NFL notebook for May 11 05/11/2011
Washington Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth did not grope a waitress at a hotel bar and intends to fight the accusations, his lawyer said Tuesday in entering a not guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of sexual abuse. Haynesworth, who was not present at his arraignment in D.C. Superior Court, is accused of sliding his credit card into the bra of a waitress and touching her breast during a birthday party at a Washington hotel in February. His lawyer said after the arraignment that the accusation was false and that the former University of Tennessee player would defend himself at a trial set for July 11. "The government's version of what happened at the W Hotel a few months back is very different from our version - and we've got witnesses," said defense lawyer A. Scott Bolden, who said his client was currently out of town. "The one thing I can tell you is my client didn't do what he's accused of doing." The sexual abuse charge carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Bush's lockout postson Twitter draw ire NEW ORLEANS - Reggie Bush insists he was only joking when he stirred up fans with posts on his Twitter account about enjoying free time during the NFL lockout. Bush drew critical responses from a number of his nearly 1.7 million Twitter followers when he posted: "Everybody complaining about the lockout! Shoot I'm making the most of it! Vacation, rest, relaxing, appearances here and there! I'm good!" Bush then added in a second post moments later: "Right about now we would be slaving in 100 degree heat, practicing twice a day, while putting our bodies at risk for nothing." The timing of the posts heightened criticism of Bush because the flashy running back has been absent from workouts organized by quarterback Drew Brees, which have drawn several dozen Saints players to Tulane's football facilities. Extra points . . . n Police say Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Alex Magee has been cited for marijuana possession. Tampa, Fla., police say a patrol officer pulled over Magee's Dodge Charger on Monday afternoon for having an expired tag. Magee was charged with possession of marijuana and driving with an expired tag. n Officials in a Twin Cities suburb said they have reached an agreement with the Minnesota Vikings to lure the NFL team away from their longtime home in Minneapolis with a retractable-roof stadium built on a Superfund site. The site of the stadium would be the former Twin Cities Army Ammunitions Plant property in Arden Hills, about 10 miles from the Metrodome. n Former Oakland Raider Anthony Wayne Smith has pleaded not guilty to murder in the 2008 beating and shooting death of a man in northern Los Angeles County. The 43-year-old Smith, who played defensive end for the Raiders in Los Angeles and Oakland from 1991 to 1998, is one of three men charged in the killing of 31-year-old Maurilio Ponce, who was beaten and shot several times in Lancaster before his body was dumped near a poppy field. Add Comment Last season for the Jets, running back LaDainian Tomlinson had 219 carries for 914 yards, and started 13 games. This year, he doesn't want those numbers to be so high. "I would really love to just come out of the backfield and run routes," Tomlinson said today after a practice at Jets West, the week-long camp organized and run by quarterback Mark Sanchez. "I don’t want to carry the ball as many times as I did last year. Hopefully that role goes to Shonn Greene and some of those younger guys, where I can really create match-up problems out of the backfield." Coach Rex Ryan said after the draft that third-year running back Shonn Greene is ready to be the "bell cow," i.e. the lead ballcarrier. Tomlinson understands and embraces a more specialized role this season, something he is well-suited for, as he caught 52 passes for 368 yards last season. The future Hall of Famer was a welcome check-down option for Sanchez and somewhat of a security blanket for the offense. "I would love to be the best third-down back in the league," said Tomlinson, one of 14 Jets players in attendance. "I have been the best running back in the league before; now, at the end of my career, I would love to be the best third-down back." Last year, Greene was intended to be the primary ball-carrier, but Tomlinson got off to a hot start, averaging more than 5 yards per carry through the first six games before the bye week. Looking back, Tomlinson admitted that performance was unexpected, adding, "it was called on me to do it, so I did it, but I didn’t need to have that, if you know what I mean?" This season, he is anticipating being a role-player. "I've always said, once I get toward the end of my career, I didn’t need many carries," Tomlinson said. "I don’t want that. I don’t want to beat myself up like that when I don’t have to. Shonn Greene, hes ready to take on that role, so I don’t have to do that. Now, I can come out of the backfield, and that’s what I want to do." The Jets added another running back, drafting Bilal Powell in the fourth round. He joins a crowded unit with Tomlinson, Greene and Joe McKnight, plus fullback John Conner. But Tomlinson embraced the addition. "I don’t think you ever can have too many running backs," he said. "In my opinion, running backs are so versatile. You can put them on special teams, you can put them in there to block, you can put them in there to do a lot of different things. It creates competition, and we all want competition so it brings out the best in us. My thought was, 'Great, we have another guy to add to the guys we have.' " * * * Joe McKnight, a fourth-round pick in 2010, had a different reaction to the Jets drafting Powell. "I was pissed and motivated at the same time," he said, noting that when he went to USC there were 11 running backs he had to compete with. "It really doesn’t make any difference; it's just more