From: Redzone.org
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree suffered a torn Achilles tendon during organized team activities Tuesday and will soon undergo what could be season-ending surgery, a person informed of the injury told Mike Garafolo of USA Today Sports.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the 49ers haven't commented on the injury, which used to be an automatic season-ender but has since become one that can sometimes be rehabbed in a matter of months -- as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Da'Quan Bowers did last year.
Both players tore the tendon in the spring and returned to the field after starting the year on the physically unable to perform list.
ESPN BOTTOM LINE
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Jaworski says Kelly’s system won’t translate in the NFL
From: Redzone.org
Former Eagles quarterback and now TV analyst Ron Jaworski doesn’t see Chip Kelly’s offensive concepts translating to the NFL, Sheil Kapedia of Phillymag.com reports.
“It’s going to be interesting to see if this style of offense projects to the NFL,” Jaws said during an interview on 97.5 The Fanatic earlier this week. “I’m going to say no.”
“I just don’t see NFL passing concepts in this offense. It’s a movement offense by the quarterback, off the run-action, off the read-action. A lot of short, quick passes, dart routes, bubble screens. Very few plays down the field with NFL passing concepts.”
“It’s easy to say, ‘Yeah, it worked in college,’ ” he said. “But then I looked at a game like Stanford. Stanford, a good defensive football team, shut them down. I hope it works. I like the innovation, but I think it’s going to be very difficult.
“The NFL is a different league with fast players that have all week to prepare for you. At the collegiate level, you have 20 hours to prepare for that Oregon offense. Take out three hours of game time. You’ve got 17 hours in the course of a week to practice and prepare for that style of offense. It kills you in college. But in the NFL, these guys work 17 hours a day. A day, not a week – 17 hours a day getting ready, so there’s no secrets.”
Former Eagles quarterback and now TV analyst Ron Jaworski doesn’t see Chip Kelly’s offensive concepts translating to the NFL, Sheil Kapedia of Phillymag.com reports.
“It’s going to be interesting to see if this style of offense projects to the NFL,” Jaws said during an interview on 97.5 The Fanatic earlier this week. “I’m going to say no.”
“I just don’t see NFL passing concepts in this offense. It’s a movement offense by the quarterback, off the run-action, off the read-action. A lot of short, quick passes, dart routes, bubble screens. Very few plays down the field with NFL passing concepts.”
“It’s easy to say, ‘Yeah, it worked in college,’ ” he said. “But then I looked at a game like Stanford. Stanford, a good defensive football team, shut them down. I hope it works. I like the innovation, but I think it’s going to be very difficult.
“The NFL is a different league with fast players that have all week to prepare for you. At the collegiate level, you have 20 hours to prepare for that Oregon offense. Take out three hours of game time. You’ve got 17 hours in the course of a week to practice and prepare for that style of offense. It kills you in college. But in the NFL, these guys work 17 hours a day. A day, not a week – 17 hours a day getting ready, so there’s no secrets.”
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Urlacher retiring from NFL after 13 seasons
From: Redzone.org
According to his official Twitter account Brian Urlacher is retiring form the NFL after 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears, ESPN Chicago reports.
"After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire," Urlacher said in a statement he posted on Twitter. "Although I could continue playing, I'm not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that's up to my standards. When considering this along with the fact I could retire after a 13-year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear."
According to his official Twitter account Brian Urlacher is retiring form the NFL after 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears, ESPN Chicago reports.
"After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire," Urlacher said in a statement he posted on Twitter. "Although I could continue playing, I'm not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that's up to my standards. When considering this along with the fact I could retire after a 13-year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear."
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
ESPN To Lay Off Hundreds
From: MSN.com
Walt Disney's (DIS -0.44%) ESPN, long considered a cash cow for the media giant, is laying off hundreds of workers as it faces escalating costs for sports programming and increased complaints about the fees it charges.
A tipster to Deadspin pegs the job cuts at about 400. The network acknowledged "difficult" changes across the company Tuesday but would not confirm any specific layoff numbers. This is the first staff reduction at the channel since 2009, according to the blog.
Like its broadcast counterparts, ESPN has been socked with skyrocketing costs for sports programming. Last year, the channel, along with News Corp.'s (NWS +0.60%) Fox and Time Warner's (TWX +0.67%) TBS, spent $12.4 billion for the broadcast rights for Major League Baseball from 2014 to 2021, an agreement that will double MLB's annual payout. In 2011, ESPN signed a $15 billion deal with the NFL for "Monday Night Football" that goes through 2021. The deal equals $1.9 billion a year, a 73% increase over the old contract.
For Disney, ESPN is the gift that keeps on giving. In the most recent quarter, Disney's Media Networks business, which includes the sports channel, earned $1.72 billion in operating income on $3.45 billion in revenue. The network charges cable and satellite operators $5 per household per month, the most of any channel. TV providers have grumbled about the fees for years, which ESPN has justified with ratings that continually rank at or near the top. Sports also are attractive to advertisers, since they are still watched live and continue to draw huge audiences.
ESPN is facing increased competition from CBS (CBS -0.04%) and Comcast's (CMCSA +1.71%) NBC, which have their own sports networks, and Fox, which is planning to launch one. There are also calls from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to allow consumers to buy only the cable channels they want instead of being able to buy only tiers of channels.
Higher costs, rising competition and changing market conditions prove that the "worldwide leader in sports" has a tough road ahead as people who aren't sports fans wonder why they should be charged for ESPN.
Walt Disney's (DIS -0.44%) ESPN, long considered a cash cow for the media giant, is laying off hundreds of workers as it faces escalating costs for sports programming and increased complaints about the fees it charges.
A tipster to Deadspin pegs the job cuts at about 400. The network acknowledged "difficult" changes across the company Tuesday but would not confirm any specific layoff numbers. This is the first staff reduction at the channel since 2009, according to the blog.
Like its broadcast counterparts, ESPN has been socked with skyrocketing costs for sports programming. Last year, the channel, along with News Corp.'s (NWS +0.60%) Fox and Time Warner's (TWX +0.67%) TBS, spent $12.4 billion for the broadcast rights for Major League Baseball from 2014 to 2021, an agreement that will double MLB's annual payout. In 2011, ESPN signed a $15 billion deal with the NFL for "Monday Night Football" that goes through 2021. The deal equals $1.9 billion a year, a 73% increase over the old contract.
