Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 247 of 1503)

      Bucs’ rookie Mike Williams arrested on a DUI charge

      November 19, 2010 /
      Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams (19) changes direction on a fast closing Carolina Panthers safety Charles Godfrey (30) during their NFL football game in Tampa, Florida November 14, 2010. REUTERS/Pierre DuCharme (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Bucs’ rookie receiver Mike Williams was arrested on a DUI charge early Friday morning, although there seems to be more to the story.

      Apparently Williams’ blood-alcohol level was .065 and .061, which is below the limit of .08 in Florida. He failed his field sobriety test, however, and was given a urine test to see if he was impaired by a substance other than alcohol.

      If he wasn’t under the influence of any drugs, then it makes you wonder why he failed the field sobriety test. Did the police have it in for him? I don’t play the role of conspiracy theorist too often, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that a cop would make an unnecessary arrest. That said, it’s also not a stretch to think that an athlete decided to partake in a substance other than alcohol.

      There are conflicting reports on whether or not Williams will start this Sunday in San Francisco. ESPN’s Adam Schefter, after speaking with a team source, reported earlier this morning that Williams would play. But now Schefter is saying that he spoke to someone else with the Bucs, who claims that the rookie wideout will not suit up against the Niners. It’s quite possible that the results of Williams’ urine tests are back and he did test positive for drugs. We’ll just have to wait and see.

      Williams has been one of the many bright stars for the surprising Bucs this season. He’s been the favorite target of second-year quarterback Josh Freeman and at 6-3, Tampa remains in the hunt for not only a Wild Card berth in the NFC, but possibly the South division if they can keep pace with the Falcons and Saints.

      External Sports, NFL

      T.G.I. Friday’s NFL Weekend Preview – Week 11

      November 19, 2010 /

      “This series is brought to you by T.G.I. Friday’s, where every Sunday means Food, Fun & Football! Hut, hut, hut!”

      The Scores Report has teamed up with T.G.I Friday’s to promote the action in Week 11 of the NFL. Here’s a look at Sunday’s top games.

      The Top-5 Games of Week 11:

      1. Giants (6-3) @ Eagles (6-3), 8:20PM ET
      It’s time to find out whether or not Michael Vick is for real or if his video game-like stats are the by-product of the defenses he’s faced. Of the four teams that he’s started and finished against (the Lions, Jaguars, Colts and Redskins), none of the four has a defense ranked in the top 15. That doesn’t mean Vick hasn’t been as good as advertised (on the contrary – he’s been phenomenal), but he’ll get his first true test this Sunday against an angry, aggressive Giants’ defense that was embarrassed by the Cowboys on their home turf last Sunday. This has all the makings of a true NFC East showdown and with it being shown on primetime, one that shouldn’t disappoint.

      2. Colts (6-3) @ Patriots (7-2), 4:15PM ET
      One of the best rivalries of the past decade gets renewed this Sunday in Foxboro. The Colts are incredibly banged up and are coming off a rare victory in which Peyton Manning didn’t throw a single touchdown pass. The Patriots, on the other hand, blew out the Steelers in Pittsburgh and are looking to make a statement that they’re the team to beat now in the AFC. Last year, the Patriots led by 13 with 2:30 remaining but the Colts came back to win 35-34 amidst Bill Belichick’s decision to go for it on 4th and 2 from his own 28-yard line. The call backfired and for roughly 97 days following that play, the media discussed whether or not it was a good decision. How will this year’s chapter of Manning vs. Brady end?

      3. Packers (6-3) @ Vikings (3-6), 1:00PM ET
      This game has lost some luster this season thanks to the Vikings’ poor play, which includes Brett Favre’s penchant for turnovers. The only thing interesting about Minnesota these days is watching the circus act that is Brad Childress and his decision-making. That said, this could be Brett’s last chance to stick it to his former team and you know Lord Favre will make the most of the opportunity. With the Bears’ win over the Dolphins’ practice squad on Thursday night, the Packers need a win in order to keep pace with Chicago in the NFC North. Battling an assortment of injuries, Green Bay has managed to win three in a row and is fresh coming off its bye. Can the Pack get one more and hand their former quarterback another loss? Or will it be Favre’s last moment to shine?

