Randall Cobb hasn't bought a cheesehead to wear or perfected the Lambeau Leap just yet. But the former University of Kentucky star is thrilled to be going into what he sees as a "perfect fit" with the NFL's Green Bay Packers.
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Terrence Jones' Kentucky teammates thought he was going, going, gone. To the riches of the NBA. Yet Jones stayed at UK. "I was a little bit surprised," Darius Miller said. "He could have been a (draft) lottery pick. That would have definitely changed his life."
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Faculty complaints about how well the athletic department supports the University of Kentucky's academic mission and fan concerns about funding for the football team apparently touched a nerve. Those topics got repeated mentions at the UK Athletics Association Board of Directors and Finance Committee...
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In the midst of replacing the Metrodome's roof, it was announced Friday that the artificial turf might have to replaced as well, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Officials believe the turf can be made playable, but if not, the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission authorized a bidding process to ensure that new turf could be ready by the time the Vikings begin preseason games in mid-August. New turf could cost up to $800,000.
"We believe the turf will be fine," commission chair Ted Mondale said. "However, with the amount of rain that's come in and with the boards on top of it, there may be parts of the turf or all of it that needs to be replaced."
A December blizzard damaged the roof and forced the Vikings to play one home game at Ford Field in Detroit and another at TCF Bank Stadium. Work continues on the new roof, which is expected to be finished by Aug. 1.
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The University of Kentucky announced Tuesday that it is shooting a video to promote the 2011 season and invited fans to take part in the two-hour event that starts at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Commonwealth Stadium.
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Steve Spurrier wants SEC football coaches to pay their top 70 players $300 a game out of the coaches' personal bank accounts.
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Pro Football Weekly presents the third of an eight-part divisional breakdown of the players most likely to be attending 2011 coming-out parties in the AFC South.
Houston Texans
SOLB Connor Barwin — The Texans had big plans for Barwin last season. Unfortunately, he suffered a devastating ankle injury in the first quarter in Week One, ending his season just as it was beginning. Expected back at 100 percent in 2011, Barwin, one of the team's best pass rushers, will be asked to convert to outside linebacker in new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme. Following the selection of Brooks Reed in the second round of the draft, Barwin will find himself in a battle with Reed to start alongside DE-turned-OLB Mario Williams. One advantage that Barwin will have over Reed is that, while both players are changing positions, Barwin is ideally suited for outside 'backer and played the position in college. Barwin recorded 4½ sacks as a rookie before injuries spoiled his '10 campaign. Under the tutelage of Phillips and surrounded by a talented LB corps, don't be surprised if Barwin takes the next step in '11.
Indianapolis Colts
RB Donald Brown — A first-round selection in 2009, Brown is still trying to shed the dreaded bust label with more success than he has tacklers in his first two seasons. After a rookie campaign mired in injuries and inconsistency, Brown started eight games in '10 with mostly underwhelming results. He gained less than four yards per carry and found the endzone only twice. Still, the Colts' coaching staff has high hopes for Brown entering his third season. To his credit, Brown has improved as a receiver and blocker and flashed his big-play ability in a decisive Week 15 victory over the Jaguars last season, rushing for a career-best 129 yards and a score. The biggest knock on Brown continues to be his indecisiveness in hitting the hole. But with starter Joseph Addai and RB Mike Hart both potential free agents who are not guaranteed to be back, Brown could be the biggest beneficiary of a rebuilt O-line and offense that should be far healthier than it was in '10.
Jacksonville Jaguars
WR Mike Thomas — All Thomas has done since being selected by the Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2009 draft is make plays. A confident and explosive receiver, the 5-8, 198-pound Thomas has not allowed his size to hold him back. He has developed a solid rapport with QB David Garrard, raising his receiving yards from 453 to 820 and reception total from 48 to 66 from 2009 to ’10. But Thomas is not just a weapon in the passing game — he is also the club's No. 1 punt returner and a dangerous ballcarrier on end-arounds. Although Thomas already has established himself as the Jaguars' most trusted wideout, 2011 could be the season in which he becomes a star. With the imminent departure of free-agent WR Mike Sims-Walker, Thomas finally becomes the team's No. 1 option in the passing game. If he can find a way to consistently beat the opponent's top cover guy, his first 1,000-yard receiving season, as well as other accolades, could be on the horizon in ’11.