fuel to the fire." McKnight's role was very limited as a rookie, save the regular-season finale when he had 32 carries for 158 yards as Greene and Tomlinson were inactive to rest for the playoffs. His main focus is to finish camp this year in a much better place than last season. * * * Receiver and kick returner Brad Smith is due to be a free agent -- restricted or unrestricted, depending on the rules -- but decided to come to Jets West when the temporary stay was granted last week, to get in some football work. Working alongside him is Jeremy Kerley, the fifth-round pick whose receiving/returning/Wildcat skill set is strikingly similar to Smith's, appearing to be a possible replacement or insurance policy if the Jets cannot keep Smith. "You would think that would be something (the Jets would do), and I don’t blame them," Smith said. "They might lose logistically three wide receivers, so I don’t blame them if that’s how they feel. We’ll see when talks begin again if that has something to do with that offer, and we’ll go from there." Smith says if he were to be a restricted free agent two years in a row, that would be kind of "restrictive." If he has the chance to be unrestricted and weigh offers from teams, would he go elsewhere for the chance to have a bigger role? "My goal is to every time I step on the field or get an opportunity, to make something happen, something positive," Smith said. "If a team is willing to give me that opportunity a little bit more, I think you only get to play this game one time, and you don’t want to be at a place where they're not giving you that opportunity. I think they understand that, and every guy in the league understands that, too. You have to make the most out of every opportunity." * * * Sanchez is throwing every day this week, five straight, and said his right throwing shoulder “feels great.” Doctors decided Sanchez did not need surgery after falling on the shoulder and deeply bruising it late in the regular season. He used a resistance band attached to the goalpost to stretch out the shoulder before throwing. USC Football: The Two Deep at Every Position 04/26/2011
One thing that is for certain for the 2011 version of the men of Troy is that almost nothing is for certain. While some positions, such as quarterback with Matt Barkley, are set in stone, many others are in a state of flux awaiting clarification from returning injured players and in some cases, incoming freshmen arriving in the fall. And, unfortunately for head coach Lane Kiffin, answers that were not provided in the spring will have to await resolution in the fall. So, with much trepidation, lets take a look at the two deep roster starting with the offense..  Singleton, a junior, was the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year despite missing significant time with a broken foot during the season. He combined for 3.5 steals and blocks per game, which is elite among perimeter players in the NCAA. His offensive game needs work and his shooting is suspect, but his 13 points per game show his upward trajectory on that end of the court. His defense, size and strength will enable him to be on the floor, and his maturity and willingness to get better will keep him there. He might go higher than this because of a rare intangible in this draft: maturity.  I have been to countless Major League Baseball games over the years, and as far as I can remember, I have only caught one foul ball. That story is actually unspectacular because it was at a Los Angeles (then Anaheim) Angels game in the late 1990s. I took my cousin who was visiting from out of town. We didn't have a lot of money so we sat in the third deck down the first base side. The crowd was so sparse that when a foul ball came our way and landed about 15 feet away, I was able to unhurriedly get up and retrieve the foul ball. We weren't going to hang around the stadium and wait for autographs so we both signed the ball ourselves to commemorate the event. My better story is about a ball that I caught in the stands, though it was neither a foul ball nor a home run. I was at a Dodgers game in 2005; my family and I were sitting in the right field pavilion. As it typically is in most parks, the outfielders will play catch between innings. In this particular game, right fielder J.D. Drew(notes) was playing catch with the center fielder. As the break between innings came to a close, J.D. turned to the right field crowd and prepared to toss the ball into the stands. As you might expect, many of the fans in the pavilion rose to their feet and started waving to J.D., in the hopes that he would somehow throw it directly to them. I also stood up, but the problem was that I was holding my 1-year-old daughter in my right arm. Drew went into his motion and the ball left his hand. For some reason, it was one of those movie-like moments where time seems to go into slow motion. My primary concern was protecting my daughter, but I also wanted a shot at the ball. I was holding my daughter on my right hip, and I shifted my body so that I was between her and the floating ball. At 6'2" tall, I had a height advantage over many of the fans the surrounded me, and as fortune would have it, the ball flew directly to where I was standing. I literally did not have to move at all. I put my left hand into the air and caught the ball barehanded. My son, who was sitting next to me, looked up at me with a "Wow!" look in his eyes. His dad had just caught him a ball. I was hero for the day. There are, of course, things to think about if a ball is flying into the stands. It can be certainly be exciting to get a ball, but obtaining that ball should not put people in danger. A few tips include: 1. Can you catch, and do you have a glove? This may seem obvious, but plenty of people try to bare hand a ball and do not realize how fast that ball is traveling. If someone works with their hands all day, it may not be worth a grab. 2. Are there people around you? Fans have to decide if this is going to turn into a mid-air brawl or if they have some clearance to grab the ball as it comes in for a landing. Too many people have ended up falling over seats or diving for the ball only to end up in a shoving match with their neighbor. 3. Are you near a railing or other precarious spot? There have been a few horror stories over the years where fans fall over railings trying to catch a ball. Unfortunately when people are looking up they aren't exactly looking down and realizing that they are about to lose their balance. Going home with a ball can be exciting, but it isn't worth falling over a railing. NFL releases Jaguars 2011 schedule 04/21/2011