For Disney, ESPN is the gift that keeps on giving. In the most recent quarter, Disney's Media Networks business, which includes the sports channel, earned $1.72 billion in operating income on $3.45 billion in revenue. The network charges cable and satellite operators $5 per household per month, the most of any channel. TV providers have grumbled about the fees for years, which ESPN has justified with ratings that continually rank at or near the top. Sports also are attractive to advertisers, since they are still watched live and continue to draw huge audiences.
ESPN is facing increased competition from CBS (CBS -0.04%) and Comcast's (CMCSA +1.71%) NBC, which have their own sports networks, and Fox, which is planning to launch one. There are also calls from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to allow consumers to buy only the cable channels they want instead of being able to buy only tiers of channels.
Higher costs, rising competition and changing market conditions prove that the "worldwide leader in sports" has a tough road ahead as people who aren't sports fans wonder why they should be charged for ESPN.
Mornhinweg: Jets QB competition could be over before camp
From: Redzone.org
The Jets' quarterback competition may be over before Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith even make it to Cortland, N.Y., for the start of training camp in late July, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports.
"We don't care what the prevailing thought is," new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said about the perception that the quarterback battle will certainly be alive at the start of training camp. "We only care about our competition here."
Mornhinweg is looking for one of his signal callers to separate himself from the pack. "Common sense tells you that you hope it's quick, but this is going to be a full blown competition. Period."
Mornhinweg wants one of the quarterbacks to distance himself during a critical, but often overlooked stretch of the offseason program that began on Monday. But could someone actually separate himself that much for the Jets brass to declare a winner by mid-June based on 10 OTA practices and three minicamp practices?
"Oh, absolutely," Mornhinweg said. "Sure. Absolutely. That's all part of the process. Absolutely. Everything we do is important. Our meetings are important… the way we go about our meetings, the way we go about our preparation right now with a new system. These are very important things. Every pass we throw out there in OTAs and these practices are important."
Mornhinweg admitted that naming a starter will be a collaborative decision.
"In any decision we make (regarding) playing time, what role a certain man's going to have, who's the starting quarterback," Mornhinweg said, "It will be discussed thoroughly virtually every day until we make a decision. I suspect that decision will come when we're all in it together. There's no question about that."
"I spent hours on this thing up to date on exactly how we're going to go about each practice," Mornhinweg said. "The staff has spent hours specifically with the first group, the second group, the third group… as well as the quarterback spots."
The Jets' quarterback competition may be over before Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith even make it to Cortland, N.Y., for the start of training camp in late July, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports.
"We don't care what the prevailing thought is," new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said about the perception that the quarterback battle will certainly be alive at the start of training camp. "We only care about our competition here."
Mornhinweg is looking for one of his signal callers to separate himself from the pack. "Common sense tells you that you hope it's quick, but this is going to be a full blown competition. Period."
Mornhinweg wants one of the quarterbacks to distance himself during a critical, but often overlooked stretch of the offseason program that began on Monday. But could someone actually separate himself that much for the Jets brass to declare a winner by mid-June based on 10 OTA practices and three minicamp practices?
"Oh, absolutely," Mornhinweg said. "Sure. Absolutely. That's all part of the process. Absolutely. Everything we do is important. Our meetings are important… the way we go about our meetings, the way we go about our preparation right now with a new system. These are very important things. Every pass we throw out there in OTAs and these practices are important."
Mornhinweg admitted that naming a starter will be a collaborative decision.
"In any decision we make (regarding) playing time, what role a certain man's going to have, who's the starting quarterback," Mornhinweg said, "It will be discussed thoroughly virtually every day until we make a decision. I suspect that decision will come when we're all in it together. There's no question about that."
"I spent hours on this thing up to date on exactly how we're going to go about each practice," Mornhinweg said. "The staff has spent hours specifically with the first group, the second group, the third group… as well as the quarterback spots."
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Dolphins stadium proposal was failing at the polls, vote tally shows
From: Naked Politics
The Miami Dolphins’ short-lived campaign for a subsidized Sun Life Stadium renovation appeared doomed from the start.
A sizeable majority of Miami-Dade voters who cast ballots in the special stadium election before it was called off opposed the $350 million makeover, according to a count the elections department released late Tuesday.
The tabulation shows that among the 60,678 voters who voted by mail or at early-voting sites, 57 percent opposed the Dolphins’ proposal, compared to 43 percent who favored it.
Though partial results for an incomplete election, the vote tally provides a snapshot of the opinion of voters who voted early, despite not knowing whether their ballots would ultimately count.
A countywide vote had been scheduled for Tuesday but required approval from Florida lawmakers, who concluded their annual session without taking up Dolphins-backed legislation. With the bill in limbo until the last day of session, voters began casting absentee and early ballots in the most unusual of elections where their votes wound up being moot.
That didn’t bother Andres Moya, a 58-year old registered Democrat who voted by mail against the renovation.
“I wouldn’t give money to anybody who doesn’t need it: a guy who’s a multi-billionaire,” said Moya, a retired county worker who lives in the Coral Terrace area.
“I was glad that it did not go to a vote,” he added. “And I don’t think it was going to pass.”
The Dolphins spent nearly $10 million on the referendum: $4.8 million to cover the election costs and $4.5 million on an exhaustive political campaign to lure reliable voters to the polls. Glossy campaign fliers kept hitting mailboxes for several days after the election had been canceled.
More than 60,000 voters had cast ballots by the time the referendum was abruptly called off. Of those, the elections department only tabulated the early votes and the absentee ballots that had been opened and verified up to that point.
The Miami Dolphins’ short-lived campaign for a subsidized Sun Life Stadium renovation appeared doomed from the start.
A sizeable majority of Miami-Dade voters who cast ballots in the special stadium election before it was called off opposed the $350 million makeover, according to a count the elections department released late Tuesday.