Tennessee Titans
TE Jared Cook — The Titans were willing to part with a 2010 second-rounder in order to move back into the third round of the '09 draft to nab Cook because of his unique athleticism and pass-catching ability. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 248 pounds, Cook has speed to burn to go along with his 41-inch vertical leap. The '11 season will be a great opportunity for Cook to convert potential into production. After a quiet rookie season, he started to emerge late in his sophomore campaign — 15 of his 29 catches came in the team's final three contests. With longtime Titans TE Bo Scaife not expected to return, Cook is penciled in as the starter, and the club plans to feature the versatile tight end early and often. With rookie QB Jake Locker pegged as the new face of the franchise, Cook will attempt to develop chemistry with a new signalcaller and give the Titans another dangerous downfield threat.
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Three months until the start of the college football season, and we already have the year’s first big upset. SEC Presidents 1, SEC football coaches 0. Headline: League coaches take decking in Destin.
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Seahawks DE Raheem Brock was arrested in Philadelphia Thursday night after he reportedly walked out on a $27 bar bill at a South Street club.
Philadelphia police report that Brock engaged in a minor struggle with police when confronted about not paying the bill and he was arrested for theft of services and resisting arrest.
Brock, 33, is slated to be a free agent when the league's labor dispute is resolved. He played last season with Seattle after playing his first eight NFL seasons with the Colts. He is a Philadelphia native and a Temple University product.
Brock had nine sacks in 2010 and was one of the hottest pass rushers in the league down the stretch, with six sacks in the last five regular-season games. He then added a sack in each of Seattle's two playoff games.
He has 37½ sacks and 12 forced fumbles in his career.
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Derrick Thomas, a long-time high school football assistant coach in Lexington, applied and interviewed for five head coaching positions in the city over the past several years, but he never got hired.
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The Lions hired Joe Kelleher as the team's BLESTO scout on Friday.
Kelleher interned with the Lions' football operations department in 2008. He worked most recently as a scouting assistant for National Football Scouting and the National Invitational Camp (NFL Combine).
Kelleher was an offensive tackle and tight end for the Butler Bulldogs football team.
The team announced that Dennis Gentry, who had been with the team since 2001, was not retained.
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Chris Polian was promoted to general manager and vice president in late November of 2009. After working mainly behind the scenes the past year and a half, Polian has left his imprint on the Colts this offseason. In addition to leading the draft process for the first time in April, Polian has been instrumental in a lot of the turnover that has occurred in the front office and coaching staff, the way we hear it. The first shoe to drop came when former running backs coach Gene Huey, the longest-tenured coach on the staff, was fired in January. Since then, the club has made a slew of moves, including firing former director of player personnel Clyde Powers and hiring Chris' brother, Dennis Polian, as director of football administration, among others. While many of the changes have come as a surprise to people within and outside of the Colts' organization, we hear the moves were made to surround Polian with the people with whom he is most comfortable.
The last thing on earth any major-college athletics program (the very definition of living in a glass house) should want is to get on the radar of the NCAA Committee on Infractions over something petty.
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The final player to join Kentucky's No. 1 recruiting class was also the most surprising.
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With the scheduled start of training camp inching closer, NFL teams are making alternative plans in case the lockout doesn't allow them to train at their usual summer locations. On Wednesday, the Vikings released a statement saying they hope to have camp at Minnesota State University, but set a deadline for that decision to be made.
The statement read:
"The Minnesota Vikings continue preparations for hosting the team's 2011 training camp at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In respect to the University and the Mankato community, we have informed school officials that July 18 is the latest date to officially determine whether having training camp at Minnesota State University this year is feasible. The Vikings will maintain contact with University officials moving forward, and we remain hopeful we will practice in front of thousands of Vikings fans in Mankato later this summer."
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The University of Kentucky football season isn't scheduled to start until Sept. 1 against Western Kentucky, but that didn't stop about 100 fans from cheering in mid-June.Cats supporters of all ages showed up at Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday decked out in blue to be part of a promotional video...
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Dwane Casey, the former University of Kentucky basketball player and assistant coach, added a professional title to the national championship run he enjoyed as a Wildcat in 1978.
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Former Chargers and Eagles DE Burt Grossman has been named the 2011 NFL Teacher of the Year. Grossman is a teacher at Hoover High School in San Diego, Calif.
Grossman will receive a $5,000 award and a $5,000 grant will be presented to Hoover High School from the NFL.
