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POSTED 11:17 p.m. EDT, September 15, 2006

BUSH'S STRATEGY?  DENY, DENY, DENY

A league source tells us that Saints running back Reggie Bush will continue to flatly deny allegations that he received payments and other benefits in violation of NCAA rules, without addressing publicly his or his family's versions of the events.

On Friday, Bush addressed a damning Yahoo! Sports report by, well, not addressing it.  "I'm not worried about any of these allegations or anything like that, because I know what the truth is, like I said from day one," Bush said. "Once the smoke clears, everybody's going to see we did nothing wrong."

Bush previously has made similar pronouncements -- but then refused to speak with NCAA investigators regarding the situation.

Bush would be wise, in our view, to be prepared to come clean if/when the IRS ever comes sniffing around regarding the question of whether payments constituting income were made to Bush by anyone while he was still eligible to play college football.  If the payments are income, and if Bush didn't pay taxes, it could be a big problem.

The cover up is often worse than the crime, and Bush could find himself doing the shower room limbo if he decides to play cute with the feds.

The best advice he could get right now?  If there's any chance that payments received by him in 2004 or 2005 could be construed as income, Bush should regard the payments as income right now and pay directly to the IRS the full amount of any associated taxes, plus any penalties and interest. 

If handled discreetly, there's a chance that the media would never find out.  And if the information somehow gets leaked, Bush can claim that he was just being cautious in making the payments, since he can't control whether the IRS ultimately would have believed the lies being told about him.

If, on the other hand, the allegations have merit and Bush tries to play dumb or mince words, he stands to lose a lot more than what it would cost to take care of the matter right now.

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POSTED 3:34 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 4:59 p.m. EDT, September 15, 2006

PORTIS OUT FOR SUNDAY

Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said on Friday that running back Clinton Portis won't play on Sunday night against the Cowboys, despite the fact that he played on Monday night against the Vikings.

"He didn't practice [Friday]," Gibbs said.  "If a guy doesn't practice, he's not going to play."

Portis was downgraded from questionable to doubtful on the injury report.  Gibbs cited lingering soreness from the tailback's participation in the Monday night loss to Minnesota.  

Portis had 10 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown in the season opener.  He also caught two passes for 11 yards.

"It's really just because of soreness," Gibbs said. "Actually, it's in a different spot in his shoulder.  He's got some soreness there that lingered and kept him from practicing this week."

The move, however, was news to Portis.  "I didn't know the decision had been made," Portis said. "I thought it was a game-time decision.  As of now, my bag's packed and ready to go to Dallas, unless they come and tap me on the shoulder in the near future and tell me I ain't going."  

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FRIDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

Per the AP, Eagles RB Brian Westbrook is either probable or doubtful for Sunday.  (There's not much of a difference, is there?)

Panthers WR Steve Smith missed practice again on Friday and is questionable for Sunday at Minnesota.

This is one of the few occasions in which we actually didn't mind pissing in our own pants.

We didn't realize that WR Keyshawn Johnson was old enough to develop Alzheimer's.

Why do we have a feeling that the next time Koren Robinson makes this statement, it will include the name of a CFL team?  "The [insert team name] have given me the opportunity, and I'm going to try to make this my home.  I'm going to try to retire as a [insert team name]."  (Or maybe it will be the "Mean Machine.")  

Raiders LT Tony Mandarich (it's not a typo -- that's Robert Gallery's new name on this here site) will miss 2-3 weeks with a calf injury, and possibly more.

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POSTED 9:23 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:30 a.m. EDT, September 15, 2006

REGGIE GETS BUSHWHACKED BY YAHOO! 

While we were in Morgantown on Thursday night watching the next can't-miss NFL running back prospect make like a man among embryos against the Maryland Terrapins, Charles Robinson and Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports blew the lid off of the controversy that has been swirling around last year's high-end halfback.

Though qualifying their conclusions with lawyer-recommended terms like "appear," the import of the article is obvious:  former USC tailback Reggie Bush and family got paid, and handsomely, while Bush was still an NCAA-eligible student-athlete.

Per the report, the Bushes "apparently" received more than $100,000 from rival groups attempting to secure the ability to represent Bush in his off-field marketing deals, the cut for which is not limited by the NFLPA to only three percent of earnings.  And it has proven to be a lucrative assignment, given that Bush has been popping up just about everywhere via deals with Diet Pepsi and Subway and adidas, which recently got its name added to the list of approved NFL shoe suppliers so that the guy some in New Orleans are calling "Jesus in Cleats" could officially be "Jesus in adidas."  (That actually has a nice ring to it.)

The report's details are of the dollars-and-cents variety, suggesting that Robinson and Cole tracked down receipts and other evidence to support the notion that money and benefits made their way to Bush and his family at a time when he was supposedly an "amateur."   

The case against the Bushes includes evidence that an employee of one of the two candidates for the marketing gig, Mike Ornstein, used a credit card to pay for airfare and a limo for Bush's mother, stepfather, and younger brother to attend the USC-California game in Berkeley last season.  Ornstein claims that the Bushes "paid for everything," but he acknowledges the possibility that charges might have been paid via his employee's credit card.  Still, Ornstein "guarantee[d]" that there is documentation and cash receipts.  

And if they don't already exist, our guess is that they soon will.

But even if the money was paid back after the fact (or is paid back now), such short-term loans conflict with applicable NCAA by-laws.

Besides, there's plenty of additional evidence to support a conclusion that NCAA rules were violated by Bush and his family.  A New Jersey memorabilia dealer, for example, claims that he once loaned Ornstein $500 because it was "pay day" for Bush's family, and Ornstein was a little short.

Ornstein emphatically denied the allegation, swearing on his son's, his mother's, and his brother's life.  "Let them all die tomorrow if I'm telling a lie," he said.

Then again, given that (as Yahoo! confirms) Ornstein pleaded guilty in 1995 to attempting to defraud the NFL while working as the director of club marketing for NFL Properties, his overall credibility isn't all it could be.  Since Ornstein ultimately secured the right to represent Bush for marketing purposes, he has a natural self-interest in protecting the golden-shoed goose.

Despite the evidence that Robinson and Cole have gathered, the question of whether Bush will retroactively lose his eligibility for the 2005 season and/or his Heisman trophy depends upon an investigation that the NCAA is conducting.  Because New Era Sports and Entertaiment -- the "other" candidate for the marketing gig -- has threatened suit against Bush and his family, the Bushes have refused to be interviewed.  The current status of the NCAA investigation is generally unknown.

To date, New Era has not filed suit to recover the money it allegedly paid to the Bushes and otherwise spent in reliance upon a promise that New Era would secure the job of handling Reggie's marketing might.  There were reports and suggestions over the summer that Bush lawyer David Cornwell pulled strings to get the FBI involved in the case, possibly to scare off the principals of New Era, one of whom already is in prison.

And from Reggie's perspective, the only possible source of jeopardy as to his NFL career is the FBI and/or the IRS, which might become very interested in exploring whether any payments or benefits received by Bush and/or his family constitute income and, if so, whether taxes were paid.

In Bush's case, the same high profile that has enabled him to generate $50 million in endorsement deals could prompt the powers-that-be to use him as an example to the rest of us that the tax laws aren't optional.

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NFLPA NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION ON MARKETING AGENTS

The Reggie Bush situation highlights, in our opinion, a very real need for the NFL Players Association to regulate and monitor marketing agents.

Currently, the NFLPA focuses only on contract representatives and investment advisors, and provides no oversight of the folks who help players do their endorsement deals.

As a result, marketing agents can take an unlimited cut of the money earned by players from advertising contracts.  We've heard of standard fees as high as 25 percent.  Meanwhile, agents can accept a maximum of only three percent of the value of the football contract as a fee.

We've also heard of circumstances in which the marketing agent takes a cut of the player's endorsement deal as his "official" fee, and is then paid a separate amount by the company securing the endorsement rights -- unbeknownst to the player.

Another reason for bringing marketing agents within the purview of the NFLPA arises from the fact that, while football agents jeopardize their NFLPA license if they pay players who are still NCAA eligible, marketing agents face no real scrutiny for funneling cash or cars or clothing to the kids or to their family members.  The best deterrent for this kind of stuff is, in our view, an administrative mechanism that could take away the guy's right to earn a living if he breaks the rules.

In some circumstances, marketing agents can have significant influence over the player.  In Bush's case, for example, it was marketing agent Mike Ornstein and not football agent Joel Segal who was sitting next to Reggie at the draft in April.  And it's been Ornstein, not Segal, who offers up sound bites regarding Bush.  Indeed, some league insiders believe that Ornstein hand-picked Segal to negotiate the Bush contract because Ornstein knew that Segal wouldn't and/or couldn't supplant Ornstein as Bush's most trusted advisor.  Thus, marketing agents should be subject to the same rules and scrutiny as the "regular" agents.  

As a result, it's critical that the NFLPA expand the pool of regulated parties to include marketing agents.  If unchecked, they can do just as much harm to a player's interests -- if not more.

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POSTED 2:00 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 3:47 p.m. EDT, September 14, 2006

LEVY SCREWED THE POOCH ON VINCENT

We've gotten some more information regarding the manner in which Bills safety Troy Vincent landed on IR.  And the manner in which the situation was handled by the team convinces us that G.M. Marv Levy has little or no skill when it comes to the complexities of managing an NFL roster.

For starters, it turns out that there really is a "minor" Injured Reserve.  It's a procedure used in lieu of an injury settlement, pursuant to which the player is added to IR but must be released when healthy.

When a player is on "major" IR, he's done for the year and gets paid his normal salary. 

But in Vincent's case, the end result is the same -- the Bills will owe him his entire salary for 2006.  Why?  Because Vincent is a vested veteran entitled to take the balance of his $2.6 million salary as termination pay.

And once he's healthy, Vincent can sign with another team and receive wages on top of the $2.6 million base salary he'll get from the Bills.

In hindsight (or if Levy had applied any foresight), the Bills would have released Vincent prior to the start of the regular season.  He then could have been re-signed after the first game, and his full salary would not have been guaranteed.

So while Levy might have been a very good coach, running the team is a much different endeavor.  In this specific case, Levy's failure to understand the rules has forced his boss to pay $2.6 million to a guy who was available for only one game.

Meanwhile, we're hearing that the injury really isn't very significant, and that Vincent could be healthy soon.  So when he's healthy (and then released), Vincent will be able to sign with any other team in the league.

Technically, Vincent would have to clear waivers if he's released after the trading deadline.  But it's unlikely that anyone else would claim his contract when he can be signed the next day for a lower contract.

So look for Vincent to be playing for another team at some point this year, even though he'll be receiving the bulk of his compensation from the Buffalo Bills.

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PROSECUTORS WANT TO TEST FOLEY FOR 'ROIDS

In a bizarre development from a case with more bizarre developments than a weekend at Neverland Ranch, prosecutors want to test Chargers linebacker Steve Foley for performance-enhancing drugs.

Per the AP, the request was made as part of an affidavit that also revealed Foley's blood alcohol concentration to be 0.233 percent, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

"His history of aggressive and even violent contact with law enforcement indicates the possibility of more than mere alcohol involvement," wrote criminal investigator Dan Nordell in the affidavit. "[Steroids] can cause erratic behavior in those that use them.  This has been given names like 'roid rage for the uncontrollable outbursts and violence experienced by some users."

Fine, but what in the hell does that have to do with whether Foley committed a crime on the night he was shot three times by an off-duty cop 28 miles outside of his jurisdiction?

Our guess?  Law enforcement is looking to harvest some evidence that could be used to smear Foley if/when he files a lawsuit to seek fair compensation for the injuries sustained when a former college rent-a-cop decided to play Starsky and Hutch, shooting him twice in the back of the leg and once in the thigh. 

In our "day job" experiences, we've learned that this is a common tactic of companies and organizations made to answer in a court of law for their potential wrongdoing.  Instead of focusing on offering up an acceptable explanation for their own conduct, the goal becomes to throw as much mud as possible at the plaintiff, in the hopes that the jury will find the party seeking compensation to be unworthy of an award.

Meanwhile, it'll be very interesting to hear how Foley ended up getting shot in the back of the leg twice, given that he supposedly was in position to fetch a gun from his pants and shoot Deputy Dawg.

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THURSDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

A Texas woman is getting $2.75 million for property nabbed in connection with efforts to build the new Cowboys stadium.

Dr. Z likes ESPN's "B" team, too.

Bills LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring) has missed practice again.

Cards LB Karlos Dansby is being Wally Pipped?

'Hawks LS J.P. Darche is out for the season with a groin injury.

Uncle Rico has to wear an OSU jersey all week, as a result of losing a bet with Eddie George.

The Chargers are interested in Titans QB Billy Volek.

Chad Pennington is the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Jags WR Reggie Williams could have picked a better analogy to support his belief that the team's receivers learned a thing or two from Jimmy Smith:  "It's like being around Michael Jackson and learning how to dance from him for two years, then walking away not knowing how to moonwalk."

Vikings QB Brad Johnson is 38.

Titans RB LenDale White is eager to make his NFL debut in San Diego.

Might the Cowboys be regretting the decision to pass on LB Shawne Merriman?

Steelers S Troy Polamalu is questionable for Monday night, but practiced on Wednesday.

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POSTED 9:24 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 1:22 p.m. EDT, September 14, 2006

HONEYMOON IS OVER FOR HERM

A league source tells us that the reputation of Chiefs coach Herman Edwards is taking some hits in response to his recent comments that, in the opinion of some league insiders, constitute an implicit slap at former K.C. coach Dick Vermeil. 

Deflecting the suggestion that he's too conservative, Edwards on Tuesday placed blame for the team's low scoring output in the season opening loss to Cincinnati on the offense that was in place prior to his arrival.

"If the people went to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play, that's the same offense they've watched for the last five years — shifts, motions," Edwards said.  "Maybe I should change, because if we're only going to score 10 points and we'll get the quarterback killed, then maybe I should change the offense."

Edwards' comments remind us of the fatherly advice offered up by Homer Simpson after he'd possibly consumed the venom of a poison blowfish.  According to Homer, three simple statements are all you need to get by at work:  (1) "Cover for me"; (2) "Good idea, boss!"; and (3) "It was like that when I got here."

So it's not the fault of Edwards or his coaching staff in teaching the offense or of the players assembled by King Carl Peterson in executing it.  The problem, Edwards suggests, is the offense itself.  

It was like that when I got here.

Hey, if the Chiefs really wanted continuity on offense, they should have given the job to offensive coordinator Al Saunders.  Then again, King Carl  was quick to point out on Tuesday that Saunders didn't fare much better in Week One:  "[Edwards] hasn't [changed the offense]," Peterson said.  "We're running our offense, the Kansas City Chiefs offense that has been run the last five years, OK?  The Kansas City offense didn't score many points in Washington, D.C. [on Monday night] either, did it?"

The point here is that the offense that was put in place by Dick Vermeil and Al Saunders is an effective attack, if the team has compiled the right players to run it, the right coaches to teach it, and the right offensive coordinator to pick the plays that will be used against a given defense -- and to call the right plays at the right time (e.g., something other than a run into the middle of the line on third-and-five from the opponents' 11).   

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ROBINSON'S GREEN BAY STAY COULD BE A SHORT ONE

Receiver Koren Robinson's tenure with the Packers could be over before it really even gets started.

According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Robinson heads to court in Washington on Wednesday, October 4 for a hearing on whether his conduct in connection with an August 15 arrest in Minnesota violated the terms of his 2005 probation resulting from a guilty plea to DUI charges.

Robinson faces, among other things, a felony count of fleeing from police after leading authorities on a high-speed chase as he was returning to Vikings training camp.

If Robinson is deemed to have violated the terms of his probation due to the Minnesota arrest, he faces up to 364 days in jail on the past DUI plea.

We wouldn't be surprised to see Robinson get put away.  When a judge places a guy on probation, the judge is taking a risk that the person will do something that, if he'd been behind bars, he couldn't have done.  Given that Robinson's most recent episode easily could have gotten someone seriously injured or killed, we suspect that K-Rob's seemingly bottomless bag of second chances will finally come up empty. 

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FRIDAY IS NFL FAN DAY FROM SPRINT 

There's no better time to ditch your current cellular plan (unless it's with Sprint or Nextel) and switch to Sprint.  Every Friday in September, Sprint NFL Fan Days will allow NFL aficionados in selected areas to obtain a $50 service credit on a voice plan when activating a Sprint phone.  Fans also can take advantage of exclusive NFL-themed offers each and every Friday this month.

