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POSTED 11:56 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

TIKI RULES OUT A RETURN

Former Giants running back Tiki Barber ruled out after Sunday night's clash between his old team and the Dallas Cowboys a possible return to the field.

In response to the near-hysterical suggestions from John Madden that the Giants will call Tiki and that Madden would be calling Tiki if Madden were the coach, Barber said, "I don't think there's a way at all [that I would return]. . . .  I'll let you know if they call."

"Oh, they'll call," Madden said. 

John apparently doesn't read the papers and/or doesn't remember the ongoing feud between Barber and coach Tom Coughlin.  Frankly, we think Coughlin would invite Madden to play tailback for the team before calling Barber.

The Giants lost starter Brandon Jacobs on Sunday night to a knee sprain.  Other injuries included quarterback Eli Manning, who left late with a shoulder injury, and defensive end Osi Umenyiora.

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POSTED 11:43 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

THE BLOWN CALL THAT NO ONE NOTICED

The decisive play in the Sunday night game between the Cowboys and the Giants, a long touchdown pass to Sam Hurd on third down and seven that pushed the Dallas lead back to ten points, should have never happened.

An instant before the ball was snapped, Cowboys wideout Patrick Crayton stepped forward in his stance, and the play should have been blown dead, with an illegal procedure penalty called against Dallas.

The gaffe by Crayton was unnoticed by the officials or by the announcers. 

We grabbed the TiVo remote and confirmed it.  Crayton had come in motion from right to left, had stopped and assumed his pre-snap position, and then stepped forward right before the snap.  He even remained in place, as if he assumed the whistle would blow.

It didn't.

With coach Tom Coughlin's job on the line, he's got every right to be pissed about that one.

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POSTED 10:52 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

PACE OUT FOR THE YEAR?

Jay Glazer of FOX reported on The O.T. that Rams left tackle Orlando Pace may be out for the year with a shoulder injury suffered during Sunday's loss to the Panthers.

Per the report, Pace will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury.

Pace, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 draft, missed seven games in 2006.  The team's official depth chart shows no No. 2 left tackle. 

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POSTED 10:09 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

JACOBS OUT WITH A SPRAINED KNEE

Andrea Kremer of NBC reports that Giants running back Brandon Jacobs is out for the remainder of Sunday night's game with a sprained knee.

Jacobs will have an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury.

Derrick Ward and Reuben Droughns are carrying the load in Jacobs' absence.

Jacobs, who became a short-yardage touchdown machine last season as the backup to Tiki Barber, is supposed to become the workhorse in 2007.  Jacobs' ability to stay healthy was the primary concern; but no one thought that Jacobs would go down so soon.

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POSTED 9:08 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:26 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

MIKE BROWN OUT FOR THE YEAR, AGAIN?

Officially, Bears safety Mike Brown has a knee sprain.  Unofficially, it might be worse than that.

After Sunday's loss to the Chargers, Brown broke down while talking to reporters about the injury.

"It's another sad day in the chapter of my football-playing career," Brown said. "I don't know what else to tell you guys."

As the Chicago Tribune points out, the Bears called quarterback Rex Grossman's 2004 ACL tear a knee sprain, too.

Brown previously suffered season-ending injuries in 2004 and 2006.

UPDATE:  We're hearing rumblings that Brown has a torn ACL.  We're also hearing that Bears defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek has suffered a knee injury.

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POSTED 8:28 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

KEVIN EVERETT IN EMERGENCY SURGERY

Peter King of NBC reports that Bills tight end Kevin Everett currently is in emergency surgery to repair a cervical spinal injury suffered during Sunday's game against the Broncos.

Everett's injury is the most serious of a rash of injuries suffered by the Bills on Sunday.  Cornerback Jason Webster fractured an arm.  Linebacker Coy Wire injured an MCL.  Safety Ko Simpson broke an ankle.

It's a horrendous start for the Bills, but all of those injuries are eclipsed by the serious situation involving Everett.  We'll kee you posted as to the reports.

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POSTED 6:08 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 6:30 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

JOE BUCK SHOULD STICK TO BASEBALL

Part of the problem with being a smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all is that, when said smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all makes a mistake, folks who don't like the smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all will focus far more heavily on the gaffe than if the person committing the error were not a smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all.

Though we really don't have an opinion one way or the other on the smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all named Joe Buck, we've been flooded with e-mails regarding the fact that he continues to refer to Chargers receiver Craig Davis as "Buster Davis" during the Week One game between San Diego and Chicago.

Buck is at least in the ballpark; Buster Davis was a third-round pick in the 2007 draft.  But there's no reason for him to be confusing Craig Davis with Buster Davis; Buster was selected by the Cardinals, cut on September 1, and signed to the Lions' practice squad.  He has no connection to the Chargers or the Bears.

The e-mails we received complained about Buck calling Craig "Buster" on multiple occasions in the first half.  We heard it with own our ears twice regarding the same play in the third quarter.  And then four more times just before we posted this items, as Davis was preparing to return a punt.

Apart from the fact that Buck doesn't know the Chargers' lineup as well as he should, why isn't someone telling him that he's got it wrong?

We realize that Buck is "the guy" at FOX, but maybe it's asking too much for "a guy" to handle baseball and football. 

UPDATE:  We're now getting e-mails from people who are telling us that Davis's nickname is "Buster."  Some initial Googling suggests that they are right.  Still, Buck needs to make it more clear that he's using a nickname and that he merely isn't getting the guy's name wrong.  He's officially listed as "Craig Davis"; by calling him "Buster" with another guy in the NFL whose name is "Buster Davis," Buck is inviting criticism.  Especially since he's a smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all, in our opinion.

SECOND UPDATE:  As evidenced by all of the e-mails I've received confirming that Craig is also "Buster," I've learned that the problem with being a smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all Internet hack is that when said smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all Internet hack makes a mistake, folks who don't like the smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all Internet hack will focus far more heavily on the gaffe than if the person committing the error were not a smarmy, metrosexual know-it-all Internet hack.

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POSTED 5:58 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

CALVIN JOHNSON HITS PAYDIRT

Lions rookie receiver Calvin Johnson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 draft, has already generated a return on the investment, hitting the end zone in the third quarter of his first game.

Johnson's 16-yard touchdown reception pushed the score of the Lions-Raiders games to 17-0.

In all, Johnson has three receptions for 58 yards and one score.

Quarterback Jon Kitna, who has suggested that he can throw 50 touchdown passes in 2007, already has two.  But for an interception in the end zone in the first quarter, he might have three.

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POSTED 5:14 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:42 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

CHIEFS TRY TO MAKE CHICKEN SALAD

The Chiefs, a playoff team in 2006, were flat-out embarrassed by the Texans, a perennial loser.  So what should the team's P.R. department talk about in the post-game notes released to the media?

Apparently, something other than the final score.

The notes lead off with this boast:  "KC's defense did not permit any offensive points in the first quarter, marking the eighth time in 17 regular season games under Herm Edwards the club has accomplished that feat." 

Unfortunately, NFL games continue to be four quarters in length.

