Category: NFL (Page 824 of 1282)

      Lions go with another untested head coach in Swartz

      January 16, 2009 /

      Jim SwartzThe Detroit Lions found their next head coach in former Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator Jim Swartz, who was hired Thursday evening to take over a franchise in dire need of a facelift.

      At least as a head coach, Swartz is unproven, untested and his ability to lead a team (especially one coming off an 0-16 season) is unresolved. Can he do it? Can he take the Lions from the pits of hell to at the very least, mediocrity? Maybe. Or maybe he follows in the footsteps of Rod Marinelli, Steve Mariucci and Marty Mornhinweg and gets ushered out the door as quickly as he was rushed in.

      Lion fans had to have felt a little better when they woke up this morning. Matt Millen isn’t the general manager anymore, change is in the air and another offseason of free agent signings and high draft picks is upon them. But the cold, hard reality of the situation is that Martin Mayhew (Millen’s understudy) is the general manager, Swartz (again, unproven) is the change and what’s the point of getting excited about another offseason when failure is quickly to follow it?

      If you ask me, William Clay Ford Sr. got it wrong again. He should have hired somebody from a winning organization (somebody who has won somewhere, sometime) to be the general manager instead of Mayhew. Why would you want the guy that was under Millen? Why would you want the guy that was three people under Millen for that matter? If they wanted real change, then they should have air raided the entire front office and started from scratch. (Although to be fair, Mayhew’s first move was trading Roy Williams to Dallas for draft picks, which looks like it was a solid move.)

      It’s hard not to give a first-year head coach like Swartz a chance because of the success rookie head coaches John Harbaugh (Baltimore), Tony Sparano (Miami) and Mike Smith (Atlanta) had this year. But Swartz won’t be able to do his job effectively unless Mayhew does his.

      The Lions have a long ways to go to get the taste of 0-16 out of their mouths. Change is what they needed, but is Mayhew and Swartz the right change? Time will tell.

      NFL

      A Chat with NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice

      January 15, 2009 /

      Interview Date: 1/8/09

      It’s not often that a sports writer gets the opportunity to interview a sports legend. So when we were offered the chance to sit down and talk with former San Francisco 49er great Jerry Rice, we nearly leaped out of our seats.

      Jerry has dabbled in a number of different professions since retiring from his Hall of Fame NFL career, including competing on “Dancing With the Stars” and more recently, acting. He has a cameo appearance in the movie, “Without a Paddle: Nature’s Calling,” where he plays a character named Hal Gore (uh, Al Gore’s brother…seriously), who happens to be a bit off his rocker. (Hal’s game plan to stop global warming was focused around squirrel farts…again, seriously.)

      Jerry was gracious enough to talk to us about his role in the movie, his experiences with acting and whether or not more acting was in his future. We also couldn’t let him get off the phone without asking him some gridiron questions, including his thoughts on who currently is the best wide receiver is in the game, what young quarterback has the best chance of winning a Super Bowl, and what defensive backs were the best he ever played against. He also filled us in how legends Joe Montana and Bill Walsh were pranksters, and whether or not coaching is in his future now that the 49ers have hired former player Mike Singletary has their next head coach.

      Jerry Rice: Anthony!

      The Scores Report: Jerry, it’s an absolute pleasure to talk with you!

      JR: Not a problem. You’re the last one of the day, bud! It’s been a long day so I’m giving you my best.

      TSR: Excellent! Well my first question has to be – is acting harder than playing in the NFL?

      JR: (laughs)

      TSR: It’s gotta be, right?

      Jerry RiceJR: (still laughing) Yep! Of course it’s harder because it’s something that I’m not accustomed to. And in (my) particular scene in “Without a Paddle: Nature’s Calling,” I play someone else. I don’t play myself. So that was the challenging part of that, but it gave me a chance to challenge myself and I’m always looking for opportunities like that and I think it brings out the best in me. Hopefully people look at this on DVD and they appreciate it and they like it.

      TSR: Well I got a few laughs just watching you dressed up in that garb!

      JR: I bet you did!

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: That’s why they put me in that!