The next NFL Fan Day from Sprint is Friday, September 15 (which also is Florio Jr.'s 10th birthday), and the offer is available at Sprint stores, Sprint-branded authorized retailers, and Sprint kiosks in the following markets:  all NFL cities; Los Angeles; Columbus, Ohio; Louisville/Lexington, Kentucky; Evansville, Indiana; Youngstown, Ohio; Canton/Akron, Ohio; Providence, Rhode Island; Western Michigan; Northern New Jersey; Central New Jersey; Long Island; Southern and Northern Connecticut.

So get your rear end to a Sprint location and get that Sprint phone we've been telling you to buy for months now.

And remember -- every Friday in September will be an NFL Fan Day from Sprint.

For those of you (like us) who don't reside or work in one of those markets, we still think you should get a Sprint phone.  And not just because Sprint is the primary sponsor of this here site (but it helps).  Sprint's exclusive NFL Mobile package makes Sprint a no-brainer for any real NFL fan.  

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POSTED 7:01 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:10 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2006

BILLS DUMPING TROY?

Our friends at WGR in Buffalo tell us that Bills safety Troy Vincent has said on the air that he is on "minor" injured reserve, and that he can play again in four to six weeks, but with another team.  (The interview can be heard right here.)    

Though Vincent was being vague, it sounds to us as if the Bills have reached an injury settlement with the 15-year veteran.

Here's the way it works.  A player who passes a physical at the outset of the season can't be cut for a subsequent football injury.  In many cases, the team and the injured player work out an injury settlement, which pays the player for an agreed number of weeks under the assumption that, at the end of the period covered by the settlement, he will be healthy.

After the expiration of the time period covered by the injury settlement, the player may sign with another team, but not with the team that released him.

As we understand the relevant rules, the first step in the process is the placement of the player on injured reserve, even though his official designation is "waived-injured."  Then, there is a finite period of time within which the team and the player must reach an injury settlement.  If no settlement is reached, the player is waived and may file an injury grievance.

In this case, our guess is that Vincent and the Bills currently are haggling over whether his hamstring injury will require four weeks or six weeks to heal.

If we're right, he'll likely receive anywhere from $612,000 to $918,000 -- based on his 2006 salary of $2.6 million.

Of course, Vincent also would have the option to receive the balance of his 2006 salary as termination pay, since he was on the roster for the initial game of the season.  But since the Bills likewise have the option to park him on IR for all of 2006, it could be that Vincent has decided to take what he can get by way of an injury settlement, and then join a team that is in contention for the playoffs later in the year.

Then again, we could be interpreting all of this incorrectly.  If any agent or front-office type out there can make any sense of Vincent's comments, please let us know (they begin at 7:50 of the spot).

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NO GREEN FROM GEATHERS

The NFL announced on Wednesday that it won't be fining Bengals defensive end Robert Geathers for the hit that sent a sliding Chiefs quarterback Trent Green to the hospital.

In an e-mail sent to all 32 teams, the league office explained that quarterbacks must slide properly in order to obtain the benefit of the rule prohibiting contact with a signal-caller who makes like he's playing baseball.

"On sliding quarterback plays, the responsibility of defenders is to avoid a sliding quarterback while the responsibility of the quarterback is to use the protection properly," the e-mail read.  "This rule will continue to be strictly enforced, and violations are likely to result in disciplinary action."

NFL senior V.P. Ray Anderson said that quarterbacks who wish to take advantage of the slide rule must slide before the prospects of an imminent hit.

And we agree.  Plays like this need to be judged at full speed, and at full speed Green got down too late.  The simple reality is that, in some cases, the quarterback will begin to slide after the player has begun to lunge for him. 

The message to quarterbacks?  Slide earlier, or not at all.

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WEEK ONE POWER RANKINGS

Interested in seeing where your favorite team stacks up against the rest of the NFL?  (Unless you're a fan of the Raiders or the Packers, since you pretty much already know.)  Check out our Week One Power Rankings.

If you don't, Dante will come rub his homemade Dirty Brown Towel in your face.

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WEDNESDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

Crazy Joe Davola says he never inhaled.

Why do we have a feeling that the Fins will eventually give Rae Carruth a workout?

Man, it's starting to sound like Tom Brady has Deion Branch's initials tattooed on his inner thigh.

Reggie Bush loves he some he.

Panthers WR Steve Smith is questionable for his return to the stadium in which his first NFL touch resulted in a touchdown.

T.O. resisted the temptation to express a desire to catch passes from a young Brett Favre.

Prosecutors will pursue DUI charges against LB Steve Foley.

Hey, K2, shut your mouth until you make it through a couple more games without breaking a bone or tearing a ligament.

You can pay for highlights on your iPod -- or you can get 'em free on your Sprint phone.

If you don't know who Willie Thrower is, you should.

Apparently, Emmitt Smith's first official dance was the "Oompa Loompa."

Did the 'Skins scalp the Vikings' radio system?

The Big Show says he hasn't decided whether to suit up the new guy with the big dough.

Cavity Sam is doubtful for Sunday.

Uncle Rico is adjusting from 30-2 to 0-1.

Pats LB Tedy Bruschi is questionable for Sunday.

The Chiefs are finally taking LT Willie Roaf seriously.

Falcons WR Roddy White missed practice on Wednesday with a hamstring injury.

Select Bears fans will finally have a place to put their coffee table book about coffee tables.

Cards QB Kurt Warner is the NFC offensive player of the week.

Let's raise a glass to K-Rob, who has made it through his first practice in Green Bay without incident.

Another 1.4 million homes will lose NFLN if a deal isn't reached by September 15.

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POSTED 3:19 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 3:32 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2006

TEXANS, PACK SWAP TAILBACKS

A league source tells us that the Green Bay Packers have shipped running back Samkon Gado to the Houston Texans in exchange for running back Vernand Morency.

Gado, an undrafted free agent signed by the Packers in 2005, was one of the few brights spots in the team's dismal 4-12 season, rushing for 582 yards and getting five starts.  He played college ball at Division I-AA Liberty, and plans to go to medical school when his football career ends.  He had two carries for -7 yards on Sunday.

Morency was a third-round pick of the Texans in 2005.  He rushed for 184 yards for the season.  Morency had one carry for five yards in the regular season opener.

The move reunites Gado with former Packers head coach Mike Sherman, who is assistant head coach of the Texans.

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POSTED 3:13 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2006

SMITH HAS CAROLINA BLUE FLU?

As Panthers receiver Steve Smith continues to miss more and more time due an injury to one hamstring early in camp and the other one the week before the first game of the regular season, league insiders are beginning to wonder whether there's a connection between Smith's health and his contract.

Though we've yet to hear from anyone who has any specific information that Smith is embellishing his physical condition as a statement of dissatisfaction with his financial condition, folks are starting to think that maybe, just maybe, this is Smith's way of making it known that he wants more money.

There were reports during the summer that talks were occurring regarding a contract extension, but no deal was ever finalized.

Smith signed his current deal in March 2004, after helping the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII -- and after having a breakout game in the narrow loss.  It was a five-year extension of his rookie deal, which would have expired after the 2004 season.  

Under the contract, Smith received a $7 million signing bonus and a $2 million option bonus.  It averages $4.4 million over the life of the deal, and $5.08 million over the first three years.  He'll earn $1.85 million this year via salary, roster bonus, and workout bonus. 

Other receivers have contracts with average values much higher than $4.4 million, including Chad Johnson, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and (most recently) Deion Branch.

Even David Givens' contract, at $24 million over five years, has a higher average annual value than Smith's deal.

On one hand, it was prudent for Smith to do his extension in March of 2004, because he suffered a broken leg early in the first game of the 2004 season and did not return.  It therefore would have been difficult for him to get $9 million in bonus money on the open market in March 2005.

With that said, his numbers exploded during the 2005 season -- and some league observers believed that he should receive consideration for league MVP.

So this could be another example of a guy who took the money early, with no obligation to pay it back if he played poorly, wanting more money now because he has "overperformed" his contract.  

The Panthers have the upper hand on this one, since Smith is under contract for the next four seasons.  But if there's a connection between Smith's hamstring and his purse strings, the team needs to decide whether it's willing to adjust his contract to reflect his performance in 2005 -- or whether to risk having a malcontent in their midst for 2006.

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POSTED 2:10 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2006

VINCENT TO IR

NFLPA president Troy Vincent will have plenty of time this year to take calls from disgruntled players like Jerry Porter; Vincent has been placed on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury suffered in a Week One loss to the Patriots.

Vincent reportedly aggravated a left hamstring pull suffered during training camp.  It must be a pretty serious aggravation, in our view, to knock the guy out for 17 weeks.

Vincent was the team's starting free safety in Week One.  Rookies Donte Whitner and Ko Simpson will start at safety for the Bills on Sunday.

Vincent was the seventh overall pick in the 1992 draft, selected by the Dolphins.  He became a Pro Bowler from 2000 through 2004 with the Eagles.

The team's official site hints that the injury could mean the end of the line for Vincent in the NFL.    

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POSTED 10:12 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:25 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2006

PATS PISSING IN THE WIND?

On the surface, it makes for intriguing reading, especially with the two teams involved scheduled to play each other this weekend.

The New England Patriots claim that the New York Jets "tampered" with receiver Deion Branch.  It sounds so official -- and ominous.  Even to the untrained eye the words are compelling, conjuring images of Jets G.M. Mike Tannenbaum hiring a two-bit hoodlum to give Branch the Nancy Kerrigan treatment while walking off of the practice field.

But in the NFL "tampering" isn't a dirty word.  As we've learned over the years, it's an accepted business practice.  And it's yet another example of an organization having rules on the books that are never enforced.  

Indeed, it's believed in league circles that no one has ever been found guilty of tampering with another team's players.

We've managed to get our hands on the portion of the NFL's anti-tampering policy that relates to players.  The language confirms our belief that violations have occurred in the past, without incident.  As a result, it's hard to believe that the NFL will do anything to the Jets regarding the allegations currently made by the Patriots -- even if the Pats can prove that there was "tampering."

The operative term generally is defined in the policy as "any interference by a member club with the employer-employee relationship of another club or any attempt by a club to impermissibly induce a person to employment with that club or with the NFL."  

As to college players, the policy prohibits any direct or indirect attempts to induce underclassmen to enter the draft.  In this regard, the policy expressly prohibits team personnel from making "public comments about the football ability or NFL potential of underclassman who have not yet been officially declared eligible for the draft."  

But in January 2006, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and Saints G.M. Mickey Loomis gave quotes to Sports Illustrated regarding the football ability of Texas quarterback Vince Young, before Young had been declared eligible by the league for the draft.

Said Shanahan:  "Everyone makes fun of his [throwing] motion, but you can't argue with his results.  He was the best in college football in passing efficiency.  You don't change that."

 

Said Loomis:  "Historically, mobile quarterbacks don't last in the NFL unless they become pocket quarterbacks.  Look at Michael Vick.  It seems like he's starting to break down a little bit."

 

Neither team, to our knowledge, was disciplined for the remarks.

 

As to current NFL players, the policy sets forth various specific rules and examples regarding tampering.  Statements of interest in a player under contract with another team, qualified or unqualified via words like "but he's under contract with another team," are prohibited.  Disclosure of confidential trade discussions are a potential violation.  If a player contacts a team on his own, the team must report the situation immediately.

 

Obviously, any contact between a team official and a player under contract with another team (or the player's agent) is forbidden, especially where the objective is to discuss potential contract terms.  But this happens all the time in the days and weeks prior to the launch of unrestricted free agency in March of each year.  The discussions intensify during the scouting combine in Indianapolis, where team personnel gather to eyeball incoming players -- and where agents flock to begin gauging the market for their clients who'll soon be available as free agents.  It's gotten to the point that some teams (as one league source advised us on Tuesday) opted to begin doing it simply because every other team is and has been doing it.

 

In this specific case, the Pats claim that the Jets and Deion Branch's agent impermissibly discussed trade terms at a time when the only permission given to other teams was to negotiate a contract with Branch.  The Patriots contend that their negotiating position was compromised when Branch and his agent became aware of what the Jets were offering.  (As noted above, trade discussions between teams are supposed to be confidential, and the leaking of that information is a potential tampering violation.)

 

There could be other potential bases for the present charges.  For example, Jets G.M. Mike Tannenbaum disclosed to Ron Borges of the Boston Globe details of the trade discussions.  Regarding the question of whether the Patriots asked for two first-round picks for Branch, Tannenbaum said on the night of September 1 (after the window for getting a deal done had closed), "That didn't happen.  They didn't ask for anything."

 

In our view, the grievance that Branch ultimately filed against the team, alleging that the Pats had broken a verbal promise to trade him, highlights the potential violation of the anti-tampering policy -- if New England can show that the permission given to Branch (and to other teams) was limited solely to working out a new contract and not to working out a trade.

 

We're also not prepared to rule out a possible allegation by the Patriots that Branch's agent Jason Chayut had "gauged the market" for Branch's services before advising Branch to go ahead with his holdout.  Though, as we've explained in the past, it's prudent for an agent to develop a feel for what other teams will pay to their clients, a team's acquiescence to such a request constitutes tampering.  

 

And the policy makes it clear that, if a contract dispute arises between a player and his current team after there has been discussion with another team regarding potential contract terms, tampering will be found even if there is no proof of a direct cause-and-effect relationship between the impermissible contact and the contract problems.  "In other words," as the policy reads, "a club will not be able to defend a tampering charge in these circumstances by asserting that its private contact with a player (or the player's representative) did not involve any expression of interest in the player or was not related in any way to the player's subsequent contract problem with the club."

 

So if there's evidence that Branch's agent contacted the Jets during the offseason to find out, hypothetically, what the Jets would pay to a guy like Branch (wink, nod) and the Jets provided contract parameters and the contract dispute between Branch and the team arose and/or escalated thereafter, the league could find that the Jets engaged in tampering. 

 

It all looks good on paper.  The problem, as we've learned, is that the policy isn't -- and likely won't be -- enforced.  Part of the problem in a case like this, however, is that it will be impossible to prove the content of any conversations between the Jets and Branch's agent, since Branch's agent could have been talking to the Jets about other clients.     

 

We're not ruling out the possibility that new Commissioner Roger Goodell will decide that the time has come to take action regarding tampering, given the rampant and blatant violations that occur.  But the fact that he held such a high position in the previous regime tells us that the NFL is likely to continue to acknowledge that it has a policy.  

 

But never actually enforce it.

 

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TOO LATE TO FINE BRANCH?

Ron Borges of the Boston Globe reports that the New England Patriots have filed a grievance against receiver Deion Branch for $518,000 in fines resulting from his training camp holdout, plus recovery of 20 percent of his $1 million rookie signing bonus.

But it's possible that Branch might not have to pay the $518,000.  According to Borges, there's precedent for a finding that any such grievance must be filed while the player is still on the roster.  Borges points to a 1997 case involving former Panthers defensive end Kevin Greene, who racked up more than $150,000 in holdout fines before he was released.  The Panthers filed a grievance regarding the fines after cutting him, but the arbitrator found that the fines could not be collected because he was no longer on the team at the time the grievance was filed.  Per Borges, the arbitrator also observed that payment of the fines could have been made to be an express condition for his departure.

The plain language of the CBA, however, seems to contradict this result.  Article IX, Section 2 of the CBA states that "[a] player need not be under contract to a Club at the time a grievance relating to him arises or at a time such grievance is initiated or processed."

But the reality of binding arbitration is that an arbitrator can enter whatever decision the arbitrator deems appropriate, with no opportunity for the losing side to appeal the outcome.  As a practical matter, then, arbitrator rulings are driven more by the facts of the current case, and not by the outcomes in prior cases.

In Greene's case, the decision of the Panthers to cut him makes little sense, since he could have been parked indefinitely on the "reserve-did not report" list, without taking up a roster spot.  In Branch's case, an arbitrator could conclude that Branch was in the wrong for holding out and ultimately forcing a trade, prompting the arbitrator to focus on Article IX, Section 2 in finding that it doesn't matter whether the player is still on the team when the grievance is filed.   

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RAIDERS' OPTIONS LIMITED ON PORTER

At a time when Raiders receiver Jerry Porter has become the clear and obvious successor to Terrell Owens as the No. 1 pain-in-the-ass NFL wideout, recent changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement severely restrict the Raiders' options.

Though we've heard guys like ESPN Radio's Mike Golic spout off that Oakland should merely send Porter home for the season with pay, the NFL Players Association inserted into the "Term Sheet" language prohibiting a team from banning a player for more than four weeks.

Under the CBA, the maximum discipline a team can impose is four weeks without pay for conduct detrimental to the team.  The Term Sheet states that the four-week limit includes decisions to deactivate players for disciplinary reasons.

So teams cannot, with more than four weeks left in a given season, send a guy home -- even with pay.