"We couldn't be more proud of Burt and his success with the students at Hoover High School," Chargers executive vice president-executive officer A.G. Spanos said. "As an organization, it's always exciting to see former players make an impact in academics and help our future leaders of tomorrow achieve success."
"Former NFL players who transition to careers in education are able to use the values they learned on the football field-integrity, preparation and persistence-and carry them over into the classroom," commissioner Roger Goodell said. "We honor these former NFL players for their dedication to the profession of teaching."
Grossman spent six seasons in the NFL and recorded 43½ sacks.
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I have preferred underdogs and Overs recently, but as I studied this card, a few favorites jumped off the page, even with all laying more than a field goal and two playing on the road. The evenly matched nature of so many games this season has been eye-catching, but I believe my four selections will all prevail by margins in excess of the spread.
On to the picks:
Pittsburgh (-5) at Cincinnati
The Bengals won the AFC North last season with strong defense and just enough offense. Their physicality on both sides of the ball was what stood out most. They swept their division rivals and deserved the North title. They were the toughest, most consistent team on the North block.
This season has been a different story. The Bengals' defense isn't nearly as good. Their passing game is more dangerous, with WR Terrell Owens having a remarkable year opposite of Chad Ochocinco, but the offense has suffered through bouts of inconsistency. In the Bengals' latest loss to Miami, the offense sputtered after a strong start.
At 2-5, the Bengals are desperate for a win, and I usually like home underdogs. Moreover, the Steelers are playing their third game in a row on the road. Nevertheless, the favorite appeals to me. When the Steelers have been at their best in recent seasons, they have handled Cincinnati. The Steelers won and covered five in a row vs. the Bengals from the end of the 2006 season through '08 before falling twice to the Bengals a season ago, and I believe they are capable of one of their best games of the season in Week Nine in QB Ben Roethlisberger's fourth start. I just don't think the Bengals can get enough stops to win. Nor do I believe they can sustain the drives necessary to beat the Steelers' sound and stout defense.
Wilkening's pick: Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay (+9) at Atlanta
I no longer doubt the Buccaneers can contend for a playoff spot in the NFC, but I have serious reservations about their ability to play with the conference's better teams, and the Falcons can safely be included in that category. The Bucs' lone losses have been to the best teams they have faced - New Orleans and Pittsburgh - and they weren't really competitive in either defeat.
The Buccaneers' defense, which is surrendering 149.4 yards per game and a league-worst 5.2 yards per carry, will struggle to stop a balanced Atlanta offense that has attempted 229 rushes this season. The Falcons' defense is somewhat vulnerable, too, but I expect the Falcons, so strong at home in recent years, to get the jump on the Bucs because of their offense. Atlanta, which is 13-6 ATS at home since 2008, has too many edges over Tampa Bay in this matchup.
Wilkening's pick: Atlanta
Miami (+5½) at Baltimore
Tough, tough team, the Dolphins are. Anytime a club wins and covers its first four on the road, it catches your attention. Miami's success as a visitor, coupled with Baltimore's shaky play vs. Buffalo before the bye - and perhaps a touch of the Ravens' 1-3 ATS mark as a favorite mixed in for good measure, too - explains why this spread is less than a touchdown.
If the 5½-point spread is designed to attract Ravens interest, well, it has succeeded in this case. I believe the Ravens' best is yet to come. They will be formidable off the bye, particularly with an extra week to work on the secondary issues that plagued them vs. the Bills. Home teams have fared well this season in the first game after the off week, posting a 4-2-1 ATS mark entering Week Nine, and the Ravens, who have a lot of veteran players on defense, fit the profile of a club that could thrive after a week of rest.
Wilkening's pick: Baltimore
New England (-4½) at Cleveland
There are plenty of reasons to like the Browns off the bye. For starters, they have been in every game. Their defense is much better and it can downright confound quarterbacks (see Brees, Drew, in Week Seven). Their offense isn't flashy, but it has been good enough to keep the Browns in games.
However, I don't see the Browns being able to exploit a suspect Patriots secondary. Yes, rookie QB Colt McCoy has played well in two starts, but as good a matchup as this seems for him, it is a favorable draw for the Patriots' defense, for McCoy is making his third NFL start. Nor can I see Cleveland running all over a solid New England run defense.
Is it possible the Browns author another upset special, with Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan getting the best of Tom Brady? Sure. But it's more likely the Patriots, as they have all season, rack up another win, and perhaps rather comfortably.