      TSR: I’m sure it was. Why don’t you explain the role for people who haven’t seen the movie yet?

      JR: I’m this mountain man whose been in the wilderness for about 30 years and I’ve got this long beard…I’ve got this coat that’s pretty much made out of squirrels and stuff like that…and I thought I had found this cure for global warming by way of squirrel farts.

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: But hey, I had a great time making it, man.

      TSR: How did you get involved in something like this?

      JR: You know, this fell in my lap because Terry Bradshaw was supposed to do it and you know how crazy Terry is. Maybe Terry looked at it as, “there’s no way I’m doing that.” So they decided to contact me and they said, “do you want to do it?” And I said, yeah, I’ll go for it and I did, and I’m glad because to be associated with Paramount is an honor within itself. And to also work with the actors and actresses was really cool.

      TSR: Is there a future in this for you or is this a one and done type thing?

      JR: Hey, I’m hoping it’s not a one and done. You know, hopefully this opens up more opportunities for me just like “Dancing With the Stars” did. I feel as though I worked my butt off, I had fun with it and people are going to get a chance to see another side of me that they’ve never seen before. I’m going to watch the DVD tonight and I’m going to critique, and I’m sure I’m going to look at certain parts and say to myself, “I could have done that better than that, but that’s just part of not being complacent and being willing to continue to work.

      TSR: Consummate professional, right?

      JR: That’s it, buddy.

      TSR: Mind if I toss a couple football questions at you?

      JR: Let’s do it.

      TSR: I’m sure you watch the NFL closer than anybody. What current wide receiver impresses you the most every Sunday?

      JR: Probably Andre Johnson. But you have to look at Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, you know…let me think…

      TSR: What about Terrell Owens, one of your x-teammates?

      JR: I thought you wanted younger guys, okay, yeah – Terrell Owens, Randy Moss all those guys. Those guys are still the big play receivers, you know? (They) are why you pay your money – because you know that those guys are going to put on a good show for you.

      Joe MontanaTSR: You’ve won Super Bowls with Joe Montana and Steve Young so you know what it takes for a quarterback to win a championship. What young quarterback – Tony Romo, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, etc. – that hasn’t won a Super Bowl yet is the next to win one in your opinion? What current quarterback is destined to hoist a Super Bowl trophy?

      JR: You know what? The next guy? Boy…it could be Joe Flacco from Baltimore with the way he’s playing right now. It could be Donovan McNabb. You know, Eli…well Eli’s won one already, so, you know, we’ll just have to wait and see how (the playoffs) pan out. The ultimate thing is to win the Super Bowl and I think all of those guys have a legitimate shot.

      TSR: Besides winning the Super Bowl, what would you call your greatest moment in the NFL? What was your greatest achievement?

      JR: (laughs) Oh my God! Probably…oh my God. I would say, uh…just playing with the guys that I had played with. It was never about records to me. So you know, just the relationships that I had built you know, with (Joe) Montana, (Ronnie) Lott, Roger Craig – so many great guys. Then going across the Bay (to Oakland to play with) Tim Brown and so many other great players.

      TSR: I always want to ask players this. Was there ever a funny moment, whether it’s on the field, off the field in the huddle, whatever, that you rarely share with the public? Could you share one of those moments to give fans an insight to what your playing days were like?

      JR: Joe Montana was always a prankster!

      TSR: Was he?

      JR: Oh, yeah – Joe Montana did crazy things. He would put Tiger Balm and stuff like that in jocks. Then all of a sudden guys would put their jocks on and they’d get that little burning sensation out there on the field!

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: (laughs)

      TSR: Did he ever get you?

      JR: No, he knew better than that!

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: (laughs) But you know, Joe was a prankster…Bill Walsh would walk through the locker room with those tights on, and his sweat towels and his football shoes and stuff like that trying to look like a wide receiver and all that stuff.

      TSR: That’s pretty funny, although it’s hard to imagine a legend doing that!

      JR: Yeah!

      TSR: You played against some of the best defensive backs in the league. Who was the hardest to beat or the best you’ve ever played against?