In the present situation, the Raiders could suspend Porter for a month without pay, claiming that his behavior on Monday night justified the outcome.  He would challenge the move via a grievance, and the team might ultimately have to pay him for those four weeks.

Then, if he acts up when he returns, he's subject to another suspension for up to four weeks.

In theory, a team could abuse this power, imposing suspensions on frivolous grounds merely to keep a player away from the team, and at the same time withholding the freedom that he covets by not cutting him.  Eventually, the union would likely fight successive suspensions by claiming that the team is merely trying in bad faith to circumvent the T.O. rule by imposing suspensions that the evidence didn't merit.

Still, the Raiders need to do something to get this guy's attention.  They don't want to release him, and they apparently don't want to play him.  So why not suspend him without pay?

If nothing else, it might get the attention of other players on the team who might be inclined to act out if they perceive that there will be no consequence. 

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POSTED 8:44 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:14 p.m. EDT,  September 12, 2006

POSTED 4:33 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 5:38 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2006

EAGLES SLAM ON-LINE TICKET BROKERS

The Philadelphia Eagles recently announced that the team will be selling 1,500 standing-room only tickets to Sunday's home opener against the Giants.  The tickets will go on sale on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. EDT, for $50 each.

But even though the seats have not yet been offered up for sale, on-line ticket brokers (including the Eagles' official "Fan2Fan" ticket exchange service, RazorGator.com) are selling the seats.  

On RazorGator, the tickets were going for $175 each -- a healthy 250 percent markup.  (We took a screen shot of the page.  The link has since been revised to change the "SRO" seats to "GA".)

Although the situation creates the impression that RazorGator is getting early access to the tickets, it appears that RazorGator and other companies are offering up for re-sale tickets that have not yet been re-sold.

And the Eagles aren't happy about it.  We've obtained from the team the following statement:

"We are aware of and distressed by the SRO postings on numerous ticket resale sites this afternoon," said Mark Donovan, Eagles Senior Vice President of Business Operations.  "Absolutely no tickets have been, nor will be sold before 10:00 a.m. Wednesday and the only way they will be sold is over the Internet or phone through TicketMaster as previously announced.  We are contacting the websites directly to inform them of the misleading advertisement and are taking action to determine what recourse we can pursue with the sellers as we identify them."

We have since learned that the team has found a way to get the tickets removed from these sites, and that the tickets are indeed being removed -- as evidenced by their disappearance from the RazorGator site.

But is that the end of it?  Who knows.  We've got a feeling, however, that the Eagles will pursue this matter aggressively, and that it will encourage any fans who were bilked out of $175 for the re-sale of tickets that hadn't even been sold in the first place to pursue any and all relief that the law allows.  

In our view, this episode should be a lesson to the Eagles and any other pro sports team regarding the dangers of doing business with high-tech ticket scalpers.  While there might be some real benefits to a system that allows a season-ticket holder to convert a couple of seats into a tidy profit and/or that permits folks who otherwise would be required to look for a guy with the laminated "I need tickets" sign in order to buy entry into the stadium, it doesn't mean that NFL teams should create partnerships and/or relationships with these companies, especially if they're going to sell products that they don't currently have in their inventory. 

Sure, they might be legitimate businesses that have a right to purchase advertising space and/or enter into sponsorship arrangements with NFL teams -- but under that logic the new Cardinals stadium would bear the name "Pink Taco."

And at least the folks at Pink Taco restaurants would never try to sell a beef burrito before the cow has been killed.

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POSTED 1:27 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2006

DARK DAYS IN THE BLACK HOLE

If anyone had any doubt regarding the current state of affairs within the Oakland Raiders Football Club, look no farther than Monday night's blog from Nancy Gay of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Here are a few examples.

Gay writes that coach Art Shell pulled quarterback Aaron Brooks from the 27-0 home loss to the Chargers not because Brooks was playing poorly (although he was) but because Shell feared for his safety.

"I thought about doing it earlier," Shell said.   "I waited until the end of the third quarter and then I said, 'It's time to get him out of there.'"

If the line can't keep Brooks out of mortal danger against the Chargers, what'll happen when the Raiders head to Baltimore on Sunday to play a team that pounded the crap out of the Bucs on Sunday?

Even more troubling is the revelation from Gay that disgruntled receiver Jerry Porter was seen "laughing and pumping his fist" when Brooks was sacked a seventh time.

Laughing and pumping his fist!

Not only does Porter's conduct catapult him to captaincy of the All-Time, All-Turd team, but it requires prompt action.  The Raiders need to suspend him four games for conduct detrimental to the team, and then defend against the grievance aggressively.  If they lose, so be it -- but at least they won't have guys like Porter dragging down the other players.

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POSTED 12:59 p.m. EDT, September 12, 2006

SUSPENSION LOOMING FOR HENRY?

Our first reaction upon hearing that Bengals receiver Chris Henry has pleaded guilty was probably the same as pretty much everyone else who follows pro football.

"To what crime?"

This time, Henry has copped a plea regarding those concealed weapons charges from January.  You might remember it as the incident in which Henry, while wearing his game jersey, was waving a gun around and nearly got shot by a cop.  He has been arrested three other times since December 2005.

In exchange for the guilty plea, Henry will be on probation for two years, and he must perform 100 hours of community service, attend a firearms safety course, and forfeit the 9 mm weapon involved in the incident.

He's still not in the clear.  Any further arrests could result in a revocation of his probation, and he's subject to discipline from the league via the Personal Conduct Policy.  

Because Henry previously has pleaded guilty to marijuana possession, he might be subject to an automatic suspension, and possible banishment from the league.  However, the fact that the guilty plea was to marijuana possession might give him a reprieve, since punishment from drug-related offenses is imposed via the league's substance abuse policy.

Last week, the NFL fined Vikings cornerback Fred Smoot and offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie one 2005 game check each for pleading guilty to disorderly (and disgusting) conduct aboard the S.S. Love Sponge. 

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POSTED 8:14 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:25 a.m. EDT, September 12, 2006

K-ROB TO PROP UP B-FAV?

The Packers made a move on Monday aimed at helping a roster seemingly devoid of talent.  Specifically, they signed receiver Koren Robinson, who now embarks on his third chance to prove himself worthy of an NFL paycheck.

Robinson, a Pro Bowl kick returner in 2005 and a top-ten draft pick in 2001, was cut by the Vikings after an August 15 felony arrest after fleeing police who were trying to pull him over on suspicion of DUI.  (At least he had his clothes on.)  The Vikes had signed him last September after the Seahawks gave up on him.  

In addition to the new charges, Robinson also faces revocation of probation resulting from a 2005 guilty plea on drunk driving charges.

Also hanging over Robinson is the possibility of a one-year suspension by the league, along with alcohol issues that surely aren't resolved even after his much-publicized treatment "tune up" over the summer.

It's a desperate move by a desperate team, in our view.  And we can only imagine how zealously Vikings fans will gloat regarding the fact that the Packers have been reduced to sorting through Minnesota's trash heap in order to give Green Bay a frozen tundra's chance at winning games and, at a minimum, scoring points.

The former member of the N.C. State Wolfpack (which after the recent DUI arrest of Jags corner Brian Williams might want to change its nickname to the Sixpack) has the talent to be successful, but there are too many questions -- and too great a chance that Robinson will be more trouble than he's worth.

Looming in the background is the issue of how much of this quarterback Brett Favre can take.  There were rumors flying on Monday of Favre possibly packing it in, but in lieu of posting those rumors (we have learned from past errors) we bounced them off of some knowledgeable NFL types and learned that there is nothing to such talk, for now.

Still, if Robinson ends up playing Speed Racer down Lombardi Avenue, it could be enough to make Favre and plenty of other folks swear off cheese, permanently. 

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LIVE BLOG UPDATE

We've decided based on the e-mails that we received in the wake of our seat-of-the-pants live blog of the Fins-Steelers game that we'll do it again.

However, we're struggling between whether to blog the Cowboys-Redskins game on Sunday night, or the Steelers-Jaguars game on Monday night.  So we'll put it out to a vote -- send us an e-mail with the subject line of "Sunday" or "Monday," and we'll make a decision based on your input.  

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POSTED 1:12 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2006

ROAD TEAMS SCORE HAT TRICK OF SHUTOUTS

Though we don't have access to sufficient factual data to determine whether it's a record, we can't imagine any other NFL weekend in which three home teams were shut out.

The Bears beat the Packers at Lambeau, 26-0.  The Ravens beat the Bucs at Tampa, 27-0.  And the Chargers beat the Raiders at Oakland, 27-0.

The Raiders nearly broke the trend, but failed to score on four cracks from inside the ten to wrap up Week One.

In all, 11 of 16 games were won by the visiting team in Week One.  Two other home teams -- the Lions and the Panthers -- were held to only six points each.

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POSTED 11:03 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:38 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2006

PATS FILE TAMPERING CHARGE AGAINST JETS

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the New England Patriots filed tampering charges last week against the New York Jets.

It's unclear whether the alleged tampering relates to conduct before or after the Pats granted Branch a one-week window to negotiate a new contract as part of a trade.

The Jets are coached by former New England assistant coach Eric Mangini.  There were reports that Pats coach Bill Belichick was trying to persuade Mangini not to take the Jets job due to concerns regarding the quality of the organization. 

Belichick was the Jets' coach for a day or so after Bill Parcells resigned in early 2000, before heading to New England.

And it was Belichick's leap from New England to New York that started a recent trend of hard feelings between these two franchises, who coincidentally square off on Sunday.

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SUZY HAS LOOSE LIPS

Though we'll be posting a more thorough critique of the inaugural MNF on ESPN on ESPN double-header on Tuesday, a league source has offered up some opinions regarding the extent to which Suzy Kolber was sharing information during the pregame show as to things she had observed at Redskins practice.

Per the source (we had a TiVo malfunction and somehow only one minute of the pregame was recorded), Kolber talked about the fact that the Washington offense looked much different than it did in the preseason, and that there was a lot of motion and shifting and a quick tempo.

Said the source:  "Hey, Suzy:  The sh-t you see and hear during practice and productions meetings is confidential.  This is reason number one why coaches don't want media around during practice.  This is the stuff that media people should be fined for.  It'll be interesting to see if anyone allows Suzy and the rest of the crew into practice for the rest of the season.  Production meetings are supposed to be kept in absolute confidence.  She screwed the pooch on this one."

We'll keep our ears open as to whether there's any fallout from this one as the MNF crew makes its way to Jacksonville and beyond.

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BLEDSOE ABOUT TO GET WHACKED

Cowboys coach Bill Parcells isn't trying very hard to hide his dissatisfaction with quarterback Drew Bledsoe.  On Monday, the Tuna said that Bledsoe is the starting quarterback, and then added the kiss of death qualifier "right now."

Asked to elaborate, Parcells got testy.  "I told you I was getting Romo ready to play," Parcells said.  "And at some point in time, I'm hopeful I will be able to play him this year.  Now, I don't know when, where or under what circumstances.  But that shouldn't be the story for today because it's a non-story."

Pressed on the issue, Parcells continued:  "Well, I tell you what let's do -- you write what you want, I'm going to explain it the best way I can. . . .  I think you're trying to get me to say at some point in time I'm going to get Romo in.  That time is not now, OK?  Is that clear enough?  Do you want me to repeat it?"

No need to repeat it, coach.  The message is clear.  The goal is to use the threat of getting benched to light a fire under Bledsoe's ass. 

And if that doesn't work, it'll be time for the guy whose name is better suited to a mafia boss to become the Don of Big D.

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IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, BUY 'EM

Remember that brouhaha from the preseason regarding Reggie Bush's decision to defy the NFL and wear shoes bearing adidas logos in his preseason debut?  The problem initially was solved when adidas supplied him with plain shoes having no markings, and thus requiring no tape to obscure the logo.

On Sunday, Bush was back in his adidas.

So what happened?  Did he decide to thumb his nose at the league again?  Did adidas promise to funnel him under the table whatever cash was necessary to pay the ensuing fines?

No, and no.  As it turns out, adidas was added last week as one of the official suppliers of shoes and gloves for NFL teams, joining Reebok (which adidas owns), Nike, and UnderArmour.

Bottom line -- adidas coughed up the cash to the NFL.  The only question is how much?  Because the adidas arrival dilutes the value of the investments made by Nike and UnderArmour, we think that both companies should get rebates in the amount of at least 25 percent of their annual payments to the NFL. 

This assumes, of course, that the NFL secured permission from Nike and UnderArmour before expanding the pool of potential shoes and gloves providers.   If the league didn't get the blessing of both of these companies, things could get interesting between the NFL and two of its partners.

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POSTED 4:25 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2006

LIONS SHORT ON MANY THINGS, BUT NOT CONFIDENCE

As the saying goes, there's a fine line between courage and stupidity.

By all appearances, Lions receiver Roy Williams potentially has done a cannonball into the deep end of the doofis pool by guaranteeing that Detroit will go to Soldier Field on Sunday and beat the Bears.

"We will win this game," Williams told reporters Monday.  "You can all take that as a guarantee or whatnot, but we will win this game."

Williams retreated when a reporter compared him to Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace, whose guarantee of a playoff win against the Cavaliers blew up in his face.

"I'm just saying, we're going to go out there and play the way we're supposed to play, and when we play the way we're supposed to play, we're supposed to win," Williams said.  (Um . . . wouldn't that apply to every team in every level of every sport?  I mean, do any of them think that if they play the way they're supposed to play, they're supposed to lose?)

Regardless, the Bears will pay attention only to the front end of Williams' words.  And at a time when the Bears might be feeling a little bit better about themselves than they should after pasting that Pop Warner team that somehow got its hands on the Packers' uniforms, a little external motivation supplied by the next opponent could be just what Chicago coach Lovie Smith needs to ensure that his team will be focused.

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POSTED 4:03 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2006

KING CARL GETTING CROWNED IN LEAGUE CIRCLES

In response to reports that Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson plans to demand that the league office admit that the officials erred when not flagging Bengals defensive end Robert Geathers for an illegal hit to Chiefs quarterback Trent Green, a league source connected with neither team says that Peterson would be wise to pipe down.

"Peterson must not have looked at the replay of the hit on Green," the source said.  "There was no helmet to helmet hit.  His concussion was caused by his head hitting the ground.  It was a clean hit."

The source went on to offer some general insights as to the opinions of Peterson within NFL circles.   "There are many people in the league who can't stand King Carl," the source said.  "He is a big blow hard and [a] baby.  He cries all the time and most of the time it is completely off base. . . .  One of the things people in the league can't stand is he makes everything public just to see his name in the paper instead of doing the right thing and going to the league privately.  In short, the man is full of himself and it doesn't help his team."

Ouch.

There's also criticism of the new Chiefs coaching staff, which figures only to intensify in the wake of inconsistent excuses offered up for a misguided run call on a key third-and-five play when the Chiefs were in the Bengals' red zone on the second possession of the game.  Tony Gonzalez says that first-time offensive coordinator Mike Solari thought that only two yards were needed; another player said that Solari thought it was second down.

One of the realities of the proliferation of the Madden game is that casual fans will have less and less tolerance for coaches who can't master simple aspects of the game like knowing the down and the distance.  The fact that Chiefs chief Herm Edwards needed in New York an assistant for the sole purpose of helping with clock management makes the overall perception even worse, since most 10-year-olds have developed via Xbox and/or PS2 an innate sense of when to call a time out, and when to let the play clock run down to :01.

It won't get any easier for Edwards, at least for the next three weeks.  Per ESPN.com, Green is expected to miss a minimum of two games due to the concussion that he suffered on Sunday.  (The Chiefs have a bye in Week Three.)  However, both the CAT scan and MRI were negative.

That's about the only positive to come out of the Chiefs' season debut.

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POSTED 1:05 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 1:12 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2006

BRANCH DEALT TO SEAHAWKS

According to Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe, Pats receiver Deion Branch has been traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a first-round choice in the 2007 draft.

Branch presumably will sign a contract extension with the Seahawks in the near future.

The move likely renders moot Branch's pending grievances against the Patriots, alleging both that the team reneged on an oral promise to trade him and that the team failed to negotiate a contract extension in good faith.

The first-rounder figures to be a low pick, since the Seahawks are the odds-on favorite to win the NFC West crown.

The addition of Branch is, by all appearances, a hedge against the health of receiver Darrell Jackson and the ineffectiveness to date of receiver Nate Burleson, who caught only one pass (but for 36 yards) in his debut with the team.  

Burleson has been struggling to pick up the West Coast offense that the Seahawks use -- who's to say that Branch will figure it out?

In our view, the move smacks of a potentially desperate effort by a team led by a coach who'd love to win a Super Bowl this year and then ride off into the sunset.  A better strategy?  Combine the money that will be paid to Burleson and Branch and keep Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson.     

