viewers through this association makes them an ideal partner for Telemundo. We see this as the first step in what will hopefully become a greater association between the NFL and our community,” the Telemundo executive concluded.

For those viewers interested in watching NFL games this season “en español,” they can tune-in to NBC network and select the SAP (Secondary Audio Programming) of their television sets, where Telemundo’s renowned sportscasters Rene Giraldo and Edgar Lopez will call the Sunday night games in Spanish. This partnership also provides Telemundo with the unique opportunity to expand its coverage of the NFL throughout its existing properties, such as “Titulares Telemundo,”
in an official capacity. Both the NFL and Telemundo will present a public service announcement platform during Hispanic Heritage month as well.

Telemundo, a U.S. Spanish-language television network, is the essential entertainment, news and sports source for Hispanics. Broadcasting unique national and local programming for the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, Telemundo reaches 93% of U.S. Hispanic households in 142 markets through its 16 owned-andoperated stations, 36 broadcast affiliates and nearly 684 cable affiliates. Telemundo is wholly owned by NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.
# # #

Eagles' Todd Pinkston Available; ESPN's Len P Loses It On Radio - Profootballtalk.com

This is funy. Profootballtalk reports on a different side of ESPN's Len Pasquarelli and that Todd Pinkston's available

NEWS FLASH -- STINKSTON ON THE BLOCK

Less than a week after we posted a 48-second radio spot in which ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli nearly threatens to throw down with Penner and Mac of WFNZ in Charlotte after they dissed Eagles receiver Todd Pinkston, the P-man is once again declaring his man-love for the pad-wearing scarecrow by making a cannonball splash with the news that Pinkston and agent Joe Segal have received permission to seek a trade.

Stop the freakin' presses, baby. Stinkston is available!

The story isn't only on the ESPN.com NFL page, but as of this posting it's smack-dab in the middle of the ESPN.com front page. (Len now owes someone in the editorial department a huge favor.)

And Len takes his devotion to Pinkston and Segal to new heights by suggesting that "[a]t least two of the three receiver-needy franchises would likely view Pinkston as a starter, if he is healthy."

Would "likely" view Pinkston as a starter? "Likely"? (Gee, who's the source on that?)

Pinkston is expendable because the Eagles have acquired receiver Donte' Stallworth. And as Adam Schefter of NFL Network reported on Tuesday's Total Access, Pinkston will likely be cut unless the Eagles suffer an injury elsewhere on the depth chart at the wideout position.

We've already received a flood of e-mails from readers, who based on our past reports can see right through what Len is doing. He's trying to help out his pay Joel by propping up a Segal client whose NFL career is quickly swirling down the drain.

Pinkston? A starter? That's almost as funny as hearing Joey Sunshine say that college quarterbacks turned receiver can only be successful if they're short.

Patriots Play Hardball with Soft Handed Branch

Walter Anaruk
Field Position Sports Media
http://www.fieldposition.com

The Patriots are really sticking to their guns. They have given top receiver, fan favorite, and former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch permission to seek a trade. Now, given their restrictions on the trade, they obviously have no intention of letting Deion go. Instead, they have set the asking price at a first or high second-round draft pick. To make the deal even harder to consummate, they've given Deion to the end of the week to find a trade partner willing to offer the Patriots and acceptable deal. Clearly, Branch is meant to go nowhere.

Despite the best efforts of the front office in Foxboro, there are plenty of suitors for Branch. The Eagles were a top contender for Branch's services until they secured Donte Stallworth for a conditional fourth round draft pick and LB Mark Simoneau. The Bears were in the running for the speedy but completely and utterly handless Ashley Lelie but lost out in the three way trade consummated by Denver, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta. The Bears sorely want a weapon to compliment Mushin Muhammad. Branch would easily become the primier receiver for the Bears. But the Bears are unwilling to part with a high draft pick. The Patriots plan is working.

Is any of this a suprise to anyone? Does the name Ty Law ring a bell? The Patriots also got done waxing the Washington Redskins, a playoff team last season, in a 41-0 shutout embarassment of a non-game. The fact that it is preseason my lessen the significance but not the strength of the message.