Wilkening's pick: New England
Last week: 1-3
Season to date: 15-16-1
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The NFL has sent a memo to all 32 owners asking them to be available to stay in Chicago on Wednesday, June 22 in case league meetings from the prior day run late; the news was first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The owners are set to meet next Tuesday in Chicago, but the commissioner's office is warning them that talks could stretch into that evening or the next day, according to the ESPN report.
PFW's Eric Edholm wrote last week that the June 21 meetings would be an important date, and that the owners may be preparing a deal that they will vote on when they are together.
The way we see it
While it's too early to jump to any serious conclusions, this is a strong indication that the league is serious in working out a deal with the players on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement very soon. By asking the owners to be prepared to meet for longer than planned, it is a possibility they will be serious discussions and perhaps even a vote on the terms of a new CBA next week, which would be major progress in the negotiations.
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Random notes:■ Did you see where PTI's Michael Wilbon said if he were UK he'd pick up the phone and tell the NCAA to "go to hell" over its objections to the school celebrating John Calipari's 500th victory? Prediction: If he ever shows up at Rupp Arena, Wilbon will be hailed ...
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The last thing on earth any major-college athletics program (the very definition of living in a glass house) should want is to get on the radar of the NCAA Committee on Infractions over something petty.
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Earlier this month, the chairman of the NCAA's Committee on Infractions sent University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. a letter asking the school to publicly acknowledge it was wrong to recognize John Calipari's 500th coaching victory this past season. Chairman Dennis E. Thomas, the commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, also told Todd that the wording of UK's statement "must be approved by the office of the Committee on Infractions prior to its release."
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When Michael Gilchrist committed to Kentucky in a surprise news conference last April, the first piece of the puzzle was in place. Gilchrist had long been the unanimous No. 1 player in his class and, some said, the best player in all of high school basketball.
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Series leader is listed in CAPS with its record listed first, followed by series leader's record at this week's game site, followed by series leader's record vs. pointspread at this week's site. This year's games not included.
TAMPA BAY at Atlanta ... (10-7)(5-4)(7-2)
Chicago at BUFFALO (Toronto) ... (1-2)(1-0)(1-0)
NEW ENGLAND at Cleveland ... (4-1)(1-1)(1-1)
N.Y. JETS at Detroit ... (2-1)(1-0)(1-0)
New Orleans at CAROLINA ... (11-9)(5-6)(4-7)
Miami at Baltimore ... (4-4)(Bal. 1-0)(Bal. 0-1)
SAN DIEGO at Houston ... (3-0)(1-0)(1-0)
Arizona at MINNESOTA ... (3-2)(2-0)(1-1)
N.Y. GIANTS at Seattle ... (3-2)(0-2)(1-1)
INDIANAPOLIS at Philadelphia ... (2-0)(1-0)(1-0)
KANSAS CITY at Oakland ... (12-8)(7-3)(8-2)
Dallas at Green Bay ... (2-2)(GB 2-1)(GB 2-1)
PITTSBURGH at Cincinnati ... (15-6)(9-2)(8-2-1)
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Fast-break points from the basketball withdrawal clinic:21. The NCAA vs. UK regarding Calipari's 500th win. The last thing on earth any major-college athletics program (the very definition of living in a glass house) should want is to get on the radar of the NCAA Committee on Infractions over...
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The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved a plan to spend $6.25 million on new video scoreboards and a sound system at Commonwealth Stadium.The project will be paid for entirely with private funds. An earlier proposal had called for the project to be funded in part with a loan...
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Woods seems to be the only legitimate target on John Calipari's radar for the class of 2011, and it's not entirely clear how seriously the Cats are recruiting the former Wake Forest big man.
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Tim Leiweke, president/CEO of the group trying to build a stadium in downtown Los Angeles, has spoken with representatives of the Vikings, Chargers, Raiders, Rams and Jaguars about the proposed venue.
Leiweke heads up the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG). According to the Orange County Register, he said all those teams are "in the mix," with the most recent discussions taking place a week ago.
AEG is prepared to acquire a majority stake in an NFL team to bring it to Los Angeles. Their $1 billion plan for a stadium is one of two proposals. It has been 15 years since there was football in L.A., before the Rams moved to St. Louis and the Raiders to Oakland within months of each other.
Raiders CEO Amy Trask said in a statement, "The team is not for sale. It will remain with the Davis family."
