Drew Brees honored; Jonathan Vilma arrainged
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who this past year became only the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards in a season, was named last week as the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Year.
In online voting, NFL fans selected Brees as the winner of the award for the second time in the last three seasons, this time over Indianapolis' Peyton Manning and Arizona's Kurt Warner. More than one million fans voted.
The award was presented to Brees during a news conference at the Tampa Convention Center during Super Bowl XLIII festivities. At the same time, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was named the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Year.
As part of the award, FedEx will donate $25,000 each to the Safe Kids USA chapter in New Orleans in Brees' name. Safe Kids is a national non-profit organization that works to prevent accidental injury among children.
"This award is a testament to my team and my teammates," said Brees, who threw for 5,069 yards and 34 touchdowns - both club records - this season. "Everybody had a hand in it, and it's a team award for what we were able to accomplish this season."
With Brees under center, the Saints also led the league in total yards (6,571) and points scored (463) - both club records.
VILMA ARRAINGED
* Saints middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma was scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 6 in Miami on criminal charges of resisting arrest stemming from a traffic incident last month.
Vilma, who just completed his first season with the Saints, was arrested on Jan. 16 for reckless driving, which is a traffic violation, and two counts of resisting arrest at about 3 p.m. He was held at the Miami-Dade County Jail before being released on $6,500 bond.
Vilma was stopped after allegedly weaving in and out of traffic while driving through the streets of Miami. He then refused to get out of his vehicle and, according to a police report, was belligerent with officers.
Mitch Frankel, Vilma's agent, said no drugs or alcohol were involved and that his client plans to contest the charges.
DEUCE, THE 'GOOD GUY'
* Saints running back Deuce McAllister has been voted the winner of the 2008 Jim Finks Good Guy Award by the New Orleans chapter of the Professional Football Writers of America.
McAllister, an eight-year veteran, has been one of the most accessible players for reporters since joining the Saints as their first-round draft pick in 2001 - providing thoughtful answers to questions on top of his accessibility.
His cooperation with the media doesn't end at the conclusion of a season as he routinely returns calls made to him during the offseason as well.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I have the luxury of playing for one of the best coaches in the NFL and certainly one of the best offensive coordinators. Every week, he instills the confidence in us to go out and get 500 total yards and score 30 points." -- Saints QB Drew Brees, on coach Sean Payton in accepting the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Year award.
Copyright (c)2009 The News Star
Cardinals give 49ers fans reason to believe
Today's Super Bowl is plenty important to the 49ers and their fans. Their offseason might actually depend upon it, because after Mike Singletary and his players settle in to enjoy the game, at some point this evening, every single one of them will have to wonder:
How much more would it take for it to be us playing there?
Because they'll be watching a team, playing for a Super Bowl championship named the Arizona Cardinals. The Arizona Cardinals!
The Cardinals are a team the 49ers have every reason to believe is no better than they were this past season, a tumultuous season that involved their coach and starting quarterback being dumped.
They'll have to remember they lost to the Cardinals 23-13 at the 'Stick back in Week 1 when the terrible experiment named J.T. O'Sullivan and five turnovers undid their best efforts. Back in the Mike Nolan days.
The Niners must also remember Week 10, when the Cardinals prevailed 29-24, but only after the Niners mismanaged the clock in the closing seconds while taking three shots from inside the 2-yard line. And that they had the ball on the Cardinals 1-yard line when time ran out.
From that point on, in 2008 the 49ers went 5-2, while the Cardinals went 3-4.
The Cardinals have a defense the experts said couldn't stop the run. The Cardinals have an offense the experts said couldn't run the football. The same was said about the 49ers in 2008.
Sure, the Niners need defensive line help. Sure, they need another scoring threat. And a long-term franchise quarterback might be nice, too. But with a nicely managed draft, and a free agent or two, who knows?
If Singletary is the right guy, and the Niners continue to blossom like they did over the last seven games of 2008, the postseason is not out of the question. If he's not, and every positive in the Niners' closing run is undone for one reason or another, they could be 5-11 next year.