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POSTED 11:50 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 12:03 p.m. EDT, September 11, 2006

PORTIS NAMED TO STARTING LINEUP . . .

Despite the absence of any official announcement or press release, it appears that running back Clinton Portis will start on Monday night against the Vikings.

So sayeth Redskins.com, which has published an official lineup for tonight's game.

Portis suffered a separated shoulder on August 13 while tackling Bengals corner Keiwann Ratliff during the Redskins' preseason opener.  We reported last week on rumors that Portis was expected to play, but Portis later suggested he'd be out until Week Two.  The team thereafter upgraded him on the injury report from questionable to "virtual certainty" (i.e., probable), but coach Joe Gibbs suggested that Portis would appear in a backup role only. 

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. . . BUT SO IS SPRINGS

On closer review, the "Projected Starting Lineups" on Redskins.com are, well, pretty much worthless.

Why?  Because cornerback Shawn Springs is also listed as a starter, but he has been listed as doubtful for tonight's game.

Guys, why even have projected starting lineups on the team's official web site if they're going to be so clearly wrong?

Alternatively -- maybe Springs is starting, too.

But we doubt it.

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POSTED 9:31 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 11:19 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2006

SIMMS "WHIMPERING" ON CONTACT

A league source tells us that players on the Baltimore Ravens defense heard Tampa quarterback Chris Simms "whimpering" on contact during Sunday's 27-0 shellacking of the Bucs by the Ravens.

The source also summed up the game as follows:  (1) "Steve McNair is better than Kyle Boller"; (2) "Ray Lewis is a beast"; and (3) "Chris Simms is a pussy."  (We apologize to any cats who might be offended by that last statement.)

"Uh-oh . . . That's gonna leave a bruise on my vagina. . . ."

It's not a positive development for the Buccaneers, which allowed 2005 opening-day starter Brian Griese to walk away via free agency.  If it turns out that Simms' performance last season after Griese went down with an injury was a fluke, the only options for replacing him are Tim Rattay and rookie Bruce Gradkowski.

Simms' performance also doesn't bode well for his long-term financial picture, given that he's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2006 season.  

Simms is the son of former Giants quarterback Phil Simms.  Last year, former 49ers quarterback Steve Young suggested during ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown that Simms might not have the "mental toughness" to deal with the "information overload" of the NFL after being reared in a "laissez-faire" atmosphere.  Phil Simms responded in part with this quote:  "You can say whatever you want about my son. The one thing that will get me mad — and I'll stand in your face about it — is about toughness." 

Two weeks ago, it was revealed that Chris Simms and Bucs assistant coach Kyle Shanahan have tattooed each other's initials on their legs.  

Who doesn't think that Ray Lewis didn't shout something like this at Simms on Sunday?  "Hey, Chrissy -- I'm gonna tattoo my initials on your other leg.  With my teeth."

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MORE USFL FUN

We included in our season-opening Ten-Pack an observation regarding the old USFL footage used in the new Nissan Titan commercial.  The video is from a game circa 1985 between the Tampa Bay Bandits and the Houston Gamblers.

Richie Summerville of ESPN Radio 1310 in Virginia Beach reminds us that Steve Spurrier was the coach of the Bandits and that Jack Pardee was the coach of the Gamblers, and that both men were the head coach of the Redskins -- a generation apart -- immediately before Joe Gibbs took the job.

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MONDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

From the "Who Says You Can't Go Home . . . And Get Your Ribs Broken?" file, Browns WR Joe Jurevicius will miss four-to-six weeks.

Jags DE Reggie Hayward is out for the year with a ruptured Achilles tendon.  

Falcons DE John Abraham has a groin injury.

Abe might be a little lighter in the wallet, too, after being honest about a bad call by the zebras. 

The last time the Ravens opened the year with a shutout on the road, they ended the year watching Art Modell show Ray Lewis how to properly jam a knife into someone's stomach.

Cards coach Denny Green yanked CB David Macklin after only one series.

Pats CB Ellis Hobbs made like Calvin on Bills WR Lee Evans.

"Catch this, Mr. Wideout."

Said Panthers DT Kris Jenkins regarding the loss to the Falcons:  "They kicked our butts.  I'm not proud of that, but that's the honesty of the situation."

Bears DT Tommie Harris thinks that Packers OL Mark Tauscher is "freaking dirty."  (And retarded.)

"Maybe we aren't very good," says Lord Favre.  (Brett, it's a little too early to make judgments -- wait at least until the team has, you know, actually scored points.)

It looks like Lovie Smith won't be calling Jay Mariotti a "fag" anytime soon.

Bengals DE Robert Geathers says he was pushed into Trent Green by a Chiefs player.

Things don't look good for the Browns, again.

Says the Tuna on the performance of Cowboys QB Drew Bledsoe:  "Real good to start the game . . . .  Now is not a good time to be talking about that.  Let me look at the film, and I'll let you know what I think."

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POSTED 9:04 a.m. EDT, September 11, 2006

NINERS CLUELESS ON DEFENSE

A league source tells us that there's a significant amount of confusion within the San Francisco 49ers regarding the team's approach to defense.

The source of the problem is, apparently, mixed signals that the defenders are getting from the coaching staff.  Defensive coordinator Billy Davis says one thing, and head coach Mike Nolan says something else, as the team has flip-flopped between a 3-4 alignment and a 4-3 front.

Nolan, who formerly was a defensive coordinator with the Ravens, is catching criticism in some circles for trying to do too much, and for not allowing Davis to do his job.

On Sunday at Pink Taco Stadium, the 49ers defense surrendered 367 yards and 34 points in a loss to the Cardinals.  The Cards controlled the ball for more than 35 minutes, and converted seven of 14 third-down tries.

Of course, Arizona's defense wasn't much better.  Though the Niners only scored 27 points, the Cards yielded 393 yards to the team that ranked No. 32 in total offense last season with 224.2 yards per game -- nearly 24 yards on average behind the No. 31 team, the Jets.

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JACKSON APOLOGIZES FOR CALLING IRVIN "RETARDED"

ESPN has issued a statement regarding a question posed by Tom Jackson of Sunday NFL Countdown to colleague Michael Irvin.

Asked Jackson after Irvin concluded another bout with verbal diarrhea:  "Are you retarded?"

Said ESPN in response to an e-mail inquiry from PFT regarding the incident:

"In a free-flowing debate with his co-analysts on Sunday NFL Countdown, Tom Jackson referred to one of his colleagues using a term that might have offended some of our viewers.  ESPN does not endorse the use of this term.  Tom has expressed regrets for any offense."

Said Jackson in the ESPN statement:  "During a heated debate on our show earlier today, I used an offensive term and immediately regretted it.  I apologize to those I offended."

From our perspective, we think that Jackson's apology is sufficient, though it probably should be repeated during next Sunday's show and (as much as it hurts us to say this) Jackson probably should apologize directly to Irvin.

We're still very interested to see what, if anything, former ESPN employee Rush Limbaugh will have to say about this, given that Jackson was harshly critical of Limbaugh a week after his fateful comments regarding the media's alleged desire to see a black quarterback succeed.

Look, we know that there's a huge difference between racial discrimination and pulling a Napoleon Dynamite.  But both Limbaugh's and Jackson's statements were objectively offensive; the only difference is that Jackson has admitted it.

And given Jackson's long tenure with ESPN, no further action is required, in our view.  Limbaugh was essentially in his "probationary period" in Bristol, on the job for less than a month.  If he had called Irvin "retarded," Limbaugh likely would have been forcibly removed from the set -- or Irvin would have simply whupped his butt on the air.   

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POSTED 7:46 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:55 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2006

CHIEFS ON THE WARPATH

Peter King of NBC's Football Night in America reports that the Kansas City Chiefs are "incensed" regarding the hit that was placed on quarterback Trent Green.

G.M. Carl Peterson told King that he plans to call the league office to demand an acknowledgement that the brain-busting smack placed on Green by Bengals defensive end Robert Geathers was a violation of the rules, and that the officials erred by not throwing a flag on the play.

Peterson also told Peter-san that Green will be doubtful for next weekend's game at Denver, with a concussion.

The Chiefs need to get a veteran quarterback signed, pronto.  The options include Mike McMahon (ugh), Tommy Maddox (double ugh), and Jeff George (maybe they should just run the single wing).

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SUNDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

49ers rookie TE Vernon Davis had five catches for 37 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals.

Two down, twenty to go before Lord Favre catches George Blanda.

Cards RB Edgerrin James rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown.

A Not-So-Fat Albert ran for a touchdown and threw for another.

Chiefs RB Larry Johnson mustered only 68 yards on the ground.

Bill Belichick got win No. 100 -- he's the 31st NFL coach to hit triple digits; the victory moved the Pats' all-time record to 356-356-9.

Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander had only 51 yards rushing, on 19 carries.

Seahawks LB Julian Peterson saved himself some money by deciding not to wear No. 44.

Drew Brees threw for 176 yards and a touchdown in his debut with the Saints.

Pats QB Tom Brady was an anemic 11-for-23 for 163 yards, with two scores and a pick.

Ravens rookie DT Haloti Ngata rumbled 60 yards with an interception on Sunday; "I never ran that far," he said.  (Best way to beat that record?  Put a dozen donuts 61 yards away from him.)

Tampa was shut out at home for the first time since the days of the gay pirate uniforms.

Falcons DE John Abraham proves that he's worth the first-round pick, and every penny he's paid.

Pats rookie RB Laurence Maroney had 86 yards on 17 carries in his debut.

Jim Haslett for mayor!

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POSTED 6:36 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2006

PFT TEN-PACK:  THE EARLY GAMES

For those of you who have discovered us since the 2005 season ended, there's a little thing we do at least once per week called the "Ten-Pack," in which we offer up ten observations regarding the games, the coverage of the games, the commercials, and anything else that catches our interest or attention.

Usually, we do one Ten-Pack for each week of NFL action.  But this week there will be at least two -- one for the early Sunday games, and one for the prime-time games.

Here we go.  Man, it's good to have football back.

1.  Will Rush Limbaugh Be Calling For Tom Jackson's Ouster?

Three years ago, Rush Limbaugh made a much-publicized debut on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, where he was hired to serve as a so-called "voice of the fan." 

The experiment didn't last long.

In late September, Limbaugh made the following on-air remarks regarding the performance of Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb:  "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL.  The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.  There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve."

Nobody said anything about the comments during the show, the cast of which still includes Tom Jackson and Michael Irvin, both of whom are black.  The media later publicized and criticized Limbaugh's remarks, and by the next Sunday Limbaugh was gone.

Said Jackson on the air in the first post-Limbaugh broadcast:  "Let me just say that it was not our decision to have Rush Limbaugh on this show.  I've seen replay after replay of Limbaugh's comments with my face attached as well as that of my colleagues, comments which made us very uncomfortable at the time, although the depth and the insensitive nature of which weren't fully felt until it seemed too late to reply.

"He was brought here to talk football, and he broke that trust.  Rush told us the social commentary for which he is so well known would not cross over to our show, and instead, he would represent the viewpoint of the intelligent, passionate fan."

There were also rumors at the time that Jackson had advised ESPN that he would resign if Limbaugh was not dumped from the show.

So it'll be interesting to see whether Limbaugh has anything to say on Monday regarding this exchange between Irvin and Jackson from the first pregame show of Jackson's 20th year on ESPN. 

Said Irvin, regarding Sunday night's excessively-hyped "Manning Bowl," which features the first game in NFL history with brothers serving as their respective teams' starting quarterbacks:  "Eli is still in his maturation process.  If he wins this game Sunday night, it says I have matured.  I am here.  I am amongst the elite quarterbacks in this league and in New York City that's a huge statement to make."

Said Jackson in response:  "Are you retarded?"

Even if Jackson's statement was merely an homage to Napoleon Dynamite, the term is now widely regarded as offensive to the mentally challenged. 

Though we're not quite sure what to make of this one (other than to generally agree with Jackson's observation), it seems to us that many of the folks who were troubled by Limbaugh's words should also be troubled by Jackson's.  Whether that's enough to jeopardize his long and solid career with ESPN is an entirely different issue; we think that, at most, Jackson will get his knuckles rapped, and might be required to apologize next Sunday both to Irvin and to the mentally challenged, who might find the comparison to Irvin to be even more problematic than Jackson's use of the term.

2.  Our Weekly Michael Irvin Complaint.

In addition to his choice of clothing (which included a tie with a knot so big that it looked like a kite), the Playmaker/Homebreaker/Coketaker's words made him look, well, mentally challenged on Sunday.

Case in point -- during his perfunctory "T.O. is great" rant, Irvin declared that the Cowboys now have three Pro Bowl wide receivers.

They don't.  They have two :  Owens and Terry Glenn, who made it to Honolulu after the 2000 season. 

In fairness to Irvin, tight end Jason Witten has also been to a Pro Bowl, and that's probably the guy to whom Irvin was referring.  But Irvin plainly and clearly said "wide receiver."

We understand the attraction of "personality" to a television network -- but personality without intelligence or preparation is like Rocky Balboa in a post-fight interview.  He'll make you smile and laugh, but he'll also make you wonder how in the hell he's able to function in a normal society.

3.  Bush Has Solid, Not Stellar Debut.

The Saints wanted to get rookie running back Reggie Bush 21 offensive touches in his first NFL game.  He got 22.

The 2005 Heisman winner rushed 14 times for 61 yards and caught eight passes for another 58 yards.  He also returned three punts for 22 total yards.

But despite 141 all-purpose yards, Reggie didn't hit paydirt.

So we're sticking with our belief that, while the guy can definitely play, he won't have a Gale Sayers-style impact as a rookie.

4.  Birds Finally Let Mike Be Like Mike.

The Falcons and/or quarterback Mike Vick finally have decided to quit trying to cram the square peg of Vick's unique talents into the round hole of the West Coast offense.  Vick isn't a classic pocket passer.  He's a guy who makes things happen with his feet first, arm second.

And the best thing the team could have done was to finally tailor the attack to suit Vick's strengths.

That's why, in our opinion, the Falcons thumped the Panthers on Sunday.  Sure, it helped that receiver Steve Smith didn't play.  But even with Smith on the field we're not so sure that Carolina would have outscored Atlanta.

Vick completed 10 of 22 pages for 140 yards and two scores, and he rushed seven times for 48 yards.  Though numbers like that will cause fantasy owners to treat him as if he has genital herpes, it's good enough to win -- and that's all that matters.

5.   Revenge of the Nerds.

We still can't understand why the folks who come up with the computerized techno-crap for NFL coverage feel compelled to try to impress us with all sorts of bells and whistles that add nothing at all to the coverage.

Though FOX has been responsible for plenty of innovations during its twelve years of broadcasting pro football, there's a point at which further improvements really aren't.

Case in point -- the line at the top of the screen containing the score, the remaining time, the quarter, and the scores of other games makes various metallic, robotic noises, primarily when the down and distance pops up and then inexplicably is wiped out immediately before (and often during) the play. 

Guys, we're not impressed by the sound effects.  And to the extent that you're trying to skew younger, Florio Jr. says it's stupid, too.

There's already enough stuff to see and hear during an NFL game.  Adding extraneous, unnecessary sights or sounds is a waste of your money . . . and of our time.

6.  Welcome Back, USFL.

It's precisely 20 years too late, but it's good to see some USFL action on Sundays in the fall.

We're referring to the new Nissan Titan commercial, during which two guys fast forward through the football action so that they can see the "good stuff" -- images and information regarding the yet another gas-guzzling male-enhancement device known as a truck.

The football footage, thanks to the TiVo remote, is from the USFL circa 1985, and specifically from a game between the Houston Gamblers and the Tampa Bay Bandits.  Included in the images is a touchdown pass from Tampa quarterback John Reaves to receiver Spencer Jackson.  (Our top-notch research staff -- i.e., the Poobah and Google -- tells us that the Gamblers, led by Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, pulled out the win over the Bandits that day, by the score of 50-28.)

Video from an NFL game wasn't used most likely because the league won't allow it.  GM, the official car sponsor of the NFL, wouldn't have liked it very much.  Likewise, the image-obsessed NFL probably wouldn't have taken kindly to the idea of guys skipping over the game in order to see a commercial.

Unless the commercial was for the NFL Network.

7.  Stallworth Filling T.O.'s Shoes?

In 2004, receiver Terrell Owens became a member of the Philadelphia Eagles amid much hype and fanfare.  Months after his short tenure ended, the Eagles apparently have snagged his replacement through an eleventh-hour trade for a former first-rounder who previously has been regarded as a semi-bust.

Donte' Stallworth, acquired from the Saints for linebacker Mark Simoneau and a fourth-round pick that upgrades to a three if the Eagles extend Stallworth's deal, caught six passes for 141 yards and one touchdown in his Philly debut, against the Texans.