The tabulation shows that among the 60,678 voters who voted by mail or at early-voting sites, 57 percent opposed the Dolphins’ proposal, compared to 43 percent who favored it.
Though partial results for an incomplete election, the vote tally provides a snapshot of the opinion of voters who voted early, despite not knowing whether their ballots would ultimately count.
A countywide vote had been scheduled for Tuesday but required approval from Florida lawmakers, who concluded their annual session without taking up Dolphins-backed legislation. With the bill in limbo until the last day of session, voters began casting absentee and early ballots in the most unusual of elections where their votes wound up being moot.
That didn’t bother Andres Moya, a 58-year old registered Democrat who voted by mail against the renovation.
“I wouldn’t give money to anybody who doesn’t need it: a guy who’s a multi-billionaire,” said Moya, a retired county worker who lives in the Coral Terrace area.
“I was glad that it did not go to a vote,” he added. “And I don’t think it was going to pass.”
The Dolphins spent nearly $10 million on the referendum: $4.8 million to cover the election costs and $4.5 million on an exhaustive political campaign to lure reliable voters to the polls. Glossy campaign fliers kept hitting mailboxes for several days after the election had been canceled.
More than 60,000 voters had cast ballots by the time the referendum was abruptly called off. Of those, the elections department only tabulated the early votes and the absentee ballots that had been opened and verified up to that point.
Former Saints & Chargers RB Muncie dies of a heart attack at 60
From: Redzone.org
Chuck Muncie, a three-time Pro Bowler who was the New Orleans Saints' first-round pick in 1976--but whose career was derailed by drug abuse--died Monday of a heart attack, the New Orleans Saints have confirmed to John Roach of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Muncie played with the Saints from 1976 through the first four games of the 1980 season before being traded to San Diego.
Chuck Muncie, a three-time Pro Bowler who was the New Orleans Saints' first-round pick in 1976--but whose career was derailed by drug abuse--died Monday of a heart attack, the New Orleans Saints have confirmed to John Roach of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Muncie played with the Saints from 1976 through the first four games of the 1980 season before being traded to San Diego.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Sanchez could be jettisoned prior to start of the season
From: Redzone.org
One rookie minicamp doesn't make a quarterback but there are more rumblings that Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez might not be around at the start of the 2013 season.
Brian Costello of the New York Post reports Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith was impressive during the two days of the mini-camp open to the media. His passes had great zip on them and he looked more decisive as the practices went on as he got more comfortable in the offense. The 22-year-old was even more impressive off the field. He held players’ only meetings at the team hotel to learn the plays and handled the media like a longtime pro. You can tell from talking to people around the team during this weekend’s rookie mini-camp that many in the organization are smitten with new quarterback Geno Smith. It’s beginning to look more and more like the starting job is his to lose.
The best scenario for the Jets is: Smith shows he’s capable, Garrard proves he’s healthy and another team suffers an injury at quarterback during the preseason. Then, the Jets could trade Sanchez to the quarterback-needy team — after agreeing to eat about $6 million of the $8.75 million coming to him.
Costello isn't the only one who believes Sanchez could be on the way out. According to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, if Geno Smith wins the Jet starting job to start the season, he wouldn't be remotely surprised if the Jets traded Mark Sanchez for a low-round draft pick or cut him before Week 1.
One rookie minicamp doesn't make a quarterback but there are more rumblings that Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez might not be around at the start of the 2013 season.
Brian Costello of the New York Post reports Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith was impressive during the two days of the mini-camp open to the media. His passes had great zip on them and he looked more decisive as the practices went on as he got more comfortable in the offense. The 22-year-old was even more impressive off the field. He held players’ only meetings at the team hotel to learn the plays and handled the media like a longtime pro. You can tell from talking to people around the team during this weekend’s rookie mini-camp that many in the organization are smitten with new quarterback Geno Smith. It’s beginning to look more and more like the starting job is his to lose.
The best scenario for the Jets is: Smith shows he’s capable, Garrard proves he’s healthy and another team suffers an injury at quarterback during the preseason. Then, the Jets could trade Sanchez to the quarterback-needy team — after agreeing to eat about $6 million of the $8.75 million coming to him.
Costello isn't the only one who believes Sanchez could be on the way out. According to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, if Geno Smith wins the Jet starting job to start the season, he wouldn't be remotely surprised if the Jets traded Mark Sanchez for a low-round draft pick or cut him before Week 1.
Oklahoma Senator targets NFL's non-profit status
From: Redzone.org
The NFL is a non-profit organization. That means it conducts itself as an enterprise which promotes a “common business interest and not to engage in a regular business of a kind ordinarily carried on for profit,” according to the Internal Revenue Code.
Dave D'Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger reports while individual teams operate as for-profits, the league itself does not, and therefore enjoys federal tax-exempt status on its earnings. Sometimes, it even avoids taxes at the state and local level. For example, NFL employees aren’t charged tax when they stay at a hotel during the Super Bowl.
The NFL paid its top eight executives roughly $53.8 million in 2012, including $11.6 million for its current commissioner (Roger Goodell) and $8.5 million for its former commissioner (Paul Tagliabue).
“This really flies under the radar,” says a young litigator from Vermont with sports/entertainment law expertise that we met the other day named Andrew Delaney. “You ask your average guy on the street what he knows about the NFL, and the conversation is likely to be about how the players are overpaid or how the players need to behave in public. Most people don't even know that the NFL is in any way a non-profit.”
Delaney’s interest in the subject first came up in 2010, when as a law student he wrote an article for the Arizona State Sports and Entertainment Law Journal. The paper was entitled “Taking a Sack: The NFL and its Undeserved Tax-Exempt Status,” and some of the facts contained therein weren’t known to most people – least of all the Senate Finance Committee.
But somehow, it found its way to the staff of Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn, who cited many of the facts in Delaney’s paper to craft an amendment that he has attached to the Marketplace Fairness Act this past Thursday.
This is not a new quibble for Coburn – he’s also going after the PGA and NHL -- but now he's given it a name: It's called the Property Reducing Overexceptions for Sports Act (PRO Sports Act). And when it comes up for a vote, we could see the end of the NFL’s tax exempt status forever.
