Nfl Football - Football Betting

2005-11-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

Chrebet placed on IR with another concussion
Updated: Nov. 7, 2005, 2:26 PM ET

Chrebet, who suffered another concussion Sunday in the Jets' 31-26 loss to the Chargers, was placed on injured reserve, coach Herman Edwards announced Monday.
The wide receiver suffered at least the ninth concussion of his college and pro careers making a big catch in the Jets' loss. Chrebet considered retiring in the offseason, but decided to return for another season.--football gambling--

With the Jets facing third-and-5 with 2 minutes left and driving for a potential go-ahead score, Chrebet caught a 6-yard pass near the left sideline -- another clutch play in a career filled with them. Chargers safety Jerry Wilson drilled Chrebet as he caught the pass and sent the receiver to the ground on his back, and the back of Chrebet's head violently hit the Giants Stadium turf.
Chrebet stayed down as team medical personnel rushed over. Television replays appeared to show that Chrebet lost consciousness at least for a few seconds.--football gambling--

"Wayne's as tough as they come, so if he's down there, you know it's serious," running back Curtis Martin said Sunday.--football gambling--

By the time Chrebet got back to his feet and slowly walked back to the sideline with trainers, it was clear something was wrong. And it looked all too familiar to the Jets.--football gambling--

"I have a lot of concern that he'll be OK," quarterback Vinny Testaverde said Sunday. "It's just hard to see not only a teammate, but a very close friend get hurt the way he was."--football gambling--

Back in the locker room after the game, Chrebet needed help untying his shoes and taking his jersey and pads off. He could barely lift his T-shirt off over his head.--football gambling--

Jets GM Terry Bradway stopped in briefly and whispered a few words to Chrebet and shook his hand, before patting him on the leg and leaving. A few minutes later, Chrebet left the locker room without speaking to reporters. --football gambling--

Chrebet finished the game with three catches for 39 yards, including a 20-yard catch on third-and-18 that helped keep the Jets' last scoring drive alive late in the fourth quarter. --football gambling--

Chrebet, in his 11th year with the Jets, had a post-traumatic migraine early in the 2003 season and missed the final eight games that season with postconcussion syndrome. He considered retiring, but instead chose to come back last season. Chrebet played in all 16 games, but sustained a mild concussion in the regular-season finale against St. Louis.--football gambling--

He missed the Jets' first-round win over San Diego, but returned for the divisional round loss to Pittsburgh the following week -- although he had no catches.--football gambling--

Chrebet has 15 catches for 153 yards this season, and his 580 career receptions rank him second to Don Maynard's 627 on the team's all-time list. --football gambling--
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. --football gambling--

2005-11-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

Steelers score high in tailgating, too, Pittsburgh caterer says

By Sean Schultz
sschultz@greenbaypressgazette.com

Green Bay Packers fans have nothing on the Pittsburgh Steelers when it comes to tailgating. -NFL Football-

Pittsburgh caterer Rania Harris swears it’s true. And she should know — she scouts the parking lots around Heinz Field before Steelers’ home games, looking for recipes. -NFL Football-

Harris, from Mount Lebanon, Pa., is a Pittsburgh TV and radio personality, dishing on recipes that use Heinz products. She’s a spokeswoman for the H.J. Heinz Co. and also does recipe development for the Pittsburgh-based food company. -NFL Football-

Harris provided 57 recipes for the new book, “Heinz Field Touchdowns to Tailgating.” The book also includes chapters titled “57 Q&As to Test Your Football IQ”, “57 Amazing Football Facts,” “The Inside Scoop on Tailgating.” -NFL Football-

A caterer since 1979 and a cooking school teacher, she’s been with Heinz since 2001. She does a tailgating segment on Steelers running back Jerome Bettis’ weekly TV show. She also stars on a Sunday morning pregame TV show, “Grid Iron Gourmet,” and a Thursday night radio show. -NFL Football-

Harris has heard about the intensity of the Packers’ tailgating crowd, but suggests the Steelers stadium regulars are just as good. -NFL Football-

“Here it’s almost become a religious experience,” she said. “It’s very serious here. I’ve done a lot of catering in these years I’ve been in business and I’m impressed at what I see on Sunday mornings at Heinz Field.” -NFL Football-

There’s a lot more than burgers and sausages frying in the parking lots of Pittsburgh. -NFL Football-

“You see all sorts of wonderful food displays,” she said. “There’s pork barbecues, Italian sweet and hot sausages and kielbasa, pork tenderloin and filet mignon. I see big pots of soups and chilis people are cooking off generators, and big urns of coffee being perked.” -NFL Football-

Coffee? At an NFL football game? Not to worry. -NFL Football-

“They definitely have their beer here, too,” she noted. -NFL Football-

At that stadium, she turns out 3,500 food samples each game for fans as they pass through two gates into the stadium. On a recent Monday night game, the faithful consumed 3,500 baby burgers topped with Heinz ketchup and other condiments. -NFL Football-

2005-10-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

NFL out in force for Mara service

By Associated Press
Friday, October 28, 2005 - Updated: 12:56 PM EST

NEW YORK - In a big turnout of football star power, family, friends and admirers gathered Friday for an emotional send-off to New York Giants owner Wellington Mara, one of the founding fathers of the NFL. -NFL Football-

An overflow crowd packed St. Patrick's Cathedral for the funeral Mass honoring Mara, who died Tuesday at 89. Mara, elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997, died of cancer at his home in Rye. -NFL Football-

Giants players and office staffers arrived in seven charter buses led by a New Jersey State Police cruiser on a crisp, fall morning perfect for Mara's beloved football. -NFL Football-

Former Giants great Frank Gifford spoke during the 1-hour, 45-minute service before an assemblage of NFL celebrities usually reserved for a Hall of Fame ceremony. -NFL Football-

“I'm so honored to stand here and say a few words about this man that I love,” Gifford said. “I had three stages of knowing Wellington Mara. He was my boss for a long time, and he was a father figure. And finally, as we got older, he was my friend.” -NFL Football-

The alter was simply decorated with four bouquets of red flowers, two on either side. Mara's casket was brought into the cathedral accompanied by a bagpiper playing “Amazing Grace.” -NFL Football-