      JR: I had two of them – Darryl Green and Deion Sanders. Those guys were so fast and I had to study them, I had to work them off the line of scrimmage, and I had to be patient. That was always something Bill Walsh wanted us to do – he wanted us to be patient off the line of scrimmage. He wanted us to win at the line so, you know, I had some success against those guys.

      TSR: Is there a current defensive back playing now that would fit into Green or Sanders’ mold?

      JR: You know what, no, because you don’t have that many cornerbacks that play one on one anymore. It’s because of the (defensive) schemes, so you know, you still have some good defensive backs out there but (Green and Sanders) were going to pretty much be singled up with the best receiver on every team. And their job was to shut that guy down and they were great.

      Mike SingletaryTSR: I thought the hire of Mike Singletary was absolutely the right move to get the 49ers headed back in the right direction. What are your thoughts on the hire?

      JR: I think it’s fantastic. I think that was the best move the Niners (could make in hiring) Singletary. I also heard that Tom Rathman is going to come back as the running backs coach, so this team is starting to move in the right direction. They have someone (in Singletary) that’s a great leader, will lead them by example and if the players don’t do their jobs, he’s going to let them know it. And if they don’t pick it up, they’re going to be out of there.

      TSR: Is coaching in your future, Jerry?

      JR: No.

      TSR: No? Absolutely not?

      JR: (chuckles) Not at all, buddy!

      TSR: (laughs)

      JR: Hey I have to run, my man.

      TSR: Thanks Jerry – I appreciate your time!

      JR: You got it – take care.

      Interviews, NFL

      Cowboys to release Terrell Owens?

      January 15, 2009 /

      According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com – who must have a little cot set up at Valley Ranch – the Cowboys are considering releasing receiver Terrell Owens so that the team will have better chemistry in the locker room next season.

      Terrell Owens“I think we all know that chemistry is the problem with this team more than the schemes or anything else,” a Cowboys source said. “Are we going to continue to allow talent to outweigh everything else in the decisions we make with players and putting the roster together? We’re like the Redskins used to be when they signed every player they wanted. There’s more to it than talent. It has to be more about the team.

      “The big one [Owens] didn’t get discussed yet, but I’m sure it will and real hard.”

      The Cowboys released twice-suspended cornerback Pacman Jones last week and Tank Johnson is expected to depart through free agency. Both decisions are at least partly related to the renewed emphasis on creating a different atmosphere in the locker room. The Cowboys began their ill-fated 2008 season with three players on the roster who had been suspended by the league or their previous teams — Jones, Johnson and Owens.

      At least two sources believe that vice president Stephen Jones will attempt to convince his father that Owens should be finished with the Cowboys. But Jerry Jones just last year invested a $12 million signing bonus in Owens, which means there would be salary-cap fallout. In fact, Jerry Jones has suggested that there might be enough damage that the team would find it difficult to sign NFL sack leader DeMarcus Ware to a new contract.

      “I think some of people want to just cut our losses and get rid of all those guys … T.O., Tank, Pacman,” another Cowboys source said. “But I really think Jerry likes the thrill of trying to make it all work.”

      After what happened at the end of the season with the Tony Romo/Jason Witten/Terrell Owens saga, some people (mainly Owens) will read this and say, “There’s that Ed Werder again – making sh*t up.”

      But think about it, Werder is in Dallas 24/7 reporting on the Cowboys for ESPN. I swear the guy is required to sleep on site just in case any story breaks and it’s not like he can go around stirring the pot with fictional stories because then nobody would talk to him. So anyone that thinks this is just Werder trying to get a quick headline needs to get a grip.

      The possibility of Jerry Jones wanting to change the culture in the locker room is very real. He has a new stadium ready to open and despite having some of the best talent in the league every year, the Cowboys never win. If Jones really wants to make a change, parting with Owens might be the first step. It’ll be interesting to see how this story develops this offseason.

      NFL, Rumors & Gossip

      Tucker: Entering draft is best move for college players

      January 15, 2009 /

      The deadline for underclassmen to decide whether or not to turn pro is today and Ross Tucker of SI.com has advice for all of those players on the fence about whether or not to return to school: go pro and never look back.