Coburn, who never has much of an agenda other than cutting waste wherever he detects it, thinks that “based on the publicly available information about the NFL and NHL alone, (revoking) non-profit status may generate at least $91 million of federal revenue every year.”
Delaney calls the NFL a “glorified tax shelter,” which is an ironic term, considering that NFL Ventures turned a profit of $1.295 billion in 2010 according to the documents given to Deadspin last year.
NFL teams write off the $6 million annual membership dues as a "charitable donation" to the league, and the NFL in turn takes that $192 million and puts it into a stadium fund that gives owners interest-free loans as long as they secure public financing for their new or renovated stadiums. That means we’re left with two bills: Not only do taxpayers lose out on federal tax revenue, we pay for new stadiums that generate profits which enrich only the owners.
“Losing its tax-exempt status would work an extraordinary hardship on the NFL,” Delaney believes. “Many of its subsidiaries are for-profit enterprises. So the biggest change will be that the membership assessments will not be tax write-offs for the individual teams. And the NFL would, at least theoretically, have to pay taxes on that income.”
The NFL is a non-profit organization. That means it conducts itself as an enterprise which promotes a “common business interest and not to engage in a regular business of a kind ordinarily carried on for profit,” according to the Internal Revenue Code.
Dave D'Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger reports while individual teams operate as for-profits, the league itself does not, and therefore enjoys federal tax-exempt status on its earnings. Sometimes, it even avoids taxes at the state and local level. For example, NFL employees aren’t charged tax when they stay at a hotel during the Super Bowl.
The NFL paid its top eight executives roughly $53.8 million in 2012, including $11.6 million for its current commissioner (Roger Goodell) and $8.5 million for its former commissioner (Paul Tagliabue).
“This really flies under the radar,” says a young litigator from Vermont with sports/entertainment law expertise that we met the other day named Andrew Delaney. “You ask your average guy on the street what he knows about the NFL, and the conversation is likely to be about how the players are overpaid or how the players need to behave in public. Most people don't even know that the NFL is in any way a non-profit.”
Delaney’s interest in the subject first came up in 2010, when as a law student he wrote an article for the Arizona State Sports and Entertainment Law Journal. The paper was entitled “Taking a Sack: The NFL and its Undeserved Tax-Exempt Status,” and some of the facts contained therein weren’t known to most people – least of all the Senate Finance Committee.
But somehow, it found its way to the staff of Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn, who cited many of the facts in Delaney’s paper to craft an amendment that he has attached to the Marketplace Fairness Act this past Thursday.
This is not a new quibble for Coburn – he’s also going after the PGA and NHL -- but now he's given it a name: It's called the Property Reducing Overexceptions for Sports Act (PRO Sports Act). And when it comes up for a vote, we could see the end of the NFL’s tax exempt status forever.
Coburn, who never has much of an agenda other than cutting waste wherever he detects it, thinks that “based on the publicly available information about the NFL and NHL alone, (revoking) non-profit status may generate at least $91 million of federal revenue every year.”
Delaney calls the NFL a “glorified tax shelter,” which is an ironic term, considering that NFL Ventures turned a profit of $1.295 billion in 2010 according to the documents given to Deadspin last year.
NFL teams write off the $6 million annual membership dues as a "charitable donation" to the league, and the NFL in turn takes that $192 million and puts it into a stadium fund that gives owners interest-free loans as long as they secure public financing for their new or renovated stadiums. That means we’re left with two bills: Not only do taxpayers lose out on federal tax revenue, we pay for new stadiums that generate profits which enrich only the owners.
“Losing its tax-exempt status would work an extraordinary hardship on the NFL,” Delaney believes. “Many of its subsidiaries are for-profit enterprises. So the biggest change will be that the membership assessments will not be tax write-offs for the individual teams. And the NFL would, at least theoretically, have to pay taxes on that income.”
Thursday, May 2, 2013
US poll finds widespread support for Redskins name
From: AP Sports News - The News Tribune
It's been a rough offseason for the Washington Redskins, and not just because of the knee injury to star quarterback Robert Griffin III.
The team's nickname has faced a new barrage of criticism for being offensive to Native Americans.
Local leaders and pundits have called for a name change. Opponents have launched a legal challenge intended to deny the team federal trademark protection. A bill introduced in Congress in March would do the same, though it appears unlikely to pass.
But a new Associated Press-GfK poll shows that nationally, "Redskins" still enjoys widespread support. Nearly four in five Americans don't think the team should change its name, the survey found. Only 11 percent think it should be changed, while 8 percent weren't sure and 2 percent didn't answer.
Although 79 percent favor keeping the name, that does represent a 10 percentage point drop from the last national poll on the subject, conducted in 1992 by The Washington Post and ABC News just before the team won its most recent Super Bowl. Then, 89 percent said the name should not be changed, and 7 percent said it should.
The AP-GfK poll was conducted from April 11-15. It included interviews with 1,004 adults on both land lines and cellphones. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
Several poll respondents told The AP that they did not consider the name offensive and cited tradition in arguing that it shouldn't change.
"That's who they've been forever. That's who they're known as," said Sarah Lee, a 36-year-old stay-at-home mom from Osceola, Ind. "I think we as a people make race out to be a bigger issue than it is."
But those who think the name should be changed say the word is obviously derogatory.
"With everything that Native Americans have gone through in this country, to have a sports team named the Redskins - come on, now. It's bad," said Pamela Rogal, 56, a writer from Boston. "Much farther down the road, we're going to look back on this and say, 'Are you serious? Did they really call them the Washington Redskins?' It's a no-brainer."
Among football fans, 11 percent said the name should be changed - the same as among non-fans. Among nonwhite football fans, 18 percent said it should change, about double the percentage of white football fans who oppose the name.
A Redskins spokesman declined to comment on the poll's findings or to make team executives available for interviews.
In Washington, debate over the name has increased in recent months. In February, the National Museum of the American Indian held a daylong symposium on the use of Indian mascots by sports teams. Museum Director Kevin Gover, of the Pawnee Nation, said the word "redskin" was "the equivalent of the n-word."