Running back Tiki Barber, a Mara favorite, led the team into the cathedral, followed by a parade of somber teammates that included quarterback Eli Manning and tight end Jeremy Shockey. -NFL Football-

Among the other mourners were Phil Simms, Phil McConkey and Harry Carson, members of the Giants' 1986 Super Bowl team. -NFL Football-

“Giant fans from all around the country wish they could be here,” Carson said. “It is sad, but we also know his spirit will be with us no matter what.” -NFL Football-

Other former players arriving early included tight end Mark Bavaro and quarterback Dave Brown. -NFL Football-

Among those in the crowd were former Giants coach Bill Parcells, who came with his current boss, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones; Carolina Panthers coach John Fox, a former Giants assistant; and Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel, another ex-Giants assistant. -NFL Football-

The presence of NFL coaches from around the league, just two days before their Sunday games spoke volumes about the level of regard for Mara. -NFL Football-

© Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

2005-10-20T15:18:00.000-07:00

Officials expect Superdome to be ready for some 2006 Saints game
October 20, 2005 --- nfl ---
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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Superdome officials say the stadium should be largely cleaned up from Hurricane Katrina and ready for the New Orleans Saints to play at least some of their games there in 2006. --- nfl ---
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The announcement Thursday came as San Antonio officials said they were working Saints owner Tom Benson to keep the team in Texas. The state must also respond to the team's assertions that its state-owned practice facility has been rendered unusable by damages caused by federal agencies in the weeks following the Aug. 29 storm. --- nfl ---
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The Superdome, severely damaged by high winds, should have a temporary roof in place within 10 days, said Doug Thornton, regional vice president for SMG, which manages the stadium. An environmental assessment of its interior -- damaged by rainfall through holes in the roof and its use as a shelter for evacuees -- should be finished by Dec. 1, he said. --- nfl ---
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``We're working to make the Dome ready for the next season,'' Thornton said at a meeting of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District Commission, the state board that oversees the Superdome. --- nfl ---
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The Saints have drawn criticism recently with shake ups in upper-level staff, as Benson apparently leans toward moving the team from New Orleans to San Antonio. --- nfl ---
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On Monday, Benson fired Arnold Fielkow, the team's top business executive since 2000 and an advocate for keeping the Saints in Louisiana. Fielkow has said that stance led to his dismissal. On Tuesday, Conrad Kowal, senior director of marketing and business development, resigned. --- nfl ---
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The team also sent a letter to the Louisiana National Guard and the stadium commission, saying their Jefferson Parish practice facility, leased from the state for $1 per year, has been damaged so badly by federal actions after the storm that the team cannot return ``for some time (if ever).'' --- nfl ---
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``These actions have effectively terminated the Saints' lease for the facility and have caused great and continuing damage to the team,'' said the letter, signed by lawyers for the team. --- nfl ---
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Tim Coulon, head of the stadium commission and the state's negotiator with the team, said Thursday that state officials planned to inspect damage at the practice facility next week. --- nfl ---
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``If there's some damage to those buildings, we're going to rectify that,'' Coulon said. --- nfl ---
Asked it he thought the letter was Benson's first step toward leaving New Orleans, Coulon said he hoped not.--- nfl ---
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``I don't want to speculate, because I haven't heard from him,'' Coulon said. ``But it's not too late (for Benson) to step up to the plate and be the good citizen.'' --- nfl ---
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Under the terms of the state's contract with the team, the Saints could argue that the storm has made the stadium unusable, move to another state and avoid paying an $81 million penalty, Coulon said. --- nfl ---
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Coulon said the state would fight such a move, probably in court or in arbitration.--- nfl ---
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2005-10-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

Browns' Edwards sidelined by arm infection

CLEVELAND (Oct. 9, 2005) -- Browns rookie wide receiver Braylon Edwards remained hospitalized following surgery to treat an infection in his right arm. - NFL Football -

Edwards practiced all week and was not listed on the team's injury report for Cleveland's game against the Chicago Bears. Browns spokesman Bill Bonsiewicz said the first-round draft pick took part in the team's walkthrough Oct. 8.

Afterward, Edwards, who had cuts and scrapes on his arm, noticed that it was swollen and showed team doctors, who admitted him to the Cleveland Clinic. - NFL Football -

Edwards underwent a surgical procedure to have the infection cleaned out, Bonsiewicz said.

It was not immediately known if Edwards has a staph infection.

Edwards didn't mention any problems with his arm to reporters last week. He wore a protective sleeve over his elbow during practice. - NFL Football -

Edwards, who has yet to crack Cleveland's starting lineup, has nine catches for 166 yards. He scored on an 80-yard TD reception in the Browns' Sept. 18 win at Green Bay, the type of game-breaking play the club envisioned him making when they selected Edwards with the third overall pick in April's draft. - NFL Football -

The former Michigan star has been listed as the club's No. 3 receiver, but coach Romeo Crennel said Edwards has been making steady progress. Edwards missed two weeks of training camp before signing a five-year contract in August. - NFL Football -

The Browns (1-2), who had a bye last week, have had a history of injuries to top draft picks.

Quarterback Tim Couch missed the final nine games of his second season with a fractured thumb and was plagued by elbow trouble during his time in Cleveland. Defensive end Courtney Brown missed 33 games over five seasons with assorted injuries before being released in March.

Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. broke his ankle in Week 2 a year ago, and is sidelined this season with injuries sustained in an offseason motorcycle injury. - NFL Football -

With Edwards out, Frisman Jackson was expected to move up on the Browns' depth chart.

2005-10-01T14:18:00.000-07:00

Mexicans Catch Football Fever as NFL Takes Game South of Border

The San Francisco 49ers football team will play before their biggest crowd this weekend in 14 years -- in Mexico City.

The National Football League is using the game between the 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals to try to add to its 20 million fans in Mexico, the largest group for any country after the U.S. The NFL says the Oct. 2 game will draw 85,000 to Azteca Stadium for its first-ever regular-season game outside the U.S.

``We have a great fan base in Mexico and it's been growing dramatically over the last several years,'' said NFL Chief Operating Officer Roger Goodell.

