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POSTED 9:12 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:29 p.m. EDT, September 30, 2006

UNCLE RICO ERA BEGINS

Jay Glazer of FOX reports that Titans quarterback Vince Young will make his first NFL start on Sunday, at home against the Dallas Cowboys.

Young was the third overall pick in the 2006 draft. The Titans selected Young over 2004 Heisman winner Matt Leinart.

Per Glazer, Titans coach Jeff Fisher had kept the decision under wraps in the hopes that the Cowboys would prepare for Kerry Collins, who started the first three games of the season.

The Titans desperately need a spark in order to reverse an 0-3 start. And given that it's the final year of Fisher's contract, the veteran coach might have never gotten a chance to use Young in 2007 if Fisher doesn't use him now.

Though many league insiders and observers believe that using a young quarterback early can destroy his confidence, we're firm believers in the baptism by fire approach. The game won't begin to slow down for a guy unless and until he gets onto the field, and the Titans will be better sooner if Young starts the learning process now.

KIM ETHEREDGE READS THIS SITE

Welcome, Kim Etheredge. Now that we know you're among our ever-growing throng of readers, maybe with the benefit of our insights and constructive criticisms your publicist gig thing might eventually work out.

Or, you know, maybe it won't.

How do we know that Miss Etheredge is reading the site? We noted earlier this week that the web site pushing her line of hair care products (mixedchicks.net -- not mixedchicks.com) contains a subtle typo on the link to the "Who are we?" page of the site.

The link read "femaleentrepaneurs.html." As anyone who understands the difference between "statue" and "stature" recognizes, however, there's no "a" in entrepreneurs.

And now Miss Etheredge knows it, too, since the link has been changed.

If you don't believe us, check out the title of the page -- it's still spelled wrong.

POSTED 12:37 p.m. EDT, September 30, 2006

JARED ALLEN "SHOULD BE IN JAIL"

A league source with responsibility for screening and selecting college players firmly believes that Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen, arrested twice for DUI this year, should not be walking among the members of a free society.

"The guy should be in jail," said the source.

A fourth round selection of the Chiefs in 2004, Allen was off of many draft boards at that time, per the source.

"Loose cannon," the source added. "Lots of fights, bar incidents . . . . Surprised it's taken him this long to get in trouble."

And due to Allen's reputation for liking to do more at bars than just fight, the source feared that Allen ultimately would "end up in an overturned SUV, bloodied and sauced."

How right the source was. Even though Allen got a free pass for his first DUI of the year, his latest arrest surely violates the terms of the diversion program he entered in July, which requires him not to drink or to violate the law.

And Allen knows it -- why else would he have refused to submit to either a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer exam?

For a full history on Allen, check out this January 2005 article from the Kansas City Star, reprinted on the official athletic site of Idaho State University, where Allen played college football. (Memo to the Potato boys -- he's not someone to be proud of.)

Allen landed at ISU because the University of Washington rescinded its scholarship offer after he was kicked out of high school for stealing yearbooks. It wasn't the only time he got in trouble as a youth.

"I like to fight," Allen told the Star regarding his rap sheet for bar fights. He claims that he "rumbled" almost every weekend. There were issues of violated probation, and questions of whether he assaulted a police officer.

He was on his last straw in college, and he turned it around. Now, he's getting close to pissing it all away again.

You know, if we ever find ourselves on the wrong side of the law, we sure hope we get as many second chances and benefits of the doubt as some of these pro athletes seem to enjoy. We realize that the prisons are overcrowded, but every once in a while it's important to make an example out of someone in order to let the rest of us know that there are consequences for misconduct.

Given his history and his failure to truly learn from past mistakes, we think it's time for Allen to spend a season or two with the Mean Machine.

POSTED 10:41 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:09 p.m. EDT, September 30, 2006

DEA PURSUING OTHER CHARGERS

A league source tells us that the recent arrest of San Diego Chargers safety Terrence Kiel might not have been an isolated incident, and that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is still looking into whether other members of the team have been involved in sending prescription medications -- presumably obtained in Mexico -- to purchasers in other locations.

Kiel was sending codeine-rich cough syrup back to his home state of Texas, where the substance is an ingredient in the popular buzz-inducing concoction named "purple drank" or "lean." (As a fellow Simpsons aficionado pointed out to us, why don't they light the thing on fire and call it a "Flaming Moe"?)

Though we don't know who else is being investigated, other Chargers with Texas connections (either by hometown or college) include cornerback Quentin Jammer, receiver Keenan McCardell, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, and running back Derek Farmer. Former Charger Hanik Milligan, who was cut during the preseason and signed with the Cardinals, went to college in Houston.

We seriously doubt that Tomlinson, an elite NFL player who hardly needs the extra money, would be involved in a risky proposition like this. But after the events of the past few weeks there is nothing at all in the NFL that ever will surprise us again.

FREAK'S KNEE IS STILL FUNKED UP

Despite reports originating with the agent for Eagles defensive end Jevon Kearse that surgery revealed Kearse's knee to be not as badly injured as previously reported, the Eagles said on Friday that the injury was still significant.

Dr. John Uribe opted not to repair a torn MCL or a torn PCL, because he found evidence that the ligaments were already healing on their own. In contrast, a fully torn ACL cannot and will not heal itself.

And we're told that the only difference between pre-surgery assessments and the observations made by Uribe is that Kearse's LCL was not torn at all; the MRI had shown otherwise.

Despite an assessment from agent Drew Rosenhaus that Kearse has only a 12-to-16-week recovery period, the Eagles say that it's unlikely that Kearse could have made a contribution late in the 2006 season, even if the team hadn't already placed him on IR, which prevents him from playing again this year.

"[W]e're going to take our time getting this right, we're not going to rush him back, we're going to let him heal up, and then go after the rehab hard," trainer Rick Burkholder said.

KORDOZA CLUB UPDATE

Last week, we rolled out the "Kordoza Line." Based on the 70.7 career passer rating of Kordell Stewart, it's the point at which the mediocre are separated from the crappy starting quarterbacks.

Through the first two weeks of the season, the K-Club included Packers quarterback Brett Favre (70.0), Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper (69.2), Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe (68.0), Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell (67.7), Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (61.5), Browns quarterback Charlie Frye (56.0), Bucs quarterback Chris Simms (40.0), Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (38.7), Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer (38.6), Titans quarterback Kerry Collins (26.9), and Raiders quarterback Andrew Walter (19.0).

Through the third weekend of action, several of the guys have graduated, and Chris Simms has been knocked out due to injury. So here's where they stand as of right now, focusing only on starting quarterbacks: Charlie Frye (68.1), Drew Bledsoe (68.0), Jake Plummer (60.6), Bruce Gradkowski (43.8), Kerry Collins (42.3), Ben Roethlisberger (34.3), Andrew Walter (19.0).

Byron Leftwich narrowly has avoided inclusion on the list with, you guessed it, a passer rating of 70.7.

WEEK FOUR FANTASY PICKS AND PUNKS

Let's take a gander at the guys we like and the guys we don't as we head into the fourth week of the NFL season. Much of the input comes from our pal Paul Charchian of Fanball.com, but every once in a while we throw in one of our own. (And if any of ours end up sucking, we'll just blame it on Charch.)

First up, the guys we like:

Quarterback Chad Pennington, Jets: Colts allow plenty of garbage touchdowns, and Pennington has rebounded well this year.