      4. Raiders (5-4) @ Steelers (6-3), 1:00PM ET
      Who would have thought that this would be a top-5 game of any week, nevertheless Week 11? Even though they’re tied for first in the AFC West, the Raiders still have a lot to prove. For starters, only one of their five wins this year came on the road and only two of their wins (Chiefs and Seahawks) came against winning teams. That said, they’re finding ways to win and in the NFL, that’s the only thing that matters. They’re also 3-0 against the AFC West this year, which includes wins over the Chargers and Chiefs – two teams they’ll be competing with down the stretch. For the Steelers, they were soundly beaten by the Patriots last week and now have to play a team that has given them all kinds of trouble over the years. Oakland marched into Pittsburgh last year and beat the Steelers, so you know the Raiders won’t have any fears playing at Heinz Field. This game will be interesting to watch unfold. Even if the Raiders lose, as long as they can hang with the Steelers they’ll have confidence heading down the stretch.

      5. Seahawks (5-4) @ Saints (6-3), 4:05PM ET
      There were a couple of games that could have been used for this spot, most notably the Falcons-Rams contest in St. Louis. But this is a matchup between a) two teams with winning records and b) two teams that are still in a state of flux. The Saints are getting healthy again, which should make NFC teams queasy, while the Seahawks own sole possession of the NFC West but nobody quite knows what to make of Pete Carroll’s squad yet. This game may not tell us a whole lot because New Orleans could roll. But if Seattle hangs tough or – gasp! – actually beats the Saints, then the NFC playoff picture will get more muddled than it already is.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Rockies, Marlins and Red Sox all interested in Justin Upton

      November 18, 2010 /
      June 20, 2010: Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Justin Upton (10) during the MLB baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan.

      A day after GM Kevin Towers said that he would be open to trading young outfielder Justin Upton, teams have come calling.

      Initial reports are that the Rockies, Marlins and Red Sox are all interested in dealing with Towers, although the GM’s asking price is believed to be ridiculous. It may take up to four or five prospects to move Upton, but teams have already started kicking the tires on a potential deal.

      FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal has been all over the Upton trade rumors thus far. He’s reporting that the Blue Jays are showing “strong interest” and that the Mariners could construct a deal centered around pitching prospect Michael Pineda.

      While the Rockies are believed to have inquired about Upton, Towers is determined not to trade the outfielder within the NL West. That means Colorado, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco are out of luck. Atlanta is probably out as well after acquiring Dan Uggla for a paint-by-numbers coloring book and a half-eaten turkey melt.

      Talks between Towers and the Red Sox have apparently cooled, but Boston is showing more interest than the Yankees at this point. Arizona is looking for at least four prospects in return for Upton and aging teams like New York are reluctant to part with that many farm players. Still, if the Red Sox are interested, the Yankees are interested (even though the Bombers may have no place to put Upton in their outfield).

      Much like the Cliff Lee situation, new rumors will surface daily about where Upton may wind up. It’ll be interesting to see how this story unfolds over the next couple of weeks.

      External Sports, MLB

      Is Fox trying to stick it to Panthers’ ownership by starting St. Pierre?

      November 18, 2010 /
      ST. LOUIS - OCTOBER 31: Head coach John Fox of the Carolina Panthers looks on from the sidelines against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on October 31, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams beat the Panthers 20-10. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

      The only reason to start 31-year-old Brian St. Pierre over a rookie in the middle of a losing season is to stick it to management. And that’s exactly what I think Panthers’ lameduck head coach John Fox is trying to do.

      Fox announced Thursday that it’ll be St. Pierre and not rookie Tony Pike starting this Sunday against the Ravens. There were probably many reasons not to start Pike (he’s not ready, he had a bad week in practice, the Ravens will literally eat him alive) but there is one very good reason to start him: Why the hell not?

      Nine years ago a sixth round pick by the name of Tom Brady became a full-time starter in just his second season when veteran Drew Bledsoe fell victim to an injury. I think we all know how that turned out.