Football is the second-most popular sport in Mexico, trailing only soccer, said Ricardo Perez, director of sports and special events for Grupo Televisa SA, world's largest Spanish- language media company. Perez said NFL games on Televisa, which is co-sponsoring the 49ers-Cardinals match, draw ratings as much as 40 percent higher than baseball.

Sales of NFL caps, jackets and other merchandise in Mexico bring in about $15 million a year, according to the league.

Companies scoop up advertising time during NFL games on Televisa because the audience is made up of ``high-income'' earners, said Perez, 43. He declined to give Televisa's ad prices or revenue from NFL games.

Those wealthy fans include Fernando Villarreal, a 51-year- old independent business consultant based in Monterrey. Villarreal travels several times a year to the U.S. to watch his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys.

`Nightmare'

On his last trip Sept. 19, Villarreal went back and forth to Dallas in the same day to watch the Cowboys play the Washington Redskins. The Cowboys, the most popular team in Mexico, let a 13- 0 lead slip away in the final four minutes of the game and lost 14-13.

``It was the season opener and it was a beautiful night,'' Villarreal, who attended the Cowboys' three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s, said in a telephone interview from Monterrey. ``And then it turned into a nightmare.''

Televisa began airing games in the late 1960s, planting the seeds for the popularity of football in Mexico, Perez said. Games can now be seen on Mexico's television networks as well as cable TV networks ESPN Inc., owned by Walt Disney Co., Fox Sports Networks LLC, owned by News Corp., and Sky Mexico, Televisa's satellite television unit.

Both ESPN and Fox Sports are part of Empresas Cablevision SA's basic cable package in Mexico, which costs 260 pesos ($24) a month.

Football or Baseball

Mexicans prefer football over baseball even though more of them play professional baseball than football. Eighteen Mexicans started the 2005 baseball season on Major League teams. Only one Mexican -- 361-pound (164 kilograms) Rolando Cantu -- plays in the NFL. He is an offensive lineman for the Cardinals who never has played in a regular season game.

``The NFL has done its homework in Mexico,'' Perez said. ``The challenge now is to spread the game to the masses.''

The NFL converted Joshua Olivo, a 14-year-old student in Mexico City, from a soccer fan to a football fan by inviting him to join about 100,000 other Mexican kids in a flag football league set up in 1998 by the NFL. Olivo said he knew nothing about football when he joined the league three years ago.

``I liked soccer more,'' said Olivo as he threw a football to his teammates at his school's practice field this week. ``When they invited me to play, I got interested and now I like football better.''

First Fans

Olivo said he plans to be one of the first of the 85,000 people to file into Azteca Stadium for the Sunday night game.

While the crowd would be the biggest the 49ers have drawn in 14 years, it would be smaller than the crowd of 112,376 that packed into Azteca to watch the Cowboys play a pre-season game in 1994.

Pre-season games in Mexico City in 1997 and 1998 also drew over 100,000. NFL and Televisa officials said they removed the lowest 10 rows of seats from the stadium for this weekend's game so that spectators can see over the players standing on the sidelines.

The 49ers and Cardinals have a combined record this year of one win and five losses. The 49ers, which won five Super Bowls from 1981 to 1995, had the worst record in the NFL last year with two wins and 14 losses.

The Cardinals, which will be considered the home team for the game at Azteca, haven't had a winning season since 1998.

``If this game fills Azteca Stadium with these two teams, then it's a true measure that people indeed love NFL football in Mexico,'' said Jose Manuel Basave, who writes a football sports column for El Norte newspaper in Monterrey.

2005-09-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

NFL REPORT
Cowboys rally to edge Niners

COMPILES BY ED McNAMARA

Coming off a brutal loss, Dallas trailed by 15 in the first half, and doom loomed. But the 'Boys hung in there like men, and this time, they were on the fun side of a wild comeback.

Keyshawn Johnson caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Drew Bledsoe with 1:51 to play, and Dallas overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the 49ers, 34-31, yesterday in San Francisco. - NFL Football -

Johnson's TD capped a 76-yard drive by Dallas, which is 2-1 after three nail-biters. Bledsoe threw for 363 yards, his first 300-yard game since 2003, and passed Joe Montana for eighth on the passing yardage list.

Dat Nguyen intercepted Tim Rattay's tipped pass at midfield with :54 left to finish off the 49ers (1-2). Rattay threw three TD passes, including an 89-yarder to Brandon Lloyd.

The Cowboys won at San Diego with an end-zone interception on the final play, but Washington's two long TD passes in the final four minutes shocked them Monday night.

"I think we proved we can take a punch and still win in the end," coach Bill Parcells said. "You take 'em any way you can." - NFL Football -

Colts 13, Browns 6

Maybe this season, defense will carry the Colts to the Super Bowl. For the third straight game, Peyton Manning's renowned offense was held in check. Even in a league where the unpredictable should be expected, who saw this coming?

Dwight Freeney had three of the Colts' four sacks and Edgerrin James ran for 107 yards as Indianapolis (3-0) won its seventh home game in a row. Cleveland (1-2) put up a good fight but was overmatched. - NFL Football -

"Our offense just is not quite on all cylinders," coach Tony Dungy said. "What our offense is doing is making clutch drives. I think we're going to be fine."

The Colts have allowed 16 points and are only the sixth team since World War II to hold its first three opponents to single digits, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Manning was 19-for-23 for 228 yards, and even on a subpar day for him, he set more records. He became the second-fastest to top 30,000 yards passing in his 115th game. Dan Marino did it in 114. Manning hit Marvin Harrison six times for 53 yards, making them the most prolific duo in NFL history. They've combined for 9,568 yards, breaking the previous record of 9,538 held by Buffalo's Jim Kelly and Andre Reed. - NFL Football -

Falcons 24, Bills 16

Yes, Michael Vick can beat you with his arm as well as with his legs. Bothered by a hamstring injury, Vick threw for two TDs and Atlanta rolled up 236 rushing yards. He wasn't exactly playing on one leg, though, gaining 64 yards on nine carries. Warrick Dunn added 97 yards.