Quarterback Daunte Culpepper, Dolphins: Any quarterback playing the Texans is a candidate for a big week.

Quarterback Michael Vick, Falcons: Always a risky choice given his lack of passing prowess, Vick likely will rebound from a crappy night in New Orleans with a solid effort, either in the air or on the ground, against the Cardinals.

Running back Reggie Bush, Saints: Because he hasn't scored, plenty of fantasy owners are down on the guy. We're not. We think that the Panthers will take the "we don't have to focus on him to stop him" approach -- and get burned.

Running back Reuben Droughns, Browns: The guy is overdue for a big game, and he's going against a bad Oakland team.

Running back Chester Taylor, Vikings: He gets the touches; sooner or later he'll get the scores.

Receiver Keyshawn Johnson, Panthers: Having Steve Smith back opens things up for Keyshawn.

Receiver Reggie Brown, Eagles: Had a big day last week with Donte' Stallworth out, and faces a soft Packers defense.

And now the guys we'd avoid this week:

Quarterback Kurt Warner, Cardinals: Denny Green has Warner on a shorter leash than his wife does.

Quarterback Philip Rivers, Chargers: Rivers gets a proper welcome to the NFL against a "real" team.

Quarterback Mark Brunell, Redskins: The Jags are not the Texans.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson: One of the best fantasy guys in the league, but does anyone expect him to run wild against the Ravens?

Receiver Antonio Bryant, 49ers: Don't expect big numbers from Bryant against Ty Law and a tough Chiefs defense.

Cardinals receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin: Their quarterback is struggling, and Falcons corner DeAngelo Hall will face one of them man-to-man and the other one will be doubled.

POSTED 10:24 a.m. EDT, September 30, 2006

LEAGUE ADMITS ERRORS IN NINERS GAME

Through three weeks of the 2006 NFL season, there really haven't been any significant questions regarding officiating. The biggest issues to date have related to a couple of Week One incidents, in which no one noticed the Nicktator's limp-wristed hankie throw, and where no flag was thrown when Chiefs quarterback Trent Green was flattened while attempting a slide.

But, alas, any grace period resulting from those slick new uniforms has expired, because the zebras are working their way back into the crosshairs.

Per Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, the NFL has acknowledged to the San Francisco 49ers that at least three mistakes were made by officials during last Sunday's loss to the Eagles.

Niners coach Mike Nolan was careful when asked about the information Maocco obtained from an unnamed source, given that the Big Show got himself in Deep Sh-t last year by crowing about the NFL's admission of blown calls during a Thanksgiving weekend win by the Seahawks over the Giants. Some believe that lingering resentment from Mike Holmgren's decision to breach confidentiality influenced some of the bad calls that went against Seattle in the Super Bowl. (We have a feeling that Nolan doesn't have to worry about that happening this year.)

"I got answers back," Nolan said.

Asked what the answers were, Nolan asked 49ers director of public relations Aaron Salkin, "Where should I stand on this?"

"You're not supposed to report on it," Salkin said, reminding Nolan that he could be fined for flapping his gums.

But Nolan was careful to say that the calls that the team disputed from Sunday's loss didn't alter the outcome of the game.

Maiocco surmises that the three calls that the officials got wrong were as follows: (1) the 98-yard fumble return for a touchdown by defensive tackle Mike Patterson, replays of which showed Patterson on the ground with the ball and in contact with a member of the 49ers offense; (2) an illegal pick that was not called on a 60-yard fourth quarter pass to Eagles tight end Matt Schobel; and (3) a 49-yard reception by Antonio Bryant that disappeared when running back Michael Robinson was flagged for an illegal chop block, even though the guy he hit was not engaged with another blocker.

As Maiocco points out, that's a 207-yard swing. (Factoring in the penalty that wasn't called and the one that was, it was a 232-yard difference.)

The calls also might have accounted for a total swing of 21 points in a game that was decided by 14. So even though Nolan was wise not to blame the loss on the officials, those three blown calls might indeed have made a difference.

POSTED 9:15 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:36 p.m. EDT, September 29, 2006

KIEL ADMITS TO COUGH SYRUP CHARGES

From a P.R. standpoint, Chargers safety Terrence Kiel got lucky. Word of his Playmakers-style drug arrest broke on Tuesday night within an hour before the story regarding you-know-who began to dominate the headlines.

Since Tuesday night, Kiel has admitted to shipping codeine-based cough syrup to his home state of Texas. Codeine-based cough syrup is used in conjunction with other drugs, or mixed with soft drinks such as Sprite to make what is known as "purple drank" or "lean."

The DEA is still investigating how Kiel obtained the cough syrup, which is a controlled substance available only by prescription.

Kiel is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday. He won't play on Sunday when the Chargers face the Ravens in Baltimore.

Meanwhile, it seems that the Chargers are close to becoming the Bengals West, with a growing list of guys who have been arrested including linebacker Shaun Phillips, linebacker Steve Foley, and Kiel.

"It's killing me," G.M. A.J. Smith recently told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

But at least none of the Chargers are killing anyone. Yet.

MORE ON JOEY SUNSHINE AND THE TURF MONSTER

One thing we keep forgetting to mention is that, based on our discussions of the past week with multiple league insiders, the repeated and continuous insistence of ESPN's Joe Theismann that the new FieldTurf at the Louisiana Superdome needs a year or so to be "broken in" has no basis in fact.

On Monday night, Theismann went on and on about the supposed slipperiness of the surface, given that it's brand new. We think he mentioned it a total of 65 times.

Hogwash, says folks familiar with FieldTurf. It doesn't have a break-in period. And if a guy is slipping on it, it's not a turf issue but a shoe issue.

FRIDAY NIGHT ONE-LINERS

One win, and Chris Havel is back on the green Kool Aid.

Chiefs DE Jared Allen has been arrested for DUI for the second time this year.

Bills owner Ralph Wilson says no date has been set for determining a revenue sharing formula.

The Ball Coach will be inducted into Florida's Ring of Honor, along with one of his pupils who failed almost as miserably in the NFL as his mentor did.

The Bears have placed WR Airese Currie on IR.

We really don't believe that Bengals WR Chad Johnson doesn't mind being a decoy; before the season he boasted that he'd set the single-season record for receiving touchdowns. (He needs 22 more in 13 games.)

Colts K Adam Vinatieri (groin) practiced Friday and could play on Sunday.

Broncos QB Jake Plummer has settled his road rage case for $76.

If Mike Tirico doesn't want to be bigger than the game he covers, why is he giving so many interviews?

The last time the Colts played the Jets in the Meadowlands, Peyton Manning and company got tattooed to the tune of 41-0.

49ers RB Frank Gore has been upgraded to probable.

Ravens S Ed Reed and LB Terrell Suggs are questionable for Sunday, as is rookie DT Haloti Ngata.

Who is Kim Etheredge? (Who cares?)

POSTED 5:05 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 6:15 p.m. EDT, September 29, 2006

YOU-KNOW-WHO STILL AIN'T RIGHT

In an exclusive interview with Michael Silver of Sports Illustrated, a guy whose saga is of interest to many and of no interest to many more admitted that he is hurt that his former fiancee' hasn't tried to contact him since news broke of his recent medical struggles.

"Her not reaching out to me really hit home," the player said on Friday. "You can tell someone you love them all day long, but for her to not even show up, after all the years we've spent together -- that's not love. It hurts. But I'm glad I know."

