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On Monday night, the Washington Redskins issued on behalf of running back Clinton Portis a terse statement, in which Portis said that he has not been involved in dog fighting, and that he does not condone dog fighting.

The statement was issued in response to a television interview in which Portis seemed to plainly and clearly condone the potential involvement of Falcons quarterback Mike Vick in dog fighting. The nonchalance that Portis displayed on the topic prompted many (including us) to suspect that Portis has been to a dog fight or two himself.

Now, the team has issued a statement of its own: "The Washington Redskins, as an organization, obviously would never condone anything related to animal cruelty. The team takes the recent comments of Clinton Portis very seriously and apologizes to everyone that was offended."

Wait a minute. Why hasn't Portis apologized? If he was made to offer up a "clarification" of his televised remarks (which more fairly should have been labeled a "contradiction"), Portis also should have been compelled to say that he's sorry.

Unless, of course, he isn't. Or, more specifically, if he refused to attach his name to an apology.

The storm of criticism that the remarks of Portis sparked is just a hint of the furor that will erupt if/when Vick is ever charged with dog fighting. The pressure on the league and on the Falcons to take swift and decisive action will be intense, and animal rights groups and NFL fans will undoubtedly begin lobbying the league's sponsors to join in the chorus.

Anyone who thinks that such an approach would not be effective should give Don Imus a call.

A league source tells us that Browns receiver Braylon Edwards missed Tuesday's voluntary OTA practice because he was attending a speaking engagement in connection with his recent pledge of up to $1 million to assist Cleveland-area students.

If true, why didn't the team say so when questioned about his absence? If the team didn't know, why didn't Edwards tell them?

It makes no sense to us, and it's the kind of miscommunication that can drive a wedge between a player and a team.

As Michael David Smith noted in his Tuesday Morning One-Liners, Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield is not attending the team's Organized Training Activities.

Coach Brad Childress says that, to his knowledge, Winfield has not requested a trade out of town. But it wouldn't surprise us if he does (or if he already has and Childress is simply lying about it).

Winfield sounded off about the defense in 2005, and about the offense in 2006. It's also possible that Winfield believes that his coverage skills (but not his supreme tackling abilities) are wasted in the Vikings' Tampa 2 defensive scheme.

When the Viking signed Winfield three years ago, they gave him a large roster bonus in lieu of a signing bonus. As a practical matter, then, a trade of Winfield would not result in a major cap hit. Also, under the new CBA, the Vikings arguably would have no ability to attack any of the bonus money that Winfield was paid if he decides not to show up for any non-voluntary drills.

For the second time in a matter of days, a member of the Washington Redskins has run his mouth about a topic that is better left ignored.

On Friday, running back Clinton Portis sounded off about dog fighting, claiming that it's no big deal if Falcons quarterback Mike Vick has been involved in such activities. Roughly 99 percent of our readers who have submitted e-mails on the topic believe that Portis came off as a doofis.

On Monday, offensive lineman Todd Wade admitted that the team's offseason training program, which is supposed to be free from contact, has plenty of it.

Said Wade, according to the Washington Times: "You say that OTAs are noncontact, but I'm going as hard as I can and so is the guy on the other side of the ball. Everyone's pretty bruised up. I'm not hitting with my helmet, but I'm hitting as hard as I would with my hands."

It's the worst-kept offseason secret in the NFL. There is contact in the offseason. Especially on the line, where the hitting is often "live," but without pads.

In fact, we've heard in the past that linemen would prefer to have pads on for the offseason workouts, in order to protect themselves from inadvertent blows from helmets and knees.

Two years ago, the Redskins got in trouble after posting video on their web site of contact drills in offseason practices. It remains to be seen whether the NFLPA will take action when the evidence isn't so gift-wrapped.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Browns receiver Braylon Edwards was a no-show for the first day of the team's voluntary Organized Training Activities.

All other players on the team were present, with the exception of center LeCharles Bentley, who is slated to have yet another surgery to address complications of his torn patella tendon from the first practice of training camp in 2006.

"Braylon was not here today,'' coach Romeo Crennel said. "He contacted us early this morning and said he wasn't going to be here. He should be here [Wednesday]. This is a voluntary camp. They don't have to be here."

Crennel said that Edwards didn't give a reason for skipping the 90-minute session.

It could be that Edwards is chafed about rumors that the Browns were floating his name in pre-draft trade discussions. But Edwards said last week that he was turning over a new leaf, in conjunction with a pledge to donate $1 million to Cleveland students.

Robert Comer uttered that rallying cry with a smile on his face. The smile faded until he passed out and expired.

We're not sure how we feel about all of this. We're generally against the notion of capital punishment, but would be inclined to reconsider our position (swiftly) if the underlying crime was committed against a member of our family.

If nothing else, this story is further proof of how strongly many people feel about their favorite football teams. And it makes us even more convinced that the league's current efforts to export the NFL to other countries could give the other kind of football a real run for its money as the most popular sport in the world.

Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett confirmed reports of the inappropriate message, but did not disclose any of the names involved. "The sending of inappropriate e-mail messages is against club and league policy, and the sender has been warned about the policy violation. The sender has issued an apology to all of the recipients," Lockett said.

Lockett said that no other team executives will be addressing the matter, and head coach Mike Tomlin was not available to address the matter after Tuesday's launch of the team's Organized Training Activities.