      It’s very unlikely that Pike is the next Brady but how would anyone know unless he played? Had Fox elected to start the former Cincinnati product this Sunday, maybe Pike would have surprised and the Panthers could have the opportunity to see him play more this season.

      Or maybe he would have thrown four interceptions in the first half and St. Pierre would have played anyway. Who knows? The point is that the ever-conservative Fox decided against playing a rookie with upside so that he can start a guy that has bounced around the NFL for eight seasons. St. Pierre has thrown a total of five passes in just two games over his career and if any team thought he could be a starting quarterback, then he would have had an opportunity by now.

      Fox is on his way out of Carolina, so maybe he wants to ensure that his front office won’t have the opportunity to evaluate players that may beat him down the road. If that’s the case, then it’s a pretty unprofessional move by Fox, who has done some good things in Carolina but has mostly been a guy that has gotten by via smoke and mirrors.

      And actually, let’s hope Fox is trying to stick it to management. Because if he wants to land a head coaching job again someday, he’ll have to explain why he decided to start a quarterback with no future over a rookie draft pick in the middle of a youth movement.

      External Sports, NFL

      Maybe without prison, we never see this Michael Vick

      November 18, 2010 /
      LANDOVER, MD - NOVEMBER 15: Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles waits for instructions against the Washington Redskins on November 15, 2010 at FedExField in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

      As I’m watching him completely dissect the Redskins’ defense on Monday night, a thought came to me: Would Michael Vick have become the quarterback he is right now if he hadn’t lost everything three years ago?

      Vick still has a long way to go. He currently leads all quarterbacks with a 115.1 rating and he’s yet to throw an interception in 153 pass attempts this season. But none of the four teams he’s beaten (the Lions, Jaguars, Colts and Redskins) own a defense in the top 15 and he missed three and a half games with a rib injury this year.

      Four games does not a MVP make.

      But I watched Vick run around the Georgia Dome for six years and that Vick was not the same player you see today. The Falcons were lucky if he would go through two of his progressions before taking off and running and even when he did throw, you didn’t know if the pass would wind up in his receiver’s hands or the waiting arms of a defender.

      He didn’t have pocket presence, he wasn’t careful with the football and he had little idea what his opponent was trying to do in terms of defending him. He just went out there and played, which was fine most of the time. He led the Falcons to two playoff berths and one NFC Championship Game, but in all that time he never progressed as a passer. Sure, there were signs that he was starting to turn the corner (most notably in 2006, when he was impressive in performances against the Steelers, Bengals and Cowboys), but on a whole he was a glorified running back that just so happened to take the snap from center every play.

      But not anymore. He’s poised, he’s confident, and most of all, he’s prepared. He’s told several media members that he never took his off-field responsibilities seriously in Atlanta (which should infuriate the Falcons considering how much money they paid him). He was never the first player in and the last player out. He rarely studied film on his own, went to lengths to work with his receivers outside of practice or met with his coaches to go over game plans in his free time. He simply went through the motions because he knew his God-given athletic ability would usually carry him through.

      Then he got hauled off to prison and everything changed. He lost his fame, his fortune and was humbled in the process. He didn’t have 60,000 fans screaming his name or the opportunity to showcase his talent. He had nothing.

      I’m a firm believer that people can change, but they have to suffer first. They have to be embarrassed and humbled and then they need to seek help. I wouldn’t have the faintest idea if Vick has changed his act off the field, but it’s obvious he’s a different player on it. I don’t think that happens unless he goes to prison. Even he’s admitted that he did the things he did because he thought, “I’m Mike Vick – what’s the worst that could happen?” But now he’s Michael Vick the ex-convict and someone that has to re-pay his debts (both monetary and to society). He knows that he needs football more than ever and appears to be embracing the game for the first time in his career.

      Again, he has a long way to go. The Giants may expose all of his flaws this Sunday and his play could spiral downward from here on out. I actually fully expect the law of averages to eventually catch up with him and for his numbers to drop, but that doesn’t mean he’ll revert back to the player he was in Atlanta. And who knows, maybe he would have figured it out eventually with the Falcons. (It’s not like he didn’t have the talent.)

      But I doubt it. I think his time behind bars served him well.

      External Sports, NFL

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