Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 178 of 1503)

      Aaron Rodgers, Nick Barnett iron out issues

      January 31, 2011 /
      Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (R) talks with head coach Mike McCarthy during a timeout in the first quarter at Soldier Field in Chicago on September 27, 2010. UPI/Brian Kersey

      After Nick Barnett took a swipe at Aaron Rodgers via Twitter this weekend, the two have apparently kissed and made up. Kumbaya and a bonfire are set for later this week.

      From ESPN.com:

      Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio he called linebacker Nick Barnett on Saturday to discuss his comments and Barnett’s about the team photo situation.

      “I initiated the conversation. We ironed things out. I didn’t think there needed to be an apology on either side,” Rodgers said.

      “I reminded him I was the one who went to the third floor and lobbied to have everyone in the team photo. I realize people are going to want to talk about this at the Super Bowl, but everything is cool.”

      The problem between the two players started when Rodgers told the media that he rehabbed at the team’s complex back in 2006 when he landed on IR. Barnett was one of the injured players this year that chose to rehab on his own, so he took offense to Rodgers’ comment.

      “All I wanted to be is included as a teammate nothing more,” Barnett tweeted. “Looks like it has backfired on me.. I guess That was asking too much… Sorry if I offended anyone.”

      The entire situation reeked of high school, so I’m sure the Packers are glad it’s over. For Rodgers, there’s nothing like squabbling about this when he has to prepare for Dick LeBeau’s defense in less than seven days.

      External Sports, NFL

      Is Newton’s February workout just a publicity stunt?

      January 31, 2011 /
      Auburn Tigers quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Cam Newton smiles during the warm ups at the BCS Championship game at the University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale, Arizona on January 10, 2011. Auburn beat the Oregon Ducks 22-19 to win the national championship. UPI/Gary C. Caskey

      According to CBS Sports, at least one NFL front office executive believes that Auburn quarterback Cam Newton’s individual workout on February 10 is just a publicity stunt.

      I asked a handful of scouts about this workout. All were mystified as to what gains could be made with what one front officie executive termed a “publicity stunt.”

      One high level scout put it this way:

      “The Newtons would be best to realize they aren’t in college anymore. Regardless of how good he looks for [the media], there isn’t going to be a bidding war for him. We’re not recruiting him. They could wind up turning more people against them than for them with this [workout].”

      As Rob Rang of CBS points out, NFL scouts are forbidden to attend a workout like this that was set up by the player (or agent, or whomever). This will be a media-only event, which raises questions as to why Newton’s camp would want to set up a workout like this in the first place.

      If Newton struggles, then the media will hammer him. If he performs well, then the NFL may be turned off by what appears to be a workout to upstage the league’s process for evaluating prospects. It seems like an inevitable lose-lose situation for Newton.

      College Football, External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      Super Bowl XLV News Headlines

      January 30, 2011 /

      In case you missed the media coverage from the past two weeks, below are headlines linking to stories surrounding Super Bowl XLV. Read the description for each story and then click on the link for the full text.

      Dorsett: Big Ben “lucky” to still be a Steeler
      Something that hasn’t gone unnoticed amidst all the Super Bowl hype is the fact that Ben Roethlisberger has come a long way since his offseason troubles. It seems like decades ago that Big Ben missed the first four games of the season after being suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell for his off-field behavior. And as Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett pointed out to ESPN’s Matt Mosley, Roethlisberger is fortunate to be where he is right now.

      Aaron Rodgers, Nick Barnett iron out issues
      After Nick Barnett took a swipe at Aaron Rodgers via Twitter this weekend, the two have apparently kissed and made up. Kumbaya and a bonfire are set for later this week.

      Super Bowl XLV ticket prices are high
      Everyone knows the Super Bowl is an expensive ticket. But as Calvin Watkins of ESPN writes, this year’s Super Bowl matchup as well as the location (oil-rich Texas) has pushed prices even higher.