District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray, a Democrat, suggested that the team would have to consider changing the name if it wanted to play its home games in the city again. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat who represents the district in Congress, said she's a fan of the team but avoids saying "Redskins." Just this week, a D.C. councilmember introduced a resolution calling for a name change, and it appears to have enough support to pass, although the council has no power over the team.
"We need to get rid of it," said longtime local news anchor Jim Vance in a commentary that aired in February. Vance, of WRC-TV, revealed that he has avoided using the name on the air for the past few years.
Other media outlets have done the same. The Washington City Paper substitutes the name "Pigskins," and DCist.com announced in February that it would avoid using the name in print. The Kansas City Star also has a policy against printing "Redskins."
In March, a three-judge panel heard arguments from a group of five Native American petitioners that the team shouldn't have federal trademark protection, which could force owner Daniel Snyder into a change by weakening him financially. A decision isn't expected for up to a year, and the Redskins are sure to appeal if it doesn't go their way. A similar case, ultimately won by the team, was filed in 1992 and needed 17 years to go through the legal system before the Supreme Court declined to intervene.
Susan Shown Harjo, a plaintiff in that case, said the poll results were "irrelevant" because popular opinion shouldn't decide the issue.
"This is a really good example of why you never put racism up to a popular vote, because racism will win every time," she said. "It's not up to the offending class to say what offends the offended."
Several poll respondents told AP that they were unaware of the ongoing debate.
"If we're going to say that 'Redskins' is an offensive term, like the n-word or something like that, I haven't heard that," said David Black, 38, a football fan from Edmond, Okla., who doesn't think a change is necessary.
George Strange, 52, of Jacksonville, Fla., who feels the name should change, said people might change their minds if they become more educated about the word and its history.
"My opinion, as I've gotten older, has changed. When I was younger, it was not a big deal. I can't get past the fact that it's a racial slur," Strange said. "I do have friends that are Redskins fans and ... they can't step aside and just look at it from a different perspective."
There's precedent for a Washington team changing its name because of cultural sensitivities. The late Washington Bullets owner Abe Pollin decided the nickname was inappropriate because of its association with urban violence, and in 1997, the NBA team was rechristened the Wizards.
Other professional sports teams have Native American nicknames, including the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and baseball's Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians. But former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado, who is Native American, said "Redskins" is much worse because of its origins and its use in connection with bounties on Indians.
"There's a derogatory name for every ethnic group in America, and we shouldn't be using those words," Campbell said, adding that many people don't realize how offensive the word is. "We probably haven't gotten our message out as well as it should be gotten out."
American Indians make up 1 percent of the population, according to Census figures.
Numerous colleges and universities have changed names that reference Native Americans. St. John's changed its mascot from the Redmen to the Red Storm, Marquette is now the Golden Eagles instead of the Warriors and Stanford switched from the Indians to the Cardinal.
Synder, however, has been adamant that the name should not change, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said he supports the team's stance. General Manager Bruce Allen said in March that the team isn't considering a new name.
Following the symposium at the museum, the team posted a series of articles on its official website that spotlighted some of the 70 U.S. high schools that use the nickname Redskins.
"There is nothing that we feel is offensive," Allen said. "And we're proud of our history."
It's been a rough offseason for the Washington Redskins, and not just because of the knee injury to star quarterback Robert Griffin III.
The team's nickname has faced a new barrage of criticism for being offensive to Native Americans.
Local leaders and pundits have called for a name change. Opponents have launched a legal challenge intended to deny the team federal trademark protection. A bill introduced in Congress in March would do the same, though it appears unlikely to pass.
But a new Associated Press-GfK poll shows that nationally, "Redskins" still enjoys widespread support. Nearly four in five Americans don't think the team should change its name, the survey found. Only 11 percent think it should be changed, while 8 percent weren't sure and 2 percent didn't answer.
Although 79 percent favor keeping the name, that does represent a 10 percentage point drop from the last national poll on the subject, conducted in 1992 by The Washington Post and ABC News just before the team won its most recent Super Bowl. Then, 89 percent said the name should not be changed, and 7 percent said it should.
The AP-GfK poll was conducted from April 11-15. It included interviews with 1,004 adults on both land lines and cellphones. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
Several poll respondents told The AP that they did not consider the name offensive and cited tradition in arguing that it shouldn't change.
"That's who they've been forever. That's who they're known as," said Sarah Lee, a 36-year-old stay-at-home mom from Osceola, Ind. "I think we as a people make race out to be a bigger issue than it is."
But those who think the name should be changed say the word is obviously derogatory.
"With everything that Native Americans have gone through in this country, to have a sports team named the Redskins - come on, now. It's bad," said Pamela Rogal, 56, a writer from Boston. "Much farther down the road, we're going to look back on this and say, 'Are you serious? Did they really call them the Washington Redskins?' It's a no-brainer."
Among football fans, 11 percent said the name should be changed - the same as among non-fans. Among nonwhite football fans, 18 percent said it should change, about double the percentage of white football fans who oppose the name.
A Redskins spokesman declined to comment on the poll's findings or to make team executives available for interviews.
In Washington, debate over the name has increased in recent months. In February, the National Museum of the American Indian held a daylong symposium on the use of Indian mascots by sports teams. Museum Director Kevin Gover, of the Pawnee Nation, said the word "redskin" was "the equivalent of the n-word."
District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray, a Democrat, suggested that the team would have to consider changing the name if it wanted to play its home games in the city again. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat who represents the district in Congress, said she's a fan of the team but avoids saying "Redskins." Just this week, a D.C. councilmember introduced a resolution calling for a name change, and it appears to have enough support to pass, although the council has no power over the team.
"We need to get rid of it," said longtime local news anchor Jim Vance in a commentary that aired in February. Vance, of WRC-TV, revealed that he has avoided using the name on the air for the past few years.
Other media outlets have done the same. The Washington City Paper substitutes the name "Pigskins," and DCist.com announced in February that it would avoid using the name in print. The Kansas City Star also has a policy against printing "Redskins."