The Patriots are saying to Branch:

"We can win against anyone, anytime, anyway ... and with ANYONE."

Tom Brady is angry. Fans are angry. Branch is pragmatic, classy, and diplomatic about the whole situation. But the Patriots 'valuation' methods aside, isn't a receiver of Deion Branch's caliber worth more than a measley $1.05 million he earned last year? Especially when you consider that he only made that much AFTER a $500,000 incentive escalator almost doulbed his salary?

The Patriots are going to find that less and less of their players are going to buy into their team concept when the team elects to pay some players and play hardball with others. The point isn't that the Patriots should pay everyone more than their worth. But the point is that when some one is performing at a certain level, they deserve to be paid at that level. Especially when they've lived out the majority of their undervalued contract without complaint. This is not Terrell Owens holding out after one year into a $49 million deal.

For those who are saying that Branch is under contract and should just play, keep in mind that no contract in the NFL is guaranteed. The team can cut any player, any time, anywhere. The hold out is a player's only bargaining tool.

So the stand off is under way. Branch and Belichek/Pioli are standing on opposite sides of the street staring one another in the eye. Who will flinch? I hope it's the Patriots. I hope they can realize that you can't treat players like so many Topps trading cards and then tell them they are part of 'the family' and should buy into a 'team concept.' It's hypocritical and dehumanizing. Pay the man what he's worth. All hold outs are not created equal.

Raiders Try USC's Darnell Bing At Outside Linebacker - Randy Johnson For Press Telegram

This is one reason why the Raiders Defense is younger and faster -- moving the former safety to linebacker. Check out the video on Bing at USC.



Darnell Bing changing his spot
Raiders like what they see in rookie 'linebacker'
By Randy Johnson, Special to the Press-Telegram


NAPA - He was a two-time national champion at USC, a menacing strong safety known for big plays and bigger hits.

Now he's a rookie fourth-round draft pick fighting for playing time with established Oakland Raiders veterans, and he's being asked to learn how to play outside linebacker on the fly.

Welcome to the National Football League, Darnell Bing.

So does he drift back to his Pop Warner career in Long Beach or high school days at Poly to remember how to play the position?

Nope, he can't.

"I've never played linebacker before in my life," Bing said with a smile following a recent training camp practice at Redwood Middle School, in the wine country that is Napa Valley.

"It's just another challenge for me to go out there and go hard and compete."

Still, Raiders coach Art Shell is pleased with Bing's progress in learning the new spot.

"Darnell, like all the rest of the guys, is working his tail off to become a better football player," Shell said. "He's making the transition from strong safety to outside linebacker in a big way. I expect good things and big things from him down the road."

Bing has been working


Darnell Bing of Poly High played safety with USC, but he has been moved to linebacker with the Oakland Raiders in his rookie season in the NFL.
(Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images)

with the second-team defense in recent workouts, shucking his No. 20 college jersey for a more linebacker-like No. 59.

And while his listed dimensions of 6-foot-2, 230 pounds made him a really big safety at USC, they leave him as one of the smallest linebackers on the Raiders' roster.

But, football is football, and Bing is adjusting well according to linebackers coach Don Martindale.

"I think he's doing a great job and he's right on schedule," said Martindale. "Each day he gets better, and anywhere he makes a mistake he comes back and corrects it. He's doing a heck of a job for us. He's a good, tough, physical kid."

While at Poly, Bing was named to numerous national teams, including the prestigious Parade All-American team in 2001, and was a part of three CIF Division I championship teams that combined to go 39-1-1.

He was also named to the first team of the Press-Telegram's Dream Team and Best in the West team.

At USC, Bing was a First-Team All-American and All-Pac 10 Conference pick with the Trojans in 2005. He returned four interceptions for 119 yards last season, including one score, and recorded 50 tackles.

As far as his own assessment of making the switch thus far, Bing was more reserved.

"It's going pretty good. I'm making some plays here and there, and I'm getting my keys down, so I'd say it's going pretty well."

Though a position change may be an uncomfortable proposition for most incoming players, Bing was perhaps more NFL-ready based on who he practiced against every day at USC.

