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Convict sends letter to recruit urging him to attend Notre Dame

October 24, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

It’s been right in front of their faces the whole time and they never knew it. College coaches had the greatest recruiting weapon at their disposal and didn’t even know it.

Convicts. Convicts? Convicts.

High school know-it-all doesn’t want to attend your program? Don’t send over more coaches or a big-named player – send letters from someone doing 5 to 10 in a maximum-security prison.

Charlie Weis knows what I’m talking about.

The recruiting process, as it has evolved over the years, is no longer an intimate courting between college coaches and high school prospects.
A couple recruits in Arizona — including Devon Kennard, son of former Wolf Pack player Derek Kennard — received multi-page letters from an inmate in the California State Penitentiary system urging them to choose Notre Dame.

Could you imagine being one of the top high school prospects in the nation and you get a letter from an inmate urging you to choose a particular school? I don’t know about anyone else, but my ass would be going to that school. I’m not going to be the one getting shanked by some convicts in a back alley somewhere because I didn’t choose to play for their favorite college football team. No sir.

College Football

Charlie Weis Convict writes high school football recruit a letter High school football recruiting Notre Dame Fighting Irish Strange recuriting stories

Bengals fan punched in the face, knocked down stairs during game

October 24, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

As if Cincinnati Bengal fans haven’t suffered enough this season thanks to their winless team, apparently they’re getting physically abused in the stands, too.

A 48-year-old Miamisburg man says he was punched in the side of his face after trading barbs with Steelers fans sitting behind him in the north end zone Sunday. The force of the blow knocked Randy Reed down the concrete stairs. He woke up bloodied in the security office. Reed broke his wrist and suffered from cuts and bruises on his face and nose.
The attack highlights a growing problem in the NFL – safety. It was a hot topic before the season started. In August, the Bengals addressed the issue by expanding their 2-year-old fan conduct policy to include behavior outside of the stadium. The team created the 381-JERK line in 2006, a number fans can call or text to report bad behavior.
The Bengals are standing behind Reed. Director of Business Development, Bob Bedinghaus, says the team will do everything they can to find out who hit him. They even offered him tickets to a future game, but Reed turned them down, saying he would never take his wife or daughter back. Bedinghaus says he would “absolutely consider” Paul Brown a safe place to watch football.

I wouldn’t take free tickets to see the Bengals either.

NFL

Cincinnati Bengals Fans fighting in stands NFL fans fighting in stands Pittsburgh Steelers Sports fans fighting in stands

Should Browns release Winslow?

October 24, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

Patrick McManamon of the Akron Beacon Journal writes that the Browns should do themselves a favor and cut ties with angry tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.

Note that on Wednesday when his teammates were asked about Winslow, not one expressed concern about the team’s approach to staph, and not one came to Winslow’s defense.
That’s not an accident.
Savage and Crennel said they would welcome Winslow back, provided that he’s not disruptive and that he is productive.
It’s too late.
The Browns are a 2-4 team with Winslow playing while worried about his contract.
What will they be with him playing while obsessed about getting out of Cleveland?
It’s too bad the option to keep him inactive the rest of the season — a la the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Keyshawn Johnson — is no longer there. (That move does not exist under the current NFL collective bargaining agreement.)
So release him.
Winslow can find out what he’s worth on the open market, and the Browns can move on.

There comes a point where enough is enough and it appears that Phil Savage and the Browns are to that point with Winslow. He certainly hasn’t done himself any favors since he arrived in Cleveland and who could blame the team if they wanted to part ways? Considering he was a top 10 pick, it would be a shame if the Browns couldn’t get anything for him, but sometimes you have to learn when to cut your losses.

Fantasy Football, NFL

Cleveland Browns Kellen Winslow comments and quotes Kellen Winslow comments on Phil Savage Kellen Winslow Jr.Romeo Crennel

Worst NFL Chokes

October 24, 2008 / Anthony Stalter

Forbes.com complied a list of the worst NFL choke jobs of all time.

Super Bowl XLII
New England finished the 2007 season with the league’s first-ever 16-0 regular-season record. Quarterback Tom Brady threw 50 touchdowns and receiver Randy Moss caught 23 of them–both league bests–to help the Patriots score a record 582 points. But despite their seasonal excellence, the Patriots lost Super Bowl XLII by three points to the underdog New York Giants. With most of the scoring in the fourth quarter, the Giants’ Plaxico Burress caught a 13-yard pass from Eli Manning for the final score of the 17-14 game.
The Comeback
In 1993, the Houston Oilers choked so badly the game got its own nickname. “The Comeback” saw the Buffalo Bills recover from a 35-3 deficit in the third quarter to beat the Oilers in overtime. True to its name, the 32-point comeback remains the biggest in NFL history. The Oilers management fired the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach the next day.
Super Bowl XXV
In 1991, near the close of Super Bowl XXV, the Buffalo Bills trailed the New York Giants 20-19. A two-minute drive down the field by Bills quarterback Jim Kelly had set up kicker Scott Norwood for a 47-yard field goal attempt. Norwood kicked it wide right, lost the game and became the only kicker in history to have missed a last-second field goal when a Super Bowl was on the line.

Usually we as fans think about what a great win it was for the Giants in last year’s Super Bowl, or what an amazing comeback it was for the Bills in ’93. But you forget that you can go the other way with it too and note how bad the Pats choked after a 16-0 season or how the Oilers couldn’t hold onto a 35-3 lead. It’s kind of interesting to think about.

NFL

Buffalo Bills Eli Manning New England Patriots New York Giants NFL chokes NFL lists Plaxico Burress Randy Moss Scott Norwood Scott Norwood missed field goal Tom Brady