Category: NFL (Page 690 of 1282)

Delaware wants to legalize single-game betting…

July 29, 2009 / John Paulsen

…and, of course, the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and NCAA are fighting it.

Delaware politicians are ready to battle their new multi-headed opponent on the issue of legalized sports gambling, but it appears a compromise could be made with the sports leagues if the state promises to stick with a parlay betting system.
The NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and NCAA filed a joint lawsuit last week in an attempt to prevent Delaware’s motion to legally open sports betting within the state.
Delaware is one of four states that are exempt from aspects of this law. The state’s previous foray into sports betting was a disaster in the 1970s because of poor line setting.

The leagues argue that when wagering is allowed, every blown call, missed shot, etc. is seen as something more nefarious. The problem with this argument is that single-game wagering is already legal in Nevada (and happens illegally all over the country and online), so keeping Delaware from allowing this kind of wagering isn’t going to do much to help the perception that the games could be fixed.

Besides, doesn’t NBA commissioner David Stern remember Tim Donaghy? He can’t even keep his officials from gambling, yet he wants to police the entire country.

Like alcohol or smoking, wagering on games is a vice. Some people have it under control and see it purely as entertainment, while others have a problem. Whether or not Delaware makes it legal will have very little bearing; people are already wagering on games, they’re just doing it illegally.

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Report: Favre to continue working out

July 29, 2009 / Anthony Stalter

The NFL Network’s Scott Hanson is reporting that Brett Favre will continue to throw and work out, despite telling Vikings head coach Brad Childress that he wants to stay retired and not play in 2009.

Via Rotoworld:

You’ve got to be kidding. Favre reportedly said he’s still not totally sure about whether he’ll stay retired or try to play, even after “confirming” he’d re-re-retire to Childress and in an ESPN interview. Asked by Steve Mariucci how he’d feel about his decision on Wednesday morning, Favre replied “I’m wondering that myself.” It wouldn’t shock us one bit if Favre “gets the itch” again and tries to come back late in camp or even after the season kicks off.

If I’m Childress and Favre calls me in a week saying that he’s ready to come back, I tell him to piss off.

Brett will always be a NFL legend for what he did in Green Bay and I, as well as many other football fans, will always admire how he played the game with such passion, reckless abandon and determination. The guy was flat out fun to watch.

That said, news of him being unsure about his decision to stay retired shouldn’t surprise anyone. Favre is more indecisive than a 15-year-old girl at the mall and I wouldn’t be shocked if he changed his mind once every day until the start of the season.

He’s just flat out incapable of making a decision without changing his mind 14 times.

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Jaguars to pursue Michael Vick?

July 29, 2009 / Anthony Stalter

Sam Farmer of the LA Times writes on his Twitter page that the possibility of free agent quarterback Michael Vick signing with the Jaguars “is looking more and more real.”

While I question how a writer from the LA Times would know that Vick could sign with the Jaguars (it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to think Farmer has a contact in Jax, I guess) Jacksonville does make sense as a possible landing spot for the criminal. (Too harsh? No? Okay.)

There were rumors around draft time that the Jags would take a quarterback with the No. 8 pick in the first round, but instead decided to upgrade their offensive line when Eugene Monroe fell to them at that spot. Some pundits believe that David Garrard’s time is running out in Jacksonville, although he was hardly to blame for the injuries that ransacked the offensive line last year and completely hindered the Jags’ offensive success.

Still, a little competition never hurt anybody and Garrard’s backup is 37-year-old journeyman Todd Bouman, so maybe Vick is a great fit for the Jags. (Although it should be noted that Jacksonville’s beat writer Michael C. Wright reports that Vick’s name hasn’t come up once during meetings between him and team brass.)

In other Vick news, the Redskins, Seahawks, Bengals, Bills, 49ers and Rams have already stated that they’re not interested in the free agent QB.

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Jim Johnson passes away at 68

July 28, 2009 / Anthony Stalter

In sad NFL news, former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson lost his battle with cancer and passed away on Tuesday at age 68.

Johnson had taken a leave of absence from the team in May as he continued to battle a cancerous tumor on his spine. The Eagles announced his death on Tuesday afternoon.
A veteran of 22 years as an NFL assistant, Johnson is regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the league, known for complex schemes that confused opponents and pressured the quarterback from every angle. His defenses consistently ranked among the best in the league, including last season, when the Eagles finished third in total defense and fell one victory short of the Super Bowl.
“What haven’t I learned from Jim?” (Sean) McDermott said. “I don’t think it would be fair to Jim, in this setting, to try and limit in one statement, one press conference, the effect that Jim has had on my life.”
McDermott paid Johnson the ultimate compliment in describing the style of defense he wanted the Eagles to play: Johnson’s style.
“There is one thing I know, and that is that this system, it works,” McDermott said. “Jim has spent a considerable amount of time in his coaching career researching and finding things that work and finding things that didn’t work, quite frankly, and I’m going to respect that and we’re going to build on that. From there, we’ll add wrinkles.”

Johnson was simply one of the best. He’s attacking style was highly productive and at least from this NFL fan’s point of view, incredibly fun to watch. He helped the Eagles win five division titles and between 2000 and 2008, his units ranked second in the league in sacks with 390.

The NFL, the Eagles and us fans are going to miss you, Jim. RIP.

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Childress: Favre staying retired

July 28, 2009 / Anthony Stalter

According to Vikings head coach Brad Childress, Brett Favre has decided to stay retired and will not play this season.

Judd just received a phone call from Brad Childress who said he talked to Brett Favre and that he was informed that Favre is staying retired. Childress cited the daily grind both mentally and physically as part of the reason why Favre remained retired.
“I just think it was a rare opportunity to explore a Hall of Fame quarterback who had background in the NFC and in this division,” Childress said. “He knows our system inside out … This doesn’t change anything about how I feel about our football team.”

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m shocked. I thought for sure that Brett was coming back, but ultimately I think this was the right decision. I don’t think his body would have made it through a full 16-game season and I know just the thought of him being in white and purple was enough to make most Packer fans throw up their lunch.

My first thought was to write about how Brett screwed the Vikings by putting them and their players through the ringer for the past two months. But really, what has changed? They planned on going with either Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson before all of the Favre talked spread, and now those two players will battle it out in camp. Chances are, Rosenfels and Jackson are going to put all of these behind them fairly quickly and get ready for training camp. With the season still a couple months away, Favre will be old news in Minnesota in a few weeks and the players will move on.

Then again, the season is still a couple of months away, so Favre could still change his mind…no! He wouldn’t…would he?!

NFL