Hey, we realize that the P.R. staff of any franchise needs to put out something that reflects well on the team, even after a loss.  But bragging about allowing no points in the first quarter where 20 were scored by Houston in the next three -- and only three were scored by the Chiefs in all four -- seems to be a little petty to us.

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BROWNS DO, TOO

The Cleveland Browns also have generated via their P.R. staff a "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, or butt-kicking we just sustained"-style of post-game media notes.

The first entry?  "Browns DB Sean Jones forced the first fumble of his career by forcing Steelers RB Willie Parker to fumble in the second quarter.  The fumble was recovered by LB Antwan Peek, his first fumble recovery as a Brown and the fourth of his career."

We can see it now.  Coach Romeo Crennel is in owner Randy Lerner's office in early October, making the case for his continued employment.  The topic of the first game comes up, and Lerner asks Crennel to talk about the embarrassing loss to their rivals from the AFC North.

"Well," Crennel might say, "Sean Jones forced the first fumble of his career in the second quarter of that game, so we got that going for us . . . which is nice."

 

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POSTED 4:25 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

PACKERS SNAP LAMBEAU SKID

The Green Bay Packers had lost four straight home openers, dating back to the 2003 renovations to Lambeau Field.

The streak ended on Sunday, with a 16-13 win over the Eagles.

As the official stats indicate, neither team was stellar offensively.  Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb completed less than half of his passes, for less than 200 yards.  Packers quarterback Brett Favre had an average per attempt of less than five yards, and inched one more step closer to the all-time interception record.

The difference was the special teams.  For the Eagles, they should have been called the below average teams on Sunday, since two muffed punts delivered 10 points for the Packers.

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POSTED 4:16 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

BRONCOS PLAY BEAT THE CLOCK

The Denver Broncos had a characteristically spotty Week One performance on Sunday in Buffalo.

And, trailing 14-12 late in the game, it looked like another 0-1 start for Coach Kevlar and his troops.

But starting at their own 34 yard line with 2:13 to play, the Broncos got into field goal range and got off -- barely -- the game-winning kick.

On third and 10 from the Bills' 35 with 18 ticks left, quarterback Jay Cutler completed a pass to receiver Javon Walker, who wasn't even close to getting out of bounds.  The Broncos rushed the field goal team onto the field, and got the snap off with only one second left on the clock.

Despite the rush to get the play started before the game ended, the 42-yard kick was perfect.  The Broncos won, 15-14.

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POSTED 4:09 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

RANDLE ALMOST MAKE A "EL" OF A PLAY

With the game between the Redskins and Dolphins winding toward overtime, quarterback Jason Campbell cranked up a Hail Mary throw that conjured images of Kordell-to-Westbrook circa 1994.

But the ball was descending into an area at the front of the end zone where several Miami defenders, including defensive end Jason were ready to knock it down.

And one of them did.  Right into the hands of receiver Antwaan Randle El.

He caught it near the five, and lunge toward the end zone, fumbling out of bounds at the two.  The clocked showed "00," and the game headed to overtime.

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POSTED 4:05 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

BROWN RUNS WILD

Maybe this two-back thing isn't the best idea, after all.

In Jacksonville on Sunday, Titans running backs LenDale White and Chris Brown split touches, with White getting 18 carries and Brown getting 19.

But White turned those 18 carries into 66 yards; Brown cranked out 175, a career high.

Brown's efforts lifted the Titans to a 13-10 win at Jacksonville.  Tennessee quarterback Vince Young completed 11 of 18 passes for 78 yards and an interception, and rushed 11 times for 22 yards and a touchdown.

For Jacksonville, the running game was terrible.  Mo-Jo Drew carried seven times for 32 yards, and Fred Taylor had six carries for 16 yards.  Quarterback David Garrard completed 13 of 17 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown.

The full stats are right here.

Also, Jags coach Jack Del Rio broke out the business attire.  Though we admire his intentions, the ensemble doesn't work.  Unlike Mike Nolan, who when he wears a suit creates the impression that he wants to, Del Rio looks like a guy who was forced to get dressed up by his mother.

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POSTED 3:51 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

GONZALEZ HAD A ROUGH OFFSEASON

Though the 2007 football season is getting off to a rough start for tight end Tony Gonzalez and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs, an 0-16 record won't be as bad as some of the stuff Gonzalez faced in the offseason.

According to Jay Glazer of FOX, Gonzalez was stricken with Bell's palsy, a nerve condition.

"It happened in May I was sitting at home when I lost all the feeling in my tongue, my face and I got this terrible pain in the back of my head," Gonzalez told Glazer.  "Then it started getting worse, like someone was sticking a knife down my neck and in my traps muscle.  I knew something was very wrong.  Actually, I thought I was having a stroke."

Gonzalez also had a potentially more serious scare.  Doctors told him that his white blood cells were dangerously low, and that he needed an emergency transfusion. 

It turned out that the doctors had mixed his results up with someone else's, and that Gonzalez was fine.  Still, that doesn't take away that period of time that Gonzalez genuinely feared for his life.  And that feeling surely was far worse than the worst things that could happen to his football team.

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POSTED 3:22 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 3:27 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

PETERSON MAKES AN IMPACT

Vikings rookie running back Adrian Peterson, the No. 7 overall pick in the draft and the first tailback off of the board, has made a solid impact in his NFL debut. 

With Chester Taylor on the sidelines with a hip injury suffered early in the game, Peterson has rushed 16 times for 86 yards.  And, moments ago, he juggled an arching screen pass before blasting untouched 60 yards for a game-clinching touchdown against the Falcons.

The extent of Taylor's injury is unknown.  But with Peterson playing like he has today, it will be hard for the Vikings to justify a committee approach at tailback.

UPDATE:  Peterson has 101 yards rushing and counting, with less than five minutes to play.

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POSTED 2:59 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

PENNINGTON RETURNS

Though it might be too late to make much of a difference in a regular-season opener that has become a rout, Jets quarterback Chad Pennington is already back from a leg injury that initially appeared to be much worse.

Many Jets fans likely aren't happy about that.

Pennington has been sacked four times.  So Pennington's return might not last very long.

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POSTED 2:54 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

MOSS ARRIVES

Receiver Randy Moss has made his debut with the Pats a memorable one.

With New England leading the Jets 21-7 after Ellis Hobbs returned the opening kickoff of the second half an NFL-record 108 yards for a touchdown, Moss reeled in a 51-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady, pushing the score to 28-7.

Moss has six receptions for 157 yards with seven minutes left in the third quarter.

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POSTED 2:50 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

PENNINGTON OUT

Jet quarterback Chad Pennington started 16 games in 2006, for the first time in his career.

In 2007, the streak might be over at one.

Pennington has left the regular-season opener with a leg injury.  Pennington bravely tried to walk it off, but fell to the ground.

Meanwhile, Jets fans cheered the arrival of Kellen Clemens into the game.  Clemens looked to be the better of the two passers during the preseason.

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POSTED 2:46 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

FRYE ALREADY FRIED

Browns coach Romeo Crennel named Charlie Frye the starting quarterback on a week-to-week basis.

Maybe that should have been quarter-to-quarter.  Or drive-to-drive.