"Now I don't know if I saw a different kind of quarterback," Falcons coach Jim Mora Jr. said, "because when it got right down to it, he still was able to make plays running. But he did make some key plays with his arm." - NFL Football -

Atlanta (2-1) ended a four-game road slump. Willis McGahee ran for 140 yards for Buffalo (1-2), which may have lost star linebacker Takeo Spikes (Achilles tendon) for the season.

Bucs 17, Packers 16

Lambeau Field doesn't intimidate the Bucs anymore, or anybody else. Carnell "Cadillac" Williams ran for 158 yards as Tampa Bay (3-0) ended a 13-game drought at Green Bay. Williams broke Alan Ameche's 1955 record for rushing yards in his first three games (434).

Ryan Longwell missed a PAT (bad snap) for the first time in 157 tries, and the Packers are 0-3 for the first time since 1988. - NFL Football -

Dolphins 27, Panthers 24

First-year coach Nick Saban already is making a difference for the host Dolphins (2-1). Lance Schulters intercepted Jake Delhomme with two minutes left to set up Olindo Mare's 32-yard field goal with four seconds left.

Miami rookie Ronnie Brown ran for 132 yards. Steve Smith had 11 catches for 170 yards and three TDs for Carolina (1-2).

Bengals 24, Bears 7

The Bengals haven't been 3-0 since 1990, the last time they made the playoffs. Maybe they'll finally make a return trip. Cincinnati intercepted rookie Kyle Orton five times and became the first team in 34 years to get five in consecutive games. Carson Palmer threw three TD passes to burn the host Bears (1-2). - NFL Football -

Vikings 33, Saints 16

Daunte Culpepper threw three TD passes as host Minnesota (1-2) ended its funk. The Saints (1-2) had four turnovers and 14 penalties, and they're not psyched for their debut Sunday in San Antonio. "We just have to fight through it," safety Jay Bellamy said. "It is not home and we know it's not home."

Rams 31, Titans 27

Marc Bulger threw for three TDs and Torry Holt caught nine passes for 163 yards for the host Rams (2-1). Titans tailback Travis Henry will be suspended four games for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

Seahawks 37, Cardinals 12

Shaun Alexander ran for four TDs and 140 yards and host Seattle (2-1) pulled away in the second half. Arizona (0-3) lost Kurt Warner to a groin injury.

Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.

2005-09-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

Chiefs RB Johnson arrested

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Sept. 13, 2005) -- Running back Larry Johnson was arrested after an altercation with his girlfriend on Sept. 10 at a Kansas City bar, the latest in a series of troubles with the law for Kansas City Chiefs players.

Police Department spokesman Darin Snapp said Johnson turned himself in and was cited for domestic abuse assault. Johnson posted bond and was released, with a court date set for Sept. 20 on the misdemeanor charge.

Snapp said the girlfriend came into the bar and saw Johnson with a different woman. The 25-year-old girlfriend, of Overland Park, Kan., saw Johnson and walked the other way, Snapp said, but Johnson text messaged her on her phone and asked her to meet him downstairs.

The running back then grabbed the woman by the arm and pulled her to the front door, Snapp said, where Johnson asked the manager to make her leave. The manager said he couldn't do that.

Snapp said Johnson became irate after his girlfriend confronted his date. The running back grabbed the victim by the shoulders and shoved her, causing her to fall onto the floor, the police report said.

The girlfriend told The Kansas City Star, in a story on its Web site, that the police report was wrong and denied that she was pushed or dragged to the door. Snapp said the woman told police she didn't want Johnson arrested, but instead just wanted the incident documented.

Friends convinced the woman the next day to file a police report after seeing bruises on her arms, Snapp said.

Johnson ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns against the New York Jets the next day.

He is the latest of several Chiefs players who have gotten in trouble with the law either at bars or the result of alcohol.

During training camp, backup quarterback Todd Collins was involved in a melee at a restaurant and bar near River Falls, Wis.

In earlier incidents, kicker Lawrence Tynes was charged with breaking a bouncer's nose in a River Falls bar fight. Defensive tackle Junior Siavii and safety Greg Wesley also were arrested during camp after allegedly getting into a drunken confrontation with police in a Minneapolis hotel.

2005-09-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

Football Legend Jerry Rice Retires

(AP) Unwilling to be a bit player with the Broncos, Jerry Rice retired Monday, closing a 20-year career for the most productive receiver in NFL history.

Rice, 42, made his decision over the weekend at home in San Francisco, then returned to Broncos headquarters and met with coach Mike Shanahan. He played 20 NFL seasons.

"This is a happy day," he said. "I think the tears that you see basically is that I have really enjoyed this ride. - NFL Football -

"I'm done. I'm looking forward to the next phase of my life."

Shanahan confirmed what Rice already knew — that he would be a fourth or fifth receiver, at best this season — and Rice confirmed what many figured — that he would rather call it quits than be a bit player with the Broncos.

Rice signed with Denver over the summer, reuniting with Shanahan, who was his offensive coordinator in the 1990s in San Francisco. For Rice, the idea was to play for a coach who was familiar with him and for a team that could help him go out a winner.

Shanahan made it clear he would not promise Rice anything, not even a roster spot. Behind the scenes, though, Shanahan said he knew it would never come down to him having to cut the league's best all-time receiver: He figured if Rice knew it was time to go, he would step aside himself. - NFL Football -

"I've pushed this body for 20 years," Rice said. "I was never a coach potato, I was always working out. I had to prove myself every year.

"A lot of guys here were 3 when I started playing. I think those guys are pretty much amazed that I can still run the way I can run." - NFL Football -

©MMV, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

2005-08-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

New football arenas push bounds of stadium engineering

Alex Frangos
Wall Street Journal
Aug. 29, 2005 10:55 AM At the Arizona Cardinals new stadium in Glendale, Ariz., a half-dozen of the team's 300-pound linemen will jump up and down in unison next month, hammering a 30-foot patch of turf under their cleats.

Training for a new quarterback blitz? Nope. Testing the limits of the playing surface the Cardinals plan to use as the centerpiece of their $450 million stadium when it opens in 2006: a retractable field. Imagine a gigantic rectangular planter 18 inches deep with dirt and grass, and mounted on rails.

