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Post by Loki on Apr 26, 2006 1:34:40 GMT -5
Ricky Williams appeal on his latest positive drug testing case was denied. He is now suspended for the whole 2006-07 season. Oh poor guy. boo-hoo.
Brett Farve has announced that he will return this year to QB the Green Bay Packers. Like this team or hate them, you have tor espect this guy and what he has accomplished.
Top ten draft order for this weekends NFL draft:
1. Houston 2-14
2. New Orleans 3-13
3. Tennessee 4-12
4. NY Jets 4-12
5. Green Bay 4-12
6. San Francisco 4-12
7. Oakland 4-12
8. Buffalo 5-11
9. Detroit 5-11
10. Arizona 5-11
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Post by Dragonsrule on Apr 26, 2006 9:01:11 GMT -5
I have respect for him, but what he did with this decision was just wrong. He lets them know just before the draft, he should have told them a long time ago. He made them do twice as much work leading up to draft. Ok, we do this if he comes back and this if he doesn't.
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Post by Loki on Apr 26, 2006 14:46:00 GMT -5
I think al that he did for that organization that they could take the extract time and figure out what to do if he came back and what to do if u didn't. They have a high draft pick so either decision will give them a good player. Favre is some other scrub. This is a hall of fame QB that did make this team a winning and has carried this franschise on his back for years.
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Post by Loki on May 1, 2006 0:27:13 GMT -5
Mario Williams was taken frist in the draft by Houston while Bush went to New Orleans.
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Post by Loki on May 24, 2006 1:18:57 GMT -5
Heres an article explaining why Reggie Bush wont be allowed to wear the No. 5 this up coming season:
Reggie Bush won't get his No. 5 this year
DENVER (AP) -- Reggie Bush won't get to wear the No. 5 he made famous at USC for the New Orleans Saints.
Not this season and perhaps not ever.
Atlanta general manager Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition committee, said Tuesday that the committee had recommended against Bush's request for his college number.
The decision was made by the committee after two conference calls. It was never discussed by the owners.
"Nobody is comfortable that an exception be made to the policy and no one is confident that there will ever be a change," McKay said at the NFL owners meetings, adding that it might come up again, but certainly not until after the 2006 season has started.
Under NFL rules, running backs are required to wear numbers between 20-49. Since 1973, the only major change was made last year, when receivers were given permission to wear numbers in the teens because teams were running out of 80s due in large part to an increase in receivers and tight ends on rosters.
Bush, chosen second overall by New Orleans in April's draft, wore No. 5 at Southern California and had asked the NFL to make an exception. McKay said the committee also had requests from other players to wear numbers normally not allowed for their positions.
Bush had pledged to donate 25 percent of his take on jersey sales to the New Orleans-area recovery from Hurricane Katrina if the league allowed him to wear No. 5. He said Tuesday he'll stick to that pledge despite the NFL's rejection of his request.
"Obviously, I am disappointed by today's decision but I respect the NFL Competition Committee's judgment," Bush said. "The No. 5 is special to me, but with the proceeds from the jersey sales I was also trying to do something special for the city of New Orleans and the entire region.
"We have not decided which number I will wear for this coming season, but that decision will come soon."
Bush's second choice appears to be 25, currently worn by veteran special teamer Fred McAfee, who has indicated he would be willing to give it (or sell it) to Bush. Players often change numbers to accommodate others, often selling the rights, as New York Giants punter Jeff Feagles did two years in a row -- first trading No. 10 to Eli Manning in 2004, then No. 17 to Plaxico Burress last year.
Feagles got a vacation for his family to give Manning his number. Burress paid for an outdoor kitchen in Feagles' Arizona home.
Other number exchanges haven't been as amicable.
When Clinton Portis joined the Washington Redskins two years ago, he bought No. 26 for $40,000 from safety Ifeanyi Ohalete. Portis paid $20,000 up front but declined to pay the rest after Ohalete was cut by the Redskins and picked up by Arizona.
Ohalete then sued and the issue was solved before a trial when the two sides agreed on a lump-sum payment of $18,000 to settle the matter.