The player's former trainer recently told the Dallas Morning News that the player was distraught on Monday night because his fiancee' ended their relationship, and because he couldn't be with his son on the boy's seventh birthday. The player fired his trainer for making the remarks.

The bottom line? We're now even more convinced that Wednesday's press conference was aimed primarily if not exclusively at ensuring that the Cowboys wouldn't conclude that Owens has a non-football illness, which could justify not paying him the balance of his 2006 salary, and that the player could indeed have some unresolved issues that might result in further "accidents" in the future.

Moreover, why in the hell is the player talking about this stuff? His best bet is to shut up and move on.

Then again, shutting up and/or moving on are things that he rarely has ever done.

Then again (again), maybe the most recent "accident" was just an effort to get the former fiancee' to pay attention to him. Along with the rest of us.

FRIDAY EARLY EVENING ONE-LINERS

Panthers DE Al Wallace has been fined $7,500 for the hit that might or might not have popped the spleen of Bucs QB Chris Simms.

Arizona Cardinals CB Antrel Rolle was fined $5,000 for a Week Two horse collar tackle on Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander, which Alexander thinks might have resulted in his broken foot.

Redskins QB Mark Brunell, who missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to an elbow injury, is likely to play on Sunday.

Crazy Joe Davola probably won't play on Sunday against the 49ers.

Redskins CB Shawn Springs (abdomen) is out again.

Chiefs QB Trent Green must have had one too many concussions if he thinks anyone will believe that he never had a concussion before Week One.

The probation report generated in connection with the Denny's incident involving Bears CB Ricky Manning would have made for some great dialogue in Playmakers, if you don't mind bleeping.

ESPN's Mike Tirico is patting himself on the back. (For what? Three straight weeks of not falling out of his booster seat?)

Seahawks S Ken Hamlin is the NFC defensive player of the month.

Eagles CB Lito Sheppard is doubtful for Monday night.

Raiders QB Marques Tuiasosopo is preparing to be the backup and running the scout team.

The Raiders have somehow sold out the Black Hole for Sunday.

Jets WR Laveranues Coles is the AFC Offensive Player of the Month.

The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man is staying put on the sidelines for the fourth straight game.

Falcons DE John Abraham might miss his third straight game with a groin injury.

Rex Grossman is the first Bears quarterback EVER to be named NFC Offensive Player of the Month.

Bengals LB Rashad Jeanty has been downgraded to doubtful.

Cards RB Edgerrin James wants the ball more.

Former Rams coach Mike Martz won't talk to the media as his new team prepares to face his old team; it'll be the first time the Lions have played in St. Louis since 1980.

POSTED 3:07 p.m. EDT, September 29, 2006

GOOD PROGNOSIS FOR KEARSE

Surgery on the knee of Eagles defensive end Jevon Kearse has revealed that there was less damage than expected, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus provided the News with details regarding Kearse's medical condition, which but for the decision of Kearse and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, to disclose the information would be private, confidential, and unknown by the media.

Do you see where we're going with this?

Rosenhaus has every reason in the world to get the word out that Kearse didn't have an injury that made his knee look like the remnants of a chicken wing spat out by one of Joey Porter's dogs. Indeed, the report from Jay Glazer of FOX painted a pretty bleak picture, with everything in the knee torn except the ACL.

"This will not affect Jevon's future with the Eagles," Rosenhaus said based on the information he obtained from Dr. John Uribe, who performed the surgery.

We're not suggesting that Drew is embellishing. We're just saying that, in this specific case, disclosure of the medical details (assuming they're accurate) worked to the benefit of his client.

And, thus, in a certain case involving one of his other clients, the fact that neither he nor the client is revealing nor authorizing the release of medical information fairly could be interpreted as a recognition by agent and/or client that disclosure of the diagnosis and treatment (including, for example, whether said client left the hospital against medical advice) will not help his client.

Hey, we pulled that one off without even mentioning the guy's name.

POSTED 9:07 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 10:21 a.m. EDT, September 29, 2006

CUNNINGHAM DISSING DICK

After the Chiefs' Week One loss to the Bengals, new coach Herman Edwards took an implicit dig at his predecessor, Dick Vermeil, suggesting that the "it was like that when I got here" offense was to blame for the team's inability to generate yards or, more importantly, points. Though the "real" media didn't make much of a fuss about it, league insiders noticed it, and were surprised.

We're now hearing that another member of the Chiefs' coaching staff is dissing Dick, albeit less publicly.

We're told that defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, a former head coach of the team who was brought back by Vermeil, is telling folks that Vermeil held back the performance of the defense, primarily by tinkering with run-stopping strategies. Cunningham, per a league source, is saying that, with Vermeil gone, Cunningham is freed up to do what he wants to do.

With that said, the Chiefs currenly rank 24th in average rushing yards allowed per game. In 2005, they finished seventh in the league against the run. So we're not exactly sure why Cunningham thinks the run defense is better without Vermeil's involvement.

Maybe Cunningham simply likes the fact that his new supervisor isn't doing as much supervising as his old supervisor did, since Cunningham was at one point the supervisor himself.

UPDATE: As further evidence that generalized NFL statistics can be misleading, a reader points out to us that, during Vermeil's final four seasons with the Chiefs, the Broncos averaged 222 yards per game at 6.4 yards per carry when playing Kansas City at home. This year, the Broncos managed only 145 yards rushing and 4.0 yards per carry at Mile High.

OWENS FIRES TRAINER

Perhaps the most telling developments of the past 24 hours regarding the T.O. saga have been the most ignored.

In Thursday's Dallas Morning News, Owens' personal trainer revealed that Owens was distraught on Monday night because he was unable to be with his seven-year-old son on the boy's birthday, and because his fiancee' responded to Owens' request for a "break" in the engagement by breaking up with him.

Per Friday's DMN, Owens reacted to the revelations by firing the trainer.

"He shouldn't have been telling you anything about my personal life anyway," Owens said. "That's where it stops – right there. He should have never said anything remotely involving me or my personal life, especially my son or even my ex-girl.

"He is a victim of what I have fallen victim to over the course of my career," Owens added. "He shouldn't have said anything about my personal life – period. Now I really have to be guarded as far as who I talk to. If I can't trust my own trainer, I can't trust nobody."

In our view, Owens' swift decision to get rid of his trainer supports the notion that Wednesday's dog-and-publicist show was aimed at doing one thing and one thing only -- ensuring that the Cowboys would not have sufficient ammunition to conclude that T.O. has a non-football illness that prevents him from playing, which would have enabled the team to shut him down for the season, and not pay him the balance on five million of his reasons to stay alive.

While the decision of the Dallas police to call the matter an accidental overdose and move on is prompting many to conclude definitively that there was no suicide attempt, the sound bites we heard on SportsCenter last night from the powers-that-be in Big D strongly suggest that the authorities simply opted not to devote resources to a matter which, even if T.O. tried to commit suicide, did not involve a violation of the law by him. Instead, the cops have decided to allow the media to further investigate the matter.

Also, we suspect that the Dallas P.D. received a letter from a lawyer or two threatening litigation if the ultimate conclusion were that Owens tried to end his own life.

As we've previously said, this whole matter can be put to bed if Owens were to simply authorize the hospital and the doctors to produce his records and to explain what happened. Was there an effort to induce vomiting? Was he given liquid charcoal or ipecac? Or was he simply groggy from accidentally taking an extra hydrocodone and/or too many supplements?

