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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 intensi