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Post by MjolnirH on May 24, 2006 1:59:36 GMT -5
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Post by Loki on May 24, 2006 19:41:18 GMT -5
How did Brett favre get into this? Oh my head hurts. I am so confused.
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Post by MjolnirH on May 25, 2006 3:11:33 GMT -5
Brett Farve has announced that he will return this year to QB the Green Bay Packers. Like this team or hate them, you have tor espect this guy and what he has accomplished. ^ from your first post bro |
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Post by Loki on May 25, 2006 14:17:59 GMT -5
Oh wow a blast from the past....but yes......Brett is a baby....but if u didnt know....the world revolves around Favre.
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Post by Loki on May 28, 2006 23:42:32 GMT -5
Taken from Yahoo SPorts
Done deal: Williams has a new home in CFL
By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer
Ricky Williams has a new home in the CFL.
Suspended for the 2006 season by the NFL after a fourth positive drug test, Williams signed a $240,000, one-year contract Sunday with the Toronto Argonauts -- a deal making him the highest-paid running back in the Canadian league.
Williams, who's still under contract with the Miami Dolphins, is expected to begin practicing with his new team Monday; the Argonauts open preseason play this weekend and start their regular season at home against Hamilton June 17. The 18-game regular season runs through late October.
"It hasn't been too often that I've heard kind words about me and my situation. ... It's really an uplifting feeling to be in this kind of environment," Williams said at a news conference in Toronto, after team officials introduced him warmly.
Williams, a former Heisman Trophy winner, missed Miami's first four games last year following his third positive test, and lost an appeal over the fourth -- which carries a mandatory one-year ban. But the desire to continue playing and earning led him to Toronto, adding another chapter to the enigmatic player's resume.
"I'm a very positive person," Williams said. "I understand that in life, when you go through adversity it only gives you an opportunity to make the best of the situation. So I'm happy to be here in Toronto, having a chance to further my career on the football field."
Earlier Sunday, before the signing was formally announced, Dolphins coach Nick Saban issued a statement saying the team left the decision about playing in the CFL up to Williams.
The Dolphins have supported Williams throughout the suspension, but insisted on assurances that he'd be allowed to return to the team in 2007 -- provided he's reinstated by the NFL.
"We expressed to Ricky our concerns about playing in Toronto in 2006," Saban said. "We are relying on assurances made by Ricky, his agent, the Toronto Argonauts, and the commissioner of the Canadian Football League that Ricky will return to the Dolphins in 2007.
"Based on these assurances and despite our concerns for Ricky playing in the CFL in 2006, we will leave it up to him to decide whether or not he will negotiate a contract to play for the Argonauts this year."
Williams -- who said he will wear No. 27 instead of No. 34 in the CFL -- thanked Saban and the Dolphins for allowing him to play in Toronto.
"I don't think there are very many benefits to the Dolphins, and I think that speaks volumes for the kind of guy that Nick Saban is and the Dolphins organization," Williams said.
Leigh Steinberg, Williams' agent, didn't immediately return a message left on his cell phone by The Associated Press. The Argonauts said he was on a family trip to Ireland.
The 29-year-old Williams wasted little time in getting settled in Toronto. He was shown on the Rogers Center videoboard at the White Sox-Blue Jays game Sunday wearing an Argonauts hat and was introduced as the team's newest player.
"I've learned to notice a good thing when it comes and not let it slip by. ... You obviously make money playing football than you do sitting at home," Williams said.
Williams still owes the Dolphins $8.6 million for breaching his contract when he retired shortly before training camp in 2004. He returned last year and, playing alongside first-round draft pick Ronnie Brown, rushed for 743 yards -- averaging over 4 yards a carry -- for the Dolphins.
"I noticed that in the CFL they don't use the backs as a receiving threat," Argonauts linebacker Lee Woodall, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and a veteran of more than a decade in the NFL, told The Toronto Sun for a Sunday story. "But I'll tell you, if the Argos get Ricky, that's one of the factors you can put on your plate."
Toronto has won the Grey Cup -- the CFL championship -- 15 times, most recently in 2004. The Argonauts were 11-7 last season and are led by veteran quarterback Damon Allen, the brother of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen.