Bouchette writes that the team is not expected to punish either offensive line coach Larry Zierlein (who sent the message to the league's "All General Managers" distribution list, which includes many high-level club and league office employees and their secretaries) or pro personnel director Doug Whaley, who received the message from an external sender and forwarded it to Zierlein.

Though we don't believe that either man should be disciplined severely for the violation of the rules, some league insiders were surprised by the outcome. Said one executive from another team: "When the e-mail came to us we figured they would be fired by the end of the day."

Said another source: "I saw the e-mail. It was brutal. . . . I feel bad for Whaley, a little. He's a good dude, works hard, handles himself very professionally. He's going to have that follow him around for a long time. Zierlein's irrelevant. He's older. This would be his last job probably anyways."

We're also told that the topic of what is and is not appropriate to send via league-provided e-mail accounts was a hot topic in multiple team headquarters on Tuesday.

Here's the best advice to anyone who works for an NFL team -- set up a separate e-mail account through Yahoo! or AOL or Google or MSN, and use that address for receiving and sending things that could get you in trouble.

Meanwhile, this episode does little to clarify the application of the new personal conduct policy to non-players. The fact that there will be no discipline imposed on Zierlein or Whaley should not be interpreted (in our view) as evidence that no sanction will arise if things like this happen in the future.

Then again, we also think that the specific job that a non-player holds will have a significant influence on the question of whether the employee gets a firing, a finger-wagging, or something in between.

The Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in North Texas doesn't have a name yet and won't open for two years, but it already has the country's top sporting event lined up. The NFL has chosen it as the host stadium for Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011.

North Texas beat out Indianapolis and Glendale, Ariz., in a vote of the owners at the league meeting in Nashville today. The Cowboys' stadium, which will have a retractable roof, is scheduled to be ready to open at the beginning of the 2009 regular season.

After the announcement, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones thanked former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach for serving as chairman of the committee that lobbied owners to give the Super Bowl to North Texas.

"We're really going to have the best bid," Staubach said before the vote. "I really believe that based on the resources we have to be able to deliver the bid."

Arizona will host next year's Super Bowl, followed by Tampa in 2009, and South Florida in 2010.

We've received a lot of e-mails about the story of Broncos receiver David Kircus, who's been charged with felony assault after a fight early Sunday morning. But by far the most interesting fact we've learned about Kircus is that his brother, Anthony Kircus, is serving a 19-year prison sentence after being convicted of murder in the killing of his wife in Arizona in 2003.

The Macomb (Michigan) Daily reported two years ago that Anthony Kircus was sentenced on February 25, 2003, by Judge Jeffrey Cates of Maricopa County Superior Court after pleading guilty to the second-degree murder of Catherine Alexandrowicz, whom he had married a week earlier.

Per the Macomb Daily, Anthony Kircus told the judge at his sentencing that he and his wife both were drunk when he killed her. He said he and Alexandrowicz were drawn together because "we accepted each other's drinking."

None of this has any bearing on whether David Kircus is guilty or innocent of felony assault charges. It's simply a part of the life of an NFL player, and with that player in the news, it's a part worth mentioning.

According to the Associated Press, the restraining order bars Kircus from drinking or possessing alcohol. Kircus' lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, argued against that provision, but the judge let it stand and said it could be challenged again Friday, when Kircus is due back in court.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan says he's going to wait until the legal case is resolved before taking any actions against Kircus, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could impose league discipline before resolution of the legal case.

Two interesting details in the AP account are worth mentioning. The first is that Kircus spent a year away from football working in a fast food shop before the Broncos signed him last year. This should be a lesson to all the NFL players out there: When all you have to fall back on is flipping burgers, you need to try really, really hard to stay out of trouble.

The other odd aspect is that the AP story today says of the victim, "His condition and the extent of his injuries were not available, and his name was not released." But several news articles have said he was hospitalized for facial injuries and needed minor surgery and identified the victim as the host of the party, Jeff Krieger. News outlets often choose not to identify the victims of crimes, but once Krieger's name was reported extensively, it's bizarre that the AP would say his name wasn't released.

When the Patriots acquired running back Corey Dillon from the Bengals in 2004, there was a lot of talk that even though Dillon had talent, his attitude made him too big a headache to bother with. As it turned out, Dillon was a good fit in New England, and looking back on his time in Cincinnati, a lot of the problems he had can be traced to the fact that he was sick of playing for an incompetent franchise.

Reading Jamison Hensley's report in the Baltimore Sun about former Bills running back Willis McGahee's first practices with the Ravens, I got a similar feeling. Hensley writes that last year, McGahee was criticized for being the only Bills veteran to skip voluntary off-season workouts, but this year McGahee is showing up in Baltimore.

"The vibe in the air is totally different," McGahee said of the Ravens' practices. "These guys know what they want, and they know what they need to do. The coaches treat you like men. Everybody is making sure everybody is on top of their game."

There may be one major difference between McGahee and Dillon, though. When Dillon joined the Patriots, he had already proven that he could be a top-flight NFL running back. McGahee hasn't done that. McGahee has yet to crack an average of four yards per carry in any of his three seasons in the NFL; Dillon was over 4.0 in five of his seven seasons in Cincinnati and was never below 3.9.

So while McGahee is talking a good game in Baltimore, we won't know if he was worth the investment the Ravens made until he plays a good game. He didn't do enough of the latter in Buffalo, and that -- not skipping voluntary off-season minicamps -- was the problem.