"We've got marching bands marching, and big gorillas tackling each other - we've got to make sure the floor doesn't move beneath them," says Larry Griffis, president of the structures division of Walter P. Moore, one of the leading stadium engineering firms in the U.S. Mr. Griffis is currently working on three NationalFootball League projects and is a leading expert on retractable stadium roofs.

Now he has to deal with a retractable floor - the first of its kind for a stadium in the U.S. Mr. Griffis is worried not so much that the field will collapse under the weight of the titans, but that the vibrations will make the players feel uneasy. "It's not a structural issue, but a perception issue," he says.

The next generation of NFL arenas is pushing the bounds of stadium engineering way beyond the old bowl-like, exposed-to-the-elements structures of the past, and even beyond more recent indoor venues.Football stadiums these days must serve as team icons, with bold, distinctive designs that render them easily recognizable for brand identity. They also have to be functionally and environmentally versatile, to tap other kinds of event revenue than justfootball.

The Cardinals, for their part, hired New York architect Peter Eisenman, something of a maverick in design circles as well as a football fanatic. The architect responded by conjuring a vision inspired by the team's Southwest desert setting: a barrel cactus. Curved metallic panels will alternate with glass strips around the exterior of the building, scheduled for completion before the 2006 season. A retractable roof will let air in on temperate winter Sundays. And in a bid to have both natural turf and a building that makes money year-round, the Cardinals are betting on their grass field on wheels. Even duringfootball season, the field will be able to roll outside next to the parking lot during the week so it can soak up the warm Arizona sun while conferences and meetings take place indoors.

This is relatively new territory for engineers. Only a handful of stadiums in Japan and Europe have experimented with retractable fields. Mr. Griffis tried to learn about the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, near Munich. But the tight-lipped builders didn't want to compare notes, Mr. Griffis says. "We're sort of inventing the wheels ourselves," he says, referring not only to the field but the rollers underneath.

The NFL's two other teams with funds to move forward with new stadium blueprints are Indianapolis and Dallas. The Indianapolis Colts unveiled their design this year, by Dallas architects HKS Inc. The shape is inspired by the classic Indiana field house, a square building with sloped roof, which in this case will be retractable.

The sloping roof, in fact, poses a challenge to the engineers since it also has to move. "It's basically a combination of crane and railroad technology being utilized on a moving roof rather than, say, unloading containers on a ship," says Brian Trubey, the architect on the Indianapolis and Dallas stadiums. Every retractable roof is a challenge, Mr. Trubey says, because each stadium's shape is different. Mr. Trubey says he lets his buddy Mr. Griffis worry about the particulars. "There's some good engineers who know how to do that," he kids.

Mr. Griffis responds, only half-kiddingly, with a complaint often heard from engineers: that architects come up with designs that are difficult to build while staying within the budget. "A lot of these architects are great at getting them to look good," Mr. Griffis says of modern stadiums, "but not so good at the price tag. It can get pretty tense. We're going through that with Mr. Trubey right now."

Before Arizona, Mr. Griffis's biggest football-stadium challenge was for the Houston Texans' Reliant Stadium - the first NFL venue with a retractable roof. As in Arizona, financial pressures forced the stadium owners to seek additional revenue from other kinds of events. The solution: the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, an annual 2 1/2-week run of lassos and bucking bulls that sells out every night. The show actually brings in more money thanfootball, so it demanded some design changes.

Having multiple uses "adds a level of complexity to the design," says Mr. Griffis. For the rodeo, for instance, "we had to design for all the speakers and lights and banners they wanted to hang." That meant the retractable roof needed to support an additional 180,000 pounds. The solution: more steel supports.

Other recent proposals pushing at the edge of stadium design include the New York Jets' ambitious plan for a multipurpose stadium on the west side of Manhattan, an idea that was scuttled earlier this year. Designed by New York architects Kohn, Pedersen, Fox and by engineers Thornton-Tomasetti Group, also of New York, the retractable-roof stadium would have been built atop a busy railyard. The stadium also would have served as a convention center, concert hall and giant ballroom. And an early version of the plan envisioned a structure transformable from a 75,000-seat stadium into a 20,000-seat basketball or hockey arena.

While that project is unlikely to move forward, the Jets are considering other possibilities. One is to build a stadium in the borough of Queens. A potentially more innovative option would be to share a new stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., with their rivals the New York Giants-next to the facility the two already share.

The current situation has the Jets playing in Giants Stadium, the name clearly emblazoned on the outside of the structure. The Jets have long complained about the arrangement, saying theNFL is all about home-field advantage. The teams have been willing to discuss sharing a new stadium, however, because of design ideas being discussed that would make it a home for both franchises, such as massive changeable light displays that would mutate from one Sunday to the next: green for Jets, blue for Giants. After all, it's cheaper to build one stadium than two.

Recently at the Cardinals' practice facility in Phoenix, stadium designers kept their focus firmly on the floor as they tested a prototype for vibrations. The design calls for a series of steel rails running under the length of the field, from end zone to end zone, and serving as the tracks. Running crossways under the tray of dirt and grass are steel beams that will rest on boxes containing railroadlike wheels.

Before the test, Mr. Griffis's calculations said the span from rail to rail should be 23 feet in order to minimize the vibrations.

Thomas M. Murray and Mehdi Setareh, professors from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, brought a special shaking machine to simulate different intensities of vibration atop the section of the field. Volunteers from Mr. Griffis's team and the Cardinals' front office moved around on the shaking field to see whether the vibrations were perceptible to humans, while accelerometers measured the exact level of vibration.

One thing they found: The worst sort of event is coordinated jumping exercises - the kind of thing that football players or marching bands often do. With everyone moving in unison, it increases the force and thus the vibration.

Shaking-building phenomenon is a product of modern construction material, and thus is not limited to stadiums. Convention centers, shopping-mall atriums and aerobics studios are notorious for their perceptible vibrations. Engineers say buildings weigh 40 percent less than they did before World War II, after which construction methods changed. Light steel and concrete have replaced brick and steel. Drywall has pushed aside masonry. Feather-light metal studs stand in for heavy pine.