Frye already has been yanked from Cleveland's opener against the Steelers, with the Browns trailing 17-0.  Frye completed four of ten passes for 34 yards, and one interception.

Derek Anderson hasn't been much better, completing three of ten passes for 34 yards.

In coach Mike Tomlin's debut, the Steelers have racked up six first-half sacks.

The second half can be followed right here, on NFL.com's Game Center.

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POSTED 12:55 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

RUSSELL DEAL COMING MONDAY?

Jay Glazer of FOX reports that a deal is expected to be reached between the Raiders and quarterback JaMarcus Russell by Monday.

If so, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft will be at practice on Wednesday.

Stay tuned.

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POSTED 12:45 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

MOSS TO START

ESPN's Sal Paolantonio reports that Randy Moss will start at receiver for the Patriots in his debut with a third NFL team.

Moss suffered a hamstring early in camp, and missed all of the preseason.  A week ago, there were rumors that the Pats were pondering the possibility of cutting Moss, due to concerns that he might not be happy with his role.

But after what Paolantonio earlier called a "spectacular" week of practice, Moss will be with the first-team offense.

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POSTED 12:26 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

FALCONS HAPPY VICK IS GONE?

Jay Glazer of FOX, in his first stint in the studio, reports that there was a general feeling of dislike among the Atlanta Falcons regarding quarterback Mike Vick.

It's not surprising; whenever one guy gets special attention and treatment, resentment is certain to arise among the rest of the organization.

It got so bad that members of the team had a pool prior to the final regular-season game as to when Vick would pull himself out with an injury.

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POSTED 12:20 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

JAGS LOSE THEIR KICKER?

Vic Ketchman of Jaguars.com writes that Jags kicker Josh Scobee "fell over" while kicking during pregame warmups, and that he's now in the locker room.  Rookie punter Adam Podlesh is practicing kickoffs in his absence.

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POSTED 12:15 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

L.J. WILL HAVE DELAYED START

With a rapid-fire round of useful info, Chris Mortensen of ESPN shares some solid tidbits regarding the Week One games.

First, Mort says that Chiefs running back Larry Johnson will have a limited workload in the first half, but that he could get the bulk of the touches in the second half.

Second, Mort reports that Redskins running back Clinton Portis is ready to roll, despite knee tendonitis.

Third, Mort says that Rams receiver Drew Bennett is a surprise inactive due to a thigh injury, and that the Panthers won't dress rookie receiver Dwayne Jarrett due to performance.

Finally, Mort says that Chester Taylor will get the start at tailback in Minnesota, but that Taylor and Adrian Peterson will split touches.

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POSTED 11:46 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:48 a.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

HOT SEAT 2007

When we heard Chris Mortensen of ESPN count down his five coaches on the hot seat in 2007, we realized that we've forgotten to do the same.

And, frankly, we don't need to -- because Mort has pretty much nailed it.

No. 5:  John Fox of the Panthers. 

No. 4:  Norv Turner of the Chargers.

No. 3:  Jack Del Rio of the Jaguars.

No. 2:  Jon Gruden of the Buccaneers.

No. 1:  Tom Coughlin of the Giants.

We also think that Browns coach Romeo Crennel and Cowboys coach Wade Phillips are in the mix, and that abysmal seasons could get Marvin Lewis, Herm Edwards, Mike McCarthy, Lane Kiffin, and/or Brad Childress fired from the Bengals, Chiefs, Packers, Raiders, and/or Vikings, respectively.

In each case, however, the ultimate question that an owner has to ask himself (or herself) is whether the next coach will be better than the current one.  The answer to that question saved Brian Billick in Baltimore after the 2005 season.  With potential big names floating around like Bill Cowher and Jeff Fisher, some owners might be more inclined to make a move.

Apart from possible terminations, we think that there's a good chance that one or more of the following four coaches will move on (or move out) after this year:  Fisher (to a new team, maybe the Cowboys); Joe Gibbs (to retirement); Andy Reid (for a year or two); and Mike Holmgren (to retirement). 

Pats coach Bill Belichick has suggested that he doesn't intend to leave New England at any point in the future -- but Nick Saban said the same thing about Miami.  The fact that Belichick's contractual status isn't publicly known will continue to invite speculation.   

Finally, a second straight Super Bowl could prompt Colts coach Tony Dungy to take some time off, possibly emerging when the next vacancy arises in either Minnesota (where he went to college) or Michigan (where he was born).  Dungy also could be lured to Pittsburgh, if the Mike Tomlin experiment goes the way of Peter Brady's volcano.

 

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GIANTS-COWBOYS PREVIEW

From PFTV, a look at the Sunday night game.

Giants.

Versus Cowboys.

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POSTED 11:28 a.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

LEFTWICH DEFINITELY OUT OF PLANS FOR RAVENS

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that contract talks between the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Byron Leftwich broke down after only three-and-a-half hours, resulting directly in the one-year extension signed by current backup Kyle Boller.

Per Mort, Leftwich will now wait for a team to lose a quarterback to injury, or to bench a starter.

And that means that, if Ravens starter Steve McNair goes down, Leftwich's phone could be ringing again.

Leftwich was cut by the Jaguars on September 1, and David Garrard was installed as the starter.

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POSTED 11:24 a.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

VETERAN RAIDERS PUSHING RUSSELL TO CONTINUE HOLDOUT?

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that several veteran NFL players, including some Raiders, have told quarterback JaMarcus Russell that he will lose respect in the locker room if he caves to the contract demands of owner Al Davis.

It's an intriguing twist to the lingering stalemate.  And, frankly, we're not sure how wise it is for Russell to listen.  At some point, Russell needs to ask himself whether he'll get more from Davis as the No. 1 pick, or whether he wants to take his chances in the 2008 draft.

Russell also might want to take into account all of the money he's losing in interest.  If he'd gotten a deal done in late April, he'd already have more than four months of income on any of the money that was paid to him up front.

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POSTED 11:17 a.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

MOSS HAD "SPECTACULAR" WEEK OF PRACTICE

As you're rounding out your starting lineup for Sunday's Week One fantasy games, keep this in mind regarding Pats receiver Randy Moss.

Per ESPN's Sal Paolantonio, Moss had a "spectacular" week of practice for the Patriots.

Paolantonio also reports that Jets running back Thomas Jones will play despite being listed as questionable for Sunday's showdown with the Patriots.

Man, we wish nine games were'nt starting all at once.  Can't we just get move college football to Friday nights and play NFL games on Saturdays and Sundays?

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POSTED 11:12 a.m. EDT, September 9, 2007

PAYTON PASSED ON SIGNING FORMER COLT

Jay Glazer reports on FSN's Pro Football Preview that Saints coach Sean Payton considered signing a backup quarterback whom the Colts had released, for the purposes of picking up information about audibles, personnel, and the playbook in advance of Thursday night's regular-season opener.

In the end, per Glazer, Payton decided to play it "fair and square."

Um, Sean?  Last time we checked, taking advantage of info possessed by former players of future opponents is fair and square.  There's no rule against it, so it's not against the rules.

Folks, success in football often arises from the mental aspect of the game.  If you can make the other team think you're doing something other than what you're doing (e.g., draw play, play-action pass, zone blitz), things can go very well.  And, likewise, if you can figure out what the other team is going to do, that can lead to positive developments.

