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| Friday, 8-Apr-2011 01:59 |
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Williams: Hornets can't rest on playoff clincher
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Hornets coach Monty Williams says now is no time for the Hornets to start celebrating, no matter how unexpected their newly clinched playoff berth may be.
The 39-year-old rookie coach is being congratulated from all sides after what he's accomplished with a franchise that missed last season's playoffs, is in an ownership transition, has 10 players who weren't with the team a year ago and lost top forward David West to injury last month.
Yet Williams says the Hornets will regret it if they rest on what they've accomplished so far.
The Hornets have four regular season games left and may need to win them to avoid a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, who've beaten New Orleans in all four meetings this season.
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| Thursday, 24-Mar-2011 02:06 |
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Word on the Street: Cutler travels to Kenya
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Cutler travels to Kenya
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, accompanied by his girlfriend, Kristin Cavallari, is currently visiting Kenya to do charitable work with the non-profit One Kid One World organization. As part of the trip, which Cutler has been silent about but Cavallari announced via her Twitter account, they will also be visiting El Salvador to provide children and teachers with school supplies.
Cutler has not spoken to the media since his performance was cut short by a knee injury in the Bears' disappointing loss in the NFC Championship Game to the rival Green Bay Packers.
Despite the opportunity to quiet his critics following the game, Cutler has stayed mum about his charity work this offseason. Both now and when he quietly visited sick children at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital.
“That’s the side of Jay a lot of people don’t know,” Bears president Ted Phillips said Sunday. “He does have a caring side to him.” (Chicago Sun-Times)
Huet selling condo, drops price
Looking for a 14th story, River North triplex with a seven-person hot tub and a mini hockey rink in the solarium? Have $2.775 million to spare? You're in luck! Former Chicago Blackhawks goalie Cristobal Huet recently dropped the price of his old home after six months on the market. The triplex is still priced $350K higher than he bought it for in 2008, though. (Curbed Chicago)
Peavy plays catch
White Sox ace Jake Peavy, who is currently recovering from tendinitis in his right rotator cuff, played catch with bullpen coach Juan Nieves on Tuesday. Peavy threw from a distance of about 30 to 40 feet on the Sox practice field at Camelback Ranch. After the throwing session, Peavy said he was encouraged.
"I felt better than I did a couple days ago," Peavy said. "So I was excited that things are certainly calming down." (ChicagoBreakingSports)
Announcer turns down Cubs PA job
Joe Caruso, a former radio announcer and current announcer for "Great Day SA" in San Antonio, Texas has turned down the opportunity to be the new voice of Wrigley Field. After reaching the "finals" for the job, Caruso said he had to turn the job down despite it being his childhood dream.
“We couldn’t come to terms,” he said. “When everything was put on the table, I had to turn it down.” He said that the job turned out to be part-time and did not pay enough to warrant a move to the windy city. (MySanAntonio)
Rex Ryan defends father against Duerson's charge
Boisterous New York Jets coach Rex Ryan said the claim by the late Dave Duerson that his father, Buddy Ryan, called the former Bears safety a racial epithet "ridiculous." Rex Ryan spoke to reporters at the NFL owners meetings in New Orleans and said that he never heard his father use racially offensive language.
"I've been around my dad a long time," Rex Ryan said, "and I never heard every conversation he ever had in his life, but I never heard him ever use language like that, a word like that. My dad loves his players, respected his players."
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| Wednesday, 16-Mar-2011 03:50 |
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Lack of impact free agents could put focus on QB trade market
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It's no stretch to say that the most important player on the field is the quarterback. Taking that into account, more than a quarter of the league is headed nowhere without an immediate upgrade at the position.
While there could be three quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2011 draft, unlike recent years, when Mark Sanchez, Sam Bradford, Josh Freeman, and Matthew Stafford came in and instantly solved a franchise's quarterback issue, this crop appears to need time to develop.
There also doesn't appear to be enough talent in the draft to supply all the demand. Teams will have to look elsewhere to fill a hole that can cripple an organization.The current labor issues prevent trades and free agency from moving forward. That doesn't mean pro personnel departments for teams like Arizona, Carolina, Cincinnati, Miami, Minnesota, Oakland, Seattle, San Francisco, Tennessee, and Washington haven't been studying potential options that could exist when the time is right to act. Let's say three teams draft a quarterback in the first round, taking them out of the quarterback hunt. That still means several teams will be searching.