Until Owens puts forth the medical information that would confirm his version of the events, we can't conclude with 100 percent certainty that this wasn't a suicide attempt.

As we close the book on this one (we mean it this time), we've got one final thought. Roughly a month before Kurt Cobain of Nirvana shot himself in April 1994, he was rushed to the hospital due to what was described at the time as an accidental drug overdose.

After Cobain died, his wife Courtney Love said that the "accident" had actually been a suicide attempt.

NO MAAS THIS WEEKEND

FOX decided in the offseason that analyst Bill Maas -- who once was regarded by SI's Dr. Z as one of the top announcers in the game -- will have a reduced role this year.

The reduced role begins this weekend, with Maas assigned to none of the six FOX Sunday games.

We feel sort of empty. I mean, without Maas saying dumb stuff like an incomplete pass is a good thing for the offense or that the team that wins the toss in sudden-death overtime should elect to kick off, who'll provide us with comic relief this weekend?

Oh well. We'll just have to wait for Joey Sunshine on Monday night.

POSTED 7:22 p.m. EDT, September 28, 2006

CARDS' NEW SPONSOR IN HOT WATER, AGAIN

Yeah, it was a really good idea for the NFL to hop into bed with an online diploma mill founded by a guy who has tried to have his dead dog cloned.

With the ink still gooey on the 20-year, $154 million deal that will place the name "University of Phoenix" on the Arizona Cardinals' new stadium in Glendale, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed suit against the institution for discriminating against non-Mormons.

The EEOC has requested various forms of relief, and also has asked that the matter be certified as a class action.

This latest development reinforces our broader point regarding the arrangement. The University of Phoenix is polarizing and controversial, not the kind of operation with which the image-obsessed NFL would ordinarily associate. While on one hand the marriage potentially legitimizes the sponsor, on the other hand it possibly demeans the product.

Said one league insider in response to the news of the long-term arrangement: "It's funny that they act like they have balls and integrity by walking away from Pink Taco, but then they go and take money from a less reputable source that is considered to be a joke as a brand. Very interesting in a league that is so 'brand' conscious. Once again, proving that the Cardinals are behind the curve at every level."

Meanwhile, there are reports that the Pink Taco moniker still might surface in the NFL, affixed to the Louisiana Superdome.

Per the East Valley Tribune, the folks in New Orleans have approached the Pink Taco peeps, who were spurned in their efforts to secure the naming rights to the Cardinals' new house.

POSTED 4:32 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 5:30 p.m. EDT, September 28, 2006

DALLAS P.D. WANTS APOLOGY FROM T.O.

The president of the Dallas Police Association, an organization representing Dallas police officers, wants an apology from Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens and his publicist, Kim Etheredge. On Wednesday, Etheredge strongly suggested that the police officers who responded to her 911 call on Owens' behalf were either idiots or liars regarding her supposed statement to them that Owens was "depressed" and that she had to physically pry two pills out of his mouth.

"The officers reacted because they were called to this location to do this job. Now they're being put under a microscope by some fancy little football person," Senior Cpl. Glenn White said, according to the Associated Press. "Give me a break. Those officers are 10 times better than this man. We police officers don't go out to these calls and make stuff up."

Ouch.

We really don't like the "10 times better" reference, and it would be very unfortunate if Mr. White and/or the officers who responded to the call are white, because that's the kind of statement that could spawn unnecessary racial tensions in the area.

UPDATE: Glenn White is indeed white. As are the rest of the officers of the Dallas Police Association.

Regardless, no one is better than anyone else. We're all created equal. And we all equally deserve to be called out when we act like lunkheads. But the fact that Terrell Owens (or anyone else in the NFL or the NBA or the NHL or MLB) is a complete jerk doesn't make the rest of us any "better" than him, just as the fact that he makes a truckload of cash doesn't make him any "better" than us.

White's comment, then, was as stoopid as Etheredge's "25 million reasons" line, and we think that the statement renders an already unfortunate situation even more troubling.

With all that said, we continue to be perplexed by the fact that Etheredge basically said that the cops were lying on Wednesday, moments before Owens got back before the cameras and thanked the police. As we said earlier on Thursday, T.O. should have been P.O.'ed that the cops got Etheredge's words so wrong that the guy will now be forever regarded by millions as someone who tried to kill himself, even if he really didn't try to commit suicide.

My gosh, can this get any stranger?

WHERE'S DREW?

A question on the minds of many league insiders and loyal PFT readers in the wake of yesterday's T.O. train wreck is this: How in the hell can we get the last 30 hours of our lives back?

And then there's this: Where in the hell is Drew Rosenhaus?

Rosenhaus is the mega-agent who famously swooped onto the scene in or around May of 2005, when Owens was caught in the shackles of a contract he had "outperformed." Rosenhaus promptly took the cause public. At about the same time, Drew assumed the representation of Packers receiver Javon Walker, doubling his exposure as he tried to finagle new deals (or new teams) for both of his new guys -- and at the same time parlaying the publicity into even more clients.

And Drew was right in the thick of things with T.O., every step of the way. From the "next question" press conference to the all-day arbitration hearing to the "next team" press conference.

This time around, Drew is the invisible man.

Why? We suppose there's a plausible explanation, but until we hear it we'll assume that he's smart enough to realize that it's never a good idea to wrap your arms around a guy who's dancing blindfolded near the edge of a cliff. (Then again, Drew kind of did that very thing we he signed on to represent Owens.)

Bottom line -- Drew knows that nothing good comes out of this for him by attaching his name and face to it. Nothing.

Unless, of course, the theme for next year's Burger King commercials involves "The King's" misadventures with medication aimed at reducing the size of his really big head.

ESPN MOBILE USERS, WE'RE HERE FOR YOU

On the same day that the ESPN family of networks and companies are reveling in record-setting traffic and ratings, all thanks to a football player of great statue, a publicist of questionable intellect, and a bottle of hydrocodone that may or may not have been fully ingested in one sitting, the operation is suffering through the equivalent of its most high-profile failure since, well, ever.

ESPN Mobile, a cell phone and sports updates service that has been relentlessly pimped by the various ESPN television, radio, and Internet properties since it debuted, is going dark. Or silent. Or whatever the appropriate adjective is.

In short, not enough people bought it.

So what should the ESPN Mobile users who'll find themselves without a cell phone with a sports focus do? Easy. Buy a Sprint or Nextel phone featuring NFL Mobile, a free feature that provides highlights, real-time stats, NFL Network content, and more than enough other stuff to help you kill time while in an airplane terminal, mall, restaurant, or church. (We're kidding about that. You probably shouldn't take it into a restaurant. You might get ketchup on it. Church is fine, though. Until they start giving out ketchup.)

And don't forget that Fridays in September are Sprint NFL Fan Days. On September 29, customers in selected areas can obtain a $50 service credit on a voice plan when activating a Sprint phone. Fans also can take advantage of exclusive NFL-themed offers.

Sprint NFL Fan Days are 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.

And in case you didn't notice the ads at the top or side of the page (or the really big Sprint logo next to the PFT), Sprint is a major sponsor of this site, so we've got a self-interest in promoting Sprint products. And since only Sprint has NFL Mobile, we've got a self-interest in using their products, too.

MORE JOEY SUNSHINE IDIOCY

It's good to know that we don't have to wait until Monday nights to bask in the glow of Joey Sunshine's ignoramusness. (We know it's not a word but, consarn it, it should be.)