"Fair and square" doesn't win championships.  And, in the case of Thursday night's game, it didn't allow the Saints to hold the Colts under 40 points.

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SPEAKING OF FAIR AND SQUARE . . . .

Though Saints coach Sean Payton wasn't willing to take advantage of a twist in the rules that allows teams to get inside info about their opponents because he didn't regard such tactics to be "fair," the Saints had no problem taking advantage of a separate glitch in the rules that gave them an early shot at signing a veteran free agent without having to potentially pay his full salary for the season if he's released.

Per league rules, a vested veteran who is on a team's opening day roster may take the balance of his salary as termination pay, if he is released at any point after the start of the season.  So, every year, there are several vested veterans who are signed after teams play their first games.

For the Saints, playing their first games on Thursday night gave them dibs over the rest of the league on defensive end Renaldo Wynn, whom the Saints inked on Friday.  Is it "fair"?  No.  Did they do it?  Yes.

We've said it before (such as when the Steelers signed Najeh Davenport after last year's Thursday night opener):  The rule regarding the salary of vested veterans should apply to vested veterans signed at any point before the end of Week One.

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POSTED 10:38 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:52 a.m. EDT, September 8, 2007

NO DEAL YET FOR RUSSELL

Amid optimism that a contract might be signed by No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell before the season opener, David White and Nancy Gay of the San Francisco Chronicle report that talks continue, but that no deal is done.

Face-to-face meetings began on Friday and continued into Saturday, stretching into Saturday night.

We've previously heard that the Raiders have offered guaranteed money in excess of $30 million, but that the Russell camp wanted something in the range of $35 million.  A league source explains to us that, given the amount of money remaining in the rookie pool and in light of the 25-percent rule regarding annual contract growth for rookies, the maximum amount of truly guaranteed money that Russell can get is in the range of $29 million.

But there are other guarantees that aren't really guarantees -- such as the so-called "falling off the log bonus," which is a significant lump-sum paid if the player participates in at least 35 percent of the offensive or defensive snaps as a rookie, and 45 percent in later years. 

One of the other major sticking points has been the option bonus.  Russell's people want to maximize the option bonus, because no amount of it is subject to forfeiture.  The Raiders want to minimize it, so that they will be able to use the potential recovery of money as leverage to keep Russell in line.

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NETWORK CATFIGHT CONTINUES TO UNFOLD

Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News comments on the storm of criticism that has settled over the shaven skull of Tiki Barber, who'll officially make his regular-season debut on NBC's Football Night in America (and We're Running Out of Smart-Ass Comments to Make in Parentheses Whenever We Mention the Name of the Show).

Raismann takes the cynical view (as we usually do), arguing that many of the analysts slamming Barber for slamming the Soup Nazi are hoping to build up their own shows and tear down NBC's.  But if that was the case wouldn't guys from FOX and CBS and ESPN be more inclined to simply ignore Barber?  Why generate even more buzz for Baber, which in turn will prompt more folks to tune in to NBC to find out what Barber will say next?

It could be in this case that the folks are merely speaking their minds -- that Barber's comments make him come off as arrogant, short-sighted, and self-absorbed.  And that really shouldn't surprise anyone, since as far as we can tell Tiki is each of those things.

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POSTED 10:28 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:09 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2007

REYNOLDS' LAWSUIT POINTS TO SALISBURY CELL PHONE SHENANIGANS

We knew it would happen.  The moment we read that Sean Salisbury of ESPN was suspended for a week after showing cell phone photos of Lil' Sean to co-workers, we knew that Harold Reynolds, formerly of ESPN, would make an issue of the fact that Reynolds' termination based on merely hugging a co-worker was unfairly harsh.

We knew it would happen because it was obvious to us that Reynolds was treated differently (i.e., worse) than Salisbury.

Now, Richard Sandomir of the New York Times reports that Reynolds is pointing to the incident as evidence of a racial bias at ESPN. 

Though Sandomir's story doesn't name Salisbury, Sandomir refers to "an analyst [who] showed a cellphone photograph of his genitals to male and female employees and received a one-week suspension."

Sandomir also mentions the fact that Jay Crawford and Woody Paige of ESPN2's defunct Cold Pizza have been sued for sexual harassment.  Both are still on the network, and no apparent discipline was imposed on either of them.

But to the extent that Reynolds is trying to prove that ESPN goes easier on white employees than it does on African-Americans, Reynolds overlooks the fact that ESPN yanked Brian Kinchen (who is white) off of the air for using the phrase "kinda gay" during a college football telecast.  As far as we can tell, Kinchen never was reinstated.

Reynolds also ignores the fact that Bristol bent over backwards to keep Michael Irvin, who wasn't fired after failing to disclose an arrest for possession of drug paraphernalia.  Likewise, ESPN has a significant number of minority analysts.

Hey, we've got plenty of gripes about the Worldwide Leader in Sports.  But, in our view, it's not a racist organization.

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PFT MEDIA FANTASY CHALLENGE IS UNDERWAY

Though we won't bore you with many (some of you would prefer that word to be "any") details regarding the PFT Media Fantasy Challenge, we'll be mentioning it from time to time.  Especially when the PFT  entry wins.

The action gets rolling on Sunday, via NFL.com's League Mananger system.  For Week One, yours truly takes on Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com.  Michael Fabiano of NFL.com faces Paul Allen of KFAN.  Seth Wickersham of ESPN The Magazine (who already picked up 40 points on Thursday night with Joe Addai and Reggie Wayne) squares off against Sean Jensen of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (who has 29 from Peyton Manning).  Jeff Chadiha of ESPN.com plays Nancy Gay of the San Francsico Chronicle. 

Adam Schefter of NFLN meets Todd Wright of Sporting News Radio.  Tom Curran of NBCSports.com faces Dave Richard of CBSSports.com.  Gregg Rosenthal of Rotoworld.com hits the e-turf against Adam Schein of Sirius NFL Radio.  And Eddie George of FSN's Pro Football Preview challenges Adam Caplan of Scout.com.   

We'll post the results on Tuesday.  But only if I kick Freeman's ass.

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POSTED 8:43 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2007

WEEK ONE INJURY HIGHLIGHTS

From Friday's final injury report, here are some of the noteworthy entries and/or omissions:

Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jackson is questionable with a back injury; he did not practice on Friday.

Vikings receiver Robert Ferguson is questionable with an ankle injury.  Ferguson practiced on Friday, but was limited.

Panthers cornerback Chris Gamble is questionable with an ankle injury.  He practiced on Friday without limitation.

Rams receiver Drew Bennett is questionable with a thigh injury.  He was a limited participant in practice.  Rams receiver Torry Holt is not mentioned on the injury report.

Chargers running back Michael Turner (ankle) is probable.  He fully participated in practice on Friday.

Broncos tight end Stephen Alexander is questionable due to a calf injury.  He was limited in practice on Friday.

Lions running back Kevin Jones is doubtful, but practiced on Friday in limited fashion.

Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter (knee) is probable.  He fully participated in practice on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Redskins running back Clinton Portis and left tackle Chris Samuels are probable with knee injuries.  Both practiced without limitation on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Pats quarterback Tom Brady appears yet again on the injury report as probable with a shoulder injury.  Randy Moss is not designated as probable, questionable, doubtful, or out.

Jets running back Thomas Jones is questionable with a calf injury; he was a limited participant in practice on Friday.  Jets quarterback Chad Pennington is probable with a pelvis injury.

Eagles defensive end Jevon Kearse is probable with a shoulder injury.  He fully participated in practice on Friday after being limited on Wednesday and Thursday.

Packers receiver Greg Jennings and running back Vernand Morency are questionable, and did not practice on Friday.  Running back Brandon Jackson is probable with a concussion.

Browns guard Eric Steinbach (knee) and right tackle Kevin Shaffer (concussions) are probable.  Both fully practiced on Friday.

Titans center Kevin Mawae is questionable with an "illness" that did not keep him from fully participating in practice on Friday.

Jags defensive end Reggie Hayward (Achilles) and defensive tackle John Henderson (shoulder) are probable.

Giants cornerback Sam Madison is probable with a hamstring injury.

Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis (Achilles) and receiver Terry Glenn (knee) are out.

Ravens receiver Mark Clayton and cornerback Samari Rolle are both probable with ankle injuries.

Bengals tackle Willie Anderson and cornerback Johnathan Joseph are questionable with foot injuries.  Bengas receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh is probable with a knee injury, but had limited participation in practice on Friday.

Cardinals rookie defensive tackle Alan Branch is out with a hand injury.

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POSTED 7:20 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:05 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2007

SAMUEL IN, JAMES OUT

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Patriots have added cornerback Asante Samuel to the active roster.  To make room for him, the Pats released cornerback Tory James.

Samuel was the Pats' franchise player, and signed his one-year tender in late August.

James, a 10-year veteran, has played with the Broncos, Raiders, and Bengals.  He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2004, and has 39 career interceptions.  As a vested veteran, he will instantly become a free agent.   

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FLORIO'S "MEATHEAD OR FATHEAD?" PICKS

By now, you're probably signed up for the PFT Pick Challenge, given that:  (1) it's free; (2) it's fun; and (3) you can win stuff.

There's another reason to get signed up and make your picks.  You'll go head to head with our own in-house fatheaded meathead (and/or meatheaded fathead), and anyone who gets more games right that the Poobah will be added to the drawing for a Fathead product.

The Meathead or Fathead drawing winner will also get the 2008 Rotoworld online draft guide and season pass package, until we get the refer-a-friend feature up and running.

Here are the winning teams that we're entering into the game:  Houston, Miami, Buffalo, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Jacksonville, New England, Philadelphia, Oakland, San Diego, Seattle, Dallas, Cincinnati, San Francisco.

We're also looking to add more prizes to the mix, and if anyone out there wants to give us something to give our winners (other than pit bulls formerly owned by Mike Vick), we'll consider adding the thing to the pile of prizes.

The folks with the highest total number of correct picks per week will be entered into a drawing, and the winner of that drawing will receive a free one-year subscription to Sporting News.  And each correct pick counts as a ticket to the grand-prize drawing -- two tickets to the Football Game of Some Significance that will be played in Glendale, Arizona on the first Sunday in February 2008, courtesy of our friends at NFL.com, who also will be supplying to the winner and a guest invitations to NFL.com events in the days leading up to said Football Game of Some Significance.

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POSTED 5:44 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 5:51 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2007

TEAMS STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND "PROBABLE"

We've harped in this space on multiple occasions about the widespread misunderstanding in league and media circles regarding the term probable as used in injury reports.

Though the term actually means that there is a virtual certainty that the player will be available for normal duty, the common belief is that it means that the player has a 75 percent chance of playing.

We thought/hoped that the changes to the injury reporting rules would clear this up once and for all, since the mistaken belief is fueled in large part by the fact that some NFL teams have been propagating it.  But the Eagles' web site incorrectly describes what "probable" means:  "In addition, on Friday, teams will also release the status of the injured players' for the game: Out (O), Doubtful (D) (25 percent chance of playing), Questionable (Q) (50 percent) and Probable (P) (75 percent)." 

Tight end L.J. Smith was listed as probable on Friday, but his post-practice comments suggested that his ability to play was something less than a virtual certainty.  After a Saturday walk-through, Smith was downgraded to questionable.

If Smith doesn't play, the Eagles could be in violation of the injury reporting rules, since Smith was identified as probable on Friday.  We're in the process of finding out whether the new rules permit a player listed as probable on Friday to be downgraded after a Saturday walk-through, and then to be kept out of the game due to an injury that, as of two days earlier, left him a virtual lock to participate.

In October 2005, the Falcons downgraded Mike Vick from probable to questionable after a Saturday walk-through prior to a game against the Patriots.  Vick ultimately didn't play, raising eyebrows throughout the league.  

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POSTED 5:26 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2007

STRAHAN ACTIVATED FOR SUNDAY

Mike Garafolo of the Newark Star-Ledger reports that the Giants have added defensive end Michael Strahan to the active roster for Sunday night's game at Dallas.

The Giants had been given a two-week roster exemption for Strahan, allowing the team to have him on the team without really being on the team.  But the exemption evaporated when he was activated.

Though not excepted to start on Sunday night, Strahan likely will split time with Justin Tuck at left defensive end.

To make room for Strahan, the Giants waived cornerback Dovonte Edwards, who had been released by the Vikings a week ago. 

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POSTED 5:16 p.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 5:20 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2007

BROWNS SIGN ERNSTER

A league source tells us that the Cleveland Browns have signed punter Paul Ernster to kick for Sunday's game against the Steelers.

Ernster already appears on the team's roster.

Dave Zastudil suffered a back injury this week, and Ernster and others were worked out on Friday.  Ernster got the nod over guys like Scott Player and Josh Miller.

But the choice of Ernster might have been influneced only partial by ability; per league rules, guys like Player and Miller are vested veterans who would be entitled to receive their full base salaries as termination pay if on the roster for Week One.  Ernster isn't a vested veteran, and thus won't be entitled to his full salary if he is cut after Week One.

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PFTV BEARS-CHARGERS PREVIEW

Bears.

Chargers.

Preview.  Here.

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POSTED 8:51 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 10:44 a.m. EDT, September 8, 2007

GLENN OPTING AGAINST SEASON-ENDING SURGERY?

The confusion regarding the status of Cowboys receiver Terry Glenn is beginning to disappear.  Sort of.

On Thursday, the team's official web site posted an item that Glenn would miss the year, citing owner Jerry Jones.  Ten minutes later, another story was posted -- from the same writer -- stating that Glenn would miss the first two weeks of the season.

On Friday, Glenn said that he is presently weighing two options regarding his injured knee.  Door No. 1 is season-ending knee surgery.  Door No. 2 is yet another arthroscopic procedure to remove torn cartilage.

"I want to play this year, and I really feel I have chance so I'm really leaning toward taking the [damaged] piece out and trying to play this year even though I'm risking the rest of my career by doing that," Glenn told ESPN's Ed Werder.  "I think that's what I'm going to do.  I'm not sure, but I've played 12 years and don't have a lot of years left.  I want to win now, and I think we have a chance to win now.

