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TOP STORIES - JANUARY 14, 2006 Get your NFL football tickets now at TickCo. They have all team Cardinals tickets, Cowboys tickets, Packers tickets, Colts tickets, Patriots tickets, Titans tickets and more. Get your Super Bowl tickets here! ARMY ALL-AMERICAN BOWL: This is a game that pits highly-touted prep All-Stars which often serves as one final chance to impress would-be college recruiters. However many players use the occasion to announce their selection with a TV audience watching. In what is fast becoming a tiring stunt, the recruit places ball caps of several schools on a table before picking up one and donning it. Often the player bluffs taking one hat (usually a rival of where he's going) before picking up the other lid. One scene had two players making their announcement in tandem, and there happened to be two USC caps on the table, so guess where that one went?? Just once I like to see someone grab the orange cap with the T, then tell everyone that he's headed for Texas even though he had just donned a Tennessee lid. Or even better, grab a blue and orange cap thinking that it's Florida when in fact it's Boise St. Keep in mind these are just 'verbal' commitments, and before the official signing date of February 1 this carries all the clout of a Norman Chad marriage. In fact one of the QB's in this event had recently 'de-committed' from Arkansas, then went on to go something like 2-13 in the game. Hope he enjoys his time at Eastern Michigan. VINCE YOUNG SECOND THOUGHTS??? One report says that Young has NOT hired an agent, and that Mack Brown will try to convince VY to change his mind. The only thing I think could back this up is the speculation that the Texans are still set on Reggie Bush, and that VY could land in New Orleans. Still, I say Young reversing course and returning to Austin is a longshot at best.  VY NDE: Look for this in a SportsCentury program near you. As a child at age 10, Vince was riding his bike through an intersection and was broadsided by a car, resulting in Brett Favre-like internal injuries.'DEVASTATING, CAREER THREATENING???' The conflicting and confusing reports concerning Carson Palmer rank right up there with Ariel Sharon these days. Second-string doc who operated on Palmer goes public on the extent, saying the ACL was torn, the MCL was shredded, and the kneecap was dislocated, causing additional damage. Doc adds that the extent was off the charts and would be a '4' on a scale of 1-3, but then adds that the surgery 'went well' and that Palmer could still be ready for the beginning of next year. FIVE FOR FIGHTING: Just in case NBA players have forgotten that the league isn't exactly nuts about fights spilling into where the paying customers sit, Kevan Dooling and Ray Allen were suspended for their little tiff the other night. Ray drew a three game suspension while Dooling was given a five game ban, since he also tried to chase Ray down backstage afterwards. STRANGER CRASHES NHL PRACTICE!!! Wanting to prove he can play with the big boys, a 28-year old man known only as 'Raphael' jumps the boards during a Montreal Canadiens practice and tries to score on goalie Jose Theodore - and was about as successful as I am trying to land a date.  HACKSAW BUMPED OFF LIST OF TOP LA SPORTSTALK HOSTS: Where did XTRA get their golf shirts from - the Vancouver Canucks gift shop in 1990??? Article reveals another classic Lee Hamilton moment, as he tells a Raider fan to go ahead, 'put that gun in his mouth - and pull the trigger!!!' My favorite story however comes in 1999 when San Diego columnist Fritz Quindt noted that Hacksaw's real name is Paul Mahen. Turns out Hacksaw was listed under that name in the phone directory, and his phone got flooded with prank calls. The next night Hacksaw unloads on FQ, and among other things - calls him a faggot. Hacksaw then goes to the jammed packed phone lines, where ladies always jump to the head of the line - the caller on the other end??? Fritz Quindt's wife. The article also reveals that Petros Papadakis has become the new king of LA Sportstalk. Among other gigs, Petros now does PA for USC basketball and even got about a one-minute role in a CSI episode that aired last week, no he wasn't the one being thrown in the cooler at the morgue. What does Hacksaw think of that - being run off by Tommy Trojan himself??? ANOTHER