It's hard to believe that it was only three years ago, in the 2004 NFL draft, when Iowa tackle Robert Gallery was almost universally considered the best prospect on the board. The Raiders took him second overall, after Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, and everyone agreed that Oakland could pencil Gallery in as the starting left tackle for a decade or so.

And now Gallery is universally considered a bust. Manning hasn't set the world on fire with the Giants, but when people talk about the 2004 draft, Gallery is cited as the biggest disappointment.

But as my friend Adam Rank of the Raiders FanHouse points out, the Raiders' coaching staff hasn't done Gallery many favors. Last year he had two different offensive line coaches and a head coach whose specialty is the offensive line, all giving him instructions on how to fit into an offense designed by a bed and breakfast manager. That can't be easy on anyone.

Gallery is only 26 years old, and he's still the 6-foot-7, 325-pound athlete who made scouts drool three years ago. There's every reason to believe that a good coach can still get something out of him.

Rookie Miami FB Reagan Mauia lost 100 pounds by cutting out sugar and carbohydrates. (And by chopping off one leg above the kneecap.)

The Steelers have changed their audibling system; moving forward, QB Ben Roethlisberger is responsible for all changes at the line of scrimmage.

We noted on May 16 that the Cleveland Browns' front office is in turmoil, with one camp wanting to oust director of player personnel Bill Rees, and one camp wanting to keep the guy whom G.M. Phil Savage hired two years ago.

We'd believe it but for the fact that many employees who get forced out of an organization also get an opportunity to propagate a reason for leaving that makes somewhat plausible the notion that the employee was not pushed.

By giving cover to the persons who aren't leaving voluntarily, questions unfairly are raised when someone really does leave an organization for legitimately voluntary reasons. So why can't we just be honest when something like this happens?

"Jane apparently prefers sitting at home and eating Twinkies, so we've decided that she should do it on a full-time basis."

"Ralph is going to collect unemployment for a few months, and then he might begin searching for another job. If he can find his shoes."

In this case, it's currently unclear whether Rees was indeed forced out, but in light of what we've been hearing, we're skeptical of the stated reason, to say the least.

The problem partially arose from the fact that Rees spent much time on the road throughout the year, scouting players. As one source recently explained to us, this reality can in some cities prompt those who are in the office on a regular basis to develop resentment and mistrust toward the person they rarely see. And if, as in the case of the Browns, the team isn't doing too well, it's easier to blame the guy who isn't around to defend himself.

In our view, the departure of Rees only increases the pressure on Savage. It's fair to conclude based on the fact that Phil's right-hand man is gone that the next target for an in-house coup will be another high-ranking official who spends a lot of time on the road.

Over the past few weeks, we've had the good fortune of getting periodic assistance from Michael David Smith, a regular contributor to FootballOutsiders.com and AOL's FanHouse. He has done a great job. So, today, he gets the keys to the car.

The Poobah is heading out for some law stuff and will be out of pocket until the late afternoon. In the past, there simply would have been no updates during the workday (and all of your supervisors likely appreciated that).

But no more. We're ready to turn MDS loose. So check back throughout the day to sample his handiwork. If you want to interact with him directly, have at it. We only ask that you refrain from sending him (or any NFL General Managers) pornographic videos.

In comments from last week that finally were noticed by the "real" media on Monday, Redskins running back Clinton Portis shrugged at the possibility that Falcons quarterback Mike Vick has been involved in dog fighting.

"I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dog," Portis told WAVY-TV. "If that's what he wants to do, do it."

On Monday night, the Redskins issued a release containing a one-sentence quote from Portis. It was hardly an apology for the smug, cavalier attitude Portis displayed, and it has the feel of something that the team forced Portis to say.

"In the recent interview I gave concerning dog fighting, I want to make it clear I do not take part in dog fighting or condone dog fighting in any manner," Portis said (or, perhaps more accurately, someone said on his behalf).

It's waaaaaay too late to put the genie back in the toothpaste tube on this one. It's obvious from the video that Portis condones dog fighting. It's so clear that he condones dog fighting that he (or whoever wrote the statement) was compelled to point out that Portis doesn't take part in it himself.

Here's a lesson to Portis and any other player who might be inclined to chime in on this one -- shut the f--k up. You'll only make it worse for Vick, and you'll prompt a lot of people to think you are ignorant or arrogant. Or both.

Patrick Terpstra of WVEC-TV reports that federal authorities are now involved in the ongoing investigation regarding evidence of dog-fighting found last month on the property of Michael Vick in Virginia.

Surry County Sheriff Harold Brown told WVEC that an investigator from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was present for Monday's two-hour meeting between local law enforcement officials and Surry County prosecutor Gerald Poindexter.

No decision has been made as to whether charges will be pursued, but Vick likewise has not been cleared. The question as to who will be charged, if anyone, is due to be resolved in a matter of weeks, not months.

To Michael Irvin's chagrin, the game of "poker" had different rules at his charity tournament over the weekend than it did during his White House days.

Last month's discovery of dog-fighting evidence on Michael Vick's property in Virginia was triggered by a search for drugs in the possible possession of Vick's cousin. But the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that a warrant was thereafter obtained to search the property for evidence of dog fighting.