In March, a three-judge panel heard arguments from a group of five Native American petitioners that the team shouldn't have federal trademark protection, which could force owner Daniel Snyder into a change by weakening him financially. A decision isn't expected for up to a year, and the Redskins are sure to appeal if it doesn't go their way. A similar case, ultimately won by the team, was filed in 1992 and needed 17 years to go through the legal system before the Supreme Court declined to intervene.
Susan Shown Harjo, a plaintiff in that case, said the poll results were "irrelevant" because popular opinion shouldn't decide the issue.
"This is a really good example of why you never put racism up to a popular vote, because racism will win every time," she said. "It's not up to the offending class to say what offends the offended."
Several poll respondents told AP that they were unaware of the ongoing debate.
"If we're going to say that 'Redskins' is an offensive term, like the n-word or something like that, I haven't heard that," said David Black, 38, a football fan from Edmond, Okla., who doesn't think a change is necessary.
George Strange, 52, of Jacksonville, Fla., who feels the name should change, said people might change their minds if they become more educated about the word and its history.
"My opinion, as I've gotten older, has changed. When I was younger, it was not a big deal. I can't get past the fact that it's a racial slur," Strange said. "I do have friends that are Redskins fans and ... they can't step aside and just look at it from a different perspective."
There's precedent for a Washington team changing its name because of cultural sensitivities. The late Washington Bullets owner Abe Pollin decided the nickname was inappropriate because of its association with urban violence, and in 1997, the NBA team was rechristened the Wizards.
Other professional sports teams have Native American nicknames, including the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and baseball's Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians. But former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado, who is Native American, said "Redskins" is much worse because of its origins and its use in connection with bounties on Indians.
"There's a derogatory name for every ethnic group in America, and we shouldn't be using those words," Campbell said, adding that many people don't realize how offensive the word is. "We probably haven't gotten our message out as well as it should be gotten out."
American Indians make up 1 percent of the population, according to Census figures.
Numerous colleges and universities have changed names that reference Native Americans. St. John's changed its mascot from the Redmen to the Red Storm, Marquette is now the Golden Eagles instead of the Warriors and Stanford switched from the Indians to the Cardinal.
Synder, however, has been adamant that the name should not change, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said he supports the team's stance. General Manager Bruce Allen said in March that the team isn't considering a new name.
Following the symposium at the museum, the team posted a series of articles on its official website that spotlighted some of the 70 U.S. high schools that use the nickname Redskins.
"There is nothing that we feel is offensive," Allen said. "And we're proud of our history."
Report: Geno Smith ignored coaches during pre-draft meetings
From: Redzone.com
Less than a week after the New York Jets picked Geno Smith in the second round of the NFL draft, the quarterback is still under great scrutiny in league circles.
Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports reports two sources indicated that when Smith went on some visits to teams, rather than interact with coaches and front-office people, he would spend much of his time on his cell phone. Instead of being engaged with team officials, he would be texting friends or reading Twitter or a number of other distracting activities.
"All these other players who were in there were talking to the coaches, trying to get to know people and he was over there by himself," one of the sources said. "That's not what you want out of your quarterback."
Both sources indicated that Florida State's E.J. Manuel, who was selected ahead of Smith at No. 16 overall by Buffalo, was far more impressive in terms of his personality and maturity.
"Manuel gets it, he gets the whole big picture of what it takes to lead a team," one of the league executives said.
Smith opened himself up to criticism when he told ESPN last Thursday that he wasn't sticking around for Friday's second round after getting bypassed in the first. Smith then changed his mind, saying Friday that he returned after his "supporters" convinced him to stay.
By Sunday, Smith was being convinced by other friends that it was the fault of his agents that he slipped so much in the draft, according to one of the sources.
"Right now, he's blaming everybody but himself and he has some buddies around him who are telling him that same thing," the source said.
Less than a week after the New York Jets picked Geno Smith in the second round of the NFL draft, the quarterback is still under great scrutiny in league circles.
Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports reports two sources indicated that when Smith went on some visits to teams, rather than interact with coaches and front-office people, he would spend much of his time on his cell phone. Instead of being engaged with team officials, he would be texting friends or reading Twitter or a number of other distracting activities.
"All these other players who were in there were talking to the coaches, trying to get to know people and he was over there by himself," one of the sources said. "That's not what you want out of your quarterback."
Both sources indicated that Florida State's E.J. Manuel, who was selected ahead of Smith at No. 16 overall by Buffalo, was far more impressive in terms of his personality and maturity.
"Manuel gets it, he gets the whole big picture of what it takes to lead a team," one of the league executives said.
Smith opened himself up to criticism when he told ESPN last Thursday that he wasn't sticking around for Friday's second round after getting bypassed in the first. Smith then changed his mind, saying Friday that he returned after his "supporters" convinced him to stay.
By Sunday, Smith was being convinced by other friends that it was the fault of his agents that he slipped so much in the draft, according to one of the sources.
"Right now, he's blaming everybody but himself and he has some buddies around him who are telling him that same thing," the source said.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Wisdom of RGIII
In a land of freedom we are held hostage by the tyranny of political correctness
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 30, 2013
Report: Geno Smith fires agent after draft fall
From: Redzone.com
Four days after Geno Smith slid out of the first round of the draft, the former West Virginia quarterback fired his agents due to his displeasure over his draft position, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports citing sources.
The Daily News has learned that Smith thought that he would and should be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Sources told the News that Smith’s agents from Select Sports Group gave him no assurance of his draft position.
The Jets drafted Smith, who was atop Gang Green’s quarterback rankings, with the eighth pick in the second round (39th overall), which didn’t sit well with him. Smith can’t hire another agent for five days.
Despite Smith’s draft position, new general manager John Idzik made it clear that he still believes the rookie will be under the microscope.
“If you’re a first-round quarterback—first-round any position – the spotlight is a little bit brighter,” Idzik said on ESPN radio’s Mike & Mike show on Tuesday morning. “Him coming in as a second rounder, perhaps it’s a little dim, but being that he’s in the New York market, he’s at a high profile position, I think he’s going to be center stage regardless.”
Four days after Geno Smith slid out of the first round of the draft, the former West Virginia quarterback fired his agents due to his displeasure over his draft position, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports citing sources.
The Daily News has learned that Smith thought that he would and should be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Sources told the News that Smith’s agents from Select Sports Group gave him no assurance of his draft position.