Chargers spokesman Mark Fabiani told The Associated Press that owner Alex Spanos and his family were not interested in selling a majority stake of the team.
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The University of Kentucky football team picked up its fifth commitment for the class of 2012 on Thursday and the second from the same Georgia high school this week.
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Is Michael Crabtree completely on board with Alex Smith ushering in the Jim Harbaugh era as the 49ers' starting quarterback?
Any doubts that Smith, a free agent, would not be back with the Niners have been all but extinguished in the wake of a four-day, players-only minicamp at San Jose State this past week that was dubbed "Camp Alex." Sources on the scene said it has become clear that Smith has had an enthusiastic change of heart about his status with the Niners and couldn't be more excited about the coming season.
"He really wants to make it work," one team insider said of Smith. "He's always wanted to make it work. I think putting down roots is part of it. He just had his first son and seems pretty settled down in the Bay Area."
Crabtree, however, offered a different vibe, totally downplaying Smith's organizational efforts and apparent starting status at the beginning of the minicamp before shutting down with sore feet after working out in new cleats the first day of practice. There was instant speculation that Crabtree's apparent lack of commitment to Smith might have been due to Smith's response a week earlier when asked by local media members why Crabtree had not been attending prior informal workouts involving Niners players. "Good question," Smith answered cryptically. "Honestly, I don't know."
Smith told team insiders he regretted making that comment, and that he quickly apologized to Crabtree. He also openly acknowledged the lack of chemistry between him and Crabtree and indicated that a concerted effort needs to be made to improve their relationship. But with Crabtree continuing to beat to his own drum, the verdict remains out.
"He's just a really different guy, a lone wolf," the insider said of Crabtree. "The other players like him, and he runs great routes and works very hard. But he just prefers to do a lot of stuff on his own."
As a result, while there does not appear to be anything close to an outright rift between Crabtree and Smith, the potential for mixed messages continues.
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Highlands quarterback Patrick Towles, who has commited to play football at the University of Kentucky, is among four high school players from the commonwealth nominated to play in the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.The annual East vs. West matchup, televised live by NBC, is scheduled for Jan. 7...
Faculty complaints about how well the athletic department supports the University of Kentucky's academic mission and fan concerns about funding for the football team apparently touched a nerve. Those topics got repeated mentions at the UK Athletics Association Board of Directors and Finance Committee...
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Fast-break points not from the end of the world.
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With 90 days to go until the regular-season opener, talks continue to take place between the NFL and NFLPA, NFL Network's Albert Breer reported Friday.
Breer reported that not only do the two sides plan to resume face-to-face meetings next week, but that they have continued communication between the meetings.
The league and players began these covert meetings without lawyers last week in St. Charles, Ill. They continued this week with two days of meetings in Long Island, N.Y.
The New York Post reported Thursday that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith had a "very jovial dinner" on Wednesday night.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft told reporters on Thursday that the two sides are making progress as they work toward a new labor agreement.
The Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass. reported Thursday that the lockout was nearing an end, but representatives from both sides denied the report. Sources told PFW that June 21, when the owners are scheduled to meet in Chicago, could be an important date. Senior editor Eric Edholm had more on the progress being made.
The way we see it
The big positive out of Breer's report is that the two sides are maintaining communication, even when they're not in the same room. We've said it before and we'll say it again — as long as they are talking, that is always a positive sign. Reports of progress are starting to point to July as the month the lockout finally ends, which would likely guarantee a full season. But there also appears to be a long way to go. With that in mind, the more they talk, the better.
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There are palm trees in purgatory. He walks by them without paying much attention. Here, each is just another pixel on a postcard disguised as paradise.
Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor is now focusing on the NFL supplemental draft, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
According to Schefter, Pryor's attorney, Larry James, believes that Ohio State will provide a letter that shows Pryor would be ineligible to return next season, making him eligible for the supplemental draft.
James also told Schefter that Pryor isn't interested in the UFL or the CFL, as of now, and that a recent offer from the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders "was not sufficient to whet his taste buds."
Pryor recently stated that he would forgo his senior season as the NCAA continues to investigate his involvement with improper benefits.
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SARASOTA, Fla. — Dick Vitale picked up the telephone four years ago and placed a call to Tennessee. He had a favor to ask of then-Memphis coach John Calipari. "I need your help," Vitale said. "I've got to round up 20 guys to donate fifty thousand dollars each. Gotta do it quick." Not three days later, the V Foundation was $1 million richer.