That's the great thing about the NFL. The difference between 5-11 and 11-5 can be a couple of breaks and a little confidence. And if the playoffs are possible, then anything after that is possible, too.
So, thanks to the Cardinals - because if they can make it, anybody can - the 49ers and their fans have to believe that when the team lines up for its first game next season they actually have a chance to win it all.
If for no other reason than that, it makes the Super Bowl worth watching.
sfexaminer.com
Chiefs' possible coaching candidates
Bill Cowher
HEAD COACHING RECORD
Regular season: 149-90-1 in 15 seasons with Steelers
Playoffs: 12-9 with one championship
AGE: 51
CHIEFS CONNECTION: Marty Schottenheimer's defensive coordinator during 1989-91.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Won eight division titles, made six AFC championship games and won one Super Bowl in 15 seasons as Steelers head coach.
PRO: If anybody questions one of his decisions, all he has to do is stick out his chin and show them his ring.
CON: History hasn't been too kind to coaches who came back after taking some time off.
Kirk Ferentz
HEAD COACHING RECORD
College: 82-74 in 13 seasons at Maine and Iowa
Bowls:4-3
AGE: 53
PIOLI CONNECTION: Browns/Ravens offensive line coach during 1993-98, hired by Bill Belichick and worked with the Browns/Ravens when Pioli was a pro personnel assistant for the franchise.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: After leaving the NFL, rebuilt Iowa into a consistent winner after legendary coach Hayden Fry's retirement.
PRO: He can bring a lot of fans with him from the Hawkeye State.
CON: Success in college doesn't always translate to the pros - just ask Steve Spurrier.
Leslie Frazier
HEAD COACHING RECORD: Started the football program at Trinity International University outside Chicago, where he was head coach during 1988-96.
AGE: 49
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Led the Bears in interceptions as the starting cornerback on the 1985 Super Bowl champion team. Defensive backs coach for the Super Bowl champion Colts in 2006. Vikings defensive coordinator and assistant head coach since 2007; Vikings had the league's 13th-best scoring defense in 2008.
PRO: He's familiar with the road to the Super Bowl.
CON: It's been a long time since he's been behind the wheel of a program.
Chan Gailey
HEAD COACHING RECORD
Regular season: 18-14 in two seasons with the Cowboys
Playoffs: 0-2
College: 67-41 in nine seasons at Troy State, Samford and Georgia Tech
Bowls: 2-4
AGE: 57
CHIEFS CONNECTION: Current offensive coordinator
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Has coached offenses in four Super Bowls, directing John Elway and a high-scoring offense in Denver for six seasons. Made playoffs in both seasons as Cowboys head coach but couldn't win a postseason game.
PRO: He somehow succeeded in that circus in Dallas.
CON: He is part of the old Edwards regime, albeit briefly.
Jason Garrett
HEAD COACHING RECORD: None
AGE: 42
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Directed the NFC's top scoring offense in his first season as Cowboys offensive coordinator in 2007. Understands the quarterback position, having spent 1993-99 as Troy Aikman's backup in Dallas.
PRO: He's a young coach who can grow with a young team.
CON: Do you want to play Follow the Leader with someone who's never been the Leader?
Jon Gruden
HEAD COACHING RECORD
Regular season: 95-81 in 11 seasons with the Raiders and Buccaneers
Playoffs: 5-4 with one championship
AGE: 45
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Built a Raiders team that went on to reach the Super Bowl after the 2002 season and then beat it with his new team, the Buccaneers. But only won two division titles in the six seasons after, losing in the first round of the playoffs both times.
PRO: He's the last decent coach the Raiders had.
CON: He coached the hated Raiders.
Todd Haley
HEAD COACHING RECORD: None
AGE: 41
PIOLI CONNECTION: In his first NFL coaching job, Haley was an offensive assistant under Bill Parcells with the 1997 Jets, who finished 12-4 after going 1-15 the year before. Pioli was Parcells' director of pro personnel at the time.
kansascity.com
Not Always Black and White: Why the Race Card Is Getting Old
Have you ever noticed how whenever a black player or coach is passed over for a position, the media and fans play the race card?