 The complete schedule is listed at the bottom of this article. Here's the press release for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2011 season is highlighted by three nationally televised games including two Monday night games at EverBank Field against Baltimore on October 24 and San Diego on December 5. The Jaguars visit Atlanta on December 15 for a Thursday night game televised on NFL Network. AFC South rival Tennessee visits Jacksonville on Kickoff Weekend, Sept. 11. Four of the club’s six division games come in the second half of the season, including the final game on January 1 against Indianapolis. Twelve of the Jaguars’ 16 regular season games will be played on Sundays , with all scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Eastern kickoffs. The 2011 schedule features six playoff teams from a year ago and seven games against playoff teams. The Jaguars will have 11 games against teams that finished .500 or better in 2010 including four against division winners. The Jaguars will host two Monday Night games for only the third time in franchise history (1998, 2006) and the three nationally televised games are tied for the third-most in team history (1999, 2000). “We’re very pleased with the schedule we received, and we’re excited about the 2011 season,” Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver said. “With two Monday night games at home against the Ravens and Chargers, and three straight home games in November and December, this is one of the best home schedules we’ve had in a long time. And opening at home and closing at home in EverBank Field, both against division rivals, will be a great way to begin and end the regular season. I hope our fans will get as excited about the schedule as I am.” The Jaguars open the regular season at home for the second consecutive season and the 10th time in club history. The Jaguars and Titans have split the season series four of the last five years including the last two seasons. It marks the third time in the last five seasons the teams have opened the season against each other. Following the opener, the Jaguars play back-to-back road games beginning at the New York Jets on Sunday, September 18, the club’s longest trip of the regular season. The Jaguars have won their last two road games against the Jets. The Jaguars visit Carolina on Sunday, September 25 for their first game in Charlotte since 2003 and only the third time overall. The Jaguars return to EverBank Field for a two-game homestand beginning on Sunday, October 2 against New Orleans followed by Cincinnati on Sunday, October 9. The Jaguars won their only two previous home games against the Saints (1999, 2003) and are winners of four of the last five overall against the Bengals. The Jaguars begin a stretch of back-to-back games against 2010 playoff teams on Sunday, October 16 as they visit Heinz Field to battle Pittsburgh. The Jaguars have won four of the last five games against the Steelers including a 31-29 playoff victory on January 5, 2008. The Jaguars play host to the Ravens on Monday, October 24 at 8:30 p.m. It marks the 10th time in franchise history the club will host a Monday Night Football game and it’s the fifth time in the last six seasons the Jaguars will play on Monday. The Jaguars return to division play on Sunday, October 30 as they travel to Houston before observing their bye week. The Jaguars’ open date on Sunday, November 6 marks the second straight season it falls in the middle of the season. Following the bye week, the Jaguars play consecutive road games beginning at Indianapolis on Sunday, November 13. It marks the latest in a season the two teams will square off in the first of their two meetings. The Jaguars visit Cleveland on Sunday, November 20. The Jaguars are meeting the Browns for the fourth straight season and the second time in the last three years in Cleveland. The Jaguars play the first of three straight home games when they host Houston on Sunday, November 27. They have won four straight against the Texans including a 31-24 win in 2010. Facing an unusual month, the Jaguars will play their four December games on a Monday, a Sunday, a Thursday and a Saturday. The Jaguars play their second Monday night game of the season on December 4 when they host AFC West foe San Diego. The Jaguars are 2-0 against the Chargers at home with wins in 2003 and 2007. Tampa Bay visits EverBank Field on Sunday, December 11. The Jaguars visit Atlanta on Thursday, December 15 in a game nationally televised on NFL Network. It is the second time in the last three seasons the Jaguars will play on NFL Network, and the first Thursday regular season road game in franchise history. Back-to-back division games round out the regular season schedule. The Jaguars conclude the road portion of their schedule on Saturday, December 24 at Tennessee, the fourth game in team history on Christmas Eve. The Jaguars close out the 2011 regular season schedule by hosting Peyton Manning and the Colts on New Year’s Day, Sunday, January 1. The Jaguars will finish the regular season at home for the first time since 2005 and only the sixth time overall. 发表首篇博客！ 04/20/2011
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