      Should Aaron Rodgers be the 2010 NFL MVP?
      Towards the end of the season, the NFL MVP race was seemingly down to two players: Tom Brady and Michael Vick. The Associated Press votes after the regular season and before the playoffs, so postseason play is not taken into account when determining the winner of this award.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL, Super Bowl

      Maurkice Pouncey ruled out for Super Bowl

      January 30, 2011 /

      After speaking to a league source, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday NFL Countdown that Steelers’ center Maurkice Pouncey will not play against the Packers in Super Bowl XLV.

      Pouncey injured his ankle in the AFC title game against the Jets and although he was optimistic that he would be able to play Super Bowl Sunday, it doesn’t appear that he’ll be healthy enough to suit up.

      That means second-year center Doug Legursky will start in Pouncey’s place. Legursky has started just four games in his career and while he played well against the Jets last week, he’ll have his hands full with Packers’ nose tackle B.J. Raji, who has had a great postseason.

      As I wrote earlier this week, even if Pouncey starts who knows how effective he’ll be. Colts’ defensive end Dwight Freeney dealt with an ankle injury prior to last year’s Super Bowl and played well in the first half. But due to the long layoff at halftime, his ankle stiffened up and he could barely play in the final two quarters. I’m not a doctor, but it’s not a stretch to think that the same thing could happen to Pouncey if he tried to play on Sunday.

      External Sports, NFL, Super Bowl

      Nick Barnett takes swipes at Rodgers via Twitter

      January 30, 2011 /
      Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) drops back to pass as Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers (90) pressures him during the fourth quarter of their NFC Championship playoff game at Soldier Field in Chicago on January 23, 2011. The Packers defeated the Bears 21-14 to advance to the Super Bowl. UPI /Mark Cowan

      Injured Packers’ linebacker Nick Barnett hasn’t played since Week 4 because of a wrist injury, but he’s keeping himself relevant this week by speaking out about everything from Jay Cutler to hurt feelings over a team photo.

      Now, he’s deleting his Twitter account after taking a few swipes at quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

      From NFL.com:

      The most recent hurt feelings came after Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was asked during a five-minute media availability Saturday if he feels for his teammates on injured reserve because they can’t take part in the run-up to the game next Sunday.

      Rodgers didn’t directly address the way his injured teammates chose to express their disappointment about potentially being left out of the Super Bowl team photo. But, without naming anyone, he said Saturday that some of the team’s 16 injured players chose not to stay in town and rehabilitate.

      “I’ll say this, I was on IR back in 2006 and I chose to stick around and finish out the season with my guys and be here every game. Some of those guys didn’t,” Rodgers said. “Some of the guys who were injured, they still are part of this team, but they didn’t choose to stick around.”

      Barnett, who hasn’t played since Week 4 because of a wrist injury, fired back at Rodgers on Twitter.

      “Looks like people have something to say about where some people choose to do there rehab,” Barnett wrote. “Try rehabbing with 16 others then 53 more. Doubt you get the full attention needed.. It’s easy to speak about others when you are not in their position.. Talk about ‘union’ ha.”

      Barnett, who later erased those tweets, added: “Goodbye twitter… It was fun while it lasted.. But we need to focus on important things.

      Barnett also tweeted how he was never trying to be a distraction and how he loves the city of Green Bay. He just wanted to be included as a teammate, which is certainly understandable. It must be hard to watch your team get prepared for the Super Bowl knowing that you won’t be playing thanks to an injury.

      That said, he says he wasn’t trying to be a distraction but that’s exactly what he was. How childish is it to be taking swipes at your quarterback via Twitter – during the week of the Super Bowl, no less. If Barnett had a problem with what Rodgers said, he should have taken it up with the quarterback in private. Or better yet, he shouldn’t have taken anything personal and allowed his teammates to prepare for the biggest game of their lives.

      Deleting his Twitter account was probably a smart idea.

      External Sports, NFL, Super Bowl

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