I am beginning to think it's an overused excuse for a lot of athletes who behave badly and for some coaches who may not be ready to take the big reigns of a head-coaching job.
Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan has finally received a job as a head coach in the NFL. The question has to be asked - why did it take him so long?
Here's a guy who has a Super Bowl ring, has coached a top five defense in three of his four years as defensive coordinator and has the distinction of being the son of one of the greatest defensive minds of all time -Buddy Ryan. If he were a black man, would the media say it was about race? I think so.
College football is notorious for bringing up race as a factor, and I won't say it isn't. But, I can say that I see many Asian or Hispanic coaches in college football. Is that about race?
Now, people can bring up how wrong they feel Tyrone Willingham was treated at Notre Dame, but let's be honest - Willingham's record as a head coach has been less than stellar since the Irish hired him away from Stanford in 2001.
Once he got started in South Bend, he went a stellar 8-0 and finished the regular season with 10 wins. Unfortunately for Willingham, his great fortune seemed to end there - he went 11-12 in his next two years and was fired in 2004. Was that about his color or his coaching?
I tend to lean towards the latter; personally, if I were a fan of the Irish and had to endure that kind or performance, I would be calling for his firing too. It's about the "W" - it wouldn't matter if the coach were black, white, or orange. If you aren't winning, you need to go.
Now, you could make the argument that Charlie Weis should have been fired after last season. When you look at the college landscape, which coaching candidate would be a better fit for the Irish right now? It's Weis' system and Weis' players - give him another year. That would be my thinking.
In some cases, you have the people who point at ex-Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's treatment after the dog fighting allegations surfaced. They threw him to the wolves and ruined his career. Many say it's because he was black that he was handled that way.
No - it's because he committed a despicable crime. He wasn't crucified unfairly. The media didn't ruin his career. Newsflash - Michael Vick did that all by himself. He paid for his actions with his career and his image. It's called consequences.
Do black players get arrested more than white players in the NFL? Absolutely. Black players account for 90 percent of the arrests, but they also make up 70 percent of the league. So, you do the math.
You see - it's not that racism doesn't exist. It does. All I am saying is at some point you have to consider other reasons for a player or a coach getting poorly treated. Maybe the coach doesn't interview well or perhaps the school isn't impressed that a Division II coach with a winning record can trump a Division I coach with a losing one.
Was that Gene Chizik hire questionable? You bet. Will it spell doom for the Auburn Tigers? Maybe. But Turner Gill wasn't a guarantee either. At least Chizik has a history with Auburn. Gill’s record prior to that breakout season with Buffalo last year was 7-17 with no bowl wins. Chizik was 5-19, but had success as a coach at Auburn in prior years. Plus, let’s not look over the fact that Auburn also passed over Gary Patterson as well. Last time I looked, he was white.
Race has to stop being the rally cry when an injustice is perceived amongst the masses.
If you are a bad guy, you get arrested. Sometimes, a mediocre coach will get the position over a more qualified guy. No, there aren't many black coaches in the NFL, but it's getting better. Tony Dungy leaves and is replaced by Jim Caldwell, while Mike Nolan is fired and Michael Singletary steps into the position. Mike Tomlin, at 36 years old, is on his way to the Super Bowl.
Black coaches are succeeding and making a place for themselves in the NFL. This is primarily due to the Rooney Rule, but it's progress and it cannot be overlooked.
I will admit, there are always cases where the race rule applies - I am not naive to that point. Perhaps college football needs some tweaking in its hiring practices, considering it's not perfect by any stretch. But, at some point, it has to stop being about the race card.
In a year where we welcome a black president, I am hoping a change will surely come about in all of our thinking.
Copyright (c) 2008 Bleacher Report, Inc.
Expect Dallas Cowboys to pack their new house
IRVING -- It's perceived that Jerry Jones must do something drastic to shake up his Cowboys and generate some excitement. After all, the team's moving into that $1.2 billion stadium in Arlington this year, right?