The Jets drafted Smith, who was atop Gang Green’s quarterback rankings, with the eighth pick in the second round (39th overall), which didn’t sit well with him. Smith can’t hire another agent for five days.
Despite Smith’s draft position, new general manager John Idzik made it clear that he still believes the rookie will be under the microscope.
“If you’re a first-round quarterback—first-round any position – the spotlight is a little bit brighter,” Idzik said on ESPN radio’s Mike & Mike show on Tuesday morning. “Him coming in as a second rounder, perhaps it’s a little dim, but being that he’s in the New York market, he’s at a high profile position, I think he’s going to be center stage regardless.”
Report: Justin Blackmon suspended four games
From: Redzone.com
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon, the team's 2012 first-round draft pick, has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2013 NFL season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports..
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon, the team's 2012 first-round draft pick, has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2013 NFL season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports..
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Eagles and Colts complete rare player-for-player trade
From: Redzone.com
The Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts exchanged role players today in what is a rarity-a player for player trade instead of draft picks. Ian Rapoport of nfl.com reports that the Eagles acquired defensive end Clifton Geathers from the Colts for fullback Stanley Havili.
Geathers has thus far been an underachiever in the NFL He is a huge man at 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, and he has the height and size you want from defensive ends in a 3-4 defense. The 2010 sixth-round pick has appeared in just 15 career games, notching just five tackles and one sack. Geathers has bounced around the league, spending time with the Browns, Seahawks, Cowboys, and Colts.
Havili was expendable for the Eagles becausr Chip Kelly's offense does not make us of the fullback, instead pulling the tight ends in the backfield. The Colts are implementing a West Coast offense under rookie coordinator Pep Hamilton, and Havili has a versatile fullback's skill set At. 25 years old, Havili is a strong lead blocker with soft hands. His receiving stats aren't great but he should receive more of an opportunity in Indianapolis.
Geathers has thus far been an underachiever in the NFL He is a huge man at 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, and he has the height and size you want from defensive ends in a 3-4 defense. The 2010 sixth-round pick has appeared in just 15 career games, notching just five tackles and one sack. Geathers has bounced around the league, spending time with the Browns, Seahawks, Cowboys, and Colts.
Havili was expendable for the Eagles becausr Chip Kelly's offense does not make us of the fullback, instead pulling the tight ends in the backfield. The Colts are implementing a West Coast offense under rookie coordinator Pep Hamilton, and Havili has a versatile fullback's skill set At. 25 years old, Havili is a strong lead blocker with soft hands. His receiving stats aren't great but he should receive more of an opportunity in Indianapolis.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Report: Chiefs Very Interested In Geno Smith
From: GCOBB.com
There’s nothing like a ball carrier making a good head fake to make a tackler miss, or a wide receiver giving a defensive back a good head and shoulder fake to get open in man-to-man coverage. It’s also good if you are a franchise that wants to get a king’s ransom in a trade for the first pick in the draft.
Enter the Kansas City Chiefs and Ian Rappoport of the NFL Network. About an hour ago he tweeted the following; “Word from Chiefs scout: They’re fascinated by Geno Smith comparing him to a young McNabb. They love how he throws. Need to study deeper”.
Now Andy Reid is comparing Smith to McNabb. The rhetoric is starting to amp up.
Are Reid and the Chiefs serious about drafting Smith or are they trying to smoke out some of those teams who are desperate to draft the guy who is considered the best quarterback in the draft. Are the Eagles one of those teams? Answer those questions for me.
Stay on the quarterback watch today because this is USC’s Pro Day, which means Southern Cal quarterback Matt Barkley will be throwing. The young signal caller was considered the best quarterback in the nation before the 2012 season. A mediocre season for himself and the team has lowered his ranking. He separated his shoulder during the season and was still rehabbing during the NFL Combine, so teams will get the chance to see him throw today.
There’s nothing like a ball carrier making a good head fake to make a tackler miss, or a wide receiver giving a defensive back a good head and shoulder fake to get open in man-to-man coverage. It’s also good if you are a franchise that wants to get a king’s ransom in a trade for the first pick in the draft.
Enter the Kansas City Chiefs and Ian Rappoport of the NFL Network. About an hour ago he tweeted the following; “Word from Chiefs scout: They’re fascinated by Geno Smith comparing him to a young McNabb. They love how he throws. Need to study deeper”.
Now Andy Reid is comparing Smith to McNabb. The rhetoric is starting to amp up.
Are Reid and the Chiefs serious about drafting Smith or are they trying to smoke out some of those teams who are desperate to draft the guy who is considered the best quarterback in the draft. Are the Eagles one of those teams? Answer those questions for me.
Stay on the quarterback watch today because this is USC’s Pro Day, which means Southern Cal quarterback Matt Barkley will be throwing. The young signal caller was considered the best quarterback in the nation before the 2012 season. A mediocre season for himself and the team has lowered his ranking. He separated his shoulder during the season and was still rehabbing during the NFL Combine, so teams will get the chance to see him throw today.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Report: Bucs willing to give up first rounder for Revis
From: Redzone.com
The Jets have a vexing problem with Darrelle Revis, but if GM John Idzik plays his cards right, he could at least partially save face for trading the franchise's best player by getting no less than first- and third-round draft choices from Tampa Bay for the problematic cornerback, a source close to the negotiations told Peter King of Sports Illustrated.
In fact, the source said, if the Jets are willing to take both picks in 2014, Tampa Bay would likely deal its first- and second-round picks for Revis, even though the Bucs are not sold that he can come back and be 100 percent after 2012 knee surgery.
Three things are apparent in the wake of the NFL meetings in Arizona, where nothing got done between the Jets and Bucs on the Revis front: Tampa Bay is the only serious bidder for Revis. The ball is in the Jets' court on what to do next. And the Bucs aren't going to go much further, if at all, to try to get Revis.
Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominik on Wednesday night and the Jets, through a team spokesman this morning, both declined comment on the fragile state of talks between the two teams.