Kentucky men's basketball coach John Calipari has lined up another top point guard. But UK fans will have to wait until 2012-13 for this one.North Carolina State transfer Ryan Harrow told Scout.com Wednesday night that he has picked Kentucky."I just felt like they had everything that I needed as ...
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Three months until the start of the college football season, and we already have the year’s first big upset. SEC Presidents 1, SEC football coaches 0. Headline: League coaches take decking in Destin.
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If there's one thing I could say about the Kentucky football beat this past 10 years it would be that it has never, ever been boring.
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With NFL teams stuck in a state of limbo thanks to the lingering lockout, we are taking a tour around the league and looking at where teams stand as they await the opening of the 2011 league year. Today, we offer our take on where the Redskins stand.
Top three story lines
1. There is no team in the NFL with a less secure quarterback situation than the Redskins, who intend to rid themselves of Donovan McNabb and move in a different direction. They could go with Rex Grossman, a free agent who replaced McNabb down the stretch with alternate swells of good and bad, or make the eye-opening shift to John Beck, who has not taken a regular-season snap since his rookie season of 2007, which was two teams ago. Beck, whom the team added last August, has earned the praise of head coach Mike Shanahan this offseason and appears to be Plan A at this point … that is, if adding a veteran is not a part of the team's hidden plan. The idea of Vince Young has been run up the D.C. flagpole, but it doesn't appear to be a great fit. Other free-agent and trade-target QBs have been mentioned, but it's not a great year to be looking for a starter there. It might be Beck who opens the season against the Giants on Sept. 11 if the season starts on time.
2. In addition to McNabb, another veteran is on the outs. DT Albert Haynesworth will be traded or released once the offseason begins, and the team will wash its hands of that mess. The NT position hasn't been fully settled, and it's one of the key spots in making coordinator Jim Haslett's 3-4 scheme hum properly. The team drafted pieces to repair the defense with its first two selections this April but still has work to do on that side of the ball.
3. There's a situation to be dealt with at receiver. Santana Moss will be a free agent, and coming off perhaps his finest season, he just might attract some serious attention. As much as the Redskins appreciated Moss' contributions last year when all else was failing around him, they have talked about showing more restraint in free agency and might not want to give three-year, No. 1-receiver money to a 32-year-old with a history of injuries. Perhaps the team will let Moss walk and turn things over to some of the youngsters at the position. Or it could roll the dice on a reclamation project such as Randy Moss or Plaxico Burress. Right now, the skill-position talent is a bit lean if Santana Moss leaves.
2011 free agency — whenever that happens
Unsigned players: LB H.B. Blades (4), OT Jammal Brown (6), CB Phillip Buchanon (9), S Reed Doughty (5), WR Mike Furrey (8), DE Kedric Golston (5), QB Rex Grossman (8), CB DeAngelo Hall (7), OT Stephon Heyer (4), ILB Rocky McIntosh (5), WR Santana Moss (10), C Casey Rabach (10), CB Carlos Rogers (6), CB Byron Westbrook (2), DE Chris Wilson (4). [Editor's note: The number after a players' name is his years of service in the league. If the NFL decides to go with free agency under the same rules as used in 2010, then a player would become a restricted free agent after three years and an unrestricted free agent after six years.]
Analysis: The Redskins used restraint in the draft, trading back several times and adding picks, and could use a measure of patience in free agency, too. Don't expect the team — in an offseason in which previous mistakes Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth will be cast away — to make any shocking or bold moves, although the roster still needs help in a few ways. Rogers openly has spoken about moving on, and Moss could land elsewhere, too. That means cornerback and receiver would become two positions of need. The team also must decide what to do along the offensive line with both Brown and Rabach. Brown had a down season, but the team traded draft picks (including a third-rounder) to get him, so it would make sense that the 'Skins would want more return on what they gave up. Rabach is getting up there in age, but he's still a good fit for another year or two. McIntosh might not be back, depending on his free-agent status.
2011 rookie class
First-round OLB Ryan Kerrigan (No. 16 overall) — Traded back, passed on QB Blaine Gabbert to get a high-motor pass rusher with a knack for dislodging the football.
Second-round DE Jarvis Jenkins (No. 41 overall) — Redskins will start him out as a five-technique, although he could kick inside on passing downs.
Third-round WR Leonard Hankerson (No. 79 overall) — Confident receiver has a big frame and a strong work ethic, although he is a bit lean and has suffered from concentration drops.