For the Cardinals and their field, however, the challenge goes beyond vibrations. Because the tray of dirt and grass is exposed top and bottom to Arizona's desert heat when it's outside, the roots and stems of the grass can fry. Part of the experiment at the practice facility also was to determine how much water the grounds crew will need to sprinkle in order to keep the field fresh and green.

Another obstacle for the engineers was attaching Mr. Eisenman's unique cactus-shaped panels to the frame of the building. Despite the difficulty, the Cardinals think the result will be worth it, since beginning in 2006 millions offootball fans will identify the team with televised blimp shots of their new stadium.

Mr. Trubey, the architect for the Colts, says television exerts a powerful force on stadium design. "You can argue that NFL venues are the most-seen type of architecture on television," he says. "As much time as we spend making it incredible for the people actually physically there, we believe the balance of the audience - which is probably 99 percent of it - hadn't been leveraged as a participant in terms of enhancing brand through the stadium."

Of course, even with a great brand, football can't take place without a big hunk of solid turf.

The Cardinals initial field vibration test proved crucial. Mr. Griffis and his team discovered that the 23-foot span between the rails was too wide. The fix: more rails spaced more closely together.

But that doesn't have them satisfied. On Sept 19 and 20, the team will do a "confirmation test" on a 30-foot-long, full-width slice of the actual field, this time with real players - not engineers - jumping around. If the pitch passes, workers will go ahead on the rest of the field without changes.

Mr. Griffis is philosophical about all the tests. "We know from past experience that if you don't pay attention early in the design, it'll bite you in the end."

Copyright © 2005, azcentral.com.

2005-08-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

Ex-RB Phillips charged with assault

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips, who allegedly ran his car into three teenagers who argued with him following a pickup football game, was charged Tuesday with multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon.Phillips was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon, the district attorney's office said. He was charged with seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of child abuse and one count of hit and run. - NFL Football -If convicted, Phillips faces up to 13 years and four months in prison.Phillips, a star at Nebraska before the St. Louis Rams made him the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NFL draft, got into an argument with several young men after the pickup football game Sunday in Exposition Park, Los Angeles police officer Sandra Escalante said.He left the park, but returned and drove a black Honda onto the field, allegedly running into a group of young males. Three were hit, including two aged 14 and 15, the district attorney's office said. - NFL Football -The teenagers were taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said. The car Phillips was driving had been reported stolen in San Diego earlier in the week, Escalante said.The district attorney's office said a bench warrant was issued for Phillips in 2003 after he allegedly failed to appear for a probation hearing at the Airport Court. He had pleaded no contest to one count of making a criminal threat in 2000 after he allegedly attacked a girlfriend in Beverly Hills. - NFL Football -Police in San Diego had been seeking Phillips since earlier this month for allegedly attacking his girlfriend twice, once choking her into unconsciousness.Phillips, 30, was arrested Sunday and held on the domestic violence felony warrant and held without bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Web site.San Diego police had offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to Phillips' whereabouts, and said he had indicated he wouldn't surrender peacefully.The first domestic assault, in which police say Phillips' 28-year-old girlfriend was choked, allegedly occurred Aug. 2 at her San Diego home. Police said the second assault allegedly took place 11 days later when Phillips confronted the woman at a party.In both cases he left the scene before officers could arrest him.Phillips has a history of high-profile trouble with the law going back a decade to his time as one of the nation's top college football players at Nebraska. - NFL Football -The Rams released him for insubordination in 1997 after he played 25 games with them. Phillips signed with the Miami Dolphins later in the 1997 season, but was released after pleading no contest to hitting a woman in a nightclub.He was the top offensive player in NFL Europe in 1999 after setting league records for rushing and touchdowns with the Barcelona Dragons. - NFL Football -He signed with the San Francisco 49ers later that year, but was released for missing a practice. He has also played in the Canadian Football League.

Associated Press.

2005-08-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

NFL: Clarett out for Broncos' first game

HOUSTON -- Maurice Clarett's hasn't played in a game in more than 2 1/2 years.
He'll have to wait at least another week to make his NFL debut.
The former Ohio State star and third-round draft pick has a sore groin and will miss the Denver Broncos' preseason opener Saturday against the Houston Texans. - NFL Football -"
The MRI was negative," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "It's nothing serious. It's not torn. He is getting rehab right now, working out a couple of times a day in the weight room, getting treatment about four times a day. Hopefully when we get back, he will be ready to go."
While Clarett, who did not accompany the team to Houston, awaits his first NFL game, Jerry Rice will make his Broncos debut in hopes of making the team for his 21st season.
Rice, who sat out practice Wednesday morning with a sore heel, participated in the remainder of the team's workouts in Houston. He's listed as second-string at one of the receiver positions behind Ashley Lelie. - NFL Football -
Even without Clarett, the Broncos have a multitude of good running backs led by Mike Anderson. Second-stringer Tatum Bell had 75 carries for 396 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie and could push for the starting job.
"We've got a lot of guys fighting for positions and backup positions," Shanahan said. "That's what preseason is all about." - NFL Football -

Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press

2005-08-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

NFL notes: Marino, Young highlight Hall

CANTON, Ohio — He licked his fingers, a trademark of his 17 seasons as the NFL's most prolific quarterback, then turned to one of his favorite receivers, Mark Clayton, in the audience.
"Go deep, Mark," Dan Marino commanded.
Clayton sauntered up the aisle, turned and latched onto — what else? — a perfect spiral.
"Of course, in the end, every quarterback wants one more Sunday with a football in his hands and going deep," Marino said. - NFL Football -
And that's exactly what he did, wrapping up his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the best way possible: with a long completion.
Thousands of fans clad in No. 13 Dolphins jerseys shook Fawcett Stadium with cheers, remembering how sweet it was to see Marino setting all his records.
"I'll remember this day for the rest of my life," Marino said.
Marino joined Steve Young, Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman in the shrine.
"This is a proud day not only for me but the entire Marino family, and I'm blessed you are all here," he said. - NFL Football -
Young suggested it was the first time only quarterbacks entered the Hall in one class, and he was partly right. Pollard was a running back who sometimes played QB.
While Marino and Young had diverse styles, they both spent years at the top of their profession. Marino set NFL marks of 4,967 completions, 8,358 passes, 61,361 yards (nearly 35 miles) and 420 touchdowns. His record of 48 TD passes in the 1984 season, when he was MVP, was broken by Peyton Manning last year.
The only achievement Marino didn't reach that Young did was winning a title. Young, the 1992 and '94 league MVP after taking over for Montana in San Francisco, and the career passing efficiency leader, guided the 49ers to the '94 championship. He also is the first left-handed QB in the Hall. - NFL Football -
"I can taste the pride I felt to be able to put on a 49ers jersey and represent the great city of San Francisco," Young said. "In San Francisco, I found football in its newly enlightened form. I found heaven on Earth for football."
Young began his career in the USFL with the Los Angeles Express, followed by two seasons with the Buccaneers before Bill Walsh acquired him in 1987. It wasn't until Montana was injured in 1991 that Young became the starter.
He never looked back. - NFL Football -
"I just remember him being an outstanding football player," said Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren, who first coached Young at Brigham Young. "I mean, he had it all. He was the total package."
Pollard, like Friedman, was a pro football pioneer and the first black NFL head coach.
Pollard is among the most important minority figures in football history, a man who seemed to open the door for black athletes in his sport, only to see it slammed shut from 1934 until 1946.
Friedman, who died in 1982, probably was the first great pro passer, and his 20 TD throws in 1929 were considered phenomenal because the ball he threw barely resembled the modern football. The record stood for 14 years. - NFL Football -

Seattle Times news services

2005-07-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

FAMU turns to Carter for program lift

TALLAHASSEE -- Former Miami All-American and NFL defensive lineman Rubin Carter will be introduced today as Florida A&M's next football coach, the athletic department confirmed Tuesday.Carter had been defensive line coach at Temple, and Temple assistant director of sports media relations Kevin Lorincz said Carter had resigned Monday, effective immediately.At a news conference scheduled for this afternoon in Tallahassee, Carter formally will be announced as the successor to Billy Joe, who was fired June 14 after 11 seasons.Carter, 52, was the only candidate among the five finalists without experience as a head coach. But he brings both in-state name recognition and a willingness to work in a troubled program.Carter, who flew to town Tuesday, will spend much of his first season awaiting sanctions from the NCAA following the internal investigation that led to Joe's firing. - NFL Football -
For a few seasons, he likely will face scholarship limits and postseason competition bans.Interim athletic director E. Newton Jackson Jr. said Carter's selection was a show to skeptics who questioned how the program would lure a strong candidate in the face of its problems."This is the opportunity to be a head coach in a legendary football program," Jackson said. "Regardless of the current status of funding, facilities, the NCAA sanctions -- certainly there are dark clouds, but it's a big sky."Another of the five finalists for the job agreed. - NFL Football -
"I still think it's a great situation; there's no doubt in my mind," said Winston-Salem State assistant Linwood Ferguson, who interviewed along with former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Alex Wood, North Carolina A&T offensive coordinator Kent Schoolfield and Shaw University Coach Deondri Clark. - NFL Football -
"I'm not surprised, and I knew [Carter] had to be in the thick of things with the background with the athletic director."In the early '90s, Carter was a strength and conditioning coach at Howard University, where Jackson was the swimming and diving coach.Carter has spent 18 years as an assistant at the college and pro level. He played for 12 seasons with the Denver Broncos, for whom he was a fifth-round pick in 1975. - NFL Football -
Along with Wood, he was one of the favorites among players who participated in the interview process. In a nearly two-hour meeting, players were just as blunt as alumni and media in asking Carter why he would want a job, on such short notice, with FAMU's struggling athletic department."He felt that he could make some strides and turn our program around, and he felt that he needed the challenge," said junior running back Devvin Richardson, one of the players who met with each candidate. "[Carter and Wood] really had a structure and organization and plan for how they wanted to attack things when they get here. - NFL Football -
"Richardson said players were relieved today's announcement could mark the end to a particularly tumultuous offseason, although FAMU's good news will create another opening elsewhere."[Carter] is an excellent recruiter and has done an outstanding job in that regard in the state of Florida," Temple Coach Bobby Wallace said in a statement."Although we are very sorry to see him go, we realize the significance of this opportunity for him." - NFL Football -

Emily Badger Sentinel Staff Writer

2005-07-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Former NFL player gets 15 years in DUI crash

TAMPA -- Former NFL and Arena Football League player Darion Conner was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday for killing a bicyclist while he was driving drunk.
A jury found Conner guilty last week of DUI-manslaughter and vehicular homicide, both second-degree felonies. - NFL Football -
Witnesses testified they saw the 37-year-old Conner driving his Toyota Land Cruiser erratically before slamming into Jonathan Michael Conklin around 1:50 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2004. The collision sent Conklin, 32, flying about 200 feet through the air, prosecutors said. He died at the scene.
Investigators who arrived a few minutes later said they found Conner passed out behind the wheel with alcohol on his breath. His blood-alcohol level was tested at 0.27 percent, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08. - NFL Football -
Jurors also were shown a video of Conner, who has several previous DUI convictions, flunking a sobriety test. - NFL Football -
Conner spent eight seasons as a defensive lineman in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles. The Jackson State University product spent the last six years playing for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League. - NFL Football -

Associated Press

2005-07-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

Coaching legend Stram dies
He's best remembered for winning Super Bowl with the Chiefs and as radio commentator.

Hank Stram, the most successful coach in American Football League history and a TV and radio broadcaster for nearly two decades, died Monday in a suburban New Orleans hospital. He was 82.
Stram died at St. Tammany Parish Hospital near his home in Covington, La., across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. He had been in declining health for several years, and his son attributed the death to complications from diabetes.
Stram, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was credited with developing the 3-4 defense, the two-tight-end formation and the moving pocket. When his coaching career was over, he worked as an analyst for CBS, first on television and then in the radio booth, where he called "Monday Night Football" alongside Jack Buck.
Stram did radio commentary for four Super Bowls, becoming the first person to participate in the NFL championship game both as a winning coach, with the Kansas City Chiefs, and broadcaster.
"I've lived a charmed life," he once said. "I married the only girl I ever loved, and being able to do a job I truly loved with the Chiefs. I'm a lucky fellow."
Stram, who had suffered from diabetes for several years, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. Too weak to stand or walk on his own, he watched his prerecorded induction speech from a wheelchair.
"Look at all the red eyes," former Kansas City running back Ed Podolak said at the time. "I cried like a baby, and so did everyone else."