Michael Vick and Peyton Manning were franchise tagged, leaving very little potential on the open market. When Matt Hasselbeck, a 12-year veteran, leads the free-agent options, followed by Marc Bulger, who didn't throw a pass last season and will turn 34 in April, trades might be the way to go.
Here are the potential candidates to help quarterback-needy clubs.
1. Kevin Kolb, Eagles, potential trade
With seven career starts in a West Coast system, there are 319 pass attempts on tape that can be evaluated. He has completed 60.8 percent of his attempts with 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and 20 sacks.
Kolb is slightly ahead of where Matt Schaub was when Atlanta traded him to Houston in 2007. Schaub had completed 84 of 161 for 1,033 yards with six touchdowns, six interceptions and 12 sacks. The Falcons' compensation was a flip of first-round picks, moving the Falcons from the 10th spot to eighth overall, which is equivalent to a high fourth-round pick. They also received Houston's second-round picks in 2007 and 2008. The trade-chart points from those three selections add up to 1,140 points or the value of a mid first-round pick. The Falcons came away from the deal with Jamaal Anderson, Justin Blalock and had the ammo to trade up for Sam Baker.
The Eagles are looking for similar value for Kolb. Three potential landing spots would be Minnesota, Seattle or San Francisco. All three teams are committed to the West Coast system, but can one of them come to grips with the necessary compensation and get a long-term deal done with Kolb before the trade?2. Carson Palmer, Bengals, potential trade
Palmer says he wants out, while the club says he can retire or play in Cincinnati. It's too early to tell how this will play out, but Palmer has thrown for 7,064 yards, 47 touchdowns and 33 interceptions over the past two years. He's also started all 16 games in five of the last six seasons.
The Bengals have the fourth pick and should have a shot at Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert. If they decide to take one of those guys, then trading Palmer becomes a possibility.
Palmer is 31, two years younger than Donovan McNabb when he was traded to the Redskins last offseason. Still, working off that deal is a probable starting point. The McNabb compensation was a second-round pick in 2010 (37th overall) and a fourth-round choice this year. The Bengals should be enticed to take a similar deal if they secure a QB in the first round. That would give them three other picks in the top 66 to go with a young signal-caller to build around.
Potential landing spots for Palmer include Arizona, San Francisco and Seattle. Carolina and Miami are also options, but neither team has a second-round pick, making a potential deal difficult.
3. Kyle Orton, Broncos, potential trade
Trading Orton would mean the Broncos are ready to go with Tim Tebow. I doubt that's the case, so getting Orton out of Denver would not be easy. Orton completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 3,653 yards with 20 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. He was sacked 34 times, however.
Considering Tebow was a first-round pick last year, it's unlikely the new regime would go QB again in the first round. That won't keep teams from studying Orton and eventually calling Denver about his availability when the labor issues end.Maybe Denver goes for a Hasselbeck or Bulger in free agency and then puts Orton on the block. Orton beat Seattle and Tennessee last year, throwing for 300-plus yards and two touchdowns in each game. Both of those teams could be shopping for a QB this offseason. A third-round pick in 2011 and a fifth-round choice in 2012 might get it done if he becomes available.
4. Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks, free agent
Hasselbeck has just one 16-start season out of the last five and will turn 36 next season. Over the last two years, he has 28 starts, 29 touchdowns, 34 interceptions and 61 sacks. He did play well down the stretch to help Seattle win the NFC West, throwing seven touchdowns in the two playoff games.
A team looking for a veteran starter that wants to take a quarterback later in the draft or already has a young option that needs more time will look at Hasselbeck. No compensation required, just a contract. If he doesn't return to Seattle, Arizona could be a good fit.
5. Marc Bulger, Ravens, free Agent
While the 10-year veteran sat behind Joe Flacco last season, Bulger is being mentioned as a candidate to come in and hold down the fort. You can't hand him a job at this point in his career, but some team might offer him a chance to compete for the starting spot. Could he beat out Jimmy Clausen in Carolina? What about Chad Henne in Miami? Would he buy time to develop a Cam Newton in Cincinnati? Possibly, but the contract would have to protect the club.