Bing lined up against fellow 2006 draft picks like Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, as well as Titans rookie running back LenDale White.

"Of course. They're all wonderful players, so I'd say being at 'SC helped a lot," he said.

Matt Leinart Breaks Out! - A Video Look

Here's a video of the Arizona Cardinals preseason victory against the Chicago Bears, where new QB Matt Leinart posted great passing numbers in his second game:

Broncos Use Same Playbook To Beat Texans 17-14 on Saturday

Watch the video and you'll see mirror-image offenses.



Broncos spoil Kubiak's return, top Texans

NFL.com wire reports

DENVER (Aug. 27, 2006) -- Gary Kubiak took the playbook and plenty of knowledge with him to Houston after serving as Mike Shanahan's apprentice in Denver for more than a decade.

If only he could have taken some more of the talent he left behind.

The Broncos beat Houston 17-14 on Sunday night, spoiling the return of the Texans' first-year coach who spent nearly two decades in Denver, first as John Elway's backup and then as Shanahan's assistant.

"Coming back doesn't feel real good right now," Kubiak said.

Although Houston's front seven thoroughly impressed Shanahan, it was Denver's defense that had an answer for just about everything Kubiak tried.

"It was like practice," Broncos linebacker Al Wilson said. "We saw so many things that were so similar to what we do, which was expected. But at the same time, Kub put a twist on a few things and had us guessing and thinking a little bit. But it was like practice all over again."

After covering a deep pass that fell incomplete along the Texans' sideline, Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams smiled and wagged his finger at Kubiak.

"What we saw, we see every day in practice," Williams said. "It wasn't anything new to us."

And what the Texans saw wasn't anything new to them, either.


Gary Kubiak couldn't come up with anything to fool the Broncos.
Kubiak took five members of the Broncos' coaching staff with him to Houston, and they were soon joined by general manager Rick Smith, who had been an assistant GM in Denver. Plus, the Texans signed tight end Jeb Putzier, who had been cut by the Broncos in a salary cap purge over the winter, along with former Broncos tight end Patrick Hape and tackle Ephraim Salaam.

"That entire organization is becoming a mirror image of this organization," Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith said. "Which I think is a good thing for them because we set a standard a long time ago and he's been a part of that for 20-plus years and you can see those guys are playing a lot better football than they played the last couple years. They're going to win a lot of football games."

Like many homecomings, however, this one was bittersweet.

"I saw a lot of people who were a big part of my life, and that was special," Kubiak said. "Once the football game starts, it kind of all goes out the window. It was nice to see everybody. This was a good challenge for our team, and I liked the way we fought all night. We were not very clean at all early in the game, but I liked the way we played hard to the end."

After the game, Kubiak and Shanahan embraced.

"I just told Mike, thanks for all he's done and giving me the chance," Kubiak said.

The biggest return belonged to Javon Walker, who caught three passes for 41 yards, his first receptions since tearing up his right knee in the season opener for Green Bay last year.

"It's been behind me since Denver got me in the trade. I was just ready to go out and be the person I was in Green Bay," the former Pro Bowl receiver said. "It felt good because you don't get hit in training camp. To get that done lets me know, `Hey, I'm all right and ready to get this season kicked off."'

Tatum Bell scored from a yard out and Cedric Cobbs followed a big block from right tackle Adam Meadows for a 26-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Denver's Jake Plummer (10-for-22, 96 yards) was off target all night and David Carr, although a respectable 15-for-22 for 128 yards, fumbled once, threw an interception at his own 20-yard line and couldn't lead the Texans into the end zone in seven possessions.

As might be expected from two offensive minds who know each other so well, the first 25 minutes was a stalemate until the Broncos got the ball at the Texans 45 and took advantage of the short field.

Their drive stalled at the 14 and Jason Elam nailed a 32-yarder, but Houston tackle Alfred Malone was whistled for an illegal procedure that gave the Broncos first-and-goal at the 9. Bell spun his way across the goal line three plays later.

On the next play from scrimmage, linebacker D.J. Williams picked off Carr at the Texans 20 and Elam followed with a 23-yard field goal that made it 10-0.