By Sam Farmer / Los Angeles Times

2005-07-06T09:36:00.000-07:00

Ex-Cougar, 49er remained humble

A few months after he retired from the San Francisco 49ers, football great Charles "Rex" Berry was at a park in Sandy, throwing and kicking the football around with his only son, Doug Berry, who would go on to be a successful prep football coach at Jordan and Alta high schools. A man wandered over, told the Berrys he had played college football in northern California, and started giving them some tips, totally oblivious to the fact that Rex "Carbon Comet" Berry was one of the 100 greatest athletes in Utah history, an all-pro defensive back in the NFL, a three-sport all-conference star at BYU and a four-sport all-stater at Price's Carbon High. "I kept asking Dad to tell the man who he was, but Dad never did," Doug Berry recalled. "He was so humble that way. He thanked the man, told him 'you are a great athlete,' and we went on our way without the man ever knowing that Dad played for the 49ers." Rex Berry died Friday at his home in Provo of complications from a heart condition. He was 80. Doug Berry said his father suffered a major heart attack on July 24, 2004, but was doing relatively well and was living at home with his wife of almost 60 years, Helen, until his condition worsened the past week. "Mom had a stroke eight years ago and has been in a wheelchair ever since," Berry said. "Dad took care of her night and day the last six years . . . he taught us so much about love and devotion that way." Rex Berry, who was nicknamed "Reliable Rex" by San Francisco newspapers, was a competitor to the end, his son said. "I would go over and play cribbage with him, and he wouldn't even let me beat him at that," Doug Berry said. "There was never any slack from him."

Jay Drew
The Salt Lake Tribune

2005-06-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

Shooting at NFL Players' Party Probed

GAMBRILLS, Md. - Police are investigating the shooting of a security guard at a pool party hosted by NFL linebackers LaVar Arrington and Julian Peterson.

Investigators don't believe Arrington was near the spot where James Sidney was shot and

Washington Redskins player was present at the party, police spokesman Lt. Joseph Jordan said Tuesday. It was not clear whether Peterson was at the party Saturday night, Jordan said.

No one has been charged in the shooting and there are no suspects, Jordan said.

I had no involvement in the incident, and to my knowledge neither did any of the guests at the party," Arrington said in a statement. "I feel terrible about the injury to the guard, who was only doing his job, and pray he recovers quickly and fully."

James Sidney was shot when he intervened in a scuffle at the party, police said. He was flown to a hospital in Baltimore, where he was in serious but stable condition, Jordan said. A hospital spokeswoman said Sidney requested that no further information be released.

Arrington and Peterson, who plays for San Francisco, hosted the party along with a company called True Playaz Entertainment at a 18,000-square foot mansion they rented, according to Jordan.

An agent who represents Peterson did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

NFL FOOTBALL TEAM LOGO

2005-06-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

High expectations for Jaguars QB Leftwich

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - (KRT) - The hands on Byron Leftwich's NFL-quarterback growth clock are approaching the midnight hour.
When the alarm goes off, say, on Sept. 11 when the Jacksonville Jaguars open their 2005 season at home against Seattle, there will be little room for Leftwich to make the mistakes considered normal for a rookie or second-year quarterback. He will have crossed over to veteran territory, an area in which fans and coaching staffs expect near-flawless execution from their offensive leaders.
And with the team's new offense and a beefed-up receiving corps, Leftwich should have all the tools he needs for a breakout season this fall. Whether through media questions or directions from his coaches, Leftwich is reminded of this almost daily. A large portion of the team's success - or failure - for the upcoming season will rest on his shoulders.
No problem.
"My expectations for myself are higher than anything others put on me," said Leftwich, who was the seventh overall pick in the 2003 draft. "Nobody on this team allows outsiders to put pressure on us that we don't already put on ourselves."
Leftwich has been solid in his first two seasons. But overall offensive stagnation has been a problem. Under former coordinator Bill Musgrave's West Coast-style offense, the Jaguars never scored more than 28 points in the past two seasons. The Jags were 21st in total offense and 29th in scoring offense last season.
Reviving the offense has been the Jaguars' main focus in the offseason. The Jaguars added a new offensive coordinator, former USC quarterbacks coach Carl Smith, who has installed a pass-heavy system that will rely heavily on Leftwich's arm. In the 2005 draft, the team added Matt Jones, a quarterback-turned receiver from Arkansas, to add to a corps of receivers that contains Jimmy Smith, Troy Edwards and second-year pros Reggie Williams and Ernest Wilford.
"That's going to make me look good," Leftwich said, smiling. "There's no such thing as too many wide receivers. You can never have enough."
His performances in the team's recent organized-team activities have showed promise. During a June 17 workout, Leftwich was 27 of 32 with two drops. Coaches say his mechanics improved, resulting in quicker and more decisive decisions.
"It's been great to have him embrace the offense the way he has," Jags Coach Jack Del Rio said. "On a personal level, his footwork and mechanics and the strength he's earned in the weight room has shown out here on the field. Of course, the timing with the receivers, getting on the same page and understanding where they're going to break off routes and things - that's been very good.
"It's been a very, very productive spring for Byron."
Leftwich clearly is a fan of Smith's new offense.
"It's easy now," Leftwich said. "Once you get down the terminology and what you're trying to get accomplished, he can just say the play and it can be a brand new play and I can know what we're going to do as a team. It's new, but at the same time it's football. It has a football aspect to it, and that makes it easy to learn."
"Right now I'm comfortable with it. I know what everybody's doing on every single play."
Smith, still one of the most productive receivers in the league says he's "looking forward to a lot of big plays being made downfield vertically."
There's that pressure again. Leftwich says he plans to thrive.
"We all like that," he said. "That's what you want as a player."

BY SHANNON SHELTONThe Orlando Sentinel