Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 432 of 1503)

      Andre Johnson reports to OTAs

      May 20, 2010 /

      As expected, Andre Johnson returned to the Texans for OTAs on Thursday, ending his brief contract holdout.

      Really, it wasn’t a holdout because the workouts are voluntary. He wanted to make a point that he’s underpaid (which he is) and now he’s ready to go back to work. Johnson is the ultimate professional and wouldn’t do anything to hurt his teammates, so it’s not surprising that he returned to practice after only missing a few days.

      That said, the Texans still have a problem on their hands. Johnson is the best receiver in the league and despite the fact that he has five years remaining on his current contract, he’s vastly underpaid given what other wideouts are making around the league. He signed a team-friendly deal in 2007 and it would be wise for the Texans to give him a raise. Maybe they’ll wait until after the season to actually re-work his contract, but Johnson is showing good faith by showing up for workouts and the Texans should repay him by letting him know that they’re working on a new deal.

      If they don’t, things could get much uglier in the future.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Titans unlikely to re-do Chris Johnson’s contract this year

      May 20, 2010 /

      Chris Johnson wants to be the highest paid offensive player in the league, but based on recent comments made by Titans’ GM Mike Reinfeldt, CJ is going to have to wait a little longer before reaching his big payday.

      From the Tennessean:

      “Given the circumstances, I don’t think there’s the likelihood anything is going to happen,” Reinfeldt said. “You’re asking me definitely if he’s not going to get (a new contract). I’m not making any definitive statements. I just think he’s a pro and we expect him to honor his contract. Chris has always been a pro, and we expect that to continue.”

      Reinfeldt again cited the 30 percent rule, but said the fact that Johnson is just two years into the five-year, $12 million contract he signed in 2008 is also an issue. The Titans haven’t made a habit of re-doing contracts after just two seasons.

      The 30 percent rule, a byproduct of the league’s labor issues, stipulates a 30 percent maximum raise of the previous year’s base salary. Because the base salary would be restricted each year in a new contract, the Titans would be forced to pay Johnson guaranteed signing bonus money in the $40 million to $50 million range as part of a market-rate extension.

      “There’s limitations on what we can do,” Reinfeldt said. “So it’s definitely an issue.”

      Just based on comments made by Reinfeldt and Johnson’s teammates, it doesn’t appear that this will be a big issue. Johnson may wind up holding out until training camp, but you get the impression that he’ll show up later this summer as a sign of good faith.

      But sooner or later, the Titans will have to pony up and pay their best player, who is highly underpaid by the way. They may wait to see if there’s a lockout in 2011, but at some point Johnson’s contract will be addressed.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Ramirez apologizes to his teammates, but has he learned anything?

      May 20, 2010 /

      You know when you’re a kid and you get into trouble and your parents threaten to take something away from you (TV, video games, play time, etc.) as punishment until you apologize? Then, even though you don’t mean it, you apologize because you just want your Nintendo 64 back?

      That’s what I feel just happened with Hanley Ramirez. He wanted back into the lineup after skipper Fredi Gonzalez benched him on Monday for not hustling after a ball that he booted into right field, so he apologized to his teammates and now he wants to move on.

      Here are the comments he made following his 3-for-5 performance at the plate last night in a win over the Marlins (via the Miami Herald):

      “I just came back in the lineup and got a lot of motivation from my teammates,” Ramirez said. “We get along. Things are going to happen. 162 games. But I think you put those things on the side and keep moving forward.”

      When asked what he told teammates before Wednesday’s game, Ramirez replied: “I just apologized to everybody. So it’s in the past. I talked to my family, wife and kids, and they’re happy.”

      When asked if he was glad the saga was now behind him, he responded: “We’re just going to try to win the series (with a win Thursday). I’m happy to be in the lineup.”

      Now, the apology was meant to be a private manner between him and his teammates, so I get that he might not divulge a lot of details to the media. But does anyone else get the sense that he’s just trying to brush this situation under the rug? At some point we in the media have to let this story die and move on (it’s not like he killed somebody and tried to bury them under Sun Life Stadium), but I don’t know, I expected more from him in light of the apology.

      Maybe that’s because I don’t believe that he believes that he did anything wrong. He said as much on Tuesday when he was questioned about the benching. So is he really sorry for potentially screwing his team out of a win or is he just sorry enough to get back into the lineup?

      We’ll see. This isn’t the first time Ramirez has had run-ins with a coach or teammate and if it’s the last, I’ll be shocked. But at least the Marlins can put the situation behind them for now. For now.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

      Report: Santana Moss was one of Galea’s clients

      May 20, 2010 /

      According to a report by the Buffalo News, Redskins receiver Santana Moss was one of the professional athletes who allegedly received treatment from Dr. Anthony Galea, who has been charged with smuggling muscle-building drugs into the U.S. But as the article points out, Moss isn’t in any trouble, nor is he being accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs.

      “At this juncture, any of the persons who are alleged to have used these substances are considered witnesses, and not targets, of this investigation,” Hochul told The Buffalo News.

      “Officials of the NFL and other sports organizations can sleep soundly tonight, because there is nothing he did with these athletes to help them with performance enhancement,” Mahoney said Wednesday.

      “[Galea] strictly provided treatment for injuries. If any athlete got [human growth hormone], it was injected directly into injured tissue, in very small amounts, for purposes of healing.”

      In a day and age where PEDs are the most controversial subject in sports, it’s too bad that Moss’ name is being tied in with the “Steroid Doctor.” But at least those conducting the trial are going out of their way to make sure the media knows that Moss hasn’t done anything wrong.

      Update: I spoke too soon. The Washington Post is now reporting that Moss could be suspended for HGH. I’ll stay on top of the story and post more as news develops.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Should Braves consider Gonzalez as Cox’s replacement?

      May 19, 2010 /

      Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that the Braves should look to bring back Marlins’ manager Fredi Gonzalez when Bobby Cox steps down at the end of the season. Gonzalez was Atlanta’s third base coach for four years prior to his first season with the Marlins in 2007.

      Back to Gonzalez. It shouldn’t take much convincing for him to come back to Atlanta. In his four seasons as Marlins manager, the team’s payroll has ranked 29th, 30th, 30th and 26th (this season). Yet, Florida is over .500 for the third straight season, is coming off a second-place finish and in 2008 he was voting The Sporting News Manager of the Year in the National League for an 84-74 finish despite the majors’ smallest payroll.

      The Marlins have little fan support. They have a kooky owner, Jeffrey Loria, who actually balked at bringing Gonzalez back this season. Loria denied an ESPN report in October that he was exploring hiring Bobby Valentine to manage. But given that the report came from the nation’s best baseball reporter, Buster Olney, I know who I’m siding with.

      The problem, as Schultz notes in his article, is that Gonzalez’s contract runs through 2011. That doesn’t mean he’s untouchable until then, but it does make things a little more difficult from the Braves’ perspective. Plus, the Marlins and the Braves play in the same division, so I wonder how that would work. (Although Bruce Bochy went from San Diego to San Francisco in the same type of scenario and the Giants and Padres play in the same division.)

      That said, Brave fans have to at least like the thought of Gonzalez winding up in Hotlanta. Cox will go down as one of the most respected skippers in all of baseball and the Braves would be wise to hire someone with experience to fill his shoes. Gonzalez has done an admirable job in Florida and might be able to give Atlanta the shot in the arm that it needs.

      Of course, it’s only May. Who knows what will happen over the course of the next four and a half months leading up to Cox’s retirement.

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

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