GREAT HACKSAW MOMENT: This was a morning commentary he did a couple days after the conference championships were played in January, 1990. It started with the following: 'ARE YOU A MORON OR A MENTAL MIDGET?? ARE YOU AN IMBOSOL OR AN INGRATE??? I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU - RAMS, BROWNS, BRONCOS FANS, I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M READING, IN THE NEWS, IN THE MEDIA...' The previous Sunday the eventual World Champion 49ers blew out the Rams while Denver handed Cleveland yet another damaging championship game loss. Hacksaw was ripping the Browns fans as well as Rams fans locally for not realizing how far their teams got, while Denver writers were saying that it would had been better for the Broncos to lose the AFC Championship rather than get blown out yet again in the Super Bowl.NEW BROADCAST FAVORITE: Joe McIlvane is so good doing color on Marquette games (audio available on Yahoo) that for the first time in my life I actually like Steve True. During a game last week someone flopped trying to draw a foul, leading to the following from McIlvane, 'He went down like a sniper in the 400 (nosebleed) section got him.' He might not get PC points for that one, someone check the schedule and make sure Marquette isn't at Georgetown (located in DC) this year.  MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY IN ALABAMA CAP CASE: Those of you who wear Atlanta Braves or Ashland Oredocker lids may want to pay attention to the next story. A Florida man has been sentenced to death over the murder of a retired police officer a couple years back. James Hallman was shot to death while wearing a University of Alabama cap, the murderer's alibi was that he killed him because he thought the 'A' stood for Anti-Christ.BUSH DECLARES FOR DRAFT: And I don't mean the Texas Air National Guard. INCOMING!! Pushing and shoving between perennial All-Star and Orlando's Kevon Dooling escalates till Allen tackles Dooling into the FRONT ROW!! After both were ejected, Dooling is later restrained after he takes off after Allen in the hallway leading to the locker rooms. 49ERS ASSISTANT GETS PACKERS HEAD JOB: My only concern is you didn't see the 49ers in the end zone too often this past year. It was disclosed earlier Wednesday that Jim Bates had been turned down, and later various sources reported that 49er coordinator Mike McCarthy, 42, had been tabbed as the Packers next head coach. McCarthy's hiring is said to possibly improve Brett Favre's chances at returning, as he was the Packers quarterback coach in 1999 before becoming the Saints offensive coordinator the following year. Look for Peter Brown to rip the organization for yet again picking off the Holmgren tree for four hours on Thursday. LEINART CHOOSES HIGH PROFILE AGENCY: USC quarterback chooses Creative Artists Agency to represent him. CAA is a powerful firm that represents many of Hollywood's top actors, directors and writers. The agency will handle product endorsements, licensing deals and charitable ventures for Leinart - his upcoming NFL contract will be handled by a different agent. The first marriage rumor by the National Enquirer should be any week now. ART BELL UPDATE: Reclusive radio legend in seclusion, asks for privacy as worldwide outpouring of support continues following personal tragedy.'#21 IS EJECTED...' Like I say, do something stupid on Saturday, it's on Putfile by Wednesday. I just liked hearing referee Mike Carey when someone asked him why Michael Pittman (no candidate for a Lady Byng trophy himself) wasn't penalized for retaliating on Sean Taylor. Carey's something like 56 or 57, but no one you would want to get bad side of. CHAD JOHNSON DENIES HALFTIME FIGHT: Bengals receiver holds press conference to deny internet story that he was involved in an altercation with coaches, including Head Coach Marvin Lewis, during halftime of Sunday's playoff loss. However, the website, profootballtalk.com, is standing by it's story, with 'second-hand' information through an agent of a player that had CJ taking 'a swing' in Lewis' direction. The source adds that the player felt like 'kicking Chad's ass', and that Lewis never stands up to CJ and allows him 'to act like a 12-year old'. The 'source' then goes on to say that the player believes the incident had an adverse affect on the Bengals play in the second half. REACT: I'm not saying this did or didn't happen, but I'm going to predict that CJ is going to be the 2006 version of T.O., and this has a good chance at blowing up in everyone's face at some point next season, especially if Carson Palmer isn't playing and everything isn't going hunky-dory. And put Plexiglass Burress a close second on the list of wide receivers liklely to be suspended during the 2006 season.  