Amazingly, that yardage totals exceeds all but one of Owens' games with the Eagles during his first season in Philly, including the Super Bowl.

Still, Owens' debut with the Eagles wasn't too shabby.  Despite being limited to 68 yards on eight receptions, he scored three times against the Giants on September 12, 2004.

If Stallworth can put in strong performances on a consistent basis, the Eagles could once again be the team to beat in the NFC.

8.  The Big Show's Revisionist History.

During the FOX pregame show, Dick Stockton reported from Ford Field that Seahawks' coach Mike Holmgren was leery of the Lions because of the emotional burst that a team gets in its first game with a new head coach.  In support of his theory, Holmgren drew from his own experience, and pointed to his first game as a head coach way back in 1992, in which the Packers nearly knocked off the Vikings.

But before the Big Show orders a plaque commemorating the close-but-no-cigar outcome in his first NFL game, we should point out several key facts that Holmgren apparently has overlooked. 

First, the Vikings had a new coach for that game, too.  Second, the game was played at Lambeau Field.  Third, both teams had missed the playoffs in the previous season.  Fourth, the Packers had thumped the Vikings by 20 points in the final game of the 1991 campaign.

So, if anything, it was the jolt that the Vikings got from the arrival of Dennis Green that allowed the team to invade Lambeau and come out with a win.  Indeed, the victory at Green Bay landed the Vikings on the cover of the next issue of the Sporting News. 

9.  FOX Pregame Show Needs Work.

Our usual routine on Sunday mornings is to TiVo ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, watch as much of the first hour as possible live, and then split screen the noon hour between ESPN and FOX, watching later in the day anything we missed from the second half of Countdown.  We typically ignore The NFL Today on CBS.

We now might have to revisit this approach, and not just so that we can find out whether Charley Casserly has washed and/or combed his hair. 

The FOX pregame show was flat today.  Very flat.  Joe Buck isn't the answer at host, if he's going to play it as anything other than a setup man for the banter that unfolds between Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Jimmy Johnson.  Buck just isn't very funny in that setting, and the decision to use him for the one-hour pregame and then replace him with Curt Menefee during halftime of the games diminishes the overall presentation.  Why not just let Menefee host the thing from L.A.?  Menefee understands that the show isn't about him; Buck apparently thinks it is.

Also, it's time to get rid of that mind-numbing "Rapid Fire" segment, in which Buck fires questions at Moe, Larry, and Curly without (supposedly) any notice.  Actually, we hope that they're telling the truth about not knowing the questions in advance, because we can't imagine those guys coming up with so little in response to the questions if they'd actually had an opportunity to prepare.

As we've said before, the fact that these guys can play or coach football at a high level doesn't mean that they can talk effectively about it.  And for the guys on the pregame shows, whose words disappear into the ether, there's zero accountability if/when they're just flat wrong about something (e.g., Howie Long's irrational confidence in the Deion Branch grievances).

The only good thing about the revamped FOX show is that they've finally dumped the resident tramp, weather chick Jillian Barberie.  Of course, there was no announcement on the show that her tenure has ended, but it has.  Instead, the producers opted to keep it vague -- undoubtedly to entice a Week Two return visit from the portion of the Nielsen audience that watched the show merely to catch a glimpse of Barberie's booberies.

10.  Cutler Countdown Begins.

Some league observers believed that the arrival of Jay Cutler in Denver would push starter Jake Plummer to new heights.  Others (including us) thought it would prompt Plummer to plummet.

After one week, it looks like the wheels are coming off of Plummer's career.  He was 13-for-26, with 138 yards and three interceptions against a team with a revamped roster and a brand-new coaching staff.

So we think it's only a matter of time before the Cutler era commences.  Our guess is that, if Plummer doesn't turn it around in the next two games, Coach Kevlar will use the Broncos' Week Four bye to get Cutler ready to take over.

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POSTED 3:01 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 3:28 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2006

TRENT GREEN TAKEN OFF ON A STRETCHER

Though we don't yet know the specific nature of the injury, we saw while jumping from game to game a disturbing image of Chiefs quarterback Trent Green being carted off of the field on a stretcher, his limbs immobilized.

The game was delayed 11 minutes due to the injury, per NFL.com's GameCenter.

Damon Huard replaced Green for the Chiefs, who were driving in an effort to cut into a 17-3 Cincinnati lead, near the end of the third quarter.

Green was hit hard in the head while sliding at the end of a scramble.  Amazingly, no flag was thrown.

The veteran quarterback reportedly has feeling in his extremities.

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POSTED 2:53 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2006

STEWART'S STRUGGLES COULD FORCE GIBBS OUT

A tip from a reader followed by discussions with a league source who has a far greater understanding of the workings of NASCAR than we possess (which isn't saying much, since we know squat about NASCAR) has prompted us to conclude that the chances of Redskins coach Joe Gibbs retiring after the 2006 season are greater today than they were on Saturday.

The reason?  The key driver of Gibbs' NASCAR team, Tony Stewart, failed to qualify for the the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

In an effort to create a "playoff" feel to the sport, the powers-that-be decided at some point in the not-too-distant past to take the top ten drivers in the points standings and exclude all others from contention for the championship, which is decided over the final ten races of the year.

We hear it's a big deal if an elite driver misses the cut.  The sponsors don't like it too much, supposedly. 

On Saturday night, Tony Stewart fell from No. 8 to No. 11.

Stewart won the Nextel Cup in 2005, and he previously has said that he should be fired if he ever fails to qualify for the Chase.

But success in NASCAR, as we understand it, depends on the efforts of many.  Though one guy gets the glory, it's a team effort.  And Stewart's team, owned by Gibbs, obviously is in a funk.

Coupled with rampant rumors that we've been posting (and that were confirmed, sort of, by ESPN's Chris Mortensen during Sunday NFL Countdown) Mrs. Gibbs has been pushing her hubby to pack it in, the struggles of Stewart could be enough to get Gibbs out of football for good.

Stay tuned.

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POSTED 12:31 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:56 p.m. EDT, September 10, 2006

NFL ASSIGNS FLAG-WATCHING DUTIES

Jay Glazer of FOX reports that the NFL has decided to assign to back judges the job of watching the sidelines to see if either coach throws the red flag after a touchdown.

The back judges are positioned under the goal posts, one on each side, to monitor whether the extra point try makes it through the topless yellow rectangle. 

Of course, there's no need to monitor both coaches, since only one team (i.e., the one that didn't score) will be likely to challenge the play.

We've got a different suggestion.  Instead of packing the entire officiating crew into one end of the field when there's a field goal attempt or an extra point try, why not take one of the officials and put him well behind the play?  On extra points, his job would be to eyeball the head coach of the team that didn't score the touchdown, to see if the red flag is out before the ball is snapped.  On field goals, the primary job would be to follow a return after a missed or blocked kick.  Last year, the alignment of the officials likely contributed to that 108-yard return by Bears cornerback Nathan Vasher, since there were at least three illegal blocks that none of the zebras were in a position to spot.

Glazer also reports that the Cowboys have been keeping thorough documentation regarding the behavior of receiver Terrell Owens, in the event that Owens' behavior eventually requires action.

Regardless, the fact that Owens is still on the roster as of this posting means that his $5 million salary is now fully guaranteed.  Unless he does something to merit a suspension without pay, T.O. will get the rest of his $10 million in compensation for 2006.

Finally, Glaze reports that Giants coach Tom Coughlin has fined receiver Plaxico Burress $8,000.  Though we missed the specific details of the fine (we've sworn off peeing in the Gatorade bottle today, and the TiVo was recording the rest of the ESPN show), Glazer said that some of Plax's teammates weren't happy with the decision -- further highlighting our belief that the Giants have way too many strong-but-conflicting personalities to become the kind of "team" that can make it to Miami.  (Editor's note:  The fine was imposed because Burress missed a meeting in order to attend an ultrasound screening for his unborn baby.)

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WE'RE DONE PICKING GAMES

Due in large part to the fact that, well, we suck at it, we're not going to be picking games this year.

We've received plenty of e-mails from readers asking us to consider rolling out four or five picks per week, against the point spread.  But even though the so-called experts on television who try to pick against the spread are lucky to stay at .500 on a regular basis, our willingness to receive and respond to e-mails results in a bunch of "you're a stupid f--king idiot" messages from fans of a team that wins when we pick it to lose.  (Editor's note:  I already know that I'm a stupid f--king idiot.  I just don't need to be reminded of it by e-mail; my wife has been handling that task quite well for the last decade or so.)

Besides, that's not why any of you come here.  You're here for the information, the analysis, and the periodic Seinfeld reference.  So we're just going to enjoy the games without trying to channel the spirit of Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder.

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PATS GOING WITH ONLY THREE WIDEOUTS?

We haven't had a chance to track this one down, but a loyal reader who by all appearances isn't a stupid f--king idiot tells us that the Pats will have only three active receivers on the field today -- Troy Brown, Reche Caldwell, and Bam Childress.

Doug Gabriel and Chad Jackson are both inactive.

Look for plenty of two-back and/or two tight end sets today, with Ben Watson possibly split wide on occasion.

Per ESPN's Chris Mortensen, linebacker Tedy Bruschi is also out, but rookie running back Laurence Maroney will play despite a knee injury.

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FORMER TROJAN TAILBACKS WON'T START

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that neither of the USC Trojans' running backs from last season's much-hyped National Championship runner-up team will start on Sunday.

Reggie Bush will be on the bench early between the Saints and Browns, with Deuce McAllister getting the start.  But the plan is to get Bush 21 touches per game, and to use him in the return game on a "need" basis.

LenDale White won't start for the Titans -- and won't play.  He'll be inactive for his first real NFL game.   

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POSTED 12:03 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:10 p.m. EDT September 10, 2006

SMITH OUT FOR SUNDAY

Sal Paolantonio of ESPN reports that Panthers receiver Steve Smith will not play on Sunday against the Falcons.

Smith has been nursing a problem with a left hamstring since the start of training camp.  He tweaked a right hamstring earlier in the week.

Paolantonio also reports that receiver Ashley Lelie will be used as part of a three-receiver set on first down and second down in order to keep the Panthers from putting a "spy" on Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who claims that he is leaner and faster after giving up late-night trips to McDonald's. 

Also from the first hour of the ESPN pregame show -- Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh is out, and Chris Henry will start in his place.  Also, Kerry Collins will start at quarterback for the Titans, with Billy Volek at No. 3.  Uncle Rice is the primary backup, which means that he'll be the one most likely to take the field if Kerry Collins gets injured.

Finally, Chris Mortensen reports that several Chargers players were upset with the decision of the team not to pay linebacker Steve Foley, who was shot three times last week by an off-duty cop.  Receiver Keenan McCardell got the short straw to go to Marty Schottenheimer's office regarding the situation.  Per Mort, the team will split the baby on this, allowing Foley to keep a roster bonus but not paying him his base salary. 

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POSTED 11:56 a.m. EDT, September 10, 2006

LEGAL CHALLENGE TO DRUG TESTING COMING?

Thanks to the reader who pointed out to us an item from Lester Munson of SI.com regarding the recent four-game suspension imposed on Dolphins running back Sammy Morris.  Apart from some compelling information regarding the manner in which the league apparently botched the test and then delayed notifying Morris of the result so that he could take his suspension in 2005 before becoming an unrestricted free agent, Munson's piece contains an ominous suggestion that lawyer David Cornwell is preparing a comprehensive federal court challenge to the league's steroid and substance abuse testing programs.

At a time when the the league is facing increased pressure regarding the perception that current testing is too soft, the last thing that new Commissioner Roger Goodell needs is a lawsuit claiming that the program is too hard or, even worse, too inept.

Cornwell might have a hard time, however.  The current testing programs are the result of collective bargaining; if there are flaws with the program, the NFLPA would have the exclusive obligation to take up this fight within the confines of the union contract, either via CBA negotiations or by the grievance system.

It could be, then, that Cornwell will take aim at the union, too, by claiming that the NFLPA has breached its duty of fair representation by allowing the NFL to utilize allegedly defective drug-testing protocols.

Either way, the current debate regarding drug use in the NFL could be taking an intriguing new turn -- one which will make it harder and harder to keep the general public oblivious to the fact that the current system is far from perfect.

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PALMER TO SIGN WITH MONTREAL

We're told that former Giants and 49ers quarterback Jesse Palmer will sign in the immediate future with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.

Earlier this month, Palmer indicated that he was in the process of deciding whether to take his career to Canada, after being cut by the 49ers.  "I'm definitely going to keep playing," he said. "The question now is: Will it be north or south of the border?"

The options were to wait for NFL quarterbacks to suffer injuries, which would have potentially opened up a job for Palmer, or to head to the 'Ettes, who hold the Canadian native's rights.

Palmer's goal, we're told, is to play -- and he apparently thinks that he has a better chance of doing so in Canada, even though only seven regular-season games remain.

The other quarterbacks on the roster in Montreal are Anthony Calvillo, Nealon Greene, and Marcus Brady.

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POSTED 12:33 a.m. EDT, September 10, 2006

HOT SEAT 2006

It's time once again to take a look at the heat of the seats on which various NFL coaches are, um, seated.

With a total of 10 new coaches in 2006, another serious blood letting is unlikely.  Still, it's a sure-thing that someone will be fired on New Year's Day, or sooner.

On our patent-pending scale, ten is the hottest (unless we use a higher number for effect).  One is the lowest (unless we use a lower number because, well, sometimes we're just plain stoopid). 

In the AFC East, everyone is pretty much secure, since the two worst teams in the division are breaking in new coaches.  But it's not unprecedented for a guy to go one and out.  In fact, it's happened multiple times both with the Jets (Lou Holtz in 1976, Pete Carroll in 1994, Al Groh in 2000) and the Bills (Harvey Johnson in 1968 . . . and Harvey Johnson in 1971).  We'll give Jets coach Eric Mangini a three and Bills coach Dick Jauron a four.

In the AFC North, Ravens coach Brian Billick can roast a marshmallow . . . by setting it on his lap.  Ten.  In the 'Burgh, there's intense speculation that Coach Chin will opt out after this year or next. 

In the AFC South, a collapse by the Colts could prompt Tony Dungy to resign, but it's unlikely that he'd be fired after the serious personal trauma he has suffered in the past year.  Titans coach Jeff Fisher is entering the last year of his contract; another season of less than seven wins should be enough to trigger doom for both Fisher and G.M. Floyd Reese.  Our guess, however, is that Reese will continue to find a way to avoid scrutiny for cap and draft mismanagement.  Fisher, in contrast, gets a nine.

In the AFC West, Marty Schottenheimer's biggest success of the offseason was pulling G.M. A.J. Smith onto the hot seat with him by taking their feud public, forcing the owner to call both of them to his office for a "get along or get the f--k out" chat.  Both men need the team to advance deep into January, or they'll be unemployed.  Not good news for a coach breaking in a new quarterback.  Schottenheimer gets a ten.  (We were going to say 25 but by pointing out that we might use a higher number for effect we sort of killed the effect.)  

In the NFC East, Joe Gibbs is on the hot seat -- and his wife is controlling the gas.  Word is that she's pushing him to get out, and a mediocre season in the face of high expectations would be enough to get him to give in.  In Philly, another losing season could turn up the heat for Andy Reid.  He gets a two for now.  Ditto for Tom Coughlin in New York, who could find himself out of a job if the talent-rich Giants finish third or lower in the division.  Coughlin is a five on the heat-o-meter.  The Tuna isn't on the hot seat in Big D -- but it's a foregone conclusion that he'll retire within one or two seasons.

In the NFC North, there are three new head coaches.  If the Lions are terrible again, and if the Ford family finally wakes up, Rod Marinelli could fall victim to a complete and total house cleaning.  (Note to the Fords:  Don't ask Joe Cullen to do any feather dusting.)  In Green Bay, Mike McCarthy could get the Ray Rhodes treatment if the team is an embarrassment.  Again.  (And G.M. Ted Thompson could be joining him.) 

In the NFC South, Falcons coach Jim Mora has gotten a new contract.  And if the team is below .500 again in 2006, he'll be getting a buyout.  Mora gets a seven.

In the NFC West, Denny Green had better do justice to the Pink Taco, or he'll have plenty of time to eat beef burritos in 2007.  He's a six on the scale.  

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POSTED 11:36 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2006

McKINNIE DEAL FAIR TO BOTH SIDES, FOR NOW

We've tracked down even more details regarding the seven-year extension signed on Tuesday by Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie, and in our view it's definitely a win-win proposition.

For now.