After missing the playoffs with an embarrassing December swoon, who's going to buy all those season tickets? Who's going to spend thousands for a suite? And in this economy? Forget it.
The reality is that almost 85 percent of the stadium's ticket inventory was sold in November. Training camp won't start until late July, giving the team at least half a year to sell even more. Many analysts also project an economic recovery in the second half of 2009.
Considering the Cowboys have sold out every home game since 1991, there's no reason to think all 80,000 seats won't be filled come September.
"It's the most popular sport in the country, and they only play 10 home games every year [including the preseason]," said Andrew Zimbalist, a professor at Smith College in Massachusetts who has written 14 books on the economics of sports.
"I suspect that even though you might have to do a little bit of belt tightening, Jerry Jones is going to end up just fine."
From a ticket-selling standpoint, the Cowboys aren't worried, nor should they be. NFL history is on their side. Even awful clubs got a ticket boost when they moved into a new facility.
Arizona didn't post a winning record from 1999 to 2005. When the Cardinals moved into University of Phoenix Stadium in 2006, the team shattered the all-time attendance record. A total of 508,829 fans flocked to see Arizona finish 5-11.
Lowly Detroit was 2-14 in the final year at the gargantuan Pontiac Silverdome in 2001. Starting in 2002, the Lions sold out 50 consecutive games at Ford Field before breaking that string this year as the team went 0-16.
Neither the Cardinals nor the Lions can match the Cowboys' cache. And according to the NFL, a record 18.1 million fans paid to see pro football in 2007.
So it stands to reason there will be 80,000 people who want to see America's Team in a sparkling new facility that will be considered one of the best sports venues in the nation.
Despite an embarrassing finish, Jones is confident Cowboys fans will be excited by next season.
"I think we are all extremely surprised, disappointed, and that [feeling] passes," Jones said on his season wrap-up show on KTCK-AM (1310). "It does pass. I've experienced it."
Zimbalist believes that some season-ticket holders will look at the current product and the current prices and stay away.
"What I'm saying is that when you have a major disappointment, there will be some fans out there who say it's not worth driving my family nuts to have these seats," Zimbalist said. "There will be fans who make the choice not to do that."
For average fans, it's a stiff price. Season ticket prices range from $89 to $340 per game, but fans also must pay a one-time seat option fee that ranges from $4,000 to $150,000. In November, the team said only 9,500 individual tickets remained. The team does not plan to announce an updated figure until the building is sold out.
Of the remaining suites, prices range from $150,000 to $350,000 annually and require 20-year contracts. Only 60 out of 300 remained in November.
Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels said most fans are basing their purchasing decisions on the team's history and future, not what happened on a week-to-week basis.
"We're all disappointed and frustrated in the way the season ended," Daniels said. "I don't think there's any hiding that fact. It's a disappointment now. But people are looking ahead. The excitement for a season builds starting right now."
Trent Petrie, director of the Center for Sports Psychology at the University of North Texas, said it's unclear how the team's performance will affect ticket sales going forward. While he hasn't conducted specific research on fans, Petrie said once Cowboys training camp starts, "People will get a taste of it again."
"I think as the stadium reaches its conclusion and we get to a lull between seasons, there's going to be some excitement building with the new season and the new stadium," he said.
(c)2009, The Dallas Morning News, Inc
'Experts' say Dolphins can't win. I say, 'Why not?
MIAMI -- If there is one immutable law of football, it is to never bet on a team whose motto is "Why Not Us?"
Take heart, Dolphins fans. Some immutable laws are meant to be broken.
Miami should beat Baltimore in today's playoff opener simply because it has fate, karma, mojo and celestial providence on its side.
Or would you rather just have Ray Lewis?
A lot of "so-called experts" would. ESPN.com and SportsIllustrated.com have 10-member panels of "so-called experts." All 20 think Baltimore will win. Rumor is Tony Sparano's mother has put $500 on the Ravens.
Having been a "so-called expert" myself, I know how they lean on things like facts and trends. They are not impressed by mottos, especially the old "Why Not Us?"