The warrant authorized a search for evidence "showing ownership of pitbull [sic] terrier dogs or other fighting dogs including bills of sale, pedigrees, breeding records and veterinary records; any dog fighting records including name and telephone numbers lists of person suspected of being dog fighters."

The AJC obtained the warrant and an inventory of the items seized through a request under the Freedom of Information Act. And the AJC reports that included among the evidence were three envelopes addressed to "M. Vick."

The contents of the envelopes have not been disclosed. But it is the first proof of a concrete link between Vick and the dogs and other items taken from the property that he owns but claims he never visits.

Authorities also recovered dogs with old and fresh scarring, and most of the dogs had no water or very dirty water in bowls coated with algae.

We've given this matter due consideration. We've pondered. We've deliberated. We've (thanks in advance, Tiki) excogitated.

And we've received more than 600 e-mails from readers in little more than two hours on the topic.

We've decided to disclose the names of the persons involved in the Friday e-mail fiasco.

Here's why. In announcing the new Personal Conduct Policy last month, the NFL pointed out that non-players would be held to an even higher standard than those who wear the uniform: "The standard of socially responsible conduct for NFL employees will be higher. Club and league employees will be held to a higher standard than players. Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL will be subject to discipline, even if not criminal in nature." (Emphasis added.)

It's not for us to decide whether the underlying actions in this case (i.e., the forwarding of a "very hard-core," as one league source described it, pornographic video clip via a team's e-mail system) justifies punishment. But how will the personal conduct policy as applied to non-players have any meaning at all if the issue is ignored?

So in the interests of breaking from an apparent effort by the "real" media to brush this one under the rug in the hopes of scoring points with a new coaching regime, we believe it's fair and appropriate to disclose that (via at least three NFL sources) the e-mail in question was inadvertently sent to multiple high-level team employees and their secretaries by offensive line coach Larry Zierlein of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The e-mail message had been forwarded to him by Doug Whaley, the Steelers director of personnel. Whaley had received the video from someone outside of the organization, and Whaley forwarded it to multiple other persons, including Zierlein.

Again, it's not for us to decide whether this behavior runs afoul of the new personal conduct policy as applied to coaches and front office personnel. Assuming, however, that the NFL has a written policy regarding the use of company computer equipment for personal endeavors, the use of the steelers.com domain to forward the video in question surely was a violation.

There's also a strong strategic aspect at work here. As one source observed, if the ticket manager had done this, he'd already be out the door. With NFL-level offensive line coaches not readily available to be hired in late May, Zierlein will likely get a pass. Ditto for Whaley, a respected personnel exec and a key contributor to the success of the franchise over the past several years.

And we don't think it's a terminable offense, even though we're certain that other employers in other industries wouldn't think twice about firing someone for this.

With all that said, the case provides an excellent opportunity for the league to educate its employees as to what does (and what does not) amount to a violation of the revised conduct policy. If action is taken, then the conduct was over the line. If no action is taken, then this isn't the kind of stuff that falls within the scope of the murky standard of overall personal behavior.

Broncos receiver David Kircus has been charged with second-degree assault. The allegations arise from a Sunday morning fight that occurred at a party Kircus was attending.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said that Kircus will be released from the team if he is found guilty of the charges. But the team has no authority to impose such discipline on its own, and any such move could prompt a non-injury grievance.

Per the police report, Kircus was attending a party at the home of Jeff Krieger, 26. Kircus had been invited there by a female acquaintance. Kircus and the woman argued, and Krieger repeatedly asked Kircus to leave. While discussing the matter in a driveway, Kircus allegedly struck Krieger and left in a black truck.

Shanahan said that Kircus told him "a much different story from what came across from the other person."

Krieger was released from a local hospital on Monday morning after surgery to repair multiple broken bones in his face.

Most importantly, the "days without an arrest" counter will be set back to "00" after climbing all the way to "01," which followed a spike to "02." And the Broncos will get six more points in Turd Watch.

The Cincinnati Bengals have cut linebacker A.J. Nicholson, only three days after he was arrested for allegedly punching a woman in the eye.

If the decision to release Nicholson was a result of the arrest, the Bengals will be exposed to a potential non-injury grievance. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and the union, individual teams are not permitted to dump a player as discipline for any on-field or off-field action. The team's official web site acknowledges this point, and then attempts in half-hearted fashion to argue that the decision was based on talent.

The move came after the alleged victim tried to recant her claim that Nicholson had punched her. She now says that she hit herself in the eye with a cell phone after grabbing it from Nicholson.

"I was very emotional and I was mad at A.J.," said Victoria Johnson. "Like a lot of other couples, we had been arguing. But I am to blame here. I exaggerated the situation. The police officer misinterpreted my upset and emotional demeanor."

Sorry, but we're always skeptical when the non-football-playing member of a "couple" tries to claim after passions cool that nothing occurred that might derail the gravy train. The desperation to keep the money coming in is so strong that it can even get a victim to claim that she lied to the police.

In this specific case, it's too late. Nicholson has lost his job, and we doubt that anyone else in the NFL will sign him.

A league source has shared with us some more information regarding the pornographic e-mail message that was sent to a whole host of high-level team employees.

For starters, the message wasn't sent only to all General Managers -- it was sent to everyone who has been added to the league's "All General Managers" e-mail distribution list. And that list includes everyone that the teams chose to put on the list.

We're also told that the sender attempted several times to recall the message, but was unsuccessful. We're also told that the sender later circulated an apology.