A source familiar with the terms of the deal tells us that McKinnie will make $25 million over the first three years of the eight-year contract.  It's good money for McKinnie, but hardly a backbreaker for the Vikings.  Indeed, if McKinnie had forced the team to use the franchise tag on him for multiple seasons, he would have earned roughly $9 million in 2007, $10.8 million in 2008, and because the new CBA bases the third franchise season on the franchise tag for quarterbacks or a 144 percent increase over the prior year's salary, whichever is greater, McKinnie would have earned $15.55 million under the tag in 2009.

That's $35.35 million over three years, and he then would have been eligible for a long-term deal on the open market, at age 30.

By way of comparison, Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones signed his big-money long-term deal at age 31, after three seasons of franchise tenders.

Because the risk of injury for left tackles is lower than it is for, say, running backs, it's very possible that, like Jones, McKinnie would have remained healthy and effective through the next four seasons.  "These guys are a relatively low injury risk," said a league source.  "They play forever.  Eleven years, 13, 15."

Instead of playing the franchise game and then getting a long-term deal later, McKinnie inked a contract that places him at No. 5 on the list of left tackles, behind Jonathan Ogden, Orlando Pace, Walter Jones, and Chris Samuels.

We've also learned that McKinnie's cap number in the final year of the deal will be only $7.5 million.  At a time when the salary cap is expected to be well over $150 million, that's not much at all to have tied up in a left tackle.  Moreover, significant money is tied to McKinnie's participation in offseason conditioning and workouts, which will prompt him to do the things necessary to remain effective.

So the deal represents a very good outcome for the Vikings, especially since it's generally accepted in league circles that high-end left tackles don't grow on trees.  Or in free agency.  Or in the bottom half of round one of the draft.  Or lower.

Unlike other positions, there's a strong correlation between the draft status of a left tackle and his level of eventual NFL performance.  Ogden was the fourth overall pick in 1996.  Pace was the first overall selection in 1997.  Jones was the sixth pick in 1997.  Samuels was the third pick in 2000.  And McKinnie was the seventh pick in 2002.

It's not a recent trend, by any means.  Willie Roaf, whom the Chiefs are still begging to change his mind about retirement, was the No. 8 overall selection way back in 1993.  Tony Boselli, the only premier left tackle over the past 15 years or so whose career was cut short by injury, was the second overall pick in 1995.

(The only bust in this regard (albeit a big one) was Tony Mandarich, the second overall selection in 1989.)

The potential downside as to the McKinnie deal, as we see it, is that the player might regard the package as substandard as the cap continues to climb, and as other left tackles get contracts worth more than his.  As we've said recently with respect to extensions signed by Steelers running back Willie Parker, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, and Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor, McKinnie has made a conscious decision to take the money now, and to commit for eight total years.  If he thinks at some point that he has "outperformed" the deal, he needs to keep in mind that the team has dumped plenty of money into his pockets despite the risk that he'll "underperform."

But if McKinnie continues to develop into one of the top left tackles in the game, we've got a feeling that the Vikings will do whatever is necessary to keep him happy and effective over the long haul. 

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POSTED 10:46 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2006

SHELL WON'T PUT UP WITH B.S.

The reaction in league circles to the recent public comments of Raiders receiver Randy Moss suggesting general discontent with the team, but failing to identify the source of his frustration, is that coach Art Shell will grab this one by the horns and get to the bottom of it.

"He won't stand for any bullsh-t," said one league source.  "He's the best thing for that team after [Bill] Callahan and [Norv] Turner.  Both of them were bitches for the players."

Shell's initial reaction to Randy's comments suggest to us that the coach plans to take the issue up directly with the receiver.  "One thing about this organization, everybody has a chance and opportunity to speak their mind," Shell said. "Every individual, every player.  So, what he's talking about?  I have no idea."

Our guess?  They've already talked, and Shell already has made it clear to Moss that, if he's concerned about something moving forward, he needs to bring it to his attention directly.

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PORTIS UPGRADED TO "VIRTUAL CERTAINTY"

A day after Redskins running back Clinton Portis suggested that we might not see "2-6" until Week Two, the 'Skins upgraded him from questionable to probable.

And one of the common misperceptions that we are determined to debunk this season is that "probable" means only that a player is "75 percent" likely to play.

It means, as we reported last year and as the Patriots' official site demonstrates, that there is a "virtual certainty" that the player will be available for normal duty.

On Thursday, Portis said he was 75 percent healthy.  On Friday, Portis declared that he was at 83 percent.

Saturday?  "I'm about 93.9 right now," he said. "I've still got two more days to get to 100 percent. . . .  At the rate things have been increasing, it looks pretty good."

A reader has pointed out to us that "93.9" is the FM frequency of WKYS, the leading hip hop/R&B radio station in D.C.  Given Portis' penchant for showmanship, it could be that his use of "93.9" is intended to be a message to fans of the station that he's going to play.

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POSTED 6:24 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 6:47 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2006

MOSS SOUNDS OFF ON RAIDERS

We've said it before, we'll say it again -- the Raiders and receiver Randy Moss are heading for a divorce.

In the offseason, Moss went public regarding his desire to be traded to Atlanta or Baltimore when he was shipped out of Minnesota.  In the first preseason game back at Minnesota, he pouted after he was pulled out of the game in the middle of a drive.

Now, he's expressing his feelings regarding the current atmosphere within the organization.

"It's crazy around here," Moss said Saturday on FOX Sports Radio.  "It's something that we're trying to hold on to, and, hopefully, Coach Art [Shell] can move us in the right direction, so I'm just trying to stay away from all of that stuff this year, like I did last year and, hopefully, we can win some games."

Moss also made it clear that he's not happy with the team's recent decision to trade receiver Doug Gabriel to the Patriots.

"I'm really kind of disappointed that they let Doug Gabriel go," Moss said.

Beyond Gabriel being gone, Moss wouldn't get into specifics regarding the reasons for his discontent.  But he claims that he's not upset with the guy who'll be responsible for getting the ball to him in 2006 -- quarterback Aaron Brooks.

"I'm just not thrilled with the way things are going on around here," Moss said. "I'm thrilled, I'm glad, to have Aaron Brooks as my quarterback. It's fishy around here, man, so, actually, we're walking on eggshells around here."

Count Shell among those who don't know what Randy's getting at. 

"One thing about this organization, everybody has a chance and opportunity to speak their mind," Shell said. "Every individual, every player.  So, what he's talking about?  I have no idea."

In our view, Moss's comments couldn't have come at a stranger time.  For each of the 32 NFL franchises (even the bad ones), optimism is high in the days before the first game is played.  His decision to throw a dark cloud over the team with a Monday night opener coming up in two days is poor judgment at best, blatant selfishness at worst.

With base salaries of $9.75 million in 2007 and $11.25 million in 2008, and cap numbers pushed even higher by past restructurings since joining the Raiders, the team will have to decide whether to try to extend his contract before March -- or whether to cut him loose.  He's more trouble than he's worth if he's going to be criticizing the organization, and our guess is that he'll refuse any attempts to extend his contract in the hopes that the Raiders decide to release him.

Then again, we wouldn't be surprised one bit if owner Al Davis decides to carry those salaries if only to prevent Moss from getting his wish.

If/when Moss gets out of Oakland, look for him to make a bee line to South Florida, where he'd be reunited with quarterback Daunte Culpepper and coached by fellow West Virginian Nick Saban.   

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LOVE BOAT FINES BASED ON 2005 PAY

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello advised us by e-mail on Saturday (which we just opened within the past 30 minutes or so after spending the day watching the West Virginia Mountaineers thump the applesauce out of Eastern Washington) that the Love Boat fines for Vikings cornerback Fred Smoot and left tackle Bryant McKinnie will be based on their salaries for 2005, not 2006.

For McKinnie, that's a good thing.  His 2006 salary is $900,000, while his 2005 pay was $700,000.

For Smoot, it's a bad thing.  His base pay in 2005 was $1.4 million, and he'll make only $800,000 this season.

Both were fined one game check for their pleas of guilty to disorderly conduct charges.

As we argued this morning, the fines should be based on cap number for the year in which the conduct occurred, not base salary.  Given the current rule, it makes sense for agents to keep base salaries to a minimum, and to funnel the rest of the pay via roster bonuses.

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STINKSTON SENT PACKING AGAIN

The Vikings released receiver Todd Pinkston on Saturday, eight days after signing him.

The move most likely was made now in order to prevent the Vikings from assuming full responsibility for his 2006 salary if he were cut later.  Vested veterans (i.e., players with more than four accrued seasons) are entitled to their full salary as termination pay if cut before the end of the year.  Under the CBA, players are entitled to termination pay only one time in their careers.

Minnesota took a chance on Pinkston because of his familiarity with the West Coast offense.  Deep speed is important in the system because it helps to clear out the underneath routes by drawing coverage down the field.  Without Pinkston, the only true deep threat on the team is Troy Williamson.

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OPENING TEAMS GET DIBS ON VESTED VETERANS

For vested veterans signed after a team's first regular season game, the entire base salary for the season is not guaranteed.

As a practical matter, this gives the teams who play in the Thursday night opener dibs on the pool of unsigned vested veterans.

The Steelers took advantage of the quirk in the rules on Friday, signing running back Najeh Davenport to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.  If anyone else had taken Dookie on Friday (other than the Dolphins), his base salary would have been fully guaranteed.

But what if Packers starter Ahman Green pops another quad muscle in the Sunday afternoon opener?  Or what if T.J. Duckett tears an ACL on Monday night?  The reality is that Davenport won't be an option, since one of the teams that got a head start on the season was able to sign him without guaranteeing his full salary.

We therefore suggest that the relevant portion of the CBA be revised to extend the guarantee through the completion of the first week of the regular season.  That way, every team will have a fair crack at signing the player after finishing its initial game. 

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POSTED 7:34 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:36 a.m. EDT, September 9, 2006

SMOOT, McKINNIE LOSE ONE GAME CHECK EACH

Jay Glazer of FOXSports reports on FSN's Pro Football Preview that Vikings cornerback Fred Smoot and left tackle Bryant McKinnie have been fined one game check each for their role in the Love Boat fiasco, pursuant to the league's Personal Conduct Policy.

Both plead guilty to disorderly conduct charges earlier this year.  In the interests of avoiding any further explicit content on this page (we're a family site, after all) let's just say that Smoot was doing some horizontal butter churning, with two churns, and that McKinnie was . . . was . . . you know, we can't come up with an acceptable euphemism for what McKinnie was doing.

Glazer says that the Vikings feared that the league office would impose a one-game suspension on Smoot and McKinnie.

Because Redskins safety Sean Taylor's recent fine for violation of the Personal Conduct Policy was based on his 2005 salary, we assume that McKinnie's and Smoot's 2005 base salaries will serve as the basis for their fines.  If so, the incident will cost McKinnie $41,176 (based on a $700,000 salary last year), and it will cost Smoot $82,352 (based on a $1.4 million salary in 2005).

If the fines are based on 2006 salaries, McKinnie will pay $52,941, since his base pay increases to $900,000 this year.  Smoot, in contrast, will pay only $47,058, because his base salary drops to $800,000 in 2006.

In our view, these fines should be based not on base salaries but on cap numbers, since much of a player's compensation comes from signing bonuses, option bonuses, and roster bonuses, none of which count toward the player's base pay.

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WEEK ONE FANTASY PICKS AND PUNKS

With the first Sunday of the regular season just a day away, here's a look at some players that we think you should consider using -- and avoiding -- when submitting your final fantasy rosters.  Much of our information in this regard comes from Paul Charchian of Fanball.com, who offered up picks and punks at several different key positions during our Friday Fantasy PodCast.

First, the picks:

Drew Brees, QB, Saints:  His shoulder is healthy, and the Browns' secondary isn't.

Corey Dillon, RB, Patriots:  Per Charch, Dillon has scored or topped 100 yards in four straight games against the Bills.  Besides, Laurence Maroney has a bum knee, and our guess is that the Pats won't use him much in Week One.

Chris Brown, RB, Titans:  The Jets were terrible against the run in 2005, and have done little to improve their front seven.  Former Jets center Kevin Mawae will have extra incentive to open holes against his old team, and Brown figures to get the bulk of the carries, despite the fact that he was asking for a trade not long ago.

Joe Jurevicius, WR, Browns:  The hometown boy is (for now) the go-to guy in Cleveland; he quietly had 10 touchdown receptions in 2005.  Charch says the Saints allowed receiver touchdowns in eight of their last nine games in 2005. 

Arizona defense:  Hosting the 49ers in the first game at Pink Taco Stadium, the Cards should shut down Alex Smith and company.

Next, the punks:

Mike Vick, QB, Falcons:  Per Charch, Vick has thrown only one touchdown pass in his last six games against the Panthers.

Carnell Williams, RB, Bucs:  The Ravens allowed rushing touchdowns in only four games last year, says Charch.  The Bucs' offensive line is struggling; Baltimore's defensive line rarely does.

Donald Driver, WR, Packers:  Driver hasn't scored against the Bears in seven straight games, and Lord Favre might not even get many passes off at all with the Bears defensive linemen blowing past those rookie guards.

Andre Johnson, WR, Texans:  Not long ago, Johnson was the next Randy Moss and/or T.O.  Since then, Johnson has disappeared.  Though he might make a resurgence this season, it won't happen in Week One against the Eagles' stellar secondary.

Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers:  Davis is a sexy choice at tight end, given his lofty draft status and unreal workout numbers.  But as Charch pointed out on Friday, tight ends rarely make a huge fantasy impact in year one. 

Redskins defense:  We smell a shoot-out brewing in D.C. on Monday night, with both teams throwing the ball all over the field.  The 'Skins don't have Shawn Springs, and LaVar Arrington is long gone.  Though the Vikes don't boast a clear-cut No. 1 receiver, Brad Johnson knows how to get the ball out quickly and will generate plenty of yards and points.  

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SATURDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

Reversing 14 years of 30-45 minutes of media attendance at practice, the Vikes have restricted access to 15 minutes with the season getting ready to start.

Jags CB Brian Williams told police who arrested him for DUI that he was "unemployed" and that he had been in Jacksonville for only three days.

Says 'Skins RB Clinton Portis regarding what it'll take to get him back on the field after a shoulder injury:  "They want me to be 100 percent fully competent," Portis said.  "They want to see me bench 285 [pounds].  I told them I've never benched 285 in my life."

Giants TE Jeremy Shockey didn't practice Friday due to an ankle injury, but is listed as probable on the injury report.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy has scrapped the team's day-before walk throughs.

Jay Glazer says on FSN's PFP that, if QB Byron Leftwich plays well to start the season, the Jags will approach him about a contract extension.

Glaze also says that the Chiefs are still trying to get LT Willie Roaf to un-retire.

An NFLPA source tells the Florida Times-Union that teams have the authority to suspend players who run afoul of the law for "conduct detrimental to the team," even though it is generally accepted that the only authority for imposing discipline is the league's Personal Conduct Policy.

Raiders WR Jerry Porter parked his car in the space reserved for owner Al Davis.

Lions WR Mike Williams and offensive coordinator Mike Martz had a man-to-man talk this week:  "He said he had questions about if I wanted to be here or be a player or however he put it," Williams said.

Bucs G Jeb Terry will replace rookie Davin Joseph in the starting lineup; Joseph is out indefinitely with a sprained knee.

Jags DT Marcus Stroud (ankle) will likely miss his first game since 2001.

The Chiefs hosted WR Darius Watts, WR Rod Gardner, and WR Frisman Jackson on Friday.

Thursday night's season opener drew 19.3 million viewers.

Even if Seahawks WR Darrell Jackson (knee) plays on Sunday, he'll only get 25 snaps.

Seahawks LB Julian Peterson has been issued No. 59, but might try to slip on No. 44 for Sunday's game.

The Seahawks captains for 2006 are QB Matt Hasselbeck and LT Walter Jones (offense), MLB Lofa Tatupu and FS Ken Hamlin (defense), and LS Jean-Philippe Darche and LB Isaiah Kacyvenski (special teams).

Says Titans QB Kerry Collins:  "I am probably having more fun now than I have in many years.  Oakland was tough.  This is kind of the anti-Oakland, and I don't really know how to explain that. . . .  The support that I've felt here and the excitement that revolves around the Tennessee Titans is something that I am glad to be a part of.''

The Steelers will try to sign RB Patrick Cobbs to the practice squad, if he clears waivers.

Colts WR Brandon Stokley might miss Sunday night's game, due to an ankle injury.

Falcons CB DeAngelo Hall should talk to Anthony Bright before trying to mend fences with Panthers WR Steve Smith.

All blackouts have been lifted for Week One; it's only the 14th regular-season weekend since 1973 in which every game was televised in the home teams' markets.

Lions LG Ross Verba is questionable for Sunday with a hamstring injury.

Panthers WR Steve Smith (hamstring) is doubtful for Sunday.