      Mark SanchezFootball is a collision sport that takes a toll on one’s body, whether it be in the NFL or in college. Therefore, every player’s time in the game is finite, no matter how genetically gifted they may be. At some point the body is going to break down. When that time comes, each player will have the opportunity to reflect on his career and decide whether or not he maximized his earning potential. Any top prospect who returns to school, especially those who would have been taken in the first two rounds, is playing an entire season for which they could have been getting paid. That list currently includes Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy, USC’s Taylor Mays and a few others projected as first-day picks if they had entered the draft.

      The other rebuttal to my premise concerns education. A player who leaves school early likely leaves without his degree. I thought this was a grave tragedy when I was a youngster. Man, was I naïve. To be clear, I am a huge proponent of education. I chose to attend Princeton because I recognized it was a unique learning opportunity. I would recommend that any player find a way to get his degree so he has something to fall back on when his playing days are over. But you can always go back to school. Besides, most of those who stay for their final year of eligibility drop out of school before the second semester, either to prepare for the Combine or individual workouts or both.

      Much of the compensation for NFL players, especially those not fortunate enough to be drafted in the first round, is based upon tenure. A player’s league minimum goes up virtually every season. More importantly, the benefits players receive are based entirely upon years of service. Beginning with a player’s fourth season, every year entitles that player to another contribution into his annuity, 401k, severance and pension. Every year makes a significant difference.

      I wonder how much of Tucker’s opinions stem from the poor economy. Because you used to hear pundits say, “If you’re good enough, the money will always be there. So stay in school as long as you can and enjoy the ride.” If we weren’t in economic hell right now would he still be instructing young players to, “get it while they can”?

      He makes great points in his article. If a player’s stock is high and he grades out well, then they should enter the draft, make millions of dollars and hopefully go on to have a great career. Strike while the iron’s hot. Mark Sanchez (who is still deciding but is leaning towards entering the draft) and Shonn Greene are two prime examples of players in this year’s draft who are leaving while their stock is high.

      But one thing Tucker isn’t factoring into the decision, and something that must be hard for a young player, is the experience they get from being in school. They only get so many years of eligibility and then their college career is over – forever. It’s hard to pass on experiences in life, even when millions of dollars are staring you in the face. The bottom line is that it’s a tough decision and you can’t blame a kid for going either way with their decision.

      College Football, NFL, NFL Draft

      Digging into home field advantage

      January 15, 2009 /

      In the Jan. 12 issue of ESPN the Magazine, Peter Keating breaks down a number of different reasons why teams enjoy an advantage at home. The entire article is worth a read (though you’ll have to buy a copy since the article isn’t available online), but the part that jumped out at me was a study that was done on soccer officials back in 2007.

      In every major pro sport over the past five years, home teams have benefited from a differential in calls made by the officials. Before you send irate e-mails to David Stern or Roger Goodell about zebras on the take, know this: Researchers say it’s likely that officials are subconsciously channeling fans’ preferences. “Referees get a lot of abuse, and as far as crowds are concerned, the only good decisions they make are those that help the home team,” says Paul Ward, a cognitive psychologist at Florida State. “If you’re looking for a way to deal with the stress of quick decisionmaking, favoring the home team is a way to reduce anxiety”

      To test this hypothesis, Ward and his colleagues strapped a group of soccer refs, coaches and players to EKGs and asked them to call videotaped games. Half watched games with crowd noise, the other half without. The results, published in 2007, showed that the participants subjected to crowd noise reported more mental anxiety–and called 21% fewer fouls on the home team.

      Bingo! This is why the intensity of crowds generates an advantage for home athletes. More fan frenzy equals more ref anxiety.

      It makes sense that if an official is calling a game in front of a packed house of 20,000 screaming fans, that it’s not unlikely that the ref will eventually bend to the fans’ will. They may have every good intention of calling the game right down the line, but it’s human nature to try to reduce your own stress, and the easiest way to do that is to make the people around you happy.

      So if you’re ever at a game and wondering if it’s worth the effort to stand up and cheer (or boo your fool head off), now you have your answer.

      College Basketball, College Football, General Sports, March Madness, MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, Soccer

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