Thanks to a member of our growing army of loyal fans (we think we're about to the point where we could kick Grenada's ass), there's another huuuuge Joe Theismann blunder for us to make fun of.

In a "Fact or Fiction" segment on ESPN.com regarding whether the Seahawks are still the best team in the NFC, Theismann has this to say:

So since he thinks the Bears are the best team in the NFC, due in part to the absence of Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, Theismann thinks that the Bears will beat the Alexander-less Seahawks at home on Sunday night, right? Right?

Wrong. On ESPN's weekly expert game selection page, Sunshine (the only one whose picks are up as of this posting) is going with . . . the Seahawks.

Please, Joe. Don't ever change. We don't know what the hell we'd do without you.

POSTED 9:12 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED, 10:48 a.m. EDT, September 28, 2006

T.O.'S TRAINER POINTS TO EMOTIONAL TURMOIL

We know, we know. On Wednesday, we said that we're done with T.O. But rather than pretend on one day that we didn't say what we said the day before (a la Kim Etheredge), we'll admit that we're still fascinated by this whole fiasco.

The newest twist is an item in the Dallas Morning News with some compelling information from T.O.'s trainer regarding his emotional state.

"A lot of things were coming to a head anyway, and then this happened," James "Buddy" Primm said. Primm had been staying with Owens at his Dallas loft until earlier this month, and he plans to return to Dallas from his Georgia home soon.

Primm said that Owens was "distraught" on Monday because he couldn't be with his seven-year-old son (who may or may not be one of the "25 million reasons" for T.O. to stay alive) on the boy's birthday. Primm also said that Owens' fiancee' abruptly cut off their relationship on Monday.

"He said, 'Can I take a break from the engagement?'," Primm said. "And she said, 'No, let's just put a stop to it.' And that was a complete surprise to Terrell."

Though Primm doesn't think Owens tried to commit suicide, Primm believes that the combination of emotional problems and intense physical efforts to speed the healing of his broken finger created a "perfect storm" of events that resulted in whatever the hell it was that happened to put Owens in an emergency room on Tuesday night.

BREAKING IT ALL DOWN

The overall T.O. situation continues to be a fog of confusion and controversy. But let's try to simplify this thing.

The police report, prepared by police officers with no obvious reason to be anything other than objective and truthful, clearly points to a suicide attempt. And we're guessing that the relevant authorities deal with issues like this on a regular basis, and recognize the importance of getting it right -- and the potential consequences of getting it wrong.

But then Owens is released from the hospital within roughly 12 hours, which suggests to the reasonable person (and to us) that he wasn't a threat to himself. And which calls into question whether he ever was.

Then coach Bill Parcells speaks to the media, and seems to not really give a chunky crap about the whole situation, even though Parcells doesn't seem to know whether or not the reports of a suicide attempt are in dispute.

Enter T.O., who seems to be fine. Which seems to be odd. Because even if we weren't depressed the night before to the point of suicide, we'd be distressed to the point of pissed off that the local law enforcement officials ignited a nationwide media firestorm by erroneously reporting that we'd gone cuckoo for hydrocodone in an effort to get cozy in a casket.

In hindsight, that bothers us more than anything else. How in the hell could he be so happy one day after some serious sh-t (whatever the cause) went down, and while yet another F-5 tornado of turmoil was tearing through his life?

"I'm not clinically depressed," we would have said, "but I'm very upset that me and my team have to deal with this crap right now. I've got a seven-year-old son, and I can't believe he's had to hear all day long that his daddy tried to kill himself. I demand a full investigation as to how the police officers who responded to the situation turned Kim's words into flat-out lies."

And that brings us to Miss Etheredge. Despite her denial that she told police Owens was depressed and/or that she had to physically remove pills from his mouth, the report is pretty darn clear to us. There's no reference to the fact that she was incoherent or hysterical, which we suspect the cops see from time to time when responding to situations like this. Indeed, her comments were made not at Owens' loft, when things were likely pretty hectic, but at the hospital, after the situation had begun to come under control.

Other things that piqued our interest (and the interest of our readers) is the suggestion that Owens had taken the pain pills out of the bottle they were in and put them "in a drawer." Owens also said that rumors of his stomach being pumped weren't true, but the report was that vomiting was induced. (They are indeed two different things.)

Based on all of this, we think that if Owens wants to prove that he didn't try to commit suicide, he should authorize the Baylor Medical Center to release all of the records relating to the treatment he received on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. He also should authorize the doctors to meet with the media and talk about what happened.

Until that happens, we're going to believe that Owens and Etheredge are in full-blown damage control mode in an effort to prevent the Cowboys from concluding that maybe there's an issue with the guy that would justify placement of him on the non-football injury list. In fact, we think that Owens' handlers decided to conduct the press conference at the team facility in order to send a clear message that he's still part of the team -- i.e., that he's still getting paid.

If, after all, the team were to justifiably conclude that he has a non-football injury that prevents him from performing, such a decision could wipe out more than four million of his reasons to stay alive.

And that's possibly the tragedy here. In order to avoid losing any of the money that T.O. so thoroughly covets, Owens and his handlers might be deciding to ignore whether there are any deeper issues at work not because acknowledging such problems would be stigmatizing but because doing so could wreak havoc on his financial condition.

WHAT THE HELL IS A SQUIDOO?

We've added a new partner recently. Squidoo.

We're still not quite sure what the hell a Squidoo is, but by clicking the link at the top of the page in the right margin you'll be able to set up -- for the low, low price of nothing -- a personalized pro football Team Page, with a PFT flavor to it.

Here's a sample from some guy who likes the Eagles. (We suspect he'll be adding a "better luck next time" message of condolence to T.O.)

It's like that MySpace thing, which we still don't quite understand because we're old and stuff. You make a page and pump it up with stuff about teams you like, teams you hate, players who puke out of car windows, and whatever else you want to say.

Do it now. It's free. F-R-E-E. Just like this site.

HARMONIZING THURMAN, ROBINSON SITUATIONS

Plenty of readers have asked us how in the world Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman was so swiftly and abruptly suspended for one year for violating the substance abuse policy while Packers receiver Koren Robinson is still playing football despite basically engaging in the same conduct.

Thurman had been serving a four-game suspension for violation of the substance abuse policy. Within days after a DUI arrest, the suspension was extended to a full season.

Robinson served a four-game suspension in 2004, and per published reports he still was in Stage Three of the program. Thus, one more violation of the policy should trigger a one-year banishment. In August, Robinson was arrested for DUI, reckless driving, and felony fleeing after leading police on a lengthy chase at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.

As far as we can tell, the difference in the situations arises from the specific restrictions placed on Thurman when his four-game suspension was imposed. There often is negotiation between the league, the NFLPA, and the player when the time comes to impose discipline under the substance abuse policy. Just like a criminal prosecution or any other legal proceeding, it often makes sense to resolve a situation informally. It provides certainty, and it frees up all interested parties to work on and worry about other things.

In this case, our guess is that there was a agreement between Thurman and the league that if he made one more false move his four-game suspension automatically would be extended to a full season. There's simply no other way that it all could have happened so swiftly. The most telling point in this regard, in our view, is that Thurman hasn't been banished for a full year as of Wednesday. Instead, Thurman is getting credit for the three games he already has missed (and the fourth one he would have missed anyway on Sunday) as part of the total 16-game suspension.

