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Home to a half Mexican who now lives in Silverdale, WA and who supports the Hawks, Sonics and Mariners along with the alma mater (WSU). I also post wacky links, pictures of insanely hot women and what have you (if you don't want to read my ramblings), so enjoy.


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Saturday, May 29, 2004
OMG NFL RUMORZ~!

Happy now, Gates?

-The Buccaneers were very impressed with the professional attitude rookie WR Michael Clayton showed in the team’s minicamp and believe he might contribute sooner than expected.

-Sources close to the Redskins say CB Fred Smoot has shown tremendous dedication to the finer details of the game, such as film study, this offseason — something that rubbed off from former teammate Champ Bailey, a notoriously disciplined player.

-We hear the Seahawks’ concerns over a possible contract holdout by TE Itula Mili have been offset somewhat by the greatly improved performance this offseason by former first-round pick Jerramy Stevens, who looked great in the team’s first minicamp. (Finally! How long was it gonna take for him to come around?)

-We’re told the best position battle on the 49ers could be at right guard between second-round draft pick Justin Smiley and third-year pro Kyle Kosier. Our sources said Smiley’s mano-a-mano battles with rookie DT Isaac Sopoaga were the highlight of the Niners’ first minicamp. Kosier, meanwhile, added 10 pounds of muscle and looks a lot niftier than last season.

-We hear 49ers first-round pick Rashaun Woods looked lost at times in the team’s first minicamp and struggled more often than not.

-After he looked especially good at linebacker in the Niners’ first minicamp, word is the Jamie Winborn-to-safety experiment is over before it started.

-Dennis Green on Cardinals RB Marcel Shipp, who failed to score a single TD last season: “I’ll be a big mouth. I think he’ll score at least seven times this year. I think with the kind of guys we have pushing up front, he’s going to be a 1,000-yarder (rushing), plus seven touchdowns.”

-Rumors persist that the Seahawks could go after a veteran middle linebacker (Jeremiah Trotter?) before the summer runs its course, but we hear head coach Mike Holmgren seemed dead-set against going in that direction at presstime.

-Keep an eye on Cardinals third-year RB Josh Scobey, who definitely figures to be the team’s No. 2 back next season and could push Emmitt Smith for the backup RB spot before the 2004 campaign is over. New head coach Dennis Green really likes Scobey’s tools.

-Rams OT Kyle Turley, who didn’t participate in the team’s May 21-23 minicamp, showed up 20 pounds lighter following recent back surgery.

-In a recent conversation with PFW, new Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said he believes his father, Buddy Ryan, and Bill Belichick, under whom he coached the last three years in New England, are the two greatest defensive minds in the history of the league. “Both of those two are innovators, and they’re not just set in one defense,” Ryan said. “They’ve always been smart enough to be multiple and smart enough and good enough teachers to allow their players to execute a complicated defense. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned from both those two is that not all quarterbacks can outthink good defenses.”

-Marty Schottenheimer’s bid to create an attitude improvement in San Diego didn’t stop at jettisoning players such as David Boston and Marcellus Wiley. He recently instituted some new rules aimed at enforcing a little more diligence. Two such examples are no food in meetings and no cell phones in the locker room. “I don’t want to give any suggestion that we’re an undisciplined team in meetings, but we have to take it to another level,” Schottenheimer said. Key players such as RB LaDainian Tomlinson and LB Donnie Edwards are openly buying into the change in environment and improved focus.

-Not wanting to waste his skills and physical style behind MLB Al Wilson, the Broncos are in the process of shifting second-year LB Terry Pierce to the strong side, where he’ll compete with Jashon Sykes for the starting job formerly held by John Mobley, whose future remains in doubt following a serious neck injury suffered last season. Pierce has lost almost 20 pounds since the end of last year to help make the switch easier.

-The Broncos could use WR Ashley Lelie to take some big strides in his third year, and if the offseason program is any indication, he appears to be up to the task. Lelie arrived back in town a month before the start of the team’s offseason conditioning program, which allowed him additional time in the weight room — at the request of Mike Shanahan — as well as some extra work with QB Jake Plummer.

-Look for the Panthers to lock up QB Jake Delhomme, who is entering the final year on his deal, with a contract extension sometime in June. Both sides are optimistic a deal will get done, and the Panthers want to make sure Delhomme is under contract before possible suitors can get another good look at him.

-The Falcons are growing ever frustrated with the unwillingness of DT Ellis Johnson to divulge if he plans to return for the 2004 season or retire.

-Some of the Falcons’ defensive players say the intensity of new defensive coordinator Ed Dona­tell’s practices in minicamp should have the defense in the best shape it has been in the past five years.

-The Packers are considering signing former Giants DE Kenny Holmes after Joe Johnson is released in June. Green Bay prefers ex-Jaguars DE Tony Brackens, but Brackens has resumed contract talks with Jacksonville.

-Their published depth chart won’t reflect the move until the end of training camp, but second-year WR Justin Gage is the front-runner for the Bears’ No. 2 WR job after his efforts in the offseason. WR David Terrell could be used as a slot receiver.

-The Bears are splitting OLT reps between Qasim Mitchell and John Tait. The coaching staff maintains Tait is the starting right offensive tackle, but players have mentioned Tait stands out on the left side and Aaron Gibson and Mitchell are better fits at right tackle.