And here's where the situation gets potentially more intriguing. The assistant coach who sent the e-mail had been forwarded the message by a member of the team's front office.

We have confirmed the identify of the coach who sent the message, and of the front office employee who had sent it to him. And we're currently wrestling with whether or not we should disclose the names.

WKRC-TV reports that there's now a chance that Bengals receiver Chris Henry has not tested positive for opiates.

Garry Edmondson, a prosecutor in Kenton County, Kentucky, said earlier on Monday that Henry had tested positive. But now Edmondson is singing a different song.

He now says that one result was negative (which is positive) and the other result is pending.

Arash Markazi of SI.com reports that Falcons quarterback Mike Vick was greeted by fans who were barking and chanting "Who let the dogs out?" when Vick participated in the NFL Quarterback Challenge on Saturday in the Cayman Islands.

But Vick apparently didn't mind the razzing. "They were awesome," said Vick. "They were into it. They were just having a great time."

(It's good that Vick wasn't bothered, because we have a feeling that it will be a common theme in every stadium in which he plays this year -- and possibly from time to time on his home turf at the Georgia Dome.)

Vick again refused to address the burgeoning (thanks, Tiki) controversy surrounding the evidence of dog fighting found last month at his property in Virginia. "I'm just excited just to get out there and start playing and put everything else behind me," Vick said. "We had just a horrible season last year and now I'm just getting ready to get back out there and do it all over again with a new coaching staff and some new players. I think everything's going to be all right.

"I'm just focusing on football right now. I've been practicing as hard as ever. I'm spending a lot of time in the film room and I'm expecting a big season."

WKRC-TV in Cincinnati reports that Bengals receiver Chris Henry has failed a court-imposed drug test. Per the report, Kenton County (Kentucky) prosecutor Garry Edmondson says that the test was for opiates.

Unless Henry has been scarfing down poppy seed muffins, he's pretty much screwed.

The positive result means that Henry will be spending up to 88 days in jail on charges to which he pleaded guilty earlier in the year and spent two days behind bars. It also could give rise to legal issues in Florida, where Henry is on probation due to charges resulting from the incident we mentioned earlier in the day, when Henry was wearing his jersey while wielding a gun.

If (as we assume) Henry's past misconduct has landed him in the league's substance-abuse program, the positive test also could be deemed to be a violation of Henry's treatment program, which could result in (or push Henry closer to) a suspension.

Henry already has been suspended for the first eight games of the 2007 season for violating the league's Personal Conduct Policy.

One of the best-kept secrets over the past couple of weeks is the identity of the person who purchased the house and surrounding land in Surry County, Virginia where police found evidence of a dog-fighting operation.

To this date, no one knows who bought the house from Falcons quarterback Mike Vick for less than half of its assessed value.

According to the Washington Times, a local business owner said that "heads will turn" when the name of the buyer is disclosed.

Heads will turn? Did Vick sell the place to Arthur Blank, the owner of the team for which Vick plays? To coach Bobby Petrino? To former teammate Ray Buchanan? To Vick's little brother Marcus? To Surry County prosecutor Gerald Poindexter? To the actor who played Newman on Seinfeld?

Regardless of who the next owner will be, it's hard to understand why the name has not yet been revealed. At some point, the sale will close and the names on the deed will be changed. Since the deed is a public record, it'll be impossible at that point for the name to be concealed.

The Denver Post has more details regarding the altercation that could result in the arrest of Broncos receiver David Kircus.

The fight occurred at a party, and the person who threw the punches identified himself as Kircus. Since Kircus hasn't achieved the kind of NFL success that might tempt others to claim that they are him, we doubt that it wasn't.

A photo lineup will be used to confirm that it was Kircus who was involved in the fight. (This all would have been a lot easier if Kircus had merely worn his jersey during the commission of the alleged crime, a la Chris Henry in January 2006.) The victim suffered multiple broken facial bones.

Packers LB A.J. Hawk is pissed that those wedding pictures hit the Intergoogle last week. (Hey, A.J., at least the package of pics didn't include the one taken right after you'd gotten out of a pool of cold water.)

Texans DT Amobi Okoye is slated to start next to Travis Johnson, Jeff Zgonina, or Anthony Maddox.

With 10,000 more seats, the new stadium in Dallas might have the edge over the new venue in Indy.

Woody Paige's Monday column apparently comes from the "stuff to fill space when I got nothing interesting to write about" file.

The fates of Trent Green and Daunte Culpepper are still linked -- and still hanging in limbo.

The Rocky Mountain News reports that Broncos receiver David Kircus is under investigation for a Sunday morning fight in a residential area.

But no arrests have been made, and a photo lineup will be conducted as early as Monday.

A 26-year-old man suffered facial injuries in the altercation, and needed minor surgery. The photo lineup will occur once his condition has improved and when he is not under "significant" medication.

"There's an ongoing investigation and that's all I know at this point," said lawyer Harvey Steinberg, who represents Kircus. "I'm representing David and he'll do what I tell him; that's where we're at."

A league source tells us that an assistant coach with an NFL team attempted on Friday to forward a pornographic e-mail.

If his goal was to send it to every General Manager in the league, he was successful.

We know who the coach is, but we're not going to reveal the name until we get confirmation from one more source as to the coach's identity.

Said the source: "I'm really shocked it hasn't hit the papers. Someone is doing a great job covering it up. But the whole league knows about it."