Fourth-round RB Roy Helu (No. 105 overall) — Stretch-zone runner's one-cut style is perfect fit in Mike Shanahan's offense, but inconsistency, strength and toughness are questions.
Fifth-round SS DeJon Gomes (No. 146 overall) — Needs work as a safety, but he could fit in immediately as a gunner on special teams.
Fifth-round WR Niles Paul (No. 155 overall) — Character questions pushed him down the draft, but he can make yards after the catch and could surprise.
Sixth-round RB Evan Royster (No. 177 overall) — Downhill runner could vie for short-yardage, No. 3 spot if he makes a dent on special teams.
Sixth-round WR Aldrick Robinson (No. 178 overall) — Cat-quick slot receiver can burn, but he's slightly built with small hands and short arms.
Seventh-round CB Brandyn Thompson (No. 213 overall) — Gambler has 13 career interceptions at Boise State, but he has marginal instincts and could have a tough time making Week One roster.
Seventh-round OG Maurice Hurt (No. 217 overall) — Positive marijuana test, fleshy body hurt his draft stock, but talent is there.
Seventh-round OLB Markus White (No. 224 overall) — Converted defensive end struggles against the run and must show he can stand up in a 3-4.
Seventh-round NT Chris Neild (No. 253 overall) — Strong, sturdy, two-down space eater has bulldog mentality but offers little playmaking ability.
Lockout fallout: How impacted will the Redskins be by the work stoppage?
On scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the most significantly impacted), the Redskins rate an 8. With the major uncertainty at quarterback and the need to improve and retool the defense, few teams face the kinds of questions the Redskins do. There also are major decisions to make in free agency that significantly will impact the roster. Expect the team to expedite its offseason plan once things get rolling, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to accomplish in a short time. A quick resolution to the labor dispute greatly would benefit the Redskins. The longer this goes on, the more it hurts them. It was good, however, to see excellent attendance at the team's informal player-run workouts, which only can help things.
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A former University of Kentucky football player has been hospitalized in serious condition after a car struck his motorcycle.
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There are palm trees in purgatory. He walks by them without paying much attention. Here, each is just another pixel on a postcard disguised as paradise.
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The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved a plan to spend $6.25 million on new video scoreboards and a sound system at Commonwealth Stadium.The project will be paid for entirely with private funds. An earlier proposal had called for the project to be funded in part with a loan...
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Randall Cobb had to wait longer than he probably expected, but at least he ended up with a winner, as the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers took the former UK receiver with the final pick of the second round of the NFL Draft.
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Following are whispers we've been hearing from around the league:
• Our Vikings sources were a little perplexed when they heard that attendance at rookie QB Christian Ponder's informal workouts was less than impressive. Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe — the team's four best skill-position players — all did not attend, even though it was believed that some of them were expected to make it.
• While the Cardinals remain the front-runner in rumored trade talks involving Eagles QB Kevin Kolb, we hear the team also thinks pretty highly of Broncos QB Kyle Orton and would consider him a favorable fall-back alternative should Kolb get snatched away by another suitor. It's believed the Cardinals could obtain Orton for a slightly lesser price than Kolb and not have to sacrifice a first-round pick.
• Nobody is saying for sure that Rams QB Sam Bradford has been receiving input on the team's new offense this offseason from Ben McDaniels, the brother of new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels who also worked under Josh in Denver. But most close team observers would not be surprised in the least at what they agree would probably be a very smart move, as there would be nothing illegal in such interaction.
• Even though the Rams' roster is suddenly flooded with receivers, we hear there could still be a passing interest in landing Plaxico Burress, who has been out of commission since shooting himself in the leg in November 2008. Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo remembers Burress quite well from their days together with the Giants.
• We hear that Raiders owner Al Davis apparently looked into the availability of free-agent QB Alex Smith, who all of the sudden looks like a lock to remain the starting QB in San Francisco.
• Our Packers sources tell us the team now considers second-year OL Marshall Newhouse, who did not see any regular-season action as a rookie, solely as a fourth tackle. We hear the team has decided Newhouse isn't strong enough to also play guard.
• Re-signing RB Garrett Wolfe was not a priority for the Bears even before he was arrested last month, we hear, and a source said he's not in the team's plans after being charged with retail theft, disorderly conduct, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest with violence in the Miami incident. Wolfe, a third-round pick in 2007, doesn't have a role in Mike Martz's offense, but he has been a solid special-teams contributor.