The Colts list 11 players as questionable and 13 players as probable for Sunday night.  (Why don't they just list the guys who aren't hurt.)

Falcons reserve DT Jonathan Babineaux is the team's emergency punter.

Bengals CB Deltha O'Neal and LB David Pollack have been upgraded to probable.

It sounds like Cris Collinsworth would have quit his NFLN gig if Bryant Gumbel had been dumped for his inflammatory comments of last month:  "It would put me in a really tough position," Collinsworth said.  "The question would come up whether I really want the job if that is the way it's going to be, and I'm not sure that I would."

Hey, Jason Whitlock -- it might be a good idea to get your nose out of Tony Kornheiser's ass before Monday night; Tony will be sitting down for like three hours straight.

Cards RB Edgerrin James sounds off on his former team.

WR Quincy Morgan wants to sign with the Vikings.

The woman who falsely claimed that Bengals WR Chris Henry raped her has done something slightly more serious.

NFL fans outside of North America will be able to watch regular-season games on the Internet.

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POSTED 9:46 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:01 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

MORE DETAILS ON McKINNIE DEAL

We've picked up a few more details regarding the contract extension that has been agreed to, but not yet signed, between the Vikings and left tackle Bryant McKinnie.

The guaranteed money in the new contract is $17.25 million.  McKinnie's $900,000 salary, which becomes guaranteed as of Sunday night, pushes the total guarantee to $18.15 million.

The base value of the extension is seven years, $48.5 million.  There is an additional $5 million in escalators based on Pro Bowl appearances.  One Pro Bowl triggers $2.5 million, and a second Pro Bowl achieves the other $2.5 million.

So, to summarize:  Guaranteed money, $18.15 million; base value of new money, $48.5 million; snagging that kind of deal despite pleading guilty to disorderly conduct for performing oral sex on the Love Boat, priceless.

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"MY SI" IS THE S-*-I-T

You might have noticed over the past few days an interstitial ad for a new feature from Sports Illustrated called "my SI."  We decided that, since the service is being advertised on the site, we should give it a test drive.

And the thing is great.

Don't take our word for it.  Download it for yourself.  It installs a TV-style crawl onto the bottom of your computer screen with scores and news.  And it builds a special page with news, standings, and scores relating to your favorite NFL team.

The program also provides a screen saver that consists of a loop of photos of your favorite team.  And the pictures are stunning, high-quality stuff.

It's an absolute must for any NFL fan who has a computer.  For any NFL fan who doesn't have a computer . . . well, how in the hell are you reading this?  

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POSTED 9:29 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

McKINNIE DEAL WON'T TRIGGER HUTCH POISON PILL

We've confirmed that the contract that will be signed by Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie after practice on Saturday will not trigger the so-called "poison pill" in left guard Steve Hutchinson's deal, which would make the entire seven-year, $49 million package fully guaranteed.

Jay Glazer indicated in his story breaking the news that the deal was close between McKinnie and the Vikings that the seven-year, $53 million extension does not make him the highest paid offensive lineman on the team.

The key, as we understand it, is annual average.  Though McKinnie's extension is worth more per year than Hutchinson's deal, the value of the remaining year of McKinnie's rookie deal keeps his average take below $7 million per year.

Another factor to keep in mind here is that Hutchinson and McKinnie are represented by the same sports agency.  The purpose of the poison pill wasn't to get Hutchinson $49 million guaranteed; it was to create an offer sheet that the Seahawks couldn't match.  Since Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones has a per-year average in excess of $7 million, the deal would have been fully guaranteed if Seattle had matched it.

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POSTED 7:58 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

VIKES, McKINNIE CLOSE TO SEVEN-YEAR EXTENSION

Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com reports that the Minnesota Vikings and left tackle Bryant McKinnie are close to terms on a seven-year contract extension worth up to $53 million.

Per Glazer, the deal includes $18 million in guaranteed money, if McKinnie's 2006 base salary is included in the computation.  As a vested veteran, his base salary becomes fully guaranteed as of the first game of the season.

A league source tells us that the deal is basically done, and will be signed after practice on Saturday.  The contract, we're told, was based on deals recently signed by Jeff Backus of the Lions, Levi Jones of the Bengals, and Chris Samuels of the Redskins.

McKinnie is scheduled to become a free agent in March 2007.  Word is that the Vikings recognize that the only way to get a high-caliber left tackle is by holding a high position in the first round of the draft -- which is where the Vikings were when they landed McKinnie in 2002.  Few if any quality left tackles ever hit the free-agent market. 

The team also is banking on McKinnie taking his game to another level, and we hear that he's showing signs of doing so in the new offense that coach Brad Childress is installing.

As Glazer notes, the contract will give the Vikings a $100-million tandem at left tackle and left guard, thanks to the offseason addition of Pro Bowler Steve Hutchinson, who signed a seven-year, $49 million contract.  Both players are represented by Creative Artists Agency.

And the development vindicates the Vikings for that embarrassing draft-day faux pas from four years ago, in which the delayed exercise of the No. 6 overall pick by the Cowboys gave Minnesota an opportunity to steal defensive tackle Ryan Sims before Dallas could flip-flop with the Chiefs at No. 8.

Kansas City completed the trade and nabbed Sims before the Vikings could put in a card with Sims' name on it.  So they "settled for" McKinnie with the No. 7 pick.

Today, McKinnie is poised to become the anchor of the offensive line into the next decade -- and Sims has never done much of anything.   

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POSTED 7:09 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 7:35 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

PORTIS SAYS HE LIKELY WON'T PLAY ON MONDAY

Although he's officially listed as questionable for Monday night's season opener against the Vikings, Redskins running back Clinton Portis says that a subluxation of the shoulder from August 13 likely will keep him out of action until Week Two.

"The way things look, bro, you'll probably be seeing 2-6 against Dallas," Portis said. "But who knows? If not, I should be ready for Houston. They want me to be 100 percent."

Portis said that he initially was told he wouldn't return until the third or fourth game of the regular season, which makes him ahead of schedule.

It'll be interesting to see whether the 'Skins downgrade Portis to doubtful or out in response to his comments.

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WAS SABAN MERELY COVERING HIS BUTT?

One of our readers has raised an interesting theory regarding the limp-wristed hanky toss employed on Thursday night by Miami coach Nick Saban after that 87-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Steelers tight end Heath Miller.

What if Saban intentionally threw the flag late so that the officials wouldn't see it before the snap on the extra point, permitting him to avoid being second-guessed for not challenging the play?

It's an interesting hypothesis, but we doubt that Saban would have been able to make such a decision -- and implement it so perfectly -- in the 40 seconds or so between touchdown and extra point.  Instead, we believe that Saban truly was agonizing over the decision, since a successful challenge would have put the ball near the end zone and would have allowed the Steelers to milk the clock, leaving the Fins with even less time to retake the lead.

Said Saban on Friday:  "I have nobody to blame except me on that one.  The other thing to consider there is even if the guy is on the one-yard line, maybe we stop them, maybe they take two or three minutes off the clock while trying to score as well.  If they do score, do you want to take a chance of burning a timeout in a situation like that?  There are a lot of different factors that you’re considering when making this decision.  If I didn’t get the flag where I got their attention, there's nobody to blame for that except me, because I feel really good about how fast I can be, what my acceleration is, how quick I am and what kind of burst I have to get down the sideline.  I just didn't realize that I needed to do that in that circumstance to get their attention."

Added Saban later in his Friday press conference:  "That's not why we won or lost the game.  So let's not get too sideways on all of that.  How did they get down there to start with?"

We agree.  The problem here wasn't the last two yards -- it was the first 85.  The tight end got behind the defense and no one was in a position to stop him, or to track him down as he likely sprinted farther in a straight line than he ever has in his life.

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POSTED 4:52 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:40 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

DISABILITY POLICY MIGHT FORCE BUSH'S HAND

In assessing earlier this week the options of Louisville running back Michael Bush, whose NFL draft prospects might be enhanced if he chooses to return to school for one more season in order to prove that his broken leg is fully healed, we overlooked a factor that could prompt him to decide to enter the 2007 draft.

Prior to the 2006 season, Bush purchased a $2 million disability policy for protection against injury.  But most policies of this nature apply only to career-ending injuries; coverage that is triggered for career-limiting injuries is far more expensive.

Assuming Bush purchased only career-ending coverage, he can cash in on the policy only if he can't play again.  Typically, policies of this nature allow the player to attempt to participate in up to three regular-season games while still preserving the ability to declare that the injury has ended the player's career.

And if the career continues beyond the third game after the injury, it'll be impossible for the player to obtain insurance coverage for the leg that was broken.

In Bush's case, then, if he comes back to Louisville and plays in more than three games he'll be SOL if something happens to the leg, even if he coughs up another $25,000 or so for a second year of disability insurance.

Thus, his only viable option from a dollars-and-cents standpoint might be a jump to the NFL, and to hope that he is drafted high enough to offset the potential $2 million payment that will disappear forever once he has played in four pro games.  

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GET YOUR NFL MOBILE READY

It's your last chance, folks, to get yourself a Sprint phone with NFL Mobile before the first Sunday of the 2006 regular season.  For any NFL fans who can't be in front of a television, or who won't be able to watch their favorite team or players in action, the best way to follow the action anywhere, anyplace, anytime is through Sprint's NFL Mobile package.

And it's free to all Sprint subscribers who have an eligible phone, like the Samsung A900 -- which is still our favorite gadget more than four months after we turned it on for the first time.

Man, that's a good looking phone.  It looks even better when the screen is showing stats, scores, and selected NFL Network clips and highlights. 

Did we mention it's free?

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POSTED 4:01 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

STEELERS TAKE A DOOKIE

The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed veteran running back Najeh "Dookie" Davenport to a one-year deal for the minimum salary.

To make room for Davenport, the Steelers waived running back Patrick Cobbs.  

Though Steelers.com says that the team claimed Cobbs off of waivers from the Patriots, it was reported at the time that the Steelers traded an undisclosed draft pick to New England for Cobbs, who was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent.

If healthy, Davenport could step into the short-yardage role vacated by Jerome Bettis.  Although Willie Parker got the call on a fourth-and-short run last night, Verron Haynes was on the field as the tailback when Charlie Batch fumbled at the goal line.  (Kudos to Paul Charchian of Fanball.com for noticing that one.)

Davenport earned his nickname after being arrested for defecating in the closet of a dorm room, while a female resident was sleeping.  He was released by the Packers last week.  By signing him after their first game of the season, the Steelers avoid responsibility for Davenport's entire salary, if they choose to release him.

He'll be entitled to 25 percent of his salary as termination pay if cut before the eighth regular season game.  After the eighth regular season game, Davenport will be owed only one week's salary if cut.

The decision to go with Davenport over Cobbs is puzzling, given that the third and fourth guys on the tailback depth chart ordinarily would be expected to participate in special teams.  It seems unlikely that either Davenport or Staley will be covering punts and kickoffs.

Bottom line -- it's a low-risk attempt to find a way to keep Willie Parker's touches lower than 32 per game.  Various league insiders believe Parker won't hold up over the course of a full 16-game season, and if he has the same workload every week that he had on Thursday night, we agree.

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POSTED 12:19 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

MISTER GODIVA WENT TO WENDY'S

Between the Steve Foley incident, the Deion Branch brouhaha, Jon Jansen's fun with numbers, and news of the DWI and DWN arrests of Lions defensive line coach Joe Cullen, this has been without question one of the strangest seven-day periods in the NFL that we ever can recall.

And it only keeps getting stranger.

There are now reports that Cullen's arrest for driving without clothing occurred after he pulled up to a drive-thru window at a Wendy's to pick up a burger, fries, and a drink.  (We assume that the beverage wasn't piping hot coffee.)

Officer:  "Sir, can you please tell us why you pulled up naked to the drive-thru window?"

Cullen:  "Well, I couldn't have gone inside the store in this condition."

We were actually starting to think that Cullen's excuse might have been that he had been at a woman's house when her boyfriend/fiancee/husband came home, a la Sideways.  Or that he'd gotten the George Costanza treatment from the woman on the subway who thought he actually had money.  But under such circumstances the natural reaction is to conceal one's condition, not display it.

So our only conclusion (as a reader pointed out this morning) is that Joe Cullen is the real-life Glenn "Giggity" Quagmire.  

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POSTED 10:21 a.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

FOLEY'S FRIEND WAS A FREAKIN' FUGITIVE

It's been a couple of days since we've last updated the bizarre incident that resulted in the shooting of Chargers linebacker Steve Foley.  Here's what happened Thursday.

The most significant development, in our view, is that the woman who was with Foley when he was shot -- and who drove Foley's car at off-duty officer Aaron Mansker -- was wanted for skipping out on a September 2004 preliminary hearing for four felony charges.

Lisa Maree Gaut was, in other words, a fugitive.

And maybe that explains why she and Foley ignored Mansker's repeated instructions to pull over.  Regardless of whether they thought he was a real cop with a real gun, Gaut knew that she was in deep doo-doo if her name made it into the computer back at headquarters.

Still, the entire situation stinks.  Per a prosecutor who spoke during a Thursday arraignment of Gaut, Mansker now claims that he felt "trapped" in a cul-de-sac before he opened fire.  The prosecutor also said that Mansker had decided to drop the pursuit of Foley because no officers had responded to his calls for back-up, but Mansker was blocked in the dead-end street where Foley resides.

So when the car driven by Gaut came at Mansker, he put two bullets into the vehicle -- and three into Foley.  Mansker claims that Foley was reaching into his pants with his right hand, but all indications are that Foley was unarmed.

Gaut's attorney said at Thursday's hearing that Foley and Gaut had ignored the orders from Mansker to pull over because they thought he was a carjacker or an "overeager fan."

Meanwhile, Foley has refused to talk to police about the incident as he recovers in a hospital from the shooting and the surgery that followed.  He has been placed on the Chargers' non-football injury list, and he will not be paid for 2006 (although the team could pay him if it chose to do so).  Though he isn't presently facing charges, our guess is that Foley knew about Gaut's status as a fugitive, and that he's watched enough television to know that he might be in trouble if it's proven that he was helping her in any way.  (E.g., the Seinfeld "fugitive sex" episode.)

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POSTED 9:14 a.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

DID SOMEONE BREAK JANSEN'S THUMBS?

We somehow missed the mini-uproar that was created by comments from Redskins tackle Jon Jansen to Bob Costas of HBO regarding the extent to which NFL players are using banned substances.  (We were busy driving around naked.)

On Costas Now, Jansen estimated that "maybe 15, 20 percent" of the league is using performance-enhancing compounds, and that it would be "very naive and foolish to believe that the league is clean."

But on Thursday Jansen backed off of his remarks.  

"What I meant by it was that it was a small number of players," Jansen said. "Being a football player, I'm not real good at math.  When you do the numbers, it sounds like a bigger percentage than it really is.  I meant it was small percentage of guys."

Being a football player, I'm not real good at math.

(Um, we're not sure that perpetuating the stereotype that football players are big, dumb jocks is the best way to dispel the notion that they're big, dumb, steroid-using jocks.)

Look, no current NFL player is ever going to be able to effectively blow the whistle on the extent to which guys are using HGH, steroids, and/or anything else that they think will enable them to continue earning an NFL paycheck, so that they can continue to finance their NFL lifestyle.  Pro football is a 32-planet universe.  It's easy -- very easy -- for a player to get himself blackballed.  

Our guess?  Someone suggested (to put it mildly) that Jansen clarify his remarks.  Right now.

And since Jansen is a football player, he's not real good at words.  So his effort to explain away his comments to Costas sounds kinda lame.

In our view, the truth (whatever it may be) on HGH and steroid use will only come out if/when a recently retired player with plenty of name recognition decides to write a tell-all book that goes into specific details as to who's using what, where they're getting it, and how they're avoiding detection.

For HGH, of course, they're avoiding detection because the NFL doesn't . . . test . . . for . . . it.  Sorry, but we're not so sure that we've got much faith in the effectiveness of the honor system when the question is whether a 32-year-old lineman needs a little artificial assistance to ensure that he'll still be able to pay the mortgage on his mansion.

From the NFL's perspective, the goal should be to get the situation completely under control before football has its own Jose Canseco moment.  The time for carefully (or, as in Jansen's case, clumsily) crafted sound bites has ended; this is an issue that has festered under Paul Tagliabue's watch and that Roger Goodell must confront early in his tenure.  

If someone comes clean before the NFL can get clean, Goodell will be the one who'll take the hit to his legacy, not Tagliabue. 

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POSTED 8:31 a.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

LIONS TO SUSPEND MISTER GODIVA

The Detroit Lions plan to suspend defensive line coach Joe Cullen for one game.  Cullen recently was arrested twice in two weeks.  Once for driving drunk.  Once for driving naked.