The Texans pulled to 10-3 on Kris Brown 's 29-yard field goal just before halftime. His 32-yarder in the third quarter made it 10-6 and came after rookie tight end Owen Daniels lined up offsides on fourth-and-1 at the Broncos 9.

After Cobbs' TD made it 17-6, Sage Rosenfels threw a 19-yard TD pass to Derrick Lewis with 2:53 left, and Vernand Morency's 2-point run made it 17-14.

Notes: Houston CB Phillip Buchanon bruised his ribs. ... Broncos WR Todd Devoe aggravated a shoulder injury.

Stephen Colbert On Slavery and The NFL Draft

Say, you may not like or agree with this video, but it's worth listening too. Stephen Colbert gives his take on the NFL and specifically the NFL Draft as it compares to slavery.

Check it out:

Raider Nation Scratches Head - Oakland Raiders Bring Back JEFF GEORGE

Even the Raider Nation's scratching its collective head over this one, with fans warring on message boards like Raiderfans.net over the Oakland Raiders decision to bring Jeff George out of mouthballs:

...They must have changed the headline, because that his not what I read when I clicked on the link. But can you blame the sports media for looking at this move as whacko? First Art Shell after six other candidates turn us down, then Tom Walsh now Jeff George. Did they check into Art Slchichter too? I'm sure he's staying in good shape in prison and can still gun it.

There's also an idea that this wasn't Head Coach Art Shell's call; this Tribune article seems to imply that Al Davis overrules his coaches.


There's more at Raiderfans.net

Oakland Raiders Bring Back JEFF GEORGE

I think this not the best move at all. To me, it's right up there with bringing Tom Walsh out of retirement to be offensive coordinator. Jeff George -- as I recall -- had lockerroom attitude problems. He was best known for his run-in with then-Atlanta Falcons Head Coach June Jones. Maybe he's grown up. Heck, I'd take Troy Aikman rather than Jeff George. This is ...ok. Enough from me. Here's the report from NFL.com.

Hey, I just realized they could pay Jeff George the NFL minimum and get an experienced guy in the process -- but five years out of the game? I just shake my head about that one.

See, what was so great when the Raiders did use the West Coast Offense is a GM/ Coach could just dial up a QB from the waiver wire that had experience with the terms and ideas behind it because about one-third of the NFL employs the system. The Raiders don't have that luxury anymore.


Raiders sign QB George after long hiatus
NFL.com wire reports
ALAMEDA, Calif. (Aug. 28, 2006) -- The Oakland Raiders signed Jeff George to a contract, bringing back a player who hasn't thrown an NFL pass in five seasons.

George, the No. 1 overall pick by Indianapolis in 1990, joined the team in time for Aug. 28's afternoon practice. He previously played for the Raiders in 1997-98, starting 23 games and throwing 33 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

It is not immediately clear what his role will be on the Raiders, who already have Aaron Brooks, Andrew Walter and Marques Tuiasosopo on the roster.

George played with the Colts from 1990-93. He was in Atlanta from 1994-96, then spent two seasons with Oakland and one with Minnesota before joining the Redskins in 2000, first as a backup. He was signed by Seattle as insurance midway through the 2002 season, but didn't play. Chicago signed him late in the 2004 season, but he never played for the Bears either.

George, known for his strong arm and clashes with coaches, has a 46-78 career record as a starter and has never lasted longer than four years with any one of them.

George hasn't played since 2001, when he was cut after two games with the Redskins. In his last two games with Washington, George had a quarterback rating of 34.6, completing 23 of 42 passes with three interceptions.

In his next-to-last game with Washington, he and coach Marty Schottenheimer had an animated sideline discussion after George committed four turnovers and was removed from the game.

George also had a sideline argument with coach June Jones when he was with the Atlanta Falcons in 1996, and the team suspended him and then cut him.

George played well his first season in Oakland, throwing for 3,917 yards and 29 touchdowns in 1997. He struggled with injuries the following season, starting only seven games, and was replaced the following season by Rich Gannon, who was a better fit in coach Jon Gruden's West Coast offense.