6. Donovan McNabb, Redskins, free agent (not yet)
The extension he signed last year means he might not be released until late in the summer. No one is likely to trade for McNabb with a big bonus due and coming off his 2010 performance. If and when he hits the market will have a lot to do with possible interest. He still has talent and leadership skills, two things a team like Minnesota needs.
7. Vince Young, Titans, free agent (not yet)
Teams have spent time studying Young in anticipation of his eventual release. A team like the Raiders has a long history of picking up former first-round picks and has to be considered an option. He will be just 28 next season and has a 30-17 regular-season record.
Depth of the free-agent class was also weakened when veterans like Seneca Wallace, Luke McCown and Kyle Boller all re-signed with their old clubs, not that anyone was looking to build a team around them at quarterback.
You'll also notice Matt Flynn is missing from this list. I don't think the Packers are trading a solid, young backup, especially with Aaron Rodgers' recent concussion issues.
If for some reason we revert back to the 2010 free-agent rules, all the quarterbacks with four and five years experience are not going to hit the market. That means guys like Trent Edwards, Matt Leinart, Tyler Thigpen, Troy Smith, Tarvaris Jackson, Kellen Clemens, Brodie Croyle, Matt Moore, and Drew Stanton will not be options.
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| Thursday, 17-Feb-2011 09:15 |
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Titans' mascot began career as N. Alabama's Leo
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http://zuobuwan.fotopages.com/
Long before he ever donned the larger-than-life head, big feet or furry paws, Pete Nelson knew he belonged inside a mascot's uniform.
The role suited him as no position on a football Cheap NFL Jerseys team ever would.
"Every time I'm on that field, when there are 70,000 fans in the stadium, I'm in awe that Jesus would allow me to do this," Nelson said. "I'm in good shape, and I'm still having fun with it. When the time comes, and that's not the case, I'll do something else."
The Florence native, who cut his teeth as Leo, the University of North Alabama mascot, has created a career of being the man behind the mask for the Tennessee Titans. As T-Rac, he's one of four mascots who have been nominated for the "Most Awesome Mascot" award as part of the Cartoon Network's "Hall of Game" Awards.
T-Rac is the only one of the mascots to represent the NFL. The other three nominees are the Gorilla of the Phoenix Suns and Bango from the Milwaukee Bucks, both from the National Basketball Association, and the Philadelphia Phillies' Phillie Phanatic, of Major League Baseball.
Online voting will take place through Feb. 20. The winner will be announced Feb. 26 at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles hosted by skateboard legend Tony Hawk.
Don MacLachlan, Titans' executive vice president for administration and facilities, called the nomination an honor for T-Rac and the entire organization.
"This selection shows that T-Rac is among the cream of the crop of mascots, and we hope all of his fans will log on to the Web site to vote for him for this award," MacLachlan said.
Bringing T-Rac to life, however, was something Nelson said he thought might never happen.
After years of learning the ropes as Leo at UNA in Florence, Nelson said he wanted to continue to entertain the crowds at the next level. He sent countless videos and resumes to NFL teams across the country, hoping for a response.
"All this time, my parents are telling me I've got to get a job, I've graduated, and I need to find something with benefits," Nelson said. "But one after the other of these teams fell through, the Eagles, Patriots, Chargers, Colts, Rams, they all fell through until my only hope was the Titans."
A fraternity connection with Titans owner Bud Adams helped. After a couple of phone conversations with Adams, Nelson landed what he now calls his dream job and was hired as the first mascot for the Titans after their move to Nashville from Houston where they were the Oilers.
Even after he was hired, Nelson said he didn't know what character he'd be portraying.
"Finally, I asked, and they told me it was a raccoon," he said. "I asked why, and they said that the raccoon is the state animal of Tennessee. We didn't even have a suit yet."http://fearheller.blog.co.uk/
Now, more than a decade later, Nelson has developed the persona of T-Rac, becoming the face of the Titans. He said much of what he did as Leo helped prepare him for the NFL, especially when it came to the costume.