According to police, Miller was swinging his fist at a man, but the man ducked. So Miller's fist struck a woman, who has a laceration on her face and pain and swelling in her knee.

Said the Jets in a statement: "We expect our players to adhere to the highest standards of conduct off the field and take any allegation of personal misconduct very seriously. We are in the process of gathering information, and have notified the commissioner -- in light of the NFL's new conduct policy. Until we've had an opportunity to review all the facts we will refrain from further comment."

Said Miller, in what hardly constitutes a denial of wrongdoing: "I want to apologize to everyone for this situation, including my family, my teammates, the Jets organization, our fans and the entire NFL. I understand that serving in the NFL is an honor and that I have an obligation to behave in a manner that reflects the privilege I have been given."

The arrest means that the Jets get three points in Turd Watch. Previously, the Jets were one of 11 teams with zero points. Now, there are only ten.

As it turns out, free-agent receiver Keyshawn Johnson has helped several NFL owners save money on plane flights, a meal or two, and perhaps a hotel room. Johnson has also helped to conserve the valuable time of members of the teams' coaching staffs and front offices.

How, you ask? By making it clear that anyone who planned to offer him "only" $2.5 million for 2007 shouldn't bother to talk to him.

A league source tells us that at least one G.M. reacted to the news with gratitude, since now he knows not to continue to explore the possibility of signing Johnson.

It's unknown whether other potentially interested teams feel the same way, but it wouldn't surprise us at all to learn that multiple other franchises were turned off by Johnson's remarks. Already dogged by a reputation for being selfish and egocentric, Johnson has likely limited the market for his services by trying to set the bar at something above $2.5 million for the coming season.

And that, in turn, will limit his leverage with any of the teams who remain interested in him. The Titans, for example, might have paid more than planned if they feared that a team like the Jaguars were poised to get him.

For a guy who fancies himself to be a shrewd businessman, it really was a stoopid move. He has now backed himself into a corner, and you can bet that if he eventually takes $2.5 million or less for 2007, he'll be reminded of his recent vow.

A league insider with knowledge of and experience with disability policies like those currently at issue in a lawsuit recently filed by Jets running back Curtis Martin against Lloyd's of London tells us that the primary issue in the dispute likely will be whether Martin can show that he became disabled as a result of a single traumatic event, as opposed to a degenerative condition.

Disability policies for professional athletes are meant to protect against one on-field (or off-field) occurrence that prevents the player from continuing with his career. Kellen Winslow's motorcycle accident, Steve Foley's bang-bang-vroom-vroom episode, and LeCharles Bentley's blown patella tendon are all examples of the kinds of discrete incidents that could trigger coverage.

If a player is unable to continue his career because over time he has lost all of the cartilage in his knee, the resulting disability is typically not covered.

In this specific case, the source predicts that the litigation will turn on whether Martin can show, via evidence like game films, medical records, and expert testimony, that one single play ended his career. The insurance company will counter with evidence of every knee injury Martin ever suffered, along with MRI images of the knee taken at various times in his career and testimony from its own expert that Martin did not suffer a Willis McGahee-type blow that brought his football career to an end.

The source also explains that the fact that Martin remained on the Jets' payroll in 2007 does not matter. A player can still pursue benefits even if he continues to get paid by his team; the key is whether he plays in at least four more games after the onset of the disability.

While it could be that Martin is facing an uphill climb, the fight is worth his time, since $5 million is hanging in the balance. But unless he can show that there was one collision that transformed him from a guy who could play pro football into a guy who could not, he might never see that money.

We neglected to include the defending NFC champs in our Saturday roundup of this weekend's two active mandatory minicamps.

Anyway, here's the stuff, along with an update on Saturday in Green Bay and Indy.

Indianapolis: WR Reggie Wayne will head back to Miami after spending a few days in the team's voluntary workouts. . . . LB Freddy Keiaho, a second-round pick in 2006, says that the weakside spot vacated by Cato June is Keiaho's to lose. . . . WR Anthony Gonzalez made an impression on QB Peyton Manning at rookie minicamp.

Here's confirmation of our report that the Lions moved their minicamp so that WR Calvin Johnson could attend.

Chiefs coach Herm Edwards says that changes have been made because the "team got old."

Ravens LB Bart Scott doesn't like the fact that the new Commish is being so aggressive about off-field behavior: "It's bull, man, it's bull," he said. "We've got a guy trying to make a name for himself. He's trying to put a stamp on [his tenure], and trying to do it early. He's trying to get a legacy." (Yeah, Bart -- it has nothing at all to do with the fact that the league is populated with an alarming number of criminals.)

The New York Daily News reports that Jets running back Curtis Martin has sued Lloyd's of London for failing to pay him $5 million under a disability policy that Martin purchased in 2005.

Martin claims in the lawsuit that he became permanently disabled on or about December 14, 2005, due to a hit to his knee. He had purchased $5 million in coverage, at a premium of more than $178,000, under a policy that applied from August 1, 2005 through August 1, 2006.

Though most folks generally are skeptical of insurance companies, who have a reputation in some circles of loving to take money in and hating to pay it out, the fact that Martin was paid $810,000 in salary last season might contradict the notion that Martin was "disabled" within the scope of the language of the policy.