"My Super Bowl chances are running out, so that's what I will probably do.  But I know there's a great percentage risk that I could do that, ruin my knee, never play again and have to limp the rest of my life."

Glenn also disputes coach Wade Phillips' explanation that Glenn's current knee problem is unrelated to the knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery on August 1.

"Anybody saying this injury is not related to the other injury -- BS," he said.  "This would never have happened if I hadn't been hurt already."

Glenn says that the problem is the result of efforts by him to run on the knee before it was ready.

"It didn't feel the way it should have felt, but the pressure and the hype of the season starting really got to me, and I was told I could not injure my knee further by going out and just running on it," Glenn said.  "I wanted to win the game for my teammates because that means a lot to me. But it wasn't ready and now I've injured it even more."

Though Glenn didn't describe the type of season-ending surgery that he would need, the first item from Thursday night on the team's web site used the dreaded "M" word . . . microfracture.  It's a still-evolving procedure that has had mixed results, with small holes drilled into bone in the hopes of creating scar tissue that will operate as cartilage, cushioning the bones in the knee.

If Glenn gets microfracture surgery, he might want to consider whoever performed it on Browns tight end Kellen Winslow.  Early in the offseason, the Browns weren't expecting much of anything from Winslow; now, Winslow looks like he's ready to be a beast.

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TAFOYA CHIMES IN ON VICK, IGNORES CALENDAR

We wonder what was going through Michelle Tafoya's mind when recently she sat down to write a column for ESPN.com's Insider service. 

The item was first posted on September 6, the first day of the NFL regular season.  And there were so many topics that she could have chosen, even if she was charged with the assignment of writing something relating to the Ravens-Bengals game that she will be covering on Monday night.

Will Willis McGahee make a difference in the Ravens' underperforming running game with both Tony Pashos and Edwin Mulitalo gone, and Jonathan Ogden not far behind them?

Was the Ravens' 13-3 record in 2006 a mirage?

Can Carson Palmer's superlative (thanks, Tiki) skills overcome a spotty defense?

Is Frostee Rucker angling for a Wendy's endorsement?

The potential list of subjects goes on and on.  But, instead of looking forward, Tafoya opted to peer in the rear-view mirror, addressing whether Falcons quarterback Mike Vick can replicate the success that Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has enjoyed after Lewis pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice during an investigation into a double murder for which no one was ever convicted?

Apart from the fact that her analysis was a tad superficial and obvious, Tafoya ignores the reality that we've all moved on (and moved out) when it comes to the Vick situation.  Though he pleaded guilty only 12 days ago, it might as well have been 12 years -- especially with 12 daytime games poised to kick off on Sunday.

Football is back, and folks just don't want to hear about, talk about, or think about Mike Vick.

Besides, if Tafoya really wanted to offer up a fresh take on the Vick story, she should track him down and pose to him a twist on her trademark question:

"What was going through your mind when you were killing those dogs?"

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ONE-PER-CLUB SATURDAY MORNING ONE-LINERS

The Cardinals are preparing to face a healthy Frank Gore on Monday night.

Falcons WR Roddy White gets the start on Sunday over Michael Jenkins, who'll be the No. 3 receiver.

Ravens LB Bart Scott says that Bengals WR Chad Johnson "wouldn't bust a grape in a fruit fight."

The Bills plan to move RB Marshawn Lynch around on Sunday.

Panthers WR Steve Smith was "very surprised and excited" by the game plan for Week One at St. Louis.

Bears TE Greg Olsen (knee) is "highly doubtful" to make his NFL debut on Sunday.

Bengals QB Carson Palmer on the Ravens:  "We match up really well with them."

Browns WR Josh Cribbs on Sunday's opener against the Steelers:  "We're going to take this game and win it, and we're going to move on [or move out].  It's not even a second thought in our heads.  There's no doubt in my mind [we're going to win]."  So, Josh, is that a guarantee?  "I don't want to guarantee it, because after the fact you look stupid."  (Or, as in this case, before the fact.) 

Cowboys DE Chris Canty, in response to comments from Giants RB Brandon Jacobs that the team is "going to Dallas this Sunday and whup their asses," said this:  "It's not smart.  You're a running back, people are going to hit you.  It's not smart." 

Is Broncos LB D.J. Williams ready to move to the middle?

Lions RB Tatum Bell isn't happy that the Raiders have named a fumble recovery drill after him.  (Hey, there are worse things that could be named after a guy, such as:  (1) a venereal disease; (2) an adult diaper; and (3) a dog-fighting tournament.)

Packers RB Vernand Morency (knee) and WR Greg Jennings (hamstring) aren't likely to play on Sunday.

The Texans hope to bottle up Chiefs RB Larry Johnson, and force QB Damon Huard to throw.

The Colts see room for improvement in their stifling of the Saints' offense.

Jags RB Mo-Jo Drew has a stick in his butt about not winning the Rookie of the Year award.

Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson is ready to break out:  "Chiefs fans haven't seen what I can do," Johnson said. "But they will.  I can promise you that."

The Fins signed former Saints DE Rob Ninkovich and cut seventh-round LB Kelvin Smith.

Vikings TE Jim Kleinsasser quietly enters his ninth season with the team.

Pats CB Asante Samuel doesn't know whether he will play, or how much he will play, on Sunday.

Saints CB Jason David wasn't targeted by the Colts on Thursday night (we'd hate to see how many touchdowns he would have surrendered if he had been targeted).

A secret ballot resulted in DE Michael Strahan being named one of the five captains of the Giants.  (If Strahan was one of the winners, then Tiki Barber must have at least gotten a few votes.)

Jets K Mike Nugent added 10 pounds in the offseason, in the hopes of improving his leg strength.

Raiders QB Josh McCown caught twice as many passes last year as did Raiders WR Jerry Porter.

Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News has yet to realize that, if a player is listed as "probable" on the injury report and doesn't play, the team has violated the new injury policy.  (Our May 9 item explains the new rules.)

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has the power to veto plays that are in the game plan.

Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson wanted to play for the Bears when he was a little kid.

49ers RB Frank Gore is going to be the next elite running back who ignores the preseason.

The Seahawks have noticed that Bucs RB Cadillac Williams breaks a lot of tackles.

With only two quarterbacks on the roster, Rams WR Marques Hagans and WR Drew Bennett are ready to step in, if needed.

Three guys -- Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, and Philip Buchanon -- will return punts this year for the Bucs.

Titans DT Corey Simon, who didn't play at all in 2006, is expected to get 25 to 30 snaps on Sunday.

DT Anthony Montgomery could be starting for the Redskins on Sunday.  (So could Sam Adams, Corey Simon, Gerard Warren, and any of the other big-name (and big-assed) guys who were available, but whom the 'Skins uncharacteristically ignored.)

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POSTED 8:35 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 8:51 a.m. EDT, September 8, 2007

PATS VISIT WITH DWIGHT

Earlier this week, the Jets brought in former Pats receiver Reche Caldwell for a visit.  The move was viewed as curious, since the Jets and Patriots square off on Sunday.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the Patriots have returned the favor, bringing in former Jets receiver Tim Dwight for a visit.