We're not saying that Robinson won't ultimately be suspended for a year. The wheels very well might be in motion. But, in Thurman's case, we think that the ball was already on the tee.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Thurman will be welcome in Cincinnati, if/when he is reinstated to the NFL. His locker has been cleaned out and reassigned, and coach Marvin Lewis says, "We've told him not to be around here."

And it's not as if reinstatement is a lock. Thurman needs to comply with random testing requirements and other aspects of his treatment plan during his banishment. If he fails, the suspension will be extended -- just as it was for running back Onterrio Smith.

HENRY MUST GO?

As to the other guys who were in the car with Odell Thurman on Sunday night (and the arrest video -- in which his Social Security Number inexplicably appeared before it was later removed -- can be seen right here), Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer is calling for Lewis to sit Chris Henry on Sunday as punishment for his role in the incident. We think Lewis should just dump the guy. The problem, however, is that of the various miscreants who currently infest the Cincinnati locker room, Henry is pretty damn good, which surely is prompting Lewis to continue to look the other way.

But here's an intriguing twist. Receiver Chad Johnson made one catch for eleven yards on Sunday against the Steelers. Henry and T.J. Houshmandzadeh each caught two touchdown passes. Johnson was dejected on the sidelines, and quarterback Carson Palmer had to tell him to suck it up. Johnson suggested that he "grew up" during the game because he realized that he doesn't need to be the star for the team to win.

Bull, we say.

Who doesn't think that Johnson is now realizing that poisoning Lewis and/or the locker room against Henry is the best way to get back his catches? And Henry has provided plenty of ammunition for it.

UPDATE: Here's another layer of intrigue. A reader has alerted us to the fact that the guy who is calling for Lewis to bench Henry is the same guy who wrote Chad Johnson's recently-released book. Hmmmm.

POSTED 9:42 p.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

T.O.'S "PUBLICIST" APPARENTLY HAS ONE CLIENT

One of the questions we're getting from multiple readers in the wake of Wednesday afternoon's train wreck clumsily described as a press conference is this: How hard is Donovan McNabb laughing right now?

The other more pressing question is this: Who in the hell is Kim Etheredge?

Thanks to some information we received from readers, and from a little Internets sleuthing of our own, here's our answer.

We don't really know.

Terrell Owens' "publicist" is, by all appearances, a Tom Hagen of the P.R. world -- a one-client show. We could find nothing linking her to any firm or business providing such services to other athletes or, for that matter, anyone.

But she is a bit of an entrepreneur. Apparently, she is a part owner in a company that specializes in hair products for mixed-race consumers. (She's not, we suspect, a chiropractor in Florida.) On the "Who Are We?" page of the site, the girl on the right looks a lot like the woman who was at the press conference on Wednesday.

(UPDATE: A reader noticed that the link to the "Who Are We?" page is title female "entrepaneurs" [sic]. Said the reader, "I guess they don't have much "statue" in the business.)

It appears that she became Owens' publicist at some point in the summer of 2005, after Owens and agent Drew Rosenhaus embarked on a campaign to get him a new contract in Philly, or a ticket out of town. One of her first tasks was to proclaim that Owens missed a post-practice autograph session in August 2005 "because he was injured."

In June 2006, she claimed that Owens was misquoted when he said that he was misquoted in the book bearing his name.

On Tuesday night, Etheredge was with Owens when he became "groggy" and she called 911.

And her most famous (or infamous) moment came on Wednesday, when she said that Owens "has 25 million reasons why he should stay alive." (As if the rest of us schmoes with far less cash should take no solace in things like our families.)

We also have a feeling that there might be something more than a master-servant arrangement between the two. At one point on Wednesday, Etheredge used the phrase "when he came home from work." That specific choice of words implies, in our opinion, that she lives with Owens.

We won't speculate any further as to the nature of the relationship, but we can't imagine that a guy with 25 million reasons why he should stay alive would retain the services of a "publicist" with no other clients, no apparent P.R. business, and no obvious skills at projecting her "client" to the public in a favorable light.

POSTED 4:53 p.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

TIME FOR THE T.O. FREAK SHOW TO END

We gave Terrell Owens a clean slate earlier on Wednesday. We're now breaking the thing over our knee.

The guy either has no mental or emotional disorders and is thus simply a congenital asshole, or he is so deep in denial and so insulated by apologists and enablers that he'll never try to get help.

Then there's the third option -- that the suggestion of a suicide attempt was a ruse aimed at generating attention for a guy who has taken a back seat so far this season.

Regardless of how this all happened, we cannot wait until the day that we no longer have to type his name.

And who in the hell is this Kim Etheredge person? "Must be nice to have a 'live-in' publicist," remarked one league insider. "I hope she cooks and cleans for him too."

The source also noted: "Does Kim know his 25 million reasons only exist if he plays and earns every dollar on his 'day-to-day' contract?"

Speaking of his "25 million reasons" to live, another league insider thinks that maybe -- just maybe -- Owens is denying the suicide attempt in order to avoid ultimate placement on the non-football injury list, which would permit the team to not pay him the balance of his $5 million salary. By our calculations, the amount in the balance would be $4.18 million. And then there's his signing bonus, part of which would be vulnerable to forfeiture if it were determined that Owens was unable to practice or play due to intentional conduct.

We also wonder how long coach Bill Parcells will tolerate this stuff. A league insider who heard Parcells' press conference from earlier in the afternoon is convinced that Parcells is fed up with having to deal with the extra crap that having Owens on the team entails. Even if there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything that has transpired, the fact is that, once again, Owens is at the center of a surreal series of events. It's the last thing that any NFL team needs only three weeks into a season, and it very well could literally be the last thing Parcells will put up with from Owens.

And how does the Tuna feel about Owens' "publicist" getting a spot on the podium in front of the backdrop with the Cowboys' star and the Dr. Pepper logos. "It looks to me as though [she] took the opportunity to get some publicity for herself out into the sports community," said the league insider who wondered whether she also cooks and cleans. "There is no other reason for her to be given access to a press conference held at a team facility. . . . I understand she was an eyewitness to the events that transpired, but that is what the media locations outside the facility are for, not the actual team facilities. Those are almost exclusively limited to team personnel, players, in some unique situations their agents, and the media covering events."

Bottom line -- we're done with the guy. It remains to be seen whether the Cowboys have gotten to that point as well.

POSTED 3:43 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 4:56 p.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

T.O. DENIES SUICIDE ATTEMPT

Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens said moments ago that he did not attempt suicide on Tuesday. Instead, he claimed that he was groggy due to a mixture of pain pills and "supplements" -- and that the supposed overdose of pills was the result of a misunderstanding. He said that the pills he supposedly took were in a drawer. He said he was "out of it" when talking to others last night regarding his condition.

He opened a 3:35 p.m. EDT press conference by apologizing to the organization for the distraction, and he later said that he plans to play on Sunday.

Owens said he's not depressed, and that he's happy.

After Owens left the podium, Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, confirmed that she placed the call to 911, and that Owens was not coherent when he supposedly said "yes" in response to a question as to whether he was trying to harm himself.

Etheredge denies telling police officers that Owens was depressed, and that she took pills out of his mouth. She called the situation an allergic reaction.

"He has 25 million reasons why he should be alive," she proclaimed with a smile before abruptly leaving the podium.

(Note to Kim: Making an implicit reference to the financial value of his current football contract as the primary reason for him to be alive really won't do much to engender positive vibes for your "client." Also, the word is "stature" -- not "statue." Even Kramer knows that.)