The reality is that the Jets likely knew that Martin couldn't play, but weren't inclined to cut one of the most productive backs in league history, especially after he took a $1.7 million pay cut. So by agreeing to the lower salary in the hopes of maintaining the relationship with the team, and earning an NFL salary for the 2006 season, Martin might have unwittingly disqualified himself from claiming that he became "disabled" during the term of the policy.

It all comes down to the specific definition of the word "disabled," and we've got a feeling that Martin's effort to get paid by the Jets -- and later to get paid by the insurance company -- might make it hard for him to get the money.

We'd have to see the policy before commenting further. But, at a minimum, any payment should be reduced by the money Martin received from the Jets after being disabled, or Martin should refund to the Jets his 2006 salary.

Regardless of what the policy says, it doesn't seem fair for Martin to be able to get $5 million for a disability that nevertheless allowed him to continue to receive a paycheck.

Though Fins coach Cam Cameron hasn't specifically said that he wouldn't bring back RB Ricky Williams, it's not looking good.

QB Donovan McNabb is trying to come off as a "regular guy". (Here's a suggestion -- take a job working in a factory and complain about how much money pro athletes make.)

From the "NFL Owners Still Don't Hire Head Coaches Who Clog Toilets" file, Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan has lost 60 pounds.

If Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is interested in community service, he could start by trying to not sign or draft guys who might be inclined to serve knuckle sandwiches to members of the community.

The Fins gave Florida governor Charlie Crist a jersey with the number 12 on it, but only after Hall-of-Famer Bob Griese agreed to allow the retired digits to be used.

Scheffler, a second-round pick of the team in 2006, will have surgery on Monday and is expected to be out for two months.

It's a blow to the Broncos, but not a huge one. The team signed Daniel Graham in the offseason, and has several other tight ends on the roster.

Our newest colleague, Michael David Smith, also writes for FootballOutsiders.com, an independent site that has always been good to us.

MDS, along with about 76 of our readers, have pointed out to us an item on FootballOutsiders raising a curious question regarding whether Gil Brandt of NFL.com lifted research and/or content from FootballOutsiders without attribution.

The issue is set forth right here, and we find it compelling to say the least. The real question is whether NFL.com or Brandt will acknowledge the matter, and whether NFL.com will take any action because of it.

Several months ago, proof of similar pilfering became the undoing of Ron Borges of the Boston Globe. Apparently, Brandt wasn't paying attention. Or maybe Brandt just assumed no one would notice it or, possibly, that no one would care.

In fairness to Brandt, we also can't rule out the possibility that Brandt suggested to his editor(s) that credit should be given to FootballOutsiders.com, and that the editor opted not to drive traffic away from NFL.com by mentioning the name of the site.

To the extent that anyone cares, a reader in the Cayman Islands tells us that Raiders quarterback Josh McCown won the 2007 Quarterback Challenge, which was conducted today at the Cayman Islands International School Park.

McCown was traded to Oakland from Detroit, where he signed as a free agent after his rookie contract with the Cardinals expired. He has 22 career starts in five years.

He might be the starter with the Raiders when the 2007 season begins, but he likely won't be when it ends, given that the team selected JaMarcus Russell with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

But, hey, no one can take away from McCown the fact that he won a meaningless event that won't be televised until August.

In an apparent effort to reverse the unexpected damage to his overall reputation that resulted from last weekend's one-two punch of pissng and moaning about the failure of the team to acquire receiver Randy Moss and reportedly asking to be traded, Packers quarterback Brett Favre has publicly denied requesting a trade.

First of all, an industry source told us on Friday that multiple members of the team's front office have confirmed privately that a trade was requested.

Second, a source with knowledge of the situation tells us that Favre privately justified his denial by explaining (tongue-partially-in-cheek), "I didn't ask for a trade, my agent did."

Our guess is that someone close to Favre, but nevertheless capable of being objective about the situation, explained to him within the past few days that he is jeopardizing his legacy by whining about things that don't fall within his job description. For the first time, it seemed that public sentiment among Packers fans was turning against Favre, possibly because he has spent nearly five years toying with them via the never-ending "will he or won't he retire" routine.

And if Favre plans to parlay his football success into a television gig, he can't spend the final stages of his playing career looking and sounding like a grumpy old fart who feels neglected and unloved.

It's that time of week again. Minicamps are unfolding in several NFL cities. Here's a quick rundown of a couple of them.

In his first comments to the media since being released from jail and then meeting face-to-face with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson declared that "whatever sanction [Goodell] imposes, I am man enough to take it."

On the surface, this suggests that Johnson won't appeal the suspension that Goodell is expected to impose on Johnson, regardless of its duration. But we heard similar words from Pacman Jones last month -- and for Jones "taking it like a man" meant "whining after the fact about it."

So it remains to be seen what Johnson will do. But if he's really serious about changing his life, step one will be to take the punishment and move on. (And not appeal it.)

We're still not sure why the folks at FOX Sports Radio keep asking us to do spots at 4:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday afternoons. But we're not complaining.

Radio appearances are our primary tool for getting the word out about the site to as many people as possible. So whenever we get a chance to talk football on a radio network that stretches all over the country, we do it.

Every Tuesday night at 10:25 p.m. in the East, we visit with Todd Wright of Sporting News Radio, which was the first national outfit to take a chance on us, way back in 2003.

The weekly slate of PFT radio appearances can be found right here. Many of the stations now feature online streaming.