And the notion of the Pats being genuinely interested in Dwight is genuinely implausible.  The Patriots are loaded at the receiver position.  And Wes Welker will handle punt returns and (with Ellis Hobbs) kick returns.

So the visit with Dwight most likely was nothing more than a chance to pick his brain about the Jets' playbook.  As we mentioned when addressing the issue regarding the Jets and Caldwell, Dwight doesn't know anything about the game plan for this week; thus, there's only so much that he can tell the Pats.

UPDATE:  A reader raises an interesting point.  Did the Pats bring in Dwight in order to simply find out the Jets' audible calls?  If so, the timing was perfect.  It now puts the Jets in the position of having to decide whether to change the audibles, and then to implement the changes, only a day before kickoff.

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POSTED 10:05 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:14 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2007

RAIDERS, RUSSELL MAKING PROGRESS

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that talks between the Oakland Raiders and the representatives of quarterback JaMarcus Russell were "very productive" and that a deal could be "on the horizon."

Schefter says that no deal is expected on Friday night, but that the two sides seeming to be honing in on an agreement.

Russell is the lone remaining unsigned draft pick, and he is the first No. 1 overall selection to be absent from camp this far into camp since 1986, when Bo Jackson was selected by Tampa and never signed with the Buccaneers.

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VIKES, JAGS AVOID BLACKOUTS

The Jaguars used to have trouble selling out their stadium, before 10,000 or so seats treated like dead bodies.  The Vikings, on the other hand, have been filling up the Metrodome since the days before the arrival of Randy Moss.

Both teams were in danger of not lifting the blackout that applies if all tickets aren't sold within 72 hours prior to kickoff.

On Friday, the final 1,500 tickets were sold, helping the team to avoid the first ban on local television since 2004, the last season before the reduction in stadium size.

In Minnesota, the local FOX affiliate bought the final 400 tickets to allow the game to be televised.  As a result, the Vikings have now sold out 97 straight games.

It's the third straight year in which all Week One games are sold out.

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POSTED 9:39 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 9:54 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2007

URLACHER, MERRIMAN TRADING VERBAL BARBS

With the Bears and the Chargers poised to open the season with a potential Super Bowl preview, two of the biggest stars on these two teams are jawing at each other.

Earlier in the week, Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher criticized the "Lights Out" dance performed by San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman.

"The thing is, if you're going to do it, do it all the time," Urlacher said.  "Do it when you make a bad play, too.  You'll never see me doing any stupid [stuff] like that after a play.  The only thing I'll do is get a little happy with my teammates."

Merriman responded on Thursday, according to the North County Times.

"Say what you want, but you have bigger problems than my 'Lights Out' dance Sunday," Merriman said.  "I wouldn't be too concentrated on my dance or what I do. . . .  Nothing they can say or do can fire me up more than I already am.  It doesn't matter.  People have took shots at me before -- players, people period -- so that stuff doesn't even break the first layer of my skin."

Okay, so it's not a full-blown, Tiki-style catfight.  But whenever two of the baddest dudes in the NFL start giving each other crap, it makes for a potentially interesting encounter on Sunday, even if they won't be on the field at the same time.

Still, it would have been a lot more compelling if Merriman had said something like, "You tell Urlacher that my momma didn't raise a little pussy."

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POSTED 9:08 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2007

WILSON CLEARS THE AIR ON HGH SUSPENSION

On Friday afternoon, Michael David Smith posted an item (scroll down) regarding the explanation provided by Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson regarding his five-game suspension for admitted possession and/or use of one or more banned substances.  Speaking to the Dallas Morning News, Wilson said that he used banned substances to treat complications from diabetes, including impotence.

As MDS wrote, "All snickering aside, it's understandable that erectile dysfunction is a medical problem that Wilson would feel uncomfortable discussing.  But as anyone who's ever watched an NFL game on TV knows all too well, there is no shortage of pills that doctors can prescribe for the problem, and it's hard to have much sympathy for Wilson, who chose to go through an illegal Internet pharmacy instead."

That passage prompted Wilson to drop us a line on Friday afternoon.  On Friday night, I spoke with Wilson by phone for 30 minutes, and he addressed all aspects of the situation.

Echoing some of the comments he made to the Dallas Morning News, Wilson said that he discovered an alternative therapy after seeing an item on 60 Minutes regarding the use of controversial treatments to improve the quality of life in persons who were feeling the effects of age and/or illness.  Wilson admitted that he knew that the use of such substances is "controversial" in the medical community, but he says that he had no idea that it is illegal.

He explained that, while he was researching the topic on the Internet, an ad popped up (um . . . we won't go there) for the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center.  The web site seemed legitimate, and he eventually found himself taking a physical and providing a blood sample in Chicago, and thereafter talking by phone to a doctor in Florida, whom Wilson assumed to be on the level.

Wilson took the physical in September 2006, and began using the substances he purchased in October 2006.  He used a personal credit card in his own name to buy the substances, and had them delivered to his office in Halas Hall, the headquarters of the Chicago Bears.

He said that he stopped using the substances after a couple of months, because it was causing his blood-sugar levels to spin out of control.

Wilson's name thereafter surfaced as a purchaser of banned substances in the wake of a criminal investigation regarding the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center and Signature Pharmacy in Orlando.  And Wilson says that, once he landed on the NFL's radar, he was up front and he came clean.

He went to the league office in New York without legal representation because, as he said, "I had nothing to hide."  He explained that the NFL asked him to bring all bank statements, financial records, credit card statements, and phone records so that the NFL could determine whether he had purchased a banned substance for his own use, or whether he was buying it for others.

As Wilson explained it, the NFL was particularly concerned about the possibility that the Bears' Super Bowl season might have been undermined by the use of HGH or any other banned substance.  Three years earlier, the Carolina Panthers made it to the Super Bowl, and later it was disclosed that Dr. James Shortt was providing steroids to several members of the team.

The league was satisfied, Wilson said, that there was no dissemination.  And we believe him, because the objective evidence supports his position on this.  If the league thought that Wilson had given a banned substance to a player, Wilson would have had two options -- identify the player(s), or not work in the NFL until he does so.  Since no member of the Bears has been suspended for using HGH or any other banned substance given to him by Wilson, it's logical to conclude that any banned substances were for Wilson's own use.

As to our Friday afternoon story, Wilson said that he finds it to be inconsistent for us to suggest that he should have sought treatment for diabetes complications through normal medical channels, but to not raise similar concerns regarding Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, who admittedly used HGH as an alternative to standard rehab and treatment techniques.  Though we appreciate Wilson's concern, the possibility that he was merely buying a banned substance for one or more players creates a greater degree of skepticism.

Wilson also didn't like our reference to "snickering" in connection with his impotence.  "When Korey Stringer died," Wilson said, "was it something to snicker about?  When is a medical condition something to snicker about? . . .  It's not like I drove naked through a Wendy's."

He's right.  Medical conditions aren't something to snicker about.  But the reality is that it's human nature for folks to snicker about matters regarding non-functioning genitalia.  It doesn't make it right.  But that's the difference between the two situations, as best we can discern.