That means there's no good reason to pick us, but what the heck? Nobody thought we'd be here to begin with.
Such was the case with both teams four months ago. But to borrow a phrase from the "so-called experts," Baltimore has become the proverbial "team you don't want to face" in the playoffs.
"Everybody's talking about the Dolphins. 'They're on this ride.'" Lewis said. "We don't care about the Dolphins' ride. We're on our own ride."
As usual, he's the conductor. Baltimore's defense is the big reason Miami's ride is supposed to end today.
As surprising as their season has been with a rookie coach and quarterback, the Ravens are out-fated, karma-ed and mojo-ed when it comes to the Dolphins. But Miami also has substantive factors working today:
- Willis McGahee. He selfishly spouted off last week about how his season has been over for two months, since he's not getting as many carries as he'd like. Maybe McGahee won't even realize the rest of the team's season has been extended, or if he does he won't care.
- Joe Flacco. Rookie quarterbacks have been 2-6 in playoff games since the AFL- NFL merger in 1970. Flacco just needs to do a Trent Dilfer imitation and not flub up, but he'll have to do it on the road against a good defense.
- Ball Security. That's "so-called expert"-speak for not fumbling or throwing interceptions. The Dolphins tied an NFL record with only 13 turnovers this season. If England had such ball security, the crown jewels never would have been stolen.
- Gut Security. That's a phrase I just made up for not puking in the fourth quarter. Miami specializes in winning close, low-scoring games, which today's should be if the ball security stays secure.
- Cam Cameron Security. He's Baltimore's offensive coordinator, but he'll forever be known in Miami as the coach who guided the Dolphins to their almost perfectly imperfect season last year.
The Ravens gave Cameron the game ball when they beat Miami 27-13 in October at Dolphin Stadium. Can he possibly win one more game as a visiting coach than he won as a head coach all of last season?
Yes, according to the so-called-you-know-whats. If you add all the reasons to pick Miami, they still don't come up to Ed Reed's socks. That leaves Miami fans clinging to more indefinable factors.
Like, how do you explain a team that won one game last season going 9-1 to make the playoffs?
How did the Fish keep winning close game after close game?
How many "so-called experts" thought they'd even have a chance to pick against Miami in the playoffs?
These worst-to-first stories come along every 50 years, or three months if you count the Tampa Bay Rays. I doubt the Dolphins will make the World Series, but I think they can get a playoff win.
After everything else that's happened, "Why Not?" is as good a reason as any.
Copyright (c) 2009, Orlando Sentinel
Giants Lose to Vikings 20-19, No Biggie
The Giants headed to Minnesota with nothing to play for; they had already clinched a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. But the Vikings' postseason plans were contingent on any number of factors, although winning today would assure them of playing next week.
Heading into this game, coach Tom Coughlin was noncommittal on how long his starters would play, and as it turned out, the answer was 30 minutes. Manning finished the day 11 of 19 for 119 yards and, most importantly, he avoided injury. Even with the terrestrial Brandon Jacobs in civvies for the game, Wind and Fire ably carried the load. Derrick Ward rushed 15 times for 77 yards, and Bradshaw added 28 more yards on 10 carries,
While the Vikings were, in the words of former Jets visionary Herm Edwards, playing to win the game, that became moot when the Texans pulled ahead of the Bears in the fourth quarter. Heading into today, Chicago had to beat Houston and they needed New York to hold off Minnesota. Neither happened, and you can't even blame David Carr, who played the entire second half and mixed in a touchdown pass for good measure.
Going forward, the Giants will have a week off and could face, well, anybody. The Vikings will play the winner of Cowboys-Eagles game, and the Cardinals will host the Falcons. Conceivably, New York could face the fifth or sixth seed in two weeks given that Minnesota is still without a quarterback and Arizona is playing some pretty dreadful football.
Whatever happens, Jacobs will be healthy, which should go a long way in making Manning's job easier, even with Plaxico Burress done for the year.
Copyright NBC Local Media / NBC New York
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