"If you'll notice the T-Rac suit, the head is similar to the Leo costume, and the paws have four fingers and a thumb, and it has big feet. I like big feet." Nelson said.
As T-Rac, Nelson said he's never had a bad day.
"It takes a toll on relationships or with the heat and time involved," he said. "But I'm blessed. Even when I'm exhausted or if something personal is going on, I can be standing outside a gym at a school and hearing the kids shouting, 'T-Rac! T-Rac! T-Rac!' When you hear that, no matter what the problem is, it's forgotten and long gone."
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| Thursday, 6-Jan-2011 03:12 |
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Robert Gibbs resigns, saying he'll serve Obama better from outsi
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Robert Gibbs is resigning from his role as President Obama's official spokesman in order to speak more effectively for Obama.
"The best service I can provide this president is, for the next couple of years, outside this building," said Gibbs, who announced Wednesday that he would leave his press secretary job in early February. He will then hit the lucrative speaking circuit and become a paid consultant to the Obama reelection campaign.
The resignation of Gibbs is further evidence that the 2012 presidential campaign has already begun and that Obama, who lacks the numerous surrogates of past presidents, needs to deploy Gibbs to the front lines of the public debate. Gibbs will be unchained from the government salary and decorum expected from the press room podium, especially in a White House that has an officially stated disdain for partisan politics. Obama's longtime attack dog can finally bare his teeth.
Gibbs's move also exposes the shortcomings of the room he is leaving, and the decreased political significance of a podium-bound official voice in a raucous virtual age.
On Wednesday afternoon, around the time Republicans exuberantly took over the House, Gibbs arrived at his daily briefing in a charcoal pinstriped suit and blue pastel tie dotted with commas - an appropriate pattern for the famously long-winded spokesman. Fielding a question about whether he might feel less encumbered without the podium in front of him, he grinned and jokingly stepped away from his lectern.
Gibbs insisted that his aim in leaving his White House post was not "to be freed up to say a series of things that I might not otherwise say." But later, when asked when he might begin wading into the combat of cable television, Gibbs expressed no reluctance. "I assume that I will have an opportunity to continue to be an advocate for the decisions that are being made or have been made in this White House," he said. "And I am certainly happy to do that."
"Robert has been a tremendously fierce advocate for the president, but the official capacity of the podium and the White House does have its constraints," said Brad Woodhouse, communications director for the Democratic National Committee. "He'll have the opportunity to be probably more stark in some of his comments about whatever Republicans are doing."
He'll also have the opportunity to get paid. "He's had a six-year stretch now where basically he's been going 24/7 with relatively modest pay," Obama said in an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday. Gibbs's White House salary is $172,200 a year. Last spring, David Axelrod, who is also preparing to leave the administration to go to work for the reelection campaign, said that Gibbs, who was then considering moving into the Oval Office as a senior adviser, was a "long-term associate," and "not a hired gun."
Times have changed. On Wednesday, Gibbs said that while Obama would be the last political candidate he would ever work for, he would not rule out other avenues of income, including representing corporations - "if that's something that I decided to do and I was comfortable with who those clients were."
Gibbs is certainly not the first former press secretary to cash in on his time as the face of the administration. In the George W. Bush orbit, Dana Perino is a familiar face on cable and Ari Fleischer has opened his own consulting shop. From the Clinton universe, Dee Dee Myers has been a Vanity Fair contributing editor and a regular cable voice, while Mike McCurry works for a big government relations firm in Washington.
None of them had as tight a relationship with their presidents as Gibbs has with Obama, or such unfettered access to high-level information. Asked to assess his performance, Gibbs said that unlike most people in Washington, he didn't relish talking about himself - though he then went on to do so.
Gibbs said that he preferred to censor his full knowledge of White House business, rather than having to ignorantly go before the press or unknowingly mislead reporters ("I haven't done that," he said, knocking the podium's wood). He said that while he wished he had done some things differently, he thought he had done well overall. (Sometimes prickly and thin-skinned, Gibbs has been known to speak insultingly to reporters and once patronizingly compared a radio reporter to his young son.)
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