With all that said, we think Wilson is telling the truth.  He was diagnosed with Type I diabetes more than 20 years ago, while playing in the NFL.  He has struggled to control the condition.  He wanted to improve his quality of life, and his actions were unrelated to the use of any banned substance for competitive means. 

Though Wilson says he is a bit "miffed" by the extent of the penalty, he also says that he understands that the league needs to hold the coaches and front-office employees to a higher standard.  We hope that the Cowboys and the NFL will allow him to put the episode behind him, and that he will be able to continue his career in pro football -- one which has covered more than 25 years as a player and as a coach.

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POSTED 7:25 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2007

COLEMAN OUT 2-4 WEEKS

On Thursday night, we heard rumors that Falcons defensive tackle Rod Coleman would undergo surgery on a knee injury, and that Coleman could miss the rest of the season, and possibly more.

We saw nothing more about the situation on Thursday night or Friday morning, so we assumed that the rumor was merely a rumor.  In fact, Friday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution has quotes from defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer in which Zimmer expresses hope that Coleman will be able to play on Sunday, with no reference to any impending surgical procedures.

But Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com now reports that Coleman indeed underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee on Friday, and that he'll miss 2-4 weeks.

It's not season-ending, and it apparently wasn't the result of a fresh injury.  But the Falcons will not have Coleman for the regular-season opener, and that's bad newz for a defense that will face a relentless rushing attack in Minnesota this week.  

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POSTED 3:45 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 4:47 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2007

JERRAMY STEVENS GUILTY OF DUI

The St. Petersburg Times reports that Buccaneers tight end Jerramy Stevens has been found guilty of driving under the influence in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Stevens was arrested in March.  He signed with the Bucs in late April.

The one-time first-round pick of the Seahawks now faces up to 30 days in jail.  He will be sentenced on October 2.

Stevens also is subject to discipline by the NFL.  In April the Personal Conduct Policy was revised to bring within its scope criminal charges relating to alcohol and drug abuse, removing such offenses from the scope of the substance-abuse policy.  Given his history, which Commissioner Roger Goodell surely will take into account, Stevens could be facing a suspension of four or more games.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have the right under the Standard Player Contract to cut Stevens.  But we doubt that they will.  In our view, coach Jon Gruden has a "boys will be boys" attitude toward charges of this nature -- especially since both Gruden and his brother Jay, a Bucs assistant coach, have been charged with DUI in the past.

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PFTV PREVIEWS THE GAMES OF THE WEEK

Now that the bulk of the relevant NFL action will be occurring on the field, our weekly PFTV segments will focus primarily on the games.

Each week, we'll look at the best games on the schedule, in quick and painless (relatively) two-minute increments.

This week, we ponder the Pats at the Jets, the Bears at the Chargers, the Giants at the Cowboys, and the Ravens at the Bengals.

We'll plop each of them into the Rumor Mill over the next couple of days, or you can see them all right here.

For now, it's the Pats-Jets.

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POSTED 2:25 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 2:55 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2007

FOOTBALL, POLITICS DON'T MIX

Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has learned the hard way that it's not wise to be overtly political while working in an industry that requires unnecessarily pissing off as few people as possible. 

Recently, Hasselbeck attended a fundraiser for a Republican congressman that was also attended by President Bush.  And Hasselbeck gave the Commander-in-Chief a "Bush 43" Seahawks jersey. 

Per the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (by way of a post from our own MDS on AOL's FanHouse), Hasselbeck took some heat for his support of Bush and his Republican colleagues. 

Hasselbeck says he has received hostile e-mails, voice messages, and text messages regarding the situation.  And one person told him:  "I hate you, I'll never wear your jersey, I'll never like the Seahawks again."  (Frankly, we didn't know that Rosie O'Donnell liked the Seahawks in the first place.)   

Fullback Mack Strong, who attended the event with Hasselbeck, thinks that too much is being made of the situation.  "Any time you have a world leader come to your city, you should welcome him whether you like the person or not," Strong said.  "That was the right thing to do.  Why would people care about what we do as far as going to see the president and giving him a Seahawks jersey?" 

Strong's views make sense on the surface, but are riddled with naivete on closer inspection.  It's one thing for pro sports teams to meet the President while visiting the White House after winning a championship; it's quite another for pro athletes to meet the President while attending $1,000-a-plate partisan fundraisers. 

The fact is that any effort to blend politics with sports is a mistake.  People look to sports as a diversion, and they don't want to hear the political views of folks who have a platform merely because they can run fast and/or throw a ball far -- especially when those political views conflict with their own. 

There's no way for any NFL figure to be openly political without polarizing the paying customers.  Thus, we think all players and coaches and league officials and journalists would be wise to keep their politics to themselves while occupying the public spotlight that is available to them only because of sports. 

POSTED 1:05 p.m. EDT, September 7, 2007

WADE WILSON SAYS HE TOOK HGH FOR IMPOTENCE by Michael David Smith

Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson has revealed that when he said he took human growth hormone to improve his quality of life, he was talking about one specific aspect of his life.

Gary Jacobson of the Dallas Morning News reports that Wilson, who was fined $100,000 by the NFL and suspended for the first five games of the season, says an attempt to treat erectile dysfunction related to his diabetes is what caused him to use HGH.

"That was my way of trying to cover that subject without coming right out and saying that," Wilson said Thursday when asked if he suffered from impotence, a common complication of diabetes.  There's a quality of life that I don't really want to say a great deal about."

All snickering aside, it's understandable that erectile dysfunction is a medical problem that Wilson would feel uncomfortable discussing.  But as anyone who's ever watched an NFL game on TV knows all too well, there is no shortage of pills that doctors can prescribe for the problem, and it's hard to have much sympathy for Wilson, who chose to go through an illegal Internet pharmacy instead.

Wilson will be back with the Cowboys after Week Five.  Although he will be paid during his suspension, his fine constitutes about one-third of his annual salary, meaning he'll lose approximately the same portion of his salary that an NFL player who gets a five-game suspension would lose.

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POSTED 11:29 a.m. EDT; UPDATED 11:59 a.m. EDT, September 7, 2007

NO SUSPENSION FOR FROSTEE RUCKER by Michael David Smith

PFT Editor Mike Florio checks in to report that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has reduced the league sanction on Bengals defensive end Frostee Rucker from a one-game suspension to a fine of one game check.

Rucker, the Bengals' 2006 third-round pick, pleaded guilty in May to one count of false imprisonment and one count of vandalism related to an incident that took place when Rucker was in college at USC.

Rucker and his agent had both confirmed that the league planned to suspend Rucker, but they also said they planned to appeal the suspension based on the fact that Rucker was not a member of the NFL when the incident took place.

As a practical matter, this might not make a big difference to Rucker -- the impact on his paycheck is the same, and Rucker was not expected to play in the opener anyway because of a hamstring injury.

But the move does show that although Goodell has the power to rule on any appeals of his own discipline, that doesn't mean appeals are meaningless -- he'll give players a fair shake and reduce the penalty if they make a good case. Apparently Rucker made a good enough case that he walked out of the principal's office without a suspension on his permanent record.

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