Damon Allen, who has more than two decades of CFL experience, threw for 5,082 yards, ran for 461 more and had 37 touchdowns last season while earning the league's Most Outstanding Player award.
Williams said he's been asked several times why he wanted to play in the CFL. He said his answer was always, "Why not?"
"I feel like I have a lot to offer," Williams said. "I have the right attitude. I'm looking forward to this year."
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Post by Loki on Jun 12, 2006 13:28:58 GMT -5
Roethlisberger seriously injured in motorcycle crash
By JOE MANDAK, Associated Press Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was badly hurt in a motorcycle crash Monday and undergoing surgery. The extent of his injuries was not known.
Roethlisberger was in serious but stable condition, said Dr. Larry Jones, chief of trauma at Mercy Hospital.
"He was talking to me before he left for the operating room," Jones said before the operation. "He's coherent. He's making sense. He knows what happened. He knows where he is. From that standpoint, he's very stable."
The 24-year-old Roethlisberger likes to ride without a helmet, a habit that once prompted coach Bill Cowher to lecture him on the dangers. It was not known whether Roethlisberger was wearing a helmet when he crashed.
The crash happened at an intersection at the edge of downtown at about 11:30 a.m. A pool of blood was still visible there by early afternoon.
Police spokesman Lt. Kevin Kraus said police and homicide units were investigating the crash, something standard when there is an accident with critical injuries. Kraus would give no details on the extent of Roethlisberger's injuries or if anyone else was injured.
Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch was at the emergency room. He had no comment.
A silver Chrysler New Yorker with damage to the front passenger fender was removed and Roethlisberger's bike was loaded onto a flatbed truck. Police were detouring traffic around the crash scene as onlookers and media gathered.
In only his second year in the NFL, Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to lead a team to the Super Bowl championship. He was 23 when he did it last February.
Roethlisberger has said in the past that he prefers not to wear a helmet. He has pointed out Pennsylvania's 35-year-old state law requiring helmets to be worn was amended to make helmets optional.
In May 2005, Cowher warned him about safe riding after Cleveland tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. was injured in a motorcycle accident. Winslow tore knee ligaments and was lost for the season.
"He talked about being a risk-taker and I'm not really a risk-taker. I'm pretty conservative and laid back, but the big thing is to just be careful," Roethlisberger said at the time. "I'll just continue to be careful. I told him we don't ever ride alone, we always ride in a group of people, and I think it makes it even more safe."
Roethlisberger continued to ride after Winslow's accident and that angered Terry Bradshaw, who quarterbacked the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories during the 1970s.
Visiting the Steelers' training camp last summer, Bradshaw remarked: "Ride it when you retire."
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Post by Loki on Jun 14, 2006 1:07:54 GMT -5
Roethlisberger upgraded; injuries may not prevent him from playing this season
By ALAN ROBINSON, AP Sports Writer
June 13, 2006
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger could be out of the hospital in a few days and appears likely to play this season after a bloody motorcycle accident in which his helmetless head shattered a car windshield.
The Steelers' Super Bowl-winning quarterback was upgraded to fair condition at Mercy Hospital on Tuesday, a day after the scary accident at a busy Pittsburgh intersection left him and his team shaken.
Despite being tossed high into the air after his made-for-speed motorcycle rammed into a car, causing him to smack his head on the car's windshield, Roethlisberger escaped career-threatening injuries.
Doctors did not discuss Roethlisberger's condition in detail, at the request of his family, but the quarterback's only major injuries were to his face: a broken upper and lower jaw, a loss of two teeth, a broken nose, broken facial bones and various cuts and bruises.
Jaw injuries can vary greatly in nature and, because of the rather limited protection provided by a football helmet, have the potential to sideline a player for a lengthy period. But the surgeons who operated on Roethlisberger for seven hours Monday said all of his fractures were successfully repaired.