UPDATE: We're blessed with an audience full of smart, funny readers. Here's what one of them had to say about Etheredge's "25 million reasons" remark: "Like rich people don't commit suicide. Maybe [Drew] Rosenhaus should have taken the podium. A 'next question' answer would have been less offensive."

POSTED 2:40 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 3:23 p.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

TUNA CLUELESS

Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference that he doesn't really know anything about the questions swirling around receiver Terrell Owens.

Parcells said that he isn't even aware of Owens' whereabouts, despite the fact that Owens apparently has arrived at the same facility from which Parcells was speaking.

Owens is supposed to address the media at 3:15 p.m. Stay tuned.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ONE-LINERS

The Lions have cut WR Corey Bradford.

Baseballer-turned-footballer-turned-couchsitter-turned-footballer Drew Henson has signed with the Vikings practice squad.

CB Hank Poteat is back with the Pats; CB Randall Gay has been placed on IR.

There might be a conflict between the World Series and two of the Raiders' home games. (Where have we heard that before?)

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

DIVINE INTERVENTION FOR ALEXANDER?

Maybe God really does care about sports. Or maybe He simply has Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander on His fantasy team.

Either way, it looks like the Big Referee in the Sky could be hooking up Alexander for Sunday night's game in Chicago, even though Alexander has a broken bone in his foot.

According to Mike Sando of the Tacoma News Tribune, the Almighty might be hitting the pause button on efforts to arrange life-saving miracles so that He can go Ernest Angley on Alexander's hoof.

Per the report, the appendage stopped hurting on Tuesday, and Alexander thinks that he has been healed through prayer.

Look, we mean no disrespect at all to the Entity Who Created Us All. Surely, He exists. Surely, He cares about us.

But we find it hard to fathom that God would pull an abra-cadabra on a broken bone in the foot of a pro athlete in a case where nothing of any real significance depends on it.

Alexander already has had his share of miracles. He's wealthy. He's famous. He's in a position to buy the YMCA building in his hometown and let it go to pot before being forced to clean it up under the threat of fines.

So we tend to think that, if God is going to be giving out any miracles this week, they'll go to folks who might not have already been as fortunate in this life as Alexander.

POSTED 12:29 p.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

T.O. OUT OF HOSPITAL

Well, folks, our clean slate for T.O. is already getting dirty.

There are multiple reports that Owens already has been released from the hospital, and his handlers are suggesting that he was "groggy" when he said "yes" in response to a question from authorities as to whether he was trying to harm himself after an overdose of prescription paid medication.

We've got a bad feeling that, rather than attempting to determine whether there are deeper issues that drove T.O. to swallow those pills (and to generally act like a butthole for the past year or so), the effort will focus on polishing and/or preserving his image.

And if, as some reports are now suggesting, the overdose was the result of a bizarre interaction of medications, etc., we hope that all relevant information regarding this matter will be made available so that the public can decide whether it was an accident, whether it was a grab for attention, or whether Owens might have a deeper problem that, by all appearances, is still being ignored.

POSTED 10:49 a.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

BEST WISHES TO T.O.

We'd never thought we'd say this, but we feel bad for Terrell Owens.

Though there are some out there who believe that T.O.'s reported suicide attempt was a warped, twisted strategy for engendering sympathy from a society that almost unanimously has written him off as a jerk or worse, we believe that if he really did try to end his life there are deeper questions that need to be answered before he ever puts on a football helmet -- or before he even leaves the hospital.

The first order of business should be a complete and thorough psychiatric evaluation, performed by a leading expert in the field. The goal should be to find out exactly what he did and why he did it, and to determine whether he has any mental illness or mood disorder that requires medication and/or treatment.

Clinical depression is still regarded by many as a stigmatizing condition. Thousands suffer with it silently, for fear that they'll be labeled as "crazy" or "lazy" by friends, coworkers, and family members. But maybe some of the bizarre behaviors we've seen from Owens over the past few years were the manifestation of an actual defect in his mind that, like a broken finger or a torn ligament, needs proper care in order to heal.

We're not saying that Owens is or isn't suffering from any form of mental or emotional illness. We're saying that he needs to be checked out thoroughly -- and that those close to him need to fully support him in this regard, including his family, his head coach, his teammates, and his agent.

If his suicide attempt (and some, most, or all of his other conduct over the past year or so) was the result of a condition that can be treated and cured, then he'll be a better man for it moving forward.

Also, if he does suffer from clinical depression or some other mental illness (and again we're not saying that he does), he has an excellent opportunity to help strip away the stigma, and to persuade others who have not received treatment to explore the possibility that some of the challenges in their lives might be the result of issues beyond their control.

Of course, there always will be cynics and skeptics. And we usually are carrying the flag. In this case, however, we're going to give Owens a clean slate.

But we're also going to pay close attention to how the situation is handled moving forward. In the end, we might conclude that he doesn't deserve our sympathy. For now, though, we think he does.

Finally, AOL's Jamie Mottram raised a great question during a brief chat we had with him on a special edition of Sports Blogger Live not long after the story broke. If Owens has a deeper problem, should the fans or the media feel guilty for compounding the situation by scrutinizing and criticizing him?

The answer, in our view, is a resounding no. Pro athletes voluntarily assume a very visible and public position in our culture. Many of them say and do stupid, selfish, and/or irresponsible things. There is no obligation on the part of the media or the fans to attempt to distinguish players who are simply jerks from those whose actions are the result of health problems.

It is, we believe, the responsibility of the persons who are making a dollar (or, as the case may be, thousands and/or millions of them) from the pro athlete's skills and performance to monitor whether the situation is more serious than the guy simply being a buffoon. Coaches, owners, agents, general managers, etc. are in the best position to spot a potential issue, and to deal with it. For the same reason that medical care is sought and received when a possible physical problem arises, these persons should be ready and willing to encourage the player to seek and receive medical care when a mental or emotional problem arises.

Until that happens, the media and the fans are entitled to presume that the player is merely a jerk. After it happens, we all have an obligation to consider the situation very carefully before making any further judgments.

POSTED 9:37 a.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

T.O. TRIED SUICIDE

Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens was hospitalized on Tuesday night not due to an allergic reaction to medication, but because he tried to commit suicide.

Several media outlets are reporting the news. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, a Dallas police report says that Owens "ingested a large amount of prescription medication." The report also states that, when police asked Owens if he attempted to harm himself, he said yes.

UPDATE: Here's a link to the police report, courtesy of the SmokingGun.

Wow. Don't know what else to say about this one for now.

POSTED 9:11 a.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

KURT HAD A CONCUSSION?

We're hearing that some members of the Arizona Cardinals believed during Sunday's game against the Rams that quarterback Kurt Warner was suffering from an undiagnosed concussion.

Three years ago, Warner was hospitalized with a concussion after a season-opening loss to the New York Giants.

The situation again gives rise to the question of whether and to what extent the training and medical staff are able and/or willing to yank a guy who might or might not be fit to play.

It's not clear whether Warner's performance on Sunday, including three interceptions and a game-clinching fumble, was affected by a return case of bumpus-on-the-nogginus, but if he got Quasimodoed (or, for that matter, Fullymodoed) and stayed in the game we can understand his struggles. Still, and as we discussed with Todd Wright of Sporting News Radio on Tuesday night, Warner's overall level of play -- whether due to injury, age, or ineffectiveness -- dipped markedly in 2002, and he has hovered in the good-but-not-great category ever since.