The Jets, in discussions with Tampa, have apparently been stuck on acquiring the Bucs' first-round pick this year, as well as an additional choice, which would likely come in next year's draft. That would give New York the ninth and 13th picks overall this year.
King's gut feeling is the Jets and Bucs will eventually swing a deal, with the Jets winning on the first-round pick this year. The smarter move, though, would be getting Tampa's two top picks next year, when New York would be in better position to know exactly what it needs at the quarterback position, and when the Jets would know who would be coaching that quarterback.
The Jets have a vexing problem with Darrelle Revis, but if GM John Idzik plays his cards right, he could at least partially save face for trading the franchise's best player by getting no less than first- and third-round draft choices from Tampa Bay for the problematic cornerback, a source close to the negotiations told Peter King of Sports Illustrated.
In fact, the source said, if the Jets are willing to take both picks in 2014, Tampa Bay would likely deal its first- and second-round picks for Revis, even though the Bucs are not sold that he can come back and be 100 percent after 2012 knee surgery.
Three things are apparent in the wake of the NFL meetings in Arizona, where nothing got done between the Jets and Bucs on the Revis front: Tampa Bay is the only serious bidder for Revis. The ball is in the Jets' court on what to do next. And the Bucs aren't going to go much further, if at all, to try to get Revis.
Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominik on Wednesday night and the Jets, through a team spokesman this morning, both declined comment on the fragile state of talks between the two teams.
The Jets, in discussions with Tampa, have apparently been stuck on acquiring the Bucs' first-round pick this year, as well as an additional choice, which would likely come in next year's draft. That would give New York the ninth and 13th picks overall this year.
King's gut feeling is the Jets and Bucs will eventually swing a deal, with the Jets winning on the first-round pick this year. The smarter move, though, would be getting Tampa's two top picks next year, when New York would be in better position to know exactly what it needs at the quarterback position, and when the Jets would know who would be coaching that quarterback.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
"Tuck Rule" eliminated, Crown-of-helmet rules passes
From: Redzone.com
The NFL has eliminated the "Tuck Rule" by a vote of 29-1 with New England and Washington abstaining and Pittsburgh voting to keep it.
The NFL has passed the rule banning offensive players from using the crown of their helmets against defenders in the open field. This rule was passed 31-1 with Cincinnati the lone no vote.
The penalty will be a spot foul for 15 yards. In cases where a player is not penalized, he could still be subject to a fine if video review after the game determines contact was made with the crown of the helmet.
The NFL has eliminated the "Tuck Rule" by a vote of 29-1 with New England and Washington abstaining and Pittsburgh voting to keep it.
The NFL has passed the rule banning offensive players from using the crown of their helmets against defenders in the open field. This rule was passed 31-1 with Cincinnati the lone no vote.
The penalty will be a spot foul for 15 yards. In cases where a player is not penalized, he could still be subject to a fine if video review after the game determines contact was made with the crown of the helmet.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Andy Reid: Geno Smith still a possibility with No.1 pick
From: Redzone.org
It appeared when the Kansas City Chiefs traded for QB Alex Smith and released incumbent Matt Cassel that their quarterback position was settled and they would go in another direction with the No.1 overall pick in the draft.
Not so fast. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith is still in play to be the Chiefs selection at No.1 according to Tim McManus of phillymag.com. Head coach Andy Reid himself opened the conversation himself at the AFC coaches breakfast Tuesdasy morning. “That doesn’t mean Geno is out of the water,” said Reid, surrounded by a group of Philadelphia reporters during the second day of the owners meetings. “I’m going to keep my eyes open on everybody. I think Geno is a good quarterback. We’ll just see how it all goes, get this workout thing going.”
It may be that Reid just doesn't want to show his hand yet. Reid admitted that the team is still looking at "between eight and ten" players for that pick-an extremely high number this late in the evaluation process. And it is acknowledged that this is a draft which is very deep but with no consensus top pick or even consensus top ten picks.
“You can’t force a pick there. You can’t say, ‘I need this position’ or you’re going to miss a good football player, and that’s what you want to get from that position right there,” said the former Eagles coach, who was celebrating his 55th birthday Tuesday. “So we’re going to work everybody out and see what’s available.”
The other likely possibility is that Reid is trying to drum up a market for the No.1 pick among teams hungry for a franchise quarterback. Even if scouts are still divided on Smith as a top-10 prospect, the need for a franchise quarterback in Jacksonville, Oakland, Philadelphia, Arizona and Buffalo will raise his stock to the point where the Chiefs may find a taker by late April. Smith may have helped himself and the Chiefs with a strong passing display at his pro day last week.
It appeared when the Kansas City Chiefs traded for QB Alex Smith and released incumbent Matt Cassel that their quarterback position was settled and they would go in another direction with the No.1 overall pick in the draft.
Not so fast. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith is still in play to be the Chiefs selection at No.1 according to Tim McManus of phillymag.com. Head coach Andy Reid himself opened the conversation himself at the AFC coaches breakfast Tuesdasy morning. “That doesn’t mean Geno is out of the water,” said Reid, surrounded by a group of Philadelphia reporters during the second day of the owners meetings. “I’m going to keep my eyes open on everybody. I think Geno is a good quarterback. We’ll just see how it all goes, get this workout thing going.”
It may be that Reid just doesn't want to show his hand yet. Reid admitted that the team is still looking at "between eight and ten" players for that pick-an extremely high number this late in the evaluation process. And it is acknowledged that this is a draft which is very deep but with no consensus top pick or even consensus top ten picks.
“You can’t force a pick there. You can’t say, ‘I need this position’ or you’re going to miss a good football player, and that’s what you want to get from that position right there,” said the former Eagles coach, who was celebrating his 55th birthday Tuesday. “So we’re going to work everybody out and see what’s available.”
The other likely possibility is that Reid is trying to drum up a market for the No.1 pick among teams hungry for a franchise quarterback. Even if scouts are still divided on Smith as a top-10 prospect, the need for a franchise quarterback in Jacksonville, Oakland, Philadelphia, Arizona and Buffalo will raise his stock to the point where the Chiefs may find a taker by late April. Smith may have helped himself and the Chiefs with a strong passing display at his pro day last week.
Monday, March 11, 2013
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