Apparently, he was clothed while drunk.  Sober while naked.

We're still extremely curious as to whether the Lions didn't know that Cullen has had past incidents during his time as a college coach at Mississippi and at Indiana, or whether they knew and didn't care.  If the Lions didn't know, they should fire Matt Millen right now, and anyone who was directly responsible for not bringing all of the pertinent information to the table.  

Likewise, if Cullen in any way misrepresented his background when applying for the job, they should send him packing, too.  It's not as if head coach Rod Marinelli, who was a successful defensive line coach for several years at Tampa, can't handle the job in Cullen's absence.

Cullen was fired during a brief stay at Ole Miss after being arrested for public intoxication.  He also was reprimanded while an assistant at Indiana for slapping a player on the helmet during a game.  

Surprisingly, the players are standing by Cullen, despite one of the most bizarre arrests of which we've ever heard.  Said defensive tackle Marcus Bell on Thursday:    "We support him, no question.  It's behind us.  We're glad to have him here.  That's the bottom line."  (We wonder whether Bell intentionally selected words like "behind" and "bottom.")

One last thought before we close the book on this one -- unless Cullen's car has leather seats, there's no way in hell he's ever going to be able to sell the thing. 

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LIVE BLOG UPDATE

The initial reaction to Thursday night's "type stuff while we watch the game" exercise has been surprisingly positive, so it looks like we'll be spending more three-hour stretches with our butts glued to the chair and our eyes bouncing back and forth between the television and the computer screen.

In the future, however, we'll be doing the live blog thing on a completely separate page, because it really doesn't fit within the whole "Rumor Mill" concept.

We've moved Thursday night's offering to the new location, for your day-after reading pleasure.

We'll probably do a live blog of the Colts-Giants game on Sunday night.  Possibly Cowboys-Jaguars.  No way in hell will we do both.

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POSTED 12:04 a.m. EDT, September 8, 2006

BRIAN WILLIAMS BUSTED FOR DWI

Jaguars cornerback Brian Williams, who received a $10 million signing bonus in March to make the jump from Minnesota  to Jacksonville, was arrested last weekend for driving under the influence.

Police stopped Williams after noticing him swerving in his 2006 Bentley.  The arresting officer noticed an odor of alcohol, but Williams denied he was drinking.  He allegedly stumbled upon getting out of the car and said, "I ain't gonna blow."  (We assume he was talking about taking a breathalyzer test.)

Williams allegedly used racial slurs and profane language after he was placed into the back seat of a cruiser. 

Williams is expected to start on Sunday against the Cowboys.  He will be subject to discipline if he is convicted, or if he pleads guilty or no contest to the charges.

Ironically, it was Williams who lobbied for the Vikings to sign former N.C. State teammate Koren Robinson in 2005.  Now we know why they are such good friends.

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POSTED 8:17 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2006.

SEASON PREVIEW:  PART TWO

On Wednesday night, we presented the projected standings through eight games of the season, based on the picking of a winner for each and every game and tallying the wins and losses. 

Now, we'll roll out the final standings, with the playoff seeds.

AFC East:  Miami 11-5, New England 11-5, New York Jets 7-9, Buffalo Bills 3-13.  (Miami wins tiebreaker.)

AFC North:  Cincinnati 12-4, Pittsburgh 8-8, Baltimore 8-8, Cleveland 6-10.

AFC South:  Indianapolis 12-4, Jacksonville 11-5,  Houston 5-11, Tennessee 5-11.

AFC West:  Denver 12-4, San Diego 10-6, Kansas City 7-9, Oakland 5-11.

NFC East:  Philadelphia 10-6, Dallas 10-6, New York Giants 7-9, Washington 7-9.  (Philadelphia wins tiebreaker.)

NFC North:  Chicago 11-5, Minnesota 9-7, Green Bay 7-9, Detroit 6-10.

NFC South:  Carolina 12-4, Tampa Bay 10-6,  Atlanta 6-10, New Orleans 3-13.

NFC West:  Seattle 11-5, San Francisco 5-11, Arizona 5-11, St. Louis 4-12.

AFC Seeds:  1.  Denver; 2. Indianapolis; 3. Cincinnati; 4. Miami; 5. New England; 6.  Jacksonville.

NFC Seeds:  1.  Carolina; 2.  Chicago; 3. Seattle; 4. Philadelphia; 5. Dallas; 6. Tampa Bay.

Tomorrow, we guess the winners of the playoff games.

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POSTED 5:01 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:18 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2006

BRANCH GRIEVANCE DELAYED

Earlier this afternoon, there were conflicting reports regarding the status of Deion Branch's grievance against the New England Patriots.  Chris Mortensen of ESPN had reported that the grievance was dismissed by arbitrator John Feerick.  The Patriots contend the arbitrator has no jurisdiction over the grievance, in which Branch alleged that the team had reneged on an oral promise to trade him.

Meanwhile, confirmed Pats hater Ron Borges of the Boston Globe reports that the arbitrator denied the motion to dismiss the grievance for lack of jurisdiction, and that the matter is proceeding toward a hearing.  The hearing apparently will be conducted after Branch's second grievance (which alleges that the team failed to negotiate a contract extension in good faith) is resolved.

Mort has since revised his story to indicate that the grievance has merely been delayed, not dismissed.

As to the first grievance, Borges astutely (hey, we give credit where it's due) acknowledges that the specific contents of written materials such as faxes and e-mails could be important to the question of whether any oral modification to the Standard Player Contract signed by Branch and the Pats had been sufficiently reduced to writing.  Nevertheless, we still believe that a collection of writings that don't constitute an actual player contract cannot overcome the plain language of Article XIV, Section 5(a) of the CBA, which states that "[a]ny agreement between any player and any Club concerning terms and conditions of employment shall be set forth in writing in a Player Contract as soon as practicable."  

As we see it, the failure of Branch and his agent to require the team to reduce to a formal writing the alleged agreement to trade him is fatal to the allegation that a valid agreement under the CBA existed.

But it's still unclear whether the first grievance has survived.  Mort says it hasn't; Borges says it has.  

From the team's perspective, it might be better to withdraw any argument that the grievance is not subject to arbitration, since this could unlock the door to the courthouse for Branch.  Typically in situations of this nature, the employer argues that the CBA's grievance and arbitration procedure applies, and the employee looks for a way to circumvent the CBA and file suit.  After further reflection on our part, it very well could be that NFLPA attorney Jeff Kessler's recent threat to seek compensation from the Pats if the pending grievances fail is a hint at a looming lawsuit.

As to the second grievance, we actually believe that Branch might be onto something -- if he can show that the Pats failed to negotiate in good faith.  Initially, we believed that Branch had no recourse because, as a player currently under contract (and in violation of said contract due to his holdout) he could not credibly argue that the team had any duty to negotiate an extension.  But Article XIV, Section 8 of the CBA states that "any Club or player engaged in negotiations for a Player contract . . . is under an obligation to negotiate in good faith."

Still, proving the absence of good faith could be a tall order, and we suspect that Branch will be required to produce a smoking gun or something pretty close thereto if he is to have any shot at showing that the team acted in bad faith.  His best bet might be to harp on the allegedly broken promise to trade him; however, it seems to us that there was no negotiation of any kind occurring at the time that the team gave Branch a one-week window to work out a deal elsewhere.  

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POSTED 1:52 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 3:50 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2006

WE LIKE THE FINS TONIGHT

Memo to those of you who insist that this site is nothing more than a propaganda machine for the Pittsburgh Steelers masquerading as a semi-objective, marginally-profane effort to cover all 32 teams:  We're not picking the Steelers to win tonight.

Then again, we didn't pick them to win the Super Bowl, either.  (So maybe you should bet on Pittsburgh.)

But we liked Miami and the points in the season-launcher even before Ben Roethlisberger's latest date with the Fentanyl Fairy.  With Big Ben out of action for at least this week, we think that the Fins win straight up.

At quarterback, Miami finally has a player post-Marino who doesn't provoke the response, "I asked you to tell me who the starter is, not the backup."  On several occasions in his six years as the go-to guy in Minnesota, Daunte Culpepper has ricocheted between being one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the NFL to one of the most underrated.  His overall body of work falls somewhere in the middle, closer to good than bad.  

But due to an ugly divorce from the Vikings, Culpepper now has a chip on his shoulder the size of a baby elephant's road apple.  

And Culpepper has shown in the past that when folks doubt him, he delivers.

The receivers in Miami are better than any of the guys Culpepper was working with in Minnesota last season, before his knee was blown apart at Carolina on October 30.  Although the Miami offensive line is middle-of-the-pack at best, it's good enough to give Culpepper time to find an open receiver.  (But if/when the pressure gets to Culpepper, look for him to protect that knee by not taking off down the field.  Instead, he'll throw the ball away or take the sack.)

Then there's Ronnie Brown, whom many expect to be the breakout tailback of 2006.  His legs will set up Culpepper's arm, and vice-versa.  

The biggest challenge, as we see it, will be for Culpepper to make good decisions regarding when to change the play at the line, and when not to.  The Steelers are very good at disguising their intentions, and Culpepper will have to avoid getting confused by safety Troy Polamalu's trademark pre-snap Tasmania.

When the Steelers have the ball, well, it won't be pretty.  Look for eight men to crowd the line unless and until quarterback Charlie Batch shows that he can force the strong safety into pass coverage.  We like Willie Parker, but he's not the kind of guy who'll be able to move the chains against a game plan designed primarily to shut him down.

And the coaching edge goes to Nick Saban, primarily because he desperately wants that which Coach Chin has recently won -- a championship.  Saban is the epitome of focus and drive and determination.  Is he quirky?  Hell yes.  Stern?  Absolutely.  But six straight wins to close out the 2005 season have gone a long way toward convincing everyone in the organization to overlook the fact that he's not a touchy-feely-kissy-huggy kind of a guy.  

As we see it, the Dolphins are on the right track, and Saban knows that the best way to put the rest of the NFL on notice that the Dolphins should be regarded among the elite teams in the AFC is to go into Heinz Field and make the Steelers fans wish they'd stayed home and watched their Super Bowl XL DVDs. 

It won't be a high scoring game, but we think the final stats will reveal a manhandling by Miami.  20-10.      

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LIVE BLOG COMING TONIGHT

Okay, we've never done a "live blog" before, and the term sounds like something from one of those awful-yet-strangely-compelling horror flicks of the 1950s.  

But thanks to a reader suggestion we've decided to try out a new feature by posting a constant stream of edits and observations regarding Thursday night's Fins-Steelers game, including commentary regarding pretty much everything that happens -- the game, the coverage of the game, stupid stuff people might say, whether any coaches were naked while driving to the stadium, that kind of stuff.

So fire up your 'puter and keep your finger on F5.  It'll be like having a dialogue with PFT.  Except there will be no sound.  And we'll be the only one's talking.  Other than that it'll be just like a real conversation . . . .

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POSTED 9:04 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 10:50 a.m. EDT, September 7, 2006

WELBOURN WANTS BACK IN

Lost to date in the confirmation that former Chiefs tackle John Welbourn will be suspended six games for violating the NFL's steroids policy (we reported on rumors of a suspension on July 18) is the obvious reality that, although Welbourn claimed that he was retiring, he really hadn't retired.

If he had retired, there would be no reason to announce a six-game suspension.

But now that Welbourn has successfully avoided training camp and the preseason, in which he would have been contractually required to participate notwithstanding the looming six-game suspension, Welbourn is trying to un-retire.

So after the six-game suspension, the Chiefs will have to decide whether to bring him back, or whether to cut him.  

There's still talk that, despite the looming suspension, Welbourn walked away in June because the team wouldn't give him a raise.  We've also heard rumblings that after Welbourn "retired" he was bad-mouthing the organization to tackle Willie Roaf, at a time when Roaf was going back and forth regarding the question of whether he would retire, too.

The challenge for Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson, as we see it, will be to set aside the past and ask himself whether Welbourn can help to improve an offensive line that could be in shambles with the loss of both starting tackles from the 2005 season.

Frankly, the fact that Kyle Turley a/k/a Crazy Joe Davola is now the starting left tackle after two years on the shelf with chronic back trouble tells us that it's time for the Chiefs to smoke the peace pipe with Welbourn.

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HEROCK CHANGES HIS TUNE ON SATURDIO

After Steelers rookie receiver Santonio Holmes a/k/a Santurdio was arrested on Father's Day weekend (his second bust in two weeks), former NFL exec Ken Herock offered up some candid comments regarding the 25th overall pick in the 2006 draft.

"I had an impression of the kid, where he was from, such a tough area, but soon as he told me he had three kids I knew it was going to be a problem," Herock told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  "He was dirt poor, all of a sudden he's got a little money, you get a little rambunctious. . . .  Add it up -- no money, poor family background, three kids already -- something's going to happen." 

Herock's assessment?  Santurdio was "ready to explode."

Troubling in this regard was that Santurdio and/or his agent, Joel Segal, had paid Herock to work with Holmes as part of the pre-draft preparations.  Herock's company, "Pro Prep", helps incoming players get ready for their interviews with the various NFL teams.

Herock promptly caught flak in league circles for biting the hand that had helped to feed him.  "He's got a good gig working and he screws it up by mouthing off about one of his clients," a league source told us on June 28.  "It's not like he's the only person providing this type of service.  Why he'd speak publicly about one of his players is beyond reason.  I can't believe agents would use Herock anymore to prep their player.  Holmes' agent has got to be pissed beyond measure."  

Now, more than two months later, Herock is singing a different song about Santurdio.  In comments made earlier this week to the Palm Beach Post for an article on Holmes' transition to the NFL, Herock offered a far more generous assessment of his former "client":  

"If anybody would have asked me going into the draft, 'Ken, what do you think of this guy?' he would have gotten all high accolades from me," Herock said. "And if I was drafting, I would draft him.  Now, I've worked with some kids and I wouldn't draft them."

Though Herock still mentions the background factors on which he harped in June, his words are a lot softer after Holmes has managed to go nearly three months without another arrest -- and after Holmes has drawn praise from his head coach, Bill Cowher.

"He grew up in a very poor economical area," Herock told the Palm Beach Post regarding Holmes.  "Here he is, he's going to be confronted with a lot of money and he had three children by two different women.  You knew there was going to be a problem eventually one of these days.  I wasn't expecting it to be Santonio's fault."

Our guess?  Herock finally figured out that there's a connection between what he says publicly about his clients and whether he'll get more clients in the future.

The fact that he didn't already know that makes us wonder why in the heck anyone would use his services.

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THURSDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

Cards coach Dennis Green isn't ready to announce his starting offensive line.  (Maybe Green is hoping to keep RB Edgerrin James from slipping into clinical depression upon seeing the list.)

The friendship between Falcons CB DeAngelo Hall and Panthers WR Steve Smith is strained, at best.

Ravens RB Jamal Lewis is questionable with a hip injury, but he says he's ready to go.

Fox is giving a Panthers fan a truck after playing an extremely stupid prank on him two weeks ago; Fox Sports Chairman David Hill says that there will be "internal discipline" imposed on those responsible for giving the "Catman" a "free car" that turned out to be a toy car.  (We suspect that it was Siragusa's fault, and we suggest firing his ass.  Or sending him to an all-you-can-eat buffet and waiting for him to explode.)

The new Commish doesn't think that the NFL has a significant issue with HGH.  (Let's see, next comes bargaining.  Then depression.  Then acceptance.)

Bills WR Peerless Price says he was never given an opportunity in Atlanta.

Bills CB Ashton Youboty is back with the team after the death of his mother, but the time away from training likely means that he'll be inactive on Sunday.

The Toronto Bills?

Bengals WR Chad Johnson is selling rubber scalps with gold mohawks on them.

Browns CB Gary Baxter says he'll play on Sunday despite a partially torn pectoral muscle.

The Tuna likes Eric Mangini.

Cowboys rookie FS Pat Watkins thinks he'll start over Keith Davis on Sunday. 

Denver's starting defensive front four has made it through two whole practices without breaking any bones or tearing any ligaments.

S Terrence Holt apparently has held onto his starting job in Detroit, despite a stiff challenge from Daniel Bullocks.

Our old pal Chris Havel apparently has run out of green-and-gold Kool-Aid (and we commend him for it):  "It seems Green Bay is the new 'End of the Line,'" he writes, "because players who are released generally find themselves out of work.  It's the end of the line.  When the Packers were going strong in the mid-1990s, teams waited to see whom the Packers would release in order to improve their roster.  Not anymore."

Former Vikings defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell has accepted a job with the league office as appeals officer for player fines.  (One of his first projects could be the fine that ultimately will be imposed on a couple of Vikings players for their activities on the Love Boat.)

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