If that is the case, then Roethlisberger might miss part or most of training camp but could be ready for the Sept. 7 opener against Miami. For the Steelers, who would otherwise go into the season with backup Charlie Batch and rookie Omar Jacobs at quarterback, that is the best possible scenario after an accident that left huge splotches of Roethlisberger's dried blood on a city street.
Dr. Larry Jones, the chief of Mercy Hospital's trauma unit, said Roethlisberger's brain was functioning normally, although the QB has a concussion.
"He is awake, alert, oriented and is resting with his family by his side," Jones said during a news briefing, which reporters were not allowed to ask questions.
The 24-year-old Roethlisberger, the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, was initially listed in serious but stable condition following the accident.
Considering that Roethlisberger wasn't wearing a helmet while riding his 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa, a model that weighs less than 600 pounds but can easily reach 200 miles per hour in a modified state, the Steelers realize how much worse the accident could have been.
Coach Bill Cowher has said nothing publicly since making a hasty return to Pittsburgh from a North Carolina vacation on Monday night, and it is unlikely any team official will comment about Roethlisberger's football future until he is out of the hospital. According to Jones, Roethlisberger could be released in three to five days.
In an additional development, KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh reported Roethlisberger does not have a valid Pennsylvania motorcycle license and that his temporary permit expired in March, though he does have a valid automobile driver's license. The Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles declined to comment on the report.
Nobody has been cited in the crash and police will not release information until an accident reconstruction is complete, Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Tammy Ewin said Tuesday.
Roethlisberger's accident set off debate around the NFL whether teams should take additional contractual safeguards to prevent their key players from participating in hazardous behavior.
A standard NFL player's contract prohibits any offseason activity that can be harmful, but not all players have clauses for activities such as motorcycle riding, all-terrain vehicle riding and skydiving. Roethlisberger's contract apparently did not, probably because the Steelers had no indication he indulged in motorcycle riding before signing him in 2004.
"Maybe the first persons it'll hit is all the quarterbacks," NFL Player Association president Troy Vincent of the Buffalo Bills said Tuesday. "Now all the QB contracts may have something in them and then it might start tapering into the wideouts and into the running backs, generally your high-priced guys."
Vincent said he has ridden motorcycles, but never without a helmet.
In May 2005, Cowher warned Roethlisberger about his riding habits after Cleveland tight end Kellen Winslow was injured in a motorcycle accident. Winslow tore knee ligaments and was lost for the season.
"I wish all our players liked board games or low-risk hobbies," Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage said Tuesday. "Unfortunately, that's part of the reason that makes these guys professional athletes. They have a little bit of an edge to want to do more, seek more. Where's the line? I don't know that."
AP Writers John Wawrow in Buffalo and Joe Milicia in Cleveland contributed to this story.
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Post by Loki on Jun 15, 2006 13:34:14 GMT -5
Roethlisberger sent home from hospital
By MICHAEL COWDEN, Associated Press Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger was released from the hospital after being treated for facial injuries from a bloody motorcycle accident two days earlier.
Roethlisberger left Mercy Hospital on Wednesday night a little before midnight. It was unclear where he went, team spokesman Dave Lockett said.
A second round of tests again showed no brain injuries, although the quarterback has a concussion, broken jaw and nose from the accident in which his motorcycle collided with a car at an intersection Monday morning.
Roethlisberger got out of his bed to greet visitors Wednesday, less than 48 hours after being admitted to the hospital only a few blocks from the crash site.
Players who visited said he is upbeat, and they are convinced he will be back quickly and with no diminished skills. Counting the playoffs, the Steelers have a 27-4 record with Roethlisberger at quarterback and have advanced to two AFC championship games and won a Super Bowl during his two seasons as a starter.
His release was kept a secret from the Pittsburgh media, which has stationed reporters and cameras at the hospital each day. The hospital released a statement saying that it "respected the wishes and privacy of Mr. Roethlisberger and his family" by not confirming his discharge until about nine hours later.
Roethlisberger's broken upper and lower jaw are being held in place by screws and 2-inch titanium plates. He can eat soft foods -- rather than being restricted to liquids -- during an estimated six- to eight-week recovery period.
