Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 440 of 1503)

      Turner due for a bounce back year in 2010?

      May 12, 2010 /

      Michael Turner didn’t want to hear about the “Curse of 370” heading into last season, but after ankle injuries limited him to only 871 yards on 178 carries, it appears as though “the Burner” is well aware of the damages a full workload can have on a running back.

      And so are the Falcons.

      Turner recently admitted that he fell out of shape last offseason, which may have contributed to his slow start. Turner didn’t really resemble the ’08 version of himself until a Week 8 Monday night effort against the Saints in which he rushed for 151 yards on 20 carries with one touchdown. Until that point, Turner didn’t appear to be hitting holes with much authority and even looked slow at times.

      But Turner apparently learned a lesson from last offseason, because he reported to a recent Falcons mini-camp in great shape according to several reports. Head coach Mike Smith was even quoted as saying his running back was in “outstanding shape” and was moving “extremely well” in his first day back. That’s great news for Turner, the Falcons and a handful of fantasy owners that were burned (no pun intended) by the running back’s production (or lack thereof) last season.

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      External Sports, NFL

      Did Saints’ GM try to cover up Vicodin theft?

      May 12, 2010 /

      According to former Saints security director Geoffrey Santini, general manager Mickey Loomis tried to convince him to cover up the theft of Vicodin from team’s headquarters.

      From ESPN.com:

      “I was witnessing crimes, and I wasn’t going to stand for that,” Santini told the newspaper. “I did everything I could to save the people that were involved, but it just didn’t go that way. Mickey didn’t let it.”

      The lawsuit, filed April 30, alleges one “senior staff member” was caught on video stealing the prescription pain killer Vicodin, while another was allowed to take a seemingly excessive amount of Vicodin from team supplies.

      Santini told USA Today the “senior staff member” caught on video stealing Vicodin was Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt and the other staff member mentioned in the lawsuit is Saints head coach Sean Payton.

      The Saints say that Santini is just a disgruntled former employee looking for payback. But Santini maintains that he resigned because he was being ordered to either undertake or ignore that several members of the Saints’ coaching staff was stealing the drug.

      It sounds as if this is your typical “he said, she said” case. Santini has credibility because he worked for the FBI for 31 years, but you never know what someone’s motives are. He could be fabricating the truth because he’s pissed off at the Saints, or he could be the key to uncovering a serious infraction. Who knows at this point?

      What we do know, however, is that these are serious allegations. Stealing Vicodin is a felony offense that can carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. And considering Sean Payton’s name is tied to this situation, the Saints have cause for concern.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Cushing should just give his ROY award back

      May 12, 2010 /

      I’ve got an idea: Instead of allowing the AP to decide whether or not it’s fair for him to keep the honor, maybe Texans’ linebacker Brian Cushing should just return the 2009 Rookie of the Year Award in light of his four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Talk about a bold, respectable move.

      I know, I know – if he did that then he’d be admitting guilt. But here’s the thing, he’s already been proven guilty. He’s already been caught and instead of throwing himself at the mercy of the media and fans when he was, he went with the tried and true method of skirting the issue by saying he wasn’t suspended for steroids.

      Right, Brian – we know you weren’t suspended for steroids. You were suspended for hCG, which is used to insure that your balls go back to the same size after you use steroids. Big difference.

      Cushing, and every other athlete who has ever been caught or will be caught using PEDs, should follow in the footsteps of Yankees starter Andy Pettitte. When he was caught, he fessed up – immediately. He didn’t run from the problem and he didn’t try to make excuses. He was open about why he took them (he wanted to heal faster) and was sincere in his apology. He knew he messed up and the only thing that was left to do was pray that fans would forgive him.

      What many athletes don’t realize is that fans want to be forgiving. They want to accept that athletes are human and make mistakes just like everybody else. What fans don’t appreciate is being lied to and made to look like naïve fools. When someone like Cushing says that he wasn’t suspended for steroids and then less than 24 hours later reports surface that the positive drug test was for hCG, fans feel lied to.

      So what’s Cushing to do? Bite down, swallow hard and fess up. Then he needs to voluntarily give his ROY award back and admit that he didn’t earn it. Because whether or not the AP re-votes him the winner of the trophy or forces him to give it up, he’s not going to feel good about the situation. That award will always been tied to his four-game suspension so he might as well do the honorable thing and just give it back.

      And if he does, watch how fast fans are willing to forgive.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Big Ben finishes behavioral evaluation, but will he change?

      May 12, 2010 /

      The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has completed his behavioral evaluation ordered by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

      The behavioral evaluations are just part of Roethlisberger’s punishment after he was accused of sexual assault for the second time in less than a year. If he fulfills his requirements, Goodell may reduce the quarterback’s suspension from six to four games and while Big Ben’s camp is hopeful that he’ll be able to participate in team activities soon, the Steelers have no timetable for his return.

      Goodell is doing a thorough job in this situation, but who knows if Big Ben has learned anything – or will learn anything. He may be fulfilling his requirements in order to get back on the field, but that doesn’t mean he has changed. Has he been humbled by this experience? Will he make smarter decisions in the future? Will he strive not to put himself in situations where it may lead to him getting into more trouble?

      Roethlisberger is a young, single guy. To think he’s going to spend the rest of his football career staying at home and nuzzling up to the fireplace while watching HGTV and sipping a glass of wine is unrealistic. But in order for him to avoid future punishment and embarrassment, he needs to improve his decision-making. Steeler fans can only hope that this process will lead to a wiser, more humbled Ben Roethlisberger.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Did the Saints attempt a trade for Merriman?

      May 12, 2010 /

      The San Diego Tribune reports that the Chargers were in discussions with the Saints and two other teams during last month’s draft regarding a possible trade involving linebacker Shawne Merriman. But the report states that a deal could not be reached because Merriman’s former agent, Tom Condon, was seeking too much money for his client in terms of a contract extension.

      But despite the report, the New Orleans Times-Picayune denied that the Saints were ever involved. They agree that a trade for Merriman would have meant signing him to a sizable long-term deal, but the Saints have been clear that they’re not looking to spend big money on any player right now.

      The rumor makes sense on the surface. The Saints have a definite need at outside linebacker, especially after Jerry Hughes (a player that they had targeted entering the draft) didn’t fall to them with the No. 32 pick. (He went one spot before to the Colts.) New Orleans settled (for lack of a better word) on Florida State’s Patrick Robinson, who now joins a crowded cornerback corps that also features 2009 first rounder Malcolm Jenkins.

      That said, it makes sense that the Saints don’t want to spend a ton of money a year after winning the Super Bowl. Winning teams usually concentrate on keeping their main core of players intact, while also making subtle upgrades through the draft and free agency. Trading for a player such as Merriman and signing him to a lucrative contract extension doesn’t make much sense – especially considering he struggled last year while trying to bounce back from knee surgery.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

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