• Bills WR David Nelson made a nice contribution in his rookie season, catching 31 passes. Predominantly coming on the field in three- or four-WR sets, Nelson gained 12 yards a catch out of the slot, according to Pro Football Focus, good for 11th in the league. He added weight this offseason and told The Buffalo News he wants to be an every-down receiver. Combined with last year's breakout star Stevie Johnson and the speedy Lee Evans, if Nelson can take a leap in his sophomore NFL season, the Bills would have quite the formidable receiving corps for Ryan Fitzpatrick.
• We hear Jets PK Nick Folk, who was offered a sixth-round tender, will have to compete for the placekicking job with Nick Novak. Folk should benefit, though, from the new kickoff rules. He averaged 62 yards per kickoff, ranking near the bottom of the league. He was more consistent in 2010, though, finishing the season with seven consecutive field goals made, and should still have a leg up when the training-camp competition begins.
• The quote from Brandon Jacobs that WR Plaxico Burress is not returning to the Giants is not surprising based on what we have heard this offseason. Even if Burress had expressed a strong desire to return to the Giants this offseason, we hear their interest in bringing him back was not that strong. But we also have heard that the team did not rule it out completely, with some team officials believing Burress still had something to prove and that he could fill a need at receiver.
• With a logjam in the backfield, we hear the Texans would love to get Steve Slaton as many carries as possible in the preseason to showcase him for other teams. The club is not likely to cut the former 1,000-yard rusher, but it would entertain trade offers for him.
• Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's advice to rookie CB Cortez Allen: set manageable expectations for yourself and work hard. "Don't come in saying 'I have to be this or this,' " Allen said Tomlin told him when they spoke after Allen was drafted in Round Four.
• Among the players Browns rookie TE Jordan Cameron is getting pointers from: former USC WR and NFL TE Billy Miller; and Browns TE Benjamin Watson, Cleveland's leading receiver last season. Cameron has enjoyed working with his new teammates, who have gathered at the direction of starting QB Colt McCoy multiple times and will meet again June 9-11 in Austin, Texas. "It just shows he wants to take this offense into his own hands," Cameron said of the McCoy-run workouts.
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Monday, June 6, 2011
Former Giants WR Plaxico Burress, upon his release from jail on Monday after serving nearly two years behind bars on a gun charge, as quoted by The Associated Press: "I just want to thank God for bringing me through one of the most trying times in my life. It's a beautiful day. It's a beautiful day to be reunited with my family. I want to go home and spend some quality time with them." Burress continued: "I'd like to thank everybody for their prayers and words of encouragement. I'd like to thank all my fans all around the world for the thousands of letters, for their unwavering support. As far as football is concerned, if and when everything gets settled, when they get back on the field, I'll be ready."
Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer thinks RB Shonn Greene is poised for a breakout 2011 campaign, as quoted on NYDailyNews.com: "Shonn's ready to take that next step … He's just gotten better year in and year out. His durability this year was outstanding. You just see the confidence in his eyes. His ability to pick up pass-protection stuff has been terrific the last couple years. We expect a breakout season from him. He's a guy that's got just huge, huge, huge potential that we think is right there ready for him to grab."
Seahawks QB Charlie Whitehurst thinks he will have a chance to be the starter in 2011, as quoted on kffl.com: "Luckily I'm not going through the free-agent stuff like some guys are going through. I know I'm the only quarterback that's on the roster right now, and I'm sure that will change eventually when we get it figured out. I look at it like I'm going to get the chance to be the starter, and I think I can do it. That's what I plan to do. Whenever we figure it out, I'll compete as hard as I can to make that happen."
Giants DE Justin Tuck thinks WR Plaxico Burress can still help the Giants, as quoted on NYTimes.com: "Yes, he's two years older, but his body is fresh and he hasn't been hit. He's been working out and he's in great shape. I think he's going to be a help to the team that picks him up and I just hope it's us."
Packers WR Donald Driver is not worried about the lockout threatening the 2011 season, nor is he worried about his teammates getting out of shape during the work stoppage, as quoted on thenorthwestern.com: "I think everything will work out and we'll get back to football. Everyone is worried that we won't have a season? We will have a season. The guys look great. I know I'm running routes and doing football stuff." Added Driver: "I don't think we'll have to worry about guys being out of shape. We're professionals. I know that every guy who is going to walk through the locker room soon will be in shape."