"We take a titanium plate, bend it and adapt it to the contours of the facial bones and then secure it in place with screws," surgeon Daniel Pituch said. "This kind of state-of-the-art technology allowed us to successfully treat Mr. Roethlisberger's facial fractures."
As a result, the 240-pound Roethlisberger probably won't lose as much weight as he would have on an all-liquid diet. The Steelers have not given a timetable for his return, but they are optimistic he will be ready for their Sept. 7 opener against Miami.
One of the team's concerns was how long Roethlisberger would need to regain his weight and strength after being unable to work out for what might be an extended period
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Post by Loki on Jun 16, 2006 1:30:29 GMT -5
Roethlisberger says he's ``fortunate to be alive'' after crash
By JOE MANDAK, Associated Press Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Ben Roethlisberger apologized to the Pittsburgh Steelers, fans and his family on Thursday, hours after being released from a hospital, saying he was fortunate to be alive and pledging to wear a helmet if he ever again rides a motorcycle.
"In the past few days, I've gained a new perspective on life," the Super Bowl-winning quarterback said in a statement released by the team. "By the grace of God, I'm fortunate to be alive ... "
Roethlisberger, 24, who wrecked his bike and cracked his head on a car windshield on Monday, was discharged late Wednesday night.
The youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl was not wearing a helmet when he crashed into a car that was turning left in front of his motorcycle. Pennsylvania's mandatory helmet law was repealed in 2003.
But Roethlisberger said in the statement that if he ever rides a motorcycle again "it certainly will be with a helmet."
Doctors have said two rounds of tests showed no brain injuries, although there was a mild concussion. Doctors used small titanium plates and screws to reassemble Roethlisberger's broken jaws and repaired other broken facial bones. He also lost two teeth and chipped several others, doctors said.
In the statement, Roethlisberger said that he realizes he has a responsibility to safeguard his health in the offseason so he can continue to lead the team.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, citing confidentiality laws, has refused to confirm media reports that Roethlisberger does not have a valid Pennsylvania motorcycle license.
Roethlisberger appeared to address those reports in his statement.
"I never meant any harm to others nor to break any laws," Roethlisberger said. "I was confident in my ability to ride a motorcycle and simply believed such an accident would not happen to me."
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer said those criticizing Roethlisberger for not wearing a helmet should back off.
"He went through seven hours of surgery and the last thing he needs right now is guys banging on him for not wearing a helmet," Palmer said at Bengals' minicamp in Cincinnati.
Police were still investigating and will not release their findings until their accident reconstruction is complete, spokeswoman Tammy Ewin said. Police have finished inspecting Roethlisberger's Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle and the car, but Ewin would not elaborate on that part of the investigation.
A secretary for District Justice Oscar Petite Jr., who has jurisdiction where the crash occurred, said no citations or other charges have been filed.
The car's driver, a 62-year-old woman, did not immediately return a telephone message Thursday.
The Steelers have not given a timetable for Roethlisberger's return, but hope he will be ready for their Sept. 7 opener against Miami. Players who visited Roethlisberger in the hospital believe he will return to action soon, with no ill effects.
"I look forward to being at training camp in Latrobe and winning football games this season," Roethlisberger said in the statement.
The Steelers are 27-4 with Roethlisberger at quarterback and have played in two AFC championship games and won a Super Bowl during his two seasons as a starter.
Bengals receiver Chad Johnson hopes the accident does not cause teams to impose more contractual limits on dangerous activities by players.
"They took away the (touchdown) celebrations. Now we can't enjoy ourselves outside of the facility? That's not fair," Johnson said.
"If you're going to do it, do it very cautiously. If you're going to ride a bike, ride it the right way. Don't speed. Do it for enjoyment. If you're going to bungee jump, have two cords in case one snaps. I don't ride anything. I just talk trash. That's it."
Although Roethlisberger was able to sneak out of the hospital Wednesday night, Mercy Hospital officials did not confirm his release until Thursday morning at the request of his family.
It was unclear where Roethlisberger went when he left the hospital. A bodyguard outside Roethlisberger's home did not say if the player was inside, but several vehicles were parked in the driveway and on the street nearby.
AP Sports Writer Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report.
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