ANOTHER NFL OBIT: Reaper has been on a rampage lately, latest victim being 16-year NFL cornerback Dave Brown, who collapsed in a pick-up hoops game at Texas Tech, where he has been serving as an assistant under Mike Leach. An original Seattle Seahawk, Brown spent 11 years with the team and is among the All-time NFL interception leaders with 62. Brown was to be honored along with other Seattle players who had been inducted into the team's Ring of Honor during the Seahawks playoff game this weekend. WHEN GORILLAS ATTACK - PITTSBURG STATE GRIDDERS PLEAD NO CONTEST: Two players, including star running back Germaine Race and another player plead no contest to misdemeanor charges stemming from a fight last summer outside some place called Bootlegger Bar & Grill. According to the complaint three were injured in the altercation with the players, a woman was said to have suffered a black eye with her boyfriend getting cut up as well.FORD FRICK FINALISTS SET: Tony Kubek, Tom Cheek, Bill King among the ten baseball broadcast finalists. RENOWNED ORTHO DOC SUFFERS HEART ATTACK: Birmingham based orthopedic specialist James Andrews has cardiac incident over the weekend, which was bad news for Carson Palmer, Jeff Bagwell, and some wrestler named Batista, who all had appointments this week. While Palmer got hurt in a playoff game, an adversary went Kimo Von Oelhoffen on Batista's shoulder during what is known in the wrestling biz as a 'house show'. Palmer wound up having knee surgery with another doctor on Tuesday so he could start on rehab for the 2006 season. Just last week, Andrews' clients included Drew Brees, who had his shoulder repaired. OK STATE GETS MONSTER CONTRIBUTION: $165 million may not mean much to those who don't see the money directly, but the contribution by billionare oil tycoon Boone Pickens to Oklahoma State's athletic program smashes all other previous gifts given to NCAA programs. The previous high was believed to be $100 million given by Vegas casino owner Ralph Engelstad to North Dakota University which was used to build a hockey arena. Nike founder Phil Knight has also given significant contributions to the University of Oregon over the years. Pickens gift to OSU will be used to upgrade the university's football facilities and to help build an 'Olympic Style' village for athletes. Whether it will help the school recruit any defenders that won't get their ankles broken by the next Vince Young to arrive at Texas in the future remains to be seen.  STANFORD RECRUITS TAKEN TO STRIP CLUBS??? Lawsuit by 'disgruntled Stanford athletic department employee' reveals that football players took recruits to a strip club three years ago using athletic department money. It was actually legal at the time, except the players went $3.70, $6.01 and $6.86 over the $30 allowed for 'entertaining' recruits.MORE SKELETON TROUBLE: Just imagine, all this pre-Olympic controversy and none of it involves figure skating. Overall skeleton (head-first luge) World Cup points leader Zach Lund has been placed on suspension after a recent test revealed a 'hair restoration product' which can also supposedly be used as a masking agent. Also a court refused to reinstate coach Tim Nardiello, who has been accussed of sexual harrasment by two team members. Meanwhile, U.S. ski officials are not amused over Bode Miller's comments over teh weekend on 60 minutes, and his elegibility for the Turin games is also in question. OFF-SEASON OFFICIALLY BEGINS IN JACKSONVILLE: How do we know, besides losing over the weekend?? Wide receiver Reggie Williams pulled over after running a red light AND turning from the lane AND having a suspended/revoked license. Cops search the car, and sure enough there's weed. NFL EUROPE PLAYER FACES FELONY WEED CHARGE: Zachary Abron pulled over for expired registration. Computer search finds warrant for misdemeanor assault, of course search of car follows, 14.4 ounces of wacky tobacky found there. Abron rushed for 3,200 yards and 42 touchdowns at the University of