Though the NFL is sufficiently popular and powerful to, for example, dictate programming decisions by a company that pays the league $1.1 billion per year, pro football (and every other major league sport) gets uncomfortable whenever Congress decides to take an interest in an issue that is percolating through the game.

In the recent past, Congress has poked around regarding steroids and the limited access of regular-season games on NFL Network. Now, one member of the primary legislative body in the United States is sticking his nose into the Michael Vick situation.

Representative Tom Lantos (D-Calif.) has urged NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to "act swiftly and forcefully" if Vick was involved in dog fighting that was occurring on property Vick owned in Virginia.

"I am outraged that one of the National Football League's superstars is affiliated with such a heinous enterprise," Lantos said in the letter.

"The level of cruelty involved in exploiting animals to the point that 60 malnourished and injured dogs were removed from Mr. Vick's property is mind boggling," Lantos said. "I will view anything less than the strongest repudiation of Mr. Vick's involvement as tacit support for this atrocious activity."

The league has sent mixed signals regarding whether Vick will be investigated and (if appropriate) disciplined under the recently beefed-up Personal Conduct Policy. On one hand, the NFL has said it is investigating the case; on the other hand, NFL Network's Adam Schefter reported this week that Vick would not be disciplined unless he is first convicted of, or pleads guilty to, criminal charges.

We think that the league can and should investigate the matter on its own, especially if the prosecutor in Surry County, Virginia chooses not to proceed with charges. There is already enough evidence publicly available to support a conclusion that Vick knew what was happening on his property and/or was involved in it. If the goal is to prevent conduct that is detrimental to the interests of, or public confidence in, the game of professional football, a decision by the NFL not to look into this one regardless of whether Vick is charged could be, in and of itself, conduct detrimental to the interests of, or public confidence in, the game.

That statement could become even more true if Santos decides to use his position on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee to squeeze the league on the issue of performance-enhancing drugs. It's classic Washington politics, where no one issue stands alone but multiple topics intertwine (thanks, Tiki).

"Your strong rebuke of dog fighting -- and those who promote it -- will send the message that this all-too-prevalent practice has no place in a civilized society," Lantos wrote. "I also suggest you educate your players on the illegality and cruelty of dog fighting to prevent this from happening again. It is my hope that the issue of animal fighting will not require us to further investigate the behavior of your athletes."

So what will Goodell do? Our guess is that the first order of business will be to determine whether Lantos has any real juice in the House of Representatives, and whether others in either chamber of Congress share his views. Then, the Commish might subtly take the pulse of those federal legislators who are supporters of the NFL as to whether they'll have the league's back if Santos tries to take action.

Or Goodell could fully investigate the Vick situation, impose punishment if appropriate, and take steps to detect and end the involvement of other NFL players in dog fighting.

A league source tells us that newly-hired Raiders front office exec Rich Snead previously had an offer to join the team. But we're told that Snead declined because owner Al Davis didn't want to give him a contract. Since Snead at the time had a contract with the Titans, he opted to stay put.

But with Snead's contract in Tennessee expiring and the Titans not inclined to renew it, Snead's options were a little different.

He could either work without a contract, or he could not work without a contract.

Working without a contract is a two-edged sword. The employee can leave at any time, but the employee likewise has no security.

Redskins running back Clinton Portis and left tackle Chris Samuels have spoken out in support of Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who currently is caught up in a dog-fighting investigation.

But they're not saying that Vick is innocent. Per Portis, it's no big deal if Vick is guilty.

"I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, it's his dog," Portis told WAVY-TV. "If that's what he wants to do, do it."

As Portis spoke, Samuels started laughing, and at one point raised his eyebrows with (as we interpret it) an "oh sh-t I can't believe he's saying this" look on his face.

In response to the question of whether dog-fighting is prevalent in the NFL and the NBA, Portis said, "I mean it's prevalent in life. . . . I'm from Laurel, Mississippi. I know a lot of back roads that got the dog fight if you want to go see it."

Um, we're not licensed to practice law in Virginia, but we don't think that the Commonwealth has formally recognized the defenses of "everybody does it" or "if it's behind closed doors, it's okay."

And if we didn't know better (and, actually, we don't), we'd be inclined to wonder whether Portis has been to a few of those dog fights in Laurel, Mississippi.

And Clinton's comments provide even more reason to believe that Ray Buchanan said what Chris Landry said he said about Vick and dog fighting. The lesson here is that current and former NFL players look out for each other, no matter how ridiculous they look or sound when doing so.

Need more evidence that Portis should be ignored on this point? He refers to Vick as a "positive role model." We need to know whether Clinton gave Mike this label for giving the middle finger to the home fans (including kids) or giving the STD to the ex-girlfriend. Or maybe he's referring to the water bottle thing. There are just so many positive things from which to choose.

Long-time Boston Globe reporter and columnist Ron Borges has retired, only days after completing a two-month suspension for plagiarism.

"I've enjoyed using the forum the Globe has provided me over two decades, but I am excited to step back from the demands of daily sportswriting to try my hand at longer-range projects and other forums,'' Borges said.

The cynics out there will assume that this had something to do with the work Borges performed on behalf of Oscar De La Hoya during Borges' suspension. Borges claimed that he worked for free; it could be that the Globe was able to prove otherwise and decided to work out some type of an arrangement by which Borges gets: (1) a severance package; and (2) the hell out of the building.<

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