And perhaps it's the belief that Warner got his brain banged up on Sunday that prompted coach Dennis Green to keep him in the starting lineup. Based on things we've picked up behind the scenes, it's pretty clear to us that Green did initially plan to bench Warner and insert Matt Leinart into the starting lineup on Sunday at Atlanta, but that Green thereafter changed his mind.

Maybe Green merely wanted to light a fire under Warner. Or maybe Green realized that once he goes with Leinart it will be difficult to go back to Warner. Either way, a loss on Sunday to the Falcons will drop one of this season's "it" teams to 1-3, which might force Green to use Leinart now . . . or risk not being the guy who gets to use him in 2007.

MANNING FACING A SUSPENSION?

A league source with knowledge of the Ricky Manning Jr. situation in Chicago suspects that Manning could be suspended for "a couple of games" following his no contest plea to felony assault charges on Tuesday. The suspension would be imposed by the Commissioner pursuant to the league's Personal Conduct Policy.

Manning must fulfill three years of probation, 100 hours of community service, and 52 weeks of anger management in connection with an April incident at a Westwood Denny's, in which a man working on a computer was allegedly taunted and then attacked by Manning and others. The victim, Soroush Sabzi, filed a lawsuit against Manning and others in May 2006 for injuries sustained in the fracas.

Said Bears G.M. Jerry Angelo on Tuesday: "We are disappointed in Ricky's involvement in the incident that occurred this past April. Situations like these are embarrassing to our football team and create unnecessary distractions. We will continue to follow the NFL's personal conduct policy, which retains jurisdiction on this issue."

Despite the no-contest plea, Manning's agent suggests that Manning wasn't the real culprit. "Ricky Manning is not the person who beat this individual, who punched this individual and caused injuries," said James Ivler. "The district attorney acknowledged this in open court, which is why probation was accepted by the judge in a felony assault charge. It is a bitter pill to swallow, but if there [was] a trial, there [was] the chance of missing time, and if something crazy happens, he's going to jail. Ricky was there, there was an altercation and a physical touching. He put himself in a bad situation."

We're not so sure we buy that one. Innocent men don't often confess guilt, especially with a justice system that would prefer to let 10 guilty men go free than to put one innocent man away.

The fact that Manning already was on probation for a May 2002 assault charge converted what otherwise would have been a misdemeanor charge to a felony. Although the news reports in this regard aren't clear, Manning apparently won't face incarceration for violation of his prior probation. If, however, he violates his latest probation or commits any criminal offenses, he'll be signing a four-year contract with the Mean Machine, where the roster bonus is a box of Soap-on-a-Roap.

Manning signed an offer sheet with the Chicago Bears only a day or so before the arrest. The Panthers did not match the terms of the deal, and received a third-round draft pick as compensation for the departure of the restricted free agent.

Also implicated in the incident was Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Charges against him, however, were later dropped.

For all the fantasy football effects of today's NFL news, check out the PFT Fantasy Mill.

POSTED 12:25 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:27 a.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

T.O. HOSPITALIZED

More information is coming out regarding the status of Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens. ESPN is now airing basic information regarding a report out of Texas that Owens has been hospitalized for undisclosed reasons, and there's an AP story regarding the situation.

Meanwhile, CBS-TV 11 in Dallas has a story on its site regarding the situation.

Here's another link on the matter. Owens might have had an adverse reaction to medication that he is taking following last week's surgery.

(Editor's note: Here's our list of the five possible reasons for the hospitalization, which apparently included an effort to induce vomiting: (5) bit by fire ant while doing sit-ups in his driveway; (4) saw a picture of Bill Parcells without his shirt on; (3) bad black-and-white cookie from Schnitzer's Bakery; (2) spent the bye week finally reading his book; and (1) "Dear Terrell, I'd like to put our past problems behind us. Please accept this spinach salad as a peace offering. Love, Donovan.")

POSTED 12:00 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 12:17 a.m. EDT, September 27, 2006

SOMETHING'S UP WITH T.O.?

There are unsubstantiated Internet swirlings of a report from CBS-TV 11 in Dallas regarding the health of Terrell Owens.

This information is uncorroborated, but it appears on a least one message board and was e-mailed to us minutes ago.

Here's the quote: "Just reported on CBS 11 news in Dallas that T.O. was taken to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. They said that doctors are trying to induce vomiting. They also said a Dallas Police Public Relations officer was headed over there to take care of what they called a 'high profile' case. They had no more details than that. No link as of yet either."

Again, this is all uncorroborated right now. We're checking it out. There is nothing on the CBS 11 web site about it, and we are searching elsewhere for more information. Here's the link to the message board.

Owens had surgery last week to repair a broken finger. His recovery has been progressing normally.

CHARGERS' SAFETY CHARGED

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that Chargers starting safety Terrence Kiel has been arrested on drug charges.

Kiel was charged with possession, possession for sale, and transportation of a controlled substance, per the report.

DEA agents arrived at the team's practice facility on Tuesday with an arrest warrant for Kiel. The authorities then searched Kiel and his car, and took him away. He was later released on $150,000 bond.

And, once again, Playmakers was a grossly unrealistic depiction of real life in the NFL.

EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

Notwithstanding the above, coach Bill Parcells said on Tuesday that Cowboys WR Terrell Owens (finger) will practice on Wednesday.

Former Raiders WR Tim Brown says that the team's current offense was outdated when the team was using it in the 1990s.

The Chargers have placed TE Aaron Shea on IR.

Vikings WR Marcus Robinson was a healthy scratch on Sunday.

The reaction of Cardinals' fans to the new stadium name has been mixed.

Vikings TE Jermaine Wiggins is getting a lot less action of late.

Fins DT Keith Traylor has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges, and will likely face some type of consequence pursuant to the Personal Conduct Policy.

POSTED 10:57 p.m. EDT, September 26, 2006

CARDS NOW LINKED TO MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Perhaps it's fitting, given the number of pro football players who unwind (either once in a blue moon or more frequently) by puffing on a doobie. But our guess is that it's just the latest example of a boneheaded business decision made by a franchise that has done little right during its long existence.

Multiple readers have apprised us that John Sperling, the founder of the University of Phoenix, is a major proponent of the legalization of marijuana. (Google "John Sperling" and "marijuana," and you'll see what we mean.) His company will pay $154 million over the next 20 years for the right to slap its name on the Arizona Cardinals' new stadium.

Sperling is still the Chairman of the Board of Apollo Group, Inc., the publicly-traded parent company of the University of Phoenix. Sperling also once funded a project to clone his dead dog, and he actively supports many liberal causes.

So, in addition to the fact that the Cards' decision could alienate the "real" universities that provide the NFL with a free farm system by legitimizing the University of Phoenix, the relationship gives the team (and, in turn, the image-obsessed league) a direct link to a for-profit company whose profits have been used for the spearheading of efforts to decriminalize marijuana use.

POSTED 8:15 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 9:49 p.m. EDT, September 26, 2006

NO PINK TACOS, AFTER ALL

Weeks after spurning an offer from the Pink Taco restaurant chain to slap its name on their new stadium, the Arizona Cardinals have sold the naming rights to their new digs for a whopping $154 million over 20 years to the University of Phoenix.

The deal has an average value of $7.7 million per year.

The "University" has 323,000 students, most of whom get their education over the Internet. It has no football team.

Frankly, we can't understand why the Cardinals turned up thei

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