Missouri, and has had tryouts with the Bears and Falcons. CALHOUN'S CHANCES OF GOING PRO JUMPS TO 100 PERCENT: Wisconsin running back Brian Calhoun was given a 70 percent chance of declaring for the NFL Draft at the start of business on Monday. By the end of the day Calhoun had told his high school coach, family, and everyone else who cared to listen that he will indeed turn pro. Calhoun is projected to be at least a second round draft pick.OBIT - JACK SNOW DEAD: Updating a story from a couple weeks back, the 62-year old Snow has succumbed after a couragous battle against a staph infection that had kept him out of the St. Louis Rams broadcast booth since November 27. Snow had a 40-year association with the Rams, being traded to the team after being drafted eighth overall in 1965. Snow scored 45 touchdowns in his 150 game career and averaged an eye-popping 26.3 yards per catch in 1967. Ex-interim coach Joe Vitt also came down with a staph infection this year and head coach Mike Martz missed most of the season with an infection in the lining of his heart. Also, several members of the Rams and San Francisco 49ers came down with infections following a 2003 game, a case that became the subject of an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. 2004: In a story that was reported at the time on KACSPORTS, 57 high school wrestlers in Utah come down with rashes. Officials positively identify three different organisms, including two cases of strep, one of staph infections and another of herpes. article goes on to say that staph infections are an increasing problem in high school, collegiate, and professional sports. It is also believed that a skin infection led to the death of a Lycoming college football player in December, 2003. EA SPORTS TO DEBUT NCAA BASEBALL TITLE: Actually, I'm still trying to find a store that carries their Rugby and Cricket titles, not to mention the soon-to-be released Arena Football game. I'm assuming the 'ping' of the bat will sound very authentic, especially in Surround-Sound at the Koeckritz trailer. The game will feature a 'load and fire' batting system as well as a 'precision throw control'. For the first time, EA Sports will also incorporate ESPN for the first time, with an ESPN bottom line scroll appearing during the game. Mike Patrick and Kyle Peterson will be the announcers. I'm just waiting for the function where you can have the pitcher make a 45 degree turn and brain the on-deck hitter if he feels that he's attempting to time his pitches on orders from his coach. Perhaps left trigger + right thumbstick + B button all at the same time will do the trick.THEO FLEURY SIGHTING: Long exiled from the NHL, Fleury plays for something called the Belfast Giants, and if you have him in a fantasy league involving British league players, you're probably doing pretty good right now. In just 22 games Theo has 12 goals, 45 points - and 131 PENALTY MINUTES!!! Fleury also earned a game misconduct the other night after Theo started going after some fans that were giving him a hard time while he was sitting in his familiar perch in the penalty box. A Northern Ireland newspaper reported that security had to be called several times to quell the situation. Give this another month and there may be a serious hard liquor shortage in Belfast.  NEW TROUBLE FOR MARCUS VICK: You thought Maurice Clarett's meltdown was apocolyptic?? Now comes word that Vick was arrested Sunday night on three charges of brandishing a firearm. The parents of a 17-year-old said Vick pointed a weapon at their son and two others during an altercation, according to a police report. Vick has been released on $10,000 bail, I don't even think the Raiders will now touch him in the first round. But then again, it's just another case of Vick being overly scrutenized just because of what's happened in the past.NOW GROUP CALLS FOR PATERNO RESIGNATION: National Organization for Woman chapter upset about comments made by Penn St. coach Joe Paterno regarding the suspension of Florida St. linebacker A.J. Nicholson, JoPa suggested that Nicholson was a victim of the temptations that high profile college athletes face. Two months ago Paterno was criticized in some circles for commenting on how the 'black athlete' has 'changed the whole tempo' of college football over the last 40 years. |
2003 NFL DRAFT PROFILES
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