-Jaguars backup QB David Garrard suffered a setback in his battle with Crohn’s disease and missed passing camp in May. Garrard needs surgery and could miss several months. Crohn’s disease is a chronic disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract.

-If you’re looking for a sleeper to make the Cowboys’ roster, check out Arkansas S Tom Crowder, a converted receiver, whose special-teams prowess reportedly caught the eye of Bill Parcells and the coaching staff. Crowder could end up battling NFL Europe standout Keith Davis, who had a knack for finding the ball in training camp two years ago, and Tony Dixon, who has done little in three seasons.

-Whatever static there was between DT Albert Haynesworth and his Titans teammates because of the player’s apparent poor conditioning and absence at offseason workouts, that appears to be ancient history after some serious tongue lashings through the media, according to one Titans observer.

-Giants fourth-rounder DE-OLB Reggie Torbor turned some heads at the team’s first minicamp and earned some praise from head coach Tom Coughlin. The team thinks Torbor can step right in as a situational pass rusher while re-learning how to play linebacker after playing in a three-point stance his final two seasons at Auburn.

-An interesting battle could be brewing for the Giants’ No. 3 QB spot. The team, even after adding Kurt Kittner, probably will sign a veteran such as the Rams’ Kurt Warner, who has visited with team officials. That would leave Jesse Palmer, Ryan Van Dyke and rookie Jared Lorenzen all competing for the final spot. Van Dyke has been tearing up NFL Europe, and Lorenzen is intriguing, and though Palmer impressed some with his performance in minicamp, he’s considered a long shot to stay with the team.

-There’s a tentative plan to move Giants ORG Dave Diehl out to right tackle — a trouble spot last season — to make way for rookie Chris Snee, but sources say rehabbing OLG Rich Seubert might not be ready for the start of training camp, or possibly even the season, which could derail that plan. Some even say the Week One right tackle might not be on the roster yet, depending on what free agents might become available.

-The Giants’ signing of WR James McKnight doesn’t bode well for Tim Carter. It’s possible that head coach Tom Coughlin has not been impressed with Carter thus far or fears he has not recovered from multiple concussions.

-A source close to the Bengals says the team was impressed by what it has seen out of rookie LB Caleb Miller and second-year OLB Khalid Abdullah. Don’t be surprised if both ‘backers push for playing time.

-Titans WRs Eddie Berlin, Darrell Hill and Jake Schifino are all battling for the No. 4 WR spot, and though Berlin might have the inside track, Titans observers were impressed with the play of Schifino, who had an outstanding minicamp.

-Redskins WR Taylor Jacobs, battling for the team’s No. 3 spot, has added nearly 10 pounds of muscle this offseason, mostly in his upper body. Jacobs apparently hasn’t lost any of his speed, and the added weight should help him get off the line better, something that hurt him as a rookie.

-The Chris Foerster hiring as Dolphins offensive coordinator following Joel Collier’s resignation due to health-related problems raised eyebrows throughout the league, especially in Tampa Bay, where Foerster served as OL coach from 1996 to 2001. Ex-Bucs OG Ian Beckles, who hosts a radio talk show in Tampa, has been particularly critical of the Foerster hiring.

-While the health issues that forced Joel Collier to quit the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator job and return to his old job as Miami’s RB coach are still unknown, we hear that he had been totally consumed with his new job, was working on off-days and had lost 15 pounds.

-Don’t be surprised if New England makes a move for a veteran quarterback to compete with Rohan Davey, despite Davey’s success in NFL Europe this spring, for the primary backup spot behind starting QB Tom Brady.

-It’s looking more and more like this is offensive coordinator Charlie Weis’ last season with the Patriots, whether he gets a head-coaching job following this season or not. Even though head coach Bill Belichick and Weis are close friends, the Patriots recently balked at paying Weis a salary in line with other top assistants throughout the league and Weis has resigned himself to the fact that he will go elsewhere in 2005.

-There’s a good reason why Patriots PK Adam Vinatieri connected on a career-low 73.5 percent (25-of-34) of his regular-season FG attempts in 2003 — he injured his lower back while warming up for a game at midseason. The injury was kept secret the rest of the season, though his teammates knew he was playing in pain. Meanwhile, we hear that Vinatieri could be playing his last season in New England. The 31-year-old’s contract expires after the 2004 season, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be back. While staying put is his first choice, he recently said that the idea of kicking in a warm-weather city or in a dome is appealing to him.

-One of the worst-kept secrets in the NFL has been the Jets’ plan to release QB Vinny Testaverde after June 1. Now we hear that another Jets veteran could be released, though it’s more of a long shot. LB Sam Cowart looked old and slow at the Jets’ first minicamp. When contrasted with vibrant rookie Jonathan Vilma, the Jets’ top draft pick who is poised to take a starting role, it’s easy to see how Cowart could be on thin ice.

-We hear that there is some tension on the Jets’ coaching staff as head coach Herm Edwards begins to exert more control over the offense. Offensive coordinator Paul Hackett has clearly been put on notice after the Jets’ struggles in the red zone and wasteful spending of timeouts in 2003. As a result, Edwards has put assistant coach Dick Curl in charge of time management. Edwards also has said that QB Chad Pennington will have more leeway in calling his own plays. Neither of those decisions has made Hackett happy, since the implication is that he failed in both areas.